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Post by John Steed on Feb 20, 2019 20:34:21 GMT
You're not alone there Carty. Several others have expressed that view on this episode. I really like this one It's got a bit of banter between T.P.McKenna and Regan it flows well and features the best Sweeney pub. I really like Night Out as an episode although it is not a hugely popular episode. It has certainly got the best Sweeney pub in it! Steed
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Feb 21, 2019 8:22:35 GMT
Strangely, in view of the interesting background to the episode, Night Out is one of my least favourite episodes. In fact it's the only one in series 1 I'm not keen on. It wasn't one of my favorites either. Though you get to find out a little more about Regans past.
I think it was this episode that was intended to be shown to other potential Broadcasters with a view to sales abroad - as it's Director, David Wickes was told to "do something special" - which is why it's full of sweeping arty farty shots through glass, quick tracking shots up and around staircases.
Incidentally; one scene in the Bedroom where Regan arrives - putting his head around the door. Was (on paper) a mornings work - using 3 or 4 different camera and lighting set ups. Instead - Wickes wanted to pull the entire scene off in one single take - just before breaking for lunch.
To do this, the room had to be lit in such a way that the lighting was suitable for every position the camera would be in. (No glares / evenly lit / correct levels etc)
This took a while to do, and then as the camera moved (not on a track) through the scene, in the opening the bed could be seen, once out of shot the bed was dismantled by Prop Hands, the camera would pass through, the bed then re constructed, so it could appear in the closing shot - back to where they begun the scene.
Daring, and remarkable work.
There wasn't then many Directors with the guts to try this. And these days, there aren't either - they'd rely on CGI to do it for them.
On a technical note; a good episode.
Though - I do like the punch up in the pub!!
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Post by Kenny Dalglish 1979 on Feb 21, 2019 12:50:39 GMT
I first saw this back in 2000 and loved the action sequences. Carter fighting it out with those rival cops and Regan taking care of the robbers at the end. It was strange seeing him fire a gun after years of seeing John Thaw as the pacifist Morse.
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Post by Steve Austin on Feb 24, 2019 21:11:01 GMT
The Bank Job wasn't a bad movie about all this stuff (allegedly) involving Michael X, Princess Margaret, John Bindon etc. even if Jason Statham (to be fair he was good in this) and some 2000's traffic scenes were in it. LOL!
This ITV documentary from roughly around that time about John Bindon was also pretty good too.
The Bank Job is on TCM on Wednesday night. Written by Clement & La Frenais. Wonder if this is where they got the name Terry Leather from who featured in Auf Wiedersehen Pet?
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 12, 2019 23:11:16 GMT
According to Dick Clement this evening at The Likely Lads celebration. Terry was his best mate at school and he thinks that's where Terry Collier and Terry Leather derived.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jul 27, 2019 8:51:06 GMT
The bloke on the radio who is the control for bank blaggers sounds like the violent Wardle from Big Spender.
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Post by Perfect Pseudonym on Jul 30, 2019 20:12:24 GMT
Have to say that Night Out has never been a particular fave of mine. But I've never been able to put my finger on why.
It's sort of one of the Regan gets loved up episodes like Cover Story and Latin Lady. But whereas Regan's relationships with Sandy Williams and Christobel Delgardo (or whatever her true anglicised name turned out to be) was all a bit cheesy and very much taking his eye off the ball, whereas with Iris, things were a bit more earthy and not soundtracked by soppy music! And while Sandy buggered off to America in a huff and Christobel was just basically a wrong'un, Iris actually saved Jack's life. She was a keeper!
But I don't know, the whole turning up waving a bottle of scotch and Iris neither being either delighted nor angry at seeing her old flame again and how the dialogue went after that all the way into ending up in the sack, just all seemed a bit illogical. Just can't explain it, just doesn't sit with me.
But as commented earlier in the thread, full marks to the direction of that initial scene which was done with a lot of moving around and no breaks. Sad though that hardly anyone who tuned in to watch it back in the day probably noticed!
In the context of all other Sweeney episodes, this one does seem unusual as George is virtually just a squad member very much in danger of losing screentime minutes to Gerry Burtonshaw! And indeed bails out of the episode around the same time as him, courtesy of a kicking. This is to all intents and purposes a Regan solo episode.
I remember reading a synopsis of the Sweeney some time before seeing this episode for the first time, in which they used the example of Regan falling into the puddle as to how real and unglamorous the Sweeney would portray it's leading characters. Nobody would have fallen into a puddle in Kojak was their point. Which sounded great until I actually saw the scene in question. A more unrealistic fall into a puddle could never have been portrayed! What was that raised arm thing just before it happened all about?
I do like the bookends with Grant. Early on Regan states that a few of his troops have suffered badly while under his command, and then towards the end, due to Grant's priority to getting the result over ensuring the protection of one of his charges, Regan nearly ends up going the same way as those he spoke of earlier! Like I say, that Iris, a keeper!
And how come Jellineck was neither Welsh, had a shirt half tucked in and was not picking his nose? Looked like he had a plumb position with Grant as well. Nice safe desk job. No threat of him being wasted out in the field there! No wonder he sung his praises in the van!
The punch up amuses me, because I'm pretty much sure all the same participants in that then moved on from the Warrington to the Lamb Tavern in Leadenhall Market to mix it with John "Brannigan" Wayne! Quite a busy pub crawl!
I'm sure most of us on here have been to the Warrington at some stage. I like to think that a fair few of us have come down those stairs proclaiming (in varying decibels!) "there's old bill all over the place!"
Certainly not the worst, but one I can easily miss.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Jul 31, 2019 2:06:26 GMT
Interesting to read your thoughts on Night Out, P.P . This episode seems to divide opinion. As I've said in my earlier post I'm a fan of this episode and its defo in my top 3 episodes from series one but it's great to hear how and why others see it a certain way. This episode certainly shows series one hallmarks and was a series finding its feet at the time of broadcast. We know from the DVD commentary with David Wickes et-al, that Night Out was used as an advert to sell the series abroad. The story doesn't follow the normal Sweeney mantra of Jack and George in charge of an investigation loosely managed by Haskins, alongside the fact that Jack gets press ganged by another department. This is a rare theme in The Sweeney and only seen again in Bad Apple ? Its also an episode that was based in one location. There's not many of those either. On the face of it then, a rather strange choice advert for the series ? Could it be that it was selected as an advert for the series because the camera work was very good indeed, its a great location and a strong performance from T.P McKenna as Grant. On story line alone would Ringer have been a better choice ? The Warrington based setting for most of this episode was and still is a great location inside and out. Serves a good pint too. Here's some of the squad's last visit and we took the chance to recreate the goings on of 1974
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jul 31, 2019 15:00:54 GMT
Good post PP though I would disagree about Thaws fall on the roof, looked ok to me.
My issue would be that it’s a bit rich of Jack to complain about dangers to staff. He’s hardly a shrinking violet when it comes to danger, there’s at least three instances where squad members are shot and injured under his leadership. Also the bit about not just going in and nicking the team because you want the control and that’s not what you do. So, not like the The Placer then or a couple of others!
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Post by Arthur Pringle on Jul 31, 2019 16:40:44 GMT
It's clearer to see on the blu ray that it's a stunt performer rather than John Thaw doing the fall into the water, I think the arm in the air was his attempt to make it look like Regan had lost his balance.
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