DVD News

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. comes to DVD

By M&C News Oct 3, 2007, 16:22 GMT

Open Channel D…one of the greatest television shows of all time, and the first successful spy show on American television, will finally arrive on DVD, as Time Life and Warner Home Video debut The Man From U.N.C.L.E: The Complete Series this fall. 

The Golden Globe award-winning series, starring Robert Vaughn ("HU$TLE", Superman III) as Napoleon Solo and David McCallum ("NCIS", The Great Escape) as Illya Kuryakin, originally aired on NBC from 1964 to 1968 and earned an astounding 16 Emmy award nominations during its run.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete Series includes all four seasons of the series, the majority of which has never before been available on home video.  All 105 episodes arrive November 27 featuring nearly 10 hours of stunning bonus material such as a new, in-depth interview with stars Vaughn and McCallum, original featurettes, home movies from the production set, the original, never-before-aired on network TV pilot episode, and much, much more. 

The Man From U.N.C.L.E: The Complete Series 41-disc DVD set will be available to ship on November 27 (pre-order begins September 28) exclusively from Time Life via the Time Life website (ManFromUncleDVD.com) priced at $249.99.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E . super-sized collection, specially packaged in a silver "attaché case," contains every original, unedited episode from all four seasons of the series – a total of 105 episodes packaged in a magnificent collector's boxed set.  Series co-stars Vaughn and McCallum sat down for the first time in over 20 years for the 90 minute interview included in the newly produced bonus features. 

An additional fifteen interviews with U.N.C.L.E. production crew members, fans and experts, including directors Richard Donner and Joseph Sargent and writers Dean Hargrove and Peter Allan Fields, are also featured in the generous amount of DVD extras.  Nine original featurettes boast an amazing array of rare clips and memorabilia, including behind-the-scenes footage of guest star and Hollywood legend Joan Crawford, one of many notable guest stars to appear throughout the series, among them Vincent Price, Kurt Russell, and William Shatner with Leonard Nimoy two years prior to Star Trek.  An "Art and Artifacts" featurette highlights set designs and blueprints, scripts, production memos and more. 

Several featurettes explain the history and divulge little known information about the series, others showcase the innovative gadgets, vehicles and wardrobe, and the unique music created specifically for The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  James Bond creator Ian Fleming was involved in the early development of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and came up with the name "Napoleon Solo."  Fleming's hand-written notes about U.N.C.L.E. lots and characters are included in the bonus features of the DVD set. 

Collection includes:
41 DVDs in special "attaché case" collector's packaging.

4 eight-page booklets with liner notes written by Jon Burlingame (journalist, producer of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. music CDs), Craig Henderson (journalist, U.N.C.L.E. fanzine publisher); Cindy Walker (author of Work/Text: Investigating the Man From U.N.C.L.E.) and David Bianculli (television critic, NY Daily News).

All 105 Original unedited episodes (1964-68).

Interview: "Double Agents – The David McCallum & Robert Vaughn Reunion"

"Solo" – the original color U.N.C.L.E. pilot.

One Spy Too Many – the feature film based on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

9 Featurettes:

"The Cloak and Swagger Affair: The Untold History of The Man From U.N.C.L.E."
 "The Spy-Fi Tour: Archives, Art & Artifacts"
 "Cold War, Hot Spies: U.N.C.L.E. and the Cold War"
"MGM's Secret Operations"
"Guns, Gizmos, Gadgets and Garb"
"Behind the Wheel: U.N.C.L.E.'s Piranha"
"Fandemonium"
"The Music from U.N.C.L.E."
"The Girls of U.N.C.L.E."

17 On-camera interviews with David McCallum, Robert Vaughn, Director Richard Donner, Writer Peter Allan Fields, Writer Dean Hargrove, Director of Photography Fred Koenekamp, Assistant Producer George Lehr and Director Joseph Sargent and others. 

"The Secret Tapes of Illya Kuryakin: Home Movies from the Set of U.N.C.L.E."

Clips from Robert Vaughn and David McCallum's appearances at the 1965 Emmy and Golden Globe broadcasts, plus a clip from McCallum's appearance on The Andy Williams Show.

Tom & Jerry Cartoon – "The Mouse From H.U.N.G.E.R."

U.N.C.L.E. memorabilia, Ian Fleming's personal notes, NBC Broadcast and Standards memos, research files, set designs and blueprints.

Promos, trailers and television commercials.

"Hidden Camera: An U.N.C.L.E. Photo Gallery"