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Post by Cohaagen on Feb 29, 2008 7:02:00 GMT -5
The best TV mini-series of the 80s, without apologies to Dennis Potter - or anyone else for that matter. The infamous TV show about "a detective who turns into a tree". An example of what the BBC can do when it gets things right, instead of trying to second-guess its audience. What the X-Files wishes it was. Perhaps my favourite TV show of all time. An impeccable, implacable and much-missed Bob Peck as the curmudgeonly Yorkshire detective Ronald Craven, Joe Don Baker in undoubtedly his greatest role as Darius Jedburgh, the eccentric, golf-loving and near unkillable CIA agent who may or may not be guided by a higher power, a gorgeous Joanne Whalley before she became a bit-part hyphen and when she sounded more like Mark Radcliffe than Sheena Easton, Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton's haunting, wonderful but never intrusive score, a hugely original and ambiguous script by Troy Kennedy-Martin, perfectly judged "oh it's him" supporting roles from Charles Kay, Tim McInnery (!), Sue Cook (!), Ian McNiece and a not irritating Zoe Wanamaker, great direction from future Goldeneye and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, and much more besides. Without giving away the (magnificent and riveting) storyline, various plot points involve eco-terrorism, plutonium, government conspiracy, the military-industrial complex, The Troubles, murder, mysticism, mental illness, the intelligence community and espionage, and much else. I won't spoil it for you, but if you haven't seen it....you're missing out on one of the best television programmes ever.
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Post by Lord Chenney on Feb 29, 2008 7:05:26 GMT -5
i watched half of this when it was repeated in the mid-90's. i remember it being brilliant, but i never got round to seeing the whole thing. i may just order it on dvd. my dad also had the soundtrack album on vinyl. brilliant stuff.
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Post by Cohaagen on Feb 29, 2008 7:07:36 GMT -5
It's well worth getting, Chen. The scene with Baker at the conference during the last episode is worth the cover price alone. www.thebox.bz also has a torrent of it, if you can get a subscription.
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Post by Lord Chenney on Feb 29, 2008 7:42:13 GMT -5
ive seen that scene before, but i dont remember it too well. which is nice considering i dont remember the program too well. so all will be a surprise.
ive just ordered it - £6.
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Post by vigilante on Feb 29, 2008 7:48:14 GMT -5
I can't belive I've never heard of this until now...probably because it was tricky to pick up BBC in Ireland back in the 80's.
I have a live Clapton album and he does an amazing instrumental called Edge of Darkness and I always wondered where it came from.
Anyway I just ordered a copy of the dvd on Amazon. Thanks for turning me on to this. Sounds like it's right up my alley.
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Post by Cohaagen on Feb 29, 2008 21:11:37 GMT -5
It even has Tom Waits and New Model Army on the soundtrack!
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Post by vigilante on Mar 5, 2008 18:21:12 GMT -5
DVD arrived today and I ended up watching all six episodes back to back.
Brilliant stuff. Can't get the Clapton theme out of my head.
Felt sorry for poor old Bob Peck everytime he came on screen which was pretty much for every minute of the series.
Joe Don Baker as the looney CIA/military was great too and it seems as if he's stayed in character for the past twenty years.
Worth every penny and thanks again for bringing this series to my attention.
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Post by Cohaagen on Mar 5, 2008 18:35:54 GMT -5
Great stuff. I knew you wouldn't be disappointed. Has your copy arrived yet, Chen? I am listening to the Clapton soundtrack as I type, and I'm about to watch 6 hours of Edge... right after I leave the forum. It's one of those pieces of cinema or television, like City of God or Alien, that I wish would go on forever, and makes me feel sad when it ends. SPOILERS
I especially like the scene where you see the aftermath of Jedburgh's shootout with the CIA team - vehicles on fire, windscreens shattered, guys covered in blood draped over car bonnets, etc. My favourite is the dude who's been shot in the head in the act of getting out his car
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Post by vigilante on Mar 5, 2008 18:46:00 GMT -5
The last two episodes were the best. The break in, the break out and the the final acts, all brilliant.
Fair play to the BBC, they didn't hold back on the violence in those episodes and even the radiated corpes looked nasty. What time of the evening was it shown anyone remember?
Six episodes was short but the storytelling left no room for waste.
Read some articles from 2002 which said that Campbell was ready to direct a big screen version. Obviously that fell through.
Downloading a copy of the soundtrack. The Clapton/Kamen score is not a million miles from what would become the Lethal Weapon score a year later.
Think I'll try and revisit some more 80's tv. For some reason I've got an urge to see the Terrahawks again.
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Post by Cohaagen on Mar 5, 2008 18:51:24 GMT -5
It was shown at 9PM on BBC2. After the last episode it was repeated - due to public demand - on BBC1 less than a week later...the fastest repeat in BBC history. There's a great Edge of Darkness site here: fabulousbakers.tripod.com/edge/main.htmlSome great stuff there - a complete biography of Craven, thumbnail sketches for the rest of the cast, history of GAIA, details of the Northmoor facility, etc. Loads of good shit. "Get it while it's hot!"
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Post by vigilante on Mar 5, 2008 18:55:43 GMT -5
I was on that site today.
I think the webmaster's responsible for the Fabulous Baker Boys site too. Same domain name and style. It's been one of my favourite sites since I started surfing the net and also one of my favourite movies.
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Post by Cohaagen on Mar 5, 2008 19:02:41 GMT -5
By the way, I should also point out for any interested readers that the bad guy in Edge of Darkness is called Bennett!
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Post by bodieci5 on Apr 21, 2008 19:27:32 GMT -5
This is possibly the best TV series I have ever seen, with unforgettable imagery, an important message and an anti-Thatcher stance. Bob Peck was awesome as Craven and Joe Don Baker was simply THE MAN! He ruled when he gave that speech with those radioactive bars. The action in the last two episodes was top-notch, thanks to Bond helmer Martin Campbell.
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Post by abortiondinner on Apr 22, 2008 11:14:24 GMT -5
Oh man! I haven't seen this in years. Thanks for reminding me of this awesome gem, Cohaagen.
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Post by Colonel John Matrix on Apr 22, 2008 17:28:11 GMT -5
I think I ought to pick this up. Thanks for the heads up 'haagen - i've never heard of this before..
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