TV Review - Agatha All Along Eps 1-3

 

Agatha Harkness in her various guises was the breakout star of WandaVision three years ago and is now back with her own spin off. It’s a fun show that revels in its witchiness so expect high camp, scary moments, and lots of knowing references. Anchored by Kathryn Hahn’s delightfully broad range of gestures and expressions and a script that leans into spooky lore the first three episodes are top class. You don’t necessarily need to have seen anything else, even WandaVision, though I suspect that it is fans of that show who will be most attracted and I don’t think they will be disappointed.

Spoilers beyond this point

Top of the Pops 14 Sept 1989

 

Words: Chris Arnsby

Simon Mayo: “Hello. Good evening. Welcome. It's another one of those BBC1 and Radio 1 simulcast things.”
Andy Crane: “And on the show tonight we've got Madonna. We've got Tina Turner. And we've got Simon Mayo.”
Simon Mayo: “First of all. It's a jump to the left [Andy Crane, Simon Mayo, and everyone else jumps]. It's a step to the right [Simon Mayo steps, everyone else jumps -including Andy Crane, the clot]. It's got to be Damian.”
Andy Crane: “And the Time Warp. Over there.”
Simon Mayo: “Number seven.”

[7] DAMIAN: the time warp. Good news everyone. Top of the Pops has finally remembered how to do the new look captions they introduced on 24/08/1989. Right style, right graphics. Right colours. Excellent. Now do it again, next week. Damian is back rocking the same Joker look but a different wardrobe.

Noah's Castle

Looking back at this dark kids tv drama first shown in 1980

In the late  Seventies Britain was in a sorry state. There was high unemployment, industrial unrest leading to shortages, high prices (even if inflation was “down” to 8%) and a continued feeling that something needed to be done. It was this backdrop that allowed Margaret Thatcher to win the general election the following year. Kids were not wholly protected from this strife either. Each day the teatime programme John Craven’s Newsround would offer a child friendly version of the news but one that did not shirk from telling the more serious stories. A more sombre portrait of how things might end up was also offered to kids in the tv drama Noah’s Castle. Adapted from the book by John Rowe Townsend it portrays a UK where hyperinflation is eating away at food supplies and jobs. Former military man Norman Mortimer believes he can see where this is headed so he buys an isolated house on the edge of town to move his family, filling the large basement with supplies despite hoarding being illegal.

 

Top of the Pops 31 August & 7 September 1989

 

Words: Chris Arnsby

31/08/1989
“Stand by luvvies. Have a good show.” With that and a short snippet of music that I, and Shazam, cannot identify we're off into the titles for a live edition.

 Gary Davies: “Hello. A very good evening to you. Welcome to a special Top of the Pops. Special because we are live from Television Centre. Special because it's a year ago tonight that we first started to broadcast Top of the Pops in stereo on Radio 1FM. It's special because we've got Jason, Mark, and Phil to open us up. Here's Big Fun.”

 [6] BIG FUN; blame it on the boogie. Gary Davies' caption is in the wrong style. Someone has selected the old look with an asterisk at both ends rather than the new one which debuted last week. Let's blame it on the pressure of a live show and move on.

I don't have anything new to add about Big Fun, after their first appearance on 10/08/1989. That's okay because apparently no one else is bringing anything new to the programme either. The dance routine is identical and, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I synchronised both performances and found Paul Ciani seems to be using the same camera script as well.

Zardoz

 

If you Google Zardoz, the first question that comes up is `What was the point of Zardoz?` This may well be the question many involved in the production asked themselves when the results were released. Zardoz is the work of John Boorman, a distinctive filmmaker whose catalogue includes the vivid likes of Hope and Glory, Excalibur and ,Deliverance,. The film turns fifty this year and BBC’s Front Row next week will feature the director talking about the movie while the novelisation is also being republished. So, what better time than to watch it.

 

Top of the Pops 17th and 24th August 1989

 

Words: Chris Arnsby

17/08/1989

Nicky Campbell: “Hello, welcome to another unashamedly brilliant and superlative Top of the Pops. We've got Neneh Cherry, Alice Cooper, Jody Watley, everything and the girl. Anthea Turner.” 
Anthea Turner: “Thank you very much Nicky! Hey! Have I got an honest face?!
Nicky Campbell: “Scrupulously.”
Anthea Turner: “Believe me! Italian dance music's going to be the biggest thing to hit this country! And Black Box are here!”

 [11] BLACK BOX: ride on time. Call me Mr Cynical but I'm not sure I fully buy Anthea Turner's expert knowledge of Italian dance music and it's forthcoming impact on this country. Nicky Campbell has an odd look on his face, like he's primed Anthea Turner with this insight and is now trying to suppress a smirk. [Obligatory comment about Nicky Campbell always looking like that, goes here].

The opening to the show is a single camera shot, although it doesn't stand out because of the range of motion the camera goes through. From the opening pan up to the hosts, back down to the main stage, and then the pull back across the studio while the introduction to Ride on Time plays. Then there's some light editing trickery. After the transition, the hand held camera shot looking out into the studio comes from a different take because otherwise there's no time for the camera operator to get into position. It's unusual for Top of the Pops to cheat footage like this but it must have been irresistible because it perfectly captures the change in energy between the introduction and the song.

Film Review- Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

 

Serendipitous circumstance makes this belated sequel to the Eighties cult film bang on trend what with Wynona Ryder being a part of Stranger Things, Jenna Ortega starring in Wednesday and the fact that ghosts and ghouls are arguably more popular than ever. So, it doesn’t really matter whether you’ve seen or recall the minutiae of the original Beetlejuice as there is if anything too much exposition to get us where we are, simply sit back and enjoy the mayhem. If you’re wondering about spelling the main character’s name is spelt as Betelgeuse (same as the red star) but pronounced Beetlejuice yet that’s also the title of the film. Believe me it’s far from being the oddest thing about it!