|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 13, 2020 15:30:17 GMT
 Any other Budgie fans in the forum? From August 1970-June 1971, chart singer Adam Faith filmed a comedy drama as petty thief Ronald "Budgie" Bird. The series also starred Iain Cuthbertson as his criminal associate Charlie Endell, and Lynn Dalby as his girlfriend Hazel. Budgie returned to television from April-July 1972 for a further thirteen episodes. Adam Faith being in a near-fatal car accident is often cited as the reason why the series was discontinued, but in his 1996 autobiography Acts of Faith it's strongly implied that the series had run its course and he was going to continue his acting career elsewhere. I've just got the DVD containing all 26 episodes of the 1970s drama starring Adam Faith as petty crook Ron 'Budgie' Bird who constantly finds himself embroiled in petty scams and get rich quick schemes - none of which seem to end in success, and all of which seem to get Budgie in trouble with the police, and with his dodgy underworld boss, Charlie Endell (Iain Cuthbertson). Episodes are: 'Out'; 'Some Mother's Son'; 'Brains'; 'Grandee Hotel'; 'In Deep'; 'Could Do Better'; 'Best Mates'; 'Everybody Loves a Baby'; 'A Pair of Charlies'; 'Fiddler on the Hoof (Part 1)'; 'Fiddler on the Hoof (Part 2)'; 'Sunset Mansions, Or, Whatever Happened to Janey Babe?'; 'And In Again'; 'Dreaming of Thee'; 'And the Lord Taketh Away'; 'Louie the Ring is Dead and Buried in Kensal Green Cemetery'; 'The Jump-Up Boys'; 'Our Story So Far'; 'Do Me a Favour'; 'Glory of Fulham'; '24,000 Ball Point Pens'; 'King For a Day'; 'The Outside Man'; 'The Man Outside'; 'Brief Encounter'; and 'Run Rabbit, Run Rabbit, Run, Run, Run'. This review on Amazon makes me hopefully that the series will still stand up (I haven't watched since I was a child of about 10).... This is a genuine classic despite, as has been said in other reviews the inevitable couple of duff episodes. I wasn't in the UK for series one but enjoyed series two on its initial broadcast and, frankly, was expecting, as they say in Dr Who circles, the memory to cheat. Well it didn't and I'd recommend the series wholeheartedly.
I won't bother going into any synopses -others have done that- but I was astonished at the huge range of acting talent involved. Aside from producer Verity Lambert (Dr Who being the highlight of her stellar career), the list includes Gordon Jackson, John Thaw, Anthony Valentine, Peter Sallis, James Bolam, the psychotically brilliant Georgina Hale, Derek Jacobi, Margaret Nolan and Anouska Hemple (in the same episode) and John Rhys-Davis as the brilliantly-monikered Laughing Spam Fritter.
As for Iain Cuthbertson -in my humble opinion Charlie Endell is one of the great villains of all time up there with Bill Sykes and Ernst Blofeld. The only real downside to this box set is the shockingly bad quality of the prints -both sound and vision. Why oh why do we allow so much great TV and film to deteriorate to this level? Take a note Network -if your going to release classic series (and long may you do so) a little bit of restorative investment wouldn't go amiss -though the extras were most insightful and welcome.
|
|
|
|
Post by personunknown on Jan 15, 2020 12:37:06 GMT
I remember discussing this with Skullduggery in the old TP. It has so many memories for even beyond the series itself. If I recall correctly it used to air on a Friday night 9 to 10. My parents had no interest it but luckily for me, we had just purchased a b&w portable telly alongside the clunky Rediffusion one in the living room. So I'd lug the portable upstairs, mess about with the coat hanger ariel for ages until I got a decent picture....
A lot of adult themes for a kid of 11 years old, Budgie manned the counter in a sex shop! Loved it but I'm not sure if I would want to revisit it, better left with the memories.
BTW Iain Cuthbertson was the baddie in the Children of the Stones. I was in Wiltshire last month and visited where it was filmed.A mini Stonehenge adjacent to a picturesque English village, lovely in the daytime but as dusk falls, it takes on a real ethereal quality.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 15, 2020 15:01:41 GMT
I remember discussing this with Skullduggery in the old TP. It has so many memories for even beyond the series itself. If I recall correctly it used to air on a Friday night 9 to 10. My parents had no interest it but luckily for me, we had just purchased a b&w portable telly alongside the clunky Rediffusion one in the living room. So I'd lug the portable upstairs, mess about with the coat hanger ariel for ages until I got a decent picture.... A lot of adult themes for a kid of 11 years old, Budgie manned the counter in a sex shop! Loved it but I'm not sure if I would want to revisit it, better left with the memories. I'll let you know how it appears to 21st century eyes when I give it a rewatch BTW Iain Cuthbertson was the baddie in the Children of the Stones. I was in Wiltshire last month and visited where it was filmed.A mini Stonehenge adjacent to a picturesque English village, lovely in the daytime but as dusk falls, it takes on a real ethereal quality. I revisited the Children of the Stones with my kids a couple of years back It still really stands up Iain Cuthbertson makes a great baddie |
|
|
|
Post by personunknown on Jun 16, 2020 17:41:23 GMT
On Talking Pictures tonight 9pm.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 16, 2020 17:46:49 GMT
Looking forward to it. Though I could just watch it on DVD which I've still yet to do
|
|
|
|
Post by johnnyoi on Jun 16, 2020 18:39:54 GMT
Remember wanting a Budgie jacket.Never got one though.Must have been too expensive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 16, 2020 18:46:59 GMT
I never got one either. My Mum wasn't keen on getting me Oxford bags either.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 16, 2020 18:49:48 GMT
BTW Iain Cuthbertson was the baddie in the Children of the Stones. I was in Wiltshire last month and visited where it was filmed.A mini Stonehenge adjacent to a picturesque English village, lovely in the daytime but as dusk falls, it takes on a real ethereal quality. I rewatched that a few years back having bought the DVD - still really stands up Back to Budgie, and Iain Cuthbertson, there was a spin off series called Charlie Endell Esquire which didn't last long and I don't think I ever saw it I found the first episode on YouTube... |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2020 9:29:35 GMT
Better off watching UFO to be honest...
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 17, 2020 10:21:12 GMT
Not a fan then rogue?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2020 11:22:14 GMT
A bit before my time but I mind Charlie Endell esq
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 26, 2020 11:39:00 GMT
I've started watching the Talking Pictures repeats and I'm halway through the first ever episode (still in black and white due to an industrial dispute that meant the first four eps are all B&W)
So far whilst there's things that jarr to the modern eye and ear (e.g. limp wristed gay stereotypes, the cliche dimwitted Irish pal, and nobody batting an eyelid at a 15 year old (!) stripper), generally I'm impressed
I really like Adam Faith who is a really charismatic screen presence and somehow makes Budgie likeable despite his terrible behaviour
Iain Cuthbertson is great value too. Of course.
And Lynn Dalby as Hazel is a really credible and sympathetic character too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 27, 2020 6:59:34 GMT
I've started watching the Talking Pictures repeats and I'm halway through the first ever episode (still in black and white due to an industrial dispute that meant the first four eps are all B&W) So far whilst there's things that jarr to the modern eye and ear (e.g. limp wristed gay stereotypes, the cliche dimwitted Irish pal, and nobody batting an eyelid at a 15 year old (!) stripper), generally I'm impressed I really like Adam Faith who is a really charismatic screen presence and somehow makes Budgie likeable despite his terrible behaviour Iain Cuthbertson is great value too. Of course. And Lynn Dalby as Hazel is a really credible and sympathetic character too. I've finished episode one (Out) now and am underway with episode two (Some Mothers' Sons) where, after some opening scenes with Hazel's mum and solicitor, and Budgie and a "brass" who is off to her son's wedding, it's now clear Budgie has to mind some illegal immigrants for Charlie. The scripts are really well done so far, which is no surprise given that the writers are Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall (most famous for Billy Liar) Apparently the first four episodes are in black and white because of a union dispute. Episode five will blast into colour. I wonder if the opening credits will stay the same. I really like the way they are done and how they sum up the futility of Budgie's schemes to make money. The theme music is good too. The whole thing gives off a maudlin vibe of futility which I really like. Far less knockabout than Minder which it resembles in some ways. With Charlie Endell being a heavier and more threatening version of Arthur Daley, whlist Budgie is less violent Terry McCann
As always the language is interesting. You don't hear the word "scrubber" any more! It shouldn't sound as bad as slag but somehow it sounds worse, might be the "scr" sound?
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jun 29, 2020 12:21:11 GMT
I've now finished Episode 2 - Some Mothers’ Sons - which has a host of casual and not so casual racism
Put that to one side and there’s a lot to enjoy here
The four illegal Pakistani immigrants are very believable, all of whom are convincingly bewildered. The final scene, when they are all led away to the soundtrack of The Big Rock Candy Mountain, was very well done.
After a 15 year stripper going off with an older man in episode 1, there was another example of the era’s apparently casual approach to paedophilia. After Budgie’s maintenance court case, the next case, which we only see briefly, is about grooming an underage girl who looked about 10 years old. The defendant and the girl briefly share a smile together.
The Budgie/Hazel relationship gets ever more bizarre. I’m not sure Budgie is in the treat them mean keep them keen camp as he’s actually quite pleasant, and even charming. It’s just he is not prepared to offer any commitment at all and makes no bones about that. What you see is what you get.
Charlie Endell fabulously ruthless as well and quite happy for Budgie to take the rap for prostitution, although his comment about greasing the right palms shows how police corruption was taken as a given in the early 70s
Anyway, another enjoyable episode which makes me keen to keep watching.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Emsworth on Jul 3, 2020 15:27:20 GMT
 Brains (Series 1 Episode 3)I've now watched Brains (Series 1 Episode 3) on my Budgie DVD Here's a few spoiler-free musings It's the best so far, and that's in a big part due to the arrival of Georgina Hale playing Budgie's wife Jean What an actor. What a performance. And what a complicated and interesting character. Much brighter than Budgie but less confident. She's still able to get some home truths over to Budgie, in what is another episode in which his shortcomings are brought home to him Jean is almost as unsympathetic as Budgie and yet, like Budgie, we end up cheering for her By the end of the episode even Budgie tries to do right by her but even this goes badly wrong The episode revolves around some dodgy Green Shield stamps (although they're renamed in the episode) At the start of the episode Budgie encounters Charlie Endell who, once again, shows Budgie how things should be done in a memorable scene in which he flogs something to a couple of Northerners on a visit to the smoke. It's brilliant. Budgie also manages to lord it over his mate who is even less endowed in the brains department than he his, although by the end he realises that he nowhere near as clever or capable as would like to be That image at the opening of these programmes, with the money blowing away in the wind was never more apt Not for nothing is this episode called Brains I can't think of anything currently on TV which comes close to the subtly on display here. What makes it work so well is that it's aligned to such throughly downbeat and yet illogically compelling drama. |
|
