Frost On Sunday (Network U.K./Region Two/2/PAL)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: B
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on
machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Two/2 PAL format
software and can be ordered from our friends at Network U.K. at the website
addresses provided at the end of the review.
Before
his triumphant interview with Richard Nixon, David Frost was known primarily as
an interviewer, comic actor and even singer from a long and successful series
of hit on British TV beginning in the late 1960s. As TV moved into color, he moved from
Saturday to Sunday in a brief-lived hit show called Frost On Sunday. Many of the
shows are sadly lost, but Network U.K. has collected the surviving episodes and
a little more in a three DVD set worth revisiting.
You get
nine-hour long programs altogether, including one black & white show from a
strike that affected the first season, a special show at The London Palladium
and the rest color studio-bound shows that have their moments. Guests include The Four Tops, Matt Munro,
Michael Palin, fellow variety show host Des O’Connor (whose own show is
reviewed elsewhere on this site) and Vincent Price. Regulars include the great comedy team also
known as The Two Ronnies: Ronnie Barker (later of the underrated Britcom Open All Hours, also reviewed on this
site) and Ronnie Corbett. For now, the
variety show may be dead, but when you see Frost
On Sunday, you’ll see how alive it was in England as much as in the U.S.
market.
The 1.33
X 1 image is a little aged, especially in the black and white shows, but the
transfers of the PAL material to these PAL DVDs look good for their age with
only some limits. That indicates that
these are close to first generation. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is consistent, but can be a little low in volume at
times, so you should be somewhat careful of the levels you play it at. Still, the sound is good overall considering
the standards for taping at the time.
There are no extras.
For more on
the original Nixon interview with Frost, you can read more at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8540/Frost+Nixon+%E2%80%93+Watergate
As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import set
exclusively from Network U.K. at:
www.networkdvd.co.uk
or
http://www.networkdvd.net/
- Nicholas Sheffo
