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Reviews
Ant Anstead: Born Mechanic (2024)
Just about watchable
While I have respect for Ant as an engineer, and author/writer, this series almost falls into the same traps as many motoring programmes. Obviously staged in parts, it can be simplistic in that only certain car faults are shown and a lot of refurbishment work simply isn't shown. Then vehicles are sold at an upmarket auction which may not always be the best solution. The link to renovating a house for his parents (not ideally suited for them given their age?) is novel but again it is simplified. Ant comes across as a bit of a drama queen and impulsive. At least he treats his audience with some respect in terms of their assumed technical knowledge and doesn't constantly repeat the same issues. Nevertheless it could be significantly better, especially if they ditched the inevitable background music..
Bangers & Cash (2019)
The best car show on the telly
I rarely give anything 10 out of 10 but Bangers & Cash definitely deserves it. At the time of writing it is rightly in its 10th series and has generated a spinoff restoration show. What distinguishes it from other series is that it comes across as 100% genuine - not scripted, no irritating characters or background heavy rock music. It is a family show - all the Mathewsons have a wry sense of humour, are real characters and know what they are talking about. The show is handled with both humour and empathy - sometimes people have to sell vehicles as age catches up with them - and often we find out what happened to them once taken by their new owners. Highly recommended.
Hunting Venus (1999)
New Wave nostalgia on a low budget
A TV movie comedy about an early 80's pop band made by Buffalo Pictures - starring and directed by Martin Clunes with his wife as producer.
A strong cast with somewhat brief cameo appearances by various pop stars of the era. Jane Horrocks, Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey (especially his makeup and prosthetics) are particularly good.
Shown on Talking Pictures TV, this is a rarity despite it getting very good reviews on IMDB and Youtube. There is some evidence of VHS and a rare ITV DVD release and it is listed on Amazon.com. There was also a compilation album/CD.
Made on a low budget which is a shame since the script and sets could have benefitted from a bit of a polish in places although there are some clever hidden references.
Dream Car Fixers (2024)
Better than average
This series is better than many car renovation shows in not having a co-presenter who is frankly a bit of a prat (eg Car SOS, Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars and Wheeler Dealers) and also not constantly repeating trivial points needlessly and treating the audience as having some level of technical competence and understanding.
At first I thought it was a bit boring (it hasn't the wit and pathos of Bangers & Cash Restoring Classics for example) but it's a question of getting used to its pace. The presenters have a rapport between themselves and mutual respect. One has been in a number of other TV programmes and both know what they are doing. They also do jobs properly. It also helps that the narrator is an experienced motoring journalist.
Some of the enhancements seem commercially questionable, leaving to tight profit margins. As with all these types of shows the impression is given that cars can be flipped without going through them with a fine toothcomb and doing full servicing and preparation.
Time to Remember (1959)
Should be required viewing in schools
Now being shown on Talking Pictures TV, this is an ITV series using rare archive historical footage with extremely well written scripts voiced by Michael Redgrave and other distinguished people. It shows a variety of topics from different years, eg 1936, put into context and pulling few punches given its age - a relatively early ITV/ATV production. Still highly relevant to what's going on in the World today it brings history very much alive and could be excellent teaching material. It's a shame that such a serious nontrivialised production probably would not be made today. Highly recommended - I would put it in the same league as A World At War.
Find It Fix It Flog It (2016)
Find It Bodge It Overvalue It
Alternative title "How to make a silly lamp or coffee table" If in doubt spray it with aerosol paint or wax it. After saying all that it is quite entertaining despite its faults, although it helps if you have an interest in motorbikes and automobilia. I actually find Gemma rather good once you get used to her accent - maybe should have her own makeover show. I feel a bit sorry for Alan Millyard who is an expert motorcycle engineer lumbered with some silly jobs. I also wish they wouldn't just wander off camera after agreeing what to do with their finds, usually involving making a cup of tea. Despite all this it's passable light entertainment, despite the crap puns, and at least it's far better than Money For Nothing....
A Ghost Story for Christmas: A Warning to the Curious (1972)
Atmosphere and archaeology
It's Christmas night and you're bit tipsy/befuddled after seasonal indulgence. Onto your small 625 line CRT colour TV comes this grainy sinister ghost story which scares the bejabers out of you, and continues to do so 50 odd years later.
Filmed on a small budget which actually contributes to the mood, it's made on 16mm film with a rather fixed camera which also adds to the atmosphere of an ethereal windswept and isolated Norfolk coast. Fine performances by the limited cast and a true period feel. I recently caught it again on the excellent Talking Pictures TV channel and it can also be found on DVD and even Blu-ray which seems a bit of technical overkill. One of an annual BBC series which could also be revived on BBC4. My only complaint would be that the crown looks like it was bashed out from an old tin can...
Early Man (2018)
Hit the post?
I can't stand soccer but really enjoyed this Aardman film which I caught on TV, not having come across it before - maybe the initial release/marketing was poor? The plot has lots of historical holes in it but in an Aardman film you suspend disbelief and look for all the jokes, many of which probably make sense only to a British audience and can be missed in a single viewing. There are characterisations possibly seen before, eg the rabbit, but they work nevertheless - not sure about the giant mallard though. Lots of visual humour/slapstick to keep children happy. I particularly like Rob Brydon'd Messenger Bird - there is a lot of great timing in the animation. There's possibly even some subliminal tribute to other films, eg the French castle guards in Monty Python & The Holy Grail?
No Lady (1931)
Delightfully silly
A very early British talkie (hence poor sound quality but on the version I saw on TPTV there is sound all the way through). Starring the talented Lupino Lane - a master of timing and slapstick. What elevates it above many comedies of the period is the amount of external shots (of Blackpool) at the beginning of the 1930's - not just a lot of cheap interior sets with two dimensional acting. The actors show carryover influence of both silent movies and theatrical stage. The baddies are stereotypical in the extreme and come from a fictional European country with silly hand signals as greetings - two years before Hitler came to power. There must have been a reasonable budget given the number of actors and dancers involved even if some were roped in holidaymakers. It isn't very sophisticated, especially the dance routines, but you can see why audiences enjoyed it at the time. Basically a comedy with some good touches, not to be taken too seriously and in context, and a fascinating view of Blackpool.
Taskmaster NZ (2020)
Better than the original?
Having watched Taskmaster in the UK from the beginning I approached Taskmaster NZ with some trepidation and was pleasantly surprised. With a population of only 5 million and viewing figures under 200k with a smaller pool of potential contestants I had to expect some effects of a lower budget than the UK version but I found the range of tasks just as innovative, the positive relationships between the contestants grow as each series progresses and in particular the Taskmaster and his assistant Paul have none of the frankly abusive, unpleasant and not very funny manner of Greg in the UK version towards Alex. Paul in Taskmaster NZ does come in for some stick but it is generally done in good humour. There may be more ad breaks and the humour levels are more adult with greater use of four letter words than the UK version.
I am a great fan of NZ anyway as a country even if the dialect often replaces "e" with "i"....
Villeneuve Pironi (2022)
Atmospheric but missing details
This documentary is good in terms of the archive footage and interviews with personnel and family involved with both drivers, especially Ferrari, but I would encourage viewers to check out the Wikipedia entries for both drivers which cover a wider band of their careers and put things in a broader context. They also question some of the assertations and impressions made in the documentary, eg Hockenheim was both dry and wet and the doctors did not suggest that Pironi's leg would be amputated. There is also a claim that Pironi did not go back into F1, after successful testing with AGS and Ligier, partly due to the effects of his injuries but also because the insurance payout after his Hockenheim accident was conditional on his not racing in F1 otherwise he would have to repay a substantial sum. I think the documentary could have provided more technical detail and put things in a broader context than its dramatic narrative.
Painted Boats (1945)
Important historical melodramatic documentary
Coincidentally I am reading LTC Rolt's book "Narrow Boat" chronicling his exploration of the decaying British canal system at the same time - apparently he was consulted during the making of this film but didn't get a title credit much to his chagrin.
Having lived in a canal area it's striking how much the industrial landscape changed in the subsequent 50 years - now unrecognisable. Filmed during World War 2 it is notable how decrepit things were at that time due to a lack of investment - very much a working environment with no hint of the leisure boom which has lead to a resurgence in the use of canals.
I caught this film on the Talking Pictures channel and it is striking how good and clear the print quality is despite being filmed during a period of technical shortages.
The plot is a little melodramatic/of its period, with a bit of wartime propaganda inevitably thrown in, but the scenes of canal and industrial life make it an important film record.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Doesn't get any better
There are many reviews already on IMDB but FWIW my favourite bit is the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.
I recommend fans of the film to look at the official Python book of the script - originally it was going to be a rehash of previous TV series sketches and bits of the final script, eg King Brian the Wild, didn't make it in the final film/were not shot.
Another interesting fact is that there problems with the original musical soundtrack - in test screenings the audiences failed to find the film funny.
Making the film was a nightmare with its limited budget, directorial squabbles and cold/wet conditions but somehow they managed to produce a masterpiece. These days there would have been a sequel but would it have been as good?
Apollo 11 (2019)
Brilliant documentary
This documentary contains lots of rarely seen footage, much of it in colour and of better clarity than often seen inprevious documentaries. The sheer complexity of the project becomes apparent and it's interesting to speculate what a modern equivalent moonshot would be like in terms of IT, etc. What is also striking is the almost complete absence of female and ethnic minority team members.
I am sure that the film is great in IMAC but its widescreen format means that on TV the graphics showing time and velocity, etc, along with the end credits,are tiny. Also there is no voiceover commentary which would have been useful to explain some of the things going on, eg the alarms just prior to the moonlanding. Nevertheless fascinating and highly recommended watch.
Fifth Gear Recharged (2021)
Makes the current Top Gear look amateurish
Fifth Gear has had a chequered history - moving from channel to channel with repeated risk of cancellation, but the new Recharged version shows a maturity and expertise lacking in many automotive shows such as the increasingly embarrassing UK Top Gear. Jason Plato, Vicky Butler-Henderson,Karun Chandhok and Grace Webb know their stuff and genuinely seem to be having fun together, not pulling any punches but equally not going over the top. However, Sid North seems a bit out of his depth - occasionally just repeating what others in the team say. Tiff Needell is notably missed. Just reviewing EV's may limit its scope, and it must be made on a budget given its limited audience size, but it's good viewing even so - intelligent and imaginative.
Hornby: A Model World (2021)
Disappointingly staged
It could be a fascinating look behind the scenes of an important British model supplier (although we don't actually see the overseas manufacturing) but a lot of it just feels staged for the cameras. Development processes seem extremely simplified and it often feels just like a Hornby advertorial with a few other industry/hobby characters thrown in for good measure. Overall the tone seems too simplified for the target audience. There is also a lack of care in the filming, eg in Series 2 episode 1 locos are seen going along without all the wheels going round. Rather a missed opportunity but at least it covers serious models and layouts rather than a certain Channel 5 series...
The Weakest Link (2021)
Surprisingly good
Daytime quiz shows seems to be where somewhat mediocre comedians and presenters are put out to grass. Reviving old formats often has a short life. Until now I hadn't really rated Romesh, IMO coming across as somewhat jaundiced and miserable, but here he shines with great timing, pace and an endless stream of puns. He makes the show exciting, well paced and seems to be totally in control, very rarely stumbling or making mistakes. He doesn't make the common error of exaggerating/false excitement in the trivial. Good clear intonation and generally well polished. I just get a bit fed up with quiz shows with gloomy blue lighting.
The Secret Genius of Modern Life (2022)
Entertaining and Informing
It's quite common to consider that the BBC has dumbed down - certainly in science documentaries they are nowhere near as taxing as vintage Horizon programmes on subatomic physics. However, in The Secret Genius of Modern Life they have a brilliant mix of information and entertainment. Professor Hannah Fry is an absolute gem with her sense of humour, almost flirting with the camera and breaking the Fourth Wall by involving the production team, whilst covering subjects at a good pace with information that I found well researched and scripted, presented and novel. I hope that there's another series. In some ways this series reminded me of a mixture of the programmes done by James May and many years ago by James Burke.
World War II in Numbers (2019)
A new perspective on WW2
While The World At War is probably the definitive account of WW2 this series provides a new global perspective on how it came about and what actually happened. If the numbers quoted are accurate it explodes certain myths and shows how errors and accidents had major effects on the outcome. My only criticism is that some of the film sequences are not the apposite to the commentary although in fairness this is mentioned.
This Farming Life (2016)
Brilliant insight into farming
I am rather surprised that there have been no other IMDB reviews of this series. It shows life on a variety of family farms mainly in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sympathetic commentary and truly excellent drone photography. My only criticisms are that maybe it could show more of the financial and bureaucratic pressures, especially with Brexit, and it seems to concentrate more on animal than arable farming - possibly due to the locations where it is filmed. It would be useful to have followups since each series has a different selection of farms but I guess that some families prefer not to stay in the public eye.
Top Gear (2002)
Could it get any worse?
What is it with Paddy McGuinness - he presents all sorts of shows but here again he is totally out of his depth - in Top Gear he can't even drive very well and is very short of interesting and relevant things to say. This is after Chris Evans and Matt Le Blanc - why can't BBC producers (of which there are far too many) find decent presenters? Chris Harris knows his stuff (I often feel he is talking through gritted teeth at what is thrown at him) while Freddie knows little about cars and just can't read a voiceover script and autocue convincingly. Embarrassing. An independent production company, as found on other channels, could do so much better.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour Presents: Carnage A Trois (2021)
Good return to form
The boys produce an episode which is better than recent ones (due to the return of writer/editor Richard Porter?) Intelligent and often apparently spontaneous humour with a real understanding and affection for the cars. It might upset a few Francophiles but there is actual respect for the country. Others have said that the race sequence is a bit long (Andy Wilman usually takes ages carefully editing the show but there may have been a shortage of material due to Covid restrictions) Some sequences and comments are a bit OTT but it all hangs together and it serves to show how much Top Gear has gone down the pan in their absence.
The Great House Giveaway (2020)
Massive Fail
Homes Under The Hammer meets First Dates meets Changing Rooms. Effectively a cringefest as two people who don't know each other (and often do not get on) are given a house (often bought too expensively) to renovate and end up doing things that are not needed, lose interest, make a poor job of finishing it and spectacularly fail to make any money, especially given apparently exorbitant fees. A programme so flawed in its execution that it almost becomes a car crash to watch - just record it and skip to the end to see how things have fallen apart and how uncomfortable the presenter is this week.
The Footage Detectives (2021)
Would be fascinating but....
This series shows how Talking Pictures TV finds and restores old films, TV shows, etc. This is important and interesting work but for me it is spoilt by Mike Read and his inane, rambling, repetitive and occasionally illinformed comments - I find myself watching it with the sound turned down! New presenter/interviewer or a script that he diligently sticks to please! TPTV is an absolute gem of a channel for film and social history buffs.
Ant Anstead Master Mechanic (2019)
Disappointing
Unfortunately there is too much philosophising, repetition, explaining the obvious, etc, etc - it reminds me too much of all that went wrong with Wheeler Dealers. Some humour in banter with the crew but overall it is a missed opportunity.