More questions about the UFO ´s series

"Why some films the UFO´s series are darks?( camera and scenes) example:
"The long sleep", "ESP","The Square triangle"."

If you mean why are some of the episodes lit low key? (ie darker, higher contrast, greater use of shadows):
I'm sure it was felt that this more atmospheric lighting was more appropriate for the darker tone of these episodes.
If you additionally mean darker in content: There could be several reasons,to create greater variety, personal taste, maybe partially a desire on thepart of Gerry Anderson to establish himself as a producer of material withadult themes and to distance himself from his puppet series.
Personally I prefer the darker episodes.

" Why are 26 series ??? They are excelents series.!!!!"

If you mean why 26 episodes of UFO?:
Most of the ITC series ran between 26 and 30 episodes (e.g. Department S, Man in a Suitcase, The Champions, Randall and Hopkirk etc) unless they were ended prematurely (e.g. The Prisoner, The Strange Report) or they were so popular that they were recommissioned for further series (e.g. The Saint).
26 was a preferred minimum number because the US Networks (the largest single buyers) wanted a minimum of six months worth when running one episode a week.

As I am sure you are aware, a second series of UFO was considered but it seems as if the ratings in the US weren't quite strong enough.

Regards
John


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> "Why some films the UFO´s series are darks?( camera and scenes) example:
> "The long sleep", "ESP","The Square triangle"."
>
> If you mean why are some of the episodes lit low key? (ie darker, higher
> contrast, greater use of shadows):

This may also be due to poor quality film-to-video transfer. If one
is watching the episodes on the DVD sets (other than the French set),
the picture should be consistently bright. However, if you are
watching it from a broadcast or a VHS tape, French DVDs, or
the Japanese laserdiscs, then the picture can be darker than it
should be.

Marc

Hi Marc,

Have you heard any reasons why the French UFO DVD's were so dark? I have seen
one and the difference between the UK/US releases and the French DVD's is
pronounced...

Best to all,

Griff

-----Original Message-----

This may also be due to poor quality film-to-video transfer. If one is watching
the episodes on the DVD sets (other than the French set), the picture should be
consistently bright. However, if you are watching it from a broadcast or aVHS
tape, French DVDs, or the Japanese laserdiscs, then the picture can be darker
than it should be.

Marc

> Have you heard any reasons why the French UFO DVD's were so dark? I have seen
> one and the difference between the UK/US releases and the French DVD's is
> pronounced...

I believe that the company that made the French UFO DVDs requested
copies of the episodes from Carlton before Carlton had done it's
remastering. They didn't actually release their DVDs until after
the remastering was done, so it seemed rather dumb that they
didn't request upgraded copies.

Marc

CONTENTS DELETED

> I wonder if the conversion from PAL to SECAM (the
> French TV standard) may have had an effect too?

Actually, French DVDs are in PAL (the players do
the conversion to SECAM), so this had nothing to
do with it.

It's just that these are the bad old transfers
that were used for UFO broadcasts/tapes in the
1980's and 1990's.

Marc

Broadcasting standard in France is SECAM, but their DVD's are PAL and
usually of excellent quality, both concerning technical (picture and sound)
side and packaging. Many times French DVD's has DTS track while the same
movie in UK doesn't. The only problems are that usually, that DTS track is
of French language track (I myself hate dubbing), and if the movie is not of
English speaking origin, you won't find English subtitles. To get on topic,
I remember packaging of French UFO DVD set looking considerably ugly, but
had some Special features that couldn't been found on UK set. I haven't seen
transfer of the episodes themselves, but if Marc says they are inferior to
other editions, I believe that 100%. I can also remember French UFO DVD set
being very expensive...
All the best,
Branko

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> I haven't seen transfer of the episodes themselves, but if
> Marc says they are inferior to other editions, I believe that 100%.

My UFO website has some frame captures from the French UFO
DVDs. They speak for themselves:

http://ufoseries.com/videos/frDvdPicQuality1.jpg
http://ufoseries.com/videos/frDvdPicQuality2.jpg

Marc