Extended DVD version being sold by PBS, March, 2011!

Last night (March 22, 2011), PBS aired the great film THE WEAVERS: WASN'T THAT A TIME. There were also pledge breaks, and they are selling the film on DVD (well, they're accepting donations for it in the amount of $90.00).

That's a hefty price, but the DVD is being called the "extended" version because of additional new interviews featuring the original director Jim Brown talking individually with Holly Near, Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Fred Hellerman, Peter Yarrow, and Don McLean. Kind of a 30 year reunion!

As fans of this film know, the documentary came out on VHS and laserdisc back in the 1980's, but has never had a DVD release. PBS has apparently acquired the rights and is offering the extended DVD when you make the donation with them.

It takes 6-8 weeks for delivery, so I haven't actually seen the DVD yet. I watched a few minutes of the PBS telecast last night, and the color appeared to be somewhat stronger than my recollections of the old VHS transfer.

In my opinion, THE WEAVERS: WASN'T THAT A TIME is the finest documentary I have ever seen, and I welcome the new DVD release, however expensive. I believe that the donations to PBS are tax deductible.