Park Life

[Sir John Talbot]

Does anyone know of the existence of the Park Life documentary anywhere on the internets?

[Rowe]

I last came across the entire series on Youtube over a year ago, bar the last one, but judging by my last search on said website they seem to have been removed. There is however a clip from the band auditions by the Entertainment Team here.

[/pointless post]

[Big Dave]

I have it on VHS, but alas trying to get it into digital format is really hard. My last attempt resulted in epic failure due to some dodgy copy protect system.


edit: Will try and get it online later today.

[Stelios7]

A stupid question really... but what is this video about in detail?

Life around theme parks?

[meames]

On a similar vein, has anybody got a copy of the Magic Factory?

[thefatone]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 1434227182

Unless you want a physical copy, in which case.. dunno.

[meames]

Really want the file, but I can try rip it off there, see what quality I can get

[Big Dave]

Play iy on youtube and use a ripping app to rip it from the site.

[James]

A stupid question really... but what is this video about in detail?

Life around theme parks?

Park Life was a late 90s/early 00s tv show documenting the summer season of certain parks and holiday resorts around the UK. There was a series about Alton Towers 2001 (or 2002) season, and I remember there being one series documenting Butlins.

The last time Park Life was ever broadcast on TV was in 2005 on Sky. It was a great little series which gave a great insight into the summer season, and mainly the entertainments application process. The documentary also followed certain staff and their social lives as well as following what the staff get up to our of hours. 

[Big Dave]

Yeah it was the 2002 season as air was on it. I'm trying to get it off my video tape now and onto youtube. Its not looking bad, but its fairly low quality as you can expect.

[thefatone]

It'll be great to actually see this. Sad as it is, I used to get up to watch "The Tube" on sky three in the mornings in 2005, but then turn off the second Park Life started as I was not interested in the slightest about towers at the time.

Stupid non-interested me!

[Big Dave]

Having a few problems uploading it. Will try again later...

[Bunbury]

I thought it was a really dull watch even the heights of my Alton Towers fandom, and it reflects a really bland time at the park under a pretty bland leadership. Unlike the BBC's Pleasure Beach, which was warts and all and compelling, most of Parklife focused on trying to find a new singer for the hotel from what I recall, as well as following groups of school kids on a visit, stuff like that. No real drama.

[Big Dave]

Ok managed to get a really rubbish quality version online. Its just finishing uploading now so will post link in a bit.

[Big Dave]

Higher res video posted below!!!

[Dean]

Webmaster them were the days...

[Big Dave]

Yup. I hosted it for a season (2003). It was a good show, but didn't really work in that area of the park and didn't really attract the right audience. I t was suppose to be a family show, but they quickly realised that small kids wouldn't understand it and the illusion was scaring the kids. By the end of 2003, there was a narrator which basically told the audience bit by bit what was going on and we had to tell all families about the illusion in advance which then completely spoilt the illusion anyway.

[Sir John Talbot]

Awesome, thanks Dave!

Fantastic show. I think I prefer it to Magic Factory, it seemed to give better insight into the different, casual ways the park played in people lives - from guests, to ride staff, to ents staff.

I forgot about the camp kid on a hetero date. Hilarity.

[Paul Morgster]

I want to watch this again, if only to see my cameo on one episode in the background

[Big Dave]

Going to try and get a better version uploaded at some point.

Higher res: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcnaxTooJdc