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THE MAGAZINE BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION

THE 50TH
EDITION OF HER N AME
INFINITY IS
MODESTYHER NATURE!
BUT NOT

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HE ADS SAES IN
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ZARDOZ A L DL A ND ’
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• E AGES T E ITALIAN SMUCH MORE!

I E WS &
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I NG C A R T ER
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M CLASS
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MA OLM M ED!
INTERVIEW
 THE MAGAZINE OF THE MACABRE AND FANTASTIC! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF

G
orgeous gals and giant monsters
have always gone together like,
well, alcohol and bad decisions, and
what would films such as The Monster That
Challenged the World and Them! have been
like without screaming ladies rushing about
in a decorous manner in the background? In
the latest issue of our companion magazine
The Dark Side we celebrate Monsters
and Maidens with a fond look back at
some of the delightful damsels who found
themselves in the clutches of lecherous
molluscs and the like!
That great movie menace Peter Lorre also
comes under the spotlight as we look back
on all of his great screen roles - from the
child-murderer in Fritz Lang’s M and the
pop-eyed lunatic in Mad Love, based on The
Hands of Orlac, to his latter day comedy
roles in the likes of The Raven.
Then it’s time to lighten the tone a little.
No, don’t laugh… Welcome to The House
in Nightmare Park, where Victorian comic
Frankie Howerd finds that titters are hard
to come by. Shot at Oakley Court, this 1973
comedy horror is definitely due for the Dark
Side reappraisal it gets here!
We are also proud to present Denis
Meikle’s chilling feature on The Woman in
Black and continue the Ed’s lengthy chat
with the great Renée Glynne, as well as
serving up a brand new interview with Bond
girl and Hammer actress Martine Beswick,
a fan favourite who still has plenty of great
stories to tell, as you
will discover.
In addition, we bring you a fascinating
essay on how legendary RKO producer
Val Lewton’s ‘horror’ films The Leopard
Man and The Seventh Victim were initially
conceived as ‘detective’ movies.
All in all it’s another unmissable issue
of the world’s best-selling magazine of the
macabre and fantastic, so be sure to grab a
copy from your local newsagent - they are
bound to sell out fast!

GOOD REASONS TO COME ON OVER TO THE DARK SIDE

BATTLING BESWICK PETER LORRE MONSTER MAIDENS
Name of feature
This image:
Martine fights
with Alizia Gur,
Miss Israel
1960, in From
Russia With
Love (1963)

Main image:
Martine as This image
the ill-fated and opposite:
Paula Caplan
in Thunderball Daniel Burnett interviews legendary Bond girl and Hammer actress Peter
Lorre in his
breakthrough
(1965)

Martine Beswick, a gal who certainly knows how to fight for a good role! role as Hans
Beckert, a serial The lovely
Mara Corday,
killer who preys
who appeared

T
on children in
Fritz Lang’s M
(1931)
opposite
some of the When it came to he 1940s saw the true birth of the atomic age,
screen’s most
but it was only in the 1950s that movie scientists
Peter as
memorable
monsters
bowling a maiden began to see the positive benefits of the A-bomb,
Abbott, leader
of a group of
back in the
day, including
Tarantula
over in the 1950s, tactfully putting aside its proven ability to kill lots
of innocent Japanese in one fell swoop. Now I
international
criminals
in Alfred
(1955), The
Giant Claw
cricketers like know what you’re thinking. Positive benefits? Well,
though death on a large scale and massive radiation
Hitchcock’s The (1957) and The
Man Who Knew
Too Much(1934)
Black Scorpion
(1957)
Colin Cowdrey and fallout may not at first glance seem a good thing, every
mushroom cloud has a silver lining.
Denis Compton had According to Hollywood filmmakers at least - and why would
they lie? - A-bomb radiation could also turn tiny creatures into
nothing on the likes humongous ones overnight, and I think we can all see the profit
in that. Properly harnessed, this could really bring down the price
of The Monster of, say, lobster, on the international market. Remember that giant
crab in Mysterious Island? Well there you go, fed them for a
That Challenged week, though I can’t remember off the top of my head if that had
eginning her career as a ‘Bond Girl’ in 1963’s From Russia anything to do with Oppenheimer.
with Love and 1965’s Thunderball, Martine Beswick has the World and the The biggest benefit of the atomic age,
become an icon of genre cinema, with an enviable back- for horror and sci-fi fans at least, was that way down the north-eastern coast of
catalogue of horror, exploitation and sci-fi credits: One giant ants of Them! it gave us a whole new genre of giant
This image:
Paula Raymond, the US to devastate New York City.
Million Years BC (1966), A Bullet for the General (1967), monster movies. Yes, we had them before, The film benefited from great special
cult favourite Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971), Oliver Stone’s Allan Bryce takes in King Kong (1933) for example, but
aka Paula
Ramona Wright effects by Ray Harryhausen (his first
directorial debut Seizure (1974), From a Whisper to a Scream Above: solo movie), particularly in the final
(1987), Cyclone (1987), Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth (1991),
Martine with
her good friend
a fond look back radioactivity was a far more convincing
explanation for a giant monkey than the
Above:
Paula as pretty scenes where the creature meets its
big hairy lad scoffing too many bananas. palaeontologist
Critters 4 (1992), Night of the Scarecrow (1995) and House of the Gorgon (2019),
as well as starring alongside such names as Vincent Price, Klaus Kinski, Jeffrey
and ‘sister’
Caroline Munro
playing Beckert in M, Lorre delivered his best
ever performance, effectively capturing the
at some of the I’m not a big banana fan myself because
Lee Hunter in
The Beast From
end in a Coney Island amusement
park. The human actors didn’t register
at DarkFest!
Combs, Barbara Crampton, Richard Lynch and Brad Dourif for production studios
ranging from Hammer to Full Moon to Cannon.
tortured soul of an evil figure.
Lorre played in several other German films,
gorgeous gals who I never trust any fruit that hangs around
in bunches.
20,000 Fathoms
(1953)
much, though, apart from the lovely
Paula Raymond, who played pretty
Martine recently spoke at a sold-out panel of Bond alumni, ‘Shaken Not Stirred
- Bond: Past, Present & Future’, which was part of the University of Aberdeen’s criminal figures the director drew from.
notably as a reporter in the 1932 science
fiction thriller F.P.1 antwortet nicht (FP1 Does
found themselves As Kong had proved almost two
decades earlier, when you have a monster
palaeontologist Lee Hunter.
Born Paula Ramona Wright in San
UNI-versal Dark Nights Film Festival, where she was more than happy to take a trip Lorre was playing in theatre in Squaring Not Answer), scripted by Kurt (later Curt) in the clutches of on the prowl you must also have a sexy gal Francisco in 1924, the tall, dark-haired
down Memory Lane and talk about some of her experiences working on these films. the Circle when Lovsky invited Lang to a Siodmak (The Wolf Man, 1941). Telling the story to be menaced by it. It’s a tale as old as beauty started out as a model and
performance. He cast the distinctive-looking of a mid-Atlantic air base subject to sabotage, lecherous molluscs time - Beauty and the Beast and all that. graced the cover of True Confessions
I’d like to ask first about From Russia with Love. That was your first Bond film actor, which saw Lorre filming for M (as the film FP1 was shot in German, French, and English Someone should write a song about it. magazine before she was put under
and was that also your first film role in general? was finally titled) during the day and fulfilling versions, though Lorre only appeared in the and the like! Let me put it this way, as someone who contract at MGM – apparently because
It was my first big film. I’d done little bits in other films. You know, so I think the his theatre commitments in the evening. It German version. has been there. Back in the old days when of her close resemblance to Myrna
first film I actually did was Saturday Night Out (1964), where I played a bar lady. fellow performer Celia Lovsky, an Austrian was a punishing schedule, but Lorre was able The rise to power of the Nazi party in 1933 you chatted up some gorgeous babe at Loy, Though Paula never achieved
I can’t really remember much about it, it was one of those sort of, you know, actress seven years his senior (probably best to draw upon his exhaustion to fill out the Germany saw the Jewish Lorre leave the the Essoldo Dance Hall you could bet your Myrna’s elevated level of stardom, she
secondary things. From Russia With Love was my first major film and I think that it remembered today as the Vulcan T’Pau in the character of Hans Beckert. country (weirdly, on the advice of high ranking best brothel creepers that she had some was popular in early westerns such

P
was also actually released first. original Star Trek episode ‘Amok Time’, 1967; M depicts a city living in fear, subjected to Nazi Joseph Goebbels), first for Paris and right mirror-dodging girlfriend in tow, the as Challenge of the Range (1949) and
Devil’s Doorway (1950) - the latter
You had a very memorable fight scene early on in that film with Aliza Gur. Brian J. Robb examines eter Lorre was born to be an actor, or so it seems.
With his distinctive looks and unique accent, Lorre
she also played Lon Chaney’s mother in biopic
Man of a Thousand Faces, 1957). Lorre and
mysterious forces, a theme Lang would return to
(notably in his Dr. Mabuse films). A child killer is
then London. Lorre was tapped by producer
Ivor Montague for a role in Alfred Hitchcock’s
kind who probably needed tinted windows
on their incubator. The monster makes the directed by Anthony Mann, who went
Did you get on with your co-star in that scene? makes an instant impression, whatever movie he Lovsky lived and performed together for five at large, and taunting the authorities by writing The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). Both sexy bird look even more glamorous, you on to cast Paula in his tense, film noir
Well, we did get on, because we had to, because we had to literally rehearse it. the life and films of the appears in, whether playing a leading role or simply years before getting married in 1934. threatening letters to the newspapers. A police Montague and Hitchcock had seen Lorre in see? Don’t shoot the messenger on this thriller The Tall Target (1951).
It was choreographed for three weeks, because Terence Young wanted to come a supporting character. He became so iconic he was crackdown so disrupts the city’s underworld that Lang’s M, and first considered him for the role one, it’s readily authenticated in scientific Proving that the Me Too movement
in and do hand-held stuff. He was the director and he wanted to do that. But she
wasn’t a sister, I’m just going to put it that way. She wasn’t a sister and I have a lot
inimitable Peter Lorre, quickly and easily spoofed, by other actors and in
animated cartoons. His films may have ranged from stone
M FOR MURDERER
It was Lovsky who brought Lorre to the
the criminals set out to find the killer themselves.
Captured, Beckert faces such rough justice from
of the assassin in their picture. Instead, he
was cast in the larger role of Abbott, leader
journals under “Don’t fancy yours much.”
So it was that when filmmakers began to exploit the public’s
is not just a modern thing, the randy
Mann apparently wouldn’t leave Paula alone, and did his best to
of sisters. My girlfriends are like my darling sisters and she didn’t become one of
my sisters; but we rehearsed it and it worked.
the Hungarian-born cold classics to Grade-Z schlock, but Lorre always strived to
make something of any part, no matter how small.
attention of German film director Fritz Lang
(Metropolis, 1927). Lorre had made tentative
the city’s organised crime gangs that he begs to
be handed over to the police.
of a group of international criminals. Lorre’s
English was still limited, so he had to learn
fear of the A-bomb in the early 1950s, they signed up some pretty
tasty ladies to scream their well-developed lungs out in front of
get her into bed. “The hell he put me through,” she later revealed.
“He was after me, and he even tried to ply me with liquor. I’ve
Born in 1904 in Hungary, László Löwenstein was the eldest son of his father moves into screen acting, appearing in a couple M was Lang’s first sound film, with the his lines partly phonetically although playing the camera as they reacted to poorly back-projected footage of never been a drinker. He ordered a drink for me, a brandy
After From Russia with Love you were also in Thunderball in a significantly actor whose deceptively Alajos, a bookkeeper, and his mother, Elvira, from whom he inherited his of minor blink-and-you’ll-miss-him roles, notably director innovating in his use of a complex and the role helped him further his command spiders, ants, dinosaurs and kippers – just threw that last one in as Alexander. It tasted like a spicy milkshake. When he asked me
larger role. Was there ever a moment where, because you had just been distinctive bulging eyes. She died when Lorre was just four years old, leaving as a dentist’s patient in 1929’s The Missing resonant soundtrack when sound was still in its of the language. Lorre won strong critical a joke to see if you were still paying attention at the back. out to dinner I would always ask the publicity man along. It was a
in From Russia with Love as a different character only two years prior, you
almost didn’t get the role?
mild manner and low- his father to raise five children; Peter was the eldest. He first took to the stage
in Vienna as a teenager, aged just 17, initially against his father’s wishes.
Wife. Lang was developing a film about a child
murderer, under the title Murderer Among Us,
infancy. Lorre played his role in German, but
he and Lang also shot an English-language
notices, with some critics comparing his screen
presence to that of Charles Laughton. RAYMOND REVUE
matter of self-preservation.” Let’s all drink to that.
In The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms Paula was Cecil Kellaway’s
They really did not want to use a Bond girl twice and the producers were really
against it, but it was again for Terence Young, the director of the first one. We had
pitched voice made him He quickly made an impact, his short stature and bug-eyes making him a
distinctive, if a little precocious, performer.
but was having trouble finding an actor willing
to play the main character, an unrepentant
version in 1932, with the actor learning English
to replay his role.
After making two films in America, Lorre
reunited with Hitchcock for Secret Agent (1936)
The first big radiation-created creature to grace the big screen
was The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), and this turned out to
assistant, a part that she did not relish, as she revealed in a later
interview. “The film was embarrassing for me at the time because
child killer named Hans Beckert. Lang’s film The film saw Lorre acclaimed for his fearless be one of the most influential of 50s monster films. Based on Ray it was the first film I did after leaving MGM, and, compared to the
become really good friends, and the part was for an island girl. They kept looking
at everyone else and he said: “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s an island girl, you have one of motion pictures’ Soon he was in Berlin, just in time for the 1920s when culture, especially
theatre, was booming between the wars. By now, László Löwenstein was partly inspired by the real-life case of Peter performance, but it also typecast the actor
where he played another killer, known only as
‘The General’. The New York Times dubbed Bradbury’s Saturday Evening Post short story, “The Foghorn,” it production values of a big studio it was embarrassing. Of course
her”. He really fought to have me in the film, and so that’s how it came about, had become Peter Lorre. He struck up a partnership with Bertolt Brecht, Kürten, a serial killer dubbed ‘the vampire of for life—he would struggle to escape playing Lorre ‘one of the most amusing and somehow was an enjoyable effort about atomic tests releasing a long-frozen the movie was bought by Warners, was a huge hit, and became an
because he was as determined as I was, you know? favourite villains... becoming a favourite performer of the radical playwright. In 1929, Lorre met Düsseldorf’, just one of several then-active the villain thereafter. For Lang, however, in one of the most wistfully appealing trigger men’. dinosaur (a fictional one) in the Arctic, who proceeds to make its important cult film.”

6 The DarkSide The DarkSide 7 14 The DarkSide 20 The DarkSide The DarkSide 21
The DarkSide 15

Issue 232 on sale Now

Full details and subscriptions can be found online at
thedarksidemagazine.com and on our Facebook page Dark Side Magazine
INFINITY 2
08 14

50

18 20

42

08: THE EAGLE HAS LANDED - AGAIN!

We discover why the second version of The Eagle is so
fondly remembered by readers from the 1980s.
14: TRIESTE IS THE BEST
Alan Jones champions the many virtues of Italy’s most
31 famous science fiction festival!
18: MODEL BEHAVIOUR
Andy Pearson looks at some of his favourite roll models.
Mainly the ones that you don’t need a licence to drive.
20: ZARDOZ - A HEAD OF ITS TIME
Mankinis on, as we explore Sean Connery’s spaced-out
oddity from its conception to execution and ’beyond’.
24: DINOSAURS AND MONSTERS
54 It’s sheer prehysteria as we look at the way dinosaurs
have been depicted on film - and in theme parks!
31: MOLESWORTH’S MUSINGS
48 Richard delves into the realms of the unexplained... and
reveals his very first encounter with Bigfoot!
42: BIG MCSTAKE!
The lost world of ‘McDonaldland’ - a destination which
didn’t go down well, even with fries and a free toy...

60 48: GET HODGES!

Robert Fairclough chats with the Mike Hodges, director
of such classics as Get Carter and Flash Gordon!
54: RAY’S A LAUGH
Robert Ross looks back on the career of great radio
comedian and sometime Carry On star Ted Ray...
56 56: O LUCKY MAN!
Malcolm McDowell talks about his amazing career in hits
such as Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange.
60: THE FEMALE JAMES BOND
Speaking with Peter O’Donnell, who was best known as
the creator of famed action heroine Modesty Blaise...

04: THE INFINITY SHOP

05: INTRODUCTION
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 Name of feature

ALL DRESSED UP AND

NOWHERE TO GROW...
“

A
s I write these words the sun is shining and Yannie is didn’t know how to talk to kids because he never had any
telling me that it’s time to get out in the garden and of his own. I used to get palmed off on Uncle Jack and Aunt
earn my celery. Gardening, eh? Can you dig it? Back Lilly quite a lot, especially during the school holidays, and I
when I was a nipper in the late 1950s and early 1960s the didn’t mind this at all because my dear Aunt used to buy me
slogan was ‘Dig For Victory,’ and the good folks of Britain Marvel comics and Aurora Monster Model kits to keep me
were encouraged by the Ministry of Agriculture to grow their amused. I can’t say there was never a ‘dill’ moment though.
own food in times of harsh rationing. I think we might be Every Saturday afternoon Uncle Jack made a ritual visit to
back to those days again right now, since the cost of living the Gardening Department at Bentalls in Kingston, taking
is so high that it’s a miracle that 7 billion people are still a good look round and admiring their wide array of seed
paying it - maybe less if Putin has his way. packs. You can’t judge a book by its cover, however, even a
My dad was a keen gardener and we had one of the gardening one, and much later in my life, when my poor old
biggest gardens in Springfield Road, Westcott, until stick-in-the-mud Uncle Jack had gone to a better place,
the council nicked half of it to build garages on. I discovered that for years during WWII he had
Every Sunday morning he’d be up with the been confined to a Japanese Prisoner
laziest of the lark community for some of War camp, where he suffered a
pre-pub exercise tending to his great deal of serious punishment.
runner beans, ridding his dual No surprise that he chose a life of
cabbage-way of slugs and snails, peas and quiet after that lot. I did
and cutting the grass to a little wonder if his gardening interest started
bit of Mow-town on the radio. when he was digging an escape tunnel.
We were allowed to help him salt When chatting to my sister Viv about
the slugs and also fill jam jars with this editorial she reminded me that Lily
worms for our fishing expeditions. was mad about Dahlias and devoted Jack
The gardening thing never grabbed me filled the house with them. He also had a
though. I must confess that when it comes motorbike and side-car, and when he took Lily out
to having green fingers I’m not up there with the in it he treated her like a Queen, opening the side car
Incredible Hulk, even though I once used to make loads door on arrival so she could step daintily out like the Queen.
of money clearing leaves from neighbours’ gardens - yes, Me? I never thought I’d see the day when I’d look forward
I was raking it in. Generally speaking, however, I found to a trip to the Garden Centre, but Yannie and I spent hours
gardening to be a bit of a chore, an extremely boring pursuit mulching round a big one yesterday. I accidentally dug her
usually indulged in by old folk in cardigans. I came to prize poppies up last year, thinking they were weeds (a bit
this conclusion visiting my Uncle Jack and Auntie Lily in of trowel and error, to be fair) and so replacements had to
Chessington. Aunt Lil was a great character and may even be sourced. While there, I spent about £60 on topsoil - yep,
have been a bit of a good time girl back in her youth - she sixty smackers on plain garden earth! And the plot thickens.
turned quickly past quite a few saucy pics when showing They were also doing a buy one, get one free on manure, an
me her scrapbook once, and there was a very saucy portrait offer not to be sniffed at.
of a topless lady on her bedroom wall. Anyway, now I’ve plundered the Beano for just about
Uncle Jack, on the other hand, had an allotment, the every gardening joke in existence - turf the net if you want
sure sign of a serious gardener. Every night at half five he’d more - it’s time to sign off this issue’s editorial and get on
get home from work and sit down with his evening meal in with my planting, closely supervised by Yannie, who like
front of the BBC News - he didn’t hold with ITV, didn’t trust any dutiful wife doesn’t want me spilling my seed in the
them and their fancy adverts for Rael-Brook shirts that wrong places. I did try telling her that what she was wearing
didn’t need ironing. After the news he’d get on his bike and was inappropriate for gardening, but she’s digging in her
pedal off down to his allotment, where he’d sit surveying heels. Women, eh?
the quiet splendour of his prize marrows. A shy man, he Allan Bryce.

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Name of feature

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

The Infinity team bring you news on your favourite TV shows and movie franchises,
including Sun Hill’s finest back on the beat and K.I.T.T back on the road...

RETURN OF THE BILL HIT THE ROAD WITH K.I.T.T.

It seems the ITV police drama series The Bill is on track for a mammoth Scalextric have teamed up with
return to television screens over a decade since it last aired. Fabulous Films to celebrate the 40th
The ITV police procedural television series aired from August 1983 to Anniversary of cult 80s classic TV
August 2010, racking up an astonishing 2,425 episodes. series Knight Rider.
And now fans of the highly-acclaimed show will be delighted to hear Brand new Scalextric C4226 Knight
there is a reboot in the pipeline. Rider - K.I.T.T. & Knight Rider Blu-ray &
Last July, it was understood that cast members from the original show, DVD box sets would make the perfect
Graham Cole, Trudie Goodwin and Mark Wingett, were approached by writer gifts for the cult TV fan in your life - or
Simon Sansome who had allegedly acquired the rights to the original series. of course a special treat if that fan is
Mark, 61, played DC Jim Carver while Graham, 70, was PC Tony Stamp on the yourself. Mention K.I.T.T. to any kids from the 1980s and they would instantly
show and Trudie, 70, had the role of Sgt June Ackland. know what you were talking about. This Scalextric slot car replica of K.I.T.T.
They said: “In the minds of many producers and execs, The Bill is a even comes with a working red strobe light.
drama which is just sitting, waiting, to be rebooted. It’s a simple format but In the Knight Rider Complete DVD & Blu-ray Collection, gear up for action
one which attracted a loyal army of followers who would be delighted to see with superstar David Hasselhoff and his supercar, K.I.T.T. as they throttle
it return. No doubt any new incarnation would be tweaked to make it attract crime in all 90 high-octane episodes of Knight Rider now fully restored and in
a whole new generation to the show.” hi-definition. The series follows the thrilling adventures of Michael Knight, a
Throughout its 26-year run, The Bill also saw a host of famous faces detective thought to be dead, who’d been given a new face and identity.
guest star with many appearing on the series before their big Hollywood His assignment to fight crime with the help of an artificially intelligent,
breaks. Among those who appeared on the show were Emma Bunton, James talking car named K.I.T.T., a high-speed, futuristic weapon outfitted with
McAvoy, Russell Brand and Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt.   high-tech gadgets and a personality of its own.  Driven by justice, they set
In April 2020, Trudie, Mark and Graham joined Eric Richard and Chris out to take- down criminals who operate above the law. And the speed limit.
Ellison on a virtual reunion from COVID-19 lockdown.
The cast started the call ‘in the slammer’ with prison bars as their THE ROBOTS ARE COMING! (AGAIN!)
backgrounds before changing to pictures of Sun Hill and images of themselves It feels very Douglas Adams to be releasing the fifth instalment of a four-
from back in the day as they reminisced. Chris, who played DI Frank Burnside, part series but Big Finish are doing just that with the penultimate box set
recalled shooting car scenes ‘with our trousers off, not because we were too in The Robots range, starring Nicola Walker and Claire Rushbrook as sisters
hot, just bored,’ while Mark remembered the ‘belly laughing’. Liv and Tula Chenka. Some other familiar faces from TV’s Doctor Who also
Graham joked that Keira Knightley “never phoned” after he worked with lend their voices to this box set (Blink’s Finlay Robertson and Village of the
her on one of her first-ever TV episodes. She appeared on the show in 1995 Angels’ Jemma Churchill). Anthony Howell returns as robotics scientist Volar
when she was just 10-years-old. When discussing what The Bill would look Crick, alongside Sarah Lambie as Chief Robots Officer Graf Kirran, and Jon
like today, Chris jokingly admitted that “if it was the same cast it would look Culshaw voices Sorkov — a robotic reincarnation of Kiy Uvanov from 1977’s
like One Foot In The Grave.” Doctor Who TV story The Robots of Death. During the events of Doctor Who:
It’s also worth noting that our friends at the Misty Moon Film Society Ravenous 2, Liv Chenka left
regularly hold events connected with The Bill, and their next, The Bill the Doctor and the TARDIS
Reunion 7, will be held on November 12th at The Cinema Museum. behind. Just for one year.
The Bill Reunion 7 will be hosted by Misty Moon’s Curator and Producer A year during which she
Stuart Morriss and Oliver Crocker, presenter of The Bill Podcast since 2017, would live on Kaldor, and
where he has interviewed over 50 of Sun Hill’s finest. get to know her sister Tula
Beth Cordingly (PC Kerry Young, 2002-04) and Suzanne Maddock (PC all over again. But Kaldor
Cass Rickman, 1999-2002) are the first two confirmed guests but many is going through a period
more will be added. After the Q&A there will be a meet and greet with the of tumultuous change.
audience, and the guests will take part in a paid signing. Technology is changing at an
Advance tickets at £20 may be purchased from Ticketlab, or direct from advanced rate –the robots are
the Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 in office hours. evolving, artificial intelligence

6 INFINITY
 Name of feature

is adapting, and with these changes so

politics is altering too. Dangerously. Can
Liv and Tula make a difference during
the most turbulent time in the world’s
history?   
The three action-packed adventures
in this box set are as follows: In The
Enhancement by Aaron Douglas, the
Enhancement chips are the next stage
of personal security for the citizens of
Kaldor - and following her experiences
with identity theft, no-one is keener to get involved with them than Tula.
Liv, however, has other concerns. The Sons of Kaldor have been suspiciously
quiet. But is this something to be worried about? Or is the true threat much
closer to home?  
In Machines Like Us by Phil Mulryne, Kador Arris of the founding
families used to work for the Company - but now he’s on the outside
and demanding greater accountability. His populist plans are gaining
momentum - but also gaining him enemies. A terrifying conspiracy is
underway - and only Liv and Tula are in a position to stop it.   
In Kaldor Nights by Tim Foley  Kaldor Nights is the most popular reality
TV series on the planet… and it now has two new people on set. As danger
approaches outside, Liv and Tula are there to ensure sure the show must go on.
Because it’s just TV isn’t it? There can’t be anything sinister going on… can there?    IN MEMORIAM
Nicola Walker said: “I love these scripts. There’s a really great build-up
through all three episodes. These stories explore the concept of AI invading A favourite of Infinity and Dark Side designer Kev, and no doubt countless
our lives slowly and look at a heightened version of where that could take numbers of our readers too, the world renowned Greek composer Vangelis
us. The brilliant thing about the Doctor Who world is that it’s always taken to Papathanasiou, known professionally simply as Vangelis, sadly passed
real extremes — it’s quite philosophical and asks big questions.    away recently at age 79.
“It seems to me that Liv’s obsession in these stories is about trust. Vangelis, who won an Oscar award for composing the score for the film
Ultimately, there is only one person she can completely trust and that’s her Chariots of Fire (1981), passed away May 17th, according to a statement
sister — it’s becoming clearer as the stories go on. They’re getting closer released by his legal team. The composer had been hospitalized with
and closer. It’s quite beautiful actually.     COVID-19 in France before his passing.
“I think Tula is really starting to understand what it means to be Vangelis was known for his ground-breaking compositions in a variety
a Company woman and I think Liv has pulled Tula over to her more of genres, including electronic, progressive, ambient, and even orchestral
revolutionary side.”  pieces. His theme for Chariots of Fire beat John Williams’ score for the
The Robots: Volume 5 is now available to own for just £19.99 (collector’s first Indiana Jones film in 1982. It reached the top of the US billboard and
edition CD box set + download) or £16.99 (download only), exclusively from was an enduring hit in Britain, where it was used during the London 2012
the Big Finish website.     Olympics medal presentation ceremonies.
The signature piece is one of the hardest-to-forget film tunes
worldwide – and has also served as the musical background to endless
slow-motion parodies.
One of the most famous Greek composers in the world, he was born in
the small town of Agria in Thessaly but grew up in Athens. From a young
age, Vangelis showed an interest in and talent for music. He began to
compose songs at the young age of just four years old without having
had any training in music.
After noticing his talent for music, Vangelis’ parents enrolled him
in music lessons, but the composer didn’t find the lessons helpful
whatsoever, so he developed his own technique for playing music.
Later in his life, Vangelis stated that he was glad he had no formal
training in music, as it would have prevented him from exploring his
own creativity.
In the earliest days of his career, Vangelis mainly composed music for
Greek musicians and films. He then moved to Paris, where he founded
the Greek progressive rock band, Aphrodite’s Child, with Greek musicians
Demis Roussos, Loukas Sideras, and Anargyros “Silver” Koulouris.
INSIDE MOONBASE ALPHA After the band split up in 1971, Vangelis began to focus more on
The lavish science-fiction drama Space: 1999 has captivated audiences composing scores for film and television. He went on to become one of
around the world since its debut in 1975. The series of course starred Martin the most well-respected composers in the world of film, and his work on
Landau and Barbara Bain and was created by legendary producer and the films Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner have made him a household
puppet master Gerry Anderson. The ambitious premise exceeded the scope name across the world.
(and budget) of many of the era’s disaster movies. Following an accident He was a prolific composer over many decades, his work ranging
that blows the Moon out of Earth’s orbit, the stranded crew of Moonbase from advertising music and film scores to elaborate symphonic-style
Alpha embark on an epic interplanetary quest for a new home. compositions and “Jon and Vangelis”, his duo with Jon Anderson, lead
Space: 1999 – The Vault, a definitive and fully authorised book, includes singer of the prog-rock group Yes.
a wealth of previously unpublished images including new shots of original But he remained wary of commercial success and valued his
studio models and vintage merchandise.  independence over record sales, once telling an interviewer he never saw
It was written by Chris Bentley, a former chairman of Fanderson, music as just entertainment.
the official Gerry Anderson Appreciation Society, Chris was a friend and “Success is sweet and treacherous,” the composer told the Observer
colleague of the Space: 1999 creator for many years. He is the author of The newspaper in a 2012 interview. “Instead of being able to move forward
Complete Book of Thunderbirds (2000), The Complete Gerry Anderson: The freely and do what you really wish, you find yourself stuck and obliged to
Authorised Episode Guide (2005), The Complete Book of Gerry Anderson’s repeat yourself.”
UFO (2016) and Captain Scarlet: The Vault (2017). Order a copy for £34.99 Vangelis readily admitted to the Los Angeles Times in 1986 that “half
from the Official Gerry Anderson Store and Chris will sign it for you. of the films I see don’t need music. It sounds like something stuffed in.”

INFINITY 7
 THE EAGL

two unsuccessful launches from the boys’ division

in Tornado (1979) and Speed (1980). So, what
would go in the new Eagle?
The obvious first decision was to revive Dan
Dare. In fact, the Dan Dare character had never
really gone away. After the original Eagle ceased
publication, there had still been Eagle annuals
for several years with new Dare stories. More
significantly, Dan Dare had been an integral part
of 2000AD when it launched in 1977. That was a
very different version of the character which was
too different to satisfy fans of the original and not
new enough to become a favourite of the 1970s
kids who favoured Judge Dredd and other anti-
heroes for which that comic became known.
Even after Dave Gibbons took over the art,
Re-inventing Dan Dare (twice), forgotten Alan Moore stories, the series never seemed quite at home and in
home to refugees from cancelled comics and virtually the last 1979, despite the famous “Dan Dare will return”
message, Dare was seen no more in 2000AD. The
comic standing from the IPC stable... It can only be the second character was a free agent, ready to be picked up,
dusted down and drawn anew. However, anyone
version of the Eagle, fondly remembered by readers from the looking for a straight resurrection of the 1950s
1980s. Ian Millsted explores what made this title unique... style Dan Dare was in for a surprise. The decision
was made to run the strip starring the great-great-
grandson of the original Dare. This would be one
he original Eagle comic was the In his own memoir of his days in the comics field, of only two stories in the new comic that used art

T stuff of legend, running from

1950 to 1969 and generating 997
weekly issues, plus annuals and
other spin-offs. It was, of course,
the home magazine of Dan Dare and
Comic Book Hero (2017), Tomlinson remembered
the chain of events. “It had long been my ambition
to relaunch Eagle. I wanted to do something
completely new, and we decided that some of the
Eagle stories would be told in photographs, rather
rather than photography.
The writers were John Wagner and Pat Mills.
Between them they had been largely responsible
for Battle, Action and 2000AD as well as the
successful adaptation of Tom Baker’s version of
so much more. Even after dwindling sales led to than drawn. Photo-stories were extremely popular Doctor Who (1979-1980). Wagner and Mills seemed
the cancellation of the title, it was still seen as in girls’ comics, and we felt we could make them to be more interested in the traditional nemesis of
the gold standard, both within and without the popular with Eagle readers. So, photo stories it Dan Dare – The Mekon.
comics industry, of what a boys’ comic should was, much to the angry reaction of the regular The first new Dare serial was titled ‘The Return
be. However, the 1970s was the decade of comics artists we used in our comics.” of the Mekon’ and the first episode is really a Mekon
launches that bucked the traditions which Eagle story with just a brief cameo from the original Dan
was seen, rightly or wrongly, to represent. Battle, REVIVING DAN Dare. The new Dan Dare wasn’t revealed until the
Action, Jinty, Misty and 2000AD were all, to some Launching a new Eagle was always going to get third episode. The artist selected for this prestigious
extent, anti-establishment. So, could there ever be plenty of attention and the likelihood was that job was the very talented Gerry Embleton. All did not
another flight of the Eagle? If so, it would need to plenty of dads would be willing to buy the comic run smoothly, unfortunately. While the story was
be different again for their kids, the product needed to be both good engaging and popular enough with readers for there
The initiative to make this happen came from and innovative if they were going to keep, or even to be demands to expand beyond just the two pages
long-time IPC/Fleetway editor Barrie Tomlinson. grow a readership. IPC had, in recent years, had a week initially allotted, there were differences of

8 INFINITY
 HOW VERY DARE YOU?

LE HAS LANDED… AGAIN!

opinion behind the scenes. In a later interview Alan Hebden and artist Jose Ortiz. Ortiz
with the fanzine Eagle Flies Again, Embleton did a great job realising a post-apocalyptic
shared: “To be honest, I was disappointed London and the complete story has been
from the very start and was uncomfortable published in collected format in recent
with the direction the strip – and the comic years. The final story was an anthology
– took. I understand why but I didn’t like it series, The Collector.
and quit”. The title character was a collector of
Editor Dave Hunt, who worked with exhibits which each led into a short story
Tomlinson, noted that “Gerry fell behind very of the twist-in-the-tail type. The first
quickly”. After sixteen issues Embleton left panel was drawn by Pat Wright and the
and was replaced by Oliver Frey, as a fill in, story proper was a photo-strip. It was in
and then by the legendary Ian Kennedy (who this series that Alan Moore contributed
sadly died recently). Kennedy was an ideal two short stories (in the third and twelfth
fit, with a fast-paced, aerodynamic style. issues) which are often overlooked by fans
of the writer.
BREAKOUT STRIP
Apart from Dan Dare, the rest of the content CELEBRITY APPEARANCES
was new. The first story inside the covers As well as the initial slate of strips, the new
of the première issue was Doomlord. This Eagle made a point of including features
was the breakout strip from the comic. With by or about popular figures of the day. The
a script by Alan Grant and photographic first issue contains an interview with Peter
storytelling, Doomlord appears conceived Davison, who had recently taken over as
as a finite serial but was popular enough the lead in Doctor Who, a photo feature
to merit sequels and then ongoing status. on footballer Bryan Robson, a column by
The character Doomlord was an alien Radio 1 DJ Mike Read and a sporting diary
who starts out as completely malevolent, from athlete Daley Thompson. The overall
although later versions back-pedalled from mix was well thought out and strong.
that somewhat. Apart from the photo-strip The print run for the first issue, dated
status, it was closer in tone to the anti-hero 27th March 1982, was 350,000. There was
format of 2000AD. Readers liked the concept, Will you take with any seeming talent or ambition until a television advertising campaign and a
a Dare? Dan
the monstrous look of the alien and the was a Colonel
new boy Smokey (I hope that was a tribute to celebrity launch at the Waldorf Hotel in
shape-shifting ability (which also served to in Spacefleet. the singer Smokey Robinson) Beckles arrives. London attended by the aforementioned
indicate that the human actors used could He and his Getting teenage models to look like Read and Thompson as well as other
aide Digby
be replaced easily if they started asking for were among football players was always going to be popular figures like wrestler Big Daddy.
more money!). It was fun and fast paced. the greatest more achievable as a photo-strip than most This achieved the intended media
defenders of the
Second up was the football strip, planet Earth,
genres and the story was well done, if you attention, with BBCs Newsnight running a
Thunderbolt and Smokey. Football strips often against like football comics. The third ongoing feature, although how many of the planned
had always been a mainstay of boys’ weekly the forces of the photo-strip was the police detective Sgt potential readers were watching that at
Mekon and his
comics, managing to be popular with those Treens or lesser Streetwise. Written by Gerry Finley-Day 10:30pm is another matter.
who disliked playing football as well as those menaces such as (who created Rogue Trooper and others Also worth noting is that, due to the
Vora, Blasco and
who did. The script was by Tom Tully and the the High Lords of for 2000AD), this started off strongly but requirements of the photography, the
premise was the classic underdogs trying Saturnia didn’t really maintain the action after the comic had to be printed on better paper
to come up trumps plot. Colin ‘Thunderbolt’ first couple of episodes. The other fully than was the industry standard of the day.
Dexter is the only player in his school team drawn story was The Tower King by writer Despite all this Tomlinson got

INFINITY 99
INFINITY
 HORSE SENSE secret agent Manix took longer to settle
As was the way of things with weekly comics, down while Invisible Boy had a decent run
some features were either dropped or rested although the need to plot at least one use of
to make way for others. One of my personal invisibility every three or four pages gave it a
favourites, although presumably not with somewhat contrived feel.
most readers as it only lasted thirteen While cops, football, secret agents and
weeks, was Saddle Tramp. This was clearly cowboys all worked well in the photo format,
an attempt to pick up on the popularity of the attempt at a war story just looked wrong.
the spaghetti westerns which were proving Given the great history of war comics in
popular on television at the time (the days the UK, it made sense to commission Gerry
when films took years, or even decades, to Finley-Day to write Jake’s Platoon and there
turn up on TV). was nothing wrong with the story but the
The scripts were by Gerry Finley-Day and guys in the photos looked too much like a
started out with what would be a running gag bunch of 1980s paint-ballers for most readers
Above right: some negative feedback from his own of the lead character, Trampas, walking into to buy into.
Celebrities higher management. town carrying a saddle after losing his horse. More change was on the way. Pat Mills
featured within
the pages of “I was told by management that I was too That was the first of several horses that went left the scripting of Dan Dare as his attempts
the new Eagle starry-eyed about all the celebrities I had awol throughout the series. Presumably to veer ever closer to Frank Hampson’s
included the
lovely Sally signed. I was ordered to drop all the celebrity the actor in the photo-strip couldn’t ride, or original vision were resisted. “The story
James (born Sally writers in Eagle. This was a disappointment maybe it was a cost cutting measure, but was still number one, but I felt I’d done my
Cann, 10 May
1950). She was of
for me, and also, I think, for the readers. Our it actually gave the series an interestingly penance for reviving the character. Unless
course a presenter free advertising would stop.” quirky feel. Otherwise, the use of western re- I could make it closer yet to the original
on the ITV One non-celebrity feature that ran from enactment sites and authentic clothing and there was no point in going on. This was not
Saturday morning
children’s show the second issue was a glamorous teacher equipment meant the series worked better possible and I walked away from it.”
Tiswas from 1977 slot where readers could send in pictures of than it should. Being in black and white also More significantly, the photo strips, and
until it ended in
1982. She now
their teachers, and those selected got a box helped disguise the lack of Texas- the better-quality paper they required were
runs a business of chocolates. This was an indication that the style weather on the way out. From September 1983 Eagle
selling school editors recognised, contrary to much of the Other new strips included Joe Soap, by became all drawn stories on the same cheap
uniforms in
Cobham, Surrey history of boys’ comics, that their readers Alan Grant and John Wagner, which was a paper that most British comics were printed
were actually noticing girls. Indeed, in both comedy private eye photo strip and The on at the time. For the likes of Doomlord the
the photo strips and the drawn art of Ortiz, House of Daemon by Grant and Wagner transition was smooth enough and the great
there are plenty of female characters. again, and with terrific art by Ortiz. The robot Eric Bradbury later added a nice eerie quality

10 INFINITY
 lived Scream. A horror couple of years things looked good. There were a
anthology comic, Scream couple of thoughtfully produced Dan Dare specials
lasted only fifteen issues, which expanded the Dare universe and included
partly due to strike interviews with the creative team.
action, although remains The move to a monthly schedule in 1991
well-remembered to this was a further indication that times were bad. By
day. It brought with it this point Dan Dare was just about the only new
The Thirteenth Floor, material amid a sea of reprints. Possibly the lack
with art by Ortiz which of investment was indicative of the title now being
enhanced the combined owned by the infamous Robert Maxwell who had
comic. The following year bought Fleetway as part of his pension-exploiting
the mighty Tiger comic (code for stealing in most people’s books) business
was finally suffering acquisition model. That the title survived Maxwell,
dropping sales after an who died in 1991, was something of a miracle. The
impressive thirty years final issue was cover-dated January 1994. Eagle
and was merged into had outlasted most of the juvenile comics titles
Eagle. This brought and there was nothing left for it to merge with,
another reader favourite, apart from 2000AD, which by that point had a
Death Wish, into the different and older audience with little crossover.
line-up. Relatively few of the stories from the 1980s
By 1986, the Eagle have been reprinted. There is a collection of
introduction of reprints The Thirteenth Floor from Rebellion printing strips
as part of the mix from Scream and Eagle, and Hibernia Comics have
indicated sales were produced limited edition collections of The Tower
dropping. More mergers King and The House of Daemon. There may be
with Battle (in January more to come
1988), Mask (in October Could there be a third flight of the Eagle.
1988) and Wildcat (in Anything is possible, but the likelihood of a mass
April 1989) probably market title seems slim. That audience isn’t there
helped stave off any more. Take your money to the second-hand
cancellation. market instead and seek out those comics of
In August 1989 there yore. Plenty of good, and some not-so-good, stuff
was a high-profile change out there
to the comic with the The quotes from Pat Mills are taken from
reintroduction of the his entertaining book Be Pure! Be Vigilant!
to the strip. However, overall, the loss of the photo original Dan Dare to replace his descendent. That Behave! and those from Barrie Tomlinson are
strips removed the title’s unique selling point. this was to be drawn by Keith Watson who had from his equally entertaining Comic Book Hero.
Even so, it remained popular and when the annual worked on the series in the 1960s was good news Other quotes are taken from Ian Wheeler’s
rounds of hatch, match and dispatch unfolded, for older fans. It did seem to give the title a shot fanzine Eagle Flies Again which did an invaluable
Eagle managed to survive. in the arm. Tom Tully wrote Dare and David Pugh job of interviewing many creators, including
replaced Watson as the artist. The paper had some no longer with us. In that spirit, this
HIGH-PROFILE CHANGE also improved and there were more colour pages, article is dedicated to the memory of the great
The first title to merge into Eagle was the short- giving the whole thing a more modern style. For a Ian Kennedy.

INFINITY 11
 YOUR LETTERS AND EMAILS

We love Close Encounters with our readers so drop us a letter at 29 Cheyham Way, South Cheam, Surrey SM2 7HX
or an e-mail at [email protected] and you have a good chance of seeing your own name in print

Diamond made a mistake and John Wagner or Alan Grant (my favourite writers
sent him too many copies so from 2000AD), but everyone who reads my comics
he had them going out cheap enjoys them.
- and I was very disappointed I am also currently contracted to produce a
with it - the format, the writing series of comic book movie adaptations of some
in the articles, lots of text but Ozploitation classics - Australian movies from the
very few images, I just couldn’t 70s and 80s. I ‘adapt’ the movies, I write the comic
get into it (it’s not the Fangoria book versions, and then I source artists from my
of old that I remember). But he own anthology comics to draw them - I also do the
told me he gets Infinity and design work, and the speech bubbles and lettering.
he had some on the shelf, so The movies are being released in new remastered
I’ve just bought issues 42 to Blu-ray format, from Umbrella Entertainment
45 - I’ve got some catching up (in Australia), with O-ring packaging (cardboard
to do, ha ha. Ian (the owner at sleeve), picture discs with lots of extra features
Gamma Rays) is also another (audio commentary, docos, interviews, etc) AND
fan of Infinity, and both he and the printed 16-page comic book adaptations
the customer in the UK told me included inside the Blu-Ray case (the complete
to check out The Dark Side too movie condensed into just a 14-page story, plus
- so I now have issues 224 to covers = 16 pages total booklet). Collectors need
226 of that to read here too. to be quick, only the first 3,000 of each title will
Who am I? My name is have a comic book included. This is a celebration
Darren Koziol, and I run Dark of classic Australian cinema as well as showcasing
Oz - a small independent current comic book creators.
publisher in Adelaide, South The first two movies, Stunt Rock (1978) and
Australia. I’ve been producing Deathcheaters (1976), were both directed by BTS
comic book anthologies for (Brian Trenchard-Smith) - legendary Australian
over ten years, featuring over director of BMX Bandits, Turkey Shoot, Dead End
200 creators. I started with Drive-In, The Man From Hong Kong, etc, and cited
Decay, a horror comic like as one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite directors.
Creepy or Eerie, but perhaps After this there will be two more Blu-ray movies
more inspired by later comics with comics... but I’m sworn to secrecy for now
like ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Toxic!’ on them. These are the first ever Australian movie
(from the UK). Decay went comic book adaptations, and also a wotlf first for
for 24 issues but has stopped any movie to be released in any form of physical
for now, while my other main media with a complete comic book adaptation
title Retro Sci-Fi Tales is still included. And... those are my cars on the comic
going - the 10th issue has just book cover of Stunt Rock, ha ha (I asked the artist
been released. This is more like to include the cars - hey, one of the original movie
2000AD and Heavy Metal. posters for Stunt Rock had a yellow Corvette and
Decay was always self- a red Trans Am and neither of those were in the
contained short stories. movie either, ha ha - and my yellow Valiant is a
Retro Sci-Fi Tales is mostly ‘signature’ of Dark Oz comics, in much the same
short stories but also with an way that Sam Raimi puts his own car in most of his
ongoing serial or two. I am movies - Evil Dead (1981), Spider-Man (2002), etc -
also the author of most of the my car appears in many of my comic book stories).
stories - I don’t do any of the     I have also been published in Heavy Metal
Hello Allan, art. I did less writing in the early days when I was magazine (the adult fantasy comic book - I had a
It sounds crazy but I’ve only just ‘discovered’ your trying to get DECAY out bi-monthly, but now ‘Retro 4 page story in issue #268 - long since sold-out),
fantastic magazine, Infinity. I’m a Mad Max fan, Sci-Fi Tales’ is pretty much only once per year and in a couple Clive Barker tribute books, and various
and someone posted about your latest issue on I write most of the stories. I’m also working on a other local indie publications.
Facebook (on one of the Mad Max groups) - so I couple of other projects, and upcoming releases.     And I’ve produced two issues of Silver City -
asked a customer in the UK to pick up Infinity #46 I am perhaps NOT as well-informed as I should the world’s only Mad Max fan magazine. The first
from the newsagent there and post it to me - we be, or as you might think on general topics of retro issue was just a collection of photos of Mad Max
did a swap, for the latest issue of my own comic science fiction and horror. I’ve had friends and fan events that I attend, known as ‘The Silverton
that he collects (it turns out he also buys Infinity customers who have read my comics and then Collective’, held in Broken Hill and Silverton (where
all the time too). So he sent me issue #46 and it start talking to me in-depth about movies or books Mad Max 2 was filmed), so the fans had a record
arrived last week. I loved the Mad Max article, and you would assume I’d be an expert on, perhaps of the events and could see themselves in the
the magazine as a whole is exactly my sort of mag from similarities in my stories or just the overall photos - in costume at movie locations, and with
- the style of writing, lots of pictures, great fun, style, and I just smile and nod (having nowhere replica vehicles. But Mad Max fans around the world
a mix of old and new (I love Ray Harryhausen’s near as much knowledge on the subjects as they started buying it, so I made a 2nd issue which was
stop-motion clay-animation) etc - I love the colour, do, ha ha). I do what I do for the love and fun of a proper magazine - with various articles and even
the nostalgia (and the current info), the news it, and to work with so many amazing artists who some contributions from original cast and crew. I
and information of your magazine, etc. I also bring the stories to life. I was also an exhibitor at am now tentatively, slowly, working on a 3rd issue...
dropped in to my local comic book store, Gamma San Diego Comic Con, back in 2016, in the Small Anyway, I am basically still just a small time
Rays Comics here in Adelaide, and it turns out Press area. The high quality of the comics, the indie creator, self publishing, etc, and always
that he gets Infinity too. I actually bought a copy number of top artists involved, speaks volumes looking for a break or some help to spread the
of Fangoria from him the other week - because in itself. I’m definitely no Alan Moore, Pat Mills, word. I am reaching out to you to ask if you

12 INFINITY
 alongside Barry’s daughter Emma,
a very nice girl and, like her dad, a
talented writer. Never met Barry but
he was a tough act for any film critic
to follow.

Hi Allan,
Over the past few issues there have
been features on prehistoric movies,
but there is an omission of probably
the most enjoyable, that being The
Wild Women of Wongo. How
might be interested in can anyone not like a movie
running a short article which has the DVD tagline of
about Retro Sci-Fi ‘Prehistoric Beauties live by
Tales in your awesome the Code of the Jungle’!
magazine ‘Infinity’? Or Ever since seeing the TV
about the ‘Ozploitation programme Clive James at
Classics’ movie comics. the Movies (which I believe
Perhaps because it is was early 80s) I’ve become that, I thought the magazine was even better than
so unique and different a fan of 50s & 60s SF and usual this month and I am looking forward to the
-  a small/niche indie horror movies which take next issue.
Aussie publication that themselves seriously, but are Douglass Abramson, Temescul Valley, CA USA
is only sold in print and ‘so bad they’re good’. So how
most people (especially about an article on this TV Frankly Doug I have never heard of either of those
overseas) have never seen gem? You could even start a shows but I’ll take your word for it. Looking up The
or heard of it. I do run regular feature on ’B Movie of Tortellis on IMDB I see that the Cheers spinoff gets
Kickstarter campaigns the Month’. And perhaps an a 5.2 rating. Wings, on the other hand, gets a 7.3.
so I do have a couple in-depth article on the legend
customers in the UK and that is Edward D. Wood Jr.? Dear Allan,
other places, but very few As a reader of your What a fantastic feature you did in issue 46 on the
really (if you look at the excellent magazine from Private Ear – Shoestring. Like millions of others
Kickstarter campaigns the beginning I like the way around that time I can remember when it first
they’ve all been successfully funded but really it diversifies into the differing cult genres. So it arrived and it was such a great format. Right from
each only have about 100 backers each worldwide must be time to include TV Westerns, and old the opening music by George Fenton and scenes
(and most of them are in Australia) - not the adventures shows such as Sir Lancelot, William Tell, of Eddie lounging about on a bench and drinking
thousands needed to be viable). Buccaneers, and Robin Hood. coffee I was hooked on all 21 episodes.
I would love to find a bigger publisher than John Atkin, Sheffield My own favourite was series 2 episode 10, The
myself, in perhaps the UK or the USA, or anywhere Dangerous Game, which was also the last ever one.
in Europe - my comics are more the European Good suggestions John, and yes of course we’ll get It showed Shoestring dashing around desperately
style, even printed at the larger magazine format round to The Wild Women of Wongo, a classic of its trying to prevent a faulty child’s toy – Lunar Race
(A4 size - the same as your magazines). kind. You wouldn’t want to marry one though. 2000 - from injuring any other kids. The show
Darren Koziol, by email. was full of well written characters portrayed by
Dear Allan, so many actors who were to become household
Thanks for a great letter, Darren. I abbreviated it Yeah, that ending to the last episode of St favourites like Michael Elphick, Celia Imrie, Burt
ever so slightly but think that this pretty much Elsewhere is still a kick all these decades later, Kwouk, Nick Stringer from Only Fools and Horses
classes as the short article you were requesting! and still a sore subject with a handful of fans who and Eric Richards from The Bill. Also, a young
for some reason feel that it invalidated the entire Maurice Colbourne, later the star of Howards
Hi Allan series they had spent so many late evenings Way added to the richness of this instalment. We
Another excellent issue of Infinity, and a watching. Personally, I think they’re nuts; but that witnessed Eddie’s rather forlorn sadness at the
superb piece by Scott Newell on the great Barry isn’t why I am writing. I am writing in response Christmas party when he knew there was still
Norman. Like Scott, I grew up watching the Film... to the description of The Tortellis and Wings as one of the toys out there he had not been able
programme in the 70s, and my love of cinema “short-lived, forgotten sitcoms”. Now, mercifully to get. Then the Rocky-esque bedside vigil he
comes from watching the brilliantly acerbic that is an accurate description of The Tortellis; mounted when the unconscious Taff was injured
Barry. For me, there hasn’t been anyone to really Wings may not have caught on in the UK, but it and had the information he needed. Cue a last
replace him; he was one of a kind. In 2013 there ran eight seasons and 172 episodes and four of the desperate dash in his orange Cortina across Clifton
was a competition in the Radio Times, for whom cast members have had remarkable careers since Suspension bridge to find the family – whose
he wrote a weekly column, to choose who should the show ended. I watched the show most weeks, daughter had left a note in the house for Santa
be on the cover of their ‘Guide To Films 2014’ and but I wasn’t a huge fan; I just thought that the of the address where they were going on holiday
why? And to my utter astonishment, I won a description was grossly inaccurate, and comparing (poetic license there), and a power cut saving
copy signed by the great man, when I suggested it to The Tortellis was beyond insulting. Other than the day. In the end we see Eddie arrive at Erica’s
Clint Eastwood, because of his ‘steely-eyed having been up all night, falling asleep and spilling
stare, and laconic one liners, which became his the champagne all over her carpet. A fitting finale
trademark’. Mr. Norman wrote in the Radio Times, to this much celebrated series. I bought both the
‘Mr. Thompson receives a copy of the Guide signed Paul Ableman books which I still have and I’ve got
by me, and all I can say is: enjoy. No, not the a signed picture of Trevor Eve too. The fact he is
signature - the book...’ still going shows what an inspired choice he was
I now of course, treasure the book and enjoy it... for the role.
the signature as well. And why not! Mark Dabbs, Walsall
Brian Thompson, by email. 
Blimey Mark, you certainly know your Shoestring.
Great memories there, Brian. Back in the day when It’s a shame that relatively few episodes were
I was freelancing for my old buddy Chris Adam made but as you say, Trevor Eve’s career is still
Smith on Video Today and Photoplay I worked going strong so maybe he made the right choice.

INFINITY 13
 That’s what Alan Jones
thinks. but then he has
good reason to champion
the virtues of Italy’s
most famous science
fiction festival!

“I
am thrilled and honoured to have been made Artistic Director If you believe in fate, then I suppose I was earmarked for this job back in
of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival. I first attended the 1963. Let me explain. Over the past few years I’ve written three books about
festival in 2004, loved it and the city so much I became a exploitation movies; The Act of Seeing co-authored with Drive (2011) cult
permanently invited fixture and decided to make Trieste director Nicolas Winding-Refn, The FrightFest Guide to Exploitation Movies
my second home. So, I couldn’t be more excited with the and The FrightFest Guide to Grindhouse Movies, (the last two still available
fantastic opportunity to turn this absolute jewel on the genre at www.fabpress.com). In all three, but mainly the latter, I extensively
festival calendar into a more international institution, a heritage wrote about my (de)formative years as a fledgling genre fan, driven crazy
destination for world-renowned filmmakers and industry creatives to by all the posters advertising X certificate releases I was too young to
positively interact with their audience. see that appeared on billboards at the end of my Southsea, Portsmouth,
Festivals are more important than ever in the current shrinking home street. Teenagers from Outer Space (1959), The Day of the Triffids
landscape for showcasing, giving a diverse voice to and real chances at (1963), Island of Terror (1966), The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) and
greatness to the many below-the-radar independent movies that could more became a tracking-down lifelong obsession, one that happily and
and should go the distance given the right boost and positioning. I am gratifyingly turned into my profession.
determined that Trieste Science+Fiction will continue to provide that One of those many posters was for Roger Corman’s sci-fi classic X: The
crucial outlet and attract an ever-increasing fan base for the Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963). On that lurid green day-glo quad
still buoyant genre this wonderfully supportive city has been poster was this alluring strap-line “Winner of the International
synonymous with for nearly sixty years now”. Science Fiction Film Festival”. Having been caught out by such
And with those press release words from January 2022, I questionable promotional tricks before – I mean, did the
took over control of one of the oldest and most beloved fantasy naturist magazines endorsing Nude on the Moon (1961) actually
festivals in Europe. The offer to do so came completely out exist? – I decided to do some digging. And indeed there was an
of the blue. La Cappella Underground, the Italian organisation International Science Fiction Film Festival. It was based in Trieste,
which manages the finances and day-to-day operation asked just a little way over from Venice on the Adriatic Sea, and they
their staff who they thought would be the best person to update had definitely given X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes their top
and take the festival forward and, amazingly, their prize, the Astronave d’argento (Silver Spacecraft).
choice was yours truly. Based on my co-director When I finally did get to see the Corman
FrightFest experience, my constant attendance shocker, I felt it was a well-deserved win.
at Trieste S+F and complete grounding in Sure, as a child I knew all about
understanding of the vagaries of the Italian Film tourist Rome thanks to movies like Ray
Industry, thanks to my relationship with Dario Harryhausen’s stop-motion monster
Argento it must be said, everyone thought I was adventure 20 Million Miles to Earth
in the best position to make a massive mark on (1957) and all those sand-and-sandal
what is still a festival in the shadows. It is my kiddie-orientated muscle-bound
mission to change all of that and make sci-fi peplum sagas in the mould of Samson
fans everywhere fall in love with the city as I and the 7 Miracles (1971). But Trieste?
did when I was first invited to take part in the Forty years later it would become
‘Brit Invaders’ strand in 2004 along with my my second home away from home
great friend, writer Kim Newman. I dubbed the because I became besotted by the city
two of us ‘Extra-Triestrians’! that is now on the movie location map

14 INFINITY
thanks to the likes of Diabolik (2021), The (1959) and The Exterminators (1965) infamy, (1972) and Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell This spread:
Images from
Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021), even going ‘Famous Monsters of Filmland’ editor Forrest (1968). Yet countering this necessary evil – the Trieste
as far back as The Godfather Part II (1974), J. Ackerman and medievalist author Umberto then, as indeed now, the sci-fi choices were Science+Fiction
and the recent ground-breaking Mafia TV Eco (‘The Name of the Rose’) and 2001: A from a far smaller pool of contenders than the Festival and
Artistic Director
series ‘Gomorra’. And it’s also the birthplace Space Odyssey (1968) icon Arthur C. Clarke. always over-stuffed horror one - the festival (and author)
of such exploitation actors as Ivan Rassimov The following two decades would would often focus on commendable TV Alan Jones at the
microphone
(Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires, 1965) turn the coastal port city of Trieste, one product, such as the Harlan Ellison scripted
and his sister Rada (Argento’s Cat O’Nine caught between Italian and Germanic ‘Demon with the Glass Hand’ episode of ‘The
Tails, 1971). What better endorsement could cultures, into a unique backdrop for genre Outer Limits’ (1964) and retrospectives of
there be? films and a wonderful platform to create Corman’s B-pictures, German Expressionism
awareness for controversial fare. Like Peter and an all-encompassing Devils, Sorcerers
A REVOLUTIONARY EVENT Watkins’ The Gladiators (1969), awarded the and Witches season.
2023 will mark the ever-changing Trieste Golden Asteroid for “the intelligence and
S+F Festival’s 60th anniversary, so how did extraordinary visual efficacy with which he HORRENDOUS CONDITIONS
it all begin back in the days when Corman’s presents social and political problems” as In researching the early genesis of the
X marked the spot? In a greeting telegram per the statement issued by the Jury led by festival I came across a few yellowing
still in the dusty La Capella Underground noted Brit author and Nebula/Hugo Award newspaper reports and critical magazine
archives, Italian futurist poet Giuseppe winner Brian Aldiss. rundowns of the European banner event.
Ungaretti started the Festival Internazionale In 1970 actor Terence Stamp was While most praised the fact it actually even
del Film di Fantascienza by inviting a given the Silver Asteroid for his “insightful existed, it’s clear there was still a lot to be
group of like-minded artists to create a and illuminating portrayal of the human desired and many journalists damned the
revolutionary event that would bring a condition in a particularly difficult role” whole enterprise with faint praise.
celebratory roster of global genre stars in The Mind of Mr. Soames (1970). Other Take for example the horrendous
to the city, which has had a tortured winners have included the American TV conditions under which many of the films
political history and deserved some uplift movie Hauser’s Memory (1970), the Douglas were shown. If the non-Italian movies
and adoration. Trumbull classic Silent Running (1972) and didn’t have subtitles as many of the lesser-
From being ruled by France, Austria, the Ozploitation gore-fest Wyrmwood (2014), known titles from a wide-ranging variety
Germany and Great Britain (yes, really, while special mentions went to Scream of countries didn’t – the Czech android
hence the ‘Brit Invaders’ strand) at various and Scream Again (1970) and Gas! – Or - It comedy Pane vy jste vdova/You Are a
key points, Trieste finally became partially Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Widow, Sir! (1971) anyone? – the soundtrack
annexed to Italy in 1953 and fully in 1970. So Order to Save It (1969). suddenly cut out, and a narrator via a tinny
a sci-fi film festival with major stars seemed But for every good, or left field, film tannoy system gave a long explanation of
to be the best way to profile a city emerging of course there have been plenty of bad what had just happened on screen. Many
from a very strange, Dystopian and multi- ones that made their first and often only couldn’t stand this annoying and distracting
dimensional even, past indeed. appearance on the Italian scene at Trieste. presentation, the attending talent especially.
Guests at the inaugural event included Step forward Gappa, the Triphibian Monster There was also the over-reliance on short
Corman, influential Italian director Riccardo (1967), Zeta One (1969), Equinox (1970), films; many days were filled with just those
Freda of Caltiki, The Immortal Monster Chariots of the Gods (1970), Beware! The Blob items on an endless conveyor belt.

INFINITY 15
 Urania) Career
Achievement Award
was created and
the first went to
Zeder (1983) director
Pupi Avati. Other
recipients over
the years include
Dario Argento
(2003), Hammer
writer/director
Jimmy Sangster
(2004), Lamberto
Bava (2005), Enki
Bilal and Terry
Gilliam (2006), Joe
Dante (2007), Ray
Harryhausen (2008),
Roger Corman
and Christopher
Lee (2009),
George A. Romero
(2011), Alejandro
Jodorowsky (2014),
Rutger Hauer
Above: One host venue in particular came under it a day and it abruptly came to an end. (2016), Sergio Martino (2017), and Douglas
The 2021
fest launched
severe scrutiny. While most films played Cut to the year 2000, when La Cappella Trumbull (2018). In 2019 the name of the
with Romain at the ritzy Excelsior Cinema on the Viale Underground under new, aggressive and Award was changed to the Asteroide Lifetime
Quirot’s film The XX Settembre – think Trieste’s version of forward thinking management decided Achievement Award and was presented to Phil
Last Journey,
introduced by actor Barcelona’s Las Ramblas - many of the to pick up the tradition of the festival, Tippett and, in 2021, Abel Ferrara.
Hugo Becker, one tent-pole American entries were kept for the presenting blockbuster sci-fi, independent The first time I attended the Festival it
of the stars of
this French sci-fi
open air cinema temporarily constructed film productions, Italian premières, classics, took place mainly in the Cinecity, a faceless
movie that deals in the picturesque grounds of the imposing conferences, panel discussions, tributes and multiplex on the city’s outskirts. Minivan
with important San Giusto Castle. As the festival dates meetings exploring the whole range of the shuttles from hotels to the venue often
environmental
themes were always sometime in July, this was an science fiction world, from cinema to comics, meant late arrivals and a lot of waiting
ideal location on balmy summer nights. from literature to musical performances. around. Then good sense prevailed and the
Unfortunately, for many years in a row, And so the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival Sala Tripcovich became the central hub for
constantly stormy weather meant the arose phoenix-like from the ashes of past a few years. This theatre, centrally situated
continuous cancellation of the main films conventions and rituals. by the main train station, was actually the
everyone wanted to see. Yet the International Then in 2002, in cooperation with Arnoldo rehearsal space for the nearby opera house,
Science Fiction Film Festival staggered on Mondadori, editor of the sci-fi and fantasy the Teatro Verdi. Always in need of major
through thick and thin until 1982, when magazine Urania (and indeed publishing home repairs and renovations, this venue had to
the had-enough organizers decided to call of the giallo novel), the Urania d’Argento (Silver finally be abandoned when the roof caved

16 INFINITY
 The final evening
of the 2021
Festival in which
the winners were
announced was
enhanced by
the Asteroide
Lifetime
Achievement
Award to Abel
Ferrara who
also answered
questions from
the public

in during a heavy rainstorm in the middle of a Starcrash (1978), all is forgiven! And indeed they video gaming, sci-fi authors and focuses on every
screening. It has remained empty ever since then did, which Caroline Munro presented in her ever- aspect of the Italian film industry. Phew!
and only this year has the local council approved it wonderful way. Also Trieste S+F is part of the European
being torn town completely. Such memories I have thanks to the many Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF), which
Now the festival takes place in the absolutely guest invitees that Trieste S+F deems important to is composed of 26 festivals on the European
gorgeous Politeama Rossetti, situated at the top of the tenor of the event. I was thrilled to meet John continent (like Sitges, Strasbourg, Motel X in
the aforementioned Viale XX Settembre. Opened Phillip Law, star of one of my favourite films of all Portugal) as well as in Asia (Bifan) and North
in 1878 and a quintessential example of rococo time, Danger: Diabolik (1968). He could not have America (Fantastic Fest, Screamfest, Fantasia).
design, the Rossetti is the theatre where top Italian been nicer and shared so many anecdotes about With the objective of supporting European
actors and pop stars appear in dramas and musicals director Mario Bava I was enraptured. And the fantastic cinema artistically and economically, the
and European touring shows of such Broadway and same was true about Antonio Margheriti, director EFFFF created the Méliès D’Or competition for the
West End hits as ‘Mamma Mia!’, ‘Cats’, ‘Hair’ and of another guilty pleasure, the zany The Wild, Wild Best European Fantastic Film.
‘The Rocky Horror Show’ play for limited weeks. But Planet (1966). Past winners include Censor (2021), Martyrs
for six days in autumn the Rossetti is customized Then there were the two days I spent as Jimmy (2009) and Day of the Beast (1996). Just for the
to become the home of Trieste Science+Fiction. Sangster’s tour guide of the local churches. I record, FrightFest pulled out of the EFFFF because
Audiences love the luxury setting, visiting talent relentlessly asked him so many questions about it is not a festival driven by awards or jury prizes
admire the stellar presentation and on the doorstep his Hammer career, but he answered them all with and it couldn’t justify the extra expenses involved.
is a wide array of restaurants and bars catering to such good grace. Terry Gilliam stupidly asked Every Festival has its traditions and Trieste S+F
all tastes and pockets. In my new role as artistic me why his awful Tideland (2005) had been a is no exception. Here it’s the omnipresent rallying
director I want a more international audience to worldwide flop. And then there was the time I cry, “Raggi Fotonici”. Compères, guests and the
experience that uniqueness and I see that directive slagged off the Hitchcockian Austrian fantasy audience yell this phrase out whenever there’s
as my major challenge. Trieste S+F mixes the Hotel (2005) to a guest at a party, not realizing a film introduction or need of vocal approval.
hospitality of the region and its unique artistic until it was too late she was Jessica Hausner, its Translated as “Photon Ray”, and culled from
heritage with cutting edge, compelling and forward director. Hated her Little Joe (2019) just as much the super robot Japanese Anime cartoon series
thinking values emphasizing originality, diversity too! Trieste also marks the last meeting I had with ‘Mazinger Z’ that was so popular in Italy during
and personal engagement with filmmakers of Christopher Lee; grumpy and as garrulous as ever, the 1970s, it was first uttered in a short film
industry stature and professional figures in the he insisted he didn’t want to talk about his horror advertising the Festival, captured the spirit of it
fantasy genre. More people need to know about it roles in any way whatsoever. But as usual, he and stuck.
and under my watch they will. reverted to past form and did. So if anyone reading this is thinking of making
As I write this, it’s early days in my tenure the worthwhile journey to an undiscovered part
BIJOU BRUTALIST SPACE at the helm of the Festival and all the exciting of Italy anytime in the near future to witness a
Throughout the many main venue changes plans, events, guests and films I have already full-on Science Fiction extravaganza, then be
though, and the festival usually uses three confirmed for November 1 – 6, 2022, can’t be prepared to shout out ‘Raggi Fotonici” to the
cinemas, one has remained consistent; the seaside revealed as I have to adhere to strict press release rooftops. I will be hyping Trieste at a special sci-fi
located Teatro Miela. This bijou brutalist space time-lines. Unlike FrightFest, which is not funded screening within FrightFest this year in August,
is where the Master Classes, panel discussions, by any government body, local council, National you can follow the Festival on Twitter @tplusf and
live performances (Goblin for example), poster art Lottery or the BFI (shame on them!), Trieste does I really hope to see some of the more adventurous
gallery and other satellite events take place. Many receive support from a multitude of organizations amongst you at the hub of what Mandy (2018),
die-hard pass holders still recall with horror the including the Fruli-Venezia Giulia region, the Vivarium (2019) and Wyrmwood: Apocalypse
time Italian Z-movie director Luigi Cozzi presented Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Trieste and (2021), producer Todd Brown has called, “Not just
his latest effort Blood on Méliès Moon (2016) with various University and education bodies. Hence I one of the world’s leading science fiction festivals
a deathless Q&A. First audience question was, don’t just have the programme to fill, I also have to (but) one of the finest genre events in the world
“Why is your film so boring?” Eeek, bring back take into account local school events, green issues, regardless of the genre in question”.

INFINITY 17
 MODEL BEHAVIOUR

ECLECTIC COLLECTION
Andy Pearson puts his driving
ambition down to some of his
favourite roll models. No
wonder we could write what
he’s achieved on a Matchbox...

E
arly memories of die-cast model cars
will, for me, be forever be associated
with 50s Superman artist, Wayne
Clockwise Boring, who was partly responsible for
from right:
A Mersey Tunnel
breaking my arm. To elucidate; at the age
Police Land Rover; of ten a chum and I were playing at being
A Dinky Supertoy superheroes. The props involved were a set
Euclid dump
truck; of step-ladders and, in my case, one of my
A Roadster and mum’s tea towels as a cape. Having read the KEEPING THE CAT ON ITS TOES top of a line of books and the bottom of the
a fine collection of
die-cast
comics avidly, wearing a costume of sorts As with most consumer products, not shelf above, a great place to hide stuff. At
model cars and with a launching platform to hand, least toys, the cars offered by the Dinky, a subsequent collector’s fair I was armed
flying seemed a logical next step. Corgi and Matchbox brands became more with some details of these models and was
During my subsequent stay in hospital, sophisticated with the passage of time. able to consult my die-cast specialist fellow
thanks to Mr Boring and a somewhat I think Corgi were the first in the UK with trader as to their origin.
complex fracture, my folks visited regularly, windows and there were, to follow, opening One aspect of the collection (that sounds
bearing gifts, one of which was a Dinky boots and bonnets, ‘Glidamatic’ suspension a little grand as they have no real value) of
Mersey Tunnel Police Land Rover. It was and jewelled headlights. There were also which I was sure was that I’d acquired them
magnificent. Once I was out of traction accessory kits of stickers replicating when they were given as incentive gifts at a
and free-range in the ward its four-wheel number plates, tax discs for windscreens local petrol station many years ago. This was,
drive capacity enabled it to negotiate every and CD plates for kids requiring diplomatic I’m fairly certain, a facility operated by either
available surface in my area of what is immunity. Many of my toys had the ELF or TOTAL or possibly both as I think the
now Trafford General Hospital, doubtless lot, often resulting in duplication and two merged at some point. I’m inclined to
spreading infection to all and sundry. contradiction. I don’t imagine that many think it was the former and I remember the
During primary school years (up to overseas British embassies actually had launch campaign for the brand well. At the
eleven or twelve) playground pastimes have their own bulldozer, tank or ice cream van. time I was deeply steeped in the advertising
seemingly ritual seasons. Some, such as Once we entered the field of die-casts industry and my colleagues and I were
conker competitions, were dependent on based on cinematic or TV properties things intrigued by a national poster campaign that
nature’s schedule as the requisite fruits of the got a great deal more sophisticated. 007’s featured the line ‘NOW FOR BRITAIN ITSELF’.
horse chestnut tree were only available for a Aston Martin DB5 could eject a plastic This ran for several weeks and invited
limited period. Marbles and racing cars also baddie from the seat reserved for plastic speculation that it was promoting some sort
seemed to follow a schedule of sorts and it baddies and Batmobiles and the Green of nationalist politics until an overnight over-
was in the latter case when Dinky or, latterly, Hornet’s Black Beauty were capable of
Corgi model racing cars were engaged in similar tricks, all designed to amuse the
competitions where distance covered, rather adolescent and keep the family cat on
than speed, determined the winners. its toes.
Other than those miniature machines A couple of years ago I was at one of
(Vanwalls were always my favourite) I have the local toy and collector’s fairs that I
happy memories of a Riley Pathfinder police occasionally attend as a trader, off-loading
car toy relieving much of the tedium of a some of my stash of model kits, when I
somewhat damp family holiday and a less spotted this aforementioned model Euclid
cheerful recollection regarding a Dinky dumper and was able to buy it for a modest
Supertoy Euclid dump truck. I’d spent outlay, thus assuaging my long-standing
some time using this, a gift from my dad, guilt to some extent.
to landscape the front garden an ounce As a bonus and whilst perusing the
at a time and, during a break from the dealer’s extensive stock of die-cast models
construction work, someone stole it. This I realised that I actually had a modest
was one of the very few occasions when I collection of my own somewhere. I live in
recall my dad really losing his temper. At the a very small house and, whilst I endeavour
time I assumed this outburst was directed at to keep on top of the housework in terms of
my carelessness but, given the perspective overall cleanliness, it is somewhat cluttered.
of sixty years, I think it was probably more A lady friend once opined that ‘this must be
as a result of someone having the audacity what the inside of your brain looks like’ and
to trespass on his garden and steal the thing. someone else recently noted that ‘you could
George Pearson had a very well-developed lose Godzilla in here’. Both these supposedly
code of decency and very little time for amusing remarks were, I’m sure, well meant.
anyone who broke its bounds. I eventually found the cars in question
carefully arranged in the gap between the

18 INFINITY
sticking revealed the posters to be part of a teaser
campaign and now read ‘NOW FOR BRITAIN IT’S
ELF’. Clever stuff, eh?
Anyway, this was a time when all manner of
incentives were being offered to tempt motorists
to specific brands of petrol, ranging from tiger tails
(Put a tiger in your tank!) from ESSO to stick-on
windscreen bullet holes before moving on to more
substantial items such as collectable soup bowls,
wine glasses and model cars. Nowadays the best
incentive would probably be the offer of finance.

GIVING IT SOME WELLY

One of the things that puzzled me when re-
examining my small collection was that,
underneath their plastic chassis, some were
unbranded, some had just a date (1933 for
example), some had the make of the car, several
were branded WELLY and all seemed to be made
in China apart from one that was a Corgi bearing
the legend ‘Mobil Racing Classics Collection
Bugatti Type 51’ and the declaration that it was
made in Britain.
Now, given that Mobil was an established
brand name in petrol supply there may
be a connection but, as the collector’s fair
season doesn’t start again until autumn, my
expert witness is unavailable. Having said
that he had suggested that some of these
promotional models were bought as ‘end-of-
the-line’ collections from toy manufactures and
distributors so that may account for a seeming
randomness in terms of origin.
What he did tell me was that WELLY still
produce all manner of die-cast models and that
the company is Hong Kong-based and has its
manufacturing facility in Guangdong in mainland
China. It transpired that my toy fair contact had
been involved in the metal casting industry and
had visited the Guangdong factory, sprinkling
his story with details of factory procedures
designed to entertain and alarm the layman in
equal measure, specifically the joys of working
in close proximity to vats of molten metal. The
only similarly alarming stories that my profession
produced were those of writers trying to come up
with last minute ad campaign concepts whilst on
the wrong side of a bottle of gin.

INFINITY 19
Sean Connery as
Zed and Charlotte
Rampling as
Consuella in Zardoz
(1974). Reportedly,
Charlotte looked
forward to her
sex scene with
Sean, then was
disappointed
when it was over
and done with so
quickly. Men in
Mankinis, eh?

20 INFINITY
- A HEAD OF ITS TIME
Forged from the shards of a failed Lord of the Rings film,
Sean Connery’s most bizarre movie boasted Britain’s hottest film-maker
of the early seventies in John Boorman. But then Zardoz apparently
vanished. Donning ponytail and fake ‘tache, Roger Crow explores the
spaced-out oddity from its conception to execution and ’beyond’.

“This was before Viagra,” remarks John Boorman dryly as an on-screen graphic
illustrates the lack of, for want of a better expression, ‘lead in a pencil’.

S
ex is one of the key elements Sadly for years the movie was consigned to
in John Boorman’s most the back of “beyond”. Because the film apparently
daring movie. It’s a vanished, the enigma grew. TV screenings became a
landscape filled with distant memory, and now it seems more of a myth
Brutals, Exterminators, than a movie.
Apathetics, Renegades Perhaps Connery himself ensured it died a death.
and Immortals. Oh, and The unflattering loincloth, bandoleers and Viva
the much-missed Sean Zapata! moustache were like something from a
Connery in a pony tail and dream. Even the film’s creator had all but written it
loincloth. Welcome to 2293, and the extraordinary off. When Boorman received word that a restoration
world of Zardoz. was planned, his key question was: “Why?”
It’s over 30 years since I first saw the movie, He had barely seen Zardoz since it was released,
thanks to a Friday night TV screening. Some of it pressing on with Exorcist II: The Heretic (epic fail),
was laughable, including Sean’s costume, though Excalibur (eccentric triumph) and critics’ favourite
not the man himself - his physical and intellectual Hope and Glory in the years that followed.
magnetism is undeniable. The battle In case you’re wondering “John who?”, and
between Boorman’s pretence and “How on Earth did he get this project
Connery’s screen presence may made?”, first, a little context.
be jarring, but get past that and
Zardoz can transport any film A CINEMATIC FORCE
lover to another world. Surrey-born John Boorman had honed
Over the last few years, his craft with years of TV projects
I’ve become fascinated by before Hollywood took notice with
Boorman’s curio, the iconic revenge thriller Point Blank in the
stone head being just the late 1960s. That Lee Marvin offering
tip of a very strange paved the way for banjo-twanging
cinematic iceberg. city blokes versus hillbillies drama
I’m not the only one drawn Deliverance. It cemented Burt
back to that movie. Cosplayers Reynolds’ status as an A-list star,
dressed in similar Connery and ensured the writer, producer
attire pepper Instagram feeds, and director was a cinematic force to
along with 8-bit animations of a spoof game. There’s be reckoned with.
also a mocked-up Atari 2600 game box paying It was 1973, and while Peter Jackson was a kid
tribute to a film ahead of its time, like the head- in short trousers over in New Zealand, Boorman was
scratching flick it was compared to - 2001: A Space in a state of flux. His planned version of Lord of the
Odyssey. “Beyond 1984. Beyond 2001. Beyond Love. Rings had fallen apart like a house, (or castle)
Beyond Death,” screamed the tag-line. of cards in a light breeze.

INFINITY 21
 all-powerful Immortals was revisited for
Highlander a dozen years later. It’s also set
in the Outlands, and no, it has nothing to do
with Connery’s 1981 space Western (covered
in Infinity 20).
Immortality sounds like a good deal in
Boorman’s world, until you realise sex and
This page: Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg spent a between himself and 007 as he could sleep are obsolete. Not so fun then.
More bold fashion year working on the fantasy adventure, but manage. And believe it or not, he was having For a race who live forever, reproduction
statements from
Sean. Director when their script arrived at United Artists, trouble finding work. is seen as pointless, so little wonder some of
John Boorman the studio got cold feet and the project was The idyllic world of the Vortex was light them get bored of life and become zombie-like
would later admit
that he was shelved. Creative energy doesn’t just vanish years from MI6 and shaken Martinis. With Apathetics. Zed’s effect on them, both directly
under the heavy when projects are cancelled, so Boorman’s the offer of $200,000 (around $1.1million and more subtly, proves highly controversial;
drug influence
while writing the
Tolkien adaptation morphed into Zardoz. these days), Connery signed up. there’s little chance of a major studio green-
film and during Okay, at first glance you’ll not see much Inspired by Aldous Huxley’s novel ‘After lighting the un-PC script these days.
production. He of Lord of the Rings’ DNA in Connery’s movie, Many a Summer’, the film opens with a However, the misty look of Geoffrey
also claims that
not even he is sure but it’s the ‘seed’ from which Zardoz grew. monologue from Arthur Frayn, an Immortal Unsworth’s photography ensures the sub-
what parts of the And fertility, creative or otherwise, is at the with a drawn-on beard. (Boorman tagged on text is obvious - Zardoz is an adult fairy
film are about,
mainly due to the
heart of this curio, as the dialogue testifies. his prologue at the last minute to make the tale as well as being Boorman’s comment
haze of drugs he “The penis is evil! The penis shoots seeds, plot clearer). on the rich living longer because they have
was on at the time! and makes new life to poison the Earth with Frayn (played by Alien 3’s Niall Buggy) access to better medicine. The poor are less
a plague of men, as once it was,” booms the is integral to the story about a deity who fortunate.
stone head at the heart of the drama. (That speaks through that huge floating stone Hiring the genius who lit 2001: A Space
iconic prop was originally pencilled in as a head, and leads a violent race called the Odyssey was as much of a bonus for
spaceship, before a Magritte painting of a Brutals. The gun-wielding warriors are Boorman as the star of the movie. Geoffrey
floating rock inspired its final form). told that after dying, they will be sent Unsworth won an Oscar for Cabaret a few
Still piping hot from Deliverance, Burt to the Vortex, and will live an idyllic race years earlier, and later turned Margot Kidder
Reynolds (he had that ‘tash for it, Ed) was as Immortals. Zardoz’s soldiers - the and Christopher Reeve into luminous screen
the first choice to play key protagonist Zed, Exterminators - embark on a killing spree icons for Superman: The Movie.
but he fell ill, scuppering that idea. Richard from the off, but of course there’s more to the He also landed a British Academy Award
Harris was also approached, but apparently god head than meets the eye. nominations for his work on Zardoz, and for
never responded. Watching it now, it’s hard not to be Murder on the Orient Express in the same
Sean was a terrific alternative. The film reminded of recurring elements in the year, but was eclipsed by Douglas Slocombe,
was an attempt to get as much distance star’s later fantasy offerings. The theme of who lensed The Great Gatsby.

22 INFINITY
 The opening obscenely silly, yet still played with a
sequence of Zardoz straight face; Sean in a bridal gown looking
is an introduction
added by John
furious being my favourite moment.”
Boorman, at (Connery initially resisted the dress
the request of idea, but Boorman proved persuasive).
Twentieth Century
Fox executives, to “This ultimately makes for conversely
help the audience enjoyable and fascinating viewing, even if
understand the
movie. It probably everything that you’re seeing and hearing
didn’t work is disagreeable,” continues Alex. “It’s unlike
any other film, unique in its awkward shape.
And I certainly can’t fault Boorman’s thinly
hopeful take-home philosophy; we screwed
the whole world up, perhaps our children will
do a better job.”
Well, quite.
Even in the early 1970s, making a movie
this epic for a million dollars with a major
actor was a rarity. As producer, Boorman
was well aware of how tight the budget
MANKINI MEMES up to downhill. With gravity on side, the vehicle was, and saved a lot of cash shooting all locations
Oddly, Zardoz has not appeared on any British TV inevitably worked against the star, and threatened within 10 miles of his house in Co Wicklow, Ireland.
channel in more than a decade. The film might to flatten him. And not the first time a movie No expensive hotels for the star either. Connery
have all but vanished, but the iconic images ‘trailer’ almost ruined the film itself. lodged at Boorman’s home during the shoot.
haven’t. Unsurprisingly there’s no shortage of However, the lead actor got his own back. He turned out to be the perfect house guest,
Connery mankini memes online, with legends “I was actually ‘shot’ by Sean Connery,” tidying up after himself before retiring for the
such as ‘Unbelievable as it seems, Highlander 2 Boorman recalls during a scene in which he played night to write poetry. Yes, really.
was not Sean Connery’s worst movie.’ And the one of the pony-tailed souls gunned down by Zed. In case you’ve never seen it, I’ll not spoil the
more positive: ‘You can be cool, but you’ll never be One other ‘casualty’ was the film itself because twist, though when the reveal does happen, you’ll
Sean Connery with moustache in red underwear, a of more dubious moments. kick yourself for not spotting it sooner.
ponytail and bullet holders cool’. “You could say there were maybe too many Zardoz might revolve around a flying stone
A couple of director friends draw a blank when ideas in this picture,” remarks Boorman, a little head, but it’s also an Icarus-style project from a
I ask what they think of it, confessing they’ve embarrassed by the idea of Zed’s sweat giving life film-maker who thought himself invincible.
never seen it. One film maker who has is Ben back to the Apathetics. Yes it features some questionable moments,
Wheatley, the man responsible for cult movies Kill Marketing folks clearly missed a trick with that but it’s also a glorious flop which dared to be
List, Free Fire, and a couple of Dr Who episodes. possible tie-in; ‘Zed Sweat’ could have given Hai different. In an age when fantasy movies seem
“It’s kind of like a funky Kubrick,” he explains in Karate a run for its money. to blend into one another, film makers could do
his appreciation on the 2015 Blu-ray release. worse than take a leaf out of Boorman’s early
Technically it’s outstanding. In an age when ABSURDLY MASCULINE seventies notebook, if only for the impressive
CGI was in its infancy, the in-camera effects look Radio 4 might have briefly discussed the movie production techniques.
remarkable. Some were shot with a technique at the time, but the idea of a lengthy, censor-free Given the passing of its leading man in October
called ‘Ghost Glass’, so a scene where Connery audio assessment was unheard of in 1974. 2020, there’s little wonder Zardoz’s reputation as
uses a device to access an intranet-style ‘shopping Of course these days, anyone with an opinion one of Sean Connery’s most daring cult movies
list’ looks as good today as it must have in 1974. and some technical know how can share their continues to grow.
A later moment in which Immortals give Zed views with the world. It might not have been the mainstream smash
their knowledge was achieved with a couple And Zardoz’s ideas certainly fuelled The School of classic 007 offerings, The Untouchables or
of projectors. of Movies’ podcast a few years ago. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but in an
It looks so impressive, one critic even made a “It’s an absurdly masculine film, to the point era where masks are the norm rather than the
note of the time it appears so viewers could watch where it’s so rich in irony, so very satirical, that it exception, Zardoz doesn’t seem as unusual as its
that section and ignore the rest of the movie. rotates right the way back around to being a brutal debut almost 50 years ago.
Alas, Connery was not always a happy camper mess,” explains TSOM’s Alex Shaw. We’ll never see a cinematic force like Sean
on set. He was far from thrilled by having to He adds: “It makes for extraordinary viewing, Connery again, and now that “Zed’s dead”, in more
pull co-star John Alderton in a cart, even when staving off boredom by catching you off-guard ways than one, we’ll also never see a slice of pulp
Boorman changed the scene’s hill gradient from every scene with something uncomfortable or fiction this bizarre again.

INFINITY 23
 hen Jurassic Park hit cinemas in the summer EARLY RECONSTRUCTIONS

W of 1993, it changed forever people’s views on

dinosaurs and encouraged a whole new generation
to enter the field of palaeontology. Based on the
1990 Michael Crichton novel, the film depicted
dinosaurs resurrected into modern times through
genetic engineering of dinosaur DNA recovered from
insects trapped in prehistoric amber. The movie is
rightfully considered to be the breakthrough film for the use
of computer-generated special effects recreating living creatures.
Although fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals seem to
have been known (and misunderstood) throughout most of recorded
human history, the term “dinosaur” wasn’t defined until 1841 when it
was first introduced by Sir Richard Owen. Owen was also instrumental
in having dinosaurs included in the world’s first real public display
of recreations of prehistoric life. Sculpted by Benjamin Waterhouse
Hawkins, the sculptures were unveiled in 1854 in Crystal Palace Park
in the Greater London area. Although far from scientifically accurate,
the static sculptures are a fascinating piece of history that can still be
However, the film also updated the state of the art of animatronic viewed today.
creatures. It skilfully intercuts between computer-generated images By the early twentieth century, museums began exhibiting skeletal
and full-size live action dinosaurs to provide its thrills. displays of dinosaurs, some composed of actual fossil bones while
Since the original release of Jurassic Park, animatronic dinosaurs others were casts. On February 16, 1905, the first public display of a
have become a major draw in all kinds of different venues besides full-size dinosaur skeleton, in this case a brontosaurus, opened at the
films. Want to confront a full-sized mechanical tyrannosaurus Rex American Museum of Natural History in New York. They barely beat
as he growls at you? You can see one at London’s Natural History out Industrialist Andrew Carnegie who had a cast of his Diplodocus
Museum, and if you come during the right time of year, you may even skeleton unveiled in London in May of that year. Casts of Carnegie’s
see him in his finest holiday sweater. Animatronic dinosaur displays dinosaur would soon be seen across the world at museums in Paris,
can now be seen as attractions in museums, zoos, theme parks, Vienna, Berlin, Madrid and Mexico City among others.
shopping malls, sports arenas, and just about anywhere else with The actual fossil bones wouldn’t be displayed themselves until
enough room and proximity to a paying crowd. Carnegie’s new Dinosaur Hall was opened in 1907 in Pittsburgh.
With all the excitement, you would think that viewing life-size It would take a few more years before a museum first displayed a
dinosaurs and watching them move was something new. However, tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in 1915.
today’s attractions are just the latest in a progression of depicting
dinosaurs and fanciful creatures in action both on film and in person
that dates back over a century.

hysteria
It’s sheer pre
G reg Ku lon looks
as
ay
back at the w
ve been
dinosaurs ha
lm -
depicted on fi
d in th em e parks
a n
orld!
around the w

24 INFINITY
EARLY FILMS
As the public was drawn to the museum displays, dinosaur popularity grew significantly which
further drove the fossil hunters to fund even more expeditions to uncover new individuals and
species. The craze would soon spread into the early film industry. 1914 would be a banner year
for dinosaurs in films. D. W. Griffith’s live action short Prehistoric Man (1914), aka Brute Force,
included two types of dinosaurs in its story and in doing so would set some early precedents
for dinosaurs in film. One of the creatures, seen only briefly, is clearly a live lizard with added
“features” to make it look prehistoric. The second creature seen in the film resembles a horned
ceratosaurus and appears to be an early example of a large-scale puppet/animatronic.
The other major dinosaur film released that year was Gertie the Dinosaur (1914). Here,
Gertie is a wonderful sauropod dinosaur brilliantly animated by Winsor McCay in one of
cinema’s earliest cartoon animated shorts. Done before the use of clear celluloid sheets which
allowed backgrounds to be done once while animated characters were overlaid on top of them,
the background for each of the frames for Gertie had to be individually recreated via tracing.
In the short, originally prepared as a part of a vaudeville act, Gertie follows the commands
of McCay who would be live on stage. Later that year, additional sequences were filmed of
McCay so that the film could be shown in cinemas without requiring his attendance, thereby
significantly increasing the potential viewer-ship.
As dinosaur popularity rose, filmmakers on the European continent were increasingly
using more sophisticated puppetry techniques to create images of fantastical giant creatures.
One of those early giant puppets was done by none other than Georges Méliès. A brilliant
French filmmaker and magician, Méliès is often considered the father of trick film-making
and special effects, and he often used stage-like techniques for his films. This would include
fanciful vehicles and spacecraft as well as various creatures done physically, often with nearly
as much paint as substance. One of his last films, À la conquête du pôle (Conquest of the Pole,
1912), has an expedition to the North Pole encounter an imaginative Frost Giant who picks up
some of the explorers and goes so far as to even swallow one of them. Done live on set with
the actors, the giant rises above the ice, moves his arms, smokes his pipe, and turns his head,
all amidst a fantastic painted backdrop of ice. Several operators were required to elicit the
performance from the mechanical creature.

Main image:
A full-Size
tyrannosaurus
Rex on set for
Jurassic Park
(1993); Gertie the
Dinosaur (1914),
animated by
Winsor McCay;
Crystal Palace
Iguanadons;
an animatronic
T-Rex ready for
the Holidays at
London’s Natural
History Museum

INFINITY 25
 Clockwise from left:
Georges Méliès Frost Giant
Design for Conquest of
the Pole (1912) and the
on-screen realisation of
it; two scenes from Fritz
Lang’s Die Nibelungen:
Siegfried (1924); the
Mechanical Dragon design
from Lang’s film

for a given shot. The operators could make the dragon lunge forward or
backward, breathe, swing the head and tail, open and close the mouth,
move the eyes, and manipulate the legs. The dragon could even breathe
fire and, finally, bleed profusely after Siegfried’s sword finds its mark.

LOST WORLD AND CREATION

Dinosaurs in film would take a huge leap forward in realism when the film
The Lost World * (1925) was released. Based on the novel by Arthur Conan
Doyle, the film was directed by Harry Hoyt with stop-motion animation
effects by Willis O’Brien. This would be the first major dinosaur film
where the stop motion dinosaurs were augmented by full-size props for
interaction with live actors. These props, built for the climactic scenes in
London where a brontosaurus is unleashed in the city, include a full-size
head and neck, foot, and tail of the brontosaurus.
The full-size head was filmed breaking through a window and
interrupting a card game. The tail knocked over London pedestrians in
another shot. None of these large props were particularly complicated
and would not be considered animatronics. However, Hoyt would possibly
try for something more complicated several years later.
On September 12, 1929, The Los Angeles Evening Star published an
article announcing that “After months of preparation, Victor and Edward
Halperin are soon to go into filming a super sound spectacle-drama,
A more realistic, more complex creature would be produced in Berlin the Creation.” The article goes on to discuss that Harry Hoyt has written the
following decade. This creature would be the dragon that battled Siegfried script and will “wield the megaphone” for this new film involving prehistoric
in Fritz Lang’s Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924). Built in a studio for complete creatures. Victor Halperin began working in films in 1922 and was already
control of the image and setting, the immense dragon is drinking water from directing projects by 1924. He would frequently collaborate with his brother
the edge of a small lake when he encounters the hero. According to existing Edward Halperin acting as producer. They are most known for low budget
design documents, the mechanical dragon was nearly 20 metres long and independent features, especially in the Horror genre. Their most notable
operated by up to a dozen men inside, depending on the particular action film is the atmospheric Bela Lugosi classic White Zombie (1932), developed

* See INFINITY issue 34 for the full Lost World article

26 INFINITY
on an estimated budget of
only $50,000. Other notable
genre films from the team
include Supernatural (1933) with Carole Lombard and The Revolt
of the Zombies (1936.) The article describes the project as “a tense
story built around the adventures of the crew of a submarine sucked
through a subterranean river, eventually arriving in an unexplored
lake amidst all the pristine beauties and terrifying animal life of
antediluvian ages.” From this description, it seems Creation would be
a stretch for the sibling producing team given their previous credits, down because of the antics he is able to make the dinosaur perform. Clockwise
even when aided by Hoyt’s experience. Regarding how they intended It will take a handkerchief from the man’s hand and place it in from top left:
Messmore
to bring the prehistoric creatures to life, the article states “Blueprints his pocket. It will roll its eyes and make all kinds of sounds and and Damon
are already drawn for the construction of life-sized reproductions of movements with its mouth, while its body is heaving as if in the act Brontosaurus and
figure from their
these reptiles and monsters, some of which will be 60 feet in height of breathing. Sometimes it suddenly snaps its tail and lashes those patent; Messmore
and 160 feet long.” nearby, causing quite a hilarious furore as the spectators and Damon full
page article
This description may be pure press hokum, having as much basis are frightened.” from Popular
in fact as the other statements in the article that “palaeontologists In the same article, Messmore would go on to state that they had Science; Photo
have devoted months to research, in collaboration with Hoyt” curious a popular prehistoric package available for rent that included the of completed
stegosaurus
facts including that the 14-ton diplodocus “was in reality possessed brontosaurus along with a woolly mammoth and a caveman. The
of a falsetto voice and certain other effeminate characteristics.” package was so popular it could bring in $150,000 a year in rentals.
However, is it possible that Hoyt and Halperin were considering using Of course, all this success would bring out the competition. The
Messmore and Damon for the film? 1931 Broadway Musical revue “Earl Carrol’s Vanities” included a 45-
foot sauropod that lumbered across the stage with a woman in its
MESSMORE AND DAMON mouth. Carrol was subsequently sued by Messmore and Damon for
George Harold Messmore first met Joseph A. Damon at the Hudson- plagiarising their dinosaur design. According to the December 10th,
Fulton Exhibition in 1909 in New York. Messmore had been working 1931, edition of The Pittsburgh Press, Earl Carrol indicated he didn’t
jobs in the theatre and eventually took on the lead position for steal their design and that “besides, you can’t copyright a dinosaur.”
backstage mechanics at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Damon was Well, they might not be able to copyright a dinosaur, but they
employed as a butcher but was learning art in his spare time. The sure could patent one. On July 24, 1931, Messmore and Damon filed
two men hit it off, and in 1914 they formed Messmore and Damon patent number 1,898,587 for “Head movement for a device simulating
Incorporated. The company started with the development of animal a dinosaur or other animal.” The patent was approved on February 21,
displays and quickly expanded into parade floats and amusement 1933. In addition to the patent, the company was going to make sure
attractions. Their mechanical creations would also be displayed they would not be silent in this war. Later in 1931, they had their own
in the shop windows and show rooms of the bigger department brontosaurus in a prehistoric show at the Roxy Theatre picking up a
stores. By 1919, they had developed their own full-sized mechanical female performer in its mouth. Furthermore, they made sure they
brontosaurus at a cost of $10,000. Their work continued to increase received credit for it with a full-page article showing its workings in
in popularity, and they expanded their work on large mechanical the October 1931 issue of Popular Science.
creatures for professional shows and fairs. They would also secure a place in the opening act of the next
By the early thirties they had a new and improved mechanical seasons New York edition of the “Ziegfeld Follies”. This popular show
brontosaurus that weighed over 4,000 pounds and cost over $35,000 opened with several Messmore and Damon mechanical elephants,
to construct. It was designed in cooperation with palaeontologists at each hoisting a live showgirl. According to the March 1932 issue of
the American Museum of Natural History for accuracy. Ten feet high Modern Mechanics and Inventions, “one of the best known theatre
and over 50 feet long, the brontosaurus would often be out on tour critics in America” thought the pachyderms were “the genuine goods.”
with a “lecturer” who would interact with it. Their greatest dinosaur work was soon to be unveiled. The 1933
Per an interview with Messmore for the March 1932 issue of Chicago World’s Fair, also known as “A Century of Progress”, had a
Modern Mechanics and Invention, “The lecturer brings the house large exhibition of static dinosaur sculptures advertising Sinclair

INFINITY 27
 Clockwise
from right:
Damon and
Messmore World
MYA concept art;
a photo of the
Universal Studios
Kong ride; James
Mason and the
giant squid from
20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea
(1954); “Ford
Magic Skyway”
promotional
art; Disneyland
Primeval World;
King Kong full
head construction

displays of Java, Neanderthal, Piltdown, and KING KONG

Cro-Magnon Man. Over 1.5 million people saw As impressive as the Messmore and Damon
the “World a Million Years Ago” attraction prehistoric creatures may have been
during the fair. in person, it is hard to see their limited
Besides prehistoric life, Messmore and movements being anywhere near as effective
Damon contributed to other attractions at as the stop-motion work of Willis O’Brien on
the 1933 Fair. One popular one was “The film. If Hoyt planned to use their work for
History of Torture” which included various his Creation film, the effort didn’t proceed
moving recreations on the topic. According far. It is not hard to see that the scope of the
to the attraction programme, “So lifelike project Hoyt was envisioning was likely out
are the figures and so exact in reproduction of reach for the independent producers as
that many people have been forced to well as the puppet technology at the time.
turn away in horror, unwilling to witness By early 1930, Hoyt was shopping the project
‘man’s inhumanity to man.’ The effect is at RKO along with a detailed document to
heightened by the close synchronization of help him budget, and more importantly sell,
sound to motion, made possible by the latest his project. This time the budget was based
Above: oil products. However, what may have been development in the sound engineer’s art. on using the stop-motion animation talents
King Kong’s the most complex and exciting attraction of Thus in the Torture Chamber you not only see of Willis O’Brien to bring the prehistoric
full-size head
with Willis O’Brien the fair was the Feature Attraction “World a the tortures as they were practiced, but you creatures to life.
Million Years Ago” designed by Messmore hear again the questioning of the inquisitor Although numerous scripts were written,
Top:
Renowned aviator and Damon. Housed in its own building in a as well as the screams and groans of the and several minutes of effects tests filmed,
Amelia Earhart hemispherical dome over 50 feet high and 100 unfortunate victims.” RKO could never commit to the necessary
poses with the
Giant Prehistoric
feet in diameter, the attraction incorporated After the completion of the Fair, the budget while the Great Depression was
Gorilla at a circular moving sidewalk which could creatures from “World a Million Years Ago” nearing its most difficult period. However, the
“World a Million simultaneously carry up to 700 visitors. would go on tour beginning in the Warner collapse of the Creation project would lead
Years Ago”
Visitors would see 40 animated Brothers Theatre on Broadway in New York in to possibly the greatest fantasy film of all
prehistoric figures including a dimetrodon, 1934. Messmore and Damon would continue time when RKO’s new production executive
brontosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, creating more attractions for decades, but Merian C. Cooper reviewed the project. He
woolly rhinoceros, giant ground sloth, and for the worldwide fame from “World a Million didn’t care for the story at all, but something
some reason even a giant prehistoric gorilla. Years Ago” is generally considered the high about the designs and test footage intrigued
Even early man would be represented with point of their work. him, and he saw in the work of Willis O’Brien

28 INFINITY
 Luckily, this prop still exists and can be seen today
at The Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, Utah.
The full-size Kong head would be prominently
displayed in the forecourt as part of the elaborate
promotion for the film’s official gala première
at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Following the film’s run there, it would make three
other lobby appearances in the Southern California
area. According to Variety on June 13th, Manager
Dick Dickson “piled up heavy grosses with the
Radio pic in the three towns where the stunt was
used. Head, measuring 26 by 15 feet, proved
to be a box office magnet at the Fox, Pomona;
Alexander, Glendale and the Pasadena.”
The same article also indicated that the head
be for a creature between twenty-five and thirty was planned to be sent to the Chicago World’s Fair
feet high, though in the picture Kong appeared to soon, but those plans seem to have fallen through.
be anywhere from twenty to forty feet high.” The head finally succumbed to the elements after
Marcel would use rubber and bear skin to many years reportedly spent outside of a diner
complete the head. The eyeballs themselves were along the California coast off Pacific Coast Highway.
each a foot in diameter. The entire construct was Over the years there would be other King
built on a flatcar for easy movement on the lot Kong full-size animatronics. The most publicised
and, after the film’s completion, for publicity. was the Carlo Rambaldi-designed robot for the
At one point in the production of Kong, Marcel 1976 remake. Although the publicity department
reportedly had tried to convince Cooper that the would have people believe the animatronic Kong
cost for a full-sized Kong head was unnecessary was used for nearly the entire film, it actually is
as all the shots could be completed with the featured in scant screen time and looks every
animation model. Cooper, however, felt otherwise. bit the mechanical disaster it was. Any reviewer
In one legendary story, the two sat together at a fooled by the publicity must have slept through the
special screening of the film decades later. Each film. Much better was the King Kong Encounter at
the means of filming the gorilla picture he was time the giant head appeared on the screen, Universal Studios where visitors on the tram ride
thinking about. That picture would, of course, be Cooper gave Marcel a slight nudge. In the end, could confront the 7-ton, 30-foot Kong animatronic
King Kong (1933), and it would provide what was Marcel had to agree with Cooper’s decision. as they toured the studio. The Kong attraction
arguably the greatest integration of stop-motion The core team that worked the large Kong head opened in 1986 but was unfortunately lost in the
animation and practical effects the film-going would also design and fabricate the two large Kong large studio back-lot fire on June 1, 2008.
public would see for several decades. hands needed for the production. Victor Delgado,
In addition to the two stop motion models of Marcel’s brother, would help with the covering of DISNEY’S PRIMEVAL WORLD
Kong, Cooper felt he needed to build a full-size these hands. One hand was non-articulated and was Between the original King Kong and Jurassic Park,
head of the prehistoric terror gorilla. Not only not capable of holding a person. This hand would be most films used either stop-motion animation,
could such a prop save animation time, but it used for shots where Kong is reaching into the cave men-in suits, or dressed up live lizards for their
could also be used for shots in the film showing trying to get at Driscoll following the log scene. dinosaur effects. Animatronics, if used at all,
Kong biting down on real actors. The other hand would be more capable allowing were generally specific to a few shots where
E.B. “Buzz” Gibson was put in charge of the it to open and close while also being fully able to close interaction with the actors and animal were
overall construction of the large head, assisted by support a person. Fay Wray would eventually spend required. However, there were a few stand-out
Fred Reefe for the mechanisms. Marcel Delgado, many hours suspended in that hand. exceptions of giant monsters done full-size.
the man who built up the stop-motion animation A live action partial brontosaurus puppet would One of the best of these was the giant squid
models of Kong and the dinosaurs for the film, also be built for the film to augment the scenes that attacks the Nautilus in Twenty Thousand
would recall his work on the big head years later in with the stop-motion dinosaur. This one, however, Leagues Under the Sea (1954). The sequence
an essay entitled “King Kong and Me.” He would say would be built in miniature and would be used for was originally shot to take place with a beautiful
that “All I did was the fabrication on the outside. shots of the dinosaur plucking sailors from the sunset setting, but the wires controlling the
As I recall it took about three or four men inside to water with his mouth before tossing them aside. tentacles proved too visibly distracting, forcing a
work the mechanical jaws and eyes, but I have no Later that year, this head would be redressed and costly re-shoot under simulated storm conditions
idea what the dimensions were. I believe they would used for shots in the sequel Son of Kong (1933). at night to better hide the wires.

INFINITY 29
 Clockwise The re-shoot proved extremely successful and
from above:
Audrey II
the film went on to win an Academy Award for
attempting to Best Special Effects. Lucky Disneyland Park
eat Audrey I. attendees from 1955 to 1966 were able to see
(Ellen Greene)
in Little Shop of some of the props from the film along with
Horrors (1986); the squid in action at Disneyland.
Disneyland
Primeval World; Disney would end up becoming a major
Dragonslayer driver of the development for animatronic
(1981) and Stan
Winston testing
creatures and characters, and that would
out the Aliens include dinosaurs. One project developed by
Queen in the Disney Imagineers for the 1964 New York
car park!
World’s Fair was the “Ford Magic Skyway”.
For this ride, visitors would ride on a real
Ford motor car pulled along a track as they
viewed sights from across time including the
age of dinosaurs, the development of early
man, and into the future. Not necessarily
scientifically accurate even at the time, MORE RECENT HIGHLIGHTS own acting to match the speed of the plant in
the prehistoric world portrayed dinosaurs As the years passed, electrical mechanisms several shots. That same year, Aliens (1986)
inspired by the “Rite of Spring” sequence and the electronics to drive them became had a large mix of effects, some of the best of
from Fantasia (1940) and included a group increasingly smaller allowing more which were the alien queen battling Ripley in
of brontosauri eating in the swamp, a sophisticated animatronics. Instead of these her power loader. The action would inter-cut
triceratops family, and a tyrannosaurus mechanisms driving a full-size dinosaur, between shots of smaller scale puppets and
battling a stegosaurus. you could soon be looking at an actor in the full-size versions on set. The Alien Queen
Walt Disney was happy with the dinosaur a gorilla suit wearing an animatronic face would be Stan Winston’s first significant use
segment, but not the caveman portion of that controlled all of his facial expressions. of hydraulics for a character. All three of the
the ride. After the fair closed, the dinosaurs However, some films would still create larger above films were nominated for Best Visual
were moved to Disneyland where, in 1966, size creatures with a mix of puppets and Effects by the Academy, with Stan Winston
they became the “Primeval World” attraction animatronics. among the team that took home an Oscar for
visitors witness as part of their journey One nice example is Dragonslayer (1981). Aliens several years before he would work on
around the park on the Disneyland Railroad. Here, Phil Tippett’s Go-Motion dragon, Jurassic Park.
This attraction still exists to this day and is Vermithrax Pejorative, was augmented with
wonderfully coupled with music by Bernard full-size portions of the dragon to interact oday, many of the biggest films
Herrmann from the Ray Harryhausen film
Mysterious Island (1961). Other Disney
animatronic rides from the same fair that
directly with the actors. For a completely
different type of creature, Little Shop of
Horrors (1986) had a full-size man-eating
T minimize the use of hydraulics and
animatronic creatures in favour of full
digital effects, but the pendulum will likely
year pushed the state of the art and also plant that would even sing. For some complex continue to swing as tastes change. Luckily,
became long term attractions. These shots requiring the puppet to lip-synch to your favourite theme park, zoo or museum
included “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” the lyrics, the plant was manipulated at half may still scratch that itch of standing next
and “It’s a Small World”. Needless to say, speed to simplify the work of the puppeteers. to a dinosaur as he roars at you. And who
both were much different in style and tone This process did not, however, make it easier wouldn’t want to ride a raft while two large
from the dinosaurs. for Rick Moranis, who had to slow down his dinosaurs battle above them?

30 INFINITY
 MOLESWORTH’S
MUSINGS Richard delves into the realms of the unexplained...
and reveals his very first encounter with Bigfoot!
A scene from The
Legend of Boggy
Creek (1972).
Sometimes Bigfoot
is confused with
Sasquatch, Yeti
never complains...

MYSTICAL POSSIBILITIES
Now, I don’t want to anger any believers or
sceptics alike out there. And I’m certainly not

Y
ou couldn’t move in the late 1970s and early going to inch a toe into either camp. No, siree! A
1980s without being assaulted by huge few decades of hindsight offers a much different
swathes of paranormal lore. If it wasn’t perspective on such matters. But I can, honestly,
Arthur C Clarke rattling on about his Mysterious hand-on-heart, say that the world was a much
World from his sunny retreat in Sri Lanka, then better, more exciting place to be in when the
it was Leonard Nimoy taking you In Search Of… possibilities of such mystical events hung heavy
countless supernatural mysteries. All the classic in the air.
tropes were there; UFOs, Bigfoot, Atlantis, ghosts, But there was one thing that caught me off-
aliens, the Loch Ness Monster, stone circles, guard. And the reason it caught me off-guard so
ESP…. And all served up in unmissable, weekly, 30 utterly, was that I was well-versed in the subjects
minute instalments on ITV. that Arthur C Clarke and Leonard Nimoy espoused,
And then there was The Unexplained: Mysteries and which Unexplained filled its weekly page
of Mind, Space and Time magazine, which count with. It was something called The Legend of
launched in 1980. Unleashed into newsagents Boggy Creek.
by Orbis Publishing in weekly instalments, this Shown on BBC2 in the week before Christmas
was the first instance that I can recall of being 1981, at the stupidly early time of 6.00pm in the
suckered-in by the launch offer of ‘Issue 2 free evening, this was The. Scariest. Thing. Ever. Why?
with Issue 1’ promotion, as I merrily stumped up Because the film said, right at the start that it was simplistic and economic manner in the film, and
50p for both magazines, complete with poster and A True Story, that’s why. True. As in, Not Made Up. yet is no less terrifying because of it. Believe me –
presentation folder. And once hooked, you just had The Legend of Boggy Creek is an unfeasibly the thought of it still makes me shudder!
to keep the momentum going with future issues. low-budget independent film, released in 1972, The Legend of Boggy Creek hasn’t been
The Unexplained magazine, for those of you which purports to tell the story of the legendary officially available on VHS, DVD, or any other
who’ve never encountered it, was a goldmine of Fouke Monster – an apelike bigfoot-type beast format for much of its life. Assumed to be a public
blurry photos of supposed UFOs, alleged aliens, which, it was said, roamed the creeks, swamps and domain film for many years, a number of bootleg
blurry Nazca lines, Yeti footprints, charred dense forests around the small town of Fouke in versions were released over the last few decades,
bodyparts (the icky remnants of Spontaneous Miller County, Arkansas. The big question is – how all in quite lousy quality. However, a newly-
Human Combustion), Zenner cards (free pack much of The Legend of Boggy Creek is actually restored and remastered version of the film was
with issue 3!), pyramids, ley lines, and any other real? To the dyed-in-the-wool sceptic, the answer released in a small selection of US movie theatres
manner of spooky and otherworldly flummery. is obviously ‘None’. To a wide-eyed 12-year old, the back in 2020.
And to impressionable teenagers (that’d be me!) answer was somewhat less clear. As yet, there’s no sign of a Blu-ray release
who were already mired in the worlds of Doctor First-time filmmaker Charles B Pierce was of the restored film in the UK. But even if there
Who, The Tomorrow People, Sapphire and Steel influenced by real-life newspaper reports of was, I’m not sure I’d buy it. The memory of the
and Hammer House of Horror, this stuff was alleged encounters with a large, hairy creature BBC’s 1981 screening of the film, and the deep,
pure gold dust. Actual case studies from Borley in the woodlands around Fouke. Local residents disturbing - not to say long-lasting - impression
Rectory, Roswell, the Enfield Poltergeist, and that of Fouke were hired by Pierce to play the various it made on my teenage psyche, is not something
grainy 16mm film of Bigfoot lolloping through roles in the film, giving a real and deep sense of I’d want to sully by re-watching the movie again.
a forest clearing soon became the subject of verisimilitude to the events portrayed on screen. It’s a film that traumatised this 12-year old viewer,
playground tittle-tattle. You see, I wasn’t the only The most notable of these was a report of the but would probably leave a cynical 50-something
one bitten by the paranormal bug. Most kids in creature’s attack on the home of a young family massively unimpressed. Sometimes, it’s better not
school also were. in May 1971. This attack is recreated in a very to re-live the past…

INFINITY 31
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 SCIENCE FICTION LIBRARY

Review Ratings
= Excellent Anton van Beek takes a critical look at the
= Good
= Average latest sci-fi and fantasy cinema, Blu-ray
= Below Average
= Abysmal and streaming releases…

(Elizabeth Olson), Strange learns thematic homages to his earlier trauma begun in the WandaVision
that the former-Avenger-turned- films (everything from Spider-Man series (itself something of a must-
Scarlet-Witch has been corrupted by and Army of Darkness to Crimewave) watch before catching this film).It’s
the Darkhold, an ancient demonic it’s everything cinema has been just a shame then that the film never
book of spells, and is planning to missing since Raimi took a step quite lives up to its title.
steal Chavez’s abilities in order to back from directing film following While Raimi and his cast are
be reunited with her sons, who still 2013’s Oz: The Great and Powerful. clearly having a lot of fun, and
exist in other parallel realities. So As you’d hope, Doctor Strange in the script serves up plenty of fan-
begins a chase across the multiverse the Multiverse of Madness also pleasing cameos and Easter Eggs
as Strange and Chavez seek out the pushes closes to outright horror (which we won’t spoil here, no doubt
Book of Vishanti, antithesis of the than previous Marvel movies, with the Internet already has that well in
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE Darkhold and the only thing capable a couple of rather icky death scenes hand), the so-called ‘Multiverse of
MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS of stopping Scarlet Witch. that probably stretch the limit of the Madness’ ultimately boils down to a
(2022) In cinemas, Cert: 12 As much as we look forward to BBFC’s 12 certificate, as well as some version of Earth that’s a lot like ours,
every new Marvel movie, Doctor well-conceived jump scares. Raimi’s only buildings are covered in plants
Having accidentally messed around Strange in the Multiverse of Madness more playful side is also on display, and red lights mean it’s safe to cross
with the multiverse in last year’s was made even more by marking too, most notably in fantastical the road, and a second one that’s
Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel’s Sam Raimi’s return to directing, battle using musical notes. in the process of completely
resident magician finds himself up following a near ten-year absence The performances are strong, breaking apart.
to his neck in even more multiversal from the big screen. While Raimi too. Cumberbatch is as reliable as Sure, we see glimpses of a world
mayhem in this latest slice of the has form when it comes to directing ever as Doctor Strange, continuing to full of dinosaurs, another that’s
Marvel Cinematic Universe. superhero movies - as well as the take over the MCU’s elder statesman completely animated, and another
In the aftermath of a fairly original Spider-Man trilogy (2002- role previously held by Robert where everyone is made of paint;
typical afternoon spent saving 2007), he also helmed the comic Downey, Jr’s Tony Stark, and while but that’s all they are, tiny glimpses.
New York City from a rampaging book-inspired cult classic Darkman not given a massive amount to do Would it really have been too
one-eyed octopus monster, Doctor (1990) - for many he will always be Xochitl Gomez has a likeable screen much to ask for more of that kind
Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) best-remembered as the man behind presence that bodes well for future of multiversal madness? Perhaps
meets America Chavez (Xochitl the Evil Dead movies. And if there’s appearances (Young Avengers, we’ll just have to wait for next year’s
Gomez), a gifted teenager who one thing that Doctor Strange in the anyone?). However, the stand-out Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
hails from another Earth and has Multiverse of Madness delivers, it’s is Elizabeth Olsen, who does a (sequel to animated 2018 Oscar-
the power to travel through the vintage Sam Raimi fun. fantastic job of providing the film’s winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-
multiverse. Seeking the aid of fellow From crazy camera angles and emotional core as she continues the Verse) to see how mad these things
magic practitioner Wanda Maximoff crash zooms to overt visual and exploration of Wanda’s grief and can really get. AvB

INFINITY 37
MARVEL’S MOON KNIGHT (2022) don’t get to shine quite as brightly, Calamawy is
Disney+, Out now, Marvel Studios, a compelling screen presence (especially during
Cert: 16+ her final episode transformation), Hawke brings a
real sense of religious zealotry to yet another of
Moon Knight is Marvel’s sixth TV series for the Marvel’s underwritten bad guy roles, and F. Murray
Disney+ streaming platform, and differs from Abraham is equal-parts menacing and hilarious as short). However, given that Kara’s relationships
its live-action predecessors in a couple of ways. the voice of Konshu. with the rest of the ‘super friends’ – Chyler Leigh’s
First, as you may have noticed above, is the 16+ As you’d expect from a comic book series, Alex Danvers, Katie McGrath’s Lena Luthor, Jessie
age restriction. Until now all Marvel Studios shows Moon Knight is no slouch in the action department Rath’s Brainiac, Nicole Maines’ Dreamer, and David
produced for Disney+ have carried a 12+ rating, either. Series directors Mohamed Diab and Harewood’s Martian Manhunter - has always been
and while Moon Knight isn’t a total bloodbath, Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson cook up some the heart of Supergirl and its main driving force,
there is a slightly harder edge to the violence and absolutely phenomenal set-pieces that make cutting Kara off from them for the first third of the
some moments of creepy supernatural horror. fantastic use of Moon Knight’s supernatural show’s final season seems like a bit of a waste.
The other difference is that - unlike WandaVision, skill-set and at times rival big screen super- Naturally, Kara does return to National City
The Falcon and Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye heroics - the stand-outs being Grant’s showdown eventually and things get back to more or less
- this series focuses on a character who hasn’t with a jackal monster in Episode Two and the normal - which in the case of Supergirl means big
already appeared in a movie and doesn’t have finale’s climactic brawl with Harrow as kaiju-sized emotions, big action and fantastical metaphors
any significant ties to the larger Marvel Cinematic representations of Konshu and Ammit slug it out for real-world social injustices delivered with all of
Universe. in background. the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the skull. Along
Another, welcome, difference is that Moon Currently existing as a standalone series, Moon the way some of the supporting cast take major
Knight avoids the tired origin story format; instead Knight is just as welcoming to MCU newcomers as steps forward as heroes, while other mysteriously
giving us a character who learns that he has a it is to long term fans – and in terms of quality it disappear never to be heard from again. And it
super-powered alter-ego he knew nothing about is up there with the franchise’s very best Disney+ all builds to a suitably epic finale that feels like a
and following him on a journey of discovery as he shows (it’s better than a fair few of the films, suitably rousing and heart-felt climax to six years
fills in all the blanks. Oscar Isaac stars as Steven too). If this does turn out to be a one-and-done of super-heroics and friendships (including the
Grant, a socially awkward employee at the British deal for Oscar Isaac and Marvel, so be it. But return of plenty of familiar faces from across the
Museum with a keen interest in Egyptology, who after all of this, it’s impossible not to get excited show’s six year run).
dreams of one day becoming a tour guide. Grant’s about a second season (the door is definitely Extras: In addition to all 20 episodes from the
life is made even more complicated by episodes left wide open for one) or appearances in other show’s sixth season, this four-disc Blu-ray box set
of sleepwalking and lost time - the latest of which supernaturally-themed Marvel productions, like also contains 18 deleted scenes and A Farewell
sees him wake up in the Austrian Alps, seemingly the upcoming Blade reboot or this Halloween’s Tribute to Supergirl. The latter is a fun 24 minute
in the middle of stealing an antique scarab from Werewolf By Night Disney+ Halloween special. AvB chat with the show’s main cast, reminiscing about
cult leader Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke).Grant how much they enjoyed making the show, some
soon discovers that another identity also inhabits SUPERGIRL: THE SIXTH AND FINAL of the fun they had on set, and what being in the
his mind, Marc Spector, a mercenary who made a SEASON (2021) series meant to them. AvB
deal with the Egyptian moon god Konshu and now Blu-ray, Out now, Warner Bros., Cert: 12
serves as his super-powered avatar on Earth, Moon ROBOCOP: LIMITED EDITION (1987) 4K
Knight. Oh, and Marc also has a wife, archaeologist DC’s Arrowverse continues the process of winding UHD, Out now, Arrow Video, Cert: 18
Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy), who previously down with this final batch of 20 episodes following
knew nothing about Steven’s existence and thinks the super-powered exploits of Superman’s “I thought the script was terrible,” recalls director
Marc is just trying to avoid her. Aided by his own Kryptonian cousin Kara Zor-El/Kara Danvers Paul Verhoeven of his first encounter with
supernatural abilities, Harrow and his followers (Melissa Benoist). RoboCop. Thankfully, having reading it while
track Grant/Spector to London and retrieve the Of course, as anybody who has been following they were holidaying together, Verhoeven’s wife
scarab, leading to a desperate chase across Egypt the show this far knows (and if you haven’t, why Martine Tours thought differently and persuaded
to stop them from freeing the Egyptian goddess would you decide to start here?), before we can her hubby to give it another look. Despite
Ammit from her imprisonment and having her get to the meat of this sixth season, there’s still Verhoeven’s initial misgivings, the result was
cast judgement on the world. the little matter of wrapping up Season Five’s a perfect marriage of filmmaker and material;
More than anything else, Moon Knight is Leviathan story arc, which was put on ice when Verhoeven’s no-holds-barred style meshing
a triumph for its leading man, Oscar Isaac. production on that run was closed down by the perfectly with the political and corporate satire of
While the accent he adopts for the Steven Grant Covid pandemic. Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner’s script.
personality may cause some flashbacks to Dick Thankfully, the show-runners don’t hang Set in a near-future version of Detroit, RoboCop
Van Dyke, it’s a conscious decision and one around, getting all of that business out of the finds the city ravaged by wars. On the streets
that works perfectly. And it’s also completely way in the opening episode and - in the process the recently privatised police face a losing battle
different from what he does as Marc Spector, - trapping Kara in the Phantom Zone, where she with criminal gangs that now act with impunity,
so much so that any scenes of the two of them spends the first part of the new season trying to while in the boardroom of mega-corporation Omni
interacting really do feel like two completely get back home with the aid of Peta Sergeant’s Consumer Products rival factions battle to deliver
different performers. While the supporting cast ‘Fifth Dimensional Imp’ Nyxlygsptinz (Nyxly for the ‘future of law enforcement’.

38 INFINITY
 a crap crack team of government agents and
scientists, played by Ben Kingsley, Michael
Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, Alfred Molina and
TV version is Forest Whitaker - our fave is the latter’s gifted
restricted to empath, who uses his unique talents to walk into a
DTS-HD room containing a mutilated body and confidently
MA 2.0). proclaim, ‘Something bad happened here’.
Unlike many Like Sil herself, Species is also something of a
The latter appears to be decided when of the bigger hybrid, mixing together elements of sci-fi-horror
police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is Hollywood and erotic thriller. While hardly a classic of either
ambushed and executed by notorious crime boss studios, Arrow has also ported across all of the genre, it can be quite good fun if you’re in the right
Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) and his extra features from its earlier BD release. These frame of mind - and as Kim Newman points out
criminal gang, allowing OCP to take ownership of include commentaries, featurettes, new and in the commentary he recorded with Sean Hogan,
his body and use it as the basis for an advanced archival interviews, deleted scenes, storyboards, Species is the sort of reasonably big budget ($35m)
half-human, half-robot police cyborg, RoboCop. production footage, trailers, TV spots, image horror film Hollywood simply doesn’t make any
You know the rest… (well, you bloody well should if galleries, isolated scores, split-screen comparisons more. There are real helicopters and everything!
you’re reading this mag!) of the different cuts, six art cards, a double-sided It’s easy to imagine a modern day reboot being
Let’s not mess around; RoboCop is quite poster, and an 80-page booklet. I’d buy that for a handed over to someone like Blumhouse and
simply a masterpiece. It does what all good dollar!… or £35, you know. AvB being done for around $5m and set entirely within
science-fiction should do, using an exciting a single location.
new world and ideas to explore and address SPECIES COLLECTION: Deluxe Collector’s Species’ mix of action, horror and tits made
contemporary concerns, and wraps it up in layers Edition (1995-2007) Blu-ray, Out now, 88 Films, it a hit at the box office and on video, so it was
of graphic ultra-violence, ruthless satire and Cert: 18 hardly a surprise when Species II followed in 1998.
religious symbolism that makes for a thrilling Helmed by idiosyncratic filmmaker Peter Medak,
and provocative roller-coaster ride of comic book With Harvey Weinstein and Ghislaine Maxwell the sequel flips the script and has the first man
action and social commentary that never wears safely locked away behind bars, it’s time for the on Mars return to Earth infected with alien DNA
out its welcome, no matter how many times you galaxy’s other biggest sex pests to step back into and the urge to reproduce with any woman who
give it a spin. Indeed, you only have to look at the the spotlight. That’s right, 88 Films is celebrating crosses his path. Thankfully, Michael Madsen and
sequels, TV shows and reboot that followed (not to the Species franchise with a new box set Marg Helgenberger’s characters from the first film
mention the countless DTV imitators) to see how containing remastered Blu-ray editions of all four are on hand to try and stop him - and this time
uninvolving the concept could have become in the films (yes, they really did make four of them!) and they have their own alien, a clone of Sil called Eve,
hands of less talented writers and filmmakers. a bumper crop of bonus goodies. to help track him down. Unsurprisingly, things
Extras: Arrow’s UHD do-over of its 2019 Limited Directed by Roger Donaldson, Species (1995) don’t go entirely to plan, and the race is on to stop
Edition Blu-ray is a welcome upgrade for fans with finds a sexy alien-human hybrid (Natasha the two aliens from knocking boots and spawning
the kit needed to play it. In addition to 4K HDR/ Henstridge’s Sil) cooked up in a government lab a pure-bred strain of intergalactic sex offenders.
Dolby Vision presentations of the Director’s Cut, on the loose and prowling the streets looking for Sleazier, gorier and more action-packed,
Theatrical Cut and the ‘Edited For TV’ versions of a suitable fella to knock her up, and ripping the Species II didn’t strike anything like the same
the film, the set also includes new Dolby Atmos spines out of those that don’t meet her criteria. sort of note with cinema audiences and was a
remixes to go with the DTS-HD MA 2.0, DTS-HD Hot on the horny horror’s trail and determined to bit of a flop at the box office. It would be nice to
MA 4.0 and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtracks that stop Sil from getting up the duff and overrunning say that most viewers just didn’t ‘get it’ but the
accompany the first two cuts of the film (the the planet with her Giger-ish together spawn is sad fact is that Species II is a pale imitation of
its predecessor, one that is not only much, much
stupider than the first film, but also turns out be
rather off-putting thanks to its mean-spirited
nature. On a positive note, an increased focus
on practical effects for the sequel’s finale means
we don’t have to put up with anything quite so
technically inept as the original’s CG Sil.
For a while it seemed like Species II had killed
the series stone dead. But in 2004 the franchise
made the leap to the small screen, with the Syfy
channel TV movie Species III. Clearly made on
a much smaller budget, this one does at least
bring back Henstridge for a brief cameo before
heading off in its own direction to tell the story of
a scientist raising one of Eve’s offspring (Sunny
Mabrey’s Sara) and having to deal with other
alien-human hybrids that are looking for her.
To be honest, Species III’s story doesn’t make a
whole lot of sense and the film never once tries

INFINITY 39
 three of which - the retro-styled Kamandi: The
Last Boy on Earth!, The Losers, and Blue Beetle -
have already appeared as bonus features on the
Blu-ray releases of Justice Society: World War II,
and Batman: The Long Halloween: Parts 1 and 2.
Which leaves us with one brand new short, the
titular Constantine: The House of Mystery…
Running a little under half-an-hour,
Constantine: The House of Mystery finds DC’s
resident occultist John Constantine (voiced by
Matt Ryan) trapped inside the confines of said
magical mansion, with no memory of how he got
there. Opening one door he encounters a group
of friends he believed killed in the Apokolips War,
only for them to transform into demons and kill
him. At which point he wakes up in the house
again and decides to try a different door with
similar results. And so its goes, with Constantine
dying again and again in a variety of messy ways,
until he finally comes up with a plan that might
finally reveal what is really going on…
Yup, having finally waved goodbye to the dark
and gritty shenanigans of the New 52 phase of
films back in 2020 with the animated bloodbath
that was Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, the
DC Animated Movie universe has decided to make
to exceed the expectations of a TV movie (bar from a time-code VHS source), the trailer and a a unwanted return. Serving as a fairly needless
some additional nudity and gore thrown into stills gallery. epilogue to that earlier saga, Constantine: The
this unrated version). But at least it isn’t actively The archival Species III cast and crew House of Mystery has it all: violence, gore, nihilism
offensive like Species II. commentary is now joined by a new track and unappealing character design. Just what
The amorous aliens made one last return to the featuring DTV movie cheerleaders Dave Wain nobody wanted. Even voice actor Matt Ryan (who
screen in another Syfy TV movie, 2007’s Species: and Matty Budrewicz, doing a valiant - if has been the de facto Constantine performer since
The Awakening. Once again we have another ultimately futile - job of trying to convince you 2014) sounds thoroughly bored with it all and like
middle-aged scientist serving as a father-figure the film is better than you may think. Six archival he’d much rather be back hanging out with the
to a sexy alien trying to control her urge to hump/ featurettes, a trailer and stills gallery are also Legends of Tomorrow and having some fun.
kill everyone she meets. This time, however, the included. Finally, Species: The Awakening is Not only does this return to the New 52
action is set in Mexico and - thanks to a shorter graced by yet another enthusiastic chat-track continuity stand out (and not in a good way)
running time and some enjoyably goofy rubber by Dave Wain and Matty Budrewicz, plus new from subsequent DC Animated Movie releases,
suit alien-on-alien action - proves to be marginally interviews with director Nick Lyon and actress but it’s also a tonal outlier in this collection of DC
better than its immediate predecessor. Once Helena Mattson, the trailer and a stills gallery. Showcase shorts. And for those who have been
again, the version included in this box set contains Did I say finally? Not quite. 88 Films has also intrigued by teases of a narrative link running
slightly more blood and tits than the original loaded this Deluxe Collector’s Edition Blu-ray box between Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!, The
broadcast version. set with a 40-page ‘picture-booklet’ featuring new Losers, and Blue Beetle, it’s disappointing to see
Okay, so Species isn’t the greatest franchise writing on the films, plus the obligatory art-cards that Constantine: The House of Mystery doesn’t
ever; the drop-off between the original film and (six of ‘em, in this case), and double-sided poster. address this in any way, making it feel even more
its sequels is pretty precipitous… and the original Wow! AvB like a hold-over from an earlier time.
wasn’t exactly a masterpiece to begin with. But Extras: Unlike the last DC Showcase
bar Species II each film contains at least some DC SHOWCASE: CONSTANTINE - THE compilation – 2020’s Batman: Death in the
elements of fun. And when it comes to the second HOUSE OF MYSTERY (2022) Blu-ray, Out now, Family – there are no exclusive commentary
film, if you turn the sound down you might be able Warner Bros., Cert: 15 tracks to be found here. Instead, the sole extra is
to get past the inane dialogue and idiotic story the 16 minute DC Showcase: One Story at a Time
and convince yourself that you’re watching a piece Unlike the bulk of the range, DC Showcase: featurette, which looks at the challenges involved
of grisly 1980s Italian exploitation cinema instead. Constantine - The House of Mystery isn’t a new in telling short stories and explores the varied
Extras: 88 Films has done a superb job with feature-length animated DTV movie. Instead, it’s a animation styles used to bring this quartet of
this box set, accompanying its attractive Blu-ray compilation of four DC Showcase animated shorts, stories to life. AvB
presentations of all four films with a shockingly
comprehensive array of new and archival extra
features. In addition to the pair of cast and crew
commentaries that originated on DVD, Species
also boasts a new track by frequent commentary
partners Kim Newman and Sean Hogan. There’s
also a new retrospective documentary, a new
interview with Natasha Henstridge, four behind-
the-scenes featurettes, an alternate ending, the
theatrical trailer, and an extensive gallery of stills
and artwork.
Presumably they couldn’t find anybody to
speak up for Species II, as that first sequel has
to make do with the old commentary by director
Peter Medak. Joining this are new interviews
with the film’s special effects artists and the
screenwriter, a reel of special effects out-takes
and behind-the-scenes footage, a vintage Making
of… featurette, a reel of deleted material (taken

40 INFINITY
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE difference being the sort of gender-flipped setup
UNIVERSE: The Complete Series (1983-1985)/ that would drive internet trolls mad these days.
SHE-RA: PRINCESS OF POWER: The Reboots of both series eventually followed, with
Complete Series (1985-1987) DVD, Out now, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002-2004)
Fabulous Films, Cert: U and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-
2020) delivering the more complex storytelling and
Having turned down the opportunity to make a slicker/more expressive animation you’d expect
line of action figures based on some movie called from modern cartoons, and recently Kevin Smith
Star Wars back in 1976, toy maker Mattel spent oversaw a spiritual sequel to the original ‘80s show
several years kicking itself as its rival company with Netflix’s controversial Masters of the Universe:
Hasbro made a fortune from George Lucas’ sci- Revelation (2021). (And, of course, who could ever
fi saga. Keen to find a Star Wars line of its own, forget the notorious 1987 live-action Masters of the
Mattel signed licensing deals for various sci-fi and Universe movie starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man
fantasy films, to no avail. and Frank Langella as Skeletor?) But for all of their
One of the licenses Mattel snapped up was for flaws, the original He-Man… and She-Ra… cartoons
an upcoming movie based on Robert E. Howard’s remain an enjoyable blast of 1980s animated
Conan the Barbarian, but it was forced to pull nostalgia, that may just prove to be a little better
out of the deal after discovering that the film than you remember – and thanks to these two
in question was definitely not going to be kid- ‘Complete Series’ DVD box sets you can experience
friendly. However, inspired by the concept art the Power of Grayskull all over again.
produced for the proposed Conan toys, Mattel with life lessons at the end of episodes), while Extras: The He-Man and the Masters of
set about developing its own fantasy range. The restricted production budgets resulted in fairly the Universe: The Complete Series and She-Ra:
result was the Masters of the Universe toy line and limited animation and a heck of a lot of re-used Princess of Power - The Complete Series DVD
blonde beefcake protagonist He-Man. stock footage. But despite all this, and the need box sets boast a full complement of episodes
With no film to back-up the toy line, the lore to constantly introduce new toys for Mattel to sell from their respective shows, presented in the
behind the Masters of the Universe characters was characters for He-Man to befriend or battle, the original 4:3 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 2.0
initially told through mini-comics packed with writers who worked on the show – including future audio. Image quality is par for the course for the
the figures and then a limited series published by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski and standard-definition format, bright and colourful,
DC Comics. However, the real fun began in 1983 Batman: The Animated Series producer Paul Dini but packed with jaggies and pixelation.
with the debut of the He-Man and the Masters of - were still able to craft moments of magic. This Both sets also include two identical discs of
the Universe cartoon series. Taking advantage of is especially true of the second and final season, bonus features. The first houses the feature-length
changes in US legislation (previously, cartoons where they were given slightly more freedom; video release re-edit of the She-Ra origin story,
based on toys had been banned for essentially check out the episodes Battlecat or Double Trouble He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (87
serving as extended commercials), Filmation to see how good the show could really be. mins) and the bumper-length festive crossover
produced a syndicated animated series based After two syndicated seasons and a whopping He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special (44 mins).
on Mattel’s successful toy-line that introduced 130 episodes, He-Man’s story finally came to an The real highlight, however, is the second bonus
audiences to the fantastical world of Eternia and end in 1985… sort of. With Masters of the Universe disc, which contains the superb 2017 documentary
its various heroes and villains. Chief among them toys proving a hit with boys, Mattel decided to Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of
was the young Prince Adam who would hold aloft create a spin-off line for girls, Princess of Power, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (95
his magic sword and, with the magic words “By and its Amazonian heroine She-Ra. And in 1985 mins). Living up to its title, it’s a fascinating and
the power of Grayskull… I have the power!,” be the She-Ra: Princess of Power animated series informative look back at the entire He-Man (and
transformed into the heroic He-Man, ready to do debuted with a five-part origin story co-starring She-Ra) phenomenon, both in the toy aisles and
battle with his arch enemy, the evil Skeletor. He-Man. This series would also continue across on the screen (big and small). Also included on
Okay, so the strict restrictions of the era two seasons, albeit with a truncated second year, the disc are extended sections of the Power of
regarding children’s’ television meant the stories taking the total to 93 episodes. Created by many Grayskull… documentary focusing on the legacy
were fairly basic and often involved heavy-handed of the same writers and animated who worked of Filmation (22 mins), the origins of She-Ra (20
moralising (most famously involving He-Man on He-Man’s show, She Ra: Princess of Power was mins), and the original concept art created for the
and chums addressing the audience directly pretty much more of the same - the only real shows (28 mins). AvB

INFINITY 41
BIG McST
The McDonalds crew - if you came name them all you
are a lot cleverer, and possibly a lot fatter than your
friendly neighbourhood caption writer...

O
nce he was universally adored by the crowds of people recover memories of these characters might begin even to strain
who turned up in great numbers wherever he was the amygdala of anyone born after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Don’t
scheduled to appear. But, over the last two decades, even get me started on more obscure figures such as ‘The Professor’,
a growing awareness began to develop that he might ‘The Fry-guys’, ‘The Hamburger Patch’ (where, like the bad trip of a
actually represent a danger to children’s health and malnourished acid casualty, talking hamburgers grew like strange
well-being, and it has seen this once feted former fruit on tiny, stunted trees) or ‘Uncle O’ Grimacey’, Grimace’s Irish
ambassador increasingly side-lined as something of an uncle, who would turn up annually for the St. Patrick’s Day appearance
embarrassment to the corporation he remains indelibly of McDonald’s minty green ‘Shamrock Shake’.
linked to. No, not Prince Andrew - I’m talking about a creepy clown All these characters were the denizens of ‘McDonaldland’, a fantasy
with frozen pasty-white features and a haunted look in his glassy eyes, world created to further the company’s ambitions to expand on their
that ‘Merry Andrew’ known to the world as ‘Ronald McDonald’* success with the character of ‘Ronald McDonald’ by next creating an
As bizarre as it may seem to anybody who grew up before the entire world for him to live in. Ronald first appeared in commercials on
turn of the 21st Century, there is a generation of children living American TV in 1963 and had been an instant hit, becoming arguably
now who might struggle to pick Ronald McDonald out of a police the 2nd most recognisable fictional character in America (behind only
line-up if he was standing alongside Pennywise, Krusty and Charlie Santa Claus).
Cairoli. The Hamburglar would be even less likely to be convicted. McDonald’s restaurants in the 1960s had almost exclusively been
Mayor McCheese? Couldn’t get elected these days. And what of based on a counter-service, take-away model with busy American
Captain Crook? Or the special sauce-cephalic, ‘Officer Big Mac’? workers the target demographic. Realising that marketing to families
Wherefore now art the moronic gurning grin of the Barbapapa-alike presented an opportunity to maximise sales further - especially if
amorphous purple blob called ‘Grimace’? I suspect the attempt to they could encourage them to consume food on-site - the owners

42 INFINITY
TAKE!
We sent Kris Hall on an
Indiana Jones type quest
to the find the Lost Realm
of ‘McDonaldland.’ It wasn’t
exactly the company’s
clowning glory, but you’ll be
loving reading about it...

started looking for ways to make McDonald’s more of an ‘experience’.

The concept of ‘McDonaldland’, a make-believe world with a host of
quirky characters, was the winning pitch of Chicago-based advertising
agency, ‘Needham, Harper & Steers’. When it came time to film the
commercials, Keith Reinhard, a NH&S creative executive explained:
‘In thinking of where this little society could live and operate, we ‘The McNugget Buddies’ and ‘The Trash Can Twins’ (‘Don’t forget to Above in
ascending order:
came up with the concept of a gigantic set in which the McDonald’s feed waste baskets!’). The first ever UK
food items were the chief elements and landmarks’. The concept spawned a range of merchandising opportunities, with McDonalds, which
opened in Powis
Alongside the aforementioned ‘Hamburger Patch’, the fantasyland McDonaldland comics, colouring books, drinking glasses, playsets Street, Woolwich in
would comprise of areas such as ‘Filet ‘O Fish Lake’ (where the and even a range of Mego-style action figures with removable clothing 1974. At that time,
eponymous snack was rod-caught), ‘Apple-pie trees’, ‘French Fry (although why anybody would want to do this is unfathomable. The a value meal would
have set you back
Bushes’, and ‘Thick Shake Volcanoes’. Notable landmarks would thought of a naked ‘Mayor McCheese’ produces a mental image that is the princely sum
include ‘The Golden Arches Bridge’, a track for the steam train that viscerally unsettling). The McDonaldland campaign was a phenomenal of 48p. Back then
ashtrays were laid
Ronald would use to carry around his giant milkshake machine and, success in the U.S, but it was a concept that would never become fully out on every table
naturally enough, McDonaldland would have its own McDonald’s realised in the company’s UK marketing campaigns. and hamburgers
restaurant. Each commercial took the form of a narrated short story were a mere 15p;
McDonaldland in
that usually began with the words ‘One day in McDonaldland…’ before TODAY WOOLWICH, TOMORROW THE WORLD! all its glory and
launching into a whimsical short story promoting a particular menu The first McDonald’s restaurant in the UK opened in Woolwich, South early designs
item. The regular gang of characters were often joined by occasional East London in 1974. The area was chosen because, to the American
visitors such as ‘Birdie, the Early Bird’ (promoting the breakfast menu), owners, it seemed to represent ‘average Britain’, and they reasoned

INFINITY 43
A McDonaldland
panorama from 1971.
Who wouldn’t want to
spend the rest of their
life here?

Below:
Mind you, that Wimpy
menu looks inviting.
Who hasn’t felt like a
bender after a night on
the tiles?

was burned at the stake for witchcraft. McDonald’s

expansion into the UK had come slightly later than
into other areas of Western Europe due partly
to the high price of beef, partly to the high cost
of properties suitable for their restaurants, but
primarily because of the stiff competition offered
by the established ‘Wimpy’ brand, which at that
time had over 600 sites nationwide.
Wimpy was a British institution and looking
at the menu on offer there during the 70s now, it
beggars belief that McDonald’s ever managed to
get a toehold: Wimpy Burger, Wimpy Cheeseburger,
Wimpy Eggburger (burger with a fried egg on top),
Wimpy Baconburger (no explanation needed),
Polynesian Wimpy (explanation clearly needed:
it was a burger with pineapple and lettuce on it),
Wimpy Spaghetti burger (burger with - I kid you
not - a portion of spaghetti on top. Yeah, who could
have guessed?).
The first McDonald’s cinema advert appeared
in 1975 but the ‘McDonaldland’ campaign that had
been so successful in America was not used. Most
likely as a result of the assessment that both the
have expected, McDonald’s was not an immediate pocket money levels and pester-power of U.K kids
success. Indeed, although individual franchisee’s was risible in comparison to their U.S counterparts,
would make profit earlier, the McDonald’s UK the company instead decided to appeal to
operation did not record a profit until 1984. more adult sensibilities. ‘There’s a difference at
The cultural envy for all things American that McDonald’s you’ll enjoyyyy’ went the jingle. ‘Mums
developed in the UK during the 70s and 80s was as think we’re different because we keep the place as
yet still in its infancy, and McDonald’s had a lot of clean as her own kitchen, Dads think we’re different
work to do to win us over. For one thing, where was because they get fast service and great value…’
the cutlery. The ‘knife and fork combo’ was adopted Once Mum knew she could relax because there
in the UK during the 18th century and by 1974 had would be no washing-up and the kids probably
become quite bourgeois, even in South London, wouldn’t be getting worms again, and Dad had
so its marked absence in McDonald’s seemed a been assured that it would be a cheap and relatively
preposterous state of affairs. The British bon vivant painless experience, the hamburgers, shakes
of the time was no less flabbergasted to discover and ‘French’ ‘Fries’ (which sounded impossibly
that they would not need to avail themselves of the continental to our young ears) were enough
that if Woolwich could be cracked, the rest of crusted ketchup dispenser shaped like a tomato, of an inducement to kids on their own merit.
Britain would follow (ah, how often those words because their ‘Hamburgers’ arrived with the The introduction to the improbable wonders of
must have been uttered by the world’s most condiments already added in the bun. Legend has ‘McDonaldland’ came only once we’d stepped
glamorous brands). Contrary to what we might it that the first manager of the Woolwich restaurant through the door and our febrile imaginations were

44 INFINITY
 Above right:
McDonalds
founder Ray
Kroc with some
clown. By the
time of Kroc’s
death, the
chain had 7,500
outlets in the
United States
and in 31 other
countries and
territories

carried aloft by the brightly coloured murals on the

walls, giveaway ‘roll and move’ games printed on a
rough A3 paper, Ronald McDonald hand puppets in
the form of a thin polythene glove printed with his
likeness (that - blimey - were free!) and ‘Manners
Matter’ vinyl placemats that carried sage advice
to kids disguised as proto-rap lyrics, such as:
‘When Big Mac forgets his napkin, he gets crumbs
all over his tummy, Hamburglar says ‘Oh, what a
mess’. Bad manners are really crummy’. These and would be interested in working on the project. Little by little, Wimpy began to lose ground to
other assorted marketing collateral, all featuring Numerous phone calls took place and in August the new kid on the block. When even the fabulous
characters from the U.S promotional campaign, 1970, the Kroffts received a letter stating that ‘knickerbocker glory’ was no longer proving to be
had been brought over for the UK franchisee to use, the agency was going forward with the idea and enough of a draw to arrest the decline, the boffins
possibly for no other reason than because they had acknowledging the need to pay the Kroffts a fee at United Biscuits HQ (then owners of Wimpy) got
been printed in their millions. for preparing designs and engineering plans. their heads together and came up with the idea
The fact that we only got to see ‘McDonaldland’ However, when Marty contacted the agency shortly of relaunching the radical ‘Bender in a Bun’ - a
obliquely in this way meant that it couldn’t fully afterwards, he was informed the campaign had frankfurter sausage with ingenious cuts in it that
coalesce in our consciousness which, if anything, been cancelled. allowed it to be bent into a circle without breaking.
made it all the more tantalising to our young When the McDonaldland commercials started The resulting item was then slapped between the
minds because we were forced to fill in the gaps appearing on screens in 1971, the Kroffts must two halves of the traditional bun - it looked like a
using our own imaginations. Unlike our American have felt like they’d been taking crazy pills. Both burger, but tasted like a hot dog. The perfect fusion.
peers, whose apprehension of this fantasy world ‘McDonaldland’ and ‘Living Island’, the fantasyland It had been a reasonably popular item on the
was necessarily restricted by what they had seen of their own TV series, featured similarly rendered Wimpy menu for years and McDonalds had nothing
in commercials filmed in a television studio, our magical buildings, backgrounds and creatures - like it. Sadly, the marketing push did not result in
McDonaldland was an unbounded place where most egregious of all was ‘Mayor McCheese’, who 80s schoolkids’ demand for a radical bender being
the horizon could stretch to infinity. Wondrous, spoke in a similar voice and had the same oversized voiced in numbers that were sufficient to convince
brightly hued, filled with magical creatures that head as their main character ‘H.R.Pufnstuf ‘, the Wimpy’s owners that they still had the edge over
were outlandish, but also strangely familiar, like friendly dragon who also happened to be a Mayor. their upstart rivals, and, in 1989, the venerable
something we might have met in a half-remembered After a 6-year legal battle, the courts ruled in the restaurant group was sold to multinational
dream. Unfortunately for McDonalds, this strong Krofft’s favour. The Hamburglar chain were forced to conglomerate, Grand Metropolitan, owners of
feeling of recognition was something that was also pay them more than $1 Million for the infringement the ‘Burger King’ brand. Storm clouds were now
shared by Sid and Marty Croft, makers of the classic and ordered to stop producing the commercials. gathering over Europe, and ‘The Great Happy Meal’
children’s television series, H.R.Pufnstuf. With the ‘McDonaldland’ concept in hot water Wars of the 1990’s would soon hasten the end for
in the U.S, for their next round of U.K adverts the the beautiful dream that was McDonaldland forever.
TAKING CRAZY PILLS company opted to run a campaign that encouraged
According to papers filed in the lawsuit that kids to try to remember all the ingredients that THE FALL OF THE KING
followed, the Kroftts had been consulted by the comprise a ‘Big Mac’: ‘Two all-beef patties, special The creation of the ‘Happy Meal’ is usually credited
advertising agency Needham, Harper and Steers sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle and onions, all on a to Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño, a lady who in 1974
before they landed the McDonald’s account. NH&S sesame seed bun’. If you are old enough to remember purchased the first McDonald’s franchisee licence
had told them that they wanted to approach seeing any of the adverts from this campaign, these in Guatemala. Her ‘Ronald Meal’ was designed to
the restaurant chain with a campaign based words are now buried deep in your hippocampus like appeal to parents and consisted of a hamburger,
on H.R Pufnstuf and wondered if the Kroffts the activation phrase of a KGB sleeper agent. small fries, a sundae, and a small toy that she

INFINITY 45
 But these affairs were being watched order to take a selfie with him:
closely and keenly by intellects vast, cool, ‘We’ve found the loneliest man in the
This spread: had sourced locally. Upon hearing of the and unsympathetic who regarded the world. And he’s been right in front of us the
More McDonalds
tie-ins including
innovation, to the company’s great credit it partnership with envious eyes, and slowly whole time. Go ahead, give him company,
E.T. and Star Trek decided to develop the notion rather than fire and surely drew plans of their own. When take a picture or two, tag @burgerkingindia
Happy Meals, her on the spot for her temerity. The idea was Burger King swooped in to partner with and we’ll give you a free Whopper this
and Tim Curry
as Pennywise handed to Bob Bernstein of the advertising Disney on 1991’s Beauty and the Beast they Valentine’s Day. #LonelyNoMore’
in It (1990), not agency, Bernstein - Reis, who came up with scored a huge success, bringing McDonald’s (Client: Burger King, Creative Advertising
at all based
on McDonalds
the ruse of selling the product in a colourful back to Disney’s door. Both companies were Agency: Famous Innovations Mumbai)
because it’s a cardboard lunch pail after watching his son’s allowed to promote Disney’s next release,
curry, not a burger; excitement fishing the give-away toy out of a Aladdin (1992), but after Burger King’s t’s tempting to think that the public’s
The McDonaldland
playground and
characters lurking
therein
cereal packet.
The first Happy Meal film tie-in was with
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and
campaign outsold McDonald’s by a significant
margin, they were awarded the U.S licence
for 1994’s The Lion King (though McDonald’s
I decline in affection for Ronald McDonald
is perhaps another manifestation of
‘Coulrophobia’ - the fear of clowns - that,
came about as a result of the film going were allowed a licence for the U.K). The film according to recent studies, now affects
over budget, causing Paramount to look for became a phenomenon, allowing Burger King up to 12% of the U.K Population. However,
new revenue streams to cover its ballooning to triple its sales of ‘Kids Club Meal’ in the U.S, this particular phobia seems to be a recent
production costs. Though successful, the leading to McDonalds negotiating a billion phenomenon with hardly any cases reported
film did not end up catching fire in the dollar 10-year deal with Disney in 1996. before the 1990’s. Which begs the question,
imagination of children as much as had An uneasy truce seems to be the current which came first? The chicken (Royale) or the
been expected and though they would status quo between the usurping armies of egg (McMuffin)?
continue to release Happy Meal promotions the ‘Burger King’ and the colourful jester who In order to avoid putting the cart before
of film releases - most notably E.T (1984) most regard as the rightful monarch of bovine the horsemeat, we may need to form a
- partnerships with toy lines such as Lego, patties and ‘shakes’ (which may not quite be better understanding of when Ronald’s
Play Doh and Matchbox were less costly ‘milk-shakes’ but certainly do contain ‘milk fall from grace first started to become
and similarly successful. However, in 1987, products’, don’t you worry about that) but all apparent. Despite the fact that Millennials
McDonald’s partnered with Walt Disney on veterans of 90s wars can recall how brutal the would not invent the social conscience for
the release to home video of their classic fighting was, and many still have the scars to another two decades, the 1990’s did see a
back catalogue. show for it. rise in awareness of the negative effects the
Though seemingly a match made And perhaps the Simbas, Mustafas, fast-food industry has on the environment
in heaven, this was before the Disney Timons and Pumbaas too. through industrial agriculture processes
renaissance and when the moderate success The occasional skirmish does still break and the farting buttocks of so many cows.
of Happy Meals for theatrical releases out between the two fast food giants, such as Concomitant with this were increasing
of Oliver and Company and The Little the exquisite schadenfreude of Burger King concerns about the role of the industry in the
Mermaid (1989), were followed by relative India’s recent, ‘Lonely No More’, campaign, burgeoning obesity crisis that had seen the
disappointments of The Rescuers Down Under which openly mocked the fall of McDonald’s nation’s children burgeon obesely.
(1990) and the costly Dick Tracy tie-in (1990), mascot by asking customers to seek out Initially, the fast-food giants were able
the partnership fizzled. abandoned fibre-glass statues of Ronald in to stick to the line that the advice from

46 INFINITY
 since claimed that his main inspiration was not in an ignominious low point in a professional acting
fact ‘Ronald McDonald’, but ‘Lon Chaney’s Phantom career that had started so well, when, at the tender
of the Opera, stylized as a clown’. age of 11, he’d starred alongside the great Howard
Tim Curry, an actor best known at the time Keel in a production of Camelot.
for broadly comedic roles, initially seemed a
surprising choice for the role of Pennywise, but A TORMENTED FISHER KING
it’s fair to that he absolutely crushed it - so much Nowadays, buying food in McDonalds appears to
so that it led to the President of the World Clown be an entirely clinical transactional experience.
Association, Pam Moody, laying the blame for the The once familiar white (it’s clean!), yellow (it’s
worldwide rise in clown-phobia since then firmly at warm!) and red (don’t get too comfortable, we need
the door of the production. that chair!) colour scheme of their restaurants has
As we entered the 21st Century, the writing was been replaced by sober dark greens and bleached
on the wall and it was clear a new approach was wood veneers that seemingly aim to create the
needed. In 2003, Ronald McDonald was quietly suggestion of an upmarket exclusivity. Like
dropped from UK TV commercials in favour of the McDonald’s new mates are Starbucks and Pret, and
‘McDonald’s - I’m Lovin’ it’ campaign. Larry Light, they rarely ever even see ‘Greggs’ these days.
the company’s global Chief Marketing Officer at the Consequently, an element of emotional
time helpfully explained the thinking behind the distancing has somehow been introduced. Instead
decision: of the promise of having the yearning for a
‘We recognized that the mass marketing of magical dream world fulfilled, the advertising now
mass messages to masses of people via mass suggests only vague notions of a shared common
experts was that eating fast food was okay in media was a mass mistake. McDonald’s had been experience, which is quickly belied upon entering
moderation, but critics countered this by pointing managed as a mass-market, mass-media, mass- restaurants where everybody is avoiding eye-
out that a Happy Meal promotion that lasted only message brand. Our challenge was to lead as a contact by looking at the screen of their phone.
4 weeks but encouraged children to collect all big brand, but not as a mass brand. So, instead of ‘McDonaldland’ itself exists now only in the
101 Dalmatians, hardly lent itself to the idea of continuing the uni-dimensional, one size fits all liminal mental space between the heady days of the
‘moderation’. of mass marketing, we took a multi-dimensional, 1970’s and the stark realities of the 21st Century.
multi-segmented approach.’ As time lost as Brigadoon. A remote Shangri-la
THE FEARS OF A CLOWN No, sorry, I haven’t a clue what any of that whose existence we can attempt to search for
As is usually the case in a moral panic, a scapegoat means either. Alongside the sun-soaked images using Youtube instead of Google-Earth. The child’s
was needed and the happy clown - that harmless of everyday people of all ages just getting on imagination that we used to fill in the gaps back
playful fellow who only ever wanted to bring joy with it and enjoying their everyday lives (while then still functions, but now it struggles even to
to people everywhere - became the all-beef patsy. stuffing their faces with product), the campaign be merely ‘childlike’, and its palette consists only
Suddenly, increasing numbers of people started increasingly took the opportunity to explain of pale, thin watercolours. The ‘Hamburger Patch’
saying: ‘’yeah, right, and have you ever noticed to us which healthy vitamins and nutrients we is weed strewn and overgrown, the hamburgers
how much he looks like that ‘Pennywise’ from the had overlooked while we had been moodily that once grew there now withered on the branch.
Stephen King thing?” carping on about sugar, guar gum and trans fats. Mayor McCheese walks around in a confused daze,
‘Pennywise the Dancing Clown’ was the primary The restaurants would also begin to offer new making crazy sounding speeches to a non-existent
form chosen by a shape-shifting extra-dimensional healthy option product lines like ‘carrot sticks’ electorate, unable even himself to determine
being in Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel, It. Living as a replacement for fries, which undoubtedly whether he is indeed the civic leader of a processed
deep beneath the fictional town of Derry, Maine, were eagerly snapped up by the same parents proletariat, or, in reality, the friendly dragon called,
the creature feeds on the human population that with a troubled conscience that had bought their ‘H.R. Pufnstuf’, Mayor of ‘Living Island’.
it treats like cattle, with children being top of ‘It’s’ hapless children wooden toys from the Early
menu and ‘fear’ being ‘It’s’ special sauce. Existing Learning Centre that Christmas, instead of the residing over it all, like a tormented fisher
there for centuries, the creature hides itself by
psychically manipulating both the awareness and
attention of the town’s population, resulting in an
latest playground ‘must-haves’ in styrene-based
pre-formed packaging available from the shelves
of ‘Toys R Us’.
P king, painfully aware that the king and the
land are indeed one, is Ronald McDonald
himself. Sitting wounded upon his throne, waiting
apathetic ignorance of ‘It’s’ activities, even in the Whatever the mithering tykes might have felt for the arrival of a latter-day Parsifal, a redeeming
wake of a series of gruesome murders. The form of about that, I’ll tell you who almost certainly wasn’t hero - perhaps it is ‘Dave’ from the Marketing
a clown was chosen when hunting because, as the ‘Lovin’ it’ – David Hussey – the actor, comedian, department, perhaps ‘Phil’ from Legal? – to bring
predatory monster reasoned in the novel, ‘Why, singer, dancer, musician, director, and two-time the holy grail of reimagination and a reboot that
what child did not love a clown?” World Juggling Champion who had taken over the will end his wretched banishment from the public
In 1990, the U.S television network ABC turned role of playing ‘Ronald McDonald’ for the company affection (only this time, maybe…as a woman?).
the novel into a two-part miniseries directed by in 2000. More men have walked on the moon than But, regardless of whatever future form he takes,
former John Carpenter collaborator, Tommy Lee have stepped into the big red shoes and landing a we can at least all take great comfort from the fact
Wallace. The design for ‘Pennywise’ was largely regular gig in a series of lucrative TV commercials that - if and when he does return after his 27-year
the work of make-up-FX artist Bart Mixon (who had is usually a boon for any jobbing actor, but nobody hibernation - Stuttering Bill Denbrough, Richie
form, having previously worked on Killer Klowns could have felt the sleight of being replaced by Tozier, Beverley Marsh and the rest of ‘The Losers
from Outer Space) but despite admitting to doing a ‘Ba da ba ba ba’ vocal hook more than him. It Club’ will be there waiting for him.
‘lots of research into various clown looks’ he has can only have been experienced as something of Oh. Wait a minute. That’s It again, isn’t it?

INFINITY 47
48 INFINITY
 As the BFI release a stunning
new 4K restoration of the
Michael Caine gangster movie

GET
classic, Get Carter (1971),
Robert Fairclough chats
with the film’s director,
Mike Hodges…

Mike Hodges on the

set of Get Carter

HODGES! PA R T O N E

“Y
ou can safely say my career is ‘chequered’,’’ laughs recalls, casting his mind back. “I’d qualified as a chartered accountant, so
Mike Hodges, grey-haired and twinkling, after another my National Service was delayed while I did that, but I never really wanted
cautionary tale about international film making. At to be an accountant. I felt obliged to my parents because they went to great
almost 90 years of age his intelligence, good humour efforts to have me educated, so I said, ‘I’ll get a profession and then do what
and passion for his craft is undimmed. Modestly, he talks I want.’ That was the deal.
at length about working with cinema greats like Jean Luc “After I left the navy, I went to London and managed to get a job working
Goddard, Michael Caine and Mickey Rooney, and counts Nicolas Roeg and a tele-prompter [a machine that news readers and programme presenters
Malcolm McDowell among his life-long friends. could read their lines from] – in 1956, I think. I did that for a couple of years
Hodges is the maverick talent behind the Caine-starring Get Carter (1971) and it was very useful, because it gave me access to all the TV studios owned
– his first feature film, widely acknowledged as the best British gangster film by the BBC, Granada, ABC, everybody, and I was able to learn how television
ever made – the self-aware, ahead of its time Pulp (1972, again with Caine), production worked. It was mostly live television in those days. I was also able
The Terminal Man (1974), a chilling exploration of violence and mind to start writing, so I wrote a play called ‘Some Will Cry Murder’ for Armchair
control, enduring camp classic Flash Gordon (1980, recently restored Theatre [1956-1974], which was run by Sydney Newman.”
on Blu-ray), tantalising, complex psychological thriller Croupier The larger-than-life Newman had been brought in to ABC from Canadian
(1998)… It’s an enviable list. There have been misfires too – Morons television, and he revolutionised their drama programming, principally
from Outer Space (1985), A Prayer Before Dying (1987), Black by giving new, young writers like Hodges a chance to write for Armchair
Rainbow (1989) – but their perceived ‘failure’ says more about the Theatre. “My play was never performed, but a lot of people read it and it did
pitfalls of working in the film industry than anything about the get around,” he reveals. “A person who played a very big part in my life was
vision or integrity of their director. Lloyd Shirley – he was another Canadian who come in when the ITV networks
In fact, the biggest compliment you can pay Mike Hodges started.” The volatile Shirley was as progressive as Newman, and during his
is that he’s never made the same film twice. True, they haven’t career as a producer would be responsible for some of ITV’s most celebrated
always been huge box office, but they’ve always been drama series, including Public Eye [1965-1975], Callan [1967-1972] Van Der
interesting and unusual, and that’s what counts. Infinity met Valk [1972-77] and The Sweeney [1975-78].
up with him for a fascinating, career-spanning interview, “Lloyd read my play, and he started using me to write various scripts
from his days working a tele-prompter for ITV up to and children’s stories. Many of them were for a religious programme called
his last film, the controversial I’ll Sleep When Sunday Break [1958-1962] for teenagers, which was, as the title suggests,
I’m Dead (2003). on Sunday afternoons. While I was working on that, I was sharing a flat in
Hampstead with two cameramen from ATV and an advertising executive.
STARTING OUT Then a fifth person moved in and rented a room at a fiver a week, and he
Born in 1932 in Bristol, Hodges turned out to be the future entrepreneur Robert Stigwood. In those days, he
grew up in an era when the could hardly rub two pennies together; he had a small artists’ agency, and he
UK’s young men still did two had one star on his books, John Leyton, who he suddenly had a big hit with
years’ National Service in [Johnny Remember Me]. His fortunes changed dramatically and he took a
the armed forces. “I’d big office on the Edgware Road.”
just finished doing
my two in the THE ENGLISH WAY OF DEATH
navy,” he At Stigwood’s prompting, in 1963 Hodges’ creative ambitions stepped up a
gear. “He rang me up one day during the Profumo scandal. The PR man for
Stigwood’s company had been a friend of Dr. Stephen Ward, who was central
to the affair, and Ward had committed suicide. Stigwood put me together
with a film director called James Hill. He was a lovely man – he directed Born
Free [1966] and a whole range of different films – and Jimmy and I became
pals. Stigwood wanted us to do a documentary blowing the lid off the fact
that Ward had been made a scapegoat. I struggled with the research; it
was too soon after the event, so in the end we abandoned the idea. As
chance would have it, Jimmy knew Tim Hewat, who’d created the
World in Action [1963-1998] documentary series for Granada, and
said, ‘Why don’t we go to him and make a pitch?’

INFINITY 49
 by hit men employed by car manufacturers.
That meant I had an insight into the
American union system, which shook the hell
out of me, because it was very violent. Then I
went to Vietnam.
“By now, Lloyd was head of current affairs
at ABC. That’s when he asked me if I wanted
to take over the arts series Tempo [1963-68].
I became producer, which is where I met my
old friend Trevor Preston, who was working
as a researcher on it at that time. It was
another wonderful two years: because I was
used to shooting on 16mm film for World in
Action, I switched over Tempo to the same
format, which gave us a lot more freedom.
We did profiles of all sorts of people in the
arts, including film directors like Orson
Top:
The three child Welles, John Luc Godard and Jacques Tati.
actors in The Towards the end of that period, I decided that
Tyrant King – Kim
Fortune, Candace arts programmes were a little elitist, so we
Glendenning and created ‘new Tempo’, where we could push
Edward McMurray
– publicise the
the envelope. This was 1967, and we made used. To pay for even one of the tracks we
series with the aid nine experimental films which caused quite a used now would cost the budget for the
of a London bus stir in the cultural world.” whole six films!”
Above: Significantly, The Tyrant King was
The titles of The TYRANT, SUSPECT, RUMOUR Hodges’ first work with actors. “The three
Tyrant King were a
psychedelic mural
“Lloyd became Head of Drama at Thames children we used were very good, I thought,”
Television [which absorbed ABC] in 1968 the director considers, “but child actors now
Right: and all the time I’d been on Tempo, I’d been are really amazing – they’re in a different
Producer Lloyd
Shirley, a Canadian “At that time there was a book that had saying to him, ‘Look, you really should league all together.”
who helped come out, written by Jessica Mitford – the switch drama to 16mm film’. Most drama was On the strength of The Tyrant King,
progress MIke
Hodges’ career in Communist among the Mitford sisters! – recorded on video, which made it difficult to Hodges’ career proceeded to the next level.
his early days called The American Way of Death [1963], sell internationally; if it was on film – even if “Next, I did two adult, stand-alone dramas for
about the US funeral industry. I went to it was 16mm or Super 16mm film – you had Thames, Suspect [1969] and Rumour [1970]
Tim and said, ‘Why don’t we do a British a saleable commodity. So Lloyd decided that – they went out on Monday nights as part
equivalent?’ He said yes. Jimmy directed and Trevor and I would do a children’s series on of ITV Playhouse. They got huge audiences,
I researched and wrote the script. It was a 16mm film to see what happened. The Tyrant and those two films became the template
very successful World in Action: it was very King [1968] was very successful.” for Euston Films, which Lloyd co-founded.
funny, as well as very revealing, about the The series is notable for the extraordinary Indeed, the cameraman that I used, Dusty
cost of dying. Tim took a shine to me and I amount of contemporary pop music on the Miller, became the lighting cameraman on
was asked to join World in Action full time. soundtrack, an innovative step that makes Euston’s The Sweeney.”
“I did two years on World in Action. I the story of three children searching a On Rumour, Hodges met Michael Klinger,
went on my first trip to America in 1964, colourful, landmark-heavy London for ‘the the producer who would be responsible for
when I covered the Republican nominations tyrant king’ both psychedelic and ground facilitating Hodges’ rapid graduation to
in Dallas, a year after Kennedy was breaking. “It’s just unbelievable!” Hodges feature film director. Was it a role he’d always
assassinated. I interviewed George Wallace, chuckles. “Cream, the Rolling Stones, imagined himself taking on?
the racist governor; I then went to Detroit the Moody Blues, Pink Floyd… it was just “When I was training to be a chartered
and I interviewed the Ruether brothers incredible. What happened in those days, in accountant, my biggest escape from the
at the UAW – United Automobile Workers television anyway, was that you paid ‘needle boredom of doing that was to go to the
association – both of whom had been shot time’. i.e. the amount of a tune or song you cinema,” he remembers. “I was in Salisbury at

50 INFINITY
 Clockwise from this image: living in Shropshire, and when he went
Scenes from Get Carter, with Britt out to the shops or the barber’s, they
Ekland, Michael Caine and Alun
Armstrong; Caine with Ian Hendry knew him from Get Carter, not for being
- “I rembered what your eyes the major playwright who wrote Look
look like, Eric. Still the same, two
pissholes in the snow”
Back in Anger!” Hodges laughs again.
He does that a lot.
Get Carter’s musical score was as
striking as the performance of the
film’s leading man, as Hodges notes:
“Just like I can’t think of anyone but
Michael playing Carter, I can’t think of
anyone but Roy Budd composing the
music for the film – it fitted so well.
I didn’t know Roy, but I’d seen him a
lot at The Bull’s Head in Barnes; a lot
of jazzers played there, and he played
there a lot. I think it was a mutual
decision between Klinger and I that we
use Roy for the music to Get Carter. The
interesting thing was that I’ve always
had a slightly different concept of
music on film – I like using it as little as
possible. Roy did the opening theme,
which was very exciting with the train
the time and there were three cinemas – this is in the journey, but, what he didn’t realise,
late ‘40s and through the 1950s. It happened to be a was that embedded in the theme is
great period of British and American movie making, was what is now a very famous set of
with brilliant directors like John Huston, Billy musical notes. I wanted to use them
Wilder… it was a great, great period; the greatest, in thought I’d never get the chance to make another separately, so I said ‘Let’s pull those out, Roy, and
my opinion. I saw a lot of feature films. So, no, the one… Anyway, I wrote the script and waited to see we’ll go through the whole film and I’ll lay them
chances of me ever becoming a feature film director what happened, and one day Michael Klinger said, in in various places.’ I think that transformed the
were so remote I never, ever dreamt of it.” ‘Michael Caine wants to star in it.’ whole thing, in many ways.”
“Someone like that had never occurred to me Arguably Hodges’ most well-known film, Get
A BIG MAN IN GOOD SHAPE – in the two films that I’d already made, no-one Carter was significant for him for a variety of
Early in 1970, a book arrived on Hodges’ doormat even asked me who was in them; I just cast the reasons. “It was a confluence of many things in my
that world change his life. “Klinger had the rights actors who I thought were right. I was absolutely life. During my national service in the Royal Navy,
to Ted Lewis’s novel Jack’s Return Home. Out of delighted, but I think Michael may have been I could have got a commission as a chartered
the blue, it dropped through my letterbox one day, involved before, waiting to see what the script accountant, but I didn’t want to be one, as I’d have
with a note from Michael asking, ‘Would you like was like before finally committing. Frankly, I was either been in barracks, on an aircraft carrier or on
to write and direct this?’ The novel’s terrific, so I amazed, because Jack Carter’s not exactly the a big ship. I didn’t want that, so I chose to go on
said, ‘Yeah, thank you very much!’” most salubrious character – in fact, he’s psychotic! the lower deck and I ended up on minesweepers.
Jack’s Return Home is the brutal, Michael brought a lot to the role; I dread to think I spent two years bobbing around the North
uncompromising story of a London gangster where he got it from, because, coming from the Sea, and the ship that I was allocated to was
returning to the Midlands to investigate the death East End of London, I suspect he knew quite a lot called HMS Coquette, the lead ship in the fishing
of his brother. The central character, Jack Carter, is of heavy duty criminals. protection squadron. What I saw in the British
charismatic but lethal, an anti-hero that appealed to “Villains are always the hardest to cast – ports of the 1950s was shocking; I saw poverty, I
one of the biggest stars in the British film industry. actually, who’s the villain in Get Carter? – but saw deprivation, I saw horror stories – wonderful
“It’s difficult to say when Michael Caine the gang boss Cyril Kinnear, who was eventually people, but they were just deprived of everything.
became attached,” muses Hodges. “I got the book played by John Osborne, was difficult. I’ve It changed my political stance and everything in
in January 1970, a deal was done – not to my forgotten where the idea to use John came from, my life, when I saw what the reality was like in a
advantage, particularly, because I got paid quite but he had been an actor, and a very good one. lot of Britain – and still is, I might add.
a small sum of money for writing and directing, Anyway, he jumped at the role and I became “Ted Lewis had set Jack’s Return Home in the
and no residuals. But it was my first film, and I friends with him. He ended up, in his last years, Midlands and it wasn’t by the sea.

INFINITY 51
All the places I’d gone to when I was in
my bell bottoms and my little white hat, I
incorporated into Get Carter by changing the
location. I looked for a location on the East
Coast first, but all the ports that I went to,
had been slightly gentrified – the character
had vanished. I went to Hull, Grimsby,
Lowestoft… none of them were right. Then
I suddenly remembered North Shields. The
first time I went there, I’d sailed in. This
time, of course, I came in by land and saw
Newcastle for the first time. As soon as I – but we didn’t know there was a rather large
saw Newcastle, I knew that’s where I had corporation with the same name! As we’d had
to put Jack Carter, because it was a hard, our stationery printed, they had to pay us a
rusty, strong city, and poverty-stricken in lot of money to get their name back, and we
those days. You could understand how Jack became Klinger/Caine/Hodges.
became the way he was. “After Get Carter came out and was
Clockwise a couple of years after Get Carter came out successful, I wanted to go back to totally
from above:
ONE-ARMED BANDIT Michael Caine
that T. Dan-Smith was caught with his fingers original work, so I wrote Pulp [1972], which
“I also went back to my World in Action confronts Ian in the till. He was a member of the Labour was originally called Memoirs of a Ghost
days, as there’d been a murder up there. It Hendry in the Party and corrupt, which saddened me.” (The Writer. I wrote it and said to Klinger, ‘If
climax of Get
was called the ‘One-Armed Bandit Murder’, Carter; Corrie’s flamboyant Smith was the former leader you and Michael like it – great – if not, just
which took place in January 1967. I started Alf Roberts (Brian of Newcastle City Council from 1960-65, because you’ve paid me money, don’t feel
Mosley) is a big
investigating, found out that a guy had been man but out of convicted in 1973 of taking £156,000 in bribes obliged to make it.’ Klinger always said it was
shot in his car, and went on to discover that shape, and about to push through redevelopment schemes.) his favourite film and the one he liked most
to take a dive off
the story matched almost completely the a multi-storey
Looking back from 2022 – almost fifty of all, but it was quite a gamble; it was really
plot of Get Carter: a hit man had been sent car park; “Give years later – Hodges is pleasantly bemused off the wall.”
to Newcastle to commit the murder and was us a fag, Jack” by Get Carter’s longevity. “It was my first Today, Pulp would be called post modern;
Glynn Edwards
in gaol at the time. From that, I was able (Dave the barman film. I never thought for a minute that it what that really means is that it’s self aware
to root the film: John Osborne’s character out of Minder) would have this kind of mileage. But then – Mickey King (Caine), a writer of pulp crime
is also about to
lives in Dryderdale Hall, the house owned by suffer Carter’s ire;
again, it is kind of timeless. That’s partly due novels, ends up in a plot that could have come
Vince Landa, who was the big time criminal Michael Caine to Angie Harrison, who was the wardrobe from one of his own books; he even supplies the
involved. He had fruit machines in all the in Pulp and with lady. The clothes are very clever, actually: (very funny) narration. Along the way, he meets
Mike Hodges and
working mens’ clubs in the North East. They Michael Klinger even now, they don’t look out of date… film star Preston Gilbert, an actor known for
had false bottoms, and his men would go I finished shooting eight months after playing gangsters, played by Mickey Rooney, a
Opposite:
into the clubs after dark and collect all the George Segal in receiving the book in the post. How the hell film star known for playing gangsters.
sixpences. Can you imagine any criminals The Terminal Man we did it, I don’t know, but I thought film “It’s an acquired taste, Pulp,” Hodges
and Michael Caine
these days bothering with sixpences?!” One with his Pulp
making was going to be like that all the time. reflects. Full of visual jokes and off-beat
of Landa’s men, Angus Sibbet, was the man co-star Mickey How wrong I was!” There’s more laughter. characters, the mood darkens considerably
found shot dead in his E-type Jaguar, and Rooney towards the end, as King uncovers a
Landa’s brother was convicted of organising PULP FICTION conspiracy concealing a murder. “When
the murder. Landa himself fled to Spain On the strength of Get Carter, the trio behind I was thinking about what I was going to
shortly after the hit. it formed their own production company, as write, there had been a local election in Italy
“There was also a lot of corruption in Hodges explains: “We were going to be called in 1972, and to my utter horror, the fascist
Newcastle,” Hodges elaborates. “It was only Michael, Michael and Michael – the three Ms party had done very well – they’d got 10%

52 INFINITY
 It was a bit delicate when I had to say, ‘Mickey, him victim to uncontrollable rages, suffers further
you do realise this character is based on you?’ at the hands of scientists who implant terminals in
“I went to Italy to research the film – I was his brain to try and control his emotions. The results
going to shoot it there originally – but everywhere are catastrophic, and it’s a role which found the
I went, I was told by the production manager that affable George Segal well outside his comfort zone.
I’d have to pay off the Mafia. So I rang Klinger, “He’s terrific in the film,” Hodges says
literally only six weeks before we were going to unequivocally. “I met him much later in life, and
start shooting, and said, ‘Michael, we’re going to he told me that it was his best performance…
be taken to the cleaners by the Mob if we film in Amazingly, the Americans said there was no one
Italy. I know Malta very well, so let’s go there,’ to root for in the film, and anyone who cannot root
and he very bravely agreed to shift the whole for George Segal in The Terminal Man must be
production. While I was in Italy, I went to see inhuman! I mean, there’s nothing anyone can do
Mussolini’s mausoleum, which I based Gilbert’s for his character – nothing. It’s a grim, sad film.
tomb on. I’d been told that if you went into a local “I shot the 25-minute surgery sequence in
supermarket or small shop, they would sell you a studio, which I loved, even though I had to
from under the counter illegally LPs of Mussolini’s be dragged screaming into it because I was so
speeches and photographs of his family. There’s a scared. I was still a comparative novice, and
scene in the film which has a car with loud hailers all these technicians looking down at this little
on it, and it’s broadcasting Mussolini’s voice.” bearded man trying to be a film director was quite
Although Pulp received tremendous reviews intimidating. But, as I say, I absolutely loved
when it was released, it was the first of Hodges’ it. What’s great about studios is that you have
of the vote. I was brought up in WWII; in 1939 I films to suffer from unsympathetic marketing. complete control over the lighting, all the special
was 7, and by the end of it I was 13, by which time “Time magazine called it ‘a minor masterpiece’, but effects… it’s a magic box of tricks.
I was seeing photographs of the concentration United Artists didn’t know what the hell to do with “Again, I had the same problem as with Pulp: if
camps and the horrors of what the Nazis had done it. They did a red carpet opening for it in somewhere you make films that don’t quite fit into categories,
so, naively, I had assumed that was the end of like Philadelphia (!), so it died immediately. Then when it comes to distribution and marketing, film
fascism. Boy, was I wrong! I stupidly assumed a new cinema opened up in New York, based on companies don’t know what the hell to do. You
that human beings had learned a hard lesson, the idea of showing ‘lost’ films. The first film they can see why Stanley Kubrick knew that he had
but, as we now know, human beings are incapable showed was Pulp and it got absolutely ecstatic to take control of every element of his films; with
of learning! Sorry if that’s a bit of a convoluted reviews. It only ran for a week, so UA then had to something like 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968], you
answer, but that’s largely why I wrote Pulp.” run around and find another cinema to get it into have to educate the audience before they see it. I
The waywardness of the film took Hodges so, of course, it lost momentum.” didn’t have the kind of power that Stanley had, so
away from the safe commercial path he’d initially The Terminal Man just got lost.”
imagined for himself. “Early on, I had decided TERMINAL VELOCITY Before working for Warner Brothers, Hodges had
that I was just going to make thrillers, but I don’t After only two films, 1974’s The Terminal Man come to the attention of 20th Century Fox, who
think Pulp quite qualifies, so I broke my own rule found Hodges working in the movie-making were preparing a horror film about the Antichrist.
immediately! Claude Chabrol made an enormous Mecca of Hollywood. “I was offered Michael “I was asked to do The Omen [1976], and
number of films and they were all thrillers, and Crichton’s second novel by Warner Brothers, and frankly I found the script totally laughable: I had
Hitchcock did that too. He sort of branded himself, I was interested to see what it was like working it in my flat in London, and I used to read bits of
and if I was starting out again, I’d stick to thrillers in America. By this time, 1973, the British film it to people who came in because it was so funny.
and brand myself with that genre.” industry was already disintegrating; MGM had sold I think that Richard Donner did an absolutely
Pulp was the first time Hodges directed a their studios, so I thought I’d better get on and go brilliant job with it, but it was not promising, in my
genuine Hollywood great. “One of the main to Hollywood.” Hodges was slightly surprised to opinion. I turned it down, then did The Terminal
points in the script was that the gangster/film find that he had “a very happy experience making Man, which was not successful, either critically
star Preston Gilbert was small. The late James The Terminal Man. It was wonderful.” or financially, and then struggled for four or five
Cagney was small; Mickey Rooney, who had been Crichton’s novel is a sombre tale of behavioural years to get a script going that I’d written myself
a gangster star himself, was small… Mussolini was modification – reflecting similar themes in the TV called Mid Atlantic. Malcolm McDowell was going
small – they were all little men, like me. As far as I film ‘The Manipulators’ Hodges had made in 1972, to play a PR man in a seaside town in England, and
was concerned, Mickey Rooney was the only man as part of London Weekend Television’s anthology at one point Jack Nicholson was going to feature
who could play Gilbert. United Artists, who were series The Frighteners – and urban alienation, which as a guru who ran a mind-expanding course, but I
backing the film, weren’t keen: they wanted Victor the director found very much reflected in his primary could never get it off the ground.
Mature! He’d just done a comedy and they thought location. “When I got to LA, I found that it had no “Four of five years had gone by, the last film I’d
he’d be great in it, and I said ‘Have you read the shape whatsoever, no centre… very difficult to shoot made had not been a success, so I had to pull my
script, for God’s sake? Victor’s about six foot three!’ in, unlike Newcastle. I decided I had to break all the finger out.”
“Sometimes these studio people are very rules and make my own locations, so I created my
thick… Mickey made the character much worse own LA. I used a big office foyer as the entrance Continued next issue.
than I’d written it – he just went for it. He never, to the hospital where Harry Benson is treated, and
ever talked to me about the character: he just did it completely transformed other locations.” GET CARTER is released in 4K on UHD and on
and made it sadder than I could ever have dreamt. Benson, the victim of an accident that leaves Blu-ray by the BFI on 25 July

INFINITY 53
 Robert Ross looks
back on the career of
great radio comedian
and sometime Carry
On star Ted Ray...

RAY’S A LAUGH! Ted Ray (1905-1977)

T
he people of Liverpool have British team for the very first Ryder Cup, in and Fooling’ routine is preserved forever
long boasted a keen sense 1927. He was an active player for a further in the feature film Radio Parade of 1935.
of humour and value their decade but the name struck as a suitable There’s Ted, babbling and beaming with
professional comedians in the one for a budding comedian and so Charles youthful confidence, at the microphone,
same hallowed terms as their Olden, who had briefly played bills as Hugh seemingly fully aware that the wireless is his
professional footballers. There is Neek, became Ted Ray. medium. Radio would indeed allow him to
an earthy, naturalistic style to the Our Ted was no slouch on the golf course, keep his fiddling persona of Nedlo the Gypsy
great Merseyside stand-ups, and one of the either, often playing a round with his chum, Violist a top comedy secret for many years.
best-loved local heroes was and remains slick, comedian Sid Field, and even hobnobbing However it wouldn’t be until 1949, in the
straight-down-the-middle joke-teller, Ted Ray. with Hollywood fairway elite Bing Crosby wake of the death of It’s That Man Again’s
However, Ted wasn’t a born and bred and Bob Hope for a Christmas 1952 charity Tommy Handley, that Ted Ray would score
scouser, but hailed from Wigan, Lancashire, match on behalf of the Variety Club. his biggest radio success.
the son of celebrated music-hall performer The title was a pun classic: Ray’s a Laugh,
Charles Alden. Alden had been born Charles OBSERVATIONAL COMEDIAN and Ted knew it said everything you needed
Olden, and that too was the name bestowed It had been twenty years earlier that Ted to know about his show. It was to be half
upon his young son. The Liverpool roots had started at the very top of the variety an hour of sheer, unadulterated fun. The
followed very soon after, with the family tree. Billed as ‘Ted Ray: a Newcomer’, he supporting cast list reads like a Who’s Who
upping sticks to the city within days of made his debut at the London Palladium, of post-war British comedy: notably voice-
young Charlie’s arrival. on 25 July 1932 and became an instant men extraordinaire Kenneth Connor and
Before American rock ’n’ roll ignited the national sensation. He was a fast-patter Peter Sellers, but the great audience-pleaser
docks, it was indeed comedy or football gag-cracker, for sure, but there was at the time were the domestic situation
that saw Liverpool’s youth search for fame something original going on. Ted was an comedy interludes starring Ted Ray and
and fortune, and it was while studying at observational comedian before that was Kitty Bluett.
the Liverpool Collegiate School that the even a recognisable term; he was a smart, These skits were the pure and simple
boy’s interest turned to football. A keen good-looking everyman while all about him stuff of everyday married life; mild bickering,
sportsman all his life, it was, however, a embraced outlandish costumes or amusing financial worries, family irritants. It was
casual ease with a seemingly ad-libbed gimmicks; and he skilfully polished an air of more than enough to keep Ray’s a Laugh on
throwaway comic remark that won him having just walked off of the street and was the airwaves until the January of 1961.
friends and influenced people, and his addressing this audience, with this material,
passion for the sports field soon gave way for the very first time. PLAYING HIMSELF
to a desire to go on the stage. Everything he did was mapped-out and In-between his radio commitments, Ted had
His stage name, at least, basked in rehearsed in his head, of course, but Ted hit notched up an impressive career in British
sporting prowess. The golfer Ted Ray had the big time by simply coming across as one film too. A Ray of Sunshine (1950) which
been one of the world’s most famous players of us. He utilised that friendly familiarity for billed itself as ‘An Irresponsible Medley of
throughout young Charlie’s formative years. the rest of his career. He did have one prized Song and Dance’, certainly didn’t tax him. As
Indeed, Ted the golfer was the Captain of the prop though. His violin; and this ‘Fiddling himself, the Ray of sunshine of the title, he

54 INFINITY
 Clockwise from
opposite left:
Ted at the BBC;
Jean Kent and
Ted in Please
Turn Over (1959);
demonstrating
his skills at violin
playing, and
showing off his
press notices!

stead. Besides, Ted’s twenty years. Respected broadcaster McDonald

son Andrew Ray had Hobley was kowtowed but never beaten by the
swiftly usurped his box humorous onslaught.
office appeal. Barry Cryer, on the other hand, was very much
Rather endearingly in on the joke of Yorkshire Television’s Jokers Wild,
the two are seen, as which ran from 1969 until 1974. Here the premise
father and son, in was pure laughs, with two opposing teams of
the thriller Escape comedians vying to be the first to a punchline.
By Night (1953), With elder statesmen Ted Ray and Arthur Askey
featuring a memorable as Team Captains it was gladiatorial. And funny.
villainous performance Very, very funny. None more so than Ted, who Baz
by… Sidney James. lovingly dubbed ‘the silver fox’. No given subject
Andrew’s older brother, for jokes seemed to phase Ted. He was a splatter
Robin Ray, would gun directory of humorous material; and the
dabble with acting too finale which saw a selected comic perform a full,
(including a turn in uninterrupted minute of jokes on a single theme,
Carry On, Constable), was his very meat and drink. Here was a master
before becoming a craftsman of comedy. Peerless.
prolific presenter. Suitably enough it was only a passion for
Ted Ray was the golf course that could tempt him away
philosophical from performing, when he would challenge
wakes up, jobless and hung over, in a gentleman’s about his career, and would even relish happy professional practitioners for both charity events
club and, with great serendipity, introduces a raft memories when reunited with Carry On co-star and spare time pleasure. It was following one
of variety turns: Janet Brown and Wilson, Keppel Kenneth Williams for sketch comedy The Betty such day, culminating with extended fun at
and Betty, chief amongst them. Witherspoon Show (Radio 2, 1972-74). In any case, the nineteenth hole, that Ted was involved in a
It was this ability to play a version of himself, Ted was always more at home simply playing serious car crash. It curtailed many professional
with the cynicism of show business shining himself. In 1966 he was one of the original hosts of commitments, including a tenth anniversary
through, that attracted producer Anthony competitive mayhem It’s a Knockout, and children return to It’s A Knockout.
Havelock-Allan when casting his Noel Coward warmed to his affable personality when he read Recovered sufficiently to record an interview
anthology Meet Me Tonight. Experiencing both a selection of Thomas the Tank Engine stories on for an It’s a Funny Business profile of his work in
total excitement and blind terror, Ted took on the Jackanory, from 1970 through to 1972. the summer of 1976, Ted suffered a fatal heart
role of George Pepper, opposite Kay Walsh, as attack in the November of the following year.
the feuding theatrical couple ‘The Red Peppers’. RADIO STAPLE It was a tragic final curtain for a comedian who
The comedian had known these threadbare As a comic personality, Ted’s spontaneous humour had unfailingly seen the funny side of everything
music-hall types his entire life, but his screen came so easy he found a cosy corner in comedy throughout a forty year career. A skilled forensic
performance was a revelation. However his panel games, and would spend pretty much the scientist of comedy with a computer-fast brain
resulting contract with the Associated British rest of his days being wise and witty on both radio whose gift was an unquenchable talent for making
Picture Corporation yielded little of interest and and television. it all look so simple. There’s never been anybody
didn’t deter independent producer Peter Rogers Does the Team Think? had been the quite so relaxed about making us laugh ever
using Ted in leading roles in his 1959 comedy films brainchild of ‘Professor’ Jimmy Edwards in rich since: a snappily-dressed chap who pioneered an
Please Turn Over, and Carry On Teacher. The latter, pastiche of Any Questions? Here, a stellar line- intimate way of broadcasting a feel good feeling.
as the softie headmaster William Wakefield, is up of comedians would answer a selection of A Past Master indeed.
now arguably Ted Ray’s most familiar work, but a questions with a rapid barrage of jokes, shaggy
regular place in the Carry On team was scuttled by dog stories, and send-ups. Once Ted joined the
film business protocol, and for the next film, Carry fun, for the second series in 1958, it took flight, Visit the website of Robert Ross, Britain’s Comedy
On, Constable, Sidney James was recruited in Ted’s and would remain a BBC Radio staple for nearly Historian, at www.robertross.co.uk

INFINITY 55
 Allan Bryce chats with Malcolm McDowell. The Infinity Ed was a bit
awed by Malcolm’s star status, but the legendary actor turned out
to be a lovely fellah and so the interview went like clockwork...

F
irst of all I’d like to offer up my sincere thanks to Gill and
Wendy, organisers of the brilliant Sheffield HorrorConUK
held in Sheffield on May 21-22nd. One of their star guests
was Malcolm McDowell and on the eve of the event they
arranged for me to have a chat with him. Malcolm has
always been one of my favourite actors, right back from
when I first saw him on screen in Lindsay Anderson’s If...
(1968). It was such a delight to discover that Malcolm is a really
Clockwise nice guy too, so here’s our chat, hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
from above:
Malcolm McDowell
as Mick Travis Great to meet you, Malcolm. I’ve loved your work forever, and
in O Lucky Man!
a 1973 British we have one of your old acting buddies booked for our own
comedy-drama more modest London DarkFest later in the year, the great David
fantasy film
directed by
Warner, who starred opposite you in Time After Time (1979), a
Lindsay Anderson, really good film.
Malcolm again Oh what a lovely man David is. A great actor, and I think very
as Mick Travis,
in If... (1967). A under-appreciated considering the amount of talent he has. He is
satire of English magnificent in Time After Time of course, but he always is. You know,
public school
life, the film
a lot of the great performances he gave were actually on the stage,
follows a group where he was completely charismatic and extraordinary. His Hamlet
of pupils who is well known and actually I was in that as well. He’s a really nice guy,
stage a savage
insurrection at a we’ve been friends since 1965.
boys’ boarding
school
Back in the day lots of interviews stressed that you were
from a working class background, and that you didn’t have
any knowledge of the kind of posh public school that was the
backdrop of your breakthrough role in If... Is that true? I note that before you became a big screen success you
Well no, actually (laughs). I went to a boarding school that was run appeared in some classic TV shows like Emergency Ward 10 and
on the public school system. It was in Eltham in South East London Dixon of Dock Green.
and then moved to Chelsfield in Kent. It was called Cannock House Dixon of Dock Green actually got me on the road to movie stardom
School. I did tell Lindsay Anderson I went to a public school and he because Miriam Brickman, who was one of the most important casting
said, “Yes, Malcolm, but yours was rather minor.” directors of her era, saw this Dixon of Dock Green episode and invited
me to come in to her office in Half Moon Street, Piccadilly, for an
So is it correct to say you started your career on stage with the RSC? audition or just a meet or something. I went to see her and did a sort of
No, the RSC came a bit later. I started out in repertory theatre in improv and from that I got cast in a Ken Loach movie, Poor Cow (1967).
Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. Then with the same company - it was I never made the final cut in that, but she always brought me in and
called the Barry O’Brian Company - I went to Torquay for the Winter remembered me and was sort of a champion of mine. So when Lindsay
season. Then I wrote to the Royal Shakespeare Company and got an Anderson was casting this movie about a school, she thought of me.
audition and got in. And by the way, the part I played had already ninety percent been

56 INFINITY
 Clockwise
from far left:
Alex with his
Droogs, Warren
Clarke and James
Marcus, in A
Clockwork Orange;
As H.G. Wells in
Time After Time
(1979); Biting
satire in Britannia
Hospital (1982)
and with David
Warner, aka Jack
the Ripper, in
Time After Time

Well, no. It didn’t sit well with the critics,

who called it indulgent. But you know
what critics, are like. I’m sorry but
they are absolutely ridiculous. People
still talk about this film as being a
masterpiece, and whether it is or not I
don’t know, but look, they’re still talking
about it and it has been almost 50 years.

Your third Lindsay Anderson film

was much later in 1982, Britinnia
Hospital, a very strange film, but
again it has a cult following. It was
pretty critical of the NHS and British
society as a whole.
Lindsay wanted to do that because of
cast. I arrived rather late to the audition process, would be very much part of the creative process the treatment his mother received on the National
did this audition and read one of the scenes. I of writing it and doing the whole thing. I’d done Health Service and all that went down. I’m sure
didn’t think I read it too well, but I did get on very 40 pages of synopsis and odd scenes and stuff a lot of families have been through the same
well with the director, Lindsay Anderson. Two like that. At the time he lived in Hampstead, thing. It was very traumatic for him. I think it’s a
weeks later I was called back for a final audition well, it was Swiss Cottage really, but he called it wonderful film and very underrated. Lindsay was a
and I’m happy to say he didn’t cast the guy that he Hampstead. I took it over to him to read, and he genius, he really was one of the greatest directors
was originally going to put in the part. I later asked started to read it and he was huffing and puffing. I’ve ever worked with. It was almost like working
Lindsay what happened to the guy and he said, He said: “Is this supposed to be funny?” with an Oxford Don, he knew so much. He’d say,
“Oh, he writes jingles for commercials now.” I said, “Yes, it’s a comedy. Of course I’m from “Malcolm, the Greeks invented drama, you know
the north of England where they know what a that?” I’d say, “Yes of course I knew that?” I’d bluff
I know you made a trilogy of films for Lindsay sense of humour is. Unfortunately you’re from the my way through anything. It was so educational
back in the day, all featuring Mick from If... south.” And he goes, “Well actually I’m a Scot.” to be working with him, and it was fun. If anything
The second was O Lucky Man! in 1973. And I Anyway, he read it and then gave it back to me, went wrong on set he’d just shrug and say, “Oh
believe that was sort of dreamed up by you? saying, “Oh Malcolm, it’s not very good, is it?” well, art is sometimes a happy accident.”
Yes it was my idea, based on my time as a coffee I said, “actually it IS good, it’s the kernel of
salesman in Yorkshire. I’d done that for nine something great. And it’s going be your next film.” I almost feel apologetic about asking you
months or something before I was an actor. I And he looked at me and went, “Ah... okay. In that this, but can you give us some Stanley
wanted to work with Lindsay again but he wasn’t case you’d better call David Sherwin (who had Kubrick memories?
up for it at first. When we won the grand prize at written If...). So David and his wife came to dinner Well Kubrick was the foremost director of his
Cannes I remember walking down the Croisette at this little apartment I had in Chelsea, and while period, he was the Steven Spielberg of his time.
with him and I said, “Lindsay, we’re a really great we were preparing the food I said to David, “Go Not only was he commercially viable, but he
team, let’s do another film together.” He stopped, into the bedroom and read this.” He came out and made art films that people wanted to see, which
and his eyes rolled back in his head, as if he was said, “This is fucking fantastic! This is my next was completely unique. When I worked with
irritated by the question. He said “Malcolm, if you project!” He loved it. I said, “Good God. That’s Stanley he’d already made Paths of Glory and
want to do another film with me, I suggest YOU great, but we’ve got to convince Lindsay.” He just Spartacus; then he made Lolita, which is a
write it!” Then he marched off. So I thought, “Well shrugged and said, “Oh we will, don’t worry.” wonderful film, and then Dr Strangelove, 2001:
fuck you, I WILL write it!” A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange. His
So I came back to London and I started I loved the film, and of course that great music films were extraordinary beyond belief, and very
putting down scenes, but I knew that Lindsay score. Did it do well at the time? different too.

INFINITY 57
 Clockwise
from right:
Early costume
test shots for
A Clockwork
Orange, Malcolm
and Stanley take
a rare break;
Alex undergoes
aversion therapy
watching Keeping
Up with the know when it’s all joined together whether be talking about it 50
Kardashians it will be any good or not. With Clockwork years later. I knew that
(sorry, made that
up just to see
I always thought “Wow, these are amazing it was an extraordinary
if any bugger sequences!” But I’ve been in movies where movie. I just didn’t
actually reads the sequences are great, the dailies are really know
these captions);
Malcolm has fantastic and the producers are ecstatic. how extraordinary.
suddenly realised Then they put it together and it’s just a dud.
that Caligula
might not be a That’s quite common. I mean, everybody You’ve made so many great films and TV
PG-rated historical loves dailies, but that doesn’t mean much. shows that there’s no way we can even
epic after all...
scratch the surface in this interview, but
So no more Clockwork Orange stories let me ask about some of my favourites,
to share? like Figures in a Landscape, directed
Look, it was the 50th anniversary of by Joseph Losey in 1970, where you and
Clockwork last year and I’ve talked ad- Robert Shaw are chased around by
nauseum about it. My abiding memory a helicopter!
Why I think he is a genius is because he of it, and working with Stanley, is one of Good God yes, myself and Robert Shaw
made classic movies in all different genres. absolute pleasure. Yes it was hard, he just were the only two actors in that. He was
Most directors stay within things they know, ground you into the ground. The hours were determined to do his impression of Toshiro
but Kubrick didn’t. Just with 2001, you’d staggering. I remember once that the crew Mifune, a great Japanese actor who was the
have to say that is a total masterpiece rebelled against the hours; they just couldn’t star of The Seven Samurai. Robert’s idea
and completely altered the way that we take it any more. 16-hour days, you know, was he was going to do this huge Mifune-
look at science fiction. He really jumped and then they had to get home, and that like character, and then the producers put a
a millennium in science fiction movies, was another hour. So they took a vote and stop to it. After about two weeks they called
because before 2001 it was Flash Gordon decided to strike and not to come into work and said, “Good God, we’re going to have to
and cardboard sets. With 2001 he made until the hours could be sorted out. Secretly I re-shoot this!” It happens from time to time.
something which was akin to a religious was thrilled. “Thank God for that,” I thought. Joseph Losey didn’t seem to mind, he rather
experience. He asked a question that is “Somebody’s said something at last!” So, I liked it, but the producers were worried it
important to all of us, especially when we’re had my coat on and my script under my arm, would be too weird for the public. I wasn’t
young, you know? Where are we from? and I was heading out the door when Stanley cast by Joseph Losey, I was cast by a young
Stanley gave us an answer. It may not be the asks: “Malcolm, where are you going?” I director who I liked very much called Peter
right one, but it doesn’t really matter. went, “It’s 8 o’clock now and I guess the day Medak. He cast me in it and it was supposed
is over.” So he says, “Well they won’t be in, to be with Peter O’Toole at one point. Peter
Do you know when you are making a they want twelve hours turnaround, but let’s Medak wanted to be true to the book and
classic film like that? Or do you maybe rehearse for tomorrow anyway.” And I stayed have both characters die at the end, but the
think this could be the film where Stanley there another hour, but that was Stanley. studio went, “The kid has to live.” That was a
mucks up? Look, I was a young actor and very keen deal-breaker for Peter and he left, he walked
Well it’s like any film. You know what the and I knew I was playing an incredible part off. I said to Peter, “Why did you do that?
feeling’s like on set, and you know that some in something I knew was going to be, well, You could have just shot two endings. They
of the scenes are fantastic, but you never I didn’t know what. I didn’t know we’d still wouldn’t even remember what they said

58 INFINITY
 Clockwise from left:
“Catch you later...”
Malcolm as “a total
asshole” in Blue
Thunder (1983); Our
Friends in the North
(1996) - Malcolm
with Gina McKee,
Mark Strong and
some other bloke,
probably never
went on to do
anything famous;
Malcolm McDowell,
Brian Thompson,
and Gwynyth
Walsh in Star Trek:
Generations (1994)

about five years ago, and then he said, “You know

what? I’m too old.”

In the same sort of hard boiled vein, I think

that Gangster No. 1 (2000) was a great entry in
your filmography.
Oh yes, it is a terrific movie, very well written by
the guys who wrote Sexy Beast, with Ben Kingsley.
I was offered that as well. I had both scripts on my
dining room table and I remember saying to my
wife, “This is the commercial one and this is the one
I’m going to do.” Ben Kingsley was great of course.

One particularly iconic role you took on later in

your career was reprising Donald Pleasence’s
Dr Sam Loomis in Halloween (2007).
I never saw the original, and I didn’t see Donald
playing the part. I knew him, though not
they sent me the script I sat there on the terrace particularly well. I do remember spending a
reading it and knew it was just brilliant. Peter lovely evening in the stalls bar at The Royal Court,
when you got it out there.” Anyway, Bob knew Joe Flannery wrote it. Well the BBC being the BBC, just talking to him and having a few drinks and
Losey and gave him the script and so he said yes. they wanted to book me for the whole year but laughing. We had a few people in common. But I
only pay me for six weeks. I said, “I’m not going didn’t have to see his performance to see exactly
We already mentioned your story credit on O to be on standby. They said, “But it takes place what he did. He was brilliantly sinister looking.
Lucky Man! But what about your “Additional over 30 years...” I said, “So what? You’ll just have
Dialogue” credit on Caligula (1979)? to film all my scenes together.” The BBC was so You obviously do a superb American accent,
I’m credited with THAT? Look, with Caligula, I antiquated. They even said to my agent, “We have which some English actors struggle with.
just tried to survive it! When we were filming it on record that he got £90 a week the last time Well actually I try to hang on to my English
I would say: “I can’t say this, what the hell is he worked here.” She said “Yes, but that was in accent. But you know, when I go to England they
this?” So I came up with a whole section of me as the 60s!” It was wonderfully done, though, with go “God, you sound so American”, and when I’m
Caligula going down the guards and saying: “Look all those great actors such as Gina McKee, Mark in America they go, “God, what accent is that?” I
everyone in the eye and tell me who is a traitor, Strong, of course Daniel Craig. guess it’s actually somewhere in the middle. But I
Germanicus.” That very thing had happened can’t remember now what are English sayings and
with Bob Guccione (the film’s Penthouse mogul You made a great film with Mike Hodges called what are American ones.
producer) so I just copied that and put it in, and I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2003).
it worked really well. I was the leading actor and God bless him he’s a very dear friend and we Let’s finish my talking about fan conventions
obviously there were certain things I wouldn’t do, nearly worked together. We were going to make such as the one you are over here to do now. Do
so I had to come up with alternatives. Flashman together the same time I made Figures you do many of these?
in a Landscape. We were talking with Stanley I’ve done a few, but hardly any in England. The
Another favourite of mine is Blue Thunder Baker, whose company were going to finance it. really nice thing about doing these things is you
(1984). Me and my mates used to walk around Stanley Baker had an office on the South Bank. get to meet the fans. And honestly, you’d better
saying “Catch you later!” after watching that. Mike became a real friend, he’s a beautiful guy. not forget the fans because the fans are the ones
Terrific movie. The director John Badham came up I know that people like Get Carter but one of my that make it possible to have your employment,
with that. It’s so irritating and my character was favourites is this movie he made called Pulp, with because if you don’t have them and they don’t go
such a total asshole. Villainous parts are such fun Michael Caine. Mickey Rooney is incredible in it. and see your stuff then you don’t have a career. I
to play though, like Alan Rickman in Die Hard, who He’s a very underrated actor. Judy Garland said she do think it’s important occasionally to go out and
just made the movie. learned everything about the movies from Mickey meet them. I don’t want to do it every weekend. I
Rooney. He’ brings so much energy and interest to do maybe two a year, or something like that. But
It was odd but really nice to see you back on Pulp. I love the movie, and also Mike’s incredible I really wanted to do one in England. I thought
the small screen in the BBC’s Our Friends from television films, Rumour and Scandal. He came it would be a nice thing to do, and especially up
the North in 1996. from Arena, a current affairs programme a bit like north. This one’s in Yorkshire. I was born in Leeds
I had a house in Tuscany at the time and when Panorama. We were going to do another film until and have great memories of there.

INFINITY 59
 THE FEMALE
MODESTY BLAISE

Barry Forshaw recalls his conversations

with his friend Peter O’Donnell (1920-2010),
the English writer of mysteries and of
comic strips who was best known
as the creator of famed action
heroine Modesty Blaise...

re you a fan of Modesty Blaise? If you haven’t

discovered her yet, you really should – and
you have three options. There is the complete
collection of the long-running comic strip,
reissued by Titan Books, in which the late
Peter O’Donnell’s immensely resourceful, highly
intelligent (and highly sexy) female James Bond
took on a variety of deeply unpleasant opponents
in the capable company of her right-hand man, Cockney
ex-criminal Willie Garvin – as accomplished in the violent I have to say (with
arts as his companion. Or there are the Modesty Blaise novels, in some shame) that I’d found
which O’Donnell moved the superb command of suspense and the last few conversations
characterisation of the comic strip into a series of pulse-raising challenging – no excuse, I know.
espionage novels that are the equal of anything in the genre. Peter sounded ever more frail, his thought
And then there are the films, the best-known being that processes harder to follow, and the stories of
directed by cult director Joseph Losey in 1966 and starring his deteriorating health were longer (although always delivered
seductive international star Monica Vitti as Modesty, with with characteristically sardonic humour: “I have problems with
Terence Stamp as the knife-wielding Willie Garvin; plus – the standing straight and have to creep around. But, on balance, it’s
real coup (as it was seen at the time) - Dirk Bogarde, no less, as better than the alternative…”).
Modesty’s ruthless nemesis, the mastermind Gabriel. And with His stories, too, I’d heard before: “Do you know Quentin
a talent list like that lined up, what could have gone wrong? But Tarantino wants to make a new version of Modesty Blaise? He
if you’re a fan of the film – and a lot of people are – Modesty’s rang me, you know...” But, let’s face it, we’re often obliged to
creator might possibly have disagreed with you…. Over the years hear the same stories repeatedly from people we know (I’m
he often repeated to me his scorching view of Losey’s film (‘He sure it’s true of me). And even though my occasional meals with
ruined Modesty!’), and I don’t doubt that I would have heard the Peter were, regrettably, a thing of the past (he’d get a train from
story again had I made one final phone call – which I didn’t. Brighton to Victoria, we’d eat near the station – and he’d get the
first available train back), he was still wonderfully entertaining
MAKING THE LAST PHONE CALL during our staggered phone calls. Apart from being the very
Why didn’t I do it? I was planning - I really was - to phone Peter finest writer of an adult-oriented comic strip this country has
O’Donnell to congratulate him on his 90th birthday in 2010. But ever known, he was a crime/espionage novelist of considerable
I kept putting it off – putting it off, in fact, for a whole week. And distinction – and a seasoned Fleet Street professional, with a
a week or so was all Peter had left after that 90th birthday - so million pithy anecdotes of a lost era.
it was too late. The creator of Modesty Blaise – and one of the Speaking to Peter was invariably a diverting experience.
ablest thriller writers this country has ever produced, a man He was always honest, and would never be one to put the best
whose beautifully turned plotting has few peers – died shortly possible gloss on any film adaptation of his work, such as the
after the May Bank Holiday weekend. So why did I put off that then (2004) most recent incarnation. My Name is Modesty
phone call? There were reasons. has its virtues. It’s made on a very low budget, of course, but

60 INFINITY
 the scriptwriters were in Aside from being
tune with how I would the creator of
Modesty Blaise,
have Modesty behave – Peter O’Donnell
conspicuously, unlike the (11 April 1920 -
3 May 2010)
camp Joseph Losey movie. was also an
And although Alexandra award-winning
Gothic historical
Staden is too thin and romance novelist
youthful for Modesty, it is, who wrote under
after all, a prequel. But you the female
pseudonym
couldn’t put that actress into Madeleine Brent.
a black catsuit, could you?” In 1978, his novel
Merlin’s Keep won
Why no appearance for the Romantic Novel
Modesty’s sidekick Willie of the Year Award
Garvin in the film? “Because by the Romantic
Novelists’
of the restrictions of a Association
virtually one-set movie –
and the fact that we see
Modesty being ‘educated’ –
her education of Willie after
she meets him would have
seemed repetitive.”
And the little-seen
1982 US tele-movie with
Ann Turkel? “Terrible. Just
terrible. And they made
Willie Garvin an American,
for God’s sake!” Worst of all,
though, for him, was the
1966 film. (“I had such high
hopes for that: Antonioni’s
star Monica Vitti, Terence
Stamp, Dirk Bogarde - but
Joseph Losey simply sent
the whole thing up; in fact, he showed his contempt for the material.
And when Modesty and Willie burst into song – my God! I sank lower
in my seat.”)

INFINITY 61
 Then, of course, “In 1942 I was an NCO in charge of a
came his magnum mobile radio detachment in what was then
opus, Modesty Blaise, called Persia. We were working on a widely
an ex-criminal now spread line of observation posts whose
(largely) on the side task was to give warning if German forces
of the angels; capable, began to move down through the Caucasus
abused as a child, ace to seize the oilfields of the Middle East. Our
strategist, the equal radio truck stood close to a shallow stream
of any violent male that wound its way through low hills, and
This spread: SEMI-NUDITY, PRE-MODESTY opponents (Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander we were having our midday dinner one day,
Monica Vitti with Peter O’Donnell was as bemused by the shows a clear Modesty influence.) sitting below the spread camouflage netting,
Terence Stamp
and Dirk Bogarde. continuing success of his character as ever. The comic strip (exquisitely drawn by when a small figure appeared wearing a thin
Director Joseph “Penguin India is reissuing all the novels,” he Holdaway) ran in the Evening Standard during sun-bleached shirt that fell to just below
Losey found it
difficult to work said to me, “as is Souvenir Press over here. the 1960s and well beyond. Then came the her knees. On her head she carried a small
with Monica, as she A massive new Modesty companion has books – and O’Donnell unsurprisingly turned bundle wrapped in a piece of blanket, and
would invariably be
accompanied onto
just been published. And there are the Titan out to be as accomplished a novelist as he something hung on her chest from a cord
the set by Director reissues of the strips with the wonderful art was a strip writer. In the celebrated series looped about her neck. It was difficult to
Michelangelo by Jim Holdaway and his successors…” of narratives he created for his formidable make out what this was, for she was still 20
Antonioni, in whose
movies she had Born in South London in 1920, Peter protagonist and her male companion yards away when she saw us and stopped
become famous. had written hundreds of ‘juveniles’ (as he Willie Garvin, O’Donnell was careful never short, looking at our group carefully as if
Antonioni would
often whisper
called them) for British children’s annuals to allow his hero and heroine to sleep assessing us... I was very curious about her
suggestions to her, before writing his immensely sophisticated, together, considering that this would because although her hair was black and
and she would take complex scripts for such strips as Garth and alter the dynamics of the relationship. He she was deeply tanned, she didn’t seem to
direction from him
rather than Losey. the hapless detective Romeo Brown, his first stopped writing in 2001 (having decisively be an Arab child. This was hard to define,
Eventually, Losey collaboration with illustrator Jim Holdaway. ended Modesty’s career), but continued to but she was simply not quite like the many
asked Antonioni,
whom he greatly (“The idea was to get the clothes off Romeo’s participate in Titan’s release of multiple Arab children we had seen during our time in
admired, to keep girls as frequently as possible,” he ruefully Modesty Blaise collections, writing Persia and Iraq.
away from the
studios during
told me – before I’d mentioned that as a fascinating introductions and commentaries. “I moved to the flat rock, knelt down,
filming. Antonioni twelve-year-old I remembered having no beckoned to the girl and waited, displaying
complied.. problem with this commercial imperative – MODESTY BEGINNINGS a tin and opener with large gestures. After
and, semi-nudity notwithstanding, his later Regarding the origin of his durable heroine, a few minutes she picked up her bundle
trademark piloting was already confidently Peter set me a few paragraphs talking about and came to within ten paces of me, then
in place.) the genesis of Modesty Blaise. said something that had the inflexion of a

62
62 INFINITY
INFINITY
 in her wrist. After two attempts, she picked up a “Of course, I had seen this very child 20 years
small rock and used it to hammer the butt of the before, and knew she was the perfect prototype
opener, driving the point through. for the character I would eventually call Modesty
“Later, we smiled, waved, wished her good luck, Blaise. I began to create a detailed background for
told her to take care, etc., then watched as she put her, starting with the idea that she was a refugee
the bundle on her head and walked away beside from Hungary whose mother and father had
the stream, heading south along the shallow been killed somewhere between the German and
valley. To this day I can see in my mind’s eye Russian armies during the long flight to the East.
the smile she had given us and the sight of that This little girl’s memory had been destroyed by
upright little figure walking like a princess as she the trauma, but somehow she had survived and
moved away from us on those brave skinny legs.” had learnt how to continue surviving, as for more
than a year she had made the slow and lonely
MODESTY IS BORN journey that other refugees were making.
“Twenty years later, in early 1962, I had a call “I decided that once she was south of the
from the Strip Cartoon Editor of the Express group Caucasus (where some friendly soldiers gave
of newspapers, Bill Aitken. He said he had been her a little food) she would find a companion,
following the strips I wrote for the Daily Mirror and perhaps in one of the refugee camps, forerunners
Daily Sketch (Garth, Romeo Brown, Tug Transom) of the Displaced Persons Camps. This companion
and he would like me to write a strip for him for would be a Jewish professor from Bucharest, in
submission to the Daily Express. I asked what kind his middle fifties, who spoke five languages and
of strip he had in mind, and he said, ‘I want the was a brilliant academic but quite hopeless at
strip you want to write.’ surviving on his own. She would take him under
“I agreed to provide a format, a story, and the her protection, they would leave the camp, and
first four weeks of script, but said it would be six together they would roam the Middle East from
months before I could deliver. That’s fine, he said. Persia to Morocco. She would be the provider and
At this time I had been a freelance writer for some protector, he would give her the education she
12 years, with an office in Fleet Street conveniently would crave as essential to her future.
situated over the renowned watering hole for hacks “When she is perhaps 17, he dies one night in
and lawyers, El Vino, and I was now mainly writing the desert. She buries him, weeps for the first time
strips for national newspapers and serials for in many years, and moves on towards the nearest
women’s magazines (which carried far more fiction big town, Tangiers. The girl to whom he long ago
question. Indicating that she should watch, I very in those days than they do now). So in effect I was gave the name Modesty Blaise is alone again, and
slowly demonstrated the use of the opener on the working in two different genres, one featuring what comes next is in the novels.
bottom of one of the empty tins, a performance macho male heroes and the other featuring ‘I am in debt to the child I saw that day in 1942,
attended by much merriment and comment from romance, though there was always a strong both for the privilege of having met her, however
the detachment. element of adventure in the stories I wrote for the briefly, and for her providing the role model for a
“The opener was of the old lever type, and as I women’s market. For some time before the call character I have now written about for close on
worked it in exaggerated fashion, I kept glancing from Bill Aitken, I had been intrigued by the idea 40 years. I still think of her from time to time, and
at the girl. She watched intently, and now she was of bringing these two genres together by creating wonder what became of her. If alive today, she
closer I could see that the thing hanging from a woman who, though fully feminine, would be would have just turned 70. Whatever the length
her neck like a pendant was a short piece of wood as good in combat and action as any male, if not of her days, I can only hope that she was granted
with a long nail bound tightly to it with thin wire, better. The call from the Express made me decide some measure of the reward she deserved for her
the nail projecting a good two inches from the that the time to start work on this idea was now. courage and spirit. I salute her.”
makeshift haft. It was a weapon, a crude weapon “I let it simmer on the back burner for some Peter O’Donnell told me he was eternally
– and I felt chilled as I wondered what might have weeks, but came very quickly to the conclusion grateful for that little girl’s inspiration. In turn,
brought home to her the need for some way of that you couldn’t plausibly create the character we can be grateful to him for giving us the
defending herself. I wanted by taking a girl in, say, her teens and greatest female action heroine ever created in
“When I had finished opening the tin I laid putting her through long and intensive training the British Isles.
the opener down beside the other empty tin, in a variety of skills. That would only provide a Another friend of mine, the writer Peter
made signs for her to copy what I had just done, veneer. My character would have to have had Haining (a specialist in horror and crime), died in
and to further insubordinate applause from the a childhood of unrelenting struggle, in which middle age and in seemingly good health; after a
detachment, I rejoined them. She moved to the she had been tested to the very core by danger, companionable meal in Soho, we’d arranged our
rock, picked up opener and tin, and looked a loneliness, fear and every kind of hardship, a child next one. But when a man whose health is poor
question at us, to which we responded with much with a diamond hard will to survive. dies at 90, it’s less of a surprise. So why didn’t
encouragement. She set the practice tin on the There would have to be far more to the concept I make that congratulatory phone call to Peter
rock and tried to force the point of the opener into than that, but I had no doubt that this was the O’Donnell on his birthday? Who cared how often
it as I had shown, but hadn’t quite the strength essential beginning. I’d heard the stories?

INFINITY 63
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of the Sea, Stan Lee… sci-fi genre toys… Adams, Cereal fun… Space 1999, War comics… Argonauts, Doc Savage…
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IN THE NEXT OUT- OF-THIS-WORLD ISSUE OF N
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hen their plane crashed in the mountains of Tibet,

“W Craig Stirling, Richard Barrett and Sharron Macready

were rescued by members of a lost civilisation and
endowed with physical and mental qualities to the peak of human
performance… powers which must remain a closely guarded secret but
which they can use to their best advantage as champions of law, order
and justice… operatives of the international agency of Nemesis!”
Remember those words? They kicked off every episode of The
Champions, a 1968-1969 Lew Grade ITC favourite that we will be, er,
championing in the very next issue of this fine magazine.
Regular readers will also be very familiar with King Kong, Son of
Kong and Mighty Joe Young, classic monster adventures featuring the
matchless animated special effects created by Willis O’Brien, who was
aided on the latter film by his young disciple Ray Harryhausen. Less
well known to some, however, are the numerous projects proposed by
O’Brien over the years that never made it into production, one of which
was Gwangi. This comes under the spotlight next time round in a truly
fascinating feature from Clive Dawson, packed with super-rare stills!
We’ve also got a feature celebrating the 40th anniversary of the
movie that turned an Austrian hunk into a superstar, and paved the
way for many pale imitators. Yes folks, grab your sword and sandals as
we look back on THE eighties sword and sorcery movie which changed
the face of fantasy cinema: Conan the Barbarian!
Interview-wise we are delighted to be able to share a vintage
chat with Star Trek’s Grace Lee Whitney, who got her start long
before the science fiction classic hit TV screens, and it’s a pleasure
to welcome back comedy writer Alan Wightman with a fun piece
entitled Confessions of a Horror Fan. “You’re not old enough, son” was
something that Alan heard many times in his misspent youth, and he
shares some choice memories of what it was like growing up in the
days when even kiddie fare like Gorgo got an ‘X’ certificate!
Are you a soap opera fan? There’s a lot of them out there, both
soaps and fans, but even if you usually steer clear of such shows you’re
still going to love reading about some of the most outrageous soap
story-lines used to hook viewers - from Bobby Ewing in the shower to
the day that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. turned up on the Corrie cobbles,
there are some corkers on display!
And there’s more, with Infinity Ed Allan Bryce remembering the day
he went back to school for educational encounters with Michael Ripper,
Reg Varney, Arthur Mullard and Shirley Eaton... The school was St.
Trinians, by the way. Oh and we also find space and time to examine
the very first UK comic strip devoted to the adventures of everyone’s
favourite Time Lord, Doctor Who. So, all in all, another brilliant issue is
coming your way - don’t miss it!

ISSUE 51
LANDING
04.08.22
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ADMISSION
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saving the universe in some
LEVEL 3, THE MERCURY MALL,
MERCURY GARDENS, ONLY very fetching costumes in

ROMFORD, RM1 3EE £35! this sprightly cult favourite.

KONGA (1961)
A camp classic with
ollowing on from the huge success of our DarkFest horror festivals we are proud to Michael Gough growing

F present our first INFINI-FEST, celebrating the best of classic sci-fi and cult TV. While we
still plan to continue our DarkFests at the award-winning Genesis Cinema, we’re trying
out an equally spectacular new venue for INFINI-FEST #1. Located at the Premiere Cinema,
his pet monkey to gigantic
proportions to wreak more
havoc to London traffic than Sadiq Kahn!
Romford, the venue is easy to reach from central London on the new Elizabeth Line and we’re THE THING (1982)
delighted to say that since Infinity is all about sci-fi and cult TV we will be taking over two big A research team in Antarctica
screens to show both of these side by side. is hunted by a shape-shifting
As you can see, we have an amazing selection of guests, all of whom will be happy to sign alien that assumes the
autographs and have their picture taken with you. And when you’re not mingling with them appearance of its victims in
John Carpenter’s big screen favourite!
or watching a classic movie or TV episode (those are still to be announced), you can check
out the dealer tables selling rare memorabilia. There will be two bars in the cinema, and FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
plenty of great snacks on the concession stand. The Mercury Mall also has plenty of cheap This sci-fi version of
dining options - including McDonalds and Subway. Shakespeare’s The Tempest
We originally planned to do this two years ago but a little thing called COVID got in the way. remains one of the most
It’s going to be a truly out-of-this-world day, and we’d love you to join us. Oh, and also put ambitious, intelligent and
spectacular films of its genre!
19th November in your diary for DarkFest at the Genesis.

THE CULT TV SCREEN

SWEENEY! (1977)
Jack Regan must evade
deadly government hit men
in this gritty 1977 spin-off
also starring Diane Keen.

PLEASE SIR! (1971)

A fun 1971 spin-off from the
ITV television series, Mr. Hedges
takes his class on a field trip,
with disastrous consequences.

UP POMPEII (1971)
Maddy Smith features in this
Frankie Howerd favourite
Caroline Munro (Starcrash) Linda Hayden (Blood on Satan’s Claw) playing ‘Erotica.’ Titters are
Jess Conrad OBE (Konga) Norman Eshley (George and Mildred) guaranteed!
Diane Keen (Sweeney!) David Barry (Please Sir!) CULT TV HEAVEN
Madeline Smith (Live and Let Die) Linda Marlowe (Big Zapper) A selection of your favourite
TV episodes - presented in
high definition on the big
screen!
ADMISSION IS £35. PAYMENT IN ADVANCE ONLY.
Tickets are available NOW from our website shops at www.infinitymagazine.co.uk Ticket Purchase deadline:
and www.the darksidemagazine.com or send a cheque/postal order to Ghoulish Publishing at:
August 27th 2022
29 Cheyham Way, South Cheam, Surrey SM2 7HX
Once payment is received we will post you a signed, bespoke, individually numbered ticket. www.infinitymagazine.co.uk
* The films, guests and attractions listed are subject to change