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Post by algernon on Feb 8, 2013 12:37:59 GMT
Does anyone have fond memories of the tv show Garth Marenghi's Darkplace?
It was a British comedy show made for Channel 4 (broadcast in 2004) which was created by (and stared) Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade (the show also stared Matt Berry and Alice Lowe). The series was set around the fictional horror author Garh Marenghi and his publisher Dean Learner. The show was presented as a lost classic: a television series produced in the 1980s, though never broadcast at the time. The presentation featured commentary from many of the "original" cast, where characters such as "Marenghi" and "Learner" reflected on making the original "Darkplace" show. Each instalment featured an introduction by the present-day Marenghi – played by Holness as some sort of mixture of James Herbert, Shaun Hutson and Guy N Smith – in which he ponderd the brilliance of his creations, followed by an ‘original’ episode of Darkplace, a shoddily written and woodenly acted spectacle of bad special effects and horror clichés set in Darkplace Hospital. Each instalment had the hospital staff dealing with some supernatural events that always seemed to plague the hospital and its grounds, as it had been built "over the very gates of Hell," in Romford, Essex. Darkplace hospital is a place where doctors are armed with revolvers and pump-action shotguns, they drive along the basement corridors in golf carts and play saxaphones on the roof at the end of a hard shift and the temps are killed in mysterious flying cuttlery accidents.
Garth liked to refer to himself as a "dreamweaver" and "humble fabulist" and came across as a judgemental egomaniac who liked to talk down to his audience. Here is an example of his to-camera introduction to episode 2 (tittled Hell Hath Fury) :
"Greetings friend, I hope you're sitting uncomfortably. Be it on your sofa, armchair or beanbag if that's how you choose to live your life. I'm Garth Marenghi, horror writer. You know everyone has a special talent. Mine is being able to write, produce, direct, act, paint. Other people are good plumbers, that's their gift".
The Garth Marenghi character also made an appearance on Dean Learner man to man (another series where Richard Ayoade played Dean Learner who interviewed various guests each week. All the various guests were played by Mathew Holness).
I apologise in advance if this show has already been mentioned or discussed on another thread on The Vault of Evil website (I have quickly searched the site and as of yet found no reference to this modern classic).
I would love to hear Members thoughts, reflections and memories of this show:-)
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Post by doug on Feb 8, 2013 19:07:00 GMT
Does anyone have fond memories of the tv show Garth Marenghi's Darkplace? It was a British comedy show made for Channel 4 (broadcast in 2004) which was created by (and stared) Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade (the show also stared Matt Berry and Alice Lowe). The series was set around the fictional horror author Garh Marenghi and his publisher Dean Learner. The show was presented as a lost classic: a television series produced in the 1980s, though never broadcast at the time. The presentation featured commentary from many of the "original" cast, where characters such as "Marenghi" and "Learner" reflected on making the original "Darkplace" show. Each instalment featured an introduction by the present-day Marenghi – played by Holness as some sort of mixture of James Herbert, Shaun Hutson and Guy N Smith – in which he ponderd the brilliance of his creations, followed by an ‘original’ episode of Darkplace, a shoddily written and woodenly acted spectacle of bad special effects and horror clichés set in Darkplace Hospital. Each instalment had the hospital staff dealing with some supernatural events that always seemed to plague the hospital and its grounds, as it had been built "over the very gates of Hell," in Romford, Essex. Darkplace hospital is a place where doctors are armed with revolvers and pump-action shotguns, they drive along the basement corridors in golf carts and play saxaphones on the roof at the end of a hard shift and the temps are killed in mysterious flying cuttlery accidents. Garth liked to refer to himself as a "dreamweaver" and "humble fabulist" and came across as a judgemental egomaniac who liked to talk down to his audience. Here is an example of his to-camera introduction to episode 2 (tittled Hell Hath Fury) : "Greetings friend, I hope you're sitting uncomfortably. Be it on your sofa, armchair or beanbag if that's how you choose to live your life. I'm Garth Marenghi, horror writer. You know everyone has a special talent. Mine is being able to write, produce, direct, act, paint. Other people are good plumbers, that's their gift". The Garth Marenghi character also made an appearance on Dean Learner man to man (another series where Richard Ayoade played Dean Learner who interviewed various guests each week. All the various guests were played by Mathew Holness). I apologise in advance if this show has already been mentioned or discussed on another thread on The Vault of Evil website (I have quickly searched the site and as of yet found no reference to this modern classic). I would love to hear Members thoughts, reflections and memories of this show:-) Thanks! I've never heard of this. It's on youtube though! :-) take care. Doug |
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Post by pulphack on Feb 11, 2013 8:19:19 GMT
I never saw this at the time, but I did like the Dean Lerner show, and my chum DJ hipped me to it (that's the kind of finger-poppin' daddied we are, dude), expressing amazement at my ignorance. I love it as it celebrates all that is absurd, ridiculous and brilliant at the same time about 80's horror fiction. I guess GM is supposed to be a Hutson/Smith hybrid rather than Barker, but Guy is far too nice to be anything like GM, and Hutson far too down to earth. Barker at his most pretentious, though...*
The hospital segments always make me think of a horror version of Black Forest, the German hospital soap C4 dubbed in the 80's/90's (? Can't remember when exactly), though Lord knows why. I think it's the woodeness, which is how BF came across with its awful dubbing (I wonder if Andy ever came across the original?). I'm glad it's easily vieweable on Youtube as it's ten times funnier than Steve Coogan's Dr Terrible series, but I would recommend spending a few quid on the dvd (mine was about a fiver on Amazon) as the commentary is by Ayode, Holness and Berry in character, as though they had gathered at Marenghi's house and sat on the sofa doing it, complete with carrier bag of special brew and desperate calls to agents. Possibly the only time I've ever listened to ALL a dvd commentary...
Matt Berry is worth investigating, as he has a spoof musical to his name, and has made a rather good prog rock album (he was even in Classic Rock surrounded by his vintage keyboards, like a love god Rick Wakeman...).
*I do actually like CB's work a lot, but he did seem to go through a period of believing his own hype.
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Post by doug on Feb 11, 2013 9:09:25 GMT
Hi!
Is it me, or is Dr. Sanchez channeling James Mason?
take care.
Doug
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Post by Shrink Proof on Feb 11, 2013 17:47:20 GMT
The DVD is money VERY well spent. Investigate soonest, you won't regret it.
I particularly like it being set in a hospital where the doctors can carry firearms...
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Post by valdemar on Mar 10, 2013 9:25:38 GMT
Definitely my sort of humour. The first show in which I saw the [genuinely] brilliant Richard Ayoade. Dean Lerner, the sort of hospital administrator who just happens to keep a pump-action shotgun, and various automatic weapons in his desk. Genius. The obvious model shots of the hospital. Matt Berry [also a very talented musician; his stuff is great] playing the part as if he were in a 1960's/1970's ITC show - I'm thinking 'Department S/Jason King' here. As an aside, Travel writer [and all-round good egg] Bill Bryson has VERY definite [and laugh out loud funny] thoughts about 'Jason King', which he mentions in his book 'Notes From A Small Island'. But I digress. I always thought, and I'm probably wrong, but the character of Garth Marenghi always seemed to me to be a slightly unkind genetic splice of Frank Herbert and Clive Barker. Whatever, It was a very funny show, but full of classic, and sometimes obscure horror references, and in-jokes that put it out of the reach of the general audience who did not read, or watch horror, sci-fi, or fantasy.[the fools! ha ha haaaa!], and also the people who didn't realise that the whole show was taking the piss, and who complained how shonky the whole thing appeared. Matthew Holness has a new[ish] project, which I'm keen to have a butcher's at: a kind of thriller/private eye/cop show/book/film/bumper sticker etc., entitled 'The Reprisalizer' He's put out some promo material at: thereprizalizer.com It's worth looking at for the '1979' book cover art alone, with comments from 'The Thanet Extra'! Great stuff!  |
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Post by franklinmarsh on Mar 14, 2013 12:03:41 GMT
Excellent call, Algernon. After snoozing through Episode 3 of Lightfields last night, I cheered meself up no end with Hell Hath Fury and Skipper The Eyechild. Along with Dr Terrible's House Of Horrible, Garth Marenghi represents the finest in British Horror TV (pisstake)
Valdemar - The Reprizalizer looks fantastic - a Brit parody version of The Executioner and The Destroyer etc, with Kent standing in for Chi/NYC/LA/Miami...
Interesting to note that Terry Finch wrote the Draw westerns as well...
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Post by franklinmarsh on Mar 14, 2013 14:00:11 GMT
blog.film4.com/matthew-holness/It's almost time for the Richard Staines/Gregory Pendennis revival... "Perhaps it’s vapid, sterile, modern Britain that makes one ache to read these ‘unacceptable’ books. Grit from the gutter. Books rightfully judged by their lurid covers, penned and pounded out with sweat and blood as disposable product. Books consumed at breakneck speed to help stomach the hard truth you feel in your gut. Books showing how it really is, despite what They tell you. Escapist fantasies wrought from bitterness, struggle and pain. Real books."
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Post by dem on Mar 14, 2013 15:07:04 GMT
blog.film4.com/matthew-holness/It's almost time for the Richard Staines/Gregory Pendennis revival... "Perhaps it’s vapid, sterile, modern Britain that makes one ache to read these ‘unacceptable’ books. Grit from the gutter. Books rightfully judged by their lurid covers, penned and pounded out with sweat and blood as disposable product. Books consumed at breakneck speed to help stomach the hard truth you feel in your gut. Books showing how it really is, despite what They tell you. Escapist fantasies wrought from bitterness, struggle and pain. Real books." He's not wrong, is he? To Hell with the Devil! A Gun For George is fun. The bride liked that. "He sounds like your mates in that photo!" |
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