Saturday, August 28, 2010

Television

The global mediaweb has recently made it possible for me to enjoy unusual television programs as well as movies, and these are some I have recently viewed:

Steptoe and Son (1962) The British source of America's Sanford and Son, depicting the conflicted relationship of a father and son running a tatty salvage yard. Really quite enjoyable - I watched an entire season, which consists of far fewer episodes than a U.S. season.

Dad's Army (1968) Having repeatedly encountered references to this as a classic British TV comedy for many years, I enjoyed a few episodes, but I think it requires a more purely British mindset and cultural immersion to fully appreciate these comic adventures of an inept volunteer militia during the Second World War.

Beyond Westworld (1980) If the Rampaging Android films Westworld and Futureworld left you longing for more Rampaging Android action, Beyond Westworld appeared for a few brief flat episodes to slake your thirst. Inexpensive, primitive, and often outright laughable, it features robots who look just like people, controlled by a Mad Genius who wants to create a perfect world ruled by unemotional mechanisms, leaving us free to enjoy Utopia. The crazy bastard! Four episodes were broadcast, one is enough to watch.

33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (1969) As Donna said, this is their White Album - each Monkee is given an individual showcase just before the group permanently fragments. Much more focus away from the Monkees than I expected, with prominent place given to blues-rock performers Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger as a sort of satanic allegorical duo of Devil and Muse, and a number of other outstanding soul, blues and rock artists. It's obvious that everyone associated with this production was on drugs. Contains the astounding visual spectacle of a pyramid of pianos being simultaneously played by Fats Domino, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Brian Auger. There is a nostalgia sequence of '50s hits, and a final extended trippy freakout that seems designed to punish any unstoned viewer.

Mary's Incredible Dream (1976) Mary Tyler Moore's version of 33 1/3 Revolutions. I know she wasn't on drugs so I can't imagine what provoked this bizarre musico/biblical allegory of the fall and redemption of humanity. Ben Vereen as the adversary, and The Manhattan Transfer as chorus. Mary's nostalgia goes back to the '30s with a series of elaborate production numbers and surreal settings. Her costume for one bawdy-house style number is a startling green glitter kinky-fascist ensemble with military trim and thigh-boots. Quite imaginative, colorful, and baffling.

I also watched a few episodes of the more recent The Sarah Silverman Program, to see what the deal was there. I figured out that it was a case of "saying something outrageously inappropriate is the same as a joke." Relatively amusing for a short time until I understood that.

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