Update 16 May 2010

WEBSITE INFO:

May 2010:

We are still rebuilding this website. The original website has been build in many years (5 years to be exactly). It contains gigabytes of text, photos etc. collected by fans around the world in years. That's why the rebuild will take a while.

We are also integrating a large part of the material from Colin Firth Career Timeline website with Colin Firth 24/7 (with permission).

A lot of the material from CFCT was already gone from the internet, but we found a way to retrieve it back nevertheless.

The moviespages are all back now. With our original (or even some removed) material plus material from the Colin Firth Career Timeline website.

We will now make a start to rebuild our quite massive movie poster/cover section.

We're also planning to start making slideshows for the moviepages of Colin's latest movies ("The Last Legion" and beyond).

Getting curious? Just come back to check what we have done so far.

Noddy (webmaster) and Nancy (admin).

MOVIEPAGE UPDATE:

- The "Mainstreet" page has been updated with a video on Durham and a magazine cover.

- The "Single Man" page has been updated with a "oscar roundtable" video-interview and photo.

- The "Pride and Prejudice" page has been updated with the "restoration process" video.

Filmography Mainstreet

Filmography A Single Man

Filmography Pride and Prejudice

OBSERVER ETHICAL AWARDS:

After a hotly contested debate the shortlist for The 2010 Observer Ethical awards, in association with Ecover. Now in their fifth year the awards pay tribute to those that have an innovative way of looking at ethical issues and those who create practical solutions to these problems. In previous years the awards have attracted a diverse selection of winners from famous figures such as Ken Livingstone and David Attenborough to community projects such as Ethical Kids winners, Lomeshaye Marsh Local Nature Reserve and Stockbridge Junior Rangers.

A record number of entries was whittled down in the last round by the esteemed panel of judges that included Colin Firth, actor; Ben Fogle, TV presenter; Sue Perkins, comedian; Kate Humble, TV presenter and Ben Okri, author, and was chaired by Lucy Siegle, ethical living correspondent, The Observer.

ADVOCACY:

Survival International page has been updated.

Oxfam Internation page has been updated.

AdvocacySurvival International

AdvocacyOxfam International

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE RESTORATION DVD INFO:

Pride and Prejudice restorated version (same as blu-ray version but with lower resolution. To use with a common DVD-player:

For the record, this is the same feature and package as offered in last year's Blu-ray release of the same title. The only difference to be noted between the two is the video resolution, which only suffers a minor detriment in this version for not having been in hi-def. With that said, read on.

Audio & Video

Of prime importance to this review is video quality. Instead of going back to the same less-than-perfect print of the DVD versions, the Blu-ray release went all the way back to the original negative for a crisp high-definition transfer. There's even an "Uncovering the Technical Restoration Process" featurette detailing the procedure. The picture jumps in quality tenfold. The colors jump out of the frame with a vibrancy that makes the DVD and VHS versions look catastrophically and unbearably dull in comparison.

Brief flashes of ruined frames can be caught here and there most likely due to unfortunate preservation of the 1995 original copy. With that said, only the eagle eyes among us will notice them, so for the average Joe, the transfer is a dream come true.

The audio blasts forth with a triumphant crispness - A&E and the BBC put together a brilliant mini-series all those years ago and this easily qualifies as the best presentation it's ever received.

DVD Bonus Features

With the aforementioned featurette on the restoration process for the new copy of Pride and Prejudice, there are three other pieces of varying lengths. "Lasting Impressions", clocking in at just under an hour, represents the most comprehensive of the features on the discs. With retrospective interviews from the cast and crew, those who fell in love with P&P and Mr. Darcy all those years ago will find this documentary piece quite interesting; the rest of the general populace will likely stick around for ten minutes and then head back to the main menu. If you didn't stick around for the longer piece you'll either find the shorter featurettes more palatable or just as much outside your realm of interest; either way, "An Impromptu Walkabout with Adrian Lukis and Lucy Briers", a brief interview tell-all style feature with the actors who played Wickham and Mary Bennet (respectively) entertains the most devoted while struggling to keep the interest of the casual viewer; finally, "Turning Point" talks about the writing and casting leading up to the filming of the series. The featurettes are all interesting in their own right - to the right fan.

The video transfer of Pride and Prejudice onto Blu-ray made this release an occasion. Throwing away the faded and dreary colors of its DVD and VHS predecessors, P&P on Blu-ray marked a bold new chapter for the beloved series. However, since this is the DVD release, all you'd really be getting is a slightly better picture with more vivid colors and a few new featurettes. Women, it's the same series you've loved since its 1995 debut - do it justice by seeing it in its most beautiful restoration to date.

Review by Justpressplay.net

Blu-ray: same version (as the restorated version) but with better resolution. You need a blu-ray player (or PS3) to play a blu-ray DVD!

RESEARCH REQUEST:

Hi,

I am Jeanette, a psychology lecturer, and I am undertaking some private (self-funded) research on the use of ‘fan’ websites by adults. Therefore I'm looking for participants in my study.

Who am I looking for:

There is very little research on real fans, rather than undergraduates, or American High School girls. Basically I am looking at what adults get from the use of fan websites.

What will I do:

The disadvantage of using a scale created for use with teenagers is that it can read in a juvenile way, but I want to be able to compare these results with the American results, so I have left the originals in. There is a far more open section, where I am looking at your own experiences and your ideas, these views have largely not been researched before.

This brings me to the demographics section. I am asking about relationships you have because there is clear evidence from research with Japanese respondents that people who are in settled relationships are more likely to get more benefit from social relationships associated with being fans, and I want to see if this relationship holds with more Western groups.

Your privacy:

All email addresses will be deleted after data has been collated, unless you wish to take part in other research, but whatever happens, all your identity information will be removed from your data, and it will be used anonymously.

My report:

If you want a copy of my report, you are welcome to email me and I will send you a pdf copy. There is no point in doing research and then not sharing it, especially with the people who helped you to do that research.

Thank you:

As a ‘thank you’ for taking part a token donation of 10 pence will be given to the site’s (or your) chosen charity.

Whatever you choose to do, thank you for your time.

Best,

Jeanette*(Dr), UK

Please use this emailaddress to get in contact with Jeanette: fast_researcher@fastmail.fm

* Last name known by webmaster.

Note by webmaster: we did some research on Jeanette and we can tell you this is a genuine request.

	*INTERVIEW AND ARTICLES ARCHIVE:*
	Several interviews and articles have been added.
	Multimedia Interviews and Articles archive (Written Press Archive)