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Post by prometheus74 on Dec 9, 2018 15:18:04 GMT -5
To me, "Wizards and Warlocks" seems to be underrated. I've never seen it be discussed much on here, however I've always found it quite entertaining. The whole Dungeons and Dragons thing is quite relatable to all of us nerds and geeks, and those of us who know such people. Personally, I've never actually had the opportunity to play D&D, but I've known various "over-enthusiastic" fans of that board game and other role-playing games such as Magic: The Gathering. And I rather have a certain respect for people who are so passionate about something. And of course I'm passionate about my share of things too----such as TGAH, for one thing!
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 10, 2018 11:47:16 GMT -5
I've never played D&D either, but I agree that this episode is underrated. I laughed so hard this time through in my watching. I love the way Bill was skeptical and how intent Pam was on learning. All while Ralph was reflecting on his college days.
To me, I miss the music in this one. PINBALL WIZARD is just so fantastic.
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Post by culpkatt on Dec 10, 2018 14:16:22 GMT -5
Wizards and Warlocks is a fun episode, but also I think Desperado is a fairly underrated episode. It actually aired on the Heroes and Icons channel this past Saturday morning and I had somewhat forgotten how timeless an episode it really is. And there are some great lines from Maxwell. "These snapshots look like the inner workings of Villicana's mind." That one always cracks me up.
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Post by prometheus74 on Dec 10, 2018 14:47:38 GMT -5
Culpkat, agreed about "Desperado". If I'm not mistaken, it was actually one of two or three episodes that never actually aired during TGAH's original run. The show got cancelled after it had already been filmed.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 10, 2018 15:13:33 GMT -5
Wizards and Warlocks is a fun episode, but also I think Desperado is a fairly underrated episode. It actually aired on the Heroes and Icons channel this past Saturday morning and I had somewhat forgotten how timeless an episode it really is. And there are some great lines from Maxwell. "These snapshots look like the inner workings of Villicana's mind." That one always cracks me up. I have to agree. I like that line too, even though it's ironic since Villacana is only in the season once.
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Post by greenguy on Dec 10, 2018 17:27:32 GMT -5
I like Desperado also.
Those soooo many lines, and character moments that remind me of the first season. I mentioned that to Christopher Nelson (who directed the episode)a few years ago when I spoke to him.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 11, 2018 9:35:36 GMT -5
I like Desperado also. Those soooo many lines, and character moments that remind me of the first season. I mentioned that to Christopher Nelson (who directed the episode)a few years ago when I spoke to him. What did he say? Any other insights from his time as a director on the show?
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Post by greenguy on Dec 11, 2018 14:10:34 GMT -5
That was so long ago I would need to go back and listen to the tape. He produced that final season with Babs Greyhosky, and directed just one episode. He worked in various other jobs the first two seasons. I do remember he said he had blond wavy kinda hair at the time, and they would give him the suit so he and one other guy with a camera would go on location and shoot "take offs" or other bits that needed to be filmed quickly. I don't know what he looks like, but he must be one of the guys we can see occasionally with real blond hair in the suit instead of Dennis Madalone in the wig. Maybe, this guy?
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 11, 2018 14:39:55 GMT -5
That's cool! I wonder if he is on Facebook or anything where he could be asked.
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Post by greenguy on Dec 11, 2018 17:19:54 GMT -5
I still have his email address and phone number, I have no idea if either one is still good. It was probably 2007 when I spoke to him. Maybe I will compile some screen grabs of all the guys with actual blond hair that doubled for Katt, then try to email Nelson to ask if any of them are him. There's even someone else hooked to the flying rig in The Newlywed Game. Check out the scene with Ralph flying up to the barn, the guy is close enough to the camera that you can see it's not Katt.
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Post by culpkatt on Dec 14, 2018 13:26:41 GMT -5
Hey, that's very cool you were able to speak to one of the producers and directors of our favorite series, Greenguy. I really enjoy those behind the scenes bits of trivia that you can only get from people who were there. Thanks for sharing!
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Post by MelMac on Dec 14, 2018 14:16:03 GMT -5
To me, "Wizards and Warlocks" seems to be underrated. I've never seen it be discussed much on here, however I've always found it quite entertaining. The whole Dungeons and Dragons thing is quite relatable to all of us nerds and geeks, and those of us who know such people. Personally, I've never actually had the opportunity to play D&D, but I've known various "over-enthusiastic" fans of that board game and other role-playing games such as Magic: The Gathering. And I rather have a certain respect for people who are so passionate about something. And of course I'm passionate about my share of things too----such as TGAH, for one thing! I always get a chuckle when I watch "Wizards and Warlocks" given they have Ralph actually play the Intellivision version of "Dungeons and Dragons" - but the box for the arcade doesn't match (Looks like Galaxga,not the same). I think with the exception of "Vanity," three of the four that weren't originally aired were underrated. Makes me really with they had aired "Desperado" and "It's Only Rock N' Roll" instead of "Space Ranger" and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" (Well any of the four, even Vanity over the latter one).
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Post by greenguy on Dec 15, 2018 17:36:47 GMT -5
Hey, that's very cool you were able to speak to one of the producers and directors of our favorite series, Greenguy. I really enjoy those behind the scenes bits of trivia that you can only get from people who were there. Thanks for sharing! Sure, glad to share. I've chatted with around a dozen people involved with the series. Jimmy Giritlian (co-ordinator of composite flying) cut together all the teasers, he said it was always a fun job to put those together. When they needed a way to "fly" Katt past the windows of the jet in Now You See It, Jimmy came up with the idea of using a hospital gurney for the actor to lay on so he could be pushed past the windows. Back in the 80's I always was under the impression that The Lost Diablo was shot on video. Christopher Nelson corrected me on that, as the episode was actually shot on film but transferred to video for editing. Cannell was experimenting with ways to keep costs down, but no one really liked the way the episode looked, so the idea was abandoned. Shooting on film and transferring to video for post production would become the norm for several series years later. I'm sure all of you know the only time we see the greenguys ship have it's dome is when it's in the longer shots farther away. That smaller version models dome was made from a starfish, you can sorta make out the dots that line the edges of the starfish "legs". The larger model never had a dome as the overhead rigging to make it rotate etc made it impossible. Some fans believe the scenes with the spaceship are forced perspective shots, but that's wrong. It was all done with the Magicam process. Jim Dow who worked at Magicam, and built the models was kind enough to spend a hour or so on the phone discussing his contribution to the series.
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Post by greenguy on Dec 15, 2018 17:45:45 GMT -5
To me, "Wizards and Warlocks" seems to be underrated. I've never seen it be discussed much on here, however I've always found it quite entertaining. The whole Dungeons and Dragons thing is quite relatable to all of us nerds and geeks, and those of us who know such people. Personally, I've never actually had the opportunity to play D&D, but I've known various "over-enthusiastic" fans of that board game and other role-playing games such as Magic: The Gathering. And I rather have a certain respect for people who are so passionate about something. And of course I'm passionate about my share of things too----such as TGAH, for one thing! I always get a chuckle when I watch "Wizards and Warlocks" given they have Ralph actually play the Intellivision version of "Dungeons and Dragons" - but the box for the arcade doesn't match (Looks like Galaxga,not the same). I think with the exception of "Vanity," three of the four that weren't originally aired were underrated. Makes me really with they had aired "Desperado" and "It's Only Rock N' Roll" instead of "Space Ranger" and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" (Well any of the four, even Vanity over the latter one). The coin op arcade game is Atari's Tempest
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 16, 2018 14:04:39 GMT -5
That's cool information on the spaceship, GG.
Mel: I think I would have to put ROCK N ROLL down there with VANITY. While better this time through, still not a great episode.
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Post by culpkatt on Dec 16, 2018 16:21:26 GMT -5
The GAH teasers do remain intact on the Heroes and Icons channel, which airs the series Saturday and Sunday mornings. The episodes are unedited and also contain the shortened theme used sporadically during the second season, as well as all the cover songs. However, they are "sped up" for time constraints. As a purist, it's nice to watch the series as it was originally broadcast. I could be wrong, but these episodes airing on H&I seem to be broadcast masters.
Back on topic, though...my least favorite episodes are the Culp scripted ones, mainly because he has Maxwell indulging in behavior that significantly contradicts the character of Bill Maxwell. I have all the GAH episodes uploaded onto my computer and watched Desperado again yesterday. Everything about this episode is outstanding, the script, the directing, the dialog, especially the bond and camaraderie between the three leads. Also, the Mike Post/Pete Carpenter score for this episode just might be my favorite of the entire series, as well as Stephen Geyer's original song. That final scene of Desperado being set free resonates a lot more with me now that I'm older. It's a timeless story of friendship and sacrifice between animals and humans.
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Post by greenguy on Dec 16, 2018 17:54:11 GMT -5
The GAH teasers do remain intact on the Heroes and Icons channel, which airs the series Saturday and Sunday mornings. The episodes are unedited and also contain the shortened theme used sporadically during the second season, as well as all the cover songs. However, they are "sped up" for time constraints. As a purist, it's nice to watch the series as it was originally broadcast. I could be wrong, but these episodes airing on H&I seem to be broadcast masters. One of our local channels just picked up Heroes & Icons in September, and the complete run of the series just finished up last week. I recorded every episode into the Tivo to go back and check and with the last run (Sept. 2018 to Dec. 2018) here's what I noticed: The prints are the same prints used on the DVD sets. No alternate versions of the theme as heard on ABC and early syndication, the missing Don Cervantes credit, etc). They are sped up, most noticeable with the music. Most of the time the actual commercial break areas are used. They do air some of the 2nd and 3rd season teasers, but not all the time. The cover songs are not intact, no Eve of Destruction, no Tax Man, etc. It's the same replacement tunes as heard in the U.S. DVD release. The episodes look bad on my 50 inch screen, with Heroes & Icons zooming in and stretching out the picture to satisfy the viewers who whine that their whole TV screen isn't filled up. Although I already started to delete some of the first episodes out of the Tivo, I swear they are not uncut. I thought the driving scene in The Hit Car while Hang on Sister plays over it was missing. All in all it is nice to see it broadcasting nationally again.
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Post by prometheus74 on Dec 17, 2018 9:29:33 GMT -5
Greenguy, I have no memory of the original songs that played in the show. I never heard those again since I was 7 or 8 years old. I'm now only familiar with the songs featured on the DVDs. By "Tax Man", do you mean the song by the Beatles (written and sung by George Harrison)??
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Post by greenguy on Dec 17, 2018 15:01:31 GMT -5
Greenguy, I have no memory of the original songs that played in the show. I never heard those again since I was 7 or 8 years old. I'm now only familiar with the songs featured on the DVDs. By "Tax Man", do you mean the song by the Beatles (written and sung by George Harrison)?? Yes, that's it. The song was used in There's Just No Accounting... It was when Ralph is flying back home with the briefcase of cash, and Byron is at his front door. All the cover tunes were replaced, Tax Man, Eve of Destruction, Help Me Rhonda, Rocketman, Space Oddity, etc.
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Post by greenguy on Dec 17, 2018 15:07:52 GMT -5
Back on topic, though...my least favorite episodes are the Culp scripted ones, mainly because he has Maxwell indulging in behavior that significantly contradicts the character of Bill Maxwell. I have all the GAH episodes uploaded onto my computer and watched Desperado again yesterday. Everything about this episode is outstanding, the script, the directing, the dialog, especially the bond and camaraderie between the three leads. Also, the Mike Post/Pete Carpenter score for this episode just might be my favorite of the entire series, as well as Stephen Geyer's original song. That final scene of Desperado being set free resonates a lot more with me now that I'm older. It's a timeless story of friendship and sacrifice between animals and humans. Culp probably would have said he added "layers to the character of Maxwell"...LOL While the Culp scripted episodes are not my favorites, they at least bring back more complex adult plots that reminded me more of the first season. Although I do hate the stupid screams coming from Ralph while he's flying in Lilac's, and the silly voice that was used for the greenguy in Vanity. You nailed it with the description of why Desperado is such a good episode.
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