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blakes7-d Digest Volume 99 : Issue 135
Today's Topics:
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Re: [B7L] B7 telemovie
Re: Fw: [B7L] Re: Brian Lighthill Chat
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Re: [B7L] B7 telemovie
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Re: PiC Rant (was Re: [B7L] Sleazy Vila)
[B7L] Inflection
Re: Fw: [B7L] Re: Brian Lighthill Chat
Re: Man of Iron ; was [B7L] Telemovie
[B7L] Re: B7 telemovie
Re: PiC Rant (was Re: [B7L] Sleazy Vila)
Re: [B7L] telefilm / worst openings
Re: [B7L] Re: B7 telemovie
[B7L] Flat Robin 41
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
[B7L] Re: Telemovie
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
[B7L] Sheelagh's tapes
[B7L] Servalan not killing Avon (fwd)
Re: [B7L] Telemovie
[B7L] Servalan not killing Avon
Re: Man of Iron ; was [B7L] Telemovie
[B7L] web chat
[B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
Re: [B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
Re: [B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 08:05:07 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0417070507-0b0Rr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
On Sat 17 Apr, mistral@ptinet.net wrote:
>
>
> Re Man of Iron, Judith Proctor wrote:
>
> > Besides, Servalan would
> > have killed him when she had the chance.
>
> Are you sure? She had several chances to kill him that
> she didn't take.
Tell me one and I'll tell you why she didn't. eg. In Terminal, Tarrant and co
were brought in just as she was about to pull the trigger.
IN 'Harvest of Kairos' she ordered Zen to fire on the surface fully intending to
kill all of them.
In 'Aftermath' she was out of ammunition initially and later on there was
something she hoped to get from him. (Actually the scene where she's out of
ammo is one of my favourite scenes for her. You can see Avon's admiration too.)
Judith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 12:55:49 +0100
From: "Dangermouse" <master@sol.co.uk>
To: "Judith Proctor" <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>,
"Lysator List" <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] B7 telemovie
Message-Id: <199904171154.MAA20038@gnasher.sol.co.uk>
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> I agree very much there. I think the writing pulled Avon one way and
Clint
> Eastwood/Humphry Bogart/Burt Lancaster pulled Paul the other way and the
> resulting conflict gave Avon his most interesting layers and contrasts.
>
> All we need is a writer who can maintain that balance and we'd be a bunch
of
> happy campers.
Sadly neither Paul nor Barry Letts qualify!
--
"When two hunters go after the same prey they usually end up shooting each
other in the back - and we don't want to shoot each other in the back, do
we?"
http://members.aol.com/vulcancafe
-------
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 12:54:58 +0100
From: "Dangermouse" <master@sol.co.uk>
To: "Julia Jones" <julia.lysator@jajones.demon.co.uk>,
<blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: Fw: [B7L] Re: Brian Lighthill Chat
Message-Id: <199904171154.MAA20035@gnasher.sol.co.uk>
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> Of course, if they keep Paul Darrow from having anything to do with the
> script, and get Chris Boucher to write it, we may be on to a winner.
> Otherwise I fear it will be Dr Who telemovie all over again.
Oh, it'll be worse than that. The Who movie was at least a reasonable SF
TVM, even if wasn't quite Dr Who, and could have used a more coherent plot.
What's being described here would just be an incestuous fanwank mess
foisted upon us by talentless egos who think they know better than
everybody else, and who tell us we should be grateful for any old crap.
Speaking as a professional who's done Dr Who, DS9 and Voyager, I say they
should at least have the professional decency to look back at the whole of
series, and at least try to work out what people liked about it. As opposed
to just doing a one-dimensional caricature of the last couple of episodes,
which seems to be all they can remember....
--
"When two hunters go after the same prey they usually end up shooting each
other in the back - and we don't want to shoot each other in the back, do
we?"
http://members.aol.com/vulcancafe
-------
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 12:48:02 +0100
From: "Dangermouse" <master@sol.co.uk>
To: "Julie Horner" <jihorner@dial.pipex.com>, <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Message-Id: <199904171154.MAA20030@gnasher.sol.co.uk>
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Julie Horner wrote:
> My philosophy is that if you expect things to turn out alright then they
> usually do. If it is any comfort this has worked for me for more than
three
> dozen years now so yes, I am an optimist!
Better to expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised, than expect the
best and be woefully disappointed...
--
"When two hunters go after the same prey they usually end up shooting each
other in the back - and we don't want to shoot each other in the back, do
we?"
http://members.aol.com/vulcancafe
-------
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:31:07 +0100
From: "Julie Horner" <jihorner@dial.pipex.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] B7 telemovie
Message-ID: <006201be88e7$5188df20$b75395c1@orac>
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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Sarah Berry
><berrys@connexus.apana.org.au> writes:
> Interesting, maybe we should lobby Brian that Barry Letts should >write
it rather than Paul Darrow? ;-)
and then Julie Jones said:
>Of course, if they keep Paul Darrow from having anything to do with >the
script, and get Chris Boucher to write it, we may be on to a >winner.
and Judith:
> All we need is a writer who can maintain that balance and we'd be a >bunch
of happy campers.
to which Dangermouse replied:
>Sadly neither Paul nor Barry Letts qualify!
So far I don't recall seeing any mention of who *is* actually writing it,
there was no indication in the chat the other day. Some people seem to be
leaping to the conclusion that it is Darrow and / or Letts and pre-judging
it on that basis. Maybe we should wait until more details are revealed.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:42:46 +0100
From: "Julie Horner" <jihorner@dial.pipex.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Message-ID: <006901be88e8$f1ff8e80$b75395c1@orac>
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-----Original Message-----
From: VulcanXYZ@aol.com <VulcanXYZ@aol.com>
>
>I think we should remain optimistic about the movie until
>proven otherwise, and be grateful that FINALLY there is going to be >some
new B7 television to watch. I mean, it is all very fine and good >to watch
the old reruns and read the fanzines and listen to the tapes, >but to
actually see the group (or at least a large portion of it, I hope) >together
on the screen again ... well, I think it will be lovely.
Thank goodness! Someone else on the list who is looking forward
to it.
For years people have moaned that the shows are never repeated on mainstream
TV. If someone is finally trying to give us some new stuff and the fans turn
round and say "Ugh! What a terrible idea", then surely that would signal the
end of any broadcast Blake 7 past or present, audio or visual. I mean who
would ever bother again?
It seems a bit like the Angel Gabriel appearing to the faithful to say that
he has the Second Coming pencilled in for a week next Thursday and the
faithful saying "Don't bother, he won't be a patch on the last one, we are
happy as we are".
Well I suppose that last statement might be just a touch hyperbolical but
that is sort of how I feel. I am genuinely surprised at all the negative
reactions I have seen so far.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 17:24:51 +0100
From: "Alison Page" <alison@alisonpage.demon.co.uk>
To: "B7 List" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Message-ID: <059501be88f0$89a0d4e0$ca8edec2@pre-installedco>
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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Mistal said -
>I think, though, that I'd rather see them together doing 'Midsummer
>Night's Dream'
In fact Josette Simon is currently playing Titania at Stratford
there has been an uproar in my local paper because a party of schoolkids
from a church school in Coventry went to see this production. Alas the scene
between Titania and Bottom (as Donkey) was a bit too.. ahem.. improper.
I was irresistibly reminded of the flourishing Dayna/Og subgenre..
Alison
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 17:32:03 +0100
From: "Alison Page" <alison@alisonpage.demon.co.uk>
To: "B7 List" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: PiC Rant (was Re: [B7L] Sleazy Vila)
Message-ID: <059601be88f0$8abca520$ca8edec2@pre-installedco>
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>And I can't help thinking that if Avon acted the way the feminist movement
>seems to think all men ought to act, he certainly wouldn't be the most
popular
>fellow on this list.
>
>All throw things ---- now!
>Mistral
Well I'm a feminist and the way I 'think men ought to act' can be summarised
like this:
1 - Don't push me around
2 - Don't hurt my kids
3 - uhh... that's it
Well, I guess I'd include other women and kids too :-) So, I'd
say that Avon's behaviour is more or less in line with how I want men to
behave. The men feminists don't like are the weak (*) ones who can't compete
with other men so turn on women and children instead. I wouldn't put Avon in
this category.
Alison
(*) I mean weak in character of course, no aspersions on the puny. I like
puny.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 02:44:15 +0930
From: "Martin Dunn" <Martindunne@bigpond.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Inflection
Message-Id: <17245028160135@domain6.bigpond.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
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Bwah ha ha!!! I AT LAST have free and unimpeded access to my email account!
OH HOW THE SUFFERING WILL BEGIN!!!!!!
For instance-
Have you ever noticed how inflection of delivered lines can change the
banal into the magnetic? Or vice versa.
Case in point- Travis Mk 1 in "Seek-Locate-Destroy".
Line- "I had the weaponry division make a few additions..."
Inflection- " I had the weaponry.......de-vee-shon...make a
few...additions..."
Line "Launch the interceptors!"
Inflection- "LAUNCH the interceptors!"
Just asking!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 07:31:08 +0100
From: Julia Jones <julia.lysator@jajones.demon.co.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Cc: B7 List <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: Fw: [B7L] Re: Brian Lighthill Chat
Message-ID: <rTxawMAsqCG3EwxK@jajones.demon.co.uk>
In message <371817A7.791A3EB3@ptinet.net>, mistral@ptinet.net writes
>The quality of the videos we get over here in America, for
>example, is atrocious. And I'm talking manufacturing quality, not the
>flaws from the original masters, which could be cleaned up quite a
>bit, too, if they had any concerns at all about giving us decent
>product.
The manufacturing quality of the PAL videos left much to be desired as
well. Fortunately I bought mine from my local independent shop. I don't
think a high street chain would have put quite as much effort into
repeatedly sending back the duds and demanding replacements until I got
ones of usable (not acceptable, just usable) quality. Thank you,
Playback, for sending all of seasons 3 and 4 back at least once, and
three times in a couple od cases.
--
Julia Jones
"Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!"
The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:18:09 EDT
From: VulcanXYZ@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: Man of Iron ; was [B7L] Telemovie
Message-ID: <735090e0.244a4681@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
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Judith wrote:
<You liked 'Man of Iron'? Ah well, it takes all sorts to make a world.>
You find that incredible? Well, let me make my statement a little stronger.
I not only liked 'Man of Iron,' I loved it. I have even written a review of
it in the May 1996 issue of the Avon Newsletter (No. 63), which Ann Bown
apparently found reasonable enough to print.
To summarize my own review, "The story has Avon stranded on a planet,
fighting a group of deadly, humanoid robots. Avon's goal is to destroy their
creator, Algor, a self-absorbed, evil and, of course, slightly crazy genius,
with delusions of grandeur, who likes to, in his spare time, experiment on
humans. It takes place sometime before 'ORBIT,' and of all the Scorpio crew,
Vila is the only one interested in saving Avon." IMHO, Paul did an excellent
job with his characterizations. The Avon/Vila relationship is beautifully
developed, as is the Avon/Servalan one. And there are some great lines in
the script. For instance, Servalan is her usual nasty self when she says to
Avon, "Emotionally, Gabor [the super robot] is about as impressive as you
are, but as a warrior, he is a hundred times more effective." In this way,
she not only gets to throw at Avon her usual criticism, but also tells the
audience just how strong this robot is. And Dayna gets to say to Tarrant,
"That was clever. Tarrant must be brighter than he looks." This allows the
author to inject some humor into the story while giving Dayna a chance to
tell Tarrant what she really thinks of him. (Or perhaps it's just
good-natured teasing.) Although I admit that there are a few minor flaws in
the story, I thought it was not only a lot of fun, but very true to the
spirit of the original series.
For Mistral and the rest of you who are curious about the script, be brave
and give it a chance!
Gail
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 18:39:42 -0400
From: Harriet Monkhouse <101637.2064@compuserve.com>
To: "INTERNET:blakes7@lysator.liu.se" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Re: B7 telemovie
Message-ID: <199904171839_MC2-7270-B8B9@compuserve.com>
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Sally wrote:
>Even at this (two days after the announcement!)
>stage, I have no problem with stating firmly and
>clearly THE TELEMOVIE WILL NOT BE CANON.
> It's just another PGP. I didn't accept the Dr Who
> telemovie as canon either - or the Avengers movie.
I agree entirely with Sally (and mostly with Judith). The 52 are canon; I
enjoy fanfic, I won't actually object to the BBC trying to compete with it,
but, like Vince and Stuart say, "PAUL McGANN DOESN'T COUNT." Avon killed
Blake, and everything else is just speculation.
Mistral wrote:
>I think, though, that I'd rather see them together
>doing 'Midsummer Night's Dream'
Had to laugh - I've been waiting for someone to mention the current
production of the Dream. For those who haven't heard, Josette Simon is
starring as Titania: her liaison with Bottom was so... sensual that some
schoolchildren walked out in protest.
Harriet
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:09:19 -0700
From: mistral@ptinet.net
To: B7 List <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: PiC Rant (was Re: [B7L] Sleazy Vila)
Message-ID: <3719149E.BB0DBA24@ptinet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
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Alison Page wrote:
> Well I'm a feminist and the way I 'think men ought to act' can be summarised
> like this:
>
> 1 - Don't push me around
> 2 - Don't hurt my kids
> 3 - uhh... that's it
>
> Well, I guess I'd include other women and kids too :-) So, I'd
> say that Avon's behaviour is more or less in line with how I want men to
> behave.
You'll get no argument from me on any of this, Alison, but it's not
remotely like the agenda of organized feminism in the U.S. I loathe
men who bully women; but I equally loathe women who bully men.
It's why I stopped thinking of myself as a feminist nearly two
decades ago; I think of myself as a 'personist' now.
> The men feminists don't like are the weak (*) ones who can't compete
> with other men so turn on women and children instead.
Again, not my experience of feminism. If organized feminism limited
itself to protecting women and children from predatory males, and
lobbying for equal opportunities for women, I'd still be a feminist.
> I wouldn't put Avon in
> this category.
Of course not; Avon doesn't like bullies of any ilk. (I make a
distinction here from his occasional verbal savagery, which he
would view as wit, persuasion, etc.) He's certainly not P.C.
from the view of organized feminism, however, because he
won't surrender his power or his masculinity.
> Alison
>
> (*) I mean weak in character of course, no aspersions on the puny. I like
> puny.
What I was trying to say in my previous post on this
thread, however, is that I think it's entirely counterproductive
for women to use violence to get respect from men, and I
object to being characterized as weak and passive because
I won't be a party to it. I could wish that I was more
articulate. :-)
Cheers,
Mistral
--
"And for my next trick, I shall swallow my other foot."--Vila
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:51:35 EDT
From: Bizarro7@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: [B7L] telefilm / worst openings
Message-ID: <a4bf6277.244a7887@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
In a message dated 4/17/99 1:04:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
mistral@ptinet.net writes:
<< "You can't expect anyone to take a meglomaniac with blue skin seriously."
>>
Spoken by someone who has never seen Bronze Age Methos in HIGHLANDER.
*chuckle*...
Leah
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 18:26:12 PDT
From: "Sally Manton" <smanton@hotmail.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: B7 telemovie
Message-ID: <19990418012612.79439.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain
Hariet wrote:
<The 52 are canon; I enjoy fanfic, I won't actually object to the
BBC trying to compete with it,but, like Vince and Stuart say,
"PAUL McGANN DOESN'T COUNT." Avon killed Blake, and everything
else is just speculation.>
Ahh. Harriet. As far as I am concerned Avon *shot* Blake. No one
checked for a pulse. No one checked if he was breathing. (They did
have their minds on other things, like getting shot themselves.)
No one saw what happened next.)
I'm firmly convinced that Blake survived. (Wishful thinking? Who says
so..? Oh, all right.)
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:41:50 -0600
From: Penny Dreadful <egomoo@mail.geocities.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Flat Robin 41
Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.19990417194150.007f0390@mail.geocities.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Thanks Susan Beth for inspiration.
------
"Don't move!" Jenna shouted, her weapon at the ready yet again.
"Fistulous Bureau of Inquiry!" added Withers, struggling to cock his pocket
crossbow. "Get your hands where we can see them, and don't try anything
science can't explain!" He pressed the torch he'd been carrying into
Jenna's free hand. Its light barely cut through the copious dust that had
been stirred up beneath the stage -- just enough to eerily underlight the
pale faces of Persnickety's would-be assassins.
"You are, aren't you?" said Jenna, moving closer to them. "You're mutoids.
I was right the first time I saw you. I should have killed you then."
Suzanne blinked dust from her eyes. "Yes. Yes. Yes. Uh...maybe," answered
Lynnette.
"And you should at least have *tried* to kill me." Jenna looked genuinely
puzzled. "Do you -- don't you know who I am?"
"You are Jenna Stannis," responded Lynnette. "Terrorist."
Suzanne nodded. "We had standing orders to kill you on sight."
"Well, here I am," said Jenna. "On sight. Start killing."
Fistulous scratched his head with his pocket crossbow. "Skull'Ee, look up
the word 'mutoid'," he murmured to his pocket.
"We are no longer officers of the...F-word," said Lynnette.
"I thought it was impossible for mutoids to overcome their conditioning."
"So did we," said Suzanne. "If we ever really thought at all." She grinned,
which spectacle caused Fistulous Withers to emit a high-pitched yelp of
terror. "But it seems we were wrong," said Lynnette.
Jenna recalled the delightful choice with which -- as a young, healthy,
*female* specimen of recidivistic criminality -- she had been presented at
the time of her sentencing: one *could* go to Cygnus Alpha (which, it was
made abundantly clear, was always *very* grateful for the few women it
received) or one could...make a commitment to contribute constructively to
the Federation.
It had been tempting. To thrive on the penal planet (that she might be
forced to settle simply for survival hadn't even crossed her mind) would
take an awful lot of work. The other choice would only have required her to
-- she ground her teeth -- let go. Just long enough for her mouth to
pronounce the words 'I volunteer'. And that would have been her future seen
to. She had thought.
She lowered her gun, and motioned Fistulous (peering fiercely over her
shoulder) to holster his weapon as well.
"Be that as it may," Jenna said, taking a cautious step toward Suzanne and
Lynnette, "you've each got a throwing knife in one hand and a dagger in the
other--"
"We're trying to conserve ammo," said Suzanne, patting her precious
Federation-issue sidearm.
"--what I mean is, you're still evidently intending to kill *someone*."
"Well -- yes. But not you," said Lynnette.
"Not unless someone pays us to," Suzanne amended.
Jenna smiled, and relaxed. Here, at last, was the kind of human interaction
with which she felt truly at ease.
***
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 08:26:33 +1000
From: Kathryn Andersen <kat@welkin.apana.org.au>
To: "Blake's 7 list" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
Message-ID: <19990418082633.A1036@welkin.apana.org.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
On Sat, Apr 17, 1999 at 04:42:46PM +0100, Julie Horner wrote:
>
> From: VulcanXYZ@aol.com <VulcanXYZ@aol.com>
> >
> >I think we should remain optimistic about the movie until
> >proven otherwise, and be grateful that FINALLY there is going to be >some
>
> Thank goodness! Someone else on the list who is looking forward
> to it.
>
> It seems a bit like the Angel Gabriel appearing to the faithful to say that
> he has the Second Coming pencilled in for a week next Thursday and the
> faithful saying "Don't bother, he won't be a patch on the last one, we are
> happy as we are".
Well, no, it's as if the Angel Gabriel said that he has the Second
Coming pencilled in for a week next Thursday, but he's not sure if
Jesus will be too busy to come for it, in which case, we'll just have
to make do with Brian.
Something, indeed, will be coming. But we are doubtful if it will
actually be something which could be *accurately* labelled "Blake's 7".
No matter what they choose to call it.
And, no, I'm not saying that it is impossible to do these things
right. I actually *liked* the Doctor Who movie; I simply fast-forward
through all the bits that have "The Master" in them. Paul McGann
rocked as the 8th Doctor, and I do consider the movie to be canon.
It could definitely have been better, but I do enjoy the *parts* of it
that they did get right.
But Barry Letts and Brian Lighthill's track record is not good.
Bring back Chris Boucher!
Kathryn A.
--
_--_|\ | Kathryn Andersen <kat@welkin.apana.org.au>
/ \ | http://home.connexus.net.au/~kat
\_.--.*/ | #include "standard/disclaimer.h"
v |
------------| Melbourne -> Victoria -> Australia -> Southern Hemisphere
Maranatha! | -> Earth -> Sol -> Milky Way Galaxy -> Universe
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 16:36:32 +1000
From: "Afenech" <Fenech@onaustralia.com.au>
To: "lysator" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Re: Telemovie
Message-Id: <06305518631557@domain4.bigpond.com>
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> > From: Bizarro7@aol.com
>
> If you love something, you want to see the integrity of it
preserved. You don't just settle for anything with the name
of it slapped on. >
I agree very much - it is why I so disliked 'The sevenfold crown'. I
anyway cannot like it just because it has the theme music and the
voices - because, for me, there is nothing else in it which is
'Blakes 7' to me. I would much rather have nothing new than material
that shows so little respect or interest in what is so
special about 'Blakes 7'
I'd much rather read fanfiction.
The film if it eventuates will be, so it appears, produced by Brian
Lighthill who had an opportunity to show if he had any interest in
what the fans thought of what he was producing and has shown he has
none.
For this reason, remembering the frightful rubbish posing as 'Blakes
7' that is 'The sevenfold crown' ( I wont buy the new one) - I have no
confidence that the film will be any different.
Pat Fenech
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:26:36 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
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On Sat 17 Apr, Julie Horner wrote:
> For years people have moaned that the shows are never repeated on mainstream
> TV. If someone is finally trying to give us some new stuff and the fans turn
> round and say "Ugh! What a terrible idea", then surely that would signal the
> end of any broadcast Blake 7 past or present, audio or visual. I mean who
> would ever bother again?
> It seems a bit like the Angel Gabriel appearing to the faithful to say that
> he has the Second Coming pencilled in for a week next Thursday and the
> faithful saying "Don't bother, he won't be a patch on the last one, we are
> happy as we are".
>
> Well I suppose that last statement might be just a touch hyperbolical but
> that is sort of how I feel. I am genuinely surprised at all the negative
> reactions I have seen so far.
If Chris Boucher's name had been mentioned in connection with it, I would have
been shouting in delight.
If Gareth Thomas's name was mentioned, I'd be looking fairly happy.
The script matters more than anything else though. Dearly though I love Gareth,
I'd rather see it written by Chris and without Blake if I had to choose.
Actually, as long as Barry Letts isn't involved and it's written by someone who
has watched and loved the original series, then I'll probably be happy.
Basically, the Angel Gabirel has to date given us one dreadful radio play and
one mediocre one.
The Dr Who TV movie had a dreadful script and even Paul McGann's excellent
performance wasn't enough to save it.
Show me a good scriptwriter and I'll give you a positive reaction to raise the
roof.
Judith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 20:51:01 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
cc: Space City <Space-city@world.std.com>
Subject: [B7L] Sheelagh's tapes
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0417195101-06cRr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
The Together Again tapes will be available from Linda Knights at Mediawest.
Some of them are available from me by mail order (see my web page for details)
The prize drawn out of a hat for those who pre-ordered Solstice was won by
Rachel Hayward.
The tapes contain relaxed interviews with Paul Darrow, Gareth Thomas and various
other people who acted/directed/produced Blake's 7.
Judith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:44:20 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Servalan not killing Avon (fwd)
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I think Tanja meant to send this one to the list, so I'm forwarding it.
> > Re Man of Iron, Judith Proctor wrote:
> >
> > > Besides, Servalan would
> > > have killed him when she had the chance.
> >
> > Are you sure? She had several chances to kill him that
> > she didn't take.
>
> Tell me one and I'll tell you why she didn't. eg.
(snipping away examples where I agree with Judith)
What about Rumours of Death? I never believed Servalan wanted to sent up a
corpse to the Liberator and would have killed Avon if not distracted by the
last Anna-follower. She could have used Avon, living or dead, as bait for the
others, making another attempt to get the Liberator. At the very least, she
could have let him questioned about all his technical knowledge (Orac,
teleporter system) before killing him. It was the perfect opportunity - he was
completely shattered by Anna's death, as close to suicidal as we ever saw him in
the series before the end, without a bracelet and without a gun. If she had just
said she'd let him go, of course, he would never have done so, but ordering him
to put his bracelet back on through a pretext they were both able to save faces.
After all, Servalan isn't used to kind gestures.
Naturally, this is just my interpretation, but I think they were both at their
most vulnerable at that point (for different reasons, of course), and it was the
one example of Servalan showing affection (as opposed to that usual intriguing
mixture of sexual attraction, rivalry and admiration) towards Avon.
Tanja
I think Servalan's feelings were fairly ambivalent at that point. She felt se
ought to kill him, and was going through the motions, but after he'd gone, she
gives a little half-smile as if to say that part of her is glad he got away.
Erm. If she intended to use him as bait or question him, she wouldn't have told
him to put the breacelet on.
Judith
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 17:41:48 +1000
From: "Afenech" <Fenech@onaustralia.com.au>
To: <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Telemovie
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> From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
> If Chris Boucher's name had been mentioned in connection
with it, I would have been shouting in delight.>
Yes!
> If Gareth Thomas's name was mentioned, I'd be looking fairly happy.>
Yes!
> Actually, as long as Barry Letts isn't involved and it's written by
someone who has watched and loved the original series, then I'll
probably be happy.>
Yes!
> Basically, the Angel Gabirel has to date given us one dreadful radio
play ...>
Yes!
> The Dr Who TV movie had a dreadful script and even Paul McGann's
excellent performance wasn't enough to save it.>
Yes!
> Show me a good scriptwriter>
particularly if his name is Chris Boucher
< and I'll give you a positive reaction to raise the roof.>
Yes!
Pat F
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 11:22:00 +0200
From: Angria@t-online.de (Tanja Kinkel)
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Servalan not killing Avon
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Judith Proctor schrieb:
> I think Tanja meant to send this one to the list, so I'm forwarding it.
Indeed. Sorry about bungling it, I'm new to this list business.
>
> I think Servalan's feelings were fairly ambivalent at that point. She felt se
> ought to kill him, and was going through the motions, but after he'd gone, she
> gives a little half-smile as if to say that part of her is glad he got away.
>
> Erm. If she intended to use him as bait or question him, she wouldn't have
> told
> him to put the breacelet on.
That's what I meant. There was just one reason why she should order him to put
the bracelet back on - to give him a chance to get away. Anything else (killing,
capturing, questioning) could have been done without this.
Tanja
> Judith
>
>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 08:26:58 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: Man of Iron ; was [B7L] Telemovie
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On Sat 17 Apr, VulcanXYZ@aol.com wrote:
> Judith wrote:
>
> <You liked 'Man of Iron'? Ah well, it takes all sorts to make a world.>
>
> You find that incredible? Well, let me make my statement a little stronger.
> I not only liked 'Man of Iron,' I loved it. I have even written a review of
> it in the May 1996 issue of the Avon Newsletter (No. 63), which Ann Bown
> apparently found reasonable enough to print.
No, I don't find it incredible. As I said, tastes differ. I'm sure you
wouldn't like some of the things that I enjoy.
You don't have to agree with a review to print it (which isn't meant to imply
anything about whether Ann likes/dislikes 'Man of Iron'). To do that would be
to try and impose your own view on everyone else and I see that as wrong.
I'll print any review I am offered on my web page as long as it's in reasonably
good English. If you were to look at the reviews for 'Queen the Eye' for
example, you would find one from someone who thinks it's dreadful and another
from a fan who really loved it. Where there are things that generate polarised
opinions (as Paul's writing often does), I actually prefer to have a review from
both sides of the camp.
So, anyone want to send me reviews for 'Avon a Terrible Aspect'?
(I'd ask for ones for 'Man of Iron', but the web page doesn't extend to covering
scripts at present.)
Judith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 08:39:00 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] web chat
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Having now seen the original text of the web chat, I can see one point where
things may have been slightly mis-quoted.
>
> Harriet M: " Still trying to talk Blake's 7. Character aspects which worried
> me in the last play: - I couldn't believe in Avon visiting a nightclub called
> The Purple Nightingale on a regular basis, and I certainly couldn't buy his
> remark about enjoying the infliction of pain. Not bothered about killing when
> it was necessary, fine, but enjoying it? I never saw any evidence of that.
> Couldn't a script editor who's really familiar with the series - ie Chris
> Boucher - have a go at sorting this out a bit? "
>
> Brian Lighthill: " Harriet, I think it's quite possible that Avon does enjoy
> killing people. In fact, in conversation with Paul Darrow he always has said
> to me how he likes Avon to be really really hard. It's always difficult to get
> all the previous four series into some form of continuity with a new
> production. The fan club provided Barry Letts and myself with a bible of
> Blake's 7 terms. We followed those faithfully. But, times move on and we don't
> want Blake's 7 to be a fossil. We have to move on both from the actors point
> of view and from the point of view from attracting new audiences. "
It's a moot point as to whether Paul's term 'really really hard' includes
sadism/joy of killing people or not, but it doesn't necessarily do so.
Judith
PS. It was me who gave him the Sevencyclopaedia <theatrical sulk>.
PPS. I agree that the B7 shouldn't be fossilised, one of the series's strengths
was that characters did change and develop over time, but I do feel that the
future should be a logical development of the past. To do that, you have to be
familiar with the past.
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 08:05:45 +0100 (BST)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
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On Sun 18 Apr, mistral@ptinet.net wrote:
> Again, not my experience of feminism. If organized feminism limited
> itself to protecting women and children from predatory males, and
> lobbying for equal opportunities for women, I'd still be a feminist.
>
> > I wouldn't put Avon in
> > this category.
>
> Of course not; Avon doesn't like bullies of any ilk. (I make a
> distinction here from his occasional verbal savagery, which he
> would view as wit, persuasion, etc.) He's certainly not P.C.
> from the view of organized feminism, however, because he
> won't surrender his power or his masculinity.
I think Avon bullies Vila, particularly in the later series. They all did. The
only person I can recall who never picked on Vila was Gan.
It seemed to slide from good natured teasing early on combined with annoyance at
Vila's refusal to do much work, into something rather nastier as everyone got
stressed and used Vila as the easiest way of offloading some of it. (This is
all characters, not just Avon)
There were times when any individual might be nice to him or share a joke, but
they seemed to becoem fewer and fewer.
Someone cited 'Gambit' to me yesterday as a lovely example of Avon and Vila
doing a heist together for the sheer fun of it. Compare this with the less
relaxed 4th season environment and you have one of the reasons I love the
earlier seasons so much.
Judith
PS. Pity Robert Holmes is dead. He wrote some great episodes and always wrote
well for Avon and Vila. I think 'Gambit', 'Killer' and 'Orbit' were his.
--
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Fanzines for Blake's 7 and many other fandoms, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news,
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 03:46:13 -0700
From: mistral@ptinet.net
To: B7 List <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
Message-ID: <3719B7F4.4186A884@ptinet.net>
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Judith Proctor wrote:
> I think Avon bullies Vila, particularly in the later series. They all did. The
> only person I can recall who never picked on Vila was Gan.
Perhaps it depends on how you define bully. Everybody got more
short-tempered in the fourth series, as you say. I still view Avon-Vila
as a sibling relationship, but in the fourth series, they're just having a
few *very* bad days. I don't remember Vila ever showing real fear
of Avon until 'Orbit', whereas he was afraid of Tarrant more than
once in the third season, and showed some trepidation with regard to
Blake once or twice as well. Vila always seemed to feel free to
pick on Avon in return.
I define bullying as to coerce someone into doing what you want
them to do through threat (usually of violence). Avon certainly told
Vila what to do, and yelled at him from time to time, but he never
threatened to hurt him or ditch him -- especially in the fourth
season. Quite the contrary, he listened seriously to Vila's
suggestion's (using the asteroid for cover in Stardrive), trusted
his expertise (Games), even made complimentary statements
about him *without* disguising them as sarcasm (Gold), and
conversed with him in a discernably more intimate fashion than
the others (specifically, he often used Vila's name *within*
a conversation they were having , as opposed to just using
someone's name to get their attention or announce to whom
he was speaking -- usually a sign of intimacy; also, they have
several conversational asides.) What I see in the fourth series
is them becoming even closer, as the last two surviving members
of the original group; and the closer you are to someone, the
more often they get on your nerves, and unfortunately, the more
likely you are to take out your frustrations on them. I don't call
that bullying, although of course, it isn't nice.
> PS. Pity Robert Holmes is dead. He wrote some great episodes and always wrote
> well for Avon and Vila. I think 'Gambit', 'Killer' and 'Orbit' were his.
"Amen to that!"--Mistral
"And so say all of us."--Keiller
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 07:33:59 EDT
From: Tigerm1019@aol.com
To: mistral@ptinet.net, blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: [B7L] Bullies, was PiC Rant
Message-ID: <674b49fe.244b1d27@aol.com>
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In a message dated 99-04-18 06:47:11 EDT, mistral@ptinet.net writes:
<< I don't remember Vila ever showing real fear
of Avon until 'Orbit', whereas he was afraid of Tarrant more than
once in the third season, and showed some trepidation with regard to
Blake once or twice as well. Vila always seemed to feel free to
pick on Avon in return. >>
I disagree. Vila seemed to get over any real fear of Tarrant after City at
the Edge of the World. In Moloch, Vila knew Tarrant wouldn't kill him. When
Tarrant pulled a gun on him, he was hurt and disappointed, but not afraid.
The other thing I noticed that many fans seem to miss is that neither Vila
nor Tarrant hold any grudges over either incident.
Vila sure seemed to be wary of Avon in Terminal, and he actually saved
Tarrant's life in Rescue. He wouldn't have saved someone he genuinely
feared. Through the rest of the fourth series I noticed that Tarrant was the
one who actually listened to what Vila had to say and took the time to answer
his questions, no matter how silly. Conversely, Vila seemed to become
increasingly wary of Avon, until the Orbit shuttle incident put the final
nail in the coffin. Vila would never trust Avon again after that. He knew
Avon would kill any of them if it served his purpose.
I think it's another case of Avon being patted on the head for behavior that
Blake or Tarrant would be crucified for.
Tiger M
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End of blakes7-d Digest V99 Issue #135
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