Steed-2 Reviews

Picket Fences (1992–1996)

David E. Kelley's masterpiece

[10/10 · 19 November 2013]

First of all, I must admit I'm not a big fan of David E. Kelley. Some of his famous TV shows are average in my opinion, just to enjoy one episode on a lazy Sunday afternoon and that's all. I would never buy them on DVD because all the TV shows I own on DVD must be above average, have to be something special. And Picket Fences was something really special!!!

The show was broadcasted in 1992 and run for 4 seasons. In my home country only the first 3 seasons were shown on TV so you can imagine my surprise when 20 years later I saw the new episodes. Unfortunately, Season 4 has nothing to do with the rest of the series....The absence of Mr Kelley just made the show flopped. Nothing is right in Season 4....characters behaving in a different way, stupid plots and dialogs, etc. So, my advice...enjoy Season 1-3 and forget Season 4. Season 3 had a perfect ending for the show so it's better to be remembered that way

I was lucky to watch the show again 20 years later....time enough to check if it has aged well. The answer is YES!!! The show still rocks. That strange combination of black humor, tenderness, provocation and moral dilemmas still Works perfectly. No wonder the show was a favorite one from critics and won several Emmys.

Maya (1975–1980)

Oh those sweet TV shows from my childhood

[10/10 · 1 September 2013]

I am almost 40 and I'm not ashamed to confess I have the complete DVD collection at home. Extremely popular in Europe this TV show is just as charming and lovely as it was back in 1975. Maybe the animation isn't as great for today standards but it doesn't matter, it works perfectly. I don't know in other countries but here in Spain the show got even better thanks to a wonderful dubbing cast who just captured the real magic of each character. And of course we cannot forget that wonderful intro song that it's known for everybody in Spain...You only have to start singing the first lines and probably somebody will join you. Wanna try? :-)

The Public Eye (1972)

Not only a gem, but a cult movie which deserves worldwide recognition

[10/10 · 4 May 2013]

From time to time I like checking IMDb on some of my favourite directors, actors, writers, or even some adaptations from stage to screen. It's funny how some titles from some great artist have fallen into oblivion.....and FOLLOW ME! is a clear example of how unfair this is. Carol Reed, Mia Farrow, Topol, John Barry, Peter Shaffer,...so what went wrong? Nothing, sometimes it just happens. TV stations never show the movie, no DVD release and time goes by and nobody remember this little gem. It doesn't mean that the movie bombed in the box office or anything like that. Furthermore, the movie played OK that year.

Thanks God I was lucky to watch this movie in youtube and just let me say that when the movie ended I was grinning from ear to ear. It's not the best movie of all time; it's not the movie that changed my life...but at the same time I understand Belinda and the way she thinks love and marriage must be. It is a well done film that tells a simple story....and Carol Reed knew how to tell ordinary stories and make good films on them.

It's a beautiful love story with excellent locations of London and with a superb job by the three leading actors, especially Topol who is just wonderful in this movie. What a surprise to know that Topol had another leading role after The fiddler on the roof. I always thought that he never got one after the musical.

Mia Farrow (not one of my favourite actress I must say)is perfect for the role thanks again to her physical appearance. She looks so sad at times, wondering around London that she is totally credible on her role.

The script by Peter Shaffer based on his play works perfectly on the screen thanks to director Carol Reed and the use of beautiful locations all around London. Oh, don't you love how London looks in the early 70's? I do! And what about the music? Some people have criticized it...well, it's a beautiful tune with different variations through the movie. Sometimes it sounds like perfect for a James Bond movie. And the song "Follow" I didn't like it at the beginning but after watching the movie it was in my head for days and now it's a favourite of mine.

I am so happy that both Mia Farrow and Topol were awarded in my home country for this movie. Difficult task to get the San Sebastian International Festival award for both leading actors of a movie. But I suppose the International Jury just fell in love with the story as well as the audience. As a reviewer mentioned before there is a lot of dialogue in the film and you can find some of the most beautiful lines ever said in a movie. The dialogue between Belinda and the detective at the end of the movie in the garden is just wonderful. It makes you cry and smile at the same time.

So my final advice you can guess......it's worth it! If almost 95% of the users on IMDb describe FOLLOW ME! as a gem, they can't be wrong

Cousins (1989)

Sometimes a remake gets better than the original one

[9/10 · 9 November 2012]

I have just watched the movie on TV and after checking the rate on IMDb I have to do my own review about it. I saw the original French movie some years ago and it was a nice movie with that 70's look that I really love and bring a lot of memories from my childhood. The American remake just follow closely the original story. So followers of the original French movie will be happy about it. But this is not just a copy scene by scene. The cast is just awesome. All the actors play their characters so well that the chemistry among them works perfectly. We really believe those cousins are falling in love.....that look, that smile......sometimes they don't need to talk to get the message. And what about the supporting cast...Bravo for all of them. Lloyd Bridges, Norma Aleandro, and of course their grandson and the old lady always complaining about it. Just terrific! The script also improve with a wonderful sense of humor that is never out of place or vulgar. So, if you are looking for a perfect movie to spend a rainy day lying on the sofa, give it a try. It will be in your heart for ages.

A Chorus Line (1985)

It's time to be fair

[8/10 · 8 November 2010]

When this movie was released it was a flop. What a pity!, many said. Now 25 years later and watching the movie I have to admit that the movie is quite good. Not perfect but no the mess many fans claim to be. The first part of the movie is just PERFECT, AMAZING....with unforgettable auditions, dancing, ... The big problem starts when they talk about their lives. From that point the movie has got its ups and downs. But it never falls in a total mess. You can feel the sweat, the hard work, their dreams and hopes.......you can feel LIFE! If we compare it with other musicals of the time, maybe A CHORUS LINE and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS are the best examples of good musicals in a dark age for this gender. Both of them are far superior to other titles and both of them have got their ups and downs. SO to be fair A CHORUS LINE is a very good movie. OK, some changes from the stage production, but it always happens when they translate musicals from stage to screen. Evan some fans have said that the choreography is just awful. Come on guys, the movie isn't cheap and the spend money in the most important thing: dancers and dancing. So if you have never seen the stage version just give A CHORUS LINE a chance. You won't be disappointed. And please Michael Douglas, don't be ashamed about it and stop making jokes about your part in this movie as the worst choice of your life. A flop doesn't mean something it's bad.

Crónicas urbanas (1991–1992)

One of the best Spanish TV shows I've ever seen......unfortunately nobody remembers it.

[10/10 · 24 January 2010]

I saw this TV show back in 1989-1990 in TVE2. Channel 2 in TVE was always the one where the cult TV found its way instead of Channel 1 that was the one for everybody's taste.

It was shown on Tuesday/Wednesday evening I think and every week episodes dealt with different topics of our society. Sometimes with black humor(the lonely housewife who doesn't know what to do with his life or that family who decided to host a Peep Show), sometimes as a powerful drama (the one about loneliness and being single, or the ones about AIDS or suicide), etc.

Every week a new plot, new characters and new emotions. And maybe because of it it worked perfectly! The acting and the writing was superb. The opening titles done by computer was the worst about the show. It seems to have been done by a 7 years old boy. But thanks God, it was only 1 minute.

The show ran for 2 seasons. I vaguely remember the show now but I had the feeling that the second season was a little bit different. Still good but darker in some way. Laughter seemed to be gone forever.

The show is not available yet but I hope someday RTVE decide to show it online on his web page as well as other TV shows that are already available online.

I love cult TV but I'm not a big fan of Spanish TV fiction because most of the shows always has this sense of lack. They usually has a strong cast (all the great actors in Spain has done TV and never have felt ashamed of it because it was made with respect and quality),but sometimes the direction, the writing or the running time was not the best one and there's no comparison with the BBC or Italian TV series. Even if they were shooting on videotape! Of course they are some exceptions but only a few

However Cronicas Urbanas is the only one who really kept me glued to the TV set every week to laugh, cry or just think about that topic. I hope someday many of you have the opportunity to see this little and forgotten gem.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977)

The best of all. The mother of all future sitcoms

[28 August 2006]

I have always enjoyed good TV and nowadays I feel a pleasure to lay down on the sofa and watch a good old TV show instead of "rubbish" stuff. Maybe for that reason I often looks for new shows I've never seen before. One of them was called "La chica de la tele" in Spain (=The girl on TV). I have heard wonderful comments about this show so when it runs again on Spanish TV 30 years after its original transmission, it was my chance to discover the truth.

Oh my, they were right. 30 years later and it still makes me laugh. It was a surprise to see Lou Grant as a comedy role. I am a big fan of Lou Grant series and seeing Ed Asner now was the best present I have received in years.

Buy the DVD's and you won't regret. I just hope Rhoda and Lou Grant also will be released soon

Germans de sang (1996 TV Movie)

Great Catalan version of the English Show

[24 March 2005]

Blood Brothers is in my opinion one of the best musicals of all times. It has everything: a great script, excellent performances and a wonderful music. It is what a real musical is: dialogue and songs. I enjoy also all sing-along musicals (like Lloyd Webber's ones)but for me they are a little bit like pop musicals.

Catalan stage plays are well known to be very good adaptations of the original ones. Even Stephen Sodheim came to Cataluña and exclaimed that the Catalan version of Sweney Todd was the REAL ONE!!!!!!!

Blood Brothers (aka Germans de Sang here) is an excellent play. If you enjoyed the original one and don't mind to listen it in another language you will enjoy it.

Roger Perá and Angels Gonyalons are the big stars of this show.

Sadly, the show was aired only once and not well-know outside Cataluña. But thanks God I have a copy on DVD

Chicago (2002)

Too serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[15 January 2004]

Chicago is not a bad movie... but it suffers from the same problem as Fiddler in the roof. Both plays were so funny in theater. People was laughing all the time. Then, the go to screen and they decide to make it in a serious way. WHY?????? All the funn is lost in this movie. And by the way..........Richard Gere is the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Mother's House (1967)

I saw it when I was a child.........and I still have nightmares

[10/10 · 31 May 2003]

I saw this not-well-known movie when I was a little child. That night I couldn´t sleep believing my mother was going to die. Years later, as a teenager I saw it again......this time I thought I was a mature person and nothing would happen. Big mistake!!!!!!!!!! Another sleepless night!!!!!!!!! At the age of 27 I saw the movie again. This time, I said, I'm going to prove myself it's not gonna shock me as before. Another big mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The movie is shown on TV via TCM Channel (in Astra)every month. I have taped the movie and it's one of my dearest treasures. But it's hard to see it again. Everytime I decide to see it again I know I'm gonna feel so bad that I better not think about it twice! You could think this is some kind of masochism or self-mental-injury...but I don´t think so. Our Mother House is just a brilliant movie. And yes, I also consider it's a gem waiting to be discovered and release in a excellent DVD Special edition. So much has been said about it here. A drama? A horror movie? The loss of childhood?...everything it's true. The movie atmosphere is so dark and blue that you can feel how those children feel. The children do a fine job as well as Dirk Bogarde and Yootha Yoice (the later Mrs. Roper in the cult sitcom Man about the House). I've never read the book but the movie is a must see!!!!!!!!!! As some users say, this is a movie about children...but NOT for children. My own experience taught me that some movies can be traumatic...........But I wonder how the director and actors managed to deal with this story without disturbing the children. Did the children notice what was the story about? Specially in the final scene. A big question I hope can be answered in a future DVD release!!!!!!!!!!! Follow my advice.............get a chance and see it.

El televisor (1974 TV Movie)

A great short

[10/10 · 28 April 2001]

"El televisor" was a special episode of the tv series "historias para no dormir" but it was a flop. This episode was the 1st one in colour and was completely different to previous ones. "El televisor" y "la cabina" are the best examples of the great imagination of Spanish TV in the 70's. It was a pity audiences didn´t appreciate that. As well as in "la cabina", this tv short film ends with a shocking and unexpected ending which leaves us breathless and scared of turning on the tv. This is probably the best Chicho Ibañez Serrador has ever directed. Special mention also to the cast. Not to be missed

Hart to Hart (1979–1984)

An excellent update of "Thin Man" movies

[24 April 2001]

He was a handsome millionaire. She was a well-know journalist. Their hobby was murder. What a beginning! The Harts were, of course, Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. And the show was an update of "Thin Man" movies. But thanks God, plots were better in the show. Behind all that was creator (and best-seller novelist) Sidney Sheldon who also wrote some scripts in the show. The show was excellent, specially for a very good acting and good scripts. And no forget that wonderful sense of humour! Lionel Stander was the housekeeper Max and Freeway (that was also kidnapped in one episode) was Hart's dog. This is one of my favourite 70's crime and mistery show. Better than Charlie's angels, Kojack, Columbo, etc. It had the same kind of magic I found years later with "Remington Steele".

Into the Labyrinth (1981–1982)

I had a great time watching this when I was a child

[1 February 2001]

I really enjoyed every week with the adventures of those 3 children trying to get the "Nilus" (Is it the right name?) and fighting with that wicked witch. The best of all was the travel through the labyrinth. There was something magical about it. I have a good memory about the show and I would like to get a copy of it. Anybody can help?

Man About the House (1973–1976)

One of the best 70's sitcoms

[1 February 2001]

Now the series is 30 years old but it is still funny. I saw it when I was a child and I can still recall the laughters at home. It was the first British tv series thet topped the tv rankings in Spain. And even now, people remember it. Two different situations: upstairs the 3 flat mates, and downstairs the landlord and his wife. The scripts were terrific: both situations fixed perfectly. And what about the actors? all of them were absolutely brilliant, specially my dear Mrs Roper. Oh, yes. Americans made a "remake" that was OK when they copied word by word the original episodes. When they had to create new scripts it became awful and boring. By the way, I always recommend to see any show in its original version, but I must confess that Spanish dubbed version is as good as the original one.

The Krays (1990)

The Kemps are superb!!!

[10/10 · 8 October 1998]

The whole cast are brilliant in their roles, with the Kemps proving that they can definitely act!!! Bravo!