Underbelly goes under the counter in Victoria
Daniel Ziffer
February 22, 2008
EVEN if they don't like their portrayal as murderous, stupid thugs, the criminals dramatised in Underbelly would probably smile at this illicit development.
Illegal DVD copies of the 13 episodes of Nine Network's much hyped gangland drama are being sold across the state.
The third instalment of the program — suppressed in Victoria under a court order — screened across the nation last night. But as interstate viewers wait week by week to see the whole series, people from Werribee, Ballarat and central Melbourne have told of buying the whole set.
Callers to Neil Mitchell's program on 3AW yesterday told of car-park deals and sales at building sites and intersections.
"Peter" called in to say: "I bought all 13 episodes of Underbelly off a guy at Werribee Plaza three days ago," he said. "Eighty bucks. I've watched the whole series, it's very good."
He said the quality of the copies was good and they appeared to have come from official sources, featuring the "countdown" screen used by programs before broadcast. And the best bit: "No ads in them."
But the executive director of production company Screentime, Des Monaghan, said it was unlikely the final three episodes could be bought, as they were not completed. "We're trying to acquire a set to see who they've come from," he said.
People who sell or buy the pirate DVDs in Victoria can be charged with contempt of court.
Another 3AW caller bought 10 episodes for $30 from a man who dropped by a Werribee building site. Others had similar stories, with one saying: "You can pick them up at the Docklands for 10 bucks. The quality's perfect."
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