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guildwayne
Reviews
The Sign of Four (1987)
Surprising ending
Performances from Brett and Hardwicke are to be applauded as the definitive twosome. Thaw's rendition as Small was good as was the activities of , collectively the Baker Street Irregulars. Toby ,to be noted was worthy of the airtime that he received. I could ,ceaselessly commend the performances of Seagrove and Lacey but , perhaps the readers already have gleaned the polished nature of the acting staff. In the main the scriptwriters adhered faithfully to the original text -WITH A NOTABLE EXCEPTION. In the book, Watson proposes to Ms Morston and she reciprocates his devotion. No such happening appeared on-screen with the real consequence that the movie ending felt flat. The unexpected book ending seals its position as a masterful piece of fiction. The movie rendition fails to deliver that same climatic effect . A real pity. What can the scriptwriters have been thinking?
The Champions: The Interrogation (1968)
yawn
I remember this episode at the time of its original transmission in the 1960s in Australia. It was billed as NOT SUITABLE for YOUNG PEOPLE-I was 15 at the time. Virtually everyone I knew at the time plus myself thought that that false advertising. What a letdown it was. You be the judge.
Midsomer Murders: Death of the Small Coppers (2018)
Got to be joking
This story -and its immediate predecessor Ghost of Causton Abbey-showed. Imaginative script writing for methods of murder. Most players performed their roles well -especially Mr Egan and Ms Jorgensen.
On one point however I must dissent from several of my learned colleagues on this forum. If criticisms of this show had any credence then the producers and casting directors needed to make this show more appealable to viewers. In this context what makes this show cringe worthy and how can it be eliminated? One key DISASTER was the appointment of Ms Annette Badland to the ongoing role as pathologist. What a show with allegedly falling ratings does NOT need is another fat ,grumpy ,ugly old bag with a face like an old boot. I would not be surprised if the casting people made the decision to engage her at 3 oclock in the morning with a flaming hangover. What can they have been thinking? Honestly, her scenes just about ruin the otherwise fine work that this show has genuinely earned.
Midsomer Murders: Death by Persuasion (2017)
Drones and Clones
The use of a drone as a killing machine was novel and soars this show into the current century. Entertaining as inspiration was that many cast members were wearing attire from three centuries ago. Equally entertaining were the dance routines of that earlier period., accompanied by the courtly grace of the persons keen to be absorbed into that earlier time.
On one point I must distance myself from numerous reviewers on this forum. Dismay has been expressed as to the acting performance of Mr. Dudgeon when compared to Mr. Nettles. All I can say is that the former is creating a character who is NOT A CLONE of the character created by the latter. You can take the character as you find him- he is not the same as his cousin. If all you wish to do is see Tom Barnaby , then endlessly watch re-runs of the first few seasons. People ARE DIFFERENT. They are not clones of each other.
Midsomer Murders: Habeas Corpus (2016)
Changing of the Guard
Pink teddy bears, pilthering dog and new faces has become the norm for this show. Personally the dog is a waste of space .Come to think of it, so is Barnaby. The saving grace were the two old duffers in the rowboat. Diana Quick as the "beautiful and bored"" mother also had her moments. The rest looked like they had not washed their hair in one hundred years. I know that pommies hate water, but even so.
Eye of the Devil (1966)
Terror or terrible
If this film had a theme of sophisticated high society then the opening scenes with Mr Niven and Ms Kerr added a welcome lustre to that genre. They project themselves in an entertaining way as Mr and Mrs SMOOTHE. Then the film diverges to a journey-but is it a journey into terror or a journey into tedium. The leading lady"s posh way of saying ""Oh darling""to an excessive degree evidenced poor script writing. Disappointments galore are the order of the day. Primarily , the devil did not bother to show up. Hence the accusation of anti-climax has credence. As for the cast Ms Flora Robson could in the writer"s view easily pass for one of the severe and ugly old bags that the author encountered in the nurses section at Yarrabee Ward at Sutherland Hospital , Sydney when undergoing cancer treatment in 2020. She would be quite at home. Equally Mr Pleasence gave the impression that he had already met the devil in that gentleman"s permanent abode in the nether world. Death warmed up would be a useful description .The dancing fools in robes got their money for little effort. Positives for this film included the sleek and sultry performance of Ms. Sharon Tate in the role of one of the devil"s disciples. Her scene on the chateau"s battlement was worthy of a commendation. Mr Hemmings' bow and arrow set added to the fun-except for the dove of course. Overall more negatives than positives but the two young adults in 1966 certainly exhibited promise. A real pity for that lady when fate intevened three years later.
The Human Jungle: 14 Ghosts (1963)
DON'T BE SO JUDGMENTAL
The acting performances of Andre Morell(the severe judge) and Herbert Lom(the shrink) make this episode memorable for purposes of believability and entertaining television. Many of the other cast members deliver lines in boring monotone. The plot contained scenes that were busied and various which added to its value. The happily -ever -after ending defied realism. Effectively one session with the shrink and the severe judge was transformed as if by magic into a sensitive new-age guy. Some people must believe that cows can jump over the moon.
Carnival of Souls (1962)
never coming back
These key words as spoken by Mary Henry( Candace Hilligoss)keenly reflect this observer"s reaction to this load of garbage of a film. Disjointed with a poor script are its admirable qualities-at least in contrast to the feeble attempts at acting by the participants. It was a low budget film and suffers from unendurability as its natural consequence. I hope its financial backer went bankrupt. To end on a positive note:Mary's car if still in existence may have become a collector"s item.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
PAINFUL
On the front cover of the DVD version of this film, one critic described the movie as a ""painful masterpiece"". It certainly was ""painful"". Who on earth would want to endure for a second time its following characteristics:
1. An old woman in dire need of orthodontal work endlerssly complaining about her age and her loneliness.
2. Her adult son,,stealing from his impoverished mother and prostituting out his not too attractive girlfriend and ultimately having one arm amputated
3. A black American from New York thinking that he can go into the black hating southern States of the USA to buy drugs without detection,and then ending up incarcerated for his efforts with unsympathetic guards
4. A girlfriend of the son,having been pimped out ,now hating the ex boyfriend and declining to visit him in hospital.
Waste of time. If you were not depressed prior to watching this movie you are almost guaranteed that result upon its conclusion.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lucky Loser (1958)
MISMATCH TITLE
The plot is quite fine. So is the acting. The same holds true for the legal principle which emerges- namely double jeopardy. However this writer simply CANNOT fathom the relevance of the story's title CASE OF THE LUCKY LOSER to the ACTUAL incidents in the story itself. Who is supposed to be the lucky one? The husband? The cheating wife? The family fixer? The bedridden grandfather? The clean cut , pious grandson? Who??
Secondly,who is the loser? Which of the above? To reinforce this point why was the LOSER so LUCKY?
Why not a title like CASE OF THE HEART ACHING ARCHAEOLOGIST ? An alternative title could be the CASE OF THE FRAUDULENT FIXER. . How about the CASE OF THE BODY IN THE BOOT?
This writer is open to suggestions.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Nebulous Nephew (1963)
END CREDITS
Another reviewer on this forum has correctly stated that the end credits(actors real names) do not match those appearing in this episode . In effect to add to that reviewers contribution, the end credits of the NEBULOUS NEPHEW are in reality the end credits to the episode known as THE CASE OF THE SAD SICILIAN. Both episodes are fine as is the acting in each. The SAD segment of the NEBULOUS NEPHEW relates to Irene Stone-a character played by Kate Manx. This attractive middle thirties woman-fragile in real life-committed SUICDE several years later by taking a sleeping pill overdose. What a waste.