Review for Tyrant King (The): The Complete Series

Wow! I was blissfully unaware of this incredibly cool sixties kids TV show which, until now, was only ever aired in black and white, and then only once in 1968. Not only is it an absolutely magical journey through sixties London but it features some of the grooviest sounds ever for a kids show, including Cream (The White Room and Sunshine of Your Love) Pink Floyd (Interstellar Overdrive, Astronomy Domine) and The Nice's The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack over and over again. What a concept!


However, all that raving aside, it's not a series without its flaws. The narrative is curiously thin, and some of the dialogue and acting is decidedly wooden. But featuring, as it did, a trio of fresh behind the ears kids from the Italia Conti stage school, that's all entirely forgivable. It was actually a bit of an experiment on lots of fronts, which could account for the amateurish air throughout, with this also being Euston films (later responsible for 'The Sweeney' and 'Minder') first outing as a production company too.


So first a word of warning. Unless you are a complete nostalgia freak, crazy about the time transporting power of archive TV, this may not be for you. My wife declared it rubbish before banishing me to another room whilst she (oh, the irony) watched 'Big Brother' instead.

There is a lot to forgive here in terms of muddied sound (on wide shots in cavernous and echoey locations the dialogue is almost inaudible) and grainy picture, along with the strained narrative and enthusiastic but pedestrian acting but…but IF you can forgive that then this is a rare treat indeed.


Based on a book published by London Transport, which has a wafer thin adventure plot as a device to take the books trio of child heroes around every attraction in London in a very methodical fashion, watching it now you can't help smell a rat. I presume that some of the finance for this came from that same source because this too is a thinly disguised tour guide.




Directed by Mike Hodges (Get Carter and Flash Gordon), the story follows three children who overhear a mysterious conversation by a crook in an old house (played for maximum camp by Murray Melvin). When he mentions a 'Tyrant King' they know they are on to a most mysterious adventure and set off in search of it / him. Having conveniently found a discarded or dropped wallet, with a list of names in the lining and places to meet, their task looks all set.


So for the bulk of the six episodes they set about visiting all of London's greatest attractions and all during London's most swinging era. So whether they are in Carnaby Street, the Imperial War Museum, the National gallery, the Tower of London, Hampton Court, the Cutty Sark or merely between stops atop a London bus, the film provides the most fabulous revisit to sixties London imaginable - all on colourful 16mm.


The three leads, despite some positively groovy clothing, still come across as innocently as Blyton's 'The Famous Five'. Notable is the first screen performance of Candy Glendenning who later became a glamorous staple of sexy horror films (like 'Satan's Slave' and 'Tower of Evil') as well as providing some welcome eye-candy in 'Blake's Seven', generally as the more adult sounding Candace Glendenning.

Also present is Philp Madoc, a regular in 70's Doctor Who, who here plays the mysterious 'scarface' who appears to be following the kids wherever they go.


There are some genuinely spooky moments too. The weird Chinese Buddah like doll with its darting tongue would be enough to give anyone nightmares, and then there's Scarface, a shrunken head and the evil occupant of the 'empty house' to contend with too. I daresay the whole thing would be a bit much for kids today, and the culmination of their investigation, with drugs being at the core, would also raise more than an eyebrow today.


Picture and sound quality, whilst generally very good, is extremely variable as the bulk of the show was filmed on location.

The packaging for the set looks pretty groovy too with a nice vinyl look to the disc and a CD sized case. It's nice to see Network push the boat out a bit with some of their packaging, never easy with the economic constraints of operating their very niche market.


All in all, this is a flawed gem. But an absolute gem nonetheless.