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TV Picks: This weekend sees Poldark come to PBS!This is a tremendous effort of craft – acting to costuming, locations to production design – that will have you savoring a good old fashioned swashbuckling adaptation of the hit 1970s series, starring Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark. British melodrama with a side of seaswept hair and man servants who can bust out memorable quips. Good stuff, heady romancing and layered backstories to get you in the mood for Downton Abby.Poldark is a series of historical novels by Winston Graham. The BBC adapted them for TV twice, with Poldark airing in 1975 […]...

They may have made the most of them, but the executive producers of Poldark have insisted that Aidan Turner's famous shirtless scenes are entirely story-driven.

Damien Timmer told Radio Times that the team were very innocent about Turner's topless moments in the 8-part BBC drama, based on Winston Graham's novels.

"Aidan has that integrity in the way he plays Ross, he commits to it so completely, he is Ross in all of his complex brooding," Timmer said.

"Yes, yes, the shirtlessness!" he added when prompted. "But honestly, we were pretty innocent about the shirt taking-off stuff.

"No, really, Ross does it in the book, he goes swimming, he washes himself clean.

"And he's a farmer, and it's very hot in Cornwall! Besides, we didn't audition him with his clothes off!"

Talking about the famous topless promotional image, Turner told the magazine: "It was quite odd to walk into...

Poldark actor Alexander Arnold has described the reaction to the new series as "really positive".

Arnold - who plays Jim Carter in the BBC One drama - told Digital Spy that he "wasn't familiar" with the original '70s series, but was aware of "some real hardcore" fans of that show and Winston Graham's novels.

"I made a conscious effort not to watch [the original]," he said. "But I know it was a massive show back in the day, with 15m viewers. So when you go into something like this, you just try to do something that captivates people in the same sort of way.

"There's some real hardcore Poldark fans - but since the cast was announced, the fanbase for this new series of Poldark seems to have grown. So far [the reaction] has been really positive."

Arnold also paid tribute to his co-star Warren Clarke, who passed away in November after...

Robin Ellis is disappointed by 'Poldark's nudity. The 73-year-old actor played the protagonist in the original television series, and has berated the new BBC One version for not casting an ''ordinary bloke'' as Captain Ross Poldark. He commented: ''I was just an ordinary bloke; in those days male actors weren't muscular and buff. In the Seventies people would have been really taken aback - shocked, even - if I'd revealed the sort of tanned, toned six-pack that's commonplace now.'' The star - who now makes a living writing cookery books in France - explained the series' main actor Aidan Turner's many topless scenes...

Poldark BBC1

The BBC haven’t shied away from talking about the 1970s adaptation of Winston Graham’s novels in the build-up to tonight’s first installment of Poldark. Perhaps they were hoping to attract a ready-made audience among fans of that critically acclaimed series. There’s a certain logic to that strategy but you also run the risk that you’ll end up with unfavorable comparisons. So with that said, I’ll begin by talking about the new Poldark in isolation.

The costumes and design were excellent. The cast were good and well suited to their respective roles. There were of course some nice shots of waves crashing against clifftops and lots of earthy village scenes. It was as good as other period drama fare that the Beeb have served up in recent years which isn’t necessarily a good thing as they all seem to blur into each other.

Aidan Turner was banned from eating Cornish pasties while filming 'Poldark'. The 31-year-old hunk has revealed producers of the new BBC One series stopped him from gorging on the pastry and meat parcels while filming in their native Cornwall as they didn't want him to put on weight before filming his topless scenes. Speaking about the new eight-part series based on Winston Graham's novels, he shared: ''It's sexy as hell. I have a nude swimming scene - I get naked a couple of times in it. ''I wasn't allowed any Cornish pasties, 'cos I'd get fat - and I have to take...

Aidan Turner has described BBC One's new Poldark series as "sexy as hell".

The Being Human actor plays dashing Ross Poldark in a new 8-part serial, based on Winston Graham's novels.

"It's sexy as hell," Turner told press including Digital Spy. "I have a nude swimming scene - I get naked a couple of times in it.

"I wasn't allowed any Cornish pasties, 'cos I'd get fat - and I have to take my top off so much!"

Poldark was previously adapted for television in the '70s, but Turner said he is not concerned about how fans of the original might react to the new version.

"I don't think about it like that," he insisted. "You tackle the scripts and it's just like anything else - you don't think about letting down the fans of the old series or appealing to new fans…

"You just don't think about those things,...

Aidan Turner was too ''afraid'' to watch the original 'Poldark' series when filming the remake. The 31-year-old actor plays lead character Captain Ross Poldark in the eight-episode BBC One drama but confessed the pressure to live up to the critically acclaimed original series, broadcast between 1975 and 1977, was too much, so he decided to avoid it. He explained: ''I decided not to watch the originals on DVD because I was afraid it would influence me in the wrong way. I had heard Robin Ellis's performance was so good and I didn't want to end up mimicking him, so I read the...

Poldark star Aidan Turner has admitted that the cast of the period drama were "scared" of mumbling complaints during filming.

The actor - who will lead the cast of the BBC One adaptation of Winston Graham's acclaimed books - said that the furore created by Jamaica Inn affected the cast.

Hundreds of viewers complained about sound issues during the first episode of Jamaica Inn last year, with many suggesting the problems came from cast members mumbling their lines.

Turner told the Radio Times: "I didn't see the show Jamaica Inn but the fuss about it spooked us all a lot.

"We started shooting a few weeks later and I can tell you all the actors were aiming for 10 out of 10 on enunciation. I'm doing posh Rp (Received Pronunciation) anyway so it didn't really affect me directly but I was scared."

The Being Human actor is joined in the adaptation by Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza.

The BBC has released a trailer for Debbie Horsfield's upcoming adaptation of Poldark.

The series features Being Human star Aidan Turner in the title role of Ross Poldark.

The adaptation of Winston Graham's acclaimed books will also star Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza.

The show follows the rebellious Ross Poldark as he returns from the American War of Independence to his home town Cornwall, discovering that it has changed dramatically since he has been away.

It is the second time the BBC has produced a Poldark series. The first was in the 1970s and starred Robin Ellis as the title character.

Ellis will be returning as Reverend Halse for two episodes.

Red Riding actor Warren Clarke, Whitechapel star Phil Davis, Skins's Alexander Arnold and The Inbetweeners' Luke Norris will also appear in the show.

The new series will air on BBC One.

The lovable East Anglian rogue returns for another go-around in Acorn Media’s latest DVD release: Lovejoy series 4. Starring Deadwood’s Ian McShane, the series is centered around a slippery antiques dealer who occupies a moral grey zone and struggles to stay on the right side of the law.

As ever, Lovejoy is closely followed by his loyal sidekicks: the dim-witted Eric, and the “barker” Tinker Dill. Also returning this series is Lovejoy’s nemesis, Charlie Gimbert (Malcolm Tierney). Gimbert is to Lovejoy as that French chap was to Indiana Jones. Let’s just say that when grown men are fighting over antiques, there’s no such such thing as foul play!

The artefacts in this show are rather more exciting than the knick-knacks people wheel out at the Antiques Roadshow. In season 4, Lovejoy gets his hands on a commode that reportedly once belonged to Napoleon. He discovers a Billiards...

Warren Clarke may have been best known as Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel in Dalziel and Pascoe, but he also had a wide-ranging TV and movie career beyond that career-defining role.

Starting in Coronation Street in the 1960s, Clarke also worked with the likes of Stanley Kubrick, David Morrissey and Richard E Grant in a career spanning five decades. He is due to star as Charles Poldark in Poldark , a new eight-part adaptation of Winston Graham's novels.

Following the sad news of his death today at the age of 67, Digital Spy rounds up just some of the images from Clarke's diverse TV and film career.

Luke Norris has joined the cast of BBC One's Poldark.

The actor - best known for appearing in The Inbetweeners - joins Being Human star Aidan Turner in the cast for the period drama.

Norris will play Dwight Enys, who is the best friend of Turner's protagonist Ross Poldark.

Poldark follows the rebellious Ross as he returns from the American War of Independence to Cornwall, discovering that his home county has changed since he has been away.

Debbie Horsfield is adapting Winston Graham's acclaimed Cornish saga for a new eight-part series, which will air on BBC One in 2015.

The BBC previously produced a Poldark series in the 1970s, starring Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark.

Aidan Turner has featured in a new picture from BBC One's upcoming Poldark adaptation.

The Being Human star will lead the cast of Debbie Horsfield's version of Winston Graham's acclaimed Cornish saga.

He will play main character Ross Poldark in the eight-part drama, opposite Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza.

Poldark follows the rebellious Ross as he returns from the American War of Independence to Cornwall, discovering that his home county has changed since he has been away.

The BBC previously produced a Poldark series in the 1970s, starring Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark.

Ellis will return as Reverend Haise for two of the drama's eight episodes.

Red Riding actor Warren Clarke (Ross's uncle Charles), Whitechapel star Phil Davis (Ross's manservant Jud) and Skins veteran Alexander Arnold (Ross's farm hand Jim Carter) will also appear.

The new series will air on BBC One in 2015.

BBC One has announced full details of its new Poldark adaptation.

Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson will lead the cast of the sweeping Cornish saga as Ross Poldark and Demelza.

Red Riding actor Warren Clarke (Ross's uncle Charles), Whitechapel star Phil Davis (Ross's manservant Jud) and Skins veteran Alexander Arnold (Ross's farm hand Jim Carter) will also appear in the forthcoming drama.

Winston Graham's Poldark novels were previously adapted by the BBC in the 1970s, with Robin Ellis cast in the lead role of Ross.

Ellis - now 72 - will also appear in the new series, taking on the part of Reverend Haise for two of the eight episodes.

Executive producer Karen Thrussell said: "We're so thrilled by the Poldark cast, and we feel particularly privileged that Robin Ellis has agreed to join this stellar lineup - it's a great tribute to Debbie Horsfield's scripts.

"Robin is looking...

Eleanor Tomlinson has joined the cast of BBC One's upcoming new adaptation of Winston Graham's Poldark.

The White Queen actress will star as "fiercely independent heroine" Demelza in the drama.

Aidan Turner will lead the cast as Ross Poldark in the retelling from Debbie Horsfield.

Set in 18th century Cornwall, Poldark is an eight-part hour-long series and will film in Cornwall and Bristol from April.

Poldark will follow the rebellious Ross as he returns from the American War of Independence to Cornwall, discovering that his home county has changed since he has been away.

The BBC previously produced a Poldark series in the 1970s, starring Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark.

The new series will air on BBC One in 2015.

Tomlinson is best known for her roles of Isabel Neville in The White Queen and Georgiana Darcy in Death Comes to Pemberley. She has also starred in episodes of Poirot and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

21 year old Eleanor Tomlinson (represented by Conway Van Gelder Grant) is set to play Demelza opposite Aidan Turner in the new BBC adaptation of the 18th Century saga set in Cornwall, Poldark.

Eleanor, who has been acting since her early teens was in teen comedy Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging, and went on to star opposite Nicholas Hoult in Jack The Giant Slayer. She's recently been seen in two BBC period dramas - The White Queen and Death Comes to Pemberley.

She said of the role:

"I am very excited to have been asked to play Demelza in the BBC’s new adaptation of these classic novels. I am conscious of the fact that the original series had a huge following and was tremendously popular, all I can promise is that I will do my utmost to do justice to the spirit of Winston Graham’s iconic character."

Poldark is...

Aidan Turner — Poldark

Aidan Turner (Being Human) will take on the titular role in a brand new adaptation of Winston Graham’s Poldark. Filming commences this Spring for the drama which is being produced by Mammoth Screen (Endeavour) for BBC1. Debbie Horsfield has adapted the novels for the small screen while Ed Bazalgette (The Guilty, Endeavour) will direct the series.

An initial season of eight 60-minute episodes will air in early 2015. The new version of Poldark will make its television debut precisely 40 years after Robin Ellis first appeared onscreen as the title character in the BBC’s previous version of the show. Mammoth Screen will be hoping that the new version of Poldark is as successful as the previous one which was a hit in over 40 countries and was voted one as one of PBS Masterpiece’s top ten shows of all time.

Click below to read our interview with...

Aidan Turner, who played vampire Mitchell in BBC Three's Being Human, will star as Ross Poldark in a new BBC adaptation of Winston Graham’s acclaimed saga set in 18th century Cornwall.

Described as a man of contradictions, Ross Poldark has a strong sense of social justice but a contempt for authority. He’s a man of principle yet frequently a rebel. Reckless yet full of integrity. Charismatic but down-to-earth. Volatile yet fiercely loyal. Torn between two women and two social classes. A hero to most, a scourge to many.

Britain is in the grip of a chilling recession... falling wages, rising prices, civil unrest - only the bankers are smiling. It's 1783 and Ross Poldark returns from the American War of Independence to his beloved Cornwall to find his world in ruins: his father dead, the family mine long since closed, his house wrecked and his sweetheart pledged to marry his cousin.

Aidan Turner is to star in a new adaptation of Poldark for BBC One.

The Being Human star will play Ross Poldark in Debbie Horsfield's adaptation of Winston Graham's acclaimed saga.

Set in 18th century Cornwall, Poldark is an eight-part hour-long series and will film in Cornwall and Bristol from April.

"I'm very excited to play Ross Poldark for the BBC," said Turner, who also stars in The Hobbit movies.

"It's obviously a huge challenge to honour the extraordinary character Winston Graham created and who Debbie Horsfield has brought new life to. But there's a terrific team coming together and the scripts are superb, so I can't wait to get started."

Poldark will follow the rebellious Ross as he returns from the American War of Independence to Cornwall, only to find that his beloved county has dramatically changed in his absence.

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, said: "We are really excited.

James Lomond is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Christopher Barry, who put together some of Doctor Who‘s most wonderful moments, passed away last Friday 7th February at the age of 88 at his home in Oxfordshire. Barry was a television director who worked on some of the UK’s best loved dramas including Z Cars, Poldark and All Creatures Great and Small alongside some

The post Classic Director Christopher Barry Dies appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Sad news from the Doctor Who family today. Via Doctor Who News, we learn of the death of prolific classic-era director Christopher Barry at the age of 89. How important was Barry to creating the legend of the show? Doctor Who News:

Barry joined the Doctor Who team in the late summer of 1963, when he was assigned to direct the second story, The Daleks, replacing Rex Tucker who had left after artistic differences with producer Verity Lambert. The script he would bring to life would see the introduction of the Daleks and ensure the success of the fledgling series. Barry would end up directing episodes 1,2,4 and 5 of the story, creating the ‘sink-plunger’ cliff hanger at the end of episode 1 which would see the nation on the edge of their seats until the full revelation of the Dalek machine in episode 2.

That important. Barry would go on to direct some of the most-loved serials,...

Doctor Who director Christopher Barry has died, aged 88.

Barry began his TV directing career in the 1950s and helmed some of Doctor Who's most iconic episodes.

The longest-serving director on the original run of Doctor Who, Barry's credits include the Daleks' first appearance in 1963's 'The Dead Planet'.

He also directed Patrick Troughton's first outing - 1966's 'The Power of the Daleks' - and Tom Baker's debut - 1975's 'Robot'.

Barry's final Doctor Who work was 1979's 'The Creature from the Pit', and he was also renowned for his work on Z Cars, Poldark, All Creatures Great and Small and The Tripods.

Since retired, Barry was residing in Oxfordshire at the time of his death.

News Louisa Mellor 10 Feb 2014 - 10:28

Christopher Barry, noted director of classic Doctor Who and countless other series, has passed away at the age of 88...

We're sad to learn that director Christopher Barry, who directed over forty episodes of Doctor Who between 1963 and 1979 alongside a great deal of much-loved television work, has passed away at the age of 88.

Christopher Barry was one of the rare Doctor Who directors whose work on the show spanned four Doctors, including stories with William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. His first Who episode was 1963's The Dead Planet, part of the first Dalek serial that famously introduced the planet Skaro and the Thals. Sixteen years later, Barry's final Who serial was 1979's The Creature From The Pit featuring Tom Baker.

In addition to Doctor Who, Barry took the helm on over thirty episodes of Z-Cars, as well as several instalments of All Creatures Great And Small,...

DVD Release Date: Jan. 28, 2014

Price: DVD $59.99

Studio: Acorn

The Agatha Christie Hour: Complete Collection collects ten tales of intrigue and romance from renowned mystery writer Agatha Christie, produced by England’s Thames Television back in 1982-83 and broadcast in the U.S. on PBS’s Mystery!

In these suspenseful stories set in Art Deco-era, lesser-known Christie protagonists—including “happiness expert” Parker Pyne—find themselves embroiled in illicit love affairs, supernatural mysteries, false accusations, life-changing encounters, and murder.

The ensemble casts feature names that are very familiar to fans of British television. They include John Nettles (Midsomer Murders), Amanda Redman (New Tricks), Christopher Cazenove (The Duchess of Duke Street), Ralph Bates (Poldark), Cherie Lunghi (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Maurice Denham (All Passion Spent), James Grout (Inspector Morse), and Stephanie Cole (Doc Martin).

The four-disc, 10-hour-long collection includes the following ten mysteries:

-The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife

-In...

Tomb of Cybermen

Kieran Kinsella

BBC America’s July 16 release of Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited 1-4 is dollar for dollar the best DVD set released to date. It features Tomb of Cybermen, Spearhead from Space, and Pyramids of Mars — all of which arguably rank among the top 10 Doctor Who stories ever broadcast. It also contains The Aztecs, a decent enough William Hartnell story that doesn’t quite rise to the level of the other stories in the collection. All in all, you get 16 episodes, 456 minutes of action and it is available at just $39.98

The stories in question recently aired on BBC America as part of the network’s celebration of the show’s upcoming 50th anniversary. The show’s current producer, Steven Moffat provided a commentary which is included in this set. Each story is shown in both its original format and the widescreen feature-length version that aired on BBC America.

This period of economic hardship hasn't brought about the predicted burst of creativity – instead it's More of the Same

It's said there are only seven master plots in fiction (or five, or 20, depending on who's counting). But at the current rate of rehash, scientists predict there will be only seven master franchises come 2025. These will include: Spiderman (played by a different 26-year-old every three years); that thing with Vin Diesel and the cars (Fast and Forty-fourious will see the gang of ageing speedsters pull off a heist on mobility scooters); and any amount of spun-off Star Wars characters (to be tired of Boba Fett's backstory is to be tired of life). Oh, and Poldark.

Poldark's back, in case you missed the news, or perhaps assumed the reports had wormed through some tear in the commissioning continuum from 1996, which is the last time the 18th-century Cornish romantic saga was revived.

'Poldark' is returning to TV. The classic costume drama will air in a six-part series on BBC One later this year, almost 40 years after the original - which starred Robin Ellis in the title role alongside Kevin McNally, Christopher Biggins and Trudy Styler - first broadcast. The show, which will film in Cornwall, is adapted from Winston Graham's novels and is set in the late 18th century. It tells the story of Captain Ross Poldark who returns home from war to find his father dead, his house in ruins and overrun by unruly servants and the love of his life, Elizabeth,...

'Poldark' is returning to TV. The classic costume drama will air in a six-part series on BBC One later this year, almost 40 years after the original - which starred Robin Ellis in the title role alongside Kevin McNally, Christopher Biggins and Trudy Styler - first broadcast. The show, which will film in Cornwall, is adapted from Winston Graham's novels and is set in the late 18th century. It tells the story of Captain Ross Poldark who returns home from war to find his father dead, his house in ruins and overrun by unruly servants and the love of his life, Elizabeth,...

A new version of '70s series Poldark is among four drama commissions announced by the BBC today (May 9).

Outgoing BBC One controller Danny Cohen has ordered a new adaptation of Winston Graham's Cornish romantic saga.

Tony Jordan (Life on Mars, Hustle) will also pen Dickensian for the channel - the drama is based on the works of Charles Dickens and will see characters from the author's novels cross paths in "the most surprising of ways".

Two further projects in the works at BBC One are Our Zoo - a six-part period drama about the man who created Chester Zoo in the 1930s - and Blackpool creator Peter Bowker's From There to Here - set in the aftermath of 1996's Ira Manchester bombing of the Arndale shopping centre.

"It has been a joy and privilege to commission programmes for BBC One," said Cohen. "I hope audiences enjoy the...

Acorn has the two seasons of Poldark on DVD for individual purchase, but now offers the series in a single complete set. It is newly packaged and accompanied by a multipage color illustrated booklet containing among other bits of Poldark legend, the first chapter of star Robin Ellis.s book Making Poldark. This is a wonderful addition to any collection. Based on the novels of Winston Graham, the quality of the literary drama has held up through the years. It is just as compelling a saga as it was when first aired. Long before there were nighttime soaps, people were rushing home on Sunday evenings to catch Masterpiece Theater on PBS and to watch compelling multi-episode series such as...

A TV show DVD set represents more than a holiday gift that's easy to wrap. It also demonstrates respect: you know the recipient is mentally fit and couch-ready for a viewing marathon of "Dr. Who" or "House."

Those are among the new releases worth considering for the TV lover in your life:

Golden Oldies

_"The Dean Martin Variety Show: Dean's Ultimate Collection," Time Life. Ring-a-ding-ding! This is Dino's most comprehensive collection yet. With footage culled from nine seasons and 48 episodes of the NBC series, the set includes 17 DVDs with 32 hours of Dean and his pals that originally aired from 1965 to 1974. There are more than 300 musical performances, plus interviews and a guest list filled with virtually every major star of the era.

_"Poldark: The Complete Collection," Acorn Media. Less posh than "Downton Abbey" but just as addictive when it first aired in the 1970s, "Poldark" is a darkly romantic saga set in late 18th-century Cornwall.

A TV show DVD set represents more than a holiday gift that's easy to wrap. It also demonstrates respect: you know the recipient is mentally fit and couch-ready for a viewing marathon of "Dr. Who" or "House."

Those are among the new releases worth considering for the TV lover in your life:

Golden Oldies

_"The Dean Martin Variety Show: Dean's Ultimate Collection," Time Life. Ring-a-ding-ding! This is Dino's most comprehensive collection yet. With footage culled from nine seasons and 48 episodes of the NBC series, the set includes 17 DVDs with 32 hours of Dean and his pals that originally aired from 1965 to 1974. There are more than 300 musical performances, plus interviews and a guest list filled with virtually every major star of the era.

_"Poldark: The Complete Collection," Acorn Media. Less posh than "Downton Abbey" but just as addictive when it first aired in the 1970s, "Poldark" is a darkly romantic saga set in late 18th-century Cornwall.

Angharad Rees has died at the age of 63, her family has confirmed. The Welsh actress, best known for starring in BBC drama Poldark as Demelza in the 1970s, had been fighting a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Rees's relatives said they were "deeply saddened" by her death, adding that she will be "greatly missed". "Angharad passed away peacefully today with her family at her bedside in London, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer," her family told BBC News. (more)...

Well, the dog days of summer are fast approaching, and what better way to duck out of the heat than by spending a cool day inside, AC-blasting, with your Blu-ray player and an endless supply of chilled adult beverages. June sees the release of an Alfred Hitchcock classic (beautifully restored), a trio of Lina Wertmüller gems, a nearly lost Michael Curtiz effort, a movie about the sex lives of ghosts, and a plane crash survival tale sold on the, er, ample merits of its female lead.

“The 39 Steps” (Alfred Hitchcock, 1935)

Why You Should Care: Because “The 39 Steps,” a crackling (86 minutes!) spy thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, is one of the most beloved British movies of all time, coming in at fourth place in the British Film Institute’s poll of top British films, and more recently, named the 21st greatest British film of all time by movie magazine Total Film. The film,...

Omega in the Three Doctors. BBC

Kieran Kinsella

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March is a bumper month for BBC fans stateside as the network are releasing no less than four classic Doctor Who stories in North America. You can see recent Best British TV interviewee Stephen Thorne playing the infamous Omega in the Three Doctors. You can also watch Poldark producer Morris Barry’s best sci-fi effort in the shape of Tomb of the Cybermen. Tom Baker classics Robots of Death and Face of Evil complete the Doctor Who line up while Come Fly With Me and Planet Earth are also on the menu. You can sample the action by clicking on the links below.

Amazon.com Widgets...

Poldark

Kieran Kinsella

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Click Here To Read Our Robin Ellis Interview

On 31 January, Acorn media are releasing Poldark: The Complete Collection on DVD in the United States. For those of you who may not remember the series, Poldark was a swashbuckling period drama about a British soldier who had returned to Cornwall after fighting in the American war of independence.

It had been quite a while since I had seen the original series so I was wondering how well the show would shape up given that it was originally broadcast in the mid 1970s. As it turns out, the show held up very well indeed and is comparable with the best of the period pieces that are currently being aired on PBS. Unlike a lot of the classic shows from the era, the...

Ride in Dalek

Kieran Kinsella

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Christmas comes but once a year and nobody wants to be the British TV fan that Santa Clause forgot. Therefore, we’ve put together a list of stocking stuffers that you can add to your Christmas wish list.

1. The Ride in Dalek. This one is ideally suited for small kids and people who have no issue with spending $200 on inflatables. It is battery operated with a maximum speed of 3 Km (2 miles) per hour. So you couldn’t make a living as a professional driver racing in one of these. Also, so far it is only available in the UK so you may have to pay a premium to a hawk on E-Bay if you want one shipped to the States but isn’t it worth it?

2. Downton Abbey Season Two DVD or Blu-Ray.

The Hour. co. BBC America

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The Hour has been dazzling and delighting audiences over the the UK and it is set to be aired on BBC America beginning on 17 August. However, if you are trying to offset the huge cost of running your A/C during the current heatwave by turning off your TV, you will be pleased to know that the series will be available on DVD as of the 27 September.

On 6 September, fans of British Period drama can lay their hands on Doctor Who’s answer to costume drama, The Talons of Weng-Chiang starring Tom Baker and one-time Bergerac star Louise Jameson. The latest installment of the Last and the Summer Wine (Holiday Specials 86-89) hits shelves on 13 September. However, if that A/C is still cranking at full pelt next month,...

Poirot. co. PBS

American media firm Acorn have announced the release of a new streaming service on which you can watch your favorite British TV classics. Acorn hold the rights to distribute many of the all time classic British TV shows such as Poldark and Poirot. Now however, the firm are also offering an online streaming service to U.S. based fans. To celebrate the launch of the new service, Acorn are offering free trial memberships which means you can get free access to classic shows between now and the 31 August. At any one time, Acorn will have 40 hours of programming available online and the line up of shows changes every six weeks. As of now, you can watch Upstairs Downstairs, Foyle’s War, Brideshead Revisited, The Forsythe Sage, Poirot and The Far Pavilions online. For a $24.99 annual subscription fee, you can get unlimited access to all of the shows...

Robin Ellis and the cast of Poldark. co. BBC

Fans of British TV remember Robin Ellis as the title character in the classic costume drama series Poldark. In recent years, the actor has also turned his attention to blogging and cooking. Kieran Kinsella recently had the opportunity to speak with Robin and began by asking him about his memorable appearance in a famous sitcom.

You had a major role in the first ever episode of the British comedy classic Fawlty Towers. What was that experience like and did you have any idea that the show would become such a hit?

“The episode I was in was actually the pilot episode and it was filmed six months before the rest of the show so it was a bit surprising that it became a huge hit. Obviously, John Cleese was very well known from Monty Python and was almost a national icon even then.

DVD Playhouse September 2010

By

Allen Gardner

The Girl Who Played With Fire (Music Box Films) Follow up to the hit The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo finds Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) and Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) joining forces once again as Blomkvist is about to break a story on Sweden’s sex trade, which leads unexpectedly to a dark secret from Elizabeth’s past. Starts off well, then quickly nose-dives into sensationalism and downright silliness, with a pair of villains who are straight out of a Roger Moore-era James Bond film. A real letdown for those of us who felt Dragon Tattoo had finally breathed life into the cinema’s long-stagnant genre of the thriller. Bonuses: English language track; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.

The Killer Inside Me (IFC Films) Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Jim Thompson’s classic, and notorious, novel about the psychotic mind of a small town sheriff (Casey Affleck,...

This week sees more new film and TV releases on Blu-ray and DVD. Among the ones we’re more interested in this week are The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Ponyo, The Neverending Story, the Syfy miniseries Alice , Kurt Russell in Elvis, and the original Clash of the Titans (with Sir Laurence Olivier, pictured above).

Check out all the new releases below.

Film

Bitch Slap (Unrated) ~ Debbie Lee Carrington, Michael Hurst, Kevin Sorbo (DVD)

Clash of the Titans ~ Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Maggie Smith (Blu-ray and DVD)

Cold Souls ~ Paul Giamatti, Boris Leskin (Blu-ray and DVD)

Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey ~ Curious George (DVD)

Gentlemen Broncos ~ Jermaine Clement, Sam Rockwell (Blu-ray and DVD)

Ninja ~ Scott Adkins (Blu-ray and DVD)

Poltergeist: The Legacy Season 2 ~ Derek De Lint, Patrick Fitzgerald (DVD)

Ponyo (Two-Disc Edition) ~ Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson (Blu-ray and DVD)

Return To The 36th Chamber ~ Gordon Liu (DVD – 2010)

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin...

In 1975, America was already in love with Masterpiece Theater productions, but when Poldark hit television screens there was an instant historical drama heartthrob to add to the program.s many excellent virtues. Actor Robin Ellis.s smouldering, intense portrayal of Capt. Ross Poldark was just one reason viewers tuned in to watch and were caught in the multi faceted and sweeping drama. Series 1 of this beloved story is now available on DVD from Acorn Media. Captain Ross Poldark (Ellis) returns to Cornwall after the American Revolution, scarred in both body and spirits by the war and his escape from a French prisoner of war camp. Once home he finds that his father has died leaving the estate in a...

DVD Playhouse—February 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Hunger (Criterion) Harrowing true story of imprisoned Ira member Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) and his 1981 hunger strike protesting the British government’s refusal to recognize him, and other Ira members as political prisoners. Director Steve McQueen delivers the story with true filmmaking panache, mixing startling imagery that blends both stunning beauty and stomach-churning horror. Fassbender is absolutely brilliant in the lead. Not for the faint-of-heart, but not to be missed or, particularly, ignored. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with McQueen and Fassbender; Short documentary; 1981 episode of BBC series “Panorama” that covers the Ira hunger strike; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-hd audio on Blu-ray.

Adam (20th Century Fox) Quirky romantic comedy about an eccentric, borderline Asperger’s Syndrome, astronomy buff (Hugh Dancy) who is drawn out of his self-imposed shell by a beautiful and sympathetic neighbor (Rose Byrne). Charming film with engaging performances by the two leads,...

Former Production Unit Manager Christopher D'Oyly John has died.

D'Oyly John worked on many stories from the classic era of Doctor Who. He was an Assistant Floor Manager on the William Hartnell story The Ark, before working as Production Assistant on several Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee stories.

As Production Unit Manager, he worked on six Tom Baker stories working with producer Philip Hinchcliffe on some of the most-loved stories in the series history, including The Robots of Death and The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

His work outside of Doctor Who included The Bill, Poldark, House of Elliot and EastEnders.

He died peacefully at his home in Eastbourne on 21st October.

Assistant Floor Manager The ArkProduction Assistant The Macra TerrorThe Invasion Doctor Who and the SiluriansInfernoThe Curse of PeladonThe MutantsCarnival of MonstersDeath to the DaleksProduction Unit Manager The Masque of MandragoraThe Hand of FearThe Deadly AssassinThe Face of EvilThe Robots of DeathThe Talons of Weng-Chianghttp://gallifreynewsbase.