Cranford – The
Collection (2007 - 2009/BBC DVD
Set)
Picture:
C+/C Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B-
Simon
Curtis’ Cranford
(2007) has been such a huge hit for the BBC that it became one of their first
Blu-rays and they followed-up with a sequel.
First, our coverage of the first mini-series in the two formats issued:
Blu-ray
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8479/Cranford+(2007/BBC+Blu-ray)
DVD
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/7059/Cranford+(2007/BBC+DVD+Set
Now comes
Cranford – The Collection, only on
DVD for now, once again including the first program and now including the new Return To Cranford (2009), bringing
back most of the original cast and extending the tale to 1844. I will not go into any storyline, as that
would run into spoilers, but it is a surprisingly seamless continuation and the
BBC has issued it in a nice gift-quality slidecase box set, with each season having
its own fancy hard case.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 (as noted before for the first series) is
soft, but consistent, partly from being styled and partly from the means in
which it was shot. The follow-up shows
are noticeably softer, but watchable.
Those with Blu-ray players might want to wait, especially if they picked
up the first half. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo has no surrounds, but is a clean recording. The only extras on each are making-of
featurettes, with the new one for the new shows entitled Cranford In Detail.
- Nicholas Sheffo
