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List Price: $59.99 | | Label: Acorn Media
Salesrank: 5354
Released: October 10, 2006 |
| Our Price: $35.71 |
| Used Price: $33.95 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
"Extraordinary" —The New York Times
"Visually ravishing" —Time
A special silver anniversary edition of the British classic called one of the best series in TV history. Based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh, two years in the making, and the equivalent of seven feature films back-to-back, this epic drama tells a story of romantic yearning and loss in the glittering but fading world of the British aristocracy between the wars. Winner of 17 international awards and starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick, Sir John Gielgud, Claire Bloom, and Sir Laurence Olivier in an Emmy®-winning role. Bonus features on this edition include the 50-min. featurette Revisiting Brideshead, produced by British television to celebrate the anniversary and featuring retrospective interviews with Irons, Andrews, Quick, director Charles Sturridge, and many more. Also includes a 20-page program guide, production notes, and photo gallery.
Description of Brideshead Revisited (25th Anniversary Collector's Edition):
Fill a bowl with alpine strawberries, break out the Château Lafite (1899, of course), and bask in this benchmark 1981 British miniseries based on Evelyn Waugh's classic novel. Adapted for the screen by John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey), this impeccable, nearly 11-hour production mesmerized American viewers during the course of its PBS run in 1982. In his breakthrough role, Jeremy Irons stars as Charles Ryder, a disillusioned Army captain who is moved to reflect on his "languid days" in the "enchanted castle" that was Brideshead, home of the aristocratic Marchmain family, whose acquaintance Charles made in the company of an Oxford classmate, the charming wild child Sebastian. Anthony Andrews costars as the doomed Sebastian, whose beauty is "arresting" and "whose eccentricities and behavior seemed to know no bounds." The "entitled and enchanted" Sebastian takes Charles under his wing ("Charles, what a lot you have to learn"), but vows early on that he is "not going to let [Charles] get mixed up with [his] family." But mixed up Charles gets. He becomes a friend and confidante, not to mention a lover, to Sebastian's sister Julia (Diana Quick). Meanwhile, the self-destructive Sebastian's life spirals out of control. Brideshead Revisited boasts a distinguished ensemble, including Laurence Olivier in his Emmy Award-winning role as the exiled Lord Marchmain, Claire Bloom as Lady Marchmain, and the magnificent John Gielgud as Charles's estranged father. Grand locations and a haunting musical score make this a memorable revisit of an irretrievable bygone era. For those who scheduled their weeks around the original Monday-night broadcasts or those visiting Brideshead for the first time, this boxed set release will be, as Charles rhapsodizes at one point while strolling the castle grounds, "very near to heaven." --Donald Liebenson
Stills from Brideshead Revisited (click for larger image)
Beyond Brideshead Revisited
The Novel | 
The Original Score (Soundtrack to the Movie) | 
The Movie in Theaters Now |
Brideshead Revisited (25th Anniversary Collector's Edition) Reviews:
Newly Discovered Never Forgotten 
2009-11-25 - I first heard of the book when I was a senior in highschool, now a freshmen in college I have found the mini sereis to be very good. I can hardly wait to watch the show each night. I have found that I must break it up to an episode or two a night. I can't get over how well the series was done. The actors fit the roles and the talent they have is not lost. You will enjoy it if you have the time to watch it.
Old Good (for some) England revisited 
2009-11-16 - An epic story of not-so-wealthy boy befriended on a spot a teddy-bear playing co-student at Oxford, their relationship in between-two-world-wars Britain and a life passing by.
Also for a viewer of a DVD-rich, computing age this work is too long and leaving too much unspoken, an author's pity for losing good old England of which commoners where born with no choice but serve their thoroughbred aristocratic masters only is utterly clear.
This movie provides a panoramic view of a family nest-fortress factually morally lost and could be extended to the contemporary UK as a whole significantly.
The greatest television series beautifully remastered on DVD
2009-10-24 - This is the greatest series ever produced for television. This special anniversary edition is beautifully remastered and full of informative extras.It is a treat to see legends like Laurence Olivier and John Geilgud performing in great roles along-side a young Jeremy Irons, just starting his career.
Truly exceptional
2009-09-22 - I previously reviewed the 2008 film adaptation of Brideshead Revisited which was ten kinds of awful. The silver lining was that it inspired me to check out this Granada mini-series--I am so glad that I did! This was absolutely fantastic! From the musical score to the scenery to the casting, everything was top-notch. I could go on all day about the acting. Anthony Andrews, Nickolas Grace, Claire Bloom, and John Gielgud all nail their roles. This might also be Jeremy Irons at his best.
Going in, I was hoping for something which was more true to the spirit of the book. I came out loving this series on its own merits. Even though it is eleven hours long, I expect I will watch this again.
Brideshead forever!
2009-09-07 - When I found out that there was a special edition of this wonderful series, I almost "died of happiness"!
The booklet that came with the CDs is not only beautiful but also very interesting and helpful: I've known Brideshead since the 80s and had no idea how hard it was to be produced.
The actors' (Irons and Andrews) performance is so convincing that one feels what they are feeling in the screen! The plot, based on Waugh's novel, leads us to reassess some beliefs that hardily are seen in other TV series.
