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| Photo by TERRY O'NEILL |
Hey, where on earth does the time go? In 1991-'92, VAN der VALK, starring BARRY FOSTER as the Dutch detective, was revived for two new series of two-hour episodes, and to me, it seemed like an inordinate amount of time had passed since the third of the original three series was last seen (repeats aside) on TV back in 1977. (The first two series of one hour episodes were broadcast in 1972 and '73.) So 14 years had elapsed, and because I hadn't seen the show since I was a teenager, it felt like quite a significant proportion of my life.
The '91-'92 series still seems relatively recent to me, so the realisation that it's nearly 30 years ago is a real punch in the gut. Hell's bells, I'm ancient. And now the series is back, starring MARC WARREN, but location aside, feels and looks nothing like the original version. Reports in some newspapers claimed that the original theme had been jettisoned, but there's actually a hint of it intertwined with the new one. I watched the first episode but wasn't too impressed, and I couldn't help thinking it's a shame Barry Foster wasn't still around to play the current incarnation's father, which would've given the new show a bit of much-needed authenticity.
It's not a new idea. Apparently, when IAN OGILVY took on the role of The SAINT back in the late '70s, LEW GRADE approached ROGER MOORE to play his father, the original SIMON TEMPLAR, who would've appeared at the beginning and ending of each episode. (So Ogilvy would have been Son of The Saint, which was the proposed title had Lew been able to persuade big Rog to return.) Roger knocked it back, reportedly on the grounds that his then current commitment to the BOND franchise wouldn't facilitate his involvement, but I suspect he just didn't want to risk compromising the public's acceptance of him as 007.
Anyway, I'll give the new incarnation another go, though the shadow of Barry Foster looms large, but full credit to Marc Warren for being brave enough to try stepping into Foster's shoes. And remember, Van der Valk is a policeman so that's mighty big shoes to fill. Whether he succeeds or not remains to be seen.
Anyone remember the original show? I know that many Crivs of a certain age will readily recall the theme tune, EYE LEVEL, by The SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA, but what about the show itself? Any reminiscences you'd care to share will be made very welcome in the comments section, so get those typing fingers out now.
Marc Warren is way too small to play a Dutchman. They have the highest average height in the world and he always looks shorter than everyone else in Hustle.
ReplyDeleteBarry Foster was only around 5 foot six or seven though, DS. And the average of anything is never truly representative of most people.
ReplyDeleteI had completely forgotten Eye Level was from a tv show! I absolutely remember the tune was a big hit.
ReplyDeleteI bought the single decades ago, PS. Still got it too.
ReplyDeleteMy earliest viewings of Van der Valk were the filmed series that Euston Films put out in the 70s, prior to later research I was unaware of the earlier videotape series or the later specials in the early 90s. I now have all of these in a massive set collected together by Network DVD. Even though I can now watch any episode of the series whenever I want, and I have dipped into those at both ends of the show's timeline, I find that the filmed ones that I saw back in the 70s are the ones most revisited.
ReplyDeleteThat theme music takes me right back to what must have been the late 70s here, late at night with the lights off watching each new episode and the title sequence with Barry driving around giving a wave to his mates along the way. I have the new episodes but have yet to check 'em out.
I've now seen two episodes of the new version, PC, and found them pretty unremarkable. Not that they're bad as such, but they just don't seem like Van der Valk to me. They could've been shot in South London for all the difference Holland makes to them (apart from the nice scenery). And not to use the original theme is the biggest crime committed. It's like casting a new Bond then not using the James Bond theme. Let me know what you think of them when you've watched them.
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