Spoilers U.F.O. TV Series (1970) Discussion Thread.
- Thread starter valkyrie013
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That's the one...I think Turner said "Let's do that again" and previous footage of a chase scene was played over--as if he could loop reality...a gritty episode as a recall.
I just found out that Wanda Ventham's son is none other than Benedict Cumberbatch!
Gabrielle Drake's brother was none other than singer/songwriter Nick Drake, who's got quite a cult following. She was also in a TV production with JG Ballard connected with his novel Crash.
I saw a few episodes of UFO in the early 1970s but the local channel never seemed to air it very regularly, so I didn't see all of it, but I loved it, and bought the two novelizations. In the '90s I found a few VHS tapes and was pleasantly surprised how well some of the episodes stood up. And around 2010 I bought the box set and finally worked through the full series. It's dated, there's some silly things here and there, but the show's often a lot better than its subject matter might suggest. There are going to be people who never get past the purple wigs, the idea of an anti-UFO defence force based under a film studio, and occasional very dated attitudes. Their loss. There's some really solid storytelling there.
I saw a few episodes of UFO in the early 1970s but the local channel never seemed to air it very regularly, so I didn't see all of it, but I loved it, and bought the two novelizations. In the '90s I found a few VHS tapes and was pleasantly surprised how well some of the episodes stood up. And around 2010 I bought the box set and finally worked through the full series. It's dated, there's some silly things here and there, but the show's often a lot better than its subject matter might suggest. There are going to be people who never get past the purple wigs, the idea of an anti-UFO defence force based under a film studio, and occasional very dated attitudes. Their loss. There's some really solid storytelling there.
could imaging some of the comments about The Computer Affair back in 1970 because you had a white woman dating a black man.
For anybody wanting to see the episodes but can not obtain playback discs, they are (at least at the time I'm posting this) available upon the "Internet Archive".
Gerry Anderson's "UFO" at the Internet Archive
Gerry Anderson's "UFO" at the Internet Archive
^ also on Tubi at least in the US
Really enjoying this show. Reminds me of Star Trek TOS season one in some ways. Especially the anthology in an episodic continuity feel of several instalments. Also has some James Bond and Doctor Who influence. I have to wonder if the makers of "NuWHo" might have been fans. They do the "stock footage accented by dramatic music" often used in Torchwood and SJA.
Finished it all, I liked it. more than Space 1999, that was Way to much space hippies..
It is ripe, along with a few other british series, to be rebooted. I think it would do well.
It is ripe, along with a few other british series, to be rebooted. I think it would do well.
I'd add Blakes Seven and Star Cops to that list.
I'm not sure you ever recapture the magic with Blake's 7. And there is no way in today's environment you float a show whose lead character is a pedophile.
What!?!
It's made perfectly clear that Blake is framed by the Federation. If someone doesn't like the series and/or likes fascist governments, they should just state that.
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Yeah, you can only get away with that in politics.
What!?!
In the first episode it is revealed that Roj Blake was a resistance leader who was captured and had his memory erased.
When he attended a second resistance meeting and was captured again, the Federation decided that, rather than killing Blake, which would create a martyr, they would implant false memories in children and accuse Blake of being a child molester and exile him instead.
Yeah, some people appear either to have a poor grasp of how to interpret fiction or to have been conditioned to accept verbatim the word of authoritarian governments - even imaginary ones. I hope it's just that they don't like the outdated effects and graphics, which even at the time looked super cheaply done compared to what Gerry Anderson's crew had pulled off.
What would be awesome if there was a way to rotoscope the performances into an improved FX background. But only if it could be done to look seamless- not some cheap ass look. Then again, part of the charm of the original Blake's 7 and the old Dr. Who episodes etc is the whacky, cheapo FX and sound work. The scripts and actors had to carry it, because the props sure didn't.
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