11 posts tagged “1978”

I had a meeting earlier today and this TV show came to mind, which I suggested to the person I was chatting to (she might have been a bit young to remember):

What is the first movie you saw in the the theatre?

Believe it or not, it was A Bridge Too Far. I hate war.
   As far as I can recall, we were new émigrés in New Zealand and with no one to look after me, my parents had to take me along to the cinema when invited by a relative. It was a late session as well and the movie bored the crap out of me. To this day I still despise war films (not to mention war itself).
   My second movie was either Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (very good stuff to a kid) or another gritty adult drama which was shown in my school’s hall, The Taxi Driver (not Scorsese, but a Hong Kong movie, 的士大佬, released a year before the US film). The latter was very violent and was only interesting then for its glimpse of life back “home”, in an age before video cassettes and long before Chinese cinema became mainstream in the west.
   Films took ages to make it out here, so the 1975 film, The Taxi Driver, would have been shown around 1978.
   The whole thing can be viewed on Youku, the Chinese version of YouTube that seems to be the home to a lot of pirated videos. The original, however, was in Cantonese. I glanced at a few minutes to refresh my memory that this was the right film, and sure enough, it was. I fast forwarded to the middle and there was a bunch of men beating the crap out of each other. As stupid today as it was in the 1970s, but this time I know it’s a movie with sound effects.

Show us a fictional character that you have been a fan of since your childhood.
Submitted by Jack Yan.

That’s two Vox Hunts from yours truly this week. Since I wrote it, I should answer it.

Ian Ogilvy as Simon Templar, with Jaguar XJ-S

   This chap would have to qualify, being the Saint I grew up with, rather than Roger Moore. I’m pretty sure that Leslie Charteris, the Singaporean-born Leslie Bowyer-Yin, intended Simon Templar to be a Chinese bloke, but just as I didn’t blink when the cinematic Felix Leiter went from a white Texan to an African–American in the James Bond films, so what if a Caucasian is the Saint?
   Since then I have seen all the colour Roger Moore episodes and read many of Charteris’s stories. I even saw the pilot where Australian actor, Andrew Clarke, played a Templar-with-a-mo, as well as the Val Kilmer movie which tried to get back to the literary character, with Simon Templar’s numerous aliases.

Let’s compare these Life on Mars casts:

Life on Mars original cast

Cast photo

2 comments

Life on Mars US second cast

La chica de ayer cast

I searched for this online years ago and could not find it. Finally, it’s on YouTube. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the British version of ‘You’re the One that I Want’, written by John Farrar, but lyrics slightly modified from the original. (I could have lied and said I travelled to the future and found a video of Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta from 2050 in a Grease remake.)

Here’s another car some of you may remember from Autocade—and for American readers, you may have even had one, or had a friend who owned one as a first car.
   Developed by Chrysler Europe and also adapted for the US, it was supposedly a “world car”, though it never sold in the Asia–Pacific (other than French territories) and the parts between the European and American editions weren’t even interchangeable. But it was a good entry-level model for Chrysler US for many years, even if it was based on an ancient (albeit lengthened and widened) Simca 1100 floorpan from the 1960s. European buyers loved it initially, especially after a Car of the Year win for 1978–9, then realized there were more modern and less rust-prone small cars around.

Chrysler–Simca Horizon/Chrysler Horizon (C2/L-body). 1977–9 (prod. 430,225 incl. all of 1979, incl. Talbot). 5-door saloon. F/F, 1118, 1294, 1442 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. OHV). In many ways a rebodied Simca 1100, but despite dated origins on widened and lengthened floorpan, still voted European Car of the Year 1978–9. Fairly good handling and ride, but less than competent steering and on the heavy side. Certainly not an all-rounder as award might have suggested. Attractive styling from Chrysler’s Whitley centre under Roy Axe, similar to Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. Simca name used only on Continent: car was always Chrysler Horizon in UK from its 1978 launch. Early appearance of a trip computer on this model. Rebadged Talbot–Simca in July 1979 on the Continent; simply Talbot in UK.

Dodge Omni (L-body). 1978–90 (prod. unknown). 5-door sedan. F/F, 1594, 1716, 2212 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). North American version of Chrysler–Simca Horizon, developed in UK and France initially. US version ultimately had little in common with European models aside from overall styling due to adaptation to local tastes. Considered fashionable at the beginning and acknowledged as the first response to Volkswagen Golf by a US Big Four automaker. Softer riding than most competitors in the 1970s, with inferior handling. Spun off a coupé model called the 024 in 1979 (covered separately), which in turn spun off a pick-up truck. Turbo GLH and GLH-S models offered 1984–6. Sold on entry-level price, low equipment level and America model tag (Expo in Canada) from 1987 to 1989. Airbag added in final year. Twinned with Plymouth Horizon of these years.
 

Plymouth Horizon. 1978–90 (prod. unknown). 5-door sedan. F/F, 1594, 1716, 2212 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). Virtual clone of Dodge Omni, save for trim and badging, and most comments for that model apply here. Similar to Chrysler–Simca Horizon in looks. Coupé model called TC3 (covered separately) rather than 024. Plymouths were aimed less at a sporting audience, so Horizon missed out on GLH and GLH-S variants. Otherwise, Horizon went through the same model cycles, including the 1987–9 America and gained an airbag for 1990.
 

Talbot–Simca Horizon (C2/L-body). 1979 (prod. 222,296 for all of 1979). 5-door saloon. F/F, 1118, 1294, 1442 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV). With Peugeot taking over Chrysler Europe’s operations, old Chrysler models were renamed Talbot from July 1979. Chrysler–Simca Horizon became Talbot–Simca Horizon till the end of the year on the Continent, with some models even featuring the old Chrysler pentastar badge. Comments for Chrysler model apply; for later models, see Talbot Horizon, which this car became in 1980.
 

Talbot Horizon (C2/L-body). 1979–87 (prod. 842,078 all types, including Chrysler; 418,634 in UK and France only, 1980–5; 150,000 approx. UK only, 1980–5). 5-door saloon. F/F, 1118, 1294, 1442, 1592 cm³ petrol, 1905 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHV). Renamed version of Chrysler–Simca Horizon, known briefly as the Talbot–Simca Horizon from July 1979 to the end of that year on the Continent, and similar in style to Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon though sharing few parts. Talbot Horizon in UK from July 1979 changeover, as Simca brand not used there for this model. Fairly good handling and ride for the era, though criticized for steering and weight, and body corrosion common on earlier models. Equipment and quality improved through 1980s. Despite a good run from its European Car of the Year win in 1978, the rot was setting in for the 1980s as better competition emerged. Series II models from 1981. Diesel from 1982. UK and French production ceased 1985, but Finnish production continued to 1987.   

This is more groovy than a roller-skating date with Olivia Newton-John, having a fondue party or getting Erik Estrada to give you a signed helmet.

Ford Falcon Hardtop (XC)

What fictional character do you relate to most and why?

Let’s see: what Chinese fictional character had to operate in the west, deal to the establishment, drive a rare two-door car, impersonate others, and have his adventures chronicled?
   Simon Templar.
   Pity he was always played by Caucasians on the screen, but I always thought he was Chinese, since his creator was. A new pilot is being made now, which, inter alia, Sir Roger Moore and his son Geoffrey are producing.

More news is emerging on the American remake of Life on Mars, which may come in the fall break there on ABC.
   But here’s the humdinger. Should we get ready for blog commenters who say Spaniards always mess up British shows though? From Variety:

Spanish terrestrial broadcaster Antena 3 TV will reversion the BBC’s high concept cop drama "Life on Mars," transferring the action from Manchester to Madrid.
   This pioneering remake of a U.K. TV fiction series for Spain, tentatively titled “Vida en Marte,” will be produced in 2008 and aired next year in primetime.

   It’s to be set in 1978. No word yet on the character names but you can be Santos Tyler and Geraldo Hunt won’t be them. But 1978—will they dash around in a Chrysler 150, 180 or Seat 132?