Month: August 2020

Audio Drama Review: The Avengers: The Comic Strip Adaptations, Volume 4: Steed and Mrs. Peel

The 1960s Avengers return in a series of four 50+ minute audio dramas. The dramas are based on comic strips written in the 1960s about the adventures of John Steed (Julian Wadham) and Emma Peel (Olivia Poulet.) These are based on the TV series starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg and are released by Big Finish Productions.

In “Listen Hear,” Steed is spiriting Emma away on his uncle’s boat to retrieve a mysterious invention the government can’t let fall into the hands of the other side. It was lost at sea along with one of the top British agents. Two foreign agents are also after the mysterious device, and both groups soon figure out someone else is trying to get it, too.

This story had just enough mystery, and a great deal of whimsical humor that fits  into this era of the TV show.

In “The Clown Has Two Faces,” top secret plans have been stolen from a scientist who only mentions the word “clowns,” which sends Steed and Mrs. Peel on separate trails. Both land at a sinister circus that’s been part of a foreign government’s plot to acquire the plans.

This episode does feel like one of the color Steed and Peel TV episodes. It’s got some fun characters, a nice chase, and good atmosphere. It works for a solid fifty minutes of entertainment. It just lacks the extra something special or memorable to take it from being a good story to a great one.

In “White Heat,” Steed and Peel have to find and stop a mad scientist who blew up a top British Agent and is threatening to unleash a giant fireball on London if not paid a big ransom.

In many ways, this is a standard (almost generic) Avengers plot. However, the key to this story and what makes it so good is the style and the charm. The way the villain is played is perfect, we get plenty of laughs without it becoming ridiculous or over the top. There’s some superb one liners here that led to repeated fits of laughter while I was listening to it.

This simply delightful and of the best stories in this range.

In “Now You See Him,” an investigation of scientists who disappeared mysteriously, seemingly into thin air, ends up setting Steed and Peel on the trail of a sinister magician.

This one moves a great pace with funny moments. The villain works great within the context of the Avengers. The ending sets up the sequel and is a bit hard to swallow. Still, this is a fairly good story to round out the box set.

Overall, I had a lot of fun listening to this set. It feels authentic to the era, without being overly derivative. If you loved the 1960s Avengers TV show or outrageous 1960s spy adventures, this is definitely worth a try.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

The set is currently available as a download or CD at Big Finish  

EP3212: Dragnet: The Big Ruling

Jack Webb

Friday and Smith search for the new source of heroin on the street.

Original Air Date: September 6, 1955

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EP3211: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Jack Madigan Matter

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny is called in by a bail bondsman to locate two witness in a major organized case, who have disappeared.

Original Air Date: October 21, 1950

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EP3210: Mystery is My Hobby: Mystery of the Burning Light

Bart investigates a murder on a friend’s boat.

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EP3209: Man Called X: All that Glitters

George Raft

The Man Called X goes to the Philippines to foil the theft of a gold shipment.

Original Air Date: October 9, 1947

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AWR0129: Top Secret: Confession

Amazing World of Radio

Kerin travels to Bulgaria to rescue the husband of a friend from the Communist Government of Bulgaria, who have brainwashed him.

Original Air Date: September 18, 1950

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EP3208: Dick Tracy: Black Pearl of Osiris/Pat Goes Overboard

On a boat, Dick Tracy and Pat are protecting an Egyptologist who is refusing to reveal why he’s being hunted.

Original Air Dates: February 8 and 9, 1938

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EP3207: Box 13: One of These Four

Dan is trapped and kidnapped on a boat with three other people, one of whom is a killer.

Original Air Date: 1948

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Video Theater 0184: The Court of Last Resort: The John Smith Case

The Court of Last Resort re-investigates the case of a friendless prisoner serving a life time who insists his murder confession twenty-two years previously was coerced.

Season 1, Episode 12

Original Air Date: December 20, 1957

DVD Review: Dick Tracy (1990)

Dick Tracy is a comic strip movie starring Warren Beatty as the famous detective Dick Tracy, as he tries to take down the criminal organization of Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) while avoiding the designs of Breathless Mahoney (Madonna.)

This film won three technical Oscars and deserved it. The world created for this movie is visually appealing with some stunning use of color and art deco touches as well. The make-up and costume design are top notch. In addition, Danny Elfman turns in a typically good score.

The story is decent if not spectacular. The final the twist at the end is good. The plot points related to Junior are taken right out of the comic and feel right in place. There are also some great actors in relatively minor roles including Dick Van Dyke, Dustin Hofffman, and James Caan. In addition, in a nod to classic detective movies, Mike Mazurki shows up.

There are three problems with the film. First, I don’t care much for Beatty’s performance as Tracy. He was going for strait-laced and upright but instead comes off as stiff. Al Pacino, on the other hand, gives a performance that is way over the top. I’ll never understand how he got nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Saturn Award. For me, it was a grating, scenery-chewing performance that was more annoying than funny.

Second, there’s too much of Madonna singing in this film. One or two musical numbers, I can see. But she has five numbers in this film. They’re all well-written, but the only one that worked was, “Back in Business.”

Third, the film’s tone is inconsistent. It’s a movie that doesn’t know who its marketing itself to. I remember seeing happy meal toys for this movie and the bright colors and character of Junior would appeal to kids. On the other hand, some of the violence was too extreme for children and Breathless Mahoney is an over-sexualized character in keeping with Madonna’s 1990s brand. On the other hand, much of the plot, story, and characters doesn’t appeal to adults. The tonal differences means that sometimes, it feels like the characters are in different movies.

They were trying to imitate Chester Gould, who made Dick Tracy, the type of comic strip the whole family wanted to read by mixing elements that appeal to kids and adults to satisfy everyone. In the film, they seem to have succeeded in not fully satisfying many people at all.

That said, there are worse attempts to adapt a classic property. A lot does work about the film. Something Val Kilmer would prove six years later in The Saint. The film looks classy and has a great sense of style, with a lot of homages to its source material. If you’re a Madonna fan and/or you liked Al Pacino’s performance in this, you’re going to like it more than I did. For me, it’s a film that had a lot of potential but never fully lived up to it.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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EP3206: Lux Radio Theater: Murder My Sweet (Encore)

Dick Powell

Philip Marlowe (Dick Powell) becomes involved in a mixed up case of stolen jade, a missing girlfriend,  blackmail, and narcotics.

Original Air Date: June 11, 1945

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