Many thanks, good Wiki folk, for the pic. When I borrowed the schmaltzy and undeserved-Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire on dvd from my favourite local library a few weeks ago, I also picked up a best-of disc of The Goodies.
With infinitely more interesting story lines and infinitely more endearing characters than the nationalistic twaddle that is Chariots of Fire, The Goodies dvd led to hours of discussion (which Goodie did you grow up wanting to be?) and many thigh-slapping, guffawing reminiscences of favourite episodes (mine include any with over-sized domestic animals and Goodies hiding in post boxes).
To my great delight the first episode that unfolded was 'Radio Goodies', where our adventurous trio start a pirate radio station (and pirate postal service based on a complex system of balloons, air rifles and messages in bottles) in a submarine five miles off the coast. It all goes terribly wrong, of course, with Graeme becoming a megalomaniac and Bill and Tim stuck playing one record over and over again (the instrumental 'A Walk in the Black Forest' - noice) until at last the submarine sinks and Graeme's totalitarian despot plans come to a cold and wet end.
At the time I remember thinking 'what ho! A pirate radio station! Ah mercy, those wacky Goodies with their over-active imaginations' but wouldn't you know there really were pirate radio stations broadcasting from boats anchored beyond the five mile limit, bringing rock 'n' roll to the poor music-starved masses on the mainland.
And to my great delight a new film has just been released called The Boat That Rocked about none other than the UK's pirate radio movement! I suspect it will be such a laff I won't know where The Goodies ends and the movie begins.
And now, in the words of pirate radio's greatest DJ:
Tim: "Yes, friends, that was number 1 in The Goodies Hit Parade, and now number 2, and incidentally 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 ... "A Walk in the Black Forest."
7 comments:
I think it was the giant kitty one that had Graeme doing his vampire bat sketch (or any small overly affectionate furry animal) - I loved that one - laughed myself silly - never recovered.
Saw them when Tim and Graeme (and bill pre-recorded) toured the other year (last year?) and Graeme did the vampire bat thing - it was ace. They were really great.
I loved Tim originally and then as I grew older my preference changed to Graeme.
I want to see the Cod one again.
Heh heh - I think they won an award for the giant kitty one... 'Kitten Kong', was it? I can't believe they toured... last year! Really? How marvellous. I can't believe I missed it.
I started out loving Tim as well, then quite late moved on to Bill, and only after this most recent viewing onto Graeme (I don't think I appreciated his mathematical genius as a child). Who would have thought three men and several hundred exploding bunnies could have such lasting appeal ;)
I loved 'The Goodies' when I was a kid. But I saw them on DVD some years ago and it just wasn't the same anymore
I bought family tickets to see 'Monsters V Aliens' on Sunday and the Hoyts woman gave us tickets to 'The Boat that Rocked' instead
That's my reason for not revisiting those tri-coloured wafer biscuits, Squib: I suspect they won't be any where near as delicious as I remember them being from when I was five. I'm just not ready to shoulder the disappointment.
Did you end up seeing 'The Boat That Rocked'? Did Little Squib sit through it?
No, I don't think LS would have liked it. I love Bill Nighy but everyone seems to be saying that it's a bit of a flop
I love Bill Nighy too, Squib. 'The Girl in the Cafe' is my favourite film with him.
I had a vague feeling 'The Boat That Rocked' might be a flop given the photo accompanying the review in the SMH... lots of people dancing in formation on the deck of a ship... Not since 'The Pirates of Penzance'...
The pirate radio one was always my favourite. followed closely by eky-thump.
ad yes, the boat that rocked sucks some serious arse. bad bad bad.. em x
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