Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding in perplexing slo-mo through the glen ... - by Paz
Paz on 9/10/2006 at 23:21
... Robin Hoon, Robin Hood, with his curiously clean band of men.
Yes, it's the BBC's new tea-time Saturday drama series! Obviously I had to watch it, because some insider goth genius had scored the advert with the 1993 version of "Alice" by the Sisters of Mercy (perhaps as some kind of enigmatic songs-about-girls by-reference to the fact that they also have a tune called "Marian" BUT THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY ... or not).
What do we think of this, UK types who saw it? I have ... mixed views.
Problems abound. It has the CURSE OF MODERN PRODUCTION which means a lot of set-pieces have to be shitty versions of stuff you've seen done better in proper films. Slo-mo horseriding, double-take backflips off wooden towers, hyperactive editing - that sort of thing. It seems churlish to land all of this on Robin Hood's door, because it's a wider issue really. Still, it was a bit annoying at times. Especially the ZOOOOSH! arrow sound effect which accompanied the "location: Sherwood Forest" subtitles that popped up every now and again.
The most startling bit of hot-damn-we-have-to-fit-a-lot-in-ery was probably the scene in which Robin and not massively funny sidekick Mutch took a (very) quick trip to see the old sheriff.
ZOOOOOSH! Loxley
Robin: Mutch! We must visit the old sheriff and find out what's going on!
Mutch: (hilarious running gag about being hungry)
ZOOOOOSH! Nottingham
Robin: Hello!
Old Sheriff: Fuck off please.
Marian: Yes, do fuck off!
Robin: But ...
Old Sheriff: Fuck off!
Robin: Oh ok. Hey Marian, you're looking foxy.
ZOOOOOSH! Loxley
Mutch: Well, that wasn't very productive.
Overall, it doesn't really seem to know whether it should play it entirely for laughs (some bits are funny/trying to be funny) or being quite serious (olde English dialogue, Mutch having strange 'nam style trauma flashbacks, people having their hands chopped off). You've got Keith Allen hamming it up big style as the Sheriff - which in general works pretty well, but kind of jars with some of the other bits. Guy of Guisbourne tramps around like an evil, budget version of Sean Bean. Robin himself gives the impression (through the dialogue) of being a grizzled war veteran returning to his estate, but actually is a 17 year old cross between a hobbit and Wayne Rooney ... so that doesn't quite work. There's no Herne the Hunter (maybe later, I guess). Booo.
AND YET. It takes an awful lot to fuck up Robin Hood. I may not entirely agree with his overly libertarian views on taxation, but his views on justice and wealth-redistribution can't be beat! Even in bastardised form, it's a cracking story. Bits of this version show promise and maybe with a bit more time to bed-in and get going it'll start to shine. It was good enough for me to want to give it more of a chance, anyway.
Plus Marian really is quite foxy.
Not nearly as sassy as Maid Marian and Her Merry Men though.
Gillie on 10/10/2006 at 00:30
I had the link.
(
http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/robinhood/index.shtml)
I thought it was better than the "Robin of Sherwood" from the 80's I think.
There was quite a bit of humour in it. "A Hoot". It seems it will be quite good I always liked Robin hood.... It is kind of Thiefy (Like the game).:cool:
Strangeblue on 10/10/2006 at 03:37
help... I need oxygen....
scumble on 10/10/2006 at 08:51
Quote Posted by Paz
I may not entirely agree with his overly libertarian views on taxation, but his views on justice and wealth-redistribution can't be beat!
I've not heard that Robin Hood allegedly had "libertarian" views on taxation - what he effectively advocates is taxing the rich to help the poor. When you consider exactly how the rich in those days got rich (in a fairly post-feudal England) it makes a fair bit of sense. Well, just a thought, but your average vulgar libertarian would be generally satisfied to see Robin "justly" caught as a thief.
Anyway, perhaps there's something about the old story that I don't know...
OnionBob on 10/10/2006 at 08:58
Thanks for the report Paz, you've said a lot of things I wanted to say about this.
To me it looked like the camera operator had never operated a camera before. There were tons of Kill Bill vol 2 style (and thus 70s kung fu movie style) dodgy, accidental-looking last-minute zooms and people's heads are constantly cut off. It was pretty excrutiating but Keith Allen was pretty fun, if clichéd to fuck. Dunno if I'll keep up with it.
ilweran on 10/10/2006 at 12:42
I spent a few hours on Saturday watching Jason Connery in Robin of Sherwood- not that I will ever accept him as Robin over Michael Praed :rolleyes: .
I then found the new Robin Hood was on, watched it and wondered how it seemed so bad compared to something from the 1980's. They all look like they're in a boyband, they even dress like they're in a boyband.
Paz on 10/10/2006 at 14:11
Quote Posted by scumble
I've not heard that Robin Hood allegedly had "libertarian" views on taxation
In this one he does! (at least in this episode)
He asked Sheriff Allen for an immediate end to all taxation in order to boost the cash in the pockets of YE STINKY SERFS; which in turn would regenerate prosperity at the (crumbling) marketplace - because people would have money to spend again. Rather than the continued bleeding dry of the entire community to fund the king's war/Sheriff Allen's bird fetish, which meant everyone was broke and starving. It seemed like a wacky mix of trickle-down economics and outright libertarian hijinx.
It was also quite a good idea really, in that context. The factors were quite simplistic though, this being a tea-time drama series.
Haegan on 10/10/2006 at 14:15
Quote Posted by Paz
Especially the ZOOOOSH! arrow sound effect which accompanied the "location: Sherwood Forest" subtitles that popped up every now and again.
Amen!
Gestalt on 10/10/2006 at 15:07
Isn't having Robin Hood advocate trickle-down economics sort of like having him speak out on gun control?
