John Sessions has died

[wosl]

I remember seeing bits of it, was just never able to get into it.

It never drew me in either; partly a 'look' thing, I think. It seemed to wear its economy production values as a badge, but that couple-of-camcorders-and-a-tripod look outwore its welcome quickly even back then, the looming POV shots, the flat soundscape, etc.  These days it could be done in a more visually dynamic and engaging way, but still as cheaply, I'm guessing.

[Famous Mortimer]

The bit where he's Al Pacino asking for a cake was one of those lines that always stuck with me, from "Stella Street". I'll join the throng as finding him pretty insufferable on Whose Line (he was even worse on the radio version) but he was undoubtedly an incredible talent who just didn't fit in that format.

[His Name Is Death]

Best Alan Rickman impression I've ever heard

[Brundle-Fly]

Underrated actor. His performance as Arthur Lowe in The Dad's Army Story was astounding.

It seemed like Sessions didn't look after himself, judging by his rapid decline in physical appearance over the years. The Whose Line Is It Anyway curse strikes again. Maybe Clive Anderson was feeding off their souls because he looks exactly the same as he did in 1988.

[Danger Man]

Lads, he supported UKIP so we all have to be glad he's dead.

[wosl]

Underrated actor. His performance as Arthur Lowe in The Dad's Army Story was astounding

Wasn't aware of this before today, and am keen to see it.  Just the appearance and bearing he achieved, seeing a few pictures from reviews and things, looks really impressive - total immersion/identification-level stuff.

[Rizla]

It never drew me in either; partly a 'look' thing, I think. It seemed to wear its economy production values as a badge, but that couple-of-camcorders-and-a-tripod look outwore its welcome quickly even back then, the looming POV shots, the flat soundscape, etc. 

Definitely true of the first series, which was made with consumer-grade camcorders. By series 3 they'd upped the visual quality a fair bit, but the cheapness is a big part of the appeal for me. Not even so much cheapness as back-of the-fag-packet cigsness. Plot lines that go nowhere (eg the asteroid in S3 that freaks out the hollywood lot as they're trying to watch eastenders), one-off characters like JS's awesome turns as Anthony Hopkins and Alec Guinness ("you're fucking mad, Alec!") in the seaforth episodes, the way Dean Barraclough veers between star-struck and condescending. It's just really stupid and really funny, I think.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

I always thought the best character in it was Len McMonotony, the deranged gardener.

[wosl]

JS's awesome turns as Anthony Hopkins and Alec Guinness ("you're fucking mad, Alec!")

I can see that I'm going to have to track these down on YT or somewhere (maybe they'll be stuck - back? - up on the iPlayer soon, as a tribute).

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Sorry to hear that John Sessions

[non capisco]

So many throwaway bits of Stella Street have never left my head since the late 90s. Jack Nicholson leering "I can't believe he tipped maaaaaange touuuuut all over her" for instance. And as has previously been quoted, "You mulch fuck!"

I second imitationleather that you'd enjoy it, Glebe. Some of it is basically like your H.S Art threads acted out and filmed on cheap camcorders. The sentence "I know I'm no Fanny bleedin' Craddock but people like my lamb!" for instance.

[George White]

Mrs Hugget's actually dead, for real. Fuck.

No more trips to Seaforth, then.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

Underrated actor. His performance as Arthur Lowe in The Dad's Army Story was astounding.

That was the first thing I thought of when I heard this news. The performance was uncanny.

[Rizla]

So many throwaway bits of Stella Street have never left my head since the late 90s. Jack Nicholson leering "I can't believe he tipped maaaaaange touuuuut all over her" for instance. And as has previously been quoted, "You mulch fuck!"

I second imitationleather that you'd enjoy it, Glebe. Some of it is basically like your H.S Art threads acted out and filmed on cheap camcorders. The sentence "I know I'm no Fanny bleedin' Craddock but people like my lamb!" for instance.

Pacino's "I love English seaside towns in the winter - all that rain. All that fuckin' rain". I love Al's hero-worship of Len McMonotony, seeing him as some sort of guru sage.

[easytarget]

I've just started re-watching The New Statesman. The last episode I saw was Let Them Sniff Cake which features Lord Penistone played by John Sessions.
It's very hard to have a character on screen that's "bigger" that whoever Rik is playing, but he just about managed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEGTmhchzQ

[IsavedLatin]

I can see that I'm going to have to track these down on YT or somewhere (maybe they'll be stuck - back? - up on the iPlayer soon, as a tribute).

Do let us know if you're able to track any links down -- not sure I'm willing to try £20 on some secondhand DVDs, which is all I can readily find available.

[Cold Meat Platter]

it's on youtube, working for now in UK

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvHN_1Tl9V3uxK7-fXrgmbfeCWqZ6Herc

[the]

One of the things that proves Stella Street's greatness is that it's packed with utterly brilliant original characters, all just as fully-formed as the celebrity caricatures and filleted perfectly amongst them. Len, Mrs Huggett, Dean, Pam & Gray Slurrey, Jack Flatley, Hank Zootermelk, Cyril the coach driver, Mike Duggan the local DJ...

[Shit Good Nose]

Did anyone like the film though?

I absolutely hated when I saw it at the cinema, BUT I've not seen it again since and all I really remember is Cornwell's Michael Caine being oddly ropey.

[Rizla]

Did anyone like the film though?

It's nearly impossible to find online (series 2 was next to impossible to get for ages too-I seem to remember vhs copies going for £50 on eBay mid 00's) but my memory is that it was ok, except that a lot of plot got recycled from the series. I do remember laughing a lot at a subplot involving Mike Duggan stealing the Damien Hirst preserved half shark piece (with Jack Flatley maybe?) and them dropping it down a flight of stairs. Roni Ancona did a great Madonna and Audrey Hepburn too. I'd like to see it again anyway.

[The Cloud of Unknowing]

This might well have been his last public appearance, Private Eye's annual self-congratulatory review of the year in December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhX3ez_Onvo

He gets amusingly self-indulgent at the end when they're running short of time and Harry Enfield has to hurry him up.

[Rizla]

One of the things that proves Stella Street's greatness is that it's packed with utterly brilliant original characters, all just as fully-formed as the celebrity caricatures and filleted perfectly amongst them. Len, Mrs Huggett, Dean, Pam & Gray Slurrey, Jack Flatley, Hank Zootermelk, Cyril the coach driver, Mike Duggan the local DJ...

You forgot the Edinburgh-accented copper who comes to give Jimmy Hill a caution. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, sir" when Hill goes all ACAB on his ass.

[Small Potatoes]

I always found him a bit smug and annoying in Whose Line...?, as others have said. He gave a great, funny performance in Filth though. And I liked him as Dr Prunesquallor in that mostly-shit BBC Gormenghast from about twenty years ago.

[Glebe]

I second imitationleather that you'd enjoy it, Glebe. Some of it is basically like your H.S Art threads acted out and filmed on cheap camcorders. The sentence "I know I'm no Fanny bleedin' Craddock but people like my lamb!" for instance.

Haha! Okay definitely gonna seek it out now!

[the]

You forgot the Edinburgh-accented copper who comes to give Jimmy Hill a caution. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, sir" when Hill goes all ACAB on his ass.

It was Len he was cautioning,

Spoiler alert

when Len admits he wanted to burn Roger Moore's house down

[close]

.

[Cold Meat Platter]

Haha! Okay definitely gonna seek it out now!

ahem

it's on youtube, working for now in UK

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvHN_1Tl9V3uxK7-fXrgmbfeCWqZ6Herc

[Glebe]

ahem

Ah right sorry, thanks CMP!

[Cold Meat Platter]

No worries just being an arse lol

[Glebe]

Chuckle!

[Cold Meat Platter]

Boh!