DVD REVIEW - RANDALL & HOPKIRK (DECEASED) THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
A struggling London private eye detective duo are working on a seemingly routine divorce case which not only results in the death of their client but one half of the detective duo as well, Marty Hopkirk (Kenneth Cope). The police assume that it is a routine hit and run case but Hopkirk returns from the grave to help his partner, Jeff Randall (Mike Pratt), to help him bring the killers to book. However, Hopkirk finds himself cursed to wander the earth for 100 years after he failed to return to his grave by sunrise and he decides to spend his time helping his partner solve his cases...
For those of us who could not stand the remake starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in which the emphasis was on poor comedy and look at what we can do special effects, this eight-disc package of the original ITC cult classic is more than welcome. Featuring all twenty-six episodes complete and uncut, Network DVD have also treated us to a number of interesting special features. These include Randall & Hopkirk Revisited, a thirty-minute documentary about the making of the show narrated by Ian Ogilvy who was no stranger to ITC having starred as Roger Moore's replacement in Return Of The Saint. The two surviving stars, Kenneth Cope who played one half of the detective duo, the ghost Marty Hopkirk, and Annette Andre who played Cope's widow, Jeannie, recall their memories of working on the series and the show's establishing director and creative consultant Cyril Frankel offers his interesting insight into the history of the programme. One of the most interesting aspects of the documentary is that Frankel and Cope both conflicted over their ideas as to what direction they thought the show should take. For instance, Frankel wanted to make the programme realistic in the vein of Raymond Chandler novels whilst Cope was all for bringing out the comedy as were some of the other directors who worked on the show. And when one watches the episodes after seeing the documentary one could see the varying approaches they had to the series as some episodes were played more for laughs than others. Mike Pratt who was the top-billed star of the show who played the second half of the detective duo, Jeff Randall, who sadly died in 1976, is paid tribute to in a separate documentary called Mike Pratt Remembered and in addition to that, an episode of the 1960's thriller, The Man In Room 17, in which Pratt guest starred is included for good measure. All in all, this reissue of the series is a must for all fans of the series and fans of cult British television alike as the remastering of the episodes is as good as one could wish and the special features are top notch as well.
For those of us who could not stand the remake starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in which the emphasis was on poor comedy and look at what we can do special effects, this eight-disc package of the original ITC cult classic is more than welcome. Featuring all twenty-six episodes complete and uncut, Network DVD have also treated us to a number of interesting special features. These include Randall & Hopkirk Revisited, a thirty-minute documentary about the making of the show narrated by Ian Ogilvy who was no stranger to ITC having starred as Roger Moore's replacement in Return Of The Saint. The two surviving stars, Kenneth Cope who played one half of the detective duo, the ghost Marty Hopkirk, and Annette Andre who played Cope's widow, Jeannie, recall their memories of working on the series and the show's establishing director and creative consultant Cyril Frankel offers his interesting insight into the history of the programme. One of the most interesting aspects of the documentary is that Frankel and Cope both conflicted over their ideas as to what direction they thought the show should take. For instance, Frankel wanted to make the programme realistic in the vein of Raymond Chandler novels whilst Cope was all for bringing out the comedy as were some of the other directors who worked on the show. And when one watches the episodes after seeing the documentary one could see the varying approaches they had to the series as some episodes were played more for laughs than others. Mike Pratt who was the top-billed star of the show who played the second half of the detective duo, Jeff Randall, who sadly died in 1976, is paid tribute to in a separate documentary called Mike Pratt Remembered and in addition to that, an episode of the 1960's thriller, The Man In Room 17, in which Pratt guest starred is included for good measure. All in all, this reissue of the series is a must for all fans of the series and fans of cult British television alike as the remastering of the episodes is as good as one could wish and the special features are top notch as well.
posted by Michael Harris | 1:11 pm
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