Guenther

I am not sure it has been mentioned here...

HUNTED with Dirk Bogarde is available on DVD in Germany and France...


The German DVD (German and English audio tracks)

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/movie/detail/-/hnum/9847273 (~10 euros)
(click on the Union Jack in the upper right corner and the whole site will appear in English)

or

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000D9YLB (~18 euros)


The French DVD (French and English audio tracks)
http://www.fnac.com/1373922/rcwwwa/Hunted-...s-Crichton.html (~14 euros)


The German DVD has the trailer as an extra. The print is from Carlton and quite good,but has some minor scratches.

DAVID RAYNER

The mystery is, why isn't this marvellous British classic available on DVD here in the UK? The Carlton video, which also contained the original trailer on the beginning, was deleted years ago. I suspect that the German DVD is not a remastered version of the film, but merely the old Carlton video transferred to DVD.

To whom it may concern at Carlton, Rank, or whoever has the rights these days. Please issue this film on DVD in the UK. I mean, it's not as though nobody ever heard of Dirk Bogarde or Jon Whiteley or Kay Walsh, is it? It's a marvellous film and it's unacceptable that so many British classics such as this one are available in other countries, but not here. It would be wonderful if a Special Edition DVD could be made that included a commentary from Jon Whiteley. As far as I know, he is the only surviving member of the cast and crew that made the film over 54 years ago. I know he still has happy and vivid childhood memories of making the film and would probably be only to happy to assist with any DVD issue in this way. Below is a frame capture of Dirk and Jon from the video. The film was made in late 1951 and released in early 1952.

Graemets

~~~

Hunted has just been released on DVD in Australia in the Rank Classics series issued by Magna Pacific http://www.magnapacific.com.au in a fabulous reissue of some great films: Whistle Down theWind, Tiger Bay, This Sporting Life, My Brother's Keeper and dozens more. At AUD$12.95 each they are a real bargain. Devoted DVD in Melbourne take overseas orders and have it listed: http://www.devoteddvd.com.au

What an excellent film it is!

From Graeme in the Tropics!

theuofc

Yes, Hunted is a wonderful film and thanks heavens that Australia recognizes it along with France and Germany. Yet not Sir Dirk Bogarde's resident filming location, the UK. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/no.gif[/img]

Can you determine if Magna's release is a DVD version of the Carlton video referred to above by David?

DAVID RAYNER

Hmmmm. very interesting. The Australian DVD issue of Hunted is only around a fiver in our money. I may send for it, but it doesn't say if it contains the trailer like the old Carlton video I still have. But what's the betting that if I bought it from Australia, it would be reissued in the UK later this year. The DVD is also available from amazon Germany, but as I only speak English, I find it hard to understand the foreign amazon sites. Although I did manage once to buy a DVD of Jon Whiteley's Moonfleet off amazon France (not available anywhere else). But it took some doing. I had to translate each page, a few words at a time, using an Internet translator and hope for the best. That was over a year ago and I'm still getting emails from amazon France and I can't understand a word of them. It's far easier for me to order off amazon US and amazon UK.

theuofc

Hooray for this post....misery loves company. I thought I was the only one who felt like throttling the French Amazon site for making me feel absolutely incompetent there. Unlike the German site which has an English version, the French do not compromise. Speak French or don't complain if you make a mistake cause it's all your fault. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img] Okay, they do have a bit of help in English to check out, but like you, David, I always hold my breath and pray that I haven't ordered ten of the wrong film.

I also don't order from Amazon foreign sites mainly because the shipping fees are extremely high. The Australian sites are, for me, cheaper per DVD also because they deduct any Australian taxes for international orders....and their shipping is a fraction of Amazon. Not to mention my delight in finding films there I can't get anywhere else. (e.g. Boys in Brown, which I mentioned before).

Steve Crook

It does? Where? I usually use it auf Deutsch.

Steve

DAVID RAYNER

Here is a link to the page. I can't find any way to translate it into English, though and my knowledge of German is rather limited to phrases like Auf Weidersen; Achtung!; Himmel and Gutten nagen, Mein Herr. I did manage to translate the German title of Hunted, though. Over there, it's called A Child Was a Witness.

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000...4538482-9953814

theuofc

Keep practicing your German for Amazon, Steve, because I was thinking of JPC. Sorry to build your hopes up. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]

theuofc

You can add 'dumkopf" to your vocabulary, David, and apply it to yours truly [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img] I meant JPC, not Amazon.
So far, Guenther is looking pretty good in all of this.

DAVID RAYNER

Not to worry, I'm a bit of a Dumkopf myself at times. The cost of the Hunted DVD from JPC is very reasonable and I'm thinking about it. But are they a reliable company, like amazon, I wonder. I've never heard of them until now. The main problem with buying things from a German site is that if something goes wrong or the DVD doesn't arrive, you can hardly contact them about it if you can't speak or write German. It would be better if some shops in the UK could sell imported copies of the DVD. I'm sure it would sell.

Steve Crook

I have reasonable conversational German. I had a German pen-friend when I was at school and we're still in regular contact 30+ years later. I had to use it recently when a German couple came visiting when I was staying with friends. She could speak English but he only had German with a few words of English. But I managed a few interesting chats with him even though I haven't spoken German for quite a few years.

I also found it to be a curious linguistic experience was when I went to a film festival in Spain with a French lady. She speaks French and English, I speak English & German. Neither of us spoke Spanish. And as it was in the little town of San Sebastian which isn't a tourist town, most of the people in the local shops and restaurants didn't speak much English. But we got by very well with a bit of smiling and pointing [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

But the interesting discovery was that we could both read the local newspaper. As Spanish is a Latin based language, as is French and a lot of English, we could guess the majority of what we read and then fill in the gaps with a few checks in the Spanish-English dictionaries we had.

Steve

Graemets

It appears to have released by Granada International Media Ltd and distributed in Australia by Magna Pacific Pty Ltd.. It does not include the trailer but the picture quality is excellent.

Can you determine if Magna's release is a DVD version of the Carlton video referred to above by David?
[/quote]

From Graeme in the Tropics!

theuofc

I haven't used JPC myself although their English user-friendly version makes me quite disposed to do so. A reliable member of my Bogarde group* purchases DVDs from them and is very pleased with their service, but I personally cannot vouch for this. I agree that UK shops should offer the wonderful Bogarde DVDs. I do see these JPC DVDs on Ebay but those sellers then jackup the prices, and if their shipping charges are high, it's better to just order a new DVD straight from JPC in my opinion or several at one time to cut down on shipping.

*shameless plug....I'd love to have you join my very cordial discussion group, David...also Graemets and other Bogarde appreciators.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dirk_Bogarde_Brigade/

Best wishes,

Barbara

theuofc

Thanks for checking, Graeme. Wonderful to have first-hand info as you have the DVD and websites don't always give these details. I too have found the Australian DVDs to have excellent clarity.

Guenther says the DVD at JPC does have the trailer,so this is a factor to consider for those wanting it. Unless I order several DVDs from JPC to justify the high shipping, I'll probably order from Australia which is always lower for me.

Note: for anyone ordering first time from Australia, they are very security conscious (applause!). AtlanticDVD will make a small charge to your credit card as a test and then ask you to call your card company or check your monthly statement for the amount. When you email them with the amount, your order is processed and you need not go through this security check again. It's a bother, but in my sane moments, I wish more web stores would do this to cut down on credit card fraud.

Best,

Barbara