UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS COMPLETE SERIES: 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITIONOn DVD March 29, 2011
Iconic British series seen on PBS and A&E;
DVD Features more than 25 hours of new bonus material;
New BBC revival begins April 10th on PBS Masterpiece
“Great fun and marvelous television” —The New York Times
“One of the brightest gems ever to come over the ocean from the British”—Washington Post
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: ACTRESSES JEAN MARSH and LESLEY-ANNE DOWN
**Limited quantities are available of the Complete Series; Series 1 is available upon request.
Silver Spring, MD — The most popular and successful British drama series in television history, Upstairs, Downstairs Complete Series: 40th Anniversary Edition arrives on DVD from Acorn Media on March 29, 2011, featuring more than 25 hours of never-before-seen extras and collectible packaging with gold foil. Winner of seven Emmy® Awards, two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody, Upstairs, Downstairs tells the epic saga of life in Edwardian England. The series inspired the recent hit Downton Abbey and the highly-anticipated BBC revival starring Jean Marsh in her original role beginning on PBS’ Masterpiece on April 10th. The beloved ITV drama series captivated viewers for five heart-tugging, humorous and satisfying seasons from 1971 to 1975 and has been seen by a billion people in 40 countries worldwide. The 21-disc collection contains all five series, in addition to a 5-part behind-the-scenes documentary, 24 episode commentaries, 25th anniversary retrospective, interviews with the stars and creators, subtitles, and much more ($199.99; www.AcornOnline.com).
Upstairs: the wealthy, aristocratic Bellamys. Downstairs: their loyal and lively servants. For nearly 30 years, they share a fashionable townhouse at 165 Eaton Place in London’s posh Belgravia neighborhood, surviving social change, political upheaval, scandals, and the horrors of the First World War.
The ensemble cast of top British actors includes Jean Marsh (Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse), Pauline Collins (Shirley Valentine), David Langton (The Spoils of War), Gordon Jackson (The Professionals), Simon Williams (Sword of Honour), and Lesley-Anne Down (North and South, The Bold and the Beautiful).
Bonus Features: 5-part documentary, The Making of Upstairs, Downstairs; 24 episode commentaries; 25th anniversary retrospective, Upstairs, Downstairs Remembered; interviews with the stars, composer, and editor; alternate pilot episode; essay by star and co-creator Jean Marsh; and more.
Acorn Media will concurrently release Upstairs, Downstairs, Series 1 and 2 as 4-Disc standalone sets ($49.99). Series 3 (4-Disc, $49.99), Series 4 (4-Disc, $49.99), and Series 5 (5-Disc, $49.99) will be released later in 2011.
Street Date: March 29, 2011 SRP: $199.99
DVD 21-Disc Set: 68 episodes on 20 discs, plus bonus disc – Approx. 57 hrs., plus bonus – SDH subtitles
About Acorn Media
“Acorn Media, chief curators of the best Brit TV” –TIME magazine
“Acorn continues to bring the best British TV to the U.S.” - Reader’s Digest
Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media U.S. distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. 2011 releases include BBC’s smash hit series New Tricks; U.S. debuts of great new series Garrow’s Law and Single-Handed; NBC’s star-studded Who Do You Think You Are? from Lisa Kudrow; more episodes from Doc Martin, Murphy’s Law, Poirot, Marple, George Gently, Murdoch Mysteries, Midsomer Murders; Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests, as well as the Blu-ray of Brideshead Revisited: 30th Anniversary Edition; and acclaimed documentaries from our Athena line with Discovering Hamlet with Kenneth Branagh and Derek Jacobi, and more from Mike Wallace and Bill Moyers.
2010 highlights included Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection, Oscar® and Emmy® winner Helen Mirren in her iconic, groundbreaking TV role; Foyle’s War Set 6, one of the most highly acclaimed and popular programs on PBS; Life on Mars: The Complete UK Collection, the award-winning, original U.K. police drama; Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection (Blu-ray); Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Murder on the Orient Express (Blu-ray) starring David Suchet; Poldark Series 1 and 2 (DVD Debuts); and Cadfael: The Complete Collection starring Derek Jacobi.
Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.
*Limited quantities are available of the Complete Series; Series 1 is available upon request.
Acorn Media Press Contact (DVD/Photos/Interviews): Chad Campbell, ccampbell@acornmedia.com
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