The Reckoning

[bobloblaw]

So. BBC's drama with Coogan as Savile is now out, after much debate about whether it should even have been made.

Thoughts? Episode 1 opens with real footage of his funeral and testimonials but the bulk of it picks up the story from his club DJ time to landing TOTP. Coogan clearly far too old to play the 35 year-old Savile at the start but then he's not someone you can picture looking that young either. Slightly odd that they use Coogan for the photos in Savile's home with Elvis and Muhammad Ali but a montage of publicity photos of the real Savile later on.

Coogan gives it his all, and is most effective late in life being interviewed by a journalist for a book, however hackneyed that may be as a framing device. Nails his opportunism throughout, his switch from showbiz extrovert to cold abuser in the blink of an eye. Nothing gratuitous or explicit about any of his assaults thus far, which is to be commended.

Partridgisms are inescapable given the milieu, notably his line about the Black & White Minstrels.

In short: as good as this sort of thing gets, though its revealed nothing particularly new yet. Probably not a binge-watch either, too grubby for that...

[kittens]

why is it called the reckoning. he never had a reckoning. the lad got away with it

[Senior Baiano]

legend

[Mobbd]

why is it called the reckoning. he never had a reckoning. the lad got away with it

I'd wondered that. And reviews so far suggest this is far from a reckoning for the BBC who go too easily on themselves.

(Not seen it yet but greatly looking forward to it. How many parts is this series?)

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Having just watched episode one (there are four in total), I agree with all of bobloblaw's thoughts.

Coogan is brilliant, but it's probably not the sort of performance BAFTA et al will want to garland with Jim'll Fix It medallions awards. "And the winner is... Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile!" That'll be all sorts of awkward.

[bobloblaw]

Yes. Perhaps it'll be recognised in the craft awards for its meticulous production design, costume etc.

Having not read In Plain Sight, I'm not sure how much of 'The Duchess's early misgivings about her son's 'dark heart' are an invention of ths drama. Can anyone shed any light?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

The Duchess's misgivings are dramatic licence, I don't think there's anything in Davies' book to suggest she ever felt that way.

It's been a while since I read it, but I got the impression that Savile's parents were physically and emotionally abusive towards their children. Which doesn't excuse Savile's horrific crimes, obviously, and Davies never attempts to present his understandably vague findings about Savile's childhood as 'evidence'.

[A Hat Like That]

Coogan gives it his all, and is most effective late in life being interviewed by a journalist for a book, however hackneyed that may be as a framing device.

The structure here goes now/then/now/then ...

[Blinder Data]

seen episode 1. i thought it was pretty effective. something about the mix of fact and fiction, and the artistic editing (seagull/sexual assault bit) seemed a bit off though - straying a bit too close to embarrassing reconstruction scenes of naff documentaries for me

coogan overall very good, especially physically. one thing that's not working for me though is that he walks around looking grumpy, maybe due to coogan's age or natural demeanor. I'm not seeing Savile's mad grin and eyes which, as the real photographs in the final minutes show, were iconic and a key feature of the bad man's appeal

[badaids]

How could they get his hair in the early days so wrong?

[Mr_Simnock]

seen episode 1. i thought it was pretty effective. something about the mix of fact and fiction, and the artistic editing (seagull/sexual assault bit) seemed a bit off though - straying a bit too close to embarrassing reconstruction scenes of naff documentaries for me

coogan overall very good, especially physically. one thing that's not working for me though is that he walks around looking grumpy, maybe due to coogan's age or natural demeanor. I'm not seeing Savile's mad grin and eyes which, as the real photographs in the final minutes show, were iconic and a key feature of the bad man's appeal

I think Saville saved the smiles only for photo's, I can imagine him myself being quite a stern cold person when not on show with a slight air of menace about him.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I think Saville saved the smiles only for photo's, I can imagine him myself being quite a stern cold person when not on show with a slight air of menace about him.

Exactly, and Coogan does an excellent job of contrasting Savile's 'zany' showbiz demeanour with the intimidating bastard he was IRL.

[chip]

How could they get his hair in the early days so wrong?

STOP GETTING SAVILE WRONG!!!

[spicedgold]

Thought he'd sound more like him tbh. I'm not really sure why Coogan was chosen for this, occasionally he sounds like him but mostly just sounds like Coogan, and looks nothing like him.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Thought he'd sound more like him tbh. I'm not really sure why Coogan was chosen for this, occasionally he sounds like him but mostly just sounds like Coogan, and looks nothing like him.

I disagree, Coogan has nailed both the cadences of Savile's actual speaking voice and his distinctive physical mannerisms. He's not doing a caricatured impression, that would be disastrous, it's an acutely-observed piece of character acting.

[badaids]

I disagree, Coogan has nailed both the cadences of Savile's actual speaking voice and his distinctive physical mannerisms. He's not doing a caricatured impression, that would be disastrous, it's an acutely-observed piece of character acting.

His make up, hair and characterisation was far better in the later years. And it became quite shocking when he said all the rude words and that.

[neveragain]

why is it called the reckoning. he never had a reckoning. the lad got away with it

The reckoning Savile was waiting for/in fear of was his final reckoning in the afterlife. That's the gist of the drama at least and the dialogue goes into that quite heavily as the episodes trudge on.

[Senior Baiano]

I think Saville saved the smiles only for photo's, I can imagine him myself being quite a stern cold person when not on show with a slight air of menace about him.

That was my brother's impression when he was in an audience for JFI in the esrly 90s

[George White]

The Duchess's misgivings are dramatic licence, I don't think there's anything in Davies' book to suggest she ever felt that way.

It's been a while since I read it, but I got the impression that Savile's parents were physically and emotionally abusive towards their children. Which doesn't excuse Savile's horrific crimes, obviously, and Davies never attempts to present his understandably vague findings about Savile's childhood as 'evidence'.

Considering the way his brothers turned out, I have always read that Agnes herself wasn't right herself. That there was a Norman Bates element

[Easy_To_Assemble]

Only halfway in, so not reading the thread for fear of spoilers (there's none in mine BTW).

Impressions so far are:

• Coogan's role isn't quite as scenery-chomping-method as I expected, which is a relief. My biggest fear was not being able to see past Coogan, to get to the character.
• Soundtrack is good. Some queasy, hauntological synth sounds, which really drums up that dark psyche of 1960's - 1980's Britain that people like Throbbing Gristle or PIL's 'Poptones' was sketching out.
• Some of the characters seem two-dimensional in their complacency / obliviousness, whereas I think this kind of situation would involve more complex behaviour (factional loyalties, damage-limitation, misguided diplomacy, etc). Perhaps an indication this should have had far more than 4 episodes to cover all this ground.

In terms of Savile himself, a lot of people (rightly) lament the fact he died before justice was served. But, a silver lining - if you can find one - is that the legacy and immortality he worked so hard to build is now erased. He has not been immortalised in the ways he hoped. He is now universally hated, and doesn't even have a headstone to mark the place he is buried in. Simultaneously forgotten and despised, he rests in a pauper's grave, despite his efforts to be remembered otherwise.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I started watching on iPlayer yesterday. I finished the series a little earlier tonight. Stick with it; it's worth it, IMO.

[Cerys]

I disagree, Coogan has nailed both the cadences of Savile's actual speaking voice and his distinctive physical mannerisms. He's not doing a caricatured impression, that would be disastrous, it's an acutely-observed piece of character acting.

This.  I think what it suffers from is the fact that Savile was impersonated and caricatured so much during his popular years that any attempt to play the character faithfully just comes across as more of the same to anyone who isn't paying attention.

[kaprisky]

A couple of things from ep 2: the Jerry Lee Lewis/Bowie/Peel references seem to be a concession to a modern audience rather than something someone may have thought about in the early 70s.

Also, did the Beach Boys really play Leeds Infirmary?

[Head Gardener]

A couple of things from ep 2: the Jerry Lee Lewis/Bowie/Peel references seem to be a concession to a modern audience rather than something someone may have thought about in the early 70s.

Also, did the Beach Boys really play Leeds Infirmary?

https://keepinthesummeralive.tumblr.com/post/58619378754/as-the-story-goes-the-beach-boys-played-at-the

[kaprisky]

Bloody hell. Thanks for that!

[ollyboro]

Is there a 3d version of this?

[Peabo Bryson Is Not Dead]

I want new episodes of Early Doors, I'm just not sure this was the best vehicle.

Was the journalist a cypher for Louis Theroux?

Enjoyed it isn't exactly the phrase I'd use but it is an excellent piece of work. I do think it may have worked better as a film (CBC are doing a longer TV version of BlackBerry).

And lovely purposeful easter egg nuggets of Alan in there too, or the line between Coogan and Partridge are blurring hard.

[shoulders]

Soundtrack is good.

Hmm, getting a bit sick of the languid sinister string note now and only halfway through.

[JesusAndYourBush]

His make up, hair and characterisation was far better in the later years. And it became quite shocking when he said all the rude words and that.

Really? I've just seen the first 2 so far and thought the opposite. I found him menacing in ep.1 which worked and I found to be effective. In ep2 he's just Partridge in a bad wig.

[mr. logic]

I want new episodes of Early Doors, I'm just not sure this was the best vehicle.

Was the journalist a cypher for Louis Theroux?

Enjoyed it isn't exactly the phrase I'd use but it is an excellent piece of work. I do think it may have worked better as a film (CBC are doing a longer TV version of BlackBerry).

And lovely purposeful easter egg nuggets of Alan in there too, or the line between Coogan and Partridge are blurring hard.

The Journalist is Dan Davies, who wrote In Plain Sight. The book is given a credit as source material in the credits. Seen it mentioned before in Savile threads and it really is an astonishing read.