Tango01 | 17 Sep 2018 12:53 p.m. PST |
"Like many others I often get nostalgic for the television programmes I watched when I was little. Irish television tended to feature a lot of re-runs of British television from the 1970s. One that particularly sticks in my memory is "Warhammer 40,000 – The Rogue Trader". This somewhat obscure science fiction serial was produced by Thames television between 1979-1983. Younger viewers are probably more familiar with the 2004 reboot, but despite its vastly more impressive production values, I think the writing in the original series was better. Note: You'll have to forgive me, but most of this is culled from the relevant wikipedia entry and Rudyard Oldman's seminal "Terror in Television: British Science Fiction & Horror progamming 1965-1990. OUP, 2001. Currently out of print, but well worth looking for on Abebooks….." Main page link Amicalement Armand |
napthyme | 17 Sep 2018 2:22 p.m. PST |
Me too, I just finished watching the only season available of Ace of Wands. Always loved Benny Hill. Had not know about this WH40K program will have to check it out. So much of the 70's stuff is great stories with period ok special effects. |
Katzbalger | 17 Sep 2018 4:55 p.m. PST |
Surely, sir, you jest. You guys do realizer that post is a joke, right? Rob |
Skinflint Games | 19 Sep 2018 12:54 p.m. PST |
Thoroughly enjoyed that :-) I'd love to see NetFlix (for example) pull off something like that now, but manage to keep the "wobbly sets, 8-bit CGI" feel of the original RT. Blanchitsu style SFX and just general lunacy. Loved the bit about orks being played by Welsh rugby players – from now on, I'll be imagining my ladz differently – "Jones da Mekboy, Jones da Bigboss, Jones da Skarboy".. |
The H Man | 21 Sep 2018 8:42 p.m. PST |
No joke. A friend Lent me what he taped of it many years ago, only a few episodes. It was on YouTube at some time, but I guess GW saw to that as it's not there now. Your not missing much. Very low budget. Planet sets looked like a kids show. Orcs looked like Star trek Orion's. The ones I saw had some grots, but they were simple puppets. The story seemed a bit Buck Rodgers or flash gorden like. It even had the token robot. Basically an opportunity missed. |
ROUWetPatchBehindTheSofa | 22 Sep 2018 8:38 a.m. PST |
And apparently a lot of the props were made from empty hygiene product containers and drainpipe. According to the chapter 'Green Rubber and Black PVC' dealing with sci-fi shows in Theatrical Property and Costume in British Television, 1953 to 1987. But you need to find the original imprint and not the Book Club reprint, where that chapter has been replaced by twelve colour plates of Emma Peel's catsuit. I also heard that the production management of the show was so bad Priestly was effectively black-listed in the UK TV/film business afterwards and this was the real reason why the much rumoured Genestealer v's Terminators film never happened. |
Pictors Studio | 22 Sep 2018 9:02 a.m. PST |
I think I would rather have the book club reprint. |
ROUWetPatchBehindTheSofa | 22 Sep 2018 11:23 a.m. PST |
It was actually some rather crass marketing on the part of Book club Associates, it was merely the catsuit photographed against a white studio backdrop with no sign of Dianna Rigg. Apparently it even resulted in case before Tunbridge Wells magistrate court after someone wrote a letter to the local paper and complained to Trading Standards. They aren't even any use as painting guide as they are slightly underexposed and the black is too 'dark'. |
The H Man | 23 Sep 2018 2:21 a.m. PST |
I once read that the Star wars bounty Hunter IG 88 used the robot prop from RT, though they changed the head, which was more disc shaped from memory. With them using Doctor who's (or raaf's) get up for Bossk, it is possible. |
Pictors Studio | 23 Sep 2018 10:09 a.m. PST |
There are all kinds of shenanigans like that in Hollywood and magazines. I'm pretty sure I read that Wilson was actually a basketball that they made look like a volleyball. |
Skinflint Games | 01 Oct 2018 2:09 p.m. PST |
@H Man – " As for the piece above, I wrote it for a laugh a couple of years ago, but never did anything with it. " You yanking my chain, homey? ;-) |
Skinflint Games | 01 Oct 2018 2:09 p.m. PST |
@H Man – " As for the piece above, I wrote it for a laugh a couple of years ago, but never did anything with it. " You yanking my chain, homey? ;-) |
The H Man | 01 Oct 2018 10:31 p.m. PST |
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