Changes made to Strangers
Revision 2
Created on Saturday, 20th September 2008, 15:35
Change Submitted by Si Wooldridge
List of Changes:
- Change #1 - ke them. <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204738.jpg|0000107980] <newline> <newline>The Inter-Ci
- Change #2 - ing. <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204736.jpg|0000107978] <newline> <newline>[b]Armed
- Change #3 - killer. <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204741.jpg|0000107983] <newline> <newline>[heading][b]
- Change #4 - t still… <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204740.jpg|0000107982] <newline> <newline>[heading][b]
- Change #5 - ely. <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204739.jpg|0000107981] <newline> <newline>As I say
- Change #6 - y squad… <newline> <newline>[imgmc=0000204737.jpg|0000107979]
Revision 1
Created on Saturday, 20th September 2008, 15:31
Change Submitted by Si Wooldridge
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<newline>Tom Thumb And Other Stories <newline>Bulman is undercover amongst the tramp population in an attempt to turn a drug smuggler against his Irish terrorist bosses. <newline> <newline>No Orchids For Missing Blandisch <newline> Bulman, Willis and Bennett are on the trail of a hired killer. <newline> <newline> [heading][b]Visual[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>The picture is a bit hit and miss. It looks like a VHS transfer as there appears to be at least two tape spooling glitches across this series. There is also no re-editing of the series at all as you see the advert break captions. Picture quality is generally OK for such an old series (this one is 1980) but there are obvious artefacts and some of the shots are of a lower quality. However, this shouldn’t detract too much from the viewing experience and Network are about bringing old series to the DVD market rather than cleaning them up and editing them, which would take far more money than they would make. <newline> <newline>[heading][b]Audio[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>Mike Moran’s distinctive bass-driven theme tune is massively overused. Yes, it’s moody during the opening captions, but it then kicks in at sporadic moments at different tempo’s and is a little annoying in the end. <newline> <newline> [heading][b]Extras[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>Bizarrely, episode 2891 of Crossroads. It features Don Henderson quite heavily, but still… <newline> <newline> [heading][b]Overall[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>This is one of those series that I remember watching as a child, although not all of it and to be honest one I’m not as familiar with as such as The Professionals. I wasn’t sure why until I started watching it, and then I knew. I couldn’t remember it too well as it wasn’t really that memorable. That’s not too say it’s bad, because it’s not, but the series is a bit of a slowburner. The episodes just kind of bob along at their own pace, which is around 33RPM compared to the likes of The Professionals 78RPM. <newline> <newline>Bulman is a great character, one of those eccentric British characters that will live in the psyche long after the end of a TV series. You also discover bits of his character and back story as the series progresses; George carries his possessions in a carrier bag, he loves dropping in literary references, he was shot up in Manchester, he pretends to have given up smoking and he has spent the last five years doing Open University courses but never manged to get any leave to do the exams. Henderson gives a superb but rather understated performance. He’s backed up by the dour Mark McManus in what must surely have been the inspiration for Taggart. Dennis Blanch and Fiona Mollison are also pretty good as the cockney tough guy and posh bird respectively. <newline> <newline>As I say, the episodes are generally very slow to get anywhere but there is quality beneath the surface, not least as it’s obvious that this series does not even pretend to take itself seriously with funny quips appearing when you least expect them. It does hit hard in places though, hard for the back end of the 70’s anyway. <newline> <newline>There are weak spots in the writing, most notably with two of my pet hates with TV series; the horse racing and circus episodes. Parts of the story for both are pretty good, but I’ve always found basing TV episodes in these settings is just an excuse to pad the episode out with stock footage and the feeling is pretty strong here, despite a nice comedic turn featuring the helmeted, lurex cape-wearing flasher in the circus episode. <newline><newline>[b]Tom Thumb And Other Stories <newline>[/b]Bulman is undercover amongst the tramp population in an attempt to turn a drug smuggler against his Irish terrorist bosses. <newline> <newline>[b]No Orchids For Missing Blandisch[/b] <newline>Bulman, Willis and Bennett are on the trail of a hired killer. <newline> <newline>[heading][b]Visual[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>The picture is a bit hit and miss. It looks like a VHS transfer as there appears to be at least two tape spooling glitches across this series. There is also no re-editing of the series at all as you see the advert break captions. Picture quality is generally OK for such an old series (this one is 1980) but there are obvious artefacts and some of the shots are of a lower quality. However, this shouldn’t detract too much from the viewing experience and Network are about bringing old series to the DVD market rather than cleaning them up and editing them, which would take far more money than they would make. <newline> <newline>[heading][b]Audio[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>Mike Moran’s distinctive bass-driven theme tune is massively overused. Yes, it’s moody during the opening captions, but it then kicks in at sporadic moments at different tempo’s and is a little annoying in the end. <newline> <newline>[heading][b]Extras[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>Bizarrely, episode 2891 of Crossroads. It features Don Henderson quite heavily, but still… <newline> <newline>[heading][b]Overall[/b] [/heading] <newline> <newline>This is one of those series that I remember watching as a child, although not all of it and to be honest one I’m not as familiar with as such as The Professionals. I wasn’t sure why until I started watching it, and then I knew. I couldn’t remember it too well as it wasn’t really that memorable. That’s not too say it’s bad, because it’s not, but the series is a bit of a slowburner. The episodes just kind of bob along at their own pace, which is around 33RPM compared to the likes of The Professionals 78RPM. <newline> <newline>Bulman is a great character, one of those eccentric British characters that will live in the psyche long after the end of a TV series. You also discover bits of his character and back story as the series progresses; George carries his possessions in a carrier bag, he loves dropping in literary references, he was shot up in Manchester, he pretends to have given up smoking and he has spent the last five years doing Open University courses but never manged to get any leave to do the exams. Henderson gives a superb but rather understated performance. He’s backed up by the dour Mark McManus in what must surely have been the inspiration for Taggart. Dennis Blanch and Fiona Mollison are also pretty good as the cockney tough guy and posh bird respectively. <newline> <newline>As I say, the episodes are generally very slow to get anywhere but there is quality beneath the surface, not least as it’s obvious that this series does not even pretend to take itself seriously with funny quips appearing when you least expect them. It does hit hard in places though, hard for the back end of the 70’s anyway. <newline> <newline>There are weak spots in the writing, most notably with two of my pet hates with TV series; the horse racing and circus episodes. Parts of the story for both are pretty good, but I’ve always found basing TV episodes in these settings is just an excuse to pad the episode out with stock footage and the feeling is pretty strong here, despite a nice comedic turn featuring the helmeted, lurex cape-wearing flasher in the circus episode. <newline> <newline>No
Initial Version
Created on Saturday, 20th September 2008, 15:30
First Submitted by Si Wooldridge