So what do you know about where you live? In most cases, what you know yourself is kept to yourself. But sometimes there comes along an outsiders view, like most people would think about Portsmouth as a naval city, which it is in a way. With the Baim films and the quotation quickies making films for other to see about different towns and cities. Now I'm not suggesting they were in anyway films to cheer up the masses away from the dreary lives they were used to at the time of their making during the 1970's and 80's, but they do have a feel of showing people that where they lived was OK.
Now I first saw Telly Savalas Looks Portsmouth on the now defunct Portsmouth Television and I was amazed this thing existed and they had got a copy to show to fill time of an afternoon. When researching futher into the quotation quickies, I found out there had been several of these films voiced over by Telly Savalas, mainly to be shown alongside a main feature.
First of all Telly talks about the streets being named about historical names, although most the streets themselves were modern streets in the Guildhall Square complex around the civic offices. It does seem that the irony in it, that he concentrates on a newer part which was only built after the war such as the Guildhall Walk. "The New Theatre Royal, well it was when it was built 130 years ago..." chirps Telly. Now over 30 years later, the development is changing again with brand new facilities being incorporated into the building. The Guildhall Walk is set against a background of clubs and pubs nowadays, meaning anyone wanting to go and see a big show there of an evening really can't because of the revellers there getting in everyone's way. Its a flaw which hasn't been resolved really, which bring me onto the next thing.
The Kings Theatre in Southsea, famous for it shows and performances of pantomimes each and every year. In different areas we see other places getting brand new state of the art theatres and here is a theatre from a Victorian age which still plods along gamely, now I am not saying get rid of it all together. But when the development of Gunwharf Quays was planned and built, surely it would have been wiser to build something there rather then struggle on.
There is the building of the IBM complex which is in the North of the city, subsequently the new Lakeside 1000 development has sprung up with Port Solent in recent years. Like with other places, it has tried to tart the image up of the city. A main problem is Portsdown Hill always getting in the way, we can't build beyond it, it is like our very own Berlin Wall, that we are squeezed into the space we have. In other countries they would come up with a solution to solve this problem, short of blowing up the hill, this is a problem which will remain to fox most people. As a citizen, I am here for being here's sake. But I can see why people move away, say
without any industry and a football club what are we? Another Detroit...
I am not knocking the city as such, but it does make you think sometimes...
Showing posts with label Telly Savalas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Telly Savalas. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Friday, 27 January 2012
"You Tube, I Tube, we all tube for YouTube.."
"What has social media ever done for us?" That's the question which has been asked time after time... Well, in some cases it has opened up the world for us. Otherwise it has brought us closer to home and to ourselves. Our world was first revolutionised by radio, then television, video recorders etc. right upto the internet's inception. Now from the early dial-up days when any video took ages to down, there was rarely any sites out there for the media and pop-culture enthusiast.
With TV Cream and also the Television Ark being the exceptions to the rule, it was hard for someone like me to find about programmes apart from the knowledge I knew myself. For the others out there who had a love of television too, it was good to see the odd ident on a site. But for a long time this glimpse was enough, it wasn't until YouTube came along that I could see again half the things which had gone into my head.
It is a treasure trove of clips, all recorded by people and uploaded onto the site. Looking through everything, it gains itself a reputation as a resource. For instance, someone has uploaded the whole of End of Part One up there. Now because of varying issues, it has never been released on DVD. Being a fan of Marshall and Renwick's work, it comes as no surprise that the sketches still hold up today. Maybe not the contents but the style, the influence is seen through other's work. Peter Serafinowicz is an example of this, by using the spoof style of an actual broadcast or advert, this blurs the line between comedy and reality but to an extent which makes you question if its real or spoof.
Where it comes into its own, thanks to 'filmnet' s YouTube channel who uploaded End of Part One on there, that they have uploaded Hardwicke House there too. This was a series dropped by ITV owing to its contents, starring Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall and the likes of Duncan Preston too. It seems tame now, that a comedy series which portrayed a secondary school as it is, would provoke so many people. Where as this is another lost gem found again, YouTube reminds us of the past too.
In British cinema of the 50's, 60's, 70's and the early 80's, short features would be shown in front of a main feature, much the purpose of the newsreel had fulfilled this role in early times. Harold Baim made a lot of short films to be shown in cinemas highlighting things and places of the British Isles, showing people who had never been to these places a view of what they were like. One example of this is 'Telly Savalas Looks at...' A series made by Baim and voiced by the Kojak actor, clearly Telly has not even been to any of these places, rather then being in a voice-over booth in London. But that's by the by, Savalas' own style makes you want to go there and explore the place he is talking about. I will be coming back to a certain one of these films over the weekend, but let me leave you with a example of one and say 'YouTube, thank you for being there and for the people who upload the good bits of nostalgia, thanks...'
With TV Cream and also the Television Ark being the exceptions to the rule, it was hard for someone like me to find about programmes apart from the knowledge I knew myself. For the others out there who had a love of television too, it was good to see the odd ident on a site. But for a long time this glimpse was enough, it wasn't until YouTube came along that I could see again half the things which had gone into my head.
It is a treasure trove of clips, all recorded by people and uploaded onto the site. Looking through everything, it gains itself a reputation as a resource. For instance, someone has uploaded the whole of End of Part One up there. Now because of varying issues, it has never been released on DVD. Being a fan of Marshall and Renwick's work, it comes as no surprise that the sketches still hold up today. Maybe not the contents but the style, the influence is seen through other's work. Peter Serafinowicz is an example of this, by using the spoof style of an actual broadcast or advert, this blurs the line between comedy and reality but to an extent which makes you question if its real or spoof.
Denise Coffey... and cream..
Where it comes into its own, thanks to 'filmnet' s YouTube channel who uploaded End of Part One on there, that they have uploaded Hardwicke House there too. This was a series dropped by ITV owing to its contents, starring Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall and the likes of Duncan Preston too. It seems tame now, that a comedy series which portrayed a secondary school as it is, would provoke so many people. Where as this is another lost gem found again, YouTube reminds us of the past too.
In British cinema of the 50's, 60's, 70's and the early 80's, short features would be shown in front of a main feature, much the purpose of the newsreel had fulfilled this role in early times. Harold Baim made a lot of short films to be shown in cinemas highlighting things and places of the British Isles, showing people who had never been to these places a view of what they were like. One example of this is 'Telly Savalas Looks at...' A series made by Baim and voiced by the Kojak actor, clearly Telly has not even been to any of these places, rather then being in a voice-over booth in London. But that's by the by, Savalas' own style makes you want to go there and explore the place he is talking about. I will be coming back to a certain one of these films over the weekend, but let me leave you with a example of one and say 'YouTube, thank you for being there and for the people who upload the good bits of nostalgia, thanks...'
Mid-atlantic? No, its the Midlands!
Next time of Boggenstrovia's Bit...
We look inwards at ourselves and see how Telly Savalas took one city and made it 'One hell of a town...' He comes to Portsmouth, and I'll guide you through as we go... So hold on tight and all fares to the driver please!
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