International DVDs

Dwarf releases around the globe.

15 July, 2005

So, you live in the UK, USA, Australia or New Zealand? Well, you're doing pretty fine, DVD-wise. Six series out, two to go, and a quantity of bonus material that, frankly, couldn't be beaten by two shaven-headed bouncers with big sticks.

For the rest of the world, though, it's a different story. Not for them the straightforward two-per-year schedule. Nope, every territory must have its quirks - and the latest international news suggests that things are just warming up on the whacky front.

Let's begin with Portugal. Pris Video released Series I in February on discs that have their own animated menus of rather funky design. All episodes are the originals, with subtitles in, unsurprisingly, Portuguese. Extras include most of the UK stuff - documentary, deleted scenes, smeg ups, commentaries - but no music cues, raw FX, book chapters or music featurette.

On to Benelux - a territory that covers Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Well, Series I came out over there in May (though not in Luxembourg for some reason, but Holland and Belgium have been lucky, at least) through distributor Memphis Belle.

The episodes included in this releases are the remastered versions, shown with optional Dutch subtitles. All extras have been included from the UK release, save for the cast commentaries and talking book chapters - though, weirdly, the deleted scenes have moved to disc one. The menus are retooled versions of the UK navigation.

Future releases include France (aiming for September this year) and the Czech Republic (August). And you'll have read here that fans in Germany are able to get hold of the UK release version already.

But let's finish with Japan. After a burst of interest from that country, an all-series release happened which included VHS (dubbed), VHS (subtitled) and DVD. This was the NHK edit of the shows, and the DVDs were released individually, or in a vanilla box-set along with the Smeg Ups and Smeg Outs.

Now Happinet, the Japanese distributor, have plans shaping up for regular series releases more akin to the UK versions, complete with extras. This is no doubt due in part to new TV channel BBC Japan snapping up the series for broadcast, renewing interest in the show in that area.

More international news as and when it comes in!

Remember you can pick up Series I-VI right now from the Red Dwarf UK Shop, USA Shop and Australia Shop.