Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2292 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-02-27
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 153 minutes

Synopsis
The crew of the Vital Spark sail the Clyde where they enjoy weddings, fights and smuggling.

Customer Reviews

The greatest Scottish sit-com ever?
Sadly, as mentioned by another reviewer, most of the "Master Mariner" and "Vital Spark" series (and all of their 1960s incarnations) no longer exist, wiped liked so many episodes of "Doctor Who", "Not Only But Also" and all of Alan Bennet's sketch show (indeed, criminal!) However, these five episodes that are left are uniformly brilliant - particularly the interplay between the crew members when they are below decks on the puffer, bickering and arguing with one another.

For modern tastes (and I'm a fan of such things as Nathan Barley and The Mighty Boosh) it may seem a little couthy, but it has its interplay firmly rooted in a great comic tradition - think Last of the Summer Wine mixed with Father Ted. The series returned in 1994, with a new cast and title, extended to 1 hour in length with the emphasis now on comic-drama rather than an ordinary sit-com, which gave the new series (this time with Gregor Fisher as the captain) a slightly diluted edge. It was possibly excellent Sunday night entertainment, but the slight surrealism of the original 1905 stories didn't lend themselves to that sort of comfort zone easily (having said that, I hope John Williams released the nine episodes from 1994 and 1995 soon too!)

101 years ago, with his short two-page stories about a group of four or five characters trapped in a situation they could not escape from (but which at the same time gave them great mobility), with a lead blind to his own short-comings and pomposity, Neil Munro created - arguably - a sit-com half a century before Bilko perfected the style. These 1970s shows pay due homage to a great Scottish (and world? Should be, but sadly isn't) institution.

Vital for your DVD collection
By Jove,eh...At last - this classic series gets a DVD release.These episodes are the colour remakes of the earlier black and white BBC Scotland series, broadcast in 1965/1967.This in turn had followed the 1959 series 'Para Handy,Master Mariner'(both the 1959 and 1965/67 series were [criminally!]wiped by BBC Scotland).The programme made a triumphant return with a one-off special in 1973,as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations at BBC Scotland.It proved so successful that a series was commissioned,broadcast in 1974.Again,BBC Scotland did not look after the archive and three episodes have been lost.

The 1965/67 series reunited many of the cast and crew from 1959,including Roddy McMillan('Dougie' in 1959,then 'Para Handy' in all subsequent series),John Grieve('MacPhail,throughout),and producer Pharic Maclaren.The 1959 series was written by Duncan Ross,whilst all subsequent episodes were written by Bill Craig - these colour episodes are essentially updated reworkings of the 1965/67 b/w episodes.

The only slight criticism of the DVD is that the episodes are presented out of order.The 50th anniversary special - 'The Wedding'(absolutely hilarious!!!) - comes after two of the 1974 episodes.This is probably beacause the DVD mirrors the 1980's VHS releases ('The Vital Spark'[BBCV 4167]

The Vital Spark
These are all the episodes of the original Vital Spark That are Left The BBC in there stupidity recorded over all the rest of them lets hope The Tales of Para Handy with Gregor Fisher,Rikki Fulton,Sean Scanlan,Andrew Fairlie,Paul Young are Released Soon