out and about (Out - The Complete Series (2 DVDs))

Member Name: stevepeto

Product:	Out - The Complete Series (2 DVDs)
Date:	08/09/08 (176 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: storytelling

Disadvantages: dated look and feel, anticipation of lines, re - watchability

Frank Ross (Tom Bell) has just been released from an eight year sentence at her majesty's pleasure for attempted bank robbery. After a train journey back to his old manor he doesn't waste much time in visiting old acquaintances, but rather than mere social calls Ross is on a mission, a mission to find out who grassed him and his boys up to the police all those years ago.
Out was released in July 1978, a fact that you can tell from the clothes and cars as well as the massively subdued, washed out colour palette used. It was nestled in-between the third and fourth outings of the Sweeney which was another hard hitting crime show, but where as of course the Sweeney followed Regan and Carter as part of the flying squad, Out is set on the other side of the law.

I must admit that initially I was not looking forward to reviewing this release, I had watched old TV programs like this before and they aren't that good these days. I had never seen, or even heard of this production before but Trevor Preston the writer had also written episodes for Minder and the aforementioned Sweeney and I remember enjoying those as a kid. So with a degree of trepidation I put the disk in the player.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The release comes on two disks, three episodes per disk which are roughly 45 minutes long each, I managed to watch all six episodes in two sittings with the second set being the better of the two as this is where Frank makes some real progress, and we move from location to location as he catches up with the guilty party.

There are a few subplots. Eve (Pamela Fairbrother), Franks wife is in a mental institution after having a nervous breakdown, nothing really much happens with this sub plot and I think is there more as an emotional anchor for Frank and something to break up the story into more manageable chunks. Another Sub Plot involves Franks son Paul (Andrew Paul) who was PC Dave Quinnan from the Bill, again the story doesn't really explore this relationship either with much depth, and lastly we touch upon Frank's mate Chris and his failing business. As with Eve's unfulfilled subplot these other two are never really dwelt upon but are there to break up the proceedings.
Tom Bell gives a sterling performance as Frank, for the most part he is calm and collected but with that ruthless streak in him that you imagine all gangsters to have, he is determined and knows what he wants and who to go to in time of need, he is a survivor. The rest of the main cast around him give good performances too. Brian Croucher (Chris) is a long time friend of Franks and even though is business is going down hill fast, he still looks after his friend and Pamela (Eve) is scarily convincing as a woman going insane, it is a shame her branch of the story didn't really go anyway, as she give a noteworthy performance.

But even with these non fulfilled sub plots the story is involving and interesting throughout all of the six episodes and it's a pity that the sequel that was planned didn't happen as Tom Bell didn't want to do it.
Extras
There are no extras on either disk.

Picture and Sound
The picture can be quite grainy in places and the colour palette is very stark, although I believe this to be the case for most programs released around this time, the occasional spot of stock damage appears too although it is few and far between and is generally shown for a split second and then disappears. The audio is quite bad in terms of volume, is it extremely quiet in some places and found myself raising and lowering the volume on more than one occasion.

Overall
If you can look past the dated clothes and the few problems with the picture and sound the actual story is well laid out and very well executed, it is well acted although sometimes the timing of the lines are such that you can almost feel one actor waiting for the other to stop before delivering their own lines. I would be concerned about re-watch-ability value, after all a film is anything between 1.5 and 2 hours for a regular film whereas this involves a but more time investment, But for those that enjoy the Sweeney and Minder and other programs of that ilk, I thoroughly recommend this.

This is currently on Amazon at just under £10, IF you are a fan of programs like this then this is the "going rate", however I think it a little overpriced, £7 is the maximum I would pay for this, including postage.

© Review is entirely my own work but may have been cross posted elsewhere. Also published under the name sjp1966 on Ciao UK and also under sjp1966 on the Digital Lard website to which I am a contributor, as well as cross posted to IMDB external reviews. 2008

Summary: see review for overall opinion