just another dalliance in my quest to purchase things of stuff, really. but, oh but, for some of you of a certain age, this might be more interesting that usual, look you see. yes, then, another delve of sorts into the realm of nostalgia, specifically 80s UK television.
rather improbably, i think (or suspect) it is so that recently i have procured two (2) items of significance what relate to (or actually are) the magnificence of the original two series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. one of these was ludicrously underpriced (not that i argued), whereas the other might be a trifle expensive for exactly what it is (and what practical use), but also something i was unlikely to see again.
behold, then, above, in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, what it is claimed to be the complete (presumably uncensored) series one and two of the television show itself, to recap for those with a short attention span Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, on tape (disc). also, a "best of" the soundtracks to these two series, also (as in actually) on tape.
let me assume, or take as a given, that anyone reading this (or this thus far) is quite aware of what the television series was/is. if not, well, i would have no idea why you read on, but many thanks indeed for doing so. mostly, then, beyond saying here that i shall not, i won't go into any details on the show and that. unless i run out of things to write.
it would be, i suspect, the tape which is actually a tape that would be of most interest to people browsing here. so yes, then, go on, more images of that for you. like, for instance, below, the inlay.
more on the tape in a bit, but for now the 'box set' of the entire series. indeed i do appreciate that it is on several "streaming" services, some free some not so much. also, and i do worry that we are heading into the realms of the American "syndication" system (not that it hurts Seinfeld's bank account), it does appear to crop up on a few regular, ordinary "broadcast free to air" tv stations. i very much prefer to have the tapes (discs) to watch when i would wish, though. no reliance on it being available, internet connectivity, or what have you. the versions being broadcast on regular tele, i note, are rather heavily edited, with all (mostly male) nudies removed, be it accidental or overt, and of course all of the colourful language trimmed. not played the tapes (discs) yet, but with a "15" certificate on the cover i am going to presume it's all as originally broadcast.
provenance and cost of this eight (8) tape (disc) box set? well, it seems to be new and sealed still. i got it off of the market for all of £2. not really much point me translating that into other currencies with the theatrics on the go with our economy, but that is cheap to the point of obscenity. i am absolutely baffled as to how and why we have devalued entertainment, in particular of a physical format, so much. and yet how hard, or for how long, must i complain of such a bargain?
with respect to the tape that is an actual, real tape, a bit more. should i have the maths correct, and please don't ask me to say i do. i believe the cassette (posh word for tape) cost was 275% of the entire series set, and that's second (or third) hand, too. to present that in rather more straightforward figures, the tape of the soundtrack cost me £5.50.
certainly i hesitated about the purchase. although the cost was within my budget for such trivialities, it did seem a figure to give pause to consideration. what, after all, beyond the obvious of (possibly) playing it, was i to do with it? ultimately, the decision was made to buy because, well, when exactly would i be likely to see another copy of it? research since suggests the tape is if not rare then not all that easy to get, but a CD (disc) variation of it is, for somewhere north of £2 more north than the price i paid for the tape.
the failsafe thinking, i suppose (or simply trying to justify it) is that the songs on the soundtrack were boss, and the cassette is a lovely, sentimental hygiene thing to have proudly in the collection. it is far from being the only instance of a procurement achieved purely as it would "look good" in my collection of such things; a collection few see entire but i suppose the odd bit features here momentarily.
do i have any intention of sitting down and watching the series (both of them) again? yes, actually, that would be lovely. it was quite remarkable, and over the years thus far it has had a sensational, indeed phenomenal "can watch this again and again" feel to it. quite brilliant, all around. getting, or finding, the time to sit and watch once more is the trick, of course.
right, that's about that, then. lovely finds for me, and with some good fortune a pleasant thing for fellow fans to have found out here on the internet to have a gander at.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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