Monday, June 4, 2018

The French Like Jerry Lewis and Science Fiction TV

Living two kilometers from the French border allowed me to see a series of television contrasts. In then 'West' Germany back in the late 1960s and early 1970s there were two German television networks, ZDF and ARD. The rabbit ears also brought in two French networks: four channels in all on our German-made black and white television set.

I remember watching Daktari on German television, along with a mix of other programming. However, French tastes, I'm assuming, allowed me to watch the following science fiction and fantasy dramatic shows:

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
(A childhood favourite....and back in Canada, too; cool submarine and great theme tune.)

The Invaders
(My friends and I would make a game of "The Invaders". We'd do the crooked pinky.)

The Prisoner
(I looked forward to this one every week: the "Rovers" scared me, in a good way.)


... All of the above because I watched a documentary last evening on The Prisoner. (Brilliant series; one of the best ever.)

As for the "Jerry Lewis" part of the title: I haven't seen The Geisha Boy in many years. (Maybe it's time again.)


3 comments:

Unknown said...

Talking of French and German, today I am (a French) am filming the seminar given in Toronto (Wallace Studios) by celeb DOP Dedo Weigert ( a German) who is presenting a new way of using lights. Basically he is setting a 5 point light system using only one source. Technically you split the source into a big reflection, and split the reflection again using three reflectors, then redirect two of the reflector into other points of illumination, so one become three, that is subdivided into two more = 5 sources. A graph would help here. The idea in itself is not new, I've done it on occasion. But what is new, is the Dedolight new line of reflectors. They come in different sizes and are numbered 1 to 5 (if I remember well) and each number gives you a very precise angle of reflection (like 50 degrees or 30 degrees). Dedo set up a demo yesterday, after which I was able to record a one hour sit down interview with the man. Fascinating stories that I will edit later this summer.


Simon St. Laurent said...

This lighting guy would love to see the finished work.

Thanks!

Simon St. Laurent said...

Update:

I've since learned that German television station ZDF started playing The Prisoner in 1969. It's possible it was on that service that I watched the series.