Warner Archives has issued the pilot film for "Then Came Bronson" as part of their "Movies on Demand" (MOD) program. There is a two minute plus clip of the beginning of the film and the transfer looks reasonably good, though no restoration has been done to the film. List price is a little steep at $20, but the Archives runs sales from time-to-time and you won't be supporting bootleggers.
shareThe 2-hour movie (actually 98 minutes) has just been released by Warner Brothers Video. For more info, copy the following link and paste it into a browser window.
http://www.wbshop.com/Then-Came-Bronson-1969-TVM/1000123523,default,pd.html?cgid=
from www.thencamebronson.com
I bought a copy of this Warner Brothers release, and it looks quite good -- rich colors, plus the extra European footage. I can see why it was released as a theatrical film over there; it has the quality of an independent film from the 1960s, rather than a made-for-TV movie.
shareI purchased a copy of the pilot of "Then Came Bronson" and watched it tonight. I agree - the print quality is good to see after having a bootlegged VHS copy for quite a few years. When Warner Archives refers to the film as having extra European footage I take it that means the shots of Bonnie Bedelia momentarily bra-less at the Pacific Ocean/Big Sur locations. (Brave lady - no wonder her career is still moving right along.) I do not remember any other new scenes.
One can hope that episodes of the series resurface either for purchase or presentation on cable TV here in the U.S. in the future.
As an alternative to WB Video, I bought it new at Amazon.com and saved $6.57 compared to the WB price of $19.95 + $5.00 shipping. Re-sellers who use Amazon set their own price, and some of them sell the DVD for less than the Amazon warehouse price that is currently $18.99.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0039UU3KA/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UT F8&condition=new
Read the Customer Reviews (link below) so you understand that this DVD won't play in players that are capable of recording onto a DVD; it works in "Play Only" DVD players. Some reviewers weren't able to play it on their players. One of the reviewers at the WB website (NIGHTTRAIN from Warren, OH on 3/2/2011) also mentioned that fact.
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Came-Bronson-Michael-Parks/dp/B0039UU3KA