TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete First Series


RRP: £29.99
Our Price: £13.00 (subject to change)

Certainly a landmark in TV history!
Review date: 2008-04-23 Rating: 10 out of 10


The best of several releases of this award-winning TV series: 'Upstairs, Downstairs' this time has been done by 'Network' who almost always leave in the 'Ad Bumpers' of their releases which give real authenticity to the programmes.

This is season one, which includes the five black and white episodes that are 'interspersed' with the colour ones. This was because filming had been interrupted by the infamous Strike which had resulted in the said episodes not being done in colour. As a consequence, they have become much sought after and rarely seen. They were only ever aired the once by ITV - their original showing, despite any subsequent re-runs of the series there may have been. As Jean Marsh (Rose) once told me; these black and white episodes were among some of the best that were ever done! They will also help to fill in gaps for those who never saw them, and as to what happened during those missing years: 1903 - 1907, and also will reveal the destiny of some of the characters that appeared to 'vanish' for no apparent reason; some of whom later returned, and others who were never seen again...

This first season is what certainly resulted in 'Upstairs, Downstairs' taking off in the way that it did, and becoming such a massive success. It was an immediate 'hit' with the viewers, and the closing episode which left the son of the household involved in a scandalous affair with one of the housemaids, and the daughter, his sister, marrying a homosexual poet, was certainly guaranteed to bring viewers back for the second season!

This set also included two award-winning episodes in: 'I Dies From Love' and 'Why Is Her Door Locked', which involved the suicide of the Irish Kitchen Maid. Ironically, this first set would also include what was to become the 'weakest' and least understood episode: 'The Swedish Tiger'!

Highlights from this Season are marked with an * below. You will see that there is indeed only one that is unmarked, since the quality of this introductory set was so high!

On trial*
The Mistress And The Maids*
Board Wages*
The Path Of Duty*
A Suitable Marriage*
Magic Casements*
A Cry For Help*
I Dies From Love*
Why Is Her Door Locked*
A Voice From The Past*
The Swedish Tiger
The Key Of The Door*
For Love Of Love*



Similar Products

Reviews


Unexpectedly enjoyable.
Review date: 2007-01-08 Rating: 8 out of 10

I received this box set as a Christmas present - much to my astonishment - I was too young to have watched the early episodes first time round (although I do remember some of the later ones). Having reluctantly decided to watch the first DVD while ironing - to my children's horror - black and white - what's that? I actually watched 2 episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them. My husband commented that he would far prefer to watch Upstairs Downstair than Eastenders et al. I am now a definite fan and will ask my Mum for set 2 for my birthday!

Upstairs Downstairs-The Complete First Series
Review date: 2006-11-09 Rating: 10 out of 10

"Upstairs Downstairs" was the classic period drama set at 165 Eaton Place,London dealing with the Bellamy family,Lady Marjorie Bellamy(Rachel Gurney)Richard Bellamy(David Langton)and their children,free thinking rebel daughter Elizabeth (Nicola Paget)and wasterel son,James(Simon Williams).
The series starts off around 1904 and over its five series dealt with the build up to World War One,the war years themselves and finished just before the start of the 30s.
The servants below stairs were Hudson the snotty butler,(great performance by Gordon Jackson)Mrs Bridges,the temperamental cook,(wonderful Angela Baddeley)Rose the reliable house parlour maid(Jean Marsh,who as well as giving a great Acting turn,co-created the series with Eileen Aitkens) cheeky,footman Edward (Christopher Beeney)neurotic maid Miss Roberts(Patsy Smart)and in the first series tragic,Irish kitchen maid,Emily(Evin Crowley).
The first episode "On Trial" sees the arrival of Sarah(Pauline Collins)the cheeky,story telling,girl who longs for excitment and to escape from a life of pretending not to be there.
Sarah is very endearing and after a brief flirt with James(which later turn into a full blown affair)leaves for a few episodes but does return in "A Voice From the Past" when found starving in Whitechapel by Elizabeth.
There was an ITV strike through the first series so the first six episodes were made in black and white although "On Trial" was remade in colour.
One of them is "A Cry For Help",which sees a young maid Mary (Susan Penhaligion)pregnant after being raped by her former employer and Richard Bellamy's attempt to help her get justice all come to nothing and the girl ends up on the street.
In "I Dies From Love",Emily commits suicide after being banned from ever seeing her love again,this is a real shock as the death from a recurring character,isn't expected ,so early on in a series.
The only weak episode is "The Swedish Tiger",the plot just drags and is well know to UD fans as a very weak story.
The first season ends on a happier note with Elisabeth marrying poet Lawrence Kirkbridge(Ian Oglivy) but the marriage in't going to be a happy or indeed a proper marriage....
A great start to a great series,the docummentary and commentaries all a great bonus too.

Could have been so much better
Review date: 2005-10-31 Rating: 6 out of 10

As a long time afficionado of this series and as I once spent some time interviewing several of the cast for a radio series on the show, I feel a degree of association with the series itself..This latest edition to the Upstairs Downstairs catalogue of DVDs is worthwhile, but could have been so much better. The actual episodes themselves are not as beautifully remastered as suggested on the packaging and are, in fact, remarkably grainy at times. The documentary (which I suspect, if you are like me, was the main reason for buying this set as most people who love the series will already have these episodes on other sets) is probably the least exciting aspect of the set, as the actors basically re-produce information we have heard in other retro specials, most notably the excellent "Upstairs Downstairs Revisited", of a few years ago. One feels sorry for these few actors who are willing to be interviewed (many of them still alive are not) who must constantly re invent the same things to say over and over again. The worst aspect of the whole package is the truly appaling quality of the clips from the series used to illustrate the documentary. Some very "smart"(?)person has decided they need to be
reproduced in widescreen to match the doco interviews and the fiddling technically to give the episodes a widescreen look loses definition and contrast and they look old and washed out.
As for the commentaries, they are OK at best. the actors tend to giggle and chatter a lot (at one stage Simon Williams makes the comment that he is the only person in one scene still alive !!!-hardly relevant or appropriate) and add very little new information to what is on the screen and the background of same and tend to talk about the times they fluffed lines and broke up when filming. All a bit of a waste of time really.
So, if you are a fan , have a look.,,particularly for the way the series is broken in acts , which shows how it was originally structured and also to see the black and white eps chronologically placed beside the color episodes. But, like me, you may well question buying series 2 unless they can offer a litle more in extras-.

The best we will ever get.
Review date: 2005-09-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

Although I already own the VCI DVD releases of Upstairs Downstairs I bought this straight away and wasn't dissapointed. The picture quality hasn't greatly improved but having all the title cards even for the advert breaks means we are seeing it just how it was. The extras were the reason I bought this because I know so little about the show except for what I've seen. The commentries are fun and don't have any long pauses that ruin some. Its great to hear the people we never see (the writer) and the actors really give a feel for what the series was like. The newly made documentary produced just for these new releases was fantastic and very well made. Overall if you are simply happy with the episodes and have the VCI collection then stay with it but if you want the full Upstairs Downstairs experience then buy this.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Gordon Jackson
David Langton
Jean Marsh
Christopher Beeny
Angela Baddeley

Creators:
Gordon Jackson (Primary Contributor)
Angela Baddeley (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Network
Manufacturer: Network
EAN: 5027626230845
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2005-09-19
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 650 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional