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drmaf17
Reviews
Sapphire & Steel (1979)
Weird but fun show, hard to follow but very atmospheric
I'm right into early 70's TV scifi at the moment, currently rewatching UFO, Space:1999 and now this. Very hard show to quantify, the storylines were opaque to the nth degree but the atmosphere was spellbinding, feeling scared and not sure why you are scared and what you are supposed to be scared of. McCallum and Lumley are perfect as always, funny thing I am watching McCallum in Colditz at the same time and thinking Colditz would have been a perfect setting for an intrusion of time, maybe Steel is here in disguise! They just dont make shows with this unique early 70s vibe any more, more's the pity, its a lot of fun.
Ancient Lives (1984)
The show that started my lifelong interest in Ancient Egypt, an absolute TV treasure.
So glad to have rediscovered this show on YouTube, albeit in a very poor quality print, however, that in no way detracts from the pleasure of rewatching this haunting, beautifully made documentary series. This show began my interest in ancient Egypt back in the 80s, I have since read countless books and watched numerous documentaries, but none have captured the images and sound of this one. Yes, sound, the haunting pipe that accompanies the beautiful images of the ruins and the Egyptian mountains and desert is as much a part of the appeal of this show as the exquisite visuals and Romer's lively, musing commentary. The fact that this show is able to bring to life not pharoahs and nobles but the lives of ordinary Egyptian workers, and in particular one family over 4 generations, is unique. Ive never seen a documentary with the sensual appeal of this one, the only one I've seen that comes remotely close is Bamber Gascoignes The Christians, which also features haunting visuals and music. I doubt we will ever see the like again. A work of art as much as a TV show.
Poirot: The Plymouth Express (1991)
Not one of the best but still a great watch
I do like this episode even if its not one of the best. The casting is great, the story is solid if basic, the culprits are, rarely for Christie, actually unremittingly evil (the part where the female accomplice is asked why Florence had to die and she replies with a smirk "Why take chances?" is truly chilling) and the whole tone is tinged with tragedy. There is even occasional artistry with the filming. The scene with the newsboy walking down the platform talking to Poirot and Hastings while he hands out the papers is quite brilliantly understated and must have been hell to choreograph. Ditto for the scene where Poirot bandies wits with the jewel thief, wonderful in its shady smoke-tinged menace. Last and not least, from my point of view its good to see an Aussie portrayed as a sensitive and intelligent person rather than a half-witted yokel as was done in a couple of other episodes. Its a solid 7 out of 10 for this one.
Valley Uprising (2014)
Fantastic film
Along with The Dawn Wall and Free Solo, this is my favourite climbing film. It's special because it gives as much coverage to the culture of climbing in Yosemite over the years as it does to the climbing. The characters of the people who have come and gone over the years are as well-presented as their climbing feats, including some who didnt climb at all, such as the enigmatic Chongo Chuck. The filming is imaginative and colourful, including great use of montages and FX. Above all its a breathtaking evocation of the human spirit and freedom. Absolutely great film I could watch time and time and time again.
Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (2020)
Only just started watching but love i!
As a veteran gamer (25 years+) I Iove watching shows about games, while it took a few episodes to get into it, Permadeath was the breakthrough episode, that was truly epic, and showed how TV about gamers and gaming should be made - concentrate on the damn game! But for me Poppy is the keeper, she is the heart of the show for me - she is quirky, funny, childlike and childish, irritating, gorgeous, crazy, a 5 foot not many inches tornado. I am honoured we share the same nationality So stoked I'm only just into season 1 and have at least a couple of series still to go. Please let it continue for many years!
Mystic Britain (2019)
Delightful and informative program
I found this show completely by chance and its a gem. Clive's wacky sense of humor combines perfectly with Mary Ann's pleasant knowledgeability. And the stories are interesting and fresh, I had never heard of many of these sites and stories before, Wharram Percy in particular blew me away. Zombies in Medieval England - who'da thunk it? And I love thay have chsosen out of the way places and not rehashed old ground. I really hope more series are forthcoming. The Smithsonian Channel is a real treasure trove of fresh and interesting documentaries, I look forward to watching many more interesting stories.
Reyka (2021)
Enjoyable but not because of the plot
I'm only halfway through but enjoying it, not because of the plot but because the tension between the cops and the tribespeople seems so real, its not like a contrived thing you see in American cop shows, the scene where they went to arrest the crime boss and his henchmen appeared with AK-47s could have been so cliched but I really felt you could cut the tension with a knife. The plot is nothing to write home about but the lead actress is good, hope to see more of her.
Outer Range (2022)
Dark and brooding - love it!
Amazing show so far, terrific atmosphere, love the dark broodiness. I see Native American mythology written all over this. The buffalo with the two arrows in it - dare I say it - skinwalkers?
Arcane: League of Legends (2021)
Not a TV show, this is art.
I'm a veteran gamer, but League of Legends is not something I would ever be interested in. It was only a brief two-line synopsis of the show's premise that attracted me to watch it, and wow, was I rewarded. The story, the effects, the music are all superb, but its the emotion that makes it special. These are real people, you feel their love, their fear, their anger, their pain viscerally. The tortured relationship between Vi and Jinx in particular is well captured, I watched every episode two or three times so as to catch every nuance of a glance, a twitch of the mouth, an arm movement, each of which said so much. And none of the support characters feel like filler, each has their own complex story to tell, with subtle gradations of emotion, even the arch-villain Silco can generate sympathy at odd moments. Words fail, this is superb.
The End (2020)
Hoping abrupt ending means a second season is planned.
Great show I was predisposed not to like, but gave it a chance and it paid off. It dealt with really difficult subjects with sensitivity and humour. The major disappointment was the failure to allow Persephone, whom I found one of the most interesting characters, to develop, after the tampon-throwing incident in the first episode I foresaw great potential for her, but she became basically rather annoying wallpaper in every episode and remained a faintly disturbing cipher until the end. The very abrupt ending was a shock but I earnestly hope it means a second season is on the cards.
The Martian Chronicles (1980)
Potentially great piece of TV (almost) ruined by lousy 80s production values.
I just re-watched this series after not having seen it for nearly 40 years and found the fond memories of it from my youth were not entirely displaced. It has some very good moments, the music is superb, the Martians look (and come across as) suitably alien without the need for elaborate make-up and the Martian city is very evocative. For all that the terrible science and awful 80's production values weigh it down so much. I really find it hard to take seriously a sci-fi series where people jet back and forth between Earth and Mars like there's an interplanetary bus service, alight on an unexplored planet wearing uniforms instead of space suits, or worse apparently making the interplanetary journey neatly dressed in the best of California casual. The Martian settlements look cheap and awful (would they really let towns on Mars look like particularly dicey truck stops?). Yet in between its cornier moment there are some really good things to like. Rock Hudson and Darren McGavin as the main recurring characters do a good job with a pretty hokey script, some of the scenes featuring the Martians are beautifully filmed and suitably evocative (Hudson's final dialogue with the ghost Martian is a highlight), and the whole "lets not mess up Mars like we did Earth" thing, which could have been corny, is handled well. There's enough here to keep you interested, even if you do want to bury your head sometimes at the awfulness of the special effects, I'm glad to see at least some of my youthful enthusiasm was not misplaced.