Callan - The Definitive Collection DVD
(On Topic: | A Magnum For Schneider | Big Finish Audio Vol 01 | Big Finish Audio Vol 02 | Callan File | Callan Uncovered | Callan Under The Red File | Colour Years DVD | Definitive Collection DVD | E-files For Callan | Edward Woodward Hour | Links | Monochrome Years DVD | Novels By James Mitchell | Rebooted | Red File For Callan - Radio Play 2012 | Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3 | Series 4 | Short Stories By James Mitchell | Theme Tune | This Man Alone | Toys | Ultimate Collection DVD | Wet Job | Index )
Edward Woodward gives an electrifying performance as a reluctant professional killer working for British Intelligence. Callan became a national phenomenon in the late 1960s, making Woodward one of the highest profile actors on television and paving the way to his eventual career in America on shows like The Equalizer. Created by James Mitchell (When the Boat Comes In) and exploring the dingy, twilight world of the professional spy, Callan was the antithesis of James Bond (back in the days of Connery and Moore) and presented, until that point, television's most realistic portrayal of government espionage. When first announced this set was to contain:
- the original Armchair Theatre pilot play, A Magnum for Schneider
- all the remaining black and white episodes from series one and two
- all the colour episodes from series three and four
- the Callan: Wet Job play
- a brand new documentary
- definitive book on the making of the series by Andrew Pixley
- more TBC
Originally to be released 28 March 2011 by Network DVD, this has been rescheduled many times without appearing. In May 2014 Andrew Pixley mentioned that the final updates were just being applied to the viewing notes; then in April 2015 Network announced the seperate releases of the book and documentry, which suggested that the set had been shelved, which was all but confirmed by the Five from Callan deal Network ran in November 2015; a Callan bundle that included the This Man Alone, all the existing episodes (both the Monochrome Years and The Colour Years sets), the single play Wet Job, plus Callan: Under the Red File.
All of this content subsequently appeared on the Australian DVD release Callan - The Ultimate Collection.