[narfstar]

Yes he did and all of us old fans were well aware that it was hi. I went to the official Chiller Theater site
http://www.chillertheatermemories.com/TheLab.html fun stuff and they have some clips but non of Captain Bad which was my favorite

[Captain Audio]

Is the title actually "The Vikings"? When did it air - 60s 70s? Live action or cartoon?

A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.

I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?

Full title was "tales of the Vikings" beginning in 1959.
Heres a short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIdbj3QmOho
The Arabic or farsi subtitles, which look to be as old as the film, may indicate this clip came from a copy sent out to the Mideast and hopefully preserved somewhere.
Many Dr Who episodes were salvaged from simultaneous filmed copies sent to small TV stations all over the world after the original videotaped copies were erased.
With luck perhaps some episodes will show up one day.
I'm pretty sure that a small now defunct UHF station nearby has a treasure trove of old films stored somewhere. They once showed what may have been a full length version of "Metropolis" though the film kept breaking and jamming up their projector, the film was probably trashed by that showing. That was around the same time that tales of the Vikings was first shown.

[Roygbiv666]

Ultra cool.

More info:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053543/
http://ctva.biz/Europe/Vikings.htm

The Internet is awesome.

Is the title actually "The Vikings"? When did it air - 60s 70s? Live action or cartoon?

A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.

I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?

Full title was "tales of the Vikings" beginning in 1959.
Heres a short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIdbj3QmOho
The Arabic or farsi subtitles, which look to be as old as the film, may indicate this clip came from a copy sent out to the Mideast and hopefully preserved somewhere.
Many Dr Who episodes were salvaged from simultaneous filmed copies sent to small TV stations all over the world after the original videotaped copies were erased.
With luck perhaps some episodes will show up one day.
I'm pretty sure that a small now defunct UHF station nearby has a treasure trove of old films stored somewhere. They once showed what may have been a full length version of "Metropolis" though the film kept breaking and jamming up their projector, the film was probably trashed by that showing. That was around the same time that tales of the Vikings was first shown.

[mr_goldenage]

JUst watched Mercury Man from Thailand this morning ...good Movie.

Richard

[bowers]

"A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost."
Could this be "Tales of the Vikings" 1959-60? This featured Jerome Courtland as Leif. As I recall, he was pretty pacifistic for a Viking, always spouting "I do not wish bloodshed". Did have a few bright spots, such as the episode with the giant lens used to set sails on fire. Cheers, Bowers

[jimmm kelly]

While I vaguely remember watching Tales of the Vikings on TV when I was a very young chap--and it would have been on a Canadian channel, since that's about all we got back then--from the internet information provided, there doesn's seem to be any evidence that it was Canadian. Those sources say it was produced by Kirk Douglas and filmed in Europe.

[Captain Audio]

While I vaguely remember watching Tales of the Vikings on TV when I was a very young chap--and it would have been on a Canadian channel, since that's about all we got back then--from the internet information provided, there doesn's seem to be any evidence that it was Canadian. Those sources say it was produced by Kirk Douglas and filmed in Europe.

This site
http://www.crazyabouttv.com/talesofthevikings.html
Identifies "tales of the Vikings" as a Canadian series filmed in Toronto Canada.
It is a spin off of the earlier "the Vikings" film by Kirk Douglas and much of the action footage was gleaned from that film.
Great movie BTW and apparently in public domain, its available on youtube and the main characters are much the same as those in the more recent "the Vikings" TV series, though the film is set later in Ragnar's career.

[jimmm kelly]

Ah, thanks. Good to see that it was in fact a Canadian production. I guess a lot of the exterior shots were taken from the movie, which must've been filmed in Europe. The shots on the water couldn't have been done in Ontario. I was hoping it might've been shot in my home province of B.C.

When I was in the navy, our ship went to Norway,through the fjords and up past the Arctic Circle--and it's a specatacular site. I also travelled by ship in B.C., but I never had the luck to go up the coast where there are fjords just like in Norway, but this is one of the few areas in North America that could double for the Norse fjords.

[Captain Audio]

The Director of the series had been the editor for "the Vikings" movie. He was an award winner who did such a great job on the western film "High Noon".
No doubt he knew every foot of film shot for the movie and knew just how to blend it with the later footage shot in Toronto.

The more recent "Vikings" TV series is shot in Canada and Ireland. That's a great series.

[narfstar]

Watched the new Sleepy Hollow but will not be back. They try to tie in Biblical things in unBiblical ways. Has anyone read Under the Dome? I would like to know that it has a "logical" conclusion so I do not waste all my time like on Lost.

[josemas]

I read Under the Dome and it had a sci-fi rationale behind it.  However I notice that they have been taking liberties with the original story so can't say for sure if they will follow the original in that aspect or not.  I understand that what was planned as a limited summer series adaptation of the book has done so well in the ratings they plan to continue it so they will likely have to make more changes.  I've been following this series on Xfinity so have not yet seen the season finale.

I haven't yet watched Sleepy Hollow either. but the promos look pretty cool.

Best

Joe

[narfstar]

Thanks Joe. I wish they had just let it be and end. I am afraid they are gonna ruin it.

[profh0011]

KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: 

[jimmm kelly]

Space is showing all of the episodes of the new WHO from the beginning in chronological order, with ten episodes per week--starting last week. So I've seen all the Eccleston episodes again. I liked some of them much more this time around. Once you know all the back story of the Doctor from the classic series, there are things you catch that have more resonance.

Also one thing I don't like so much about DW is the way they are always killing secondary characters. I feel it's a cheap stunt. But at least when you've already seen the episodes you're inoculated against that manipulation. I like those episodes where the Doctor actually has a good day and saves everybody.

So I guess Space will keep doing this every week right up to the anniversary.

No spoilers here, please, for what's coming up in the new season (or at least give me spoiler warning). I'm trying to stay spoiler free.

[paw broon]

You lost me with Chilly Billy but you got me curious.
So, all I can do right now is list some stuff I've been watching recently.  This season of New Tricks has been excellent and the question in the newspapers re. "did the actors complaining off the storylines pick the wrong time to get out?", is a telling one.  Seriously good stories, well acted and quite heavy at times.
The most recent episode of Vera was gripping.  Doc Martin makes me laugh, smile, get worried and generally enjoy the experience.  The Glades has some good one liners.  Whitechapel is just so scary, dark and well done.   And, did I mention the new series now showing here, Young Montalbano?  This is a spin-off of Inspector Montalbano, the hit Italian crimi. based on the stories by Camilleri.  And they are excellent.  The Sicilian dialect is really difficult to understand but the show is sub-titled for the U.K.
The Young Montalbano is all new and, obviously, set in Montalbano's past, during his first few cases.  This is going to be a cult hit and I hope you will all be able to see it soon.
I found some Charlie Chan movies on a web site and by loading them onto a datastick, I can plug it into my t.v. and watch them in the comfort of my living room.

[narfstar]

Chilly Billy was the local late night horror/scifi host in Pittsburgh. I thought the Doc Martin series reached a good ending with the birth of the baby. I thought it might go down hill but apparently it has not. I suspect it will be on Netflix with the originals and I will catch it then.

[Roygbiv666]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 film)
Starring Frederic March and (a hot) Miriam Hopkins.

Some of the camera direction early on is a bit startling (either innovative or weird or bad depending on your disposition), and really cool when the subjective camera (from Jekyll's perspective) moves to a mirror - and we see his reflection! Awesome.

Hyde's design could appear over the top today, and March and the director present him as a bit funny early one, but he eventually becomes the worst. boyfriend. ever.

And, of course, the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde is pretty cool, using pretty innovative techniques to achieve it. (Hint: gels).

Of course, none of the lovey dovey stuff was in the original story - how could any audience follow a plot without a love interest?

All in all, thumbs up.

Tonight is the Spencer Tracy version.

[profh0011]

I've seen the Spencer Tracy version exactly once, on TCM, about 10 years ago. It was interesting, but that's as far as I'll go. I liked the John Barrymore version better (which I also saw, once, on TCM; a pity I suppose I didn't tape either).

What annoyed me was the very idea that the studio who made the Spencer Tracy version bought up the rights to the Frederic March version just so they could YANK it out or circulation.  For DECADES, it was virtually a "lost" film without actually being one... much as the Basil Rathbone HOUND OF THE BASKERVILES actually was until the late 70's, because of the Hammer remake with Peter Cushing.  I can't imagine anyone deliberaterly doing a thing like that today.  There's too many different versions of some films, and all too often, competing versions hit the box office (or the TV screens) within 6 months of each other. (I'm thinking specifically of TOMBSTONE / WYATT EARP or 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, etc.)

Isn't it amazing how almost every version of JEKYLL & HYDE is almost an entirely different story?  Sort of like THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.

[Roygbiv666]

I actually didn't make it through the Tracy version last night. There was hardly any difference between his Jekyll and Hyde. March's version was much more interesting.

Re. "lost film", that was pretty dickish, but Hitchcock did something similar when he got the rights to the book "Psycho" - he had studio staff buy up all the copies.  Wonder if he had them steal from the libraries, too.

Re. another nearly "lost" film: Thankfully, when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints. There's a new Blu-Ray of the last restoration out that's on my Amazon list.

The original story was probably too internal to directly adapt, hence lover interests. I think the story also got a bit conflated with "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" .

I've seen the Spencer Tracy version exactly once, on TCM, about 10 years ago. It was interesting, but that's as far as I'll go. I liked the John Barrymore version better (which I also saw, once, on TCM; a pity I suppose I didn't tape either).

What annoyed me was the very idea that the studio who made the Spencer Tracy version bought up the rights to the Frederic March version just so they could YANK it out or circulation.  For DECADES, it was virtually a "lost" film without actually being one... ...

Isn't it amazing how almost every version of JEKYLL & HYDE is almost an entirely different story?  Sort of like THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.

[profh0011]

"when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints"

One of the most insane things I've ever heard concerning movies was that somehow, the judge in that case orders ALL PRINTS of NOSFERATU destroyed.  I mean... WTF!!!!! You sue for money, not to destroy artwork.

That's another one I managed to see on TCM, once... a bit frustrated I didn't tape it that night.  I have seen the 1979 remake several times, though. It follows the story very closely, except it uses more imaginative camera angles & camera-work. I think they may have changed a few of the details, but I'm not sure.  It did seem to me that Jonathan's employer, Mr. Hawkins (a kindly man who dies halfway thru the novel-- under circumstances NEVER explained-- and leaves everything to Jonathan & Mina) in the silent film apparently KNEW what he was sending Jonathan into.

In the 1970 Jess Franco version, Van Helsing (who actually runs the asylum himself in that one), describes how Renfield was a businessman travelling in Transylvania with his daughter.  His daughter died under mysterious circumstances, and he was found, his mind unhinged... somewhere not far from Castle Dracula.  This was that film's "explanation" for Renfield (there NEVER was one in the book!).

But in the silent version, it seems Mr. Hawkins may have actually MET Dracula, and sent Jonathan in his place on a 2nd trip, to seal the deal. I'm trying to remember if Jonathan dies in that version.  I know in one of them, he becomes a vampire at the end of the story...

It continues to amaze me how different each adaptation of DRACULA has been over the years, and, good or bad, each one at least has been fascinating in its own right.

This even goes to some of the comics adaptations.  For example, the Fernando Fernandez version (a fully-painted graphic novel), Dracula actually falls in love with Lucy.  So when she's killed, he goes after Mina, purely in revenge for having lost the woman he cared for.  Definiately not the way it was in the book.  There, Lucy was handy, and he went after Mina as a way of giving it back to the vampire hunters who were out to destroy him. No romantic ideas involved at all. (Dracula was a TOTAL bastard in the book... just like Christopher Lee's version!)

[Roygbiv666]

"when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints"

One of the most insane things I've ever heard concerning movies was that somehow, the judge in that case orders ALL PRINTS of NOSFERATU destroyed.  I mean... WTF!!!!! You sue for money, not to destroy artwork.

Mmm ... well, if the movie violated copyright (literally, the right to control who makes copies), then it makes some kind of sense. Not great for preservation of art, etc., but makes sense given my limited understanding of copyright. Heh, heh - pirates are the good guys in the long run. Blur-Ray!!

I found the 1979 Nosferatu too slow going. I know they were trying to create a mood, but geez.

[profh0011]

Tonight:

"Suede is the reaper that mows like the harvest."
"What the HELL's THAT supposed to mean???"

[profh0011]

One of the craziest things I ever did for fun with 2 VCRs was to edit together clips from the 1979 movie NOSFERATU and match each scene PRECISELY to the lyrics of the 1977 Blue Oyster Cult song "Nosferatu".

I've spent too much of time time doing the wrong things for a living...

[profh0011]

I LOVE the film MARS ATTACKS! Watched it again just last night. It continues to blow my mind how something can be so aggressively violent and brutal and mean-spirited, yet be presented in such a way as to be so much "fun". And there's so many actors in that thing, almost all of whom get quite memorable little bits onscreen. (Except maybe for Christina Applegate. I saw the thing about 6 times before I finally realized where she was in the film!)

I was thinking about Kirby while watching the film last night, because of the whole attitude of Pierce Brosnan's character in the film, who relentlessly keeps saying the aliens are "an advanced culture, and therefore must be peaceful". Even after they SLAUGHTER everybody at the site of the first landing, he keeps insisting it must have been some kind of "cultural misunderstanding". There's so many idiots in the film, you keep waiting for CAPTAIN VICTORY and the Rangers to come swooping down to clean house on those no-good viscious bastards.

Sylvia Sydney almost steals the movie as "Grandma".

[narfstar]

Have you seen KILLER CLOWNS  FROM OUTER SPACE?