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 Post subject: Fantasy DVD Releases
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:04 pm 
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In the words of Tommy Trinder: "You lucky people". There are number of fantasy DVDs coming out in the next month which may be of interest.

First up is Sky One's adaptation of Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather" with Death standing in for the Hogfather while his granddaughter, Susan, tries to find out what's happened to him. I don't have Sky - and I wasn't with Virgin Media either - so I'm interested to see it. David Jason is Death's assistant Albert with Marc Warren as Mr Teatime, Michelle Dockery as Susan and the late Ian Richardson as Death. Pratchett also has a small part in it.

"Artemis 81" is a BBC film which was shown at Christmas 1981. Hywell Bennett stars as a writer caught up in a battle between the forces of good and evil with good represented by a vunerable angel played by Sting. I remember a lot being made of Sting's appearance because of his high profile in "The Police." The storyline was somewhat rambling, taking in Hitchcock, a visit to Helsinki - or a parallel dimension that resembiled Helsinki - , the heroine being abducted and the climax taking place in a church where the forces of evil were to appear when a piece of organ music is played and the villan being impaled on a steel spike. There are images that I can remember such as the elderly Artemis sitting under a tree on an empty plain; the heroine stabbing a nurse to escape from her prison and having to wear the blood-stained uniform and Bennett in his Morris Minor Traveller encountering a headless horseman. I don't think it's been shown on TV since so I'd like to see it again.

Finally the 1996 BBC dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere." Gaiman has continually belittled the production, but in 2001 admtted that the BBC had been keen to do a second series which he'd turned down. It does have it's faults but I found it atmospheric and visually haunting from murky passageways, cramped metallic corridors to misty crypts. If nothing else then watch it for it's cast. Gary Bakewell as the relunctant Richard Mayhew, Tanya Moodle as the statuesqe Hunter, Trevor Peacock as the scruffy Old Bailey, Hywell Bennett and Clive Russell as the odd but menacing killers Croup and Vandemar. The standouts being Patterson Joseph as the mysterious, somewhat arrogant Marquis De Carrabas and the young Laura Fraser as the hauntingly beautiful Lady Door: the Opener of the Ways in London Below.

Does anyone recall seeing any of these and what did they think of them. I'd be intereted to know. Also, has anyone seen "Ghostboat" with David Jason battling a deadly force haunting a wartime submarine, and the recent version of "Dracula" with Marc Warren as the Count, David Suchet as Van Helshing and also Sophia Myles and Stephanie Leonidas as Lucy and Mina. Both were on last year and are also available on DVD.

Thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: Fantasy DVD Releases
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:34 pm 
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Martian War Lord

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morrisvan wrote:
Does anyone recall seeing any of these and what did they think of them. I'd be interested to know. Also, has anyone seen "Ghostboat" with David Jason battling a deadly force haunting a wartime submarine, and the recent version of "Dracula" with Marc Warren as the Count, David Suchet as Van Helshing and also Sophia Myles and Stephanie Leonidas as Lucy and Mina. Both were on last year and are also available on DVD.

Thanks.
I do have Sky and thought Hogfather was very good, it helps if you are a Discworld fan, I am :D but my Sister-in-law is not familiar with Pratchett's works and she spent most of the time asking "what's going on? who's he?" and that sort of thing. If you don't know the characters of Ankh-Morpork then a lot will go over your head
Michelle Dockery was great as Susan and a brilliant performance by Ian Richardson as the voice of DEATH, he had the right sort of deep tones to his voice that were perfect for the part, Christopher Lee played the part in the animated version of Pratchett's 'Soul Music' and he was great too.

I do remember Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere." and I'm afraid it didn't live up to my expectations, Hywell Bennett and Clive Russell as the assassins were very menacing and the best thing about the whole series. I'm not disappointed Gaiman turned down the BBC offer, I have read the book and it's no great work of fantasy [-( Gaiman isn't in the same class as J.R.R Tolkien or Mervyn Peake.

"Ghostboat" was good but not great. I haven't seen "Dracula" with Marc Warren but I have heard it's awful and I'm being polite. :D


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:31 pm 
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Granted last year's "Dracula" simplified the story, but the same can also be said for the 1930, 1958 and 1979 versions. I thought Marc Warren made a very dangerous, destructive monter which is how I've always seen Dracula, and I thought that having Arthur Holmwood bring the Count to England to cure his syphillis was an interesting addition allowing the vampire to take advantage of Lucy's sexual frustration. I also felt the scenes in Dracula's castle were menacing, but then, I'm the type of man who likes a good gothic atmosphere.

I did enjoy "Neverwhere"despite it's faults. I think it's major fault was trying to compress everything into six half hour episodes which used to be the preferred drama format but which is now outmoded. It did inspire to try a fantasy novel of my own which, ten years later, still remains unwritten ha, ha! It's been interesting to see how the cast have fared. Gary Bakewell has appeared in several Big Finish productions: the mos recent being "Other Lives" with Paul McGann's Doctor. Patterson Joseph has appeared in "Hyperspace" and played Roderick, one of the contestants in "The Weakest Link" parody in the two part "Doctor Who" story: "Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways." Laura Fraser has notched up a impressive array of credits rangng from the films: "A Knight's Tale" and "Titus" to the period dramas: "He Knew He Was Right," "Casanova" with David Tennant, and the police series: "Conviction as an ambitious policewoman charmed into bed by an informer. She recently appeared in the BBC4 film: "The Reichenbach Falls" and has just had a baby.

As for "Hogfather", a friend of mine gave me the book years ago but I didn't have time to read it, and anyway,considering that the BBC did a good job with "Johnny and the Bomb," I want to see what this was like.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:54 pm 
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Martian War Lord

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morrisvan wrote:
As for "Hogfather", a friend of mine gave me the book years ago but I didn't have time to read it, and anyway,considering that the BBC did a good job with "Johnny and the Bomb," I want to see what this was like.
The trouble with turning a book like 'Hogfather' into a film is essentially this, you are coming into the story half way through, We learn all the characters excentricities and background stories from the previous books, but if you don't know these backgrounds a lot of the jokes are lost on you, at one point DEATH dressed up as the Hogfather, takes Corporal Nobbs of the City Watch on his knee in the Hogfather's grotto and asks him "Well little bo-- Little Perso-- Little --- individual, What do you want?" This goes back to a joke several books ago where it is pointed out that Corporal Nobbs is the only Person on the Disc who needs a Passport just to prove he's human, and there are many jokes like that which aren't going to make sense to none Discworld fans.


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:30 pm 
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True. I only have a vague idea of Discworld, but I like the idea of Death as a "human" character who can take a holiday, employ an apprectice and have to dress up as the Hogfather quite funny when you consider he's often been depicted as a mysterious, grim or menacing character, and I always wondered how he managed to have a granddaughter until I found out he adopted her. I think I would probably approach it as a stand-alone story as to what has happened to the Hogfather and how Death stands in for him.

If you're want a more authentic version of "Neverwhere" then Dark Horses published a graphic novel based on it earlier this year. I liked the depiction of Richard Mayhew which was based on Gary Bakewell while Croup and Vademar are even more menacing in this version. De Carrabas is depicted as a black, shadowy figure dressed as a Regency Buck while Door is portrayed as a scruffy and very sexy girl with pallid features and an overcoat worn over a basque and loincloth. The Beast of London is far more impressive then the bull used in the TV version: a huge, terrifying monster which would even make the alien predator in "Primeval" run away and hide.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:10 am 
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Martian War Lord

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:D Thanks for the info Morrisvan, I may browse Dark horse's site some time.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:34 pm 
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Sorry I mean't to say that the "Neverwhere" graphic novel was published by Vertigo, an off-shoot of DC Comics.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:17 pm 
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Martian War Lord

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I really wanted to see Hogfather but don't have SKY etc. I haven't read the book. But I've read about the first 14 or so Disc Worlds. They just got a bit to samey for me, so I moved on. Of all Pyramids was my favourite but of all Pratchett's books, the Truckers, Diggers and Wings Trilogy was my favourite. They made an animated version of Truckers for Children's BBC years ago but the magic wasn't there.

Saw a bit of Everwhere but it didn't draw me in.

Have either of you seen the (fairly) new Battlestar Gallactica series?


Bah bah black sheap April diamond spheres, Rigsby, Rigsby, Eight sided Pears.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 6:29 pm 
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Martian War Lord

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Loz wrote:
Have either of you seen the (fairly) new Battlestar Galactica series?
Yes, every Tuesday 9.00pm Sky One. They are on series three now. I don't know whether it's because Britain is a big backer of the show or what, but British Sky One is getting the World premier, We see it even before the Americans do, which is very unusual :mrgreen:
I have been enjoying it very much, I never liked the 1970's series but the modern one is great.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:27 pm 
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Martian War Lord

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Lonesome Crow wrote:
Loz wrote:
Have either of you seen the (fairly) new Battlestar Galactica series?
Yes, every Tuesday 9.00pm Sky One. They are on series three now. I don't know whether it's because Britain is a big backer of the show or what, but British Sky One is getting the World premier, We see it even before the Americans do, which is very unusual :mrgreen:
I have been enjoying it very much, I never liked the 1970's series but the modern one is great.


I've only seen season one. But I loved it. Will get season 2 and 3 later.


Bah bah black sheap April diamond spheres, Rigsby, Rigsby, Eight sided Pears.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:04 am 
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Martian War Lord

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:mrgreen: I won't spoil if for you by telling you what happens but it gets even better in season two and three.


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