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Talking Pictures

Started by Captain Crunch, May 13, 2018, 10:37:34 PM

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Ambient Sheep

As Series 2 of Together starts in a few minutes, complete with new James Bond-esque theme and titles, everything done live, and an opening shot clearly crafted to keep the grandads happy, I just found this excellent, well-researched review of the show from a couple of months back:

http://wearecult.rocks/keeping-alive-the-art-of-living-together

QuoteI was one of the many viewers who set it to record, expecting to be watching something of a train wreck, only to find that not only was it more than competent, it was actually pretty good. I didn't expect to find that it was actually ground-breaking in a couple of ways. I fell in love with the show, and eagerly looked forward to my daily visit to Rutherford Court each day. I was hooked!

Quote...and up and coming writers like Phil Redmond (who spoke warmly of the show in his autobiography). Between them they would craft stories that dealt with a mix of the lives of the characters and up to the minute issues such as abortion, marital difficulties, mental health issues, alcoholism and in a first for a UK soap opera, a homosexual couple. This aspect of the show had been overlooked for years, with EastEnders now often taking the claim for the first gay couple in a UK soap, but Together beat them by years.

While the show was criticised for its mundanity by critics, with one newspaper at the time for instance making a point about the banality of the residents clubbing together to buy a chest freezer, Gay News were rightly effusive about the depiction of gay life in the show. Trev and Pete's relationship was praised in Gay News issue 188 for being "One of the most down to earth, unselfconscious male gay relationship yet presented on mainstream TV." The two were very much portrayed like any other couple in the show which for the time was really ground-breaking.

...and lots more, including details of the innovative real-life housing block it was based on.

Ambient Sheep

#211
Quote from: A Hat Like That on August 26, 2020, 07:28:13 AMWRT The Mind Benders

The intro to this contains the first time I have ever seen my old lab (the New Chemistry Laboratory) on film, so its already scored well.

Hah, I did wonder where it was shot!


Quote from: A Hat Like That on August 26, 2020, 07:28:13 AMEDIT
15 minutes in and the Oh Its Him count stands at Edward Fox and Roger Delgado.

Yes. :-)

What did you make of the rest of it?  (If you can remember by now, sorry for neglecting this thread.)

Yeah, I enjoyed bits - well acted, well put together - but I think I found the underlying bit so silly that it all detracted.

That said, I also enjoyed the snapshot into Oxford life in those years. As implied, I studied there for a while and seeing my old/new lab, the scenes by the river. Enjoyed that a lot.

Really liking Enemy at the Door - its now my Sunday 2100 viewing.

What really got my pecker up is spotting The Assassination Bureau on at gone midnight next week. Missed the first showing last night



This is up there as one of my favourite films. The cast ... :smacks lips: ...

Also, will keep an eye out for repeats of Hit!, interesting cast there.

Norton Canes

Bah, meant to catch the earlier showing of that, too.

Blumf

The Day of the Locust (1975) is on tonight 2105h.


Sebastian Cobb

Not listened yet, but I thought this might interest you (it was RT'd by @WeAreCult)

QuoteDiscover some of the behind the scenes secrets of #TalkingPicturesTV in a special @2vradio
podcast show with #AndyWaterfeld and #NickBenjamin It's now live for your enjoyment. https://spreaker.com/show/2-voices-radio-podcast

QuoteThis week we talk to a UK based TV channel that's over the last few years has quietly been beaming out archive TV shows and films. But during the last few months has attracted an avelanche of new viewers.

Talking Pictures TV is available everywhere... and it's a lovely success story. Today we talk to the co- founder Sarah Cronin-Stanley.

https://www.spreaker.com/user/twovoicesradio/talking-pictures-tv-podcast

Enemy at the Door unleashes John Nettles and Alun Armstrong.

Still enjoying.

kaprisky

"MICKEYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Yes, more Runaround this morning. It featured one Duncan Mackay, who was in 10cc at this stage, fiddling about with some keyboards, including a keytar. According to Wikipedia his daughter is Fawn, one of Paul Raymond's granddaughters. Basically the Queen of Soho.

Still enjoying Enemy at the Door - its slow, but its a good slow. Ideal Sunday night wind-down.

Recorded all of Reilly Ace of Spies.

Later on this week is The Fourth Protocol - a classic bit of Micheal Caine in the 80s spy nonsense.

Ambient Sheep

Recently I've been slowly wending my way through...

Rumpole (harder than I thought, the humour is lovely but the sexism is a tough watch and I've never been great with courtroom scenes),

early Special Branch with Derren Nesbitt[nb]Who I was heartened to learn was still alive, a rarity these days when looking people up from TPTV.[/nb] (proving unexpectedly good, and a fascinating glimpse of the times; I was also startled to see numbers stations openly referenced in the very first episode... then I saw that it was created by George "The other Prisoner guy" Markstein and all became clear),

The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (clever and fun, but I could do without him being followed around by quirky banjo music everywhere),

and even Lytton's Diary (early days with this, but is fascinating to see the mid-80s London journalism scene, that I read so much about when I first started reading Private Eye age 20, dramatised for the screen, and Peter Bowles is always good value; it also reminds me that I was right at the time to detest the "frizzy poodle hair" look, it wasn't just youthful me being precious).

I did record the first few episodes of Enemy at the Door, mainly to see Alfred Burke in something other than Public Eye[nb]Which reminds me, I have to restart my watchthrough of that, after I got a bit stuck, but I think that was me rather than it.[/nb], but before I watched any I accidentally caught the extremely grim end of one of the early episodes, which instantly brought back to me a childhood memory of seeing that very scene (my parents were fans, although not as much as of Secret Army), and that put me right off it.  I knew it would be grim, but I'd forgotten just how grim.  I was also seriously short of TiVo space at the time, so I bit the bullet and deleted them all.  I wish I was better emotionally equipped to deal with some of these things, 'cos it's clearly a great series.


Ambient Sheep

Meanwhile it's worth noting that, starting from the middle of next week, they seem to be creating a new 4am rerun-from-the-start slot.  That slot is currently occupied by the daily Special Branch reruns, but after S03E09 being shown next Tuesday (17th), it switches to weekly on Sundays and the other six days all have other series starting from the beginning:

Wednesdays - Budgie
Thursdays     - The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder
Fridays           - Public Eye
Saturdays      - Van der Valk
Sundays         - Special Branch (from S03E10)
Mondays        - Hannay
Tuesdays       - Reilly: Ace of Spies, although note that the first episode is feature length, so starts at 03:15 rather than 04:00.  Thereafter it's 04:00 like the others.


Some interesting choices there.  Van der Valk finishes its Fri 9pm run this week, so it's the perfect opportunity to restart it.  Hannay and Reilly both finished a while back, and Budgie and Reeder are nearing the end of their evening runs.  But restarting Public Eye when the Thursday 9pm slot is only on the 13th episode out of the 46 they show seems a bit strange!  Just goes to show how popular it is.  And for once, no Rumpole!  (Which is annoying, as I'm missing a couple.  Still, maybe it'll end up replacing Hannay or Reilly after their 13 & 12 episode runs finish.)


For reference (and my own amusement), here's the current evening state of play (as of next week):

Mon 21:00 - Hazell S02E02
Mon 22:00 - The Gentle Touch S03E07
Tue 21:00  - Budgie S02E10
Wed 21:00 - J. G. Reeder S02E03
Thu 21:00  - Public Eye S05E06
Fri 21:00    - Out S01E01 (replacing Van der Valk)
Sun 21:00  - Enemy at the Door S01E12

I look forward to The Gentle Touch coming round again, as I suspect I'm missing a gem there. 

Blumf

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on November 10, 2020, 08:58:27 PM
...mainly to see Alfred Burke in something other than Public Eye

Now I'm keyed up for him, I noticed him in an episode of Randall and Hopkirk the other week.

JesusAndYourBush

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on November 10, 2020, 09:06:47 PM
Mon 21:00 - Hazell S02E02
Mon 22:00 - The Gentle Touch S03E07
Tue 21:00  - Budgie S02E10
Wed 21:00 - J. G. Reeder S02E03
Thu 21:00  - Public Eye S05E06
Fri 21:00    - Out S01E01 (replacing Van der Valk)
Sun 21:00  - Enemy at the Door S01E12

I look forward to The Gentle Touch coming round again, as I suspect I'm missing a gem there.

Out of those, I watched Hannay and enjoyed it, for some reason I never saw it at the time, nor even heard of it before it popped up on Talking Pictures.  I watched one episode of Budgie a few months back as I'd heard of it but never seen it.  I thought it was boring and haven't watched another.  Currently enjoying The Gentle Touch.  There's a really different feel to it compared to current shows of the same genre and it took me a good dozen episodes before I put my finger on one reason - there's no background music at all (apart from one time near the beginning or end of an episode they were playing an extended version of title music as background music.)

daf

Quote from: JesusAndYourBush on November 11, 2020, 01:08:12 AM
I watched one episode of Budgie a few months back as I'd heard of it but never seen it.  I thought it was boring and haven't watched another.

Much prefered series 1.

Series 2 got off to a bad start by changing the theme tune - to one that, with all due disrespect to Cold Turkey, can't hold a candle to the bittersweet 'The Loner'.

Weirdly, it also looked like Faith's chin had gained an extra square inch - like he was on steroids or something!

Ignatius_S

Quote from: Blumf on November 10, 2020, 09:20:28 PM
Now I'm keyed up for him, I noticed him in an episode of Randall and Hopkirk the other week.

IIRC, Dudley Foster (who was also a great actor) was in that episode - and he's in an episode of Public Eye.

There are quite a few things that TP shows, which Burke appears - so keep watching.

Off the top of my head, there are:

The Edgar Wallace Mysteries - he's in a few of those.
Episode of The Human Jungle
Model for Murder (not top drawer perhaps, but I've watched it a couple of times and enjoy it - worth it just for the likes of Burke and Michael Gough.

But there will be quite a bit more - thanks to what TP shows, we're reminded that he's one of those actors (like Sid James and Leslie Dwyer) that appeared in a range of roles.

I have a feeling that TP has shown recently The Pot Carriers, a prison film that was adapted from a play - it's actually a rather interesting film (e.g. makes the point about why people reoffend and argues the current system doesn't work) and Burke plays the villain in that (brilliantly, natch).

He's also in an episode of Minder (one of the Waterman ones) as the put-upon 'partner' of Daley's in a taxi company.

QuoteI did record the first few episodes of Enemy at the Door, mainly to see Alfred Burke in something other than Public Eye, but before I watched any I accidentally caught the extremely grim end of one of the early episodes, which instantly brought back to me a childhood memory of seeing that very scene (my parents were fans, although not as much as of Secret Army), and that put me right off it.  I knew it would be grim, but I'd forgotten just how grim.  I was also seriously short of TiVo space at the time, so I bit the bullet and deleted them all.  I wish I was better emotionally equipped to deal with some of these things, 'cos it's clearly a great series.

I think every episode has ended on, at least, slight downer.

There's one very early one that has a truly bleak ending, and the pay-off delivered by Simon Cadell. This does not help.

Blumf

Quote from: daf on November 11, 2020, 08:37:10 AM
Series 2 got off to a bad start by changing the theme tune - to one that, with all due disrespect to Cold Turkey, can't hold a candle to the bittersweet 'The Loner'.

Yeah, I noticed the indefensible change of theme tune. The Loner is a banger.

Blumf

Quote from: Ignatius_S on November 11, 2020, 09:16:33 AM
I have a feeling that TP has shown recently The Pot Carriers, a prison film that was adapted from a play - it's actually a rather interesting film (e.g. makes the point about why people reoffend and argues the current system doesn't work) and Burke plays the villain in that (brilliantly, natch).

I only caught the back half of that, but liked what I saw, need to keep an eye out.

Quote
He's also in an episode of Minder (one of the Waterman ones) as the put-upon 'partner' of Daley's in a taxi company.

Don't tend to watch Minder much, but that sounds like a good role for him. S01E08 : Come in T-64, Your Time Is Ticking Away, put that in your Burke spotting jotter!

Mr Banlon

Quote from: daf on November 11, 2020, 08:37:10 AM
Much prefered series 1.

Series 2 got off to a bad start by changing the theme tune - to one that, with all due disrespect to Cold Turkey, can't hold a candle to the bittersweet 'The Loner'.

Weirdly, it also looked like Faith's chin had gained an extra square inch - like he was on steroids or something!
Iain Cuthbertson's portrayal of Charlie Endell is great though.

Reilly, Ace of Spies - found the first two episodes strangely uninvolving, but it went up a gear in the 3rd one.

Its also great for "oh, its him", both the obvious and less so. Leo McKern is great.

Ambient Sheep

Quote from: Ignatius_S on November 11, 2020, 09:16:33 AM[Alfred Burke]'s also in an episode of Minder (one of the Waterman ones) as the put-upon 'partner' of Daley's in a taxi company.

I've never been a Minder fan, but funnily enough I saw that a few months ago, when a mate was streaming it (don't ask why, long story).  Great value as always.


Quote from: A Hat Like That on November 11, 2020, 09:18:50 AMI think every episode has ended on, at least, slight downer.

There's one very early one that has a truly bleak ending, and the pay-off delivered by Simon Cadell. This does not help.

Yeah, that's the one. 
Spoiler alert
A hanging in the town square
[close]
, yes?

Fucked me up a bit as a kid; gave me a very nasty flashback shiver when I saw it in the top corner of my TiVo screen while I was sorting out other stuff.  Turned off the preview window sharpish.

Ambient Sheep

Anyway, just a reminder that the new rerun of six series from the beginning starts very late tomorrow night (Wednesday 4am), if anyone needs prompting to set their PVRs.

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on November 16, 2020, 08:03:43 PM

Yeah, that's the one. 
Spoiler alert
A hanging in the town square
[close]
, yes?

Fucked me up a bit as a kid; gave me a very nasty flashback shiver when I saw it in the top corner of my TiVo screen while I was sorting out other stuff.  Turned off the preview window sharpish.

I was thinking
Spoiler alert
the firing squad
[close]
.

That said, this weeks? relentlessly grim and the ending, logical but horrible.

kaprisky

Tony Scannell was in last night's episode of The Gentle Touch. He is probably best known as Ted Roach out of The Bill. Apparently he died earlier this year.

As to the claim that there was no music at all in The Gentle Touch, well that's plainly untrue. Both diegetic and non-diegetic music appeared at various points even in last night's episode. What a strange claim to make.

Upstairs Downstairs (LWT) is lined up for December.

Finished Reilly Ace of Spies. The last episodes, dealing with Russia 1917 - 1924 up the pace again, but its never quicker than stately.

somehow, Felix Dzerzhinsky came across as the main protagonist by the end. Reilly was never likable, probably deliberately so.




Enemy at the Door very good today - but really grim story (entire scene cut up due to language used).

Pam St Clement and David Calder as the 'oh, its them'.

Shame this all ended after 2 series.

Breakthrough was on last night - the sequel to Cross of Iron with none of the cast (ish) and none of the class.

A bit rubbish. Could maybe have worked better as a sequel to Where Eagles Dare, tbh.

One of the other higher Sky Movie channels has the TV movie of a Sven Hassel book on late nights. Surprisingly bloodless.

Ambient Sheep

I'm guessing most of you will know about this already, due to their newsletters, their schedules, and the extensive trailers they've been showing, but just in case...

Talking Pictures are recreating the old Saturday Mornings at the Pictures, from 9am-midday every Saturday from now on.  Here's this Saturday's schedule:

09:00 - Popeye the Sailor (1953) -- serial
09:10 - Zorro's Black Whip (1944) -- serial
09:40 - Cup Fever (1965) -- film starring Bernard Cribbins
10:55 - The Lone Ranger (1949) -- serial
11:25 - Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) -- serial
11:50 - Superman (1941) -- serial

Looking ahead, the next three weeks are identical, except that all the films (Soapbox Derby (1957)[nb]Starring a 15yo Michael Crawford in his first proper screen role.[/nb], Big Catch (1968), Go-Kart Go (1963)[nb]Starring a 15yo Dennis Waterman in his ninth role, and a 21yo Frazer Hines in his, er, 54th role.[/nb]) are 10m shorter, so everything after that is 10m earlier, thus they put an extra Superman in at the end.


I'm particularly looking forward to Flash Gordon (and to a lesser extent, The Lone Ranger), as the Beeb were still showing them when I was a kid in the early 70s.


Fake EDIT: Good God, just checked Genome, and the Beeb last showed Flash Gordon as late as April 1998 (BBC1, Saturdays, 7am)!!  I'm quite astonished... but not as astonished as finding out they didn't START showing it until July 1976 (when I was 11).  I thought I'd been much younger than that.

Then again, it says The Lone Ranger was only shown from July 1957 - December 1963.  So either it was on ITV, or I really did see it at the cinema (Saturday Morning at the Pictures was still a thing when I was small, probably died around 1974/5 or so).

Strange though, I'm sure the Beeb used it as holiday filler (along with Casey Jones, White Horses and Robinson Crusoe), but apparently not.


Bad Ambassador

Pretty sure The Lone Ranger was on Channel 4 at some point.