'FIRST OVERLAND' NOW ON DVD

Something of a blatant plug, I'm afraid, but I'll justify it by saying it's a public service to those who (like me) were inspired into Land-Rover ownership by Tim Slessor's book (now republished by Signal Books) of the 1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition from London to Singapore.

The Expedition's financial viability was only assured when David Attenborough commissioned Antony Barrington-Brown ('BB') to make 3 films for the BBC's Travel and Exploration Unit. With the BBC on board, they could get the big-name sponsorship that meant the expedition could go ahead. Unfortunately, with no home video recorders available in the late 50s, the film (once broadcast) was lost from view. Now BB has allowed me to re-master it for DVD viewing, with him and Tim providing a commentary, and interviews with Nigel Newbery, Pat Murphy, Adrian Cowell and Sir David Attenborough.

PAL versions are now available through

and I'll try to get them out to you for Christmas. An NTSC version (for North America, Japan and the Carribean) is also in production, but there's been a holdup which will delay them until after Christmas, I'm afraid.

GRAEME ALDOUS Teeafit Sound & Vision, Yorkshire