GrahamEngland Reviews

How Do You Want Me? (1998–1999)

A Real Gem

[9/10 · 29 November 2014]

Little seen on release, not repeated as far as I know on the BBC, only DVD released years later. There have been a few shows like that but this one was special and stands on repeated viewings for it's wit, charm and acting. With the early death of Charlotte Coleman, two years after the second series - which was then the last that tragic loss made no difference there - there is an element of sadness when watching it of course, not that this takes anything away from just how sublime this show was.

The series drew a vivid, funny picture of the Yardley family, mad brother, scary dad, sweet daughters, along with various other characters of the small town community. Dylan Moran was superb too as the fish out of water.

This all sounds familiar but this comedy just did it so much better. Which is why it still stands up today and deserves more attention that it got at the time.

Get Some In! (1975–1978)

A Classic

[8/10 · 18 May 2014]

Just to say that those who would like to see again this classic 70's sitcom (and a rare good one from ITV), check out a certain well known video sharing site. Like others, I recall watching this as a kid, my Dad who did National Service, though in the army, loved it too and thought it realistic. The writers both did National Service in the RAF in the 1950's. A classic line, from the very first episode, from the wonderful Tony Selby as the fearsome NCO, 'my name is Marsh, that's B-A-S-T-A-R-D!' As well as giving Robert Lindsay his first major role, before another well remembered part where he was also named 'Smith'. I don't think there has been any real intention of not repeating this series due to some PC concerns, it's just got lost in the crowd of 70's sitcoms, though popular it's just not as well known as others like 'Porridge'. It might be that the BBC just looks after it's sitcom legacy better. The corporate convulsions of the old ITV network in the 1990's and 2000's might also have played a part here.

A Very British Coup (1988)

Still Superb

[10/10 · 30 June 2012]

Firstly, I should perhaps counter the two negative reviews by pointing out the novel this was based on was written in the early 1980's when a left wing Labour government could have been a distinct possibility. Thatcher was VERY unpopular as Chris Mullin was writing his novel. But, had Tony Benn replaced the ineffectual Michael Foot as Labour leader - again very possible then -he would have been no Harry Perkins. Lacking the fictional characters street smarts and possibly, wider appeal. But this is fiction after all.

By 1988, when this superb drama was made, Thatcher was still there but the adaptation, with now great foresight as current events show, made more of Perkins rise being due to uncovering massive scandal and criminality in big finance.

Mullin himself was a left winger, though he moderated his views with maturity and, as he himself admitted, the changes in the political landscape. As a well respected MP for Labour from 1987 to 2010, he would vote for Tony Blair as leader in 1994 but against the Iraq war in 2003.

Mullin represented a seat in Sunderland in NE England which suffered terribly under the Tories. He was a very effective Parliamentary Select Committee Chairman then had a series of junior ministerial appointments, the often 'Yes Minister' or even 'The Thick Of It' like events he had then are recounted with his trademark humour and self deprecation in his dairies,

The Novel and this adaptation crop up in these widely acclaimed dairies of his life, political and personal, that have been published over the last few years, he kept them from 1994 to 2010.

If there was a 'Mullin' character in the book and TV show, it's 'Fred Thompson' played by Keith Allen, like Mullin when he wrote the book, a campaigning journalist, though as described in the book as rather more physically like the author than in the TV film, not to take anything away from Allen's performance.

I cannot add much more to the mostly positive reviews, that this was shown in 30 countries, won a stack of awards, was cited by Mullin's political allies and opponents years later, is testament to the novel and this excellent, so well made and acted drama.

I will add that though I'm left of centre, I would not have supported Harry Perkins anti nuclear, anti NATO policies. Not that this in anyway reduced my enjoyment of this drama which I've watched and enjoyed many times.

Spearhead (1978–1981)

Excellent But Forgotten

[9/10 · 7 April 2012]

Like the other reviews, I agree that Spearhead was an excellent drama. I had patchy memories of it, at least the first series, since I had not seen it since broadcast and I was 11/12 years old. Thanks to a certain video posting site, I'm going through series 1.

What strikes you is a realism and for something that must have had a degree of Ministry Of Defence cooperation, the often uncompromising subjects. (The vehicles, the kit, some of the facilities possibly too, the way the actors are totally convincing as soldiers, none of the equipment would be 'surplus'. Those Humber 'Pig' armoured vehicles were so vital in Northern Ireland the Army were getting them out of store, buying back from private collectors and even rescuing from scrapyards in the early/mid 70's).

The N.I. set episodes build up tension very well, no mass shoot 'em up here, more often just waiting for something bad to happen.

I also agree that Soldier Soldier was a mere soap compared to Spearhead, I soon gave up on it.

The mid/late 70's had some of the best of British drama, Spearhead included.

Poor Cow (1967)

The Dark Side Of 'Swinging London'.

[16 July 2011]

Swinging London of myth, was for most at the time, a fantasy. It involved a small number of people, in a small area of the city, for a short time. But as many of those who were of this group, went on and maintained long careers in film, TV, Arts and literature/journalism, it's effect and scope was and has been much magnified.

Trust Ken Loach (who else?) to shine a light in the London of the mid/late 60's' for many people, was the reality. Not just the criminal element either.

Loach after all had form here, with his groundbreaking TV plays such a 'Up The Junction' and 'Cathy Come Home'. Showing the darker side of London that was then, still, an industrial city in parts.

Carol White, as lead Joy, had also been in those Loach films, she was a working class Julie Christie and carried off the role of this troubled young woman with aplomb.

White really was a fine actress, sadly like the roles which made her famous with Loach, the real woman was as troubled. Not due to poverty, a different kind of trouble, the numerous affairs, the decline in her career, to die from alcohol abuse at just 48 far from her London roots. It does change you way you view Poor Cow with this knowledge.

Terence Stamp as Dave is excellent - though such was his stardom by then he would turn up for filming in a Rolls Royce! The notorious John Blindon (surely the most stark example of Loach's use of 'real' people who often had the same lives as they acted on screen), struggles as an actor in his first role, though again, with the knowledge of the real Blindon this is less noticeable.

The Loach 60's standards of lots of sequences of real life, lots of cameo characters, loose plotting, are much in evidence.

This is not a film for everyone, if you think you'll see another classic British gangster film, you'll be disappointed. But this was a radical, daring, atmospheric film, more of historic interest than greatly entertaining, worth a look.

The Shadow Line (2011)

Difficult At Times But Daring

[9/10 · 17 June 2011]

This series lost viewers from a strong start (for a BBC2 series) and got mixed reviews. You cannot win can you? All the signposted, glib, lazy, pandering excess of cop/thrillers blocking up the schedules, not just from the turgid ITV1 either, which many reviewers rightly are fed up with. Blick dares to dare at least.

'The Shadow Line' was not easy comfort viewing, that was the point of it, surely?

It compares very well to the missed opportunity of 'Luther', though in that case perhaps having one of the stars of 'The Wire' raised impossible expectations, even so, what a load of overblown, overheated, all sound and fury signifying nothing 'Luther' is - I gave up on it after series 1.

The Shadow Line had some of the very best, most tense, often shocking set pieces of anything on UK television for many a long time, these were not isolated either. This I think is where many draw comparisons with classics like 'Edge Of Darkness', The Shadow Line does not match up to that one - what does? Still, the comparison with 'Between The Lines' of 20 years ago, as some critics have cited, despite the very different series formats, is a fair one.

Overall, a good effort, worthwhile, a series that will be looked back on rather more fondly that the more negative reviewers think.

Roger Roger (1998–2003)

Sadly Forgotten

[9/10 · 29 December 2010]

A very underrated show effectively buried after transmission. Funny, bittersweet, well cast and performed, it had maybe one major problem. John Sullivan wrote it, it might be that much of the audience were expecting another 'Only Fools And Horses', canned laughter included and written at a pace for a 30 min sitcom - even the later longer episodes were too. Which Roger Roger was not, If I recall it wasn't exactly heavily promoted either even for the first series.

I certainly don't remember anything about 'from the creator of 'Only Fools And Horses' being mentioned. Another factor might have been the BBC seeing Roger Roger as a rival to ITV's hit comedy drama 'Cold Feet' from the same period, when it did not have the impact of the other show (Also with John Thompson in the cast), maybe the BBC rather got Cold Feet themselves. Though the ITV show was from the start structured towards more and longer series.

Though in truth, two series of Roger Roger was enough, good as it was. And well worth catching if you get the chance.

Down Terrace (2009)

Less Is More, Much more.

[9/10 · 8 October 2010]

British crime films are a very mixed bunch, for every 'Long Good Friday' or 'Sexy Beast', there is a whole load of low rent, formulaic fayre of diminishing returns.

This film has one advantage from the off, not being set in London - or as many of the characters in the poorer films of this genre say it, 'Laanndan'. (Hiding those well brought up accents can be a strain perhaps).

It's set in Brighton, a town (recently upgraded to a 'City') on England's south coast. But not the Brighton known to many here in recent years, the place of celeb second homes, nightclub culture, a liberal place for homosexuals before most of the rest of the country became more adult and relaxed about this part of society.

The Brighton of mundane suburbia is the setting, not the cultural epicentre.

Largely set in a home, where Bill and his wife live with their 34 year old son, we first see them, the father and son, after being acquitted in a drugs trial, little to celebrate though - how did they get into court in the first place? Who grassed them up - have to be someone close, to their right little, tight little world of lower ranking club employees and drug pushers.

The home is the actual dwelling of the actor playing the father, where the son - his real life son - was actually brought up. Only the mother is played by a quite familiar actress - Julia Deakin. The father, Bill, being an ex hippy who wistfully reflects on the brief period of apparent enlightenment through Cannabis and LSD, via yoga and the Tibetan Book Of The Dead, before money, crime, harder drugs, intruded - which swept up Bill too.

So begins a claustrophobic period of suspicion, paranoia, leading to violence and murder. Between bouts of domestic bickering, including a 'meet my pregnant girlfriend' family dinner that is a mire of passive-aggressiveness.

The cast are largely drawn - when they are not family members of the writer and actor playing the son - from innovative and usually rather dark comedy shows and stand up.

Micro budget it might have, but Down Terrace punches well above it's weight. Lack of flash leads to a concentration on family dynamics - albeit a deeply disturbing one - realistic script and genuine plot shocks and surprises.

This film is refreshing, often laugh out loud funny - darkly funny usually - intense and a real gem. Clearly a labour of love from the small team involved in the whole production, a labour though of inspiration rather than just perspiration.

Fish Tank (2009)

In Your Face

[9/10 · 17 July 2010]

A film about the underclass (doubt many of them are working), that is not about gangsters and the usual clichés. An astonishing debt from the completely untrained Katie Jarvis, given that she was discovered having a row with her boyfriend at a train station, after the first few minutes of this film you rather feel sorry for the real life boyfriend!

And this was the key, by background Jarvis is rather closer to what she portrayed than any number of stage school brats propelled by pushy parents. Along with this discovered acting talent, it allows Jarvis in her acting debut to dominate as the lead in this film, lead as in every scene.

Excellent support from Wearing, a superb actress, Fassbender also rightly highly regarded and throughout the cast.

The film was also genuinely tense and gripping, something that 'Kitchen Sink' dramas often lack.

1990 (1977–1978)

Wanted: On DVD

[9/10 · 10 July 2010]

I just about remember this as a child, In was at 11-12 too young to really get it, though the limited understanding I had, was enough to stay in the memory as sinister.

It was a product of the time in that it took what some saw as the post war advance of 'big government' to one possible conclusion. Just like the best sci-fi, of the best, understated British kind, with the pessimistic view of a future inherent in this genre.

But I cannot agree with the idea that this series foretold today, the recent, under the previous government (though some may cite the handling of the 1984/5 miners strike by the government of the day as well) questioning of civil liberties, the expansion of a 'police state', all the CCTV, the DNA database, the (latterly) unsuccessful attempts to lengthen detention of terrorist suspects, were not, unlike in '1990', the systematic work of a very authoritarian regime. Rather it was driven by fear. Fear of hostile media on crime, fear of, if a massive '9/11' style attack happened, being thought of any neglect that allowed an attack. An obsession to meet targets to produce evidence of 'fighting crime'.

Reality check - most CCTV systems in the UK are not controlled by the police, the state in general, rather they are operated on private premises, shops, shopping centres, business parks etc. Central control only exists in the third Bourne movie.

For all that, it does now seem that the coalition are going to roll back many of the controversial changes of the last 15 years or so. Because in a democracy, a change of government can do this. Unlike the world depicted in '1990'.

Still, I would love to see a DVD release, it was a superior series which did make for useful comment of a possible future, some of which did occur, though not so far in the all encompassing way of '1990'.

Edge of Darkness (1985)

Unforgettable, Unbeatable

[10/10 · 2 April 2010]

I agree with those who say Edge Of Darkness is one of TV drama's finest moments.

That it is set in it's time so instantly 'dated', matters not, that's the point.

The Prime Minister is a she, an ex actor is US President, there is a new idea called the 'Star Wars' attracting the nuclear and defence industries.

Bob Peck, so much missed, gives an incredible performance, the delectable Joanne Whalley will never be in anything better, the always reliable Joe Don Baker shines in a part he was born to play. The murkiness of the interconnected worlds of the civil service, politics, defence, the nuclear programmes, are well shown and credible.

The 'Crimewatch' TV programme Craven appears on, asking for the public's help in investigating crimes, was as shown, with the same presenter then, for real. A rarely used device in drama then, it adds to the impact and credibility. (And anyone who has been to the Barbican complex in London, can understand how the police searching for those who have broken into the MI5 computer, could get themselves lost!)

I disagree with those who say the first episodes were slow, they set the scene and built the tension, those not aware of the wider politics of 1984/5 Britain might find it a little hard to navigate however.

Leading to another 'real life' cameo, the speaker from the Labour Party early in Ep.1 at Emma's college, decrying funding cuts, was then, is now, Labour MP Michael Meacher, on the left of the party (who then dominated), some calling him 'Tony Benn's Representitive On Earth'. Meacher became more moderate and was in Tony Blair's cabinet as Environment Minister until 2001, every time I saw him on screen I always thought of EoD.

Making a movie version, 'updated', inevitably relocated to the US, was never going to work, we have a saying here, 'trying to put a Quart into a Pint pot'. With the inevitable dumbing down as so much of Hollywood continues to be insultingly patronising to it's audience.

None of that in the original.

Even this Clapton-phobe liked the soundtrack too.

So buy the DVD and immerse yourself, I got my copy for just £3 in a sale, for 5 hours of the best quality drama-and people still talk of 'rip-off Britain?'

Shifty (2008)

Darkness On The Edge Of Town

[8/10 · 11 October 2009]

While a subject that is quite familiar to low budget UK films, 'Shifty' is better than most.

The tiny budget may have made too much flashiness impossible, the film is all the better for it. Since it gives a more realistic touch and lets the characters develop.

The film does was it sets out to do well, 24 hours in the life of a drug dealer (who unlike the usual stereotype had choices due to his good education and once supportive family). His limited world is upturned by an old friend returning to town after 4 years, after an event, not revealed until late in the film, though he has plenty of other problems looming.

Well shot, good characters, good script and it kept me interested from start to finish with some very good moments within a tight narrative.

Plenty of similar films in this genre deliver less than they promise, 'Shifty' on the other hand, to quote a well known advert in the UK 'Does What It Says On The Tin'. And does it very well. Recommended.

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008)

A Good Enough Film

[8/10 · 10 October 2009]

I do know something about the mad genius that was Joe Meek. Enough to know that putting his turbulent life into one film is not easy, others have questioned why other formative elements of his life was missed out, if a film is good enough though, surely it will engage those who have seen and enjoyed it to look into it further, using the medium we are now, the internet?

Con O'Neill is excellent as the troubled Meek, he has to dominate the film and this he does. While it's true that others in the story were sometimes rather younger than the actors playing them, remember back in this period, the 'teenager' as we now understand it, was only starting to emerge, young people then still often looked, acted, dressed older.

They usually left school at 14-15, at around 18 (like Meek) many had to do military service, hand me down clothes from parents were common. All this was changing, as part of the social changes sign posted by the music, which Meek played a part in but, as shown by his dismissal of The Beatles he was doomed not to recognise fully and play a further part in.

Meek was the British Phil Spector. But he, as the film well shows, did not enjoy the financial rewards of hits, but both were innovative, reclusive, obsessive and dangerous around firearms. (Given just how many times Spector drew guns on some of the most famous music stars, as well as lovers, business associates, was anyone really surprised at the tragic events at Spector's home in 2003, I certainly thought 'he's finally done it'.)

Most music or music based biopics fail as films, while 'Telstar' is not up there with the stunning exception that is Ian Curtis biopic 'Control', it's way better than 'Great Balls Of Fire'.

I was certainly kept engaged by this film.

Buried (2003– )

Excellent But It Lived Up To It's Title

[10/10 · 15 August 2009]

I agree with the other reviews, this was an excellent series that despite the stellar cast and writing, was broadcast almost as an afterthought. Or was Ch4 just worried that bringing more attention to this uncompromising drama would have generated too many complaints?

Hang on? Wasn't that sort of thing part of the remit that brought Ch4 into being in the first place? Be controversial and brave.

My own gut feeling with 'Buried' was that between the time of writing and being approved, then to casting, filming, editing, Ch4 just changed in it's priorities. Now, the more low rent idea of new and 'challenging' programming, which had always been a legitimate part of Ch4, took precedence over the quality side of this remit. Being cheaper to do and more likely to attract viewers from a broader base.

So we went from stuff like 'The Word', on one night a week as post pub TV, in the 1990's, to the endless sink hole that is 'Big Brother'.

Back to 'Buried', I'm been watching it again on 4oD, being surprised to see it there (well it was, with another another lost classic 'North Square', the first searches I did on this new service!)

This is perhaps the future for shows that do not get either the attention when broadcast or DVD release.

I highly recommend Buried, get over to 4oD and treat yourself to very high quality drama that is all too rare.

If British channels are envious of critical successes from the US like 'The Wire', they have to step up the quality to match it. It can be done, it's not and never been a matter of talent, just will. (Then maybe some of our best actors need not spend as much time in the US, when they go due to lack of quality work here).

North Square (2000)

Superb But Ignored

[12 August 2009]

Having just watched the 1st episode on 4oD, I am reminded just how superb this show was (and anything using a track from The Clash as a theme tune gets my vote!)

Far too many legal dramas on TV, yet this stand out got the chop, but I also recall Channel 4 not really hyping it much at the time either. In this respect it was like BBC's 'Bodies', in a TV world massively over saturated with medical dramas, this was a major stand out too, albeit uncompromising. But at least that got a 2nd series and a full length finale. (Like another soon axed work of art, the comedy on BBC3 'Pulling').

I guess it's demographics, they'll hype up the pandering, lowest common denominator 'reality' dreck knowing they'll get a decent enough audience however bad it is. The good stuff all too often has not only fight to get made, but also fight to get promoted.

For some reason, until I saw it again, I had it in my head that North Square was made around 1990, within minutes the mobile phones and Apple Macs in the show reminded me otherwise. This is I think, maybe a reflection of how not only was it axed after 10 episodes, but I don't recall it even being repeated or released on DVD either.

However I do recall newspaper articles citing North Square as an example of excellence that cost cutting budgets could not sustain, or rather Ch4 would rather spend money on lame imports and Big Brother.

It all started to go wrong for Ch4 when the TV expert that was the Pizza Hut CEO took over the channel.

Law & Order (1978)

Worth The Wait

[10/10 · 26 April 2009]

Finally released on DVD in April 2009, well worth the long wait too.

Totally compelling TV, numerous short clips in many documentaries over the years gave a small indication of the superior nature of this drama, I can tell you those indication were entirely correct.

Extras include a 25 min film on the making on the series and the effects it had, on TV drama and on the body politic.

This is no mere 'bash the police' work, it's far more complex than that, more of a 'plague on all your houses' for the justice system, prison system and criminal classes too.

The tone, acting dialogue all ring true-the latter within the constraints of the watershed for swearing at the time (though it was still attacked for this and many who saw it thought it was far worse than it actually was).

For me, another stark element of Law And Order is just how Britain, London, looked in the late 1970's. Without the tedious and contrived shots of famous London landmarks-Big Ben, Tower Bridge etc, that are often inserted into shows in assuming an international audience is stupid, the drabness of the streets is so apparent.

I've noticed this too with The Sweeney (Euston Films tended to film outside scenes with as little 'dressing' as possible), the greyness of London suburban high streets, fewer cars-fewer people too, less advertising, drab shops. At night, in Law and Order, the streets look to us now, something like London in the blackout of world war 2, shops nearly all closed in the later afternoon, fewer places to eat out. One suspects that then, the only brightly lit parts of London were Piccadilly Circus and the clubs, sex shops and strip joints of Soho.

This adds to the general atmosphere of Law and Order, a lot is made of detectives, as a matter of routine, taking 'bungs' from recovered stolen money, insurance scams, payoffs from informants. Not to excuse this, but in 1977/8, when this series was made and shown, the police were poorly paid. (One of the first things the Thatcher government did was to change this, there may have been an element of anticipating using them later to bust mass strike action, however it's just as likely that trying to break the practices shown in this series was also a factor).

However, nothing is for nothing, from the early 80's, the laws and procedures concerning interviewing of suspects, evidence, public prosecutions, was radically changed. Whatever your political views, this was an overdue change, given that a few years before, Law and Order had provoked fury amongst many politicians and other parts of the establishment, which then settled into some soul searching, this superb piece of drama, made without excessive controls and constraints, maybe played a small part in this change.

In any case, if you want highly absorbing, gritty, realistic and now with a 30 year hindsight, fascinating historic drama, I cannot recommend G.F. Newman's Law and Order highly enough. Like the adverts for Coca Cola at the time - it's the real thing.

Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980 (2009 TV Movie)

At Last

[21 March 2009]

At last, some intelligent, challenging, original drama. Difficult at times? Yes, but that makes it stay with you. Channel 4 have become known for reality TV like Big Brother and way too many 'lifestyle' shows, they never brought 'The Wire', they've lost their way. But this is such a step in the right direction, David Peace is the outstanding British crime writer of his generation, prior to Red Riding being screened, I'd read '1974', 'GB84' and 'The Damned United'. Now I'm reading the one from the 'Red Riding' Trilogy not adapted, '1977'.

So I at least knew any adaptation would not be your conventional cop show, despite this, all these three films screened set a benchmark. The acting is superb, though it's fiction intertwined with fact, they pull it off.

At the start of this film, Warren Clarke as senior cop Molloy, monologues to camera, almost it seems in a trance, reasoning, appealing to the Yorkshire Ripper, trying to understand and almost plead with him. Like a star shell in my head, I recalled the senior policeman in the real Ripper investigation, George Oldfield, doing something not that different on national TV, 30 years ago. He was being broken by his failure after years and with bodies piling up, to catch the Ripper, he would stake everything of the tape and letters from the 'Ripper' taunting him.

They were hoaxes, the completely different accent on the tape caused the Police to let the real Ripper slip through their fingers at least once. A couple of years ago, DNA advances caught the Hoaxer over 25 years on-from samples on an envelope he licked to seal in 1978, he was a hopeless alcoholic on the DNA database for minor disorder offences.

The above sounds an unlikely story, so although Red Riding has plots that to many may seem outlandish, real life can be too. There was a culture of corruption, fitting people up and worse, in some British police forces in the 1970's. There was corruption with developers and politicians. David Peace has taken these, added his own touches, to construct what he has called 'Occult Histories', including as in GB84, the 1984/85 miners strike. 'Occult' as in alternative, rather black magic/Satan etc.

What the three films in this trilogy have done, is take the writers vision off the page and onto film in a stunning, memorable and accomplished fashion. A heap of BAFTA's surely await?

And get that DVD out!