Monty Python's Flying Circus: 50th Anniversary Complete Series (Blu-ray Limited Edition Box Set) (Network) [UK]

[paulboland]

Release date: November 4, 2019 (UK) - November 12, 2019 (USA)
Purchase link: Network - Amazon UK - Zavvi - Amazon USA
Price: £100.00 (Network) - £129.99 (Amazon) - £109.99 (Zavvi) - $114.90 (Amazon USA)
Notes: Network Store removes Vat at checkout with a delivery address based outside UK

Network Website
10% discount code WHIZZOBUTTER2019
Code Valid until August 31st 2019
10% discount has been offered to customers who subscribed to our interest list. The discount is ONLY valid for this release and expires 31st August or when the limited edition sells out, whichever is the sooner

 

[Tompa]

Got the response from Network:


"Thanks for your email. Unfortunately, we have been made aware that a handful of people have received their Monty Python’s Flying Circus Norwegian Blu-ray damaged.
This fault is confined to a small number of the substantial amount of boxsets that have been shipped since last week.
Our teams are currently assessing the situation with our delivery partners to understand the cause of the issue, and to formulate an appropriate response
Thanks for your patience and continued support
With kind regards"

 

[Grendel]

Sigh, so we won't be seeing new boxes any time soon.
Yes, it's true I did not buy this for "The Box" but still, it's an integral part of the packaging and I think they are assuredly downplaying the complaints they received.
edit: yes, I certainly did send them an email identifying the issue. I'll post whatever my response may be.

 

[bwatt99]

Wow that damage is crazy, I had planned to buy this but closer to when the 10% off promo was to due to expire forgot about it and was gutted as discount expired. I asked it the be another or one off discount answer was no. So never bothered with it having seen the issues with it glad I never but still a nice set.
I wonder what they will do with ones who received damaged or what they will do to improve it. The journey to me most likely would be like damaged like some have received. I personally would want this as the whole package nice packing makes it more special

 

[Tompa]

i gave them two options and i will not give up. 1. replacement 2. full refund

 

[Grendel]

Personally, I'd be quite happy if they just shipped me an empty box, as the internal contents arrived fine.
I suspect that is what you were inferring as well @Tompa ? Also, if they sent an entire package again I suspect the same damage would occur.
All they had to do was put air pillows or sterafoam between the season boxes and the issue would not have happened.

 

[Lollard2002]

Personally, I'd be quite happy if they just shipped me an empty box, as the internal contents arrived fine.

Sounds a good compromise to me. To be fair my outside of the packaging had a few dents in it but my actual box was intact and A1. The restoration is simply WOW!. I'll never loot at the show the same way ever again. Weird watching such pristine prints.

 

[Tompa]

Yeah box would work for me rather than a % refund. Like it was with Mondo Hellraiser cube for 7" vinyls. They had to send it 3 times to get it right from China haha.
Tons of glue reside, last minute assembling etc. But finally got it right.

One of the comments here was right. The reason why inside was destroyed is because post sticker was on a side, not on the top and quality of the paper inside was too weak to hold the pressure of moving the box. Also my box was dented outside... one corner was totally screwed and I guess during that process everything else got f...

Personally, I'd be quite happy if they just shipped me an empty box, as the internal contents arrived fine.
I suspect that is whay you were inferring as well @Tompa ? Also, if they sent an entire package again I suspect the same damage would occur.
All they had to do was put air pillows or sterafoam beteween the season boxes and the issue would not have happened.

 

[Grendel]

UPDATE:

Received an email from Network this morning.
They are offering the following choices to customers that received a damaged box;
- 10 Quid refund
- new box
- return for full refund

I chose the new box.

 

[navydavey]

UPDATE:

Received an email from Network this morning.
They are offering the following choices to customers that received a damaged box;
- 10 Quid refund
- new box
- return for full refund

I chose the new box.

Same here

 

[Tompa]

Did you guys got back the confirmation if they will send you box or not? I did not.

 

[Dr Acula]

Blu-ray (Nov 10, 2019)

Deluxe Edition

7

£149.99

£149.

Price now at Amazon.

 

[navydavey]

Did you guys got back the confirmation if they will send you box or not? I did not.

Nope, nothing recieved here

 

[Grendel]

I received an email from Network yesterday stating my new box is in shipment.

 

[Tompa]

got email back saying "this will be sent asap" im happy, hopefully they will pack it right this time

 

[navydavey]

Received the same email at 23:30 last night, hopefully it will turn up in the next few days

 

[navydavey]

Just received the new box, perfect condition, no new episode guide leaflet in case anyone was wondering, now what to do with the old box?

 

[Tompa]

that was bloody quick. i event dont have an email that says IT WAS shipped

 

[snow flake]

Finally ordered this for my dad as was looking for something to cheer him up. Amazon uk £108.93. Only thing ordered so hopefully it will arrive undented.

 

[steelmybeatingheart]

happy days. finally got the time to get into this, and am not disappointed. if you really want just the series, i'd grab them in the separate releases also available - the digipacks, that is, with the booklets, not the standard releases. the limited edition is not in any way vital, but it's fun, though, and i'm glad i got it. read on for unboxing, or just jump to the album here if you only need the photos.

one thing i will say - the restoration is good. not game-changing, but good. all the promotional vids showed the update to the animation, but the live action stuff also looks better. it doesn't look ultra pin sharp, but then they were restoring old BBC tv footage from 1969 and the early 70s, so you wouldn't expect that. it definitely a noteable improvement, and one of the leading reasons to get this.
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the box is a curio. the lid has some lovely spot gloss detailing, but the overall box is so drab. i get they were going for an old mailed package look, but why only put the logo and a (good) team photo on two sides, and leave the others and the base, if not blank, then carefully textured mailed package nothingness? seems like a missed opportunity, especially for such a loud, colourful series - but my guess it's deliberate to contrast with the explosion of colour you get when you open it. here are shots of the box:

Spoiler

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take the lid off, and the slides drop down, and then you get the colour. each side has a strong image, and the extra pop up bit is also good. the slips are very sturdy indeed, but the slots the slips go in are not. here are shots of the box exploded out:

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here's the slight contents booklet you get, detailing all the extras, too:

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i realy like the slips. they have that carny right side and upside down double image thing going throughout all of the artwork. the stock is good, the texture is nice, and the imagery clear and bright. shots of the spines, tops and also the bases with the specifications under the spoiler:

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when you get into each series, they all follow the same approach. again, right side up/upside down double artwork, a three-part digipack fold out with loads of photos from the series, 2 discs (except series 4, which only has 1), and a massive perfect bound paperback booklet - sorry, 'viewing notes' - of around 170+ pages of text only. i like the fact the booklet cover uses one image each from the front and back of each slip. if you ever want to write a dissertation on the Pythons, start here. there are exhaustive descriptions of getting each episode made, how they started, issues with producers, moving into making the films, the lot, plus facts and figures galore - so many facts and figures, of the real 'archive but not that interesting to read' variety. but! the 'making of' stuff is great.

probably too many photos of all of the series slips, digipack images, and viewing notes under the spoiler :

Spoiler

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i've been a fan of the Pythons my whole life, but had never got around to buying a set. delighted that this was the one i finally did. should you get it? i'll say, know what i mean?

 

[Lollard2002]

happy days. finally got the time to get into this, and am not disappointed. if you really want just the series, i'd grab them in the separate releases also available - the digipacks, that is, with the booklets, not the standard releases. the limited edition is not in any way vital, but it's fun, though, and i'm glad i got it. read on for unboxing, or just jump to the album here if you only need the photos.

one thing i will say - the restoration is good. not game-changing, but good. all the promotional vids showed the update to the animation, but the live action stuff also looks better. it doesn't look ultra pin sharp, but then they were restoring old BBC tv footage from 1969 and the early 70s, so you wouldn't expect that. it definitely a noteable improvement, and one of the leading reasons to get this.

I disagree it is game changing. I have never seen Monthy Python looking good either on TV or home video. They always looked like knackered video tape. They have done serious work in bringing the show back to life and network are probably the only UK label (outside the Dr Who restoration team) that gives TV shows the respect they deserve. I would love to see them tackle Minder or Only Fools and Horses and a few other shows I could mention that deserve this type of treatment. Video tape is just that video tape and it takes serious work to upscale to HD and make it work.