It often frustrates me that so many TV adaptations of literary classics made in the 1960s and 70s aren’t available to be seen – so I was interested to see a news story in The Daily Telegraph about the rediscovery in the BBC archives of a version of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina first broadcast in 1961, starring Claire Bloom as Anna and a pre-Bond Sean Connery as Vronsky. This is being released on DVD in the UK next month. It was released on DVD in the US last year, so the master tape must have been found in the archives slightly longer ago than is being claimed in news reports. Anyway, I think it’s exciting to see a 1960s BBC drama being released, and am now hoping the same might happen for some of the other goodies which still exist – there are several older BBC adaptations which are available to see on a computer monitor if you visit the BFI mediatheque in London, so there must be a hope that some of these could turn up on DVD in the future if there is enough interest!
BBC’s ‘lost’ 1961 Anna Karenina coming out on DVD
August 22, 2010 by Judy
I hope to find that one. I love Anna Karenina. My fav’ version to date is the 80s one with Nicola Paget. I hope they also bring that version out on DVD as currently there is only a VHS version floating about.
I remember loving that version too – Nicola Pagett was wonderful as Anna. Inspired by your comment, I just checked on Amazon.co.uk and they do list a couple of DVD sets, in region 1 and region 2, but by the looks of it they are both deleted and only available in expensive used copies, so I agree with you that it would be great to see this reissued! Thanks, Janette.
It’s desolating to read about these losses. There’s a good deal lost from the 1980s too — unless a “star” or cult figure author, a modern version often erases (it seems) the previous. So on each re-find we may hope that attitudes have changed and the reason we don’t have these earlier ones was so many were wiped out (sometimes for ephemeral sports events) and those looking for such don’t know precisely where to find them.
As they are discovered though, they may come out. Do note this one has the “star” criteria, Judy.
Ellen
Thank you for commenting, Ellen – I know you have been trying to find some of these earlier adaptations, including the older ‘Daniel Deronda’ starring Robert Hardy as Grandcourt, which I would love to see too. It’s ironic that often a film from the 1930s or 40s adapted from a literary classic is still available to watch, but a TV adaptation of the same book from the 60s, 70s or even 80s, as you say, seems to have disappeared completely.
I agree with you that there seems to be a much better chance of a title with a star or cult figure author being released, and, as you say, this one has Connery – though I note the BBC has used a big picture of Claire Bloom on the sleeve. I’d very much like to see it, anyway. Thanks again, Ellen.
I don’t know why but , though I was brought up in the years of B/W TV programmes and loved watching films and TV drama as a child too , when I try to re-watch the same things I used to love I find them odd, sometimes hilarious. My heart is there but rationally I can’t appreciate. I know we are different in this, Judy.
But I MUST see an Ana Karenina! ( **blushes** …never seen any adatation of this classic!)
Big Hug!
MG
There are quite a few Anna Karenina adaptations to choose from, MG – though I haven’t really warmed to the two most recent versions I saw. I remember really liking the 1970s version with Nicola Pagett which Janette mentioned. As you say, I do like older adaptations more than you do, but I have had that experience of coming unstuck when I try to watch something I remember loving years ago too! Many thanks, MG:)
Good to see that the BBC are finally opening up their archives from the 1960′s. I am currently trying to obtain support online via a petition to get the 1962 “Oliver Twist” serialisation released onto dvd. Any black and white adaptation released onto dvd is fine by me. The original of any serialisation is generally regarded as the standard from which all others are judged.
Peter Watson.
TV historian.
Hello Peter, sorry to be so slow in replying – I’m not updating this blog at the moment, but have now signed your petition and will publicise it on my other blog, Movie Classics (movieclassics.wordpress.com) where I am currently running a series of features about older Dickens films. I went along to a series of sessions about Dickens on TV at the BFI earlier this year where there was a panel discussion about the 1960s adaptations of his work and the chance to see clips – sadly,it was said that many of them have been partly lost, including a David Copperfield starring Ian McKellen which I would love to see, but anyway I would certainly like to see a DVD release of this version of ‘Oliver Twist’.