The Saint - The Complete Colour Series (14 Disc Box Set) [DVD]

Having been an ardent fan of Sir Roger Moore for nearly a decade, getting this DVD box was an exciting experience!

In my country, Sir Roger Moore is almost always remembered as James Bond due to the fact that very few of his other films are available and only a handful of big Roger Moore fans know this THE SAINT.

Thanks to the development of the Internet, we Asians living in the Far East can have access to what, for a long time, have been available only to those living in English speaking countries, and now that I've watched some of the many episodes included in this box , I can say that I really made a wise purchase.

I can strongly recommend this product for the below reasons:

1:The quality of the images is excellent, I mean they are beautifully re-mastered and the generous reduction on this excellent DVD box was also so attractive.

2:Sir Roger Moore as Simon Templar is very reminiscent of James Bond and it tells very well why, Ian Flemings, author of 007 wanted him to portray the role he created.

3:THE SAINT, in any form, DVD or video is not available in my country Japan and the possession of this legendary TV drama series often works as a excellent conversation starter especially when I meet British or American people of certain generations.

The only disappointing point is that each episode does not come with English subtitles. As a non-native speaker of English, omission of English subtitles forbids me full comprehension of audio materials.

In conclusion, my review may not be helpful as I wrote this from a Asian(non-native English speaker)'s point of view.

All I wish you to understand is that this is what you must have if you want to enjoy one of the treasures your culture(English speaking countries) has produced.

Anybody who cares to read my other reviews will notice that I'm a BIG fan of "old" television. It isn't "nostalgia" (These programmes were repeats when even I saw them the first time) and it's not a case of "rose-tinted spectacles" (I have the shows right here to watch now) - I just love how much more interest there was in telling a good story and how the main objective was for the audience to have fun. I can think of nothing on television now that delivers in the way the 'classics' did - Literally nothing. Sad, isn't it?

Here we have my favourite ITC series - Roger Moore's mere presence in something automatically elevates that film or show to "watchable" status, in my opinion. His charisma, warmth and wit shine through any role he adopts and the SAINT is no exception. His interpretation of SIMON TEMPLER is different to the character of the novels, but for me he will always be the definitve SAINT. Stories range from intruiging to insane (The infamous HOUSE ON DRAGON'S ROCK does perhaps go too far in concept but is still, ultimately, fun!) but even the most outlandish instalments have you glued to the adventures of a genuine hero fighting for what's right. Add to that some of the most beautiful female guests to tangle with the SAINT (Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson, Anette Andre and Pauline Monroe are my favourtie "Saint girls") and this series becomes a delight!

To be honest, I do prefer the black and white stories - The monochrome adds to the atmosphere and that period was also more reliant on the actual stories of Leslie Charteris. Still, it was perfectly logical for NETWORK to release the colour episodes first as most casual buyers consider black & white productions worthless (How silly!). Initially, this set seems expensive, but don't forget that you're getting 47 episodes as well as two feature film compilations (And if you do think this is too expensive, wait until the black & white box set comes out, especially to those of us who bought the CARLTON set!) - Also, these episodes have a high "rewatchability" factor so you'll probably find yourself dipping into this set quite often.

The extras are as impressive as we've come to expect from NETWORK - There are commentaries for several episodes from members of the crew, with Roger Moore chipping in now and then (Although his words appear to have been recorded seperately), original trailers for every single episode (A great idea) and a witty 45 minute documentary looking at various aspects of the show (including less than favourable comments from Leslie Charteris himself) - This documentary could actually have been longer and that's the only complaint I can bring against this set. The packaging is beautiful, the presentation a delight (Even the Network logo adopts a "halo" when the DVD starts up) and it's clear that the staff at NETWORK love the subject as much as I do. With my CHAMPIONS boxset in the post (Can't wait!) this really is a golden age for collectors of classic television and I really recommend this set.

i never thought i would see the day when all the colour episodes of my favourite cult programme "the saint" would be released on one d.v.d collection. the extras are pretty impressive as well, including an informative documentary on the making of the colour series.

by the time the programme made the transition to colour in 1966, things were changing; the plots were slightly more involved and fanciful(which i don't think is a bad idea), roger moore was begin to produce and direct some of them but also there was more location filming. i think all this helped the series considerably and also proved itself adaptable at change.

i'm certain most of the episodes here, have hardly been shown on t.v. only a handful were released on video back in the 90s, so you had to be grateful for what was available. gladly, this has all changed. the quailty of the picture and sound have been improved immensely.also included, are two collective booklets detailing the making of each episode and information about its star roger moore.at the end of one of these, is information and photographs concerning upcoming releases of other cult programmes.

hopefully, this release will be the first of two; the complete series of the black and white episodes should be released in a boxset just like this one, within a couple of months. i can't wait. with the colour series comprising 47 programmes and the black and white comprising 71 programmes, that would make for a lot of viewing.

the price is expensive at £100, but worth the grief to treasure these colour instalments. enjoy!