DVD Release - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy!

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY

On DVD October 25, 2011

“A smashing thriller” —The New York Times

“Exhilarating” –The Washington Post

“One of the most madly atmospheric and enjoyable literate films ever done for television” –The Washington Post

Silver Spring, MD – Coinciding with the December 9, 2011 feature film adaptation starring Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) and Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), John le Carré’s classic Cold War-era spy drama Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy returns to DVD from British TV on DVD specialist Acorn Media on October 25, 2011. Oscar® winner Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia) delivers the performance of a lifetime in his BAFTA-winning role as George Smiley, a retired spymaster recruited to find a mole in the British intelligence service. Hailed as one of the finest dramas ever made for television, this 1979 BBC miniseries garnered universal critical acclaim for its stellar ensemble cast, literate writing and intricate plots. This repackaged and discounted DVD 3-disc set includes six episodes, along with a 28-min. interview with John le Carré, cast filmographies, production notes, and more ($49.99, www.AcornOnline.com). Acorn Media is also re-releasing its sequel, Smiley’s People, on October 25th. Available upon request (6 Episodes, $49.99).

No doubt remains: a mole has infiltrated the Circus, code name for the British Secret Intelligence Service. It can only be one of four men operating at the very highest level. Sidelined agent George Smiley is covertly tapped to root out the mole, a task that requires a painstaking dig through the double-blind world of Cold War-era espionage and his own past. Alec Guinness brilliantly captures the weary heart and steely soul of John le Carré’s master spy.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was nominated for an Emmy® for best miniseries and won two BAFTA Awards, including best actor for Guinness. The series also stars Ian Richardson, Michael Aldridge, Joss Ackland, Ian Bannen, Bernard Hepton, Terence Rigby, Michael Jayston, Hywel Bennett, Anthony Bate, and a memorable cameo by Patrick Stewart, who returns in a larger role for the sequel.

Bonus Features: Exclusive interview with John le Carré (28 min.), production notes, glossary of main characters and terms, cast filmographies, and le Carré biography and booklist

Street: Oct. 25, 2011                                     SRP: $49.99

DVD 3-Disc Set: 6 Episodes - Approx. 324 min., plus 28 min. bonus - Closed captioned (main program)

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Acorn Media/Athena Release Calendar

(DVDs available upon request):

Sept. 27:

Oscar® winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) leading an all-star cast in one of his first roles with LOST EMPIRES. The inspiration for Showtime’s popular remake and created by Russell T. Davies (Doctor Who, Torchwood), QUEER AS FOLK: The Complete U.K. Collection has more than two hours of previously unavailable bonus features. Filmed at over 150 locations in 8 countries, ART OF THE WESTERN WORLD provides an eye-opening tour through 2,500 years of Western art. NEW TRICKS, Season 5 (DVD Debut) features more from the smash hit U.K. crime series filled with sharp writing, dry humor, and engrossing mysteries.

Oct. 4:

A fun collection from our best-selling series, Midsomer Murders: Barnaby’s Top 10, features star John Nettles presenting his 10 favorite episodes, including the “Most Bizarre Episode” and the “Most Intriguing Crime.” Also, the International Emmy^®-winning British comedy Fresh Fields, Set 2 following a couple’s empty-nest adventures with Anton Rodgers and Julia McKenzie (Agatha Christie’s Marple). Last, a value-priced collection of the hit mystery series Rosemary & Thyme: The Complete Collection starring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris as professional gardeners and amateur sleuths.

Oct. 11:

Without Motive (DVD Debut), a dark mystery series in the vein of Prime Suspect and Murphy’s Law following a detective’s desperate hunt for a serial killer; On the Road: Americana Collection, over 200 uplifting vignettes from the beloved Emmy^®-winning series in a value-priced collection; and Bonekickers (Blu-ray debut) – “Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Masterpiece Theater” (Philadelphia Inquirer) - broadcast on BBC, this 2008 action-adventure series follows a motley team of archaeologists as they unearth secrets from the past. The first-rate ensemble cast features Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Iris), Julie Graham (Survivors, The Bill, At Home with the Braithwaites), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Undercovers, Larry Crowne, Doctor Who), and Adrian Lester (Hustle, Primary Colors).

Oct. 25:

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, coinciding with the star-studded feature film adaptation, Oscar®-winner Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia) stars in John le Carré’s classic Cold War spy drama and its sequel, Smiley’s People; Joseph Campbell: Mythos III (DVD Debut) offering five newly remastered and visually stunning lectures from one of greatest storytellers of our time, hosted by Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon; and Bill Moyers: Own Our Own Terms (DVD Debut) features insightful, practical discussions about death and dying in America.

About Acorn Media: Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media U.S. distributes distinctive home video releases to North America with a special focus on the best of British television. 2011 releases include Upstairs, Downstairs: 40^th Anniversary Edition and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; U.S. debuts of new series Garrow’s Law, Vera, and Single-Handed; more episodes from New Tricks, Doc Martin, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Marple, George Gently, Murdoch Mysteries; and the Blu-ray debut of Brideshead Revisited. Athena releases provide an authoritative and entertaining learning experience through high quality, informative, documentary programming. Athena’s 2011 releases include The Making of the President: The 1960s, HBO’s The Battle for Marjah, Art of the Western World, The Genius of Design, Discovering Hamlet, Genius of Britain, Weapons Races, Joseph Campbell: Mythos III, and several acclaimed programs from Bill Moyers and Mike Wallace.