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Sapphire and Steel


Vladd

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All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.

 

For a series that was on an obviously limited budget this was a very eerie set of stories. Nicely played by both Joanna Lumley and David McCallum.

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I love Sapphire and Steel! It was sooo scary (I think I was only about 7 or 8 when I first watched). Anyway, I bought the DVD boxset last year and it pretty much lived up to my memories of it. Yeah, some of the effects are ropey, but they were pretty good for what was available at the time.

 

Before I rewatched it, I had some fairly vague memories of eerie whistling on a station platform, children chanting Ring a Ring of Roses and some creepy photographs. When I rewatched the episodes I was still absolutely horrified by the bit where

the people are trapped in the photo and it gets burnt.

 

 

David McCallum and Joanna Lumley are great, especially McCallum's cold efficiency. Some episodes are a bit dragged out but on the whole I would certainly recommend it. :)

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Even though I've only ever seen the one book by P.J. Hammond, there was a rumor circulating back in the early nineties that other stories begun as scripts (though never filmed) could possibly be released. I haven't had the courage to listen to the Big Finish audio dramas for fear they might be less than brilliant, but it seems there is very little in the way of merchandise for such an innovative and intellectual show.

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but it seems there is very little in the way of merchandise for such an innovative and intellectual show.

 

It was such a pity that Central TV couldn't see a future for this series. I guess there was no room for innovation and intellect in their programming.

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  • 3 years later...

I really want to watch some of these, but I'm not sure whether to try the YouTube versions, or buy the boxset. As someone who is loving the classic Doctor Who, these seem appealing. If I go for DVD though, my 9 year old will want to watch me - do you think she'd find them scary?

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I started watching Assignment 1 last night, and finished it this morning - wow! I love the fact that it was set just in the house, with a limited cast, it made it feel very claustrophobic and creepy. I wasn't keen on the young girl's acting, and Lead was a bit over the top, but otherwise brilliant!

 

BigWords, according to a thread on another forum, the audios are supposed to be very good. 

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This is one my list to buy. Sapphire and Steel were awesome. I can't wait to hear what you think of the Railway Station story Michelle. That frightened me half to death as a kid.

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Assignment 2 (aka The Railway Station) finished today - I'm going to put my thoughts in a spoiler, in case anyone else is thinking of watching these for the first time:

 

 

I did actually feel this one was a little too long, and would have been better over 6 episodes, but it was very atmospheric. I didn't particularly find it scary for the most part, to me it was more of a traditional ghost story, and I preferred the mystery of the missing parents in the 1st one. I did find it quite sad though, discovering the various soldier's stories.

 

It did get very chilling when Sapphire absorbed the darkness - I had read about the black eyes, so was in a way expecting it, but it was still very disturbing! I can imagine the affect it had when not expected. Her face change was scary too - all the better for being fast, such a quick glimpse made it more effective.

 

 

I've read that Assignment 3 seems to be everyone's least favourite, but I'm still looking forward to it. I think I'm going to be very sad when I've finished these.

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