Hello everyone. I'm a longtime reader of Redwall and have wandered through these forums for a while. I'm not usually one to join and post in forums, but I've looked around and didn't see anything on this topic so I thought I'd bring it up.
It's pretty easy to find the Redwall TV Series on Youtube and such, but I've heard that each episode was opened and closed with a few words from Brian himself. I have both DVD sets for Redwall, as well as the Mattimeo and Martin the Warrior collections and haven't seen anything like this on those. I was unfamiliar with the book series until 4th grade in 2004 when I read Marlfox, so if these scenes with Brian only aired for episode premieres I missed them. Does anyone have any information on these scenes? I looked around Youtube, but found nothing. These introductions probably aren't anything groundbreaking, but I think they'd be quite interesting to watch anyway and it would be a shame if they just disappeared. Thank you for your time.
-TW
I haven't heard anything of the sort, but I didn't come across the TV series until well after it stopped airing. How did you come to hear of them, if I may? I'll look into 'em, too.
I couldn't recall a specific place I'd heard about, just that I came across some mentions of it in different places. I did a quick Google search and found a part of The Long Patrol site that actually had transcripts of these scenes. They're actually pretty interesting and some of it is stuff I didn't know even after looking around for old interviews and book tour videos. It would be nice to see the actual scenes.
Here's the link: http://rwtv.longpatrolclub.com/bj_s1.html
Something else I wanted to bring up, have any of Brian old songs from The Liverpool Fishermen ever turned up online? I might post a separate thread for that in the Other Works forum. I just think it would be nice to have easy access to his older works. It's a shame they've become so hard to find.
I've seen a few of these because my uncle had recorded them earlier on his TV. I need to check out the other ones, though! :)
(when I have time lol)
I remember seeing those when the show was on PBS. Maybe you already saw this since you posted the link to the first one, but the Long Patrol Club has a second page of transcriptions if you're interested:
http://rwtv.longpatrolclub.com/bj_s2.html
I don't know about the Liverpool Fishermen, though...
I figured that the only way we could get the introductions would be someone who recorded them either converting the VHS to something that could be put onto a computer, or someone taking a video of the recording. I just don't know how easy it is to do the conversion. Is it worth looking into?
Here's a link to The Liverpool Fishermen page on Redwall Wiki: http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/The_Liverpool_Fishermen
Ahhhh a Brian Jacques treasure I never knew of, that's so awesome! Thanks for the links, y'all!
I read on the Redwall Wiki (or was it Wikipedia?) something about BJ giving an introduction at the beggining of each TV episode telling what happened in the previouse eopisode, or something like that. It must have been cut from the DVD version.
Actually, one of the DVD releases for season one has these as a bonus feature, but that's the only place I've ever seen them. I only know because one of the libraries by me had that particular version & it was listed on the back.
The only problem- I'm pretty sure that specific release only managed to get season one out on two sets. They're cheap (both together are cheaper than the original price of the Funmation release) but, these little "Ask Brian" segments were also on season 2 (A different kind of segment was implemented in season 3) & I'm pretty sure I can't find either.
And, I'm still a little peeved that (I'm pretty sure) either the DVD releases were abridged, or the PBS syndication was prolonged... and I'm pretty sure I know which, considering I explicitly remember scenes that weren't on the DVDs. >:(
They are on the Season 1 DVDs? Do we know which edition? When I can get to my copies of Season 1 later this week, I'll take a look to see if they're on either one. If it's on a two part release we can rule out the 2006 Season 1 set. My first half of Season 1 is the original DVD release and my second half is the rerelease from a couple of years ago. As far as I know, those are the only English language DVD releases, so I'll be able to confirm then.
Do you know if the Netflix versions are abridged?
Quote from: Romsca on November 26, 2013, 03:54:28 AM
Do you know if the Netflix versions are abridged?
I've seen the Redwall TV series on Netfilx at my grandpa's house. They didn't have the episode introduction from BJ.
I loved the framing he did for the episodes...sure hope a copy has been saved and can be made available to all!
Quote from: Firehawke on November 26, 2013, 07:09:46 PM
I loved the framing he did for the episodes...sure hope a copy has been saved and can be made available to all!
Well, there dosn't seem to be any DVD copie available with it.
Well I looked through my Redwall DVDs and it seems like there aren't any bonus features at all on the 2003 and 2011 DVD releases. Brian's intros weren't limited to a certain region, were they?
Quote from: TW on November 28, 2013, 11:46:05 PM
Well I looked through my Redwall DVDs and it seems like there aren't any bonus features at all on the 2003 and 2011 DVD releases. Brian's intros weren't limited to a certain region, were they?
Possably....I saw on ebay three or fout seperate DVDs that, together, held the complete 2nd Season. Also, they were reagion 3, or some reagion that is only available in Canada. Think something could be in those volumes?
It's possible. Someone earlier reported that the framing was on a two-part release of Season 1. They didn't mention which release or region it was.
EDIT: Just saw on Redwall Wiki that there was a two-part release in 2005 that had a Meet the Author section. It looks like the release only covered episodes 1-7.
Quote from: TW on November 29, 2013, 08:20:47 PM
Just saw on Redwall Wiki that there was a two-part release in 2005 that had a Meet the Author section. It looks like the release only covered episodes 1-7.
Can you post a link to that artical? I'd like to see it.
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Redwall_-_The_Siege
and
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Redwall_-_Friends_and_Foes_(Vol._2)
Here are the links. It has a feature called Meet the Author: Brian Jacques. Since the articles don't go into detail on the feature, I don't know for sure if it's what we're looking for. Even then, it looks like the only way we'd get the second half of Redwall and all of Mattimeo's introductions would be if someone recorded the original showings and converted them to DVD. I really don't know how feasible that is.
Hmmm...we should contact Lord TBT. He runs the Redwall Wiki, knows pretty much everything about everything about Redwall, he's met BJ before, and he seems to have allot of connections...maybe he can find something.
Well if you know how to contact him, go ahead. He might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
Quote from: TW on November 30, 2013, 03:25:06 AM
Well if you know how to contact him, go ahead. He might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
He has an account on this Forum. Maybe I can send him a PM...or I can maybe find his e-mail adress or something on the Redwall Wiki.
I should be able to give some kind of confirmation on the Redwall - The Siege DVD soon. I was picking up Christmas presents on Amazon and saw that the DVD was only a couple of dollars for a used- like new copy so I picked it up.
Quote from: TW on December 04, 2013, 05:53:45 PM
I should be able to give some kind of confirmation on the Redwall - The Siege DVD soon. I was picking up Christmas presents on Amazon and saw that the DVD was only a couple of dollars for a used- like new copy so I picked it up.
Really? Tell us about it when you get it...
I'll make sure to. I just want to say it might take some time for me to post anything on it. Depending on when it comes, the earliest I'll post anything is next weekend when I get home from my first semester of college. Amazon's giving a deliver by date of Dec. 26th, but even Amazon Marketplace rarely takes that long. The far off dates are probably just used to prevent people complaining all the time. The only problem left is figuring out how to post them online if the DVD does indeed have what we're looking for. ;)
Hey guys.
Mr. Jacques' introductions are unfortunately not on any of the DVDs...I guess this is because only the animation was licensed for that sort of distribution. I have no idea whether the introductions even exist anywhere official.
As has been indicated earlier, IF someone recorded the TV show back on the day on VHS, they would have them...but to find such a person would be difficult. Tell ya what though, I'll make some posts on the RW accounts to see what turns up.
Regarding Liverpool Fishermen audio, I do own all their works. Unfortunately, I don't have a turntable at this time. I am in the market for one though.
For the time being, there's some older audio here:
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Echoes_of_Merseyside
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/A_Gig_wid_Brig
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Jakestown
And I also recommend a few of the links here for older video:
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Filmography
and here of course for everything else:
http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Brian_Jacques_Audio_and_Video
Quote from: TW on December 04, 2013, 09:47:26 PM
I'll make sure to. I just want to say it might take some time for me to post anything on it. Depending on when it comes, the earliest I'll post anything is next weekend when I get home from my first semester of college. Amazon's giving a deliver by date of Dec. 26th, but even Amazon Marketplace rarely takes that long. The far off dates are probably just used to prevent people complaining all the time. The only problem left is figuring out how to post them online if the DVD does indeed have what we're looking for. ;)
Also, as you're a college student (presumably with a college email) sign up for Amazon Prime. It's half-off for you, I think around $40/year, which is insanely cheap. Do it.
Thanks for everything Lord TBT. I'll still take a look at the DVD, but it'll probably just be another contribution to my library's Redwall collection. It'll be better off there introducing new Dibbuns to Redwall.:D Anyway, someone else already mentioned that they have recordings of the original episodes, so I don't think it's that unlikely that they exist. They would just be hard to find. I suppose it's worth looking into and seeing what turns up.
Also, thanks for the heads up on the Amazon Student account. I've actually been using it for a couple of months and it's free for the first half year.
@TW: See, LordTBT can be allot of help with these type of matters!
I got a chance to check the DVD earlier than I thought I would. Just as we expected, it doesn't have anything new on it. What we thought might be the intros was just a blurb on Brian. Nothing special. Hopefully something else will turn up so that the introductions are available for all.
This is the only place I've found where this is actually a discussion, which is sad. I wonder if he ever had anything to say about Ironbeak. Sadly, as RWTV inexplicably stopped writing those awesome in-depth reviews after season 2, ep 20, we don't even have the transcript for the second half of season 2, where that would have happened. BTW, I would have loved to see the reaction to Pallum being changed from male to female in those reviews! (BTW, I never did find out who the actual reviewer was)
But I've gone miles from Brian's intros. Yeah, I saw a few before I got into reading the books. I remember once he said, "Don't change the channel! Stick around for this episode of Redwall!" And, of course, since I wasn't a huge fan then, I changed the channel.
I still want these. This topic has been down for a year, almost...has ANYONE come across them?
Really, I'd like all the PBS filler segments.
It's funny that the first topic I created is the first one I see upon my return.
Looking back, the general consensus was that they are MIA. We've confirmed that there were never any DVD or VHS release for the intros. The topic kind of died after that. I asked if any other members had recorded the episodes on their original run (I don't know if they were included in reruns or not). I thought someone early on in the topic said that they had VHS recordings somewhere, but nothing ever came of it.
I'd like very much to find these, too. I think it's very likely that someone out there recorded them and still has them. I know the condition and quality might not be the best, but if we search we might come across something someday.
We actually have a tape with a couple of those filler segments, one where fans answer a couple quiz questions on the series, and another where some people reenact how cloth was made in the olden times. However, the latter was cut short. I think there was also a bit where Brian explained some of his characters, like how Basil- and all hare characters afterwards- was characterized after a friend of his (who talked just like him), and how he came up with 'Asmodeous' (spelling?) as the name for an adder.
That's amazing! If you know where they are and know someone with a VHS to DVD converter, you should definitely copy them so that they could be put online. I wouldn't suggest going out and getting one yourself since it seems like they can be pretty expensive. From what I've heard, some tech stores will do a conversion for you. I suggest not doing anything that would cost money. If you don't have access to any kind of converter, I would suggest just setting the VHS aside so that you know where it is.
If I find an easy way to do the conversion, I'll edit the original post.
Out of curiosity, do you know what episodes these go with?
I'm afraid I don't. :-\
My grandmother taped some Redwall episodes and stuff, and it's been a while since we've put the tape into the player. I don't know anyone with a converter, neither do I have any way to upload them to the internet.
Sorry for the disappointing news.
That's quite alright. I'm just glad to hear that someone does have them recorded. It helps prove my point that VHS recordings of them aren't impossible to find.
Quote from: General Ironbeak on September 20, 2014, 05:47:24 AM
I still want these. This topic has been down for a year, almost...has ANYONE come across them?
Really, I'd like all the PBS filler segments.
The Redwall Wiki has been searching for these for quite some time...finding people with their recorded VHS tapes from over a decade ago is a bit of a task ;)
The Skarzs - A local library or a local university/college should be able to help you with both of those tasks, and the Redwall Wiki would be happy to host them on our YouTube channel.
The Skarzs - I've seen people use their cameras or phones to video record the TV while the tape is playing. It won't be the best quality, but it will at least be digitally preserved.
We'll see, my friends.
The biggest problem with searching for the VHS recordings is that they degrade as they get older. I think multiple viewings also degrade the VHS.
Has anyone ever tried to get in touch with PBS or Nelvana about these? It's still a longshot, but they might still have the intros. Even if they don't, they might be able to explain exactly why the intros were never added into DVD and VHS releases.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if they played these just on the first run of an episode, or if they were included in repeats?
Quote from: TW on September 25, 2014, 04:54:47 PM
Has anyone ever tried to get in touch with PBS or Nelvana about these? It's still a longshot, but they might still have the intros. Even if they don't, they might be able to explain exactly why the intros were never added into DVD and VHS releases.
Yes. They don't respond to emails. I've tried many times over the years. They won't even respond to the Redwall TV series copyright violations found online.
Quote from: TW on November 22, 2013, 11:44:42 PM
I couldn't recall a specific place I'd heard about, just that I came across some mentions of it in different places. I did a quick Google search and found a part of The Long Patrol site that actually had transcripts of these scenes. They're actually pretty interesting and some of it is stuff I didn't know even after looking around for old interviews and book tour videos. It would be nice to see the actual scenes.
Here's the link: http://rwtv.longpatrolclub.com/bj_s1.html
Something else I wanted to bring up, have any of Brian old songs from The Liverpool Fishermen ever turned up online? I might post a separate thread for that in the Other Works forum. I just think it would be nice to have easy access to his older works. It's a shame they've become so hard to find.
I've known about this for years...why did the reviews stop? And who wrote them?
Old topic but i think i have some pertinent info to share on this topic. I actually have all 3 seasons of Redwall on VHS laying around somewhere in my house and they do include BJ's intros and explanations. Problem is they were recorded on different VHS tapes- there is a bunch of tapes not just one containing them all. His intros talk about the characters and the episode- one is describing how Cluny got his name- the scourge due to his wipe like tail and that he is a large rat etc... there is another one describing asmodeous the adder- BJ oddly enough mentions how an adder will even eat a small dog. Also thee intros only continued partially into season 2. Around mid season 2 BJ stopped doing them and just the episode would play (at least that is how it was on Canadian tv- not sure about elsewhere).
Anyway to get to the point- I know I have all of these episodes on various VHS tapes which are somewhere in my house, likely in a box in the basement. Assuming I can find them and the condition of the tapes hasn't totally degraded, I could get them converted to DVD format and then upload them online....
Dooooo it. Put 'em on YouTube. That would be cool to see (I'd watch 'em).
The Redwall Wiki uploaded all of them two years ago.
https://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:LordTBT/News:_Presenting_Redwall_TV_Featurettes
https://www.youtube.com/user/redwallwiki/playlists