The return of Van der Valk

08.09.2021/03.18

I came across an old post of mine on Euston Films remakes, at the time the American version of Widows hit the big screen. My last question, after going through Minder, The Sweeney and Widows reboots, sequels and remakes: ‘Now, who’ll star in a new Van der Valk?’ Since local TV programmers and I […]

The 1970s: when TV shows were New

12.11.2019/09.16

As a child of the 1970s, I was exposed to this English word: new. Now, before you say that that isn’t anything special, for some reason, in the ’70s, there was an obsession with newness. It wasn’t like the news (by this I mean the plural of new) of Amsterdam or Zealand, but an adjective […]

Remakes: Widows joins other Euston Films series

04.11.2018/10.22

I see British filmmaker Steve McQueen has remade Lynda La Plante’s Widows. I was younger than he was when it aired, and didn’t appreciate the storylines to the same extent, though I have recollections of it. What I did recall was a Smith and Jones sketch, which had a voiceover along these lines: […]

Behind the scenes

16.10.2017/09.19

Agent: Yes, that’s correct, we promise we can find you a job, no matter what. Applicant: That’s great! You can help me? Agent: Of course. Now, let’s look at your academic transcript. The Agent studiously examines the transcript. Agent: Oh, dear, this isn’t very good. Applicant: Um … Agent: It says you have a very poor average, that you scored 16 […]

Sherlock Holmes, US-style

27.04.2014/03.34

There’s a good reason (other than time) I do not watch Elementary, though I did try about 10 minutes’ worth before giving up. The last time I watched the US make Sherlock Holmes, it was the above: The Return of Sherlock Holmes (though I believe it was 4:3). CBS updated Holmes to the modern […]

Thoughts on Players, the Indian remake of The Italian Job

12.12.2010/02.54

It’s been known for some time that Players, the ofﬁcial, licensed Indian remake of The Italian Job, will ﬁlm in New Zealand, but what surprised me is that Wellington is to take the place of Torino in the 21st-century version. At least they changed the name, because the American remake of The Italian Job […]