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Global Telly Talk
General TV
SoapLand - The Battles
The Phone Calls - The Result
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<blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 137467" data-attributes="member: 23"><p><strong>1. Abby’s Midnight Caller</strong></p><p><strong><em>Knots Landing</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>“They’re being placed in a good home. As you requested.”</em></p><p><em>[MEDIA=youtube]YuUi9shHMdY[/MEDIA]</em></p><p></p><p>Late at night, on the evening of Valene’s twins' "stillbirth", Abby is contacted by a mystery caller clinically requesting “the father’s blood type” which is “essential for the paperwork”.</p><p></p><p>The staging of the phone call is wonderful. It’s one long, single shot which begins wide so we see Abby curled up on the sofa from a slightly distant and objective viewpoint. Then the camera slowly moves in while also subtly changing angle. The overall effect is of the room itself beginning to float away into the shadows of the dimly lit room. As the camera gets tighter and tighter we have a unique opportunity to see the wheels turning in Abby’s mind as she processes the information given to her by the Vito Corleone soundalike and puts the pieces together. At the same time, we're processing the same conversation in our own way. In other words, we are completely in that moment with her.</p><p></p><p>As the truth dawns on both Abby and viewer, the room’s two sources of light - the lamp’s glow and the tongues of flame from the fire - appear behind Abby, one over each shoulder like the proverbial angel and devil, with Abby caught in between the two. Intended or not (I like to think it was), it perfectly suggests the situation in which Abby now finds herself. She’s gone from confusion to irritation a flicker of relief and then horror. By the end of the scene, we’re in a tight close up of Abby’s face and we've been drawn into a state of pure subjectivity. It’s for the viewer to surmise what Abby may be thinking and feeling about her newfound knowledge. The only certainties are that she’s already up to her neck in it and whatever she does with the information will only get her even deeper into the mire.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>2. Diana tries to phone home</strong></p><p><strong><em>Knots Landing</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>“Mommy, it’s me..”</em></p><p><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fI4fXvKMUms/WD-S5lJ6WGI/AAAAAAAABNU/NOxrS3_XNyUvfXZzEokOCkyPBaJqRDCxACLcB/s1600/Fugitives.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><em>Knots’s</em> very own Patty Hearst attempts to contact her family from a diner while her captor is just out of sight. I found this an excitingly suspenseful scene the first time I watched, and somehow knowing what’s coming on repeat viewings has only added to the excitement.</p><p></p><p>Diana excuses herself, Chip watches her go into the ladies' room but doesn’t see her come back out and and sneak to the phone booth which is dangerously close to him. Every second counts as she dials the number. Rotary phones are the best for these scenes. Especially when there’s a “7” “8” or “9”, which takes forever to get back into place. I think there are several here. She fumbles with coins. Then we cut to Karen’s phone ringing. Except we have to wait. Because the police need to get a trace. And there’s a price to pay for those crucial seconds that goes way beyond the $1.20.</p><p></p><p>Bonus points here for Karen’s less-than-Pollyannic commentary about telecommunications. First she criticises the “hi-tech garbage" taking up half her living room and then she brutally destroys it with her bare hands. I may be wrong, but my theory is that subconsciously she had to do it because it clashed with her decor.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>3. Greg learns of his wife’s death</strong></p><p><strong><em>Knots Landing</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>“It’s just you and me.”</em></p><p></p><p><em>Knots</em> ends its one hundred and ninety ninth episode with a quiet scene in which Bill Devane listens impassively to an unheard voice at the end of the line, before gently breaking the news to his equally quiet daughter... and to us. The news is big, but it’s the understatement which brings this home and makes it truly heartbreaking.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>4. Miss Ellie’s world is rocked</strong></p><p><strong><em>Dallas</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>“They say that Jock is dead...”</em></p><p><em><img src="https://dallasdecoder.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/dallas-scene-of-the-day-barbecue-two-copy.jpg?w=610" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></em></p><p></p><p>The <em>Dallas</em> landscape would never be the same again. The audience knew this was on the cards, but everyone involved gives it their all and it's to the strength of the series. Barbara Bel Geddes wrings pure emotion from her few words as only a stage actor can and in those moments art imitates life in the best way possible.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>5. Krystle phones home and the former Mrs Carrington answers</strong></p><p><strong><em>Dynasty</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>“No answer. Well, at least it wasn’t one of those heavy breathers.”</em></p><p><img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nHTxEtI0YSY/hqdefault.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Krystle misunderstands and sobs into her fur. Alexis relishes the moment and sees no need to spoil a fun situation with boring facts. Blake wears a beige cardigan and thinks about pouring himself a drink.</p><p></p><p>The dynamic between <em>Dynasty’s</em> big three would hit very similar notes episode after episode; season after season, but this first time out actually <em>meant</em> something. Kind of.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mel O'Drama, post: 137467, member: 23"] [B]1. Abby’s Midnight Caller [I]Knots Landing[/I][/B] [I]“They’re being placed in a good home. As you requested.” [MEDIA=youtube]YuUi9shHMdY[/MEDIA][/I] Late at night, on the evening of Valene’s twins' "stillbirth", Abby is contacted by a mystery caller clinically requesting “the father’s blood type” which is “essential for the paperwork”. The staging of the phone call is wonderful. It’s one long, single shot which begins wide so we see Abby curled up on the sofa from a slightly distant and objective viewpoint. Then the camera slowly moves in while also subtly changing angle. The overall effect is of the room itself beginning to float away into the shadows of the dimly lit room. As the camera gets tighter and tighter we have a unique opportunity to see the wheels turning in Abby’s mind as she processes the information given to her by the Vito Corleone soundalike and puts the pieces together. At the same time, we're processing the same conversation in our own way. In other words, we are completely in that moment with her. As the truth dawns on both Abby and viewer, the room’s two sources of light - the lamp’s glow and the tongues of flame from the fire - appear behind Abby, one over each shoulder like the proverbial angel and devil, with Abby caught in between the two. Intended or not (I like to think it was), it perfectly suggests the situation in which Abby now finds herself. She’s gone from confusion to irritation a flicker of relief and then horror. By the end of the scene, we’re in a tight close up of Abby’s face and we've been drawn into a state of pure subjectivity. It’s for the viewer to surmise what Abby may be thinking and feeling about her newfound knowledge. The only certainties are that she’s already up to her neck in it and whatever she does with the information will only get her even deeper into the mire. [B]2. Diana tries to phone home [I]Knots Landing[/I][/B] [I]“Mommy, it’s me..”[/I] [IMG]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fI4fXvKMUms/WD-S5lJ6WGI/AAAAAAAABNU/NOxrS3_XNyUvfXZzEokOCkyPBaJqRDCxACLcB/s1600/Fugitives.jpg[/IMG] [I]Knots’s[/I] very own Patty Hearst attempts to contact her family from a diner while her captor is just out of sight. I found this an excitingly suspenseful scene the first time I watched, and somehow knowing what’s coming on repeat viewings has only added to the excitement. Diana excuses herself, Chip watches her go into the ladies' room but doesn’t see her come back out and and sneak to the phone booth which is dangerously close to him. Every second counts as she dials the number. Rotary phones are the best for these scenes. Especially when there’s a “7” “8” or “9”, which takes forever to get back into place. I think there are several here. She fumbles with coins. Then we cut to Karen’s phone ringing. Except we have to wait. Because the police need to get a trace. And there’s a price to pay for those crucial seconds that goes way beyond the $1.20. Bonus points here for Karen’s less-than-Pollyannic commentary about telecommunications. First she criticises the “hi-tech garbage" taking up half her living room and then she brutally destroys it with her bare hands. I may be wrong, but my theory is that subconsciously she had to do it because it clashed with her decor. [B]3. Greg learns of his wife’s death [I]Knots Landing[/I][/B] [I]“It’s just you and me.”[/I] [I]Knots[/I] ends its one hundred and ninety ninth episode with a quiet scene in which Bill Devane listens impassively to an unheard voice at the end of the line, before gently breaking the news to his equally quiet daughter... and to us. The news is big, but it’s the understatement which brings this home and makes it truly heartbreaking. [B]4. Miss Ellie’s world is rocked [I]Dallas[/I][/B] [I]“They say that Jock is dead...” [IMG]https://dallasdecoder.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/dallas-scene-of-the-day-barbecue-two-copy.jpg?w=610[/IMG][/I] The [I]Dallas[/I] landscape would never be the same again. The audience knew this was on the cards, but everyone involved gives it their all and it's to the strength of the series. Barbara Bel Geddes wrings pure emotion from her few words as only a stage actor can and in those moments art imitates life in the best way possible. [B]5. Krystle phones home and the former Mrs Carrington answers [I]Dynasty[/I][/B] [I]“No answer. Well, at least it wasn’t one of those heavy breathers.”[/I] [IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nHTxEtI0YSY/hqdefault.jpg[/IMG] Krystle misunderstands and sobs into her fur. Alexis relishes the moment and sees no need to spoil a fun situation with boring facts. Blake wears a beige cardigan and thinks about pouring himself a drink. The dynamic between [I]Dynasty’s[/I] big three would hit very similar notes episode after episode; season after season, but this first time out actually [I]meant[/I] something. Kind of. [/QUOTE]
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Global Telly Talk
General TV
SoapLand - The Battles
The Phone Calls - The Result
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