Wednesday 24 May 2017

MORE MOORE: THE PERSUADERS! ON VHS

From VHSville: More Moore... this time the first in the series of Carlton era THE PERSUADERS! tapes, showcasing the show's (fairly) unprecedented production values with extensive glossy location shoots in the south of France.  Compare that with Moore's previous playboy lifestyle in THE SAINT where - despite visiting the casinos and hotels of the world - he seldom actually left the confines of the Elstree lot.  Stock establishing shots covered a multitude of sins.

This came fairly late in the cycle of ITC glossy adventure shows (THE PROTECTORS, SPACE:1999 and RETURN OF THE SAINT were still to come) but this is a highpoint.  Lew Grade's ITC finally invested the money to create a weekly series that looked better than anything else UK or US programme makers could hope to muster.  And it boasted two leading men that not only made for a great double act but also added a further sense of glamour to the whole shebang.  Which is something Lord Grade knew all about.

Pick any episode of the show (and they looked amazing in HD) and it's clear that everyone is having a lot of fun... except maybe Joan Collins who had a major bust-up with Curtis on location and threatened to walk from the shoot.  It's interesting that Moore's career still had the best years - as Bond - still to come whilst Curtis is more obviously slumming on the small screen.  But, if you are going to slum, you might as well do it in one of the most expensive shows of its time.


6 comments:

  1. Thanks for these wonderful tributes to Sir Roger.


    Out today is a new DK guide to wonder woman.


    I also managed to snag the latest BACK ISSUE despite the greatly reduced mag section in my FP. This one has a winged theme and includes an article on the Michael Crawford oddity CONDORMAN. Does anyone here recall going to see this back in 1981 ?


    The issue also has a very nice letter from Robin Kirby who seems to be quite an authority on M-UK ( like your good self, Slow ).


    At first, I baulked at the price increase but still worth it.

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  2. I saw CONDORMAN on thbig screen when it was first released. And I watched it again a few years ago. It's not a bad little movie in its own way.

    Rob Kirby has been promising a history book of Marvel UK for what seems like twenty years now. It was linked to Skinn's Quality for quite a while... but I'm not sure it is still is. I think it will be ana amzing read when it is released... if we ever get to that point. In the meantime, STARLOGGED was partly created to fill the gap.

    I also picked-up the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA trade paperback, the new issue of STAR WARS INSIDER, the book of Topps POTA trading cards and the ALEINS mag. And SFX. The new EMPEROR OF THE DALEKS Panini book should drop in my Amazon locker today as well. Splurge over.

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  3. Agreed, its an enjoyable movie but considering it came out in the same year as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY ad CLASH OF THE TITANS, I doubt if was anyone's first choice for a trip to the flicks.



    I actually got in touch with Rob Kirby years ago through his letter in the long defunct COMIC BUYERS GUIDE.


    He told me the book would run to at least 400 pages but I'm not sure if it will ever be released .


    By ALIENS mag, you mean the ALIEN COVENANT movie mag ?

    was it the softcover version ?

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  4. btw , the new issue of RECORD COLLECTOR has a nice article on dr who records.

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  5. Interesting! Thanks for the heads-up. I will have a look next time I am in a newsagent.

    The new issue of BACK OISSUE teases some delights for the rest of this year and into next...

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  6. lets hope the editor of BI makes good on his promise to do a special issue on Carmine Infantino.

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