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Post by andydecker on Dec 18, 2009 23:06:15 GMT
Well, Whitechapel was on tv here, all three eps at one evening, shown back to back.
I am a bit torn about it. Some bits were plain unbelievable, and I really thought the cop cliches dull and unimaginative. Is there really just one cop tale to tell? Young and inexperienced but clever officer runs afoul of the good old boy network of hardened street cops while his media horny superiors are illoyal bastards. Of course after a lot male bonding and some brush with death they are all friends at the end. Boring.
On the other hand things got a lot faster with episode two, and it had some clever parts. Especially the part with the Ripperlogist and his rite of passage was good. Okay, the part of his living with his mother was groanworthy, but he was still interesting. I also liked that they left the mystery of the ripper intact and there was no over-explaining at the end.
All in all not what I would call groundbreaking, but a pleasant diversion.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 11, 2010 21:50:25 GMT
All in all not what I would call groundbreaking, but a pleasant diversion. which will most likely be the case with the second series which began tonight. This time Chandler, DI Roy Miles (the wonderful Phil Davis) and their pet-Ripperologist Buchan are up against corrupt cops and either a Kray twins tribute act or a bunch of old school villains out to settle scores. Unlike last time, little of the action seems to have been shot on location at local beauty spots though there are still two episodes to set that right. Plenty of violence but also a fair amount of black humour, notably the footage from Buchan's Kray video with its awful "cash, pie & mash!" inserts and a pub where you'll only be served if your face is disfigured by a massive scar.
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Post by lemming13 on Oct 14, 2010 12:05:30 GMT
Call me sour, but I can hardly bear to turn the tv on these days, I've been naffed off so many times. I resent paying the license. Even the good stuff (like Crooked House or Psychoville) is sandwiched between so many trailers for dross I have to just go straight to dvd. I've noticed there are certain key words to avoid - original usually translates as politically correct, groundbreaking means pornography unadulterated by plot, and fresh means crap written by some BBC boss' son, daughter, lover or best mate. They've made a cynic of me!
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Post by dem bones on Jan 23, 2012 13:47:16 GMT
P. D. James & T. A. Critchley - The Maul And The Pear Tree: The Ratcliffe Highway Murders 1811 (Sphere, 1987: originally Constable, 1971) Chris Riddell Blurb: MURDERS MOST FOUL... Even on those dark, anxious nights when Jack the Ripper and his infamous Yorkshire namesake prowled the streets , few communities can have been as close to hysteria as was the East End of London in the weeks before Christmas, 1811.
Nor have there been many slayings as brutal and apparently unprovoked as the seven bloody killings known collectively as the Ratcliffe Highway Murders. Feelings of revulsion ran so high that the corpse of the alleged murderer was paraded through the streets at dawn before being buried at a busy crossroads, a stake hammered through its heart.
But were these the remains of the true killer? Or was there an even more sinister explanation? Crime novelist P. D. James and the distinguished police historian T. A. Critchley draw on a mass of hitherto disregarded evidence to create a powerful evocation of these times and crimes, and to shed new light on the Ratcliffe Highway Murders and their aftermath.Despite assurances that the forthcoming third series will not centre on the exploits of a copycat killer, the recent trailers for Whitechapel suggest that now would be a good time to brush up on the Ratcliffe Highway Murders, and preferably via this wonderful case history. December 1811, St. Georges-In-The-East, Shadwell, East London. On the night of 7th, young draper Timothy Marr, wife Celia, their three month old son and a servant lad, were butchered at their shop on the notoriously violent Ratcliffe Highway. Twelve days later, pub landlord John Williamson, wife Elizabeth and barmaid Bridget Harrington were all found murdered at The Kings Arms on what is now Wapping Lane. John Williams, 27, a sailor boarding at The Pear Tree, was accused via an anonymous tip off, seemingly on the grounds that he was known to dislike Marr who he'd once been to sea with. On the eve of his trial, Williams hung himself - or, at least, his body was found suspended from a rope - in Coldbath Fields Prison. Such was the violence with which his alleged seven victims went to their deaths - they'd been bludgeoned with an iron mallet and/ or had their throats slit to the bone - that Williams' final act only hardened the parish's resolve to afford him a traditional suicides send-off. On December 31st he was dragged through the street on a cart and buried in quicklime at the cross-roads of Cable Street and Cannon Street Road, having first been staked through the heart to prevent his rising as a vampire. James and Critchley are far from convinced that the local authorities ever did find the Ratcliffe Highway murderer. According to the ex-proprietor of Wiltons Music Hall, Williams's corpse, still impaled, was unearthed when the floorboards were taken up at The Crown & Dolphin Public House in the nineteen nineties, prior to it's conversion into a maisonette. His colourful claims are at variance with the 'official' history as recorded in this excellent book wherein, circa 1910-11, workmen unearthed Williams' remains on a patch of waste-ground opposite The Crown & Dolphin. A Professor Churton Collins inspected the mouldering corpse, from which he secured himself a bony arm, the skull passing into the possession of the pub's then proprietor. Either way, we have no idea as to the current whereabouts of Williams' remains ...
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Post by valdemar on Apr 9, 2012 17:22:07 GMT
I sat last week and watched every 'Whitechapel' episode back to back. I had not heard of the show, as I seldom watch commercial TV., but a friend recommended it to me, and lent me his copies. I was very pleasantly surprised, and had to keep watching. One small quibble: wasn't 'London After Midnight' an odd choice for a movie that caused insanity if watched? The film is one of those 'fake vampire' movies, in which Lon Chaney plays a detective who dons the superbly nightmarish make-up to catch a criminal. The main point is that the film does not exist any more. I would have used 'Dark Eyes Of London' which is a far nastier movie, and would be a candidate for a mind-loosening movie, if ever there was one. That aside, I loved 'Whitechapel' and found the second story 'The New Krays' to be one of the creepiest things I've ever watched, and filled with tangible unease and menace. I want more. Please.
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Post by dem bones on Jan 17, 2013 21:20:29 GMT
I sat last week and watched every 'Whitechapel' episode back to back. I had not heard of the show, as I seldom watch commercial TV., but a friend recommended it to me, and lent me his copies. I was very pleasantly surprised, and had to keep watching. One small quibble: wasn't 'London After Midnight' an odd choice for a movie that caused insanity if watched? The film is one of those 'fake vampire' movies, in which Lon Chaney plays a detective who dons the superbly nightmarish make-up to catch a criminal. The main point is that the film does not exist any more. I would have used 'Dark Eyes Of London' which is a far nastier movie, and would be a candidate for a mind-loosening movie, if ever there was one. That aside, I loved 'Whitechapel' and found the second story 'The New Krays' to be one of the creepiest things I've ever watched, and filled with tangible unease and menace. I want more. Please. Welcome to Cable Street, DI Chandler Thanks to Saucy Dave's DVD & Book Emporium, watched the first two series' back to back recently and, if anything, enjoyed them even more, particularly the Kray revival. Also had more time for location spotting, and it's fair to say, they've made the best of what's left of Brick Lane, Bethnal Green, Shadwell and Whitechapel High Street. The third series is currently being rerun on ITV3 and, to be honest Tom Fisher's edgy turn as 'Calvin Mantus' in the Bogeyman/ London After Midnight two-parter stole it for me, even if, on this occasion, his character wasn't as black as painted. The re-enactment of the Ratcliffe Highway Murders has its several good points. After a tidy first hour, the concluding half of the new de Sade/ Thames Torso Murders case still seems rushed to me, and not entirely plausible (even for Whitechapel). Would that ITV could persuade the original version of 'Michael Slade' to reform and write a series of novelisations with copious bibliographies.
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Post by dem bones on Sept 4, 2013 23:27:16 GMT
Whitechapel series 4CLICK HERE to download the press pack - 31 pages of it; including interviews, 'historical cases of Whitechapel', synopses, the lot - but probably a good idea to leave well alone until after the series has concluded. Same goes for the following, potentially spoiler-bloated running commentary on tonight's soft torture porn opening episode. "How can so much horror be visited on such a small area? Some say that the Gates of Hell can be found in the shadow of Christchurch. When the gates open, who knows what will crawl out?"As an unusually reticent Ed Buchan addresses his adoring public at the A History Of Murder book launch, outside on the street a 62-year old Bulgarian tramp is attacked by a far younger fellow vagrant. The old man easily beats off the drunken hoodie, but is no match for the Matthew Hopkins, Witch-finder General clone who awaits him back at the local doss. This fiend - who has probably perved out at the London Dungeon more times than is healthy - has a thing for the cruellest sixteenth century execution techniques. Bastard not only slowly crushes the tramp to death, he does for his innocent pet rat, too, before setting off to find a dotty old lady to burn at the stake. Chandler and the team quickly apprehend the messed-up, wino hoodie who confesses to the murder he could not possibly have committed and is quickly exonerated by CCTV footage of the fight. The DI returns to his office to find M16 supremo Stella Knight, all done up like a dominatrix, who informs him the man he's after is Wingfield, a rogue spook settling old scores. The Bulgarian tramp was a one-time KGB assassin, sent to London to quietly snuff out dissidents. The supposed renegade MI6 man never forgave him for pulling out his fingernails. Wingfield is taken into custody, but having cast iron alibis for both murders, is released without charge. The spook informs Chandler that his team have been infiltrated. As if to bear him out, the incident room is ransacked. This investigation catches the team at a low ebb. Chandler, barely coping with bereavement after his very short lived romance with the doomed Morgan Lamb at close of season three, is already showing signs that his OCD is now permanently set on eleven. Kent has become increasingly creepy with each episode, and clearly has it in for randy colleague Mansell. Ed is panicking that mildew is about to ravage his beloved crime archive like the Black Death, and even Ray Miles doesn't seem fully focussed. What with the pathologist Dr. Llewellyn sobbing over the murdered rat, only dependable self-styled 'busty wench' Megan looks to be firing on all cylinders. Welcome back, Whitechapel!
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Post by Dr Strange on Sept 5, 2013 11:25:56 GMT
Watched this for the first time last night (entirely down to the positive comments I'd seen on the Vault) and I loved it. Reminded me a little of Christopher Fowler's 'Bryant & May' books. (Speaking of which, they don't seem to get much mention here but they are a lot of fun. The latest, The Invisible Code, introduced a new character, Mr Merry - a very creepy Crowleyesque occultist who is clearly going to figure more in the books to come. Here's a review from Black Mask - www.blackmask.com/category/occult-detectives/ ).
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Post by dem bones on Sept 12, 2013 7:52:51 GMT
"We're looking for a modern day Matthew Hopkins!" OK, last nights episode was ever so slightly lunatic, and writers Ben Court and Caroline Ip still tend to cram too much into these double events, but I love every over-the-top second. Although the 'witchcraft' angle proved not quite accurate, there were plenty of inexplicable occurrences, and Ed Buchan's beloved theory that Whitechapel is the London equivalent of Sunnydale High School's Hellmouth has yet to be disproved. The killer is out to destroy those he believes to have cursed him with the fast-acting necrosis which obliges him to dress up as Darkman (Dylan out of Casualty has seen better days). The rotting chap proves more adept at kidnapping and torturing his self-manufactured 'witches' to death than a man in his condition has any right to
Randy DC Finley Mansell and creepy Kent have a scrap over the formers designs on Kent's sister. Under threat of suspension they've now patched up their differences - or so it seems. Skipper Ray Miles is losing his grip over his younger charges who now see him as a pushover, and Chandler is struggling to keep himself together now he's snapped his lucky elastic band.
The next two parter is the first to be written by someone other than the Court-Ip team, and it's unlikely Steve Pemerton will scrimp on the macabre.
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Post by pulphack on Sept 13, 2013 16:41:06 GMT
Quite enjoyed this story, especially the outrageous leap to ergot poisoning and the complete unbelievability of that much rye, that kind of flood, etc... Having missed part of the first part, I suspect I may be behind the game in suspecting that old lady who keeps lurking at the edges of crowd scenes and when the old bill turn up has something to say in proceedings...
I still don't like the fussiness of the cutting and moody direction, which seeks to up the pace when it doesn't really need it. TV drama seems in an odd place right now, as it's either like this or like Dancing On The Edge or Broadchurch, where it's so leisurely and drawn out that you forget what they're going on about and then they have to cram it all into that last half hour/hour because they've forgotten some bits and also need to remind you of what you've forgot over the last months! And don't get me started on The Returned, which was great until the last two weeks when you knew it would be a gyp. The cynicism of flogging a second season so blatantly hopefully means more than just Dr Strange or myself won't be bothering to tune it.
I confess, I prefer the pace and construction of older styles, like Midsommer or Endeavour, though I suspect this may be as much due to my age and what I'm used to than anything else.
Having said that,I can take the fussy editing for next weeks Whitechapel if the story is as good as its shaping to be...
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Post by Dr Strange on Sept 13, 2013 17:45:26 GMT
I enjoyed this, my first, Whitechapel experience a lot. Well OTT, but fun. Not sure if the perpetual low lighting is really necessary though - especially in the scenes in the station. Must be those "energy saving" bulbs.
Ach, The Returned... it can stay away as far as I'm concerned. By time they've made Series 2 I will have forgotten nearly everything about it anyway, except that faint lingering memory of feeling let down by the whole experience.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 13, 2013 19:07:52 GMT
Yes, it is often like comfort food, isn't? I also can't stand the hectic editing and the diffuse lighting. You also have those "energy saving bulbs"? How I hate this expensive nonsense. I had low expectations for Endeavour, thought it could only be the same as George Gently. But I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it.
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Post by dem bones on Sept 14, 2013 17:34:02 GMT
I enjoyed this, my first, Whitechapel experience a lot. Well OTT, but fun. Not sure if the perpetual low lighting is really necessary though - especially in the scenes in the station. Must be those "energy saving" bulbs. I also can't stand the hectic editing and the diffuse lighting. You also have those "energy saving bulbs"? How I hate this expensive nonsense. Hate those 'energy saving bulbs' too. Total con job. Can't read by them. Whitechapel deliberately aims for that dingy look. On one of the earlier DVD extra's (many thanks, mr. saucecraft!) the director explains they shoot in orange light because everyone else uses blue, or something. In this instance I don't mind the jump cuts; gives the impression the production team are transmitting subliminal nightmares, though that is very unlikely to be the case. Quite enjoyed this story, especially the outrageous leap to ergot poisoning and the complete unbelievability of that much rye, that kind of flood, etc... Having missed part of the first part, I suspect I may be behind the game in suspecting that old lady who keeps lurking at the edges of crowd scenes and when the old bill turn up has something to say in proceedings... The mysterious old lady first showed up at Ed Buchan's History Of Murder launch where she freaked out every one of the team with her personal and strangely ominous remarks. Perhaps she was left behind on the Life On Mars set and only just found her way out. Megan Riley took her for Ed's mum, but she's not. Wonder if Ed's pushy publicist (or whatever she was) Daisy, 'the Devil in high heels,' will play any part in the intrigue as the series progresses?
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Post by pulphack on Sept 16, 2013 16:42:04 GMT
Ah, see this is what happens when you don't leave enough time to catch up on iplayer before the next episode. Thanks to the Dem 'fill in the blanks' service, I'm now up to speed. I look forward to seeing how it develops...
I see what you mean about the jump cuts - they do have a purpose, it seems, it's just a personal thing with me.
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Post by dem bones on Sept 21, 2013 6:38:32 GMT
Have since replayed the first two episodes back to back and spotted at least one hideous error in above summary. Ed Buchan is entirely innocent of the Christ-Church-equals-the-gateway-to-Hell 'theory,' or at least, he only mentioned it at the History Of Murder launch on the insistence of Daisy from the publicity department. As he informed DCI Chandler on the night, "It's not what my book's about!" Should have realised the great man would never stoop to such a cheap, sensationalist tactic through choice!
Meanwhile, episode three continued the trend toward a bloodier, gutsier and completely over the top weird Hammer revival as guest writer Steve Pemberton attempts what appears a very English assault on The Silence Of The Lambs.
A Russian Mafia man is Chloroformed in Tower Hamlets Cemetery as he stalks a young woman returning from a night out. His attacker, who seems to be some bizarre hybrid of Gunther von Hagens, Ed Gein, and Divine, torture-murders the stalker by peeling off his heavily tattooed face which is then displayed on a plinth in a Whitechapel Art Gallery. The Killer keeps a considerable strip of skin flayed from the dead man's back for ..... personal use? At first the investigation focuses on the gallery and controversial Sebastian Marlow, International man of mystery whose works of plastination utilise human body parts. His publicist and close companion Abigail Perkins, self-conscious over the wine-stain birthmark she sees as condemning her to a life of curiosity, ridicule or worse, pity, is deliberately vague as to his current whereabouts, and, with no better suspect to go on, Chandler has her investigated. Eventually, she has the world's most unlikely connoisseur of modern art, Ray Miles, to thank for her exoneration.
Behind the scenes, Mansell is still winding up Kent over his 'romance' with Erica the artist, and Ed Buchan has showed a previously unsuspected amorous side to his nature. Unfortunately, the object is his desire is close colleague Megan, who is thoroughly appalled at his clumsy advances. Worse, she's mentioned the incident within earshot of Mansell who is doing everything in his power to make we, the audience, detest him. But then, he's been on the receiving end of some particularly hostile crank calls.
The killer strikes again. And again. Who will stop the face-stealer? Will Chandler finally achieve his ambition and bring one in alive? What's with the phantom footsteps and other spectral presences about the police station?
I hope we see some more of the preposterous MI6 miss whiplash over the next three episodes as Stella Knight has the potential to become Whitechapel's very own Lady Fishnet.
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