[THE_EPISTLE] The Saint on DVD

[Ian Dickerson]

I'm reposting and cross-posting this to two lists with the permission of
the author, Alan Hayes. Alan, apart from being an all-round good chap
and nice guy, hangs out at a couple of archive TV/DVD forums that I also
blunder in to from time to time. For reasons best known to himself he's
got all three sets of Saint DVDs that have been released and was good
enough to post the following comparison of all 3 DVD releases.

Despite my obvious bias and Alan rating Network tops I would point out
that this is, of course, only his opinion.

Ian

***
As just about everyone knows, there are three competing versions of the
colour series of *The Saint* available now - from Umbrella in Australia,
and DD and Network in the UK. Rather than launch into a long and tedious
review, I thought I'd try something different. I've devised 10
categories on which they can be judged. Let's see who comes out smiling
and who has to shamble dejectedly back to the drawing board...

*Category 1: Print Quality and Authoring:*

    *1st: Umbrella 10/10*
    Umbrella's usual flawless job, representing variable quality masters
    in their best possible form. All three companies were reportedly
    supplied the same prints (although there seem to be occasional
    exceptions to this rule).

    *2nd: DD 8/10*
    Generally good. Some occasional, very minor, artifacting. Some
    episodes look a little over-processed.

    *3rd: Network 6/10*
    Variable authoring standards. Some episodes look crisp and well
    authored while others look soft, smeary and lacking in detail. These
    do not not compare particularly well with the same material on the
    other two editions. Another easily avoidable authoring cock-up in
    evidence is the variation in sound levels between episodes, extras
    and menus. Bluntly, poor authoring is Network's achilles heel and
    really must be improved. However, it must be said that this is an
    improvement over their "Man in a Suitcase" and "The Baron" nadir.



*Category 2: The Fiction Makers/Vendetta for the Saint:*

    *1st: Network 8/10*
    Both episodic versions and theatrical versions included in the
    Network set. Network gain many brownie points for including the long
    sought after episodic versions, but don't quite get the full score
    as they look rather battered at times. They also lose another star
    for the soft theatrical prints that for some reason look less
    impressive than they do on either of the other two sets.

    *2nd: Umbrella 5/10
    2nd: DD 5/10*
    Theatrical versions only.



*Category 3: Packaging:*

    *1st: DD 10/10*
    Excellent, attractive, gobsmackingly cool packaging. Not entirely
    user-friendly, but aesthetically very pleasing.

    *2nd: Network 7/10*
    Attractive package. Strong box with pleasing designs. Minus points
    for sticking with unpopular Scanavo cases, though at least they're
    the two disc variety. Another point dropped for the Heaven's Angels
    sticker on the outer box which cannot be removed without tearing the
    laminated finish. Surely these should be stuck on the shrink wrap???

    *2nd: Umbrella 7/10*
    Not Umbrella's most pleasing designs. Strong case and excellent
    internal packaging - Amaray cases are a big plus.



*Category 4: On-Disc Menus and Ease of Use:*

    *1st: Network 9/10*
    Well designed, striking and user-friendly menus.

    *2nd: Umbrella 8/10*
    Visually engaging and easy to use menus. Not quite as striking as
    Network's.

    *3rd: DD 4/10*
    DD's menus are attractive but incredibly long-winded. Very tiresome
    navigation with three time-consuming menu screens just to view an
    episode. From disc start-up, it takes 90 seconds to select an
    episode! Not good enough.



*Category 5: Production Notes and Booklets:*

    *1st: DD 9/10*
    Two informative and lavishly illustrated oversized booklets
    containing just about all you need to know. The episode guide book
    is mildly disappointing, its text being taken from ITC publicity
    materials. The reproduced photos more than make up for it.

    *2nd: Umbrella 8/10*
    Well-written, informative sleeve notes on each disc inside and back
    cover.

    *3rd: Network 6/10*
    Three booklets, but only one has anything really worthwhile, the
    bulk of the material being reproduced straight from ITC publicity
    materials. Design, while competent, is hardly in tune with the
    series style (which the DD booklets certainly are). The absence of
    specially written production information is a definite minus.



*Category 6: Other Printed Materials*

    *1st: DD 10/10*
    An embarrassment of riches: full size posters, photographic prints,
    a postcard, all reproduced beautifully.

    *2nd: Umbrella 8/10*
    Two ITC publicity brochures lovingly reproduced.

    *3rd: Network 7/10*
    Unpublished Leslie Charteris short story reproduced. Otherwise, not
    much to report.



*Category 7: On-Disc In-Vision and DVD-ROM Extras:*

    *1st: Network 10/10*
    Superbly made documentary which is not only informative but great
    fun, extensive archive extras and modest DVD-ROM content.

    *2nd: Umbrella 7/10*
    Good selection of archive extras, but little else to get excited
    about. Umbrella have produced better extras packages for other
    series, such as "Man in a Suitcase" and "Randall and Hopkirk
    (Deceased)". Good DVD-ROM content, including scripts and memorabilia.

    *3rd: DD 5/10*
    This would have been a higher rating if it were based upon effort.
    The documentaries on the discs are rather pedestrian and feature
    some editorial faux pas. Reasonable selection of archive extras, but
    nothing exciting. No DVD-ROM materials.



*Category 8: Commentaries*

    *1st: Network 9/10*
    Commentaries on "The House on Dragon's Rock", "The Ex-King of
    Diamonds", "The Fiction Makers" (theatrical version) and "Vendetta
    for the Saint" (theatrical version). Contributors: Roger Moore,
    Johnny Goodman, Alvin Rakoff, Robert S. Baker, Peter Manley, Roy
    Ward Baker, Malcolm Christopher. A wide range of contributors in
    consistently entertaining commentaries.

    *2nd: Umbrella 8/10*
    Commentaries on "Escape Route", "The House on Dragon's Rock", "The
    Ex-King of Diamonds" and "Vendetta for the Saint" (theatrical
    version - licensed from MPI in the USA). Contributors: Roger Moore,
    Robert S. Baker, Peter Manley, Annette Andre and Johnny Goodman. A
    more modest range of contributors, but the commentaries are always
    well worth listening to.

    *3rd: DD 3/10*
    One commentary only, on "Escape Route" - this being licensed from
    Umbrella. Why DD didn't arrange their own commentaries is a mystery.



*Category 9: Image Galleries*

    *1st: Network 9/10*
    The runaway winners in this category. A vast selection of images,
    with the killer addition of very lengthy suites of Edwin Astley
    incidental music. A star dropped for the images not having any
    captions to explain which episodes they were from.

    *2nd: DD 7/10*
    Extensive image galleries for each episode.

    *3rd: Umbrella 6/10*
    Extensive image galleries for each episode. Umbrella's system of the
    viewer having to click through the pages on the remote is a slight
    drawback.



*Category 10: Value for Money*

    *1st: Network 9/10*
    Excellent extra features, with the episodes spread over 14 discs.
    Authoring still an issue, but otherwise, there's little to complain
    about with this lovely set.

    *2nd: Umbrella 8/10*
    As always, a top notch product - well authored, well packaged with
    good value extras. 12 discs (two sets of 6). For UK purchasers, this
    works out as the most expensive set, but is still excellent value IMHO.

    *3rd: DD 7/10*
    A superb, collectable edition that is competently authored but has
    some minor processing issues. Packaging and presentation second to
    none. Extras mildly disappointing. 12 discs.



*The Final Scores:*

    *Network • 80/100* (Halo Shining)
    *Umbrella • 75/100* (Halo Intact)
    *DD • 68/100* (Halo Slipped)



And I think that's probably a fair summation. Each set has much to
offer, and wins at least one category. Umbrella is the most consistent
high scorer, but Network's highs are higher in this case. DD scores very
highly in some areas and very badly in others.

*My final recommendation would be threefold:*

    If it's the best looking prints/authoring you're after, then go for
    *Umbrella*;

    If it's the best presentation and information you want, then plump
    for *DD*;

    If it's the best selection of extra materials you want, then pick up
    the *Network* edition.