Stella Street

[Stevie81]

Anyone see this?

An absolute gem from the BBC, small 10 minute segments of a street in Surbiton that just so happens to be littered with a range of luminaries from stage and screen...and Jimmy Hill. LOL.

I think after series 2 it tailed off, but the sight of Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Joe Pesci and Michael Caine playing monopoly will stay with me

'I 'ad Old Kent Road, for sentimental reasons, I always 'ave Old Kent Road'

[shiftwork2]

Yes, fond memories here.  Where else would you hear Joe Pesci calling Jimmy Hill a 'chinfuck'?

[Stevie81]

Jimmy Hill desperate to be arrested for 'cannabis' possesion...

'Well...FUCK YOU copper!!! Wank, wank, wank-wank-wank'

LOL.

[Famous Mortimer]

Al Pacino trying to get someone to make him a cake (or buying a cake) was perhaps the hardest I'd laughed at anything for years (when I saw it, clearly I don't remember it too well now). Any idea what episode it was, anyone?

[Stevie81]

That sounds like a series 1 moment where Jimmy brings Al a cake at christmas?

[great_badir]

"Keith, have you seen the price of these marsh mall-OWs?"

I thought it was hit and miss, even within its brief running time.  But the hits were good.

In general, at the time I much preferred the same team's Glam Metal Detectives.  Although something tells me that if I watched that back now (not seen it since it was first on), it wouldn't be anywhere near as funny.  Whereas Stella Street's hits still hold up.

[Stevie81]

Cornwall and Sessions were in the Glams? Man that's so long ago now

'Funk'N'Justice for all'

[great_badir]

Cornwell was.  I don't recall Sessions being in it though.

It was just another Cornwell/Peter Richardson thing, but also sharing other creative peeps.

[Stevie81]

Doon 'Various Steve Coogan related characters' Mackichan was in it I'm sure.

The life and times of Colin Corleone anyone?

Anyway, back to Stella Street

Roger Moore 'I've had a suntan all my life'

Dean has fixed Bowie's washing machine...

Dean - On...off...on...off, there's yer superstar...theres yer celebrity...
Bowie - Oi!! Boundaries! Respect! Aaaaahhhoo!

[great_badir]

Doon 'Various Steve Coogan related characters' Mackichan was in it I'm sure.

She was.  Mmmmm, Doon Mackichan...

Thoughts on Stella Street movie?

[Stevie81]

Loved that bit in the day today where she takes her top off and Partridge just gibbers. ha!

'A lady'

The Stella Street movie was abysmal, and an embarrassment. A major, catastrophically bad effort which pretty much killed the chance of any future episodes. It didn't work on the 'big' screen, so much of the material was re-hashed, and the plot of the film was ludicrous, and not in a good way.

The DVD's of the series I don't like either, mainly because I had the VHS versions for so long where they lumped all the episodes together, I don't like them seperate. But I have had the VHS's transferred to DVD so its all good. I tracked down Series 4 too which has never been released, but is shit.

Jimmy - I love Stella Street, everybody loves me, I love everybody
Jack - Who's Jimmy Hill?

[non capisco]

Yeah, sporadically inspired. A lot of fond memories of it. Me and my housemate at the time would spend an unhealthy amount of time in character as David Bowie and Jack Nicholson, which was probably every bit as infuriating as I've made that sound. The first two series were great but then I recall it going south a bit.

It was the little touches like Jack Nicholson's obsession with Shreddies that made the early episodes what they were. And the fact the impressions were endearingly crap. Adam Buxton arguably does a more accurate Bowie than Cornwell but I still find the latter funnier, doing kung fu moves in Station To Station era get-up. "'Allo, Michael. Do you like my new foundation? Makes me look a bit butteryyyyyy"

Oh christ, it's all coming back to me now. "I know I'm no Fanny bleedin' Craddock but people like my lamb!"
"You mulch fuck!" And my personal favourite from the first episode, Cornwell leering over his shades as Nicholson and drawling "I can't believe he tipped maaaaange toooouuut all over her."

I'm going to have to watch these again now, aren't I? See you on the other side, ya goddamn crackerasses.

[Stevie81]

You are!!

Sessions impressions were most bang on, Dirk Bogarde especially was absolutely inspired, as was Keith Richards

I loved the Roger Moore/ Joe Pesci scene when the latter is after interior designing tips

Roger - I thought you wanted a gambling ambience
Joe - You'll be needing a fucking ambulance!!

[Doomy Dwyer]

I watched a few this morning off the back of this thread and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've got very fond memories of this from when it first aired and it stands up pretty well. It is hit and miss, but its so fleeting that it doesn't matter, you know something good will be along in a minute.

The impressions are all over the shop (literally in Mick 'n' Keefs grocers LOL!) but all the better for it. They're interpretations rather than impressions, they don't need to be accurate. Who among us hasn't shouted "'Ere Keef 'ave you seeeeen the date on the marshmaaaaalows?" and not briefly felt like a young Mike Yarwood?  Session's Joe Pesci is fucking woeful in every aspect but it's good, if you know what I mean. non capisco probably knows.

I didn't know there was a film. That must be bleedin' awful. Its all about the brevity. Ten minutes or get to fuck. Sessions and Cornwell invented Youtube[nb]They didn't.[/nb].

[Stevie81]

I'll watch series 1&2 tomorrow

'I'd like to think of you exactly as what you are, Jack, a sad asshole in a diamond pringle'

[MC Root]

If anyone has S4, please PM me.

Having watched all the Caine, Pacino, Nicholson, etc. canonical films, and more of course, it was a lot of fun to see them swearing off the cuff and able to be in ridiculous domestic situations compared to their careers and to have them act at times so over the top. It's been a long time so I'd have to watch it again to remember some of the finer points.

I loved the show and was only waiting to post to see what the reception would be as Sessions does get a flogging on the forum from time to time because of some of the things he does. The list of impersonations they collectively did is listed on wikipedia and it's quite extensive, although some of them are a bit half-hearted as some came in the later series.

It was a great show for me - definitely a lot of fun, the film was awful, but aren't they always. It was one of those cases where it was broadcast here in the longer form format and seemed to be seamless, so I was surprised it was edited together.

But yeah, I stopped taping after S4 unfortunately, and that's the only season unavailable so if anyone does have any episodes from it - there's a very detailed webpage dedicated to it - please let me know because I didn't watch it and really regret it.

[Famous Mortimer]

I never really watched more than a few episodes here and there, so it's fun to watch them again. I'm a little apprehensive of what it'll become when it goes to 30 minutes. And the film sounds odd.

[23 Daves]

I loved this at the time, and I still find myself laughing at it whenever I rewatch it on YouTube now. Jack Nicholson opening a gentleman's club with leather sofas called Mr Shines (where all the Hollywood stars gather to watch Eastenders), David Bowie trying to get work in television adverts ("Uh-oh Mum! These cheesy bites taste cheeeeeesy!"), Joe Pesci ranting about frozen fish sticks ("You fish-stick selling FUCK!").

There were slowly diminishing returns from series to series, I think, partly because the absurdity of the idea had its boundaries and limits.  But that said, when you consider the fact that Dustin Hoffman is friends with Johnny Vegas in real life, it may not be that far off the mark. I've always thought that might seem like something out of Stella Street if you met the pair in real life.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

I only think the format started to suffer when the plots began featuring more prominently in the episodes. The show was all about the everyday interactions between the characters and the sketched-in 'plots' where simply used as basic reasons to get those interactions started. As soon as the story became bigger - series 3 trip to relive the days of Mrs. Huggets courtship -  we started to lose the everyday aspect that was the heart of the show. Coupled with the fact that the 3rd series is the first that sets up ideas that never go anywhere - the meteorite hurtling towards Stella Street - it's definitely a bit of a mess, albeit a funny one.

[Stevie81]

I only think the format started to suffer when the plots began featuring more prominently in the episodes. The show was all about the everyday interactions between the characters and the sketched-in 'plots' where simply used as basic reasons to get those interactions started. As soon as the story became bigger - series 3 trip to relive the days of Mrs. Huggets courtship -  we started to lose the everyday aspect that was the heart of the show. Coupled with the fact that the 3rd series is the first that sets up ideas that never go anywhere - the meteorite hurtling towards Stella Street - it's definitely a bit of a mess, albeit a funny one.

I agree with all that.

I've been watching series 1, love this exchange with Caine and Dean Barraclough

Dean - It's funny you should mention kids as I was wondering if you ever had any nicknames at school, maybe like lanky four-eyes or something...
Caine - Why'd you wanna know that for...
Dean - Or big-talk Michael Caine
Caine - No, they called me *Mister* Caine
Dean - Er beeeep, no, aren't you Maurice Micklewhile from Bermondsey? Can I call you Maurice, Micksy?
Caine - The reason I got out of Bermondsey was to get away from Mouthy little toerags like you!

I just love Dean's front.

[Black Ship]

Me and a few mates were extras in the movie. I'm on the tour bus wearing a pink bandanna and later I'm a paparazzo at the party scene. Got £50 for it.

We shared a taxi with Phil Cornwell to the station after the shoot. Terribly nice bloke.

[great_badir]

Don't forget that, even from the off, hardly anyone watched it, even given when it was shown (I seem to remember it starting in the graveyard shift, getting even later as each series came along), so the fact that it lasted four series is pretty amazing.

[Stevie81]

Mrs Huggett getting wasted at the Zulu Party - LOL

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

As mentioned upthread, I love the little details that only become apparent to regular viewers.

Jack Nicholson's obsession with Shreddies, David Bowie's near phobia of Dean, Joe Pesci's unexpected and unexplained fondness for Bowie.

[Stevie81]

By fondness you mean hatred right?

[Stevie81]

I love the episode where Jack has left his missus alone (she's a former page 3 girl in real life!) and Jimmy, Roger, Joe, Michael and Al all turn up to attempt to seduce her. Gotta love it.

[Otisberg]

It's no longer called BWONGO IN THE CWONGO. It's now called Tall Guy in the Bwronx

[Otisberg]

Your'e getting crumbs on the money

[Otisberg]

What the fuck's mulch? You're going on like a fuckin' garden gnome. I'm trying to bury a stiff here and you're giving me all this rose bed shit, you mulch fuck.

[Otisberg]

Roger Moore: Does your mother like games?

Joe Pesci: What are you fucking talking about? Hide the syringe? Golden showers? This is my mother we're talking about, not some fucking hooker.

Roger Moore: I thought you wanted a gambling ambiance.

Joe Pesci: You'll be the one needing a fucking ambulance, you're gambling with your fucking life.

Roger Moore: Well I just thought Joe you might like something cushy and comfortable so that you could relax...

Joe Pesci: What, to lie down?

Roger Moore: Yes, if you like...

Joe Pesci: What, with my mother? You incestuous sick fuck. Get the fuck out of my beautiful house, and mind where you fucking tread.