Latest news with #TheProfessionals
Sydney Morning Herald
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
10 iconic films that are finally streaming in Australia
I have a ritual when a new streaming service launches in Australia: I try to find the oldest movie available. Mostly I am disappointed. Classic Hollywood movies, very broadly from the introduction of the 'talkies' in the late 1920s through to late 1960s, are deeply under-represented in the streaming age (and other cinematic cultures, such as Japan or France, are essentially non-existent). Loading Timeless filmmaking just isn't a priority for commercial streaming services. If you search on Netflix, for example, the oldest movies in their 'classics' section are just two Hollywood releases from the 1960s – the 1966 western The Professionals and the 1969 counterculture salvo Easy Rider. Calling that minute selection tokenistic would be generous. But when Max launched at the start of this month I finally found satisfaction. Among the assets of Max's parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, is Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Launched in 1994 as a cable channel by media mogul Ted Turner, TCM holds the rights to significant Hollywood feature film libraries. TCM has its own hub on Max, debuting in Australia with approximately 100 initial titles and plans to add more. That number is just a drop in the ocean, but it's still a promising start and a terrific collection in itself. Whether you're unfamiliar with classic Hollywood movies or rediscovering the long unavailable works of iconic stars and celebrated directors, there's already much to enjoy on TCM. Here are 10 recommendations to get you under way. An American in Paris (1951) Culminating in a magical 17-minute dance sequence where stars Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron high-step their way through 44 different sets, this stylised Hollywood musical was a best picture winner at the Academy Awards. With Kelly as the expatriate artist caught between a wealthy older woman (Nina Foch) and an ingenue (Caron), the story is familiar, but every technical aspect is inspired, and the stars give off sparks. For fans of: La La Land. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) Fresh from Broadway, Mike Nichols captured every lacerating verbal blow in his adaptation of Edward Albee's play about sparring married adversaries (Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton) who bring a younger couple (George Segal and Sandy Dennis) into their alcohol-soaked world of mutual torment and shattered illusions. Marriage is a crucible in this chamber piece where every edge cuts to the bone. For fans of: Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects. Rebel Without a Cause (1955) The film that invented the teenager. 'That's a new disease,' Natalie Wood's high school student Judy notes after meeting James Dean's disaffected fellow student, Jim. Nicholas Ray's potent melodrama turns the coming-of-age tale into a troubled quest to stay afloat amidst parental condemnation and exploitative peers. Dean's brooding performance is the definition of iconic. For fans of: The O.C., Heartbreak High. Dial M for Murder (1954) This knotty crime thriller, which boasts a fascinating and unexpected performance from Grace Kelly, is generally not considered a top-tier Alfred Hitchcock film, but the film's mordant humour and sharply visual storytelling have aged exceptionally well. Ray Milland's cold-hearted former professional athlete plots to have his unfaithful wife (Kelly) murdered to get the insurance money, but his plan goes awry. For fans of: Killing Eve, Fargo. Loading Adam's Rib (1949) Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were one of Hollywood's great screen couples, and this pithy, prescient romantic-comedy about married New York lawyers on either side of a hot-button case involving adultery is a standout collaboration. George Cukor's direction leans into the high-spirited, making for a battle of the sexes that highlights the feisty, fertile dynamic between the two leads. For fans of: LA Law, Suits. A Clockwork Orange (1971) Withdrawn from circulation for decades following controversy about its subject and copycat crimes upon release, Stanley Kubrick's dystopian drama about the criminal journey of a bored British teenager (Malcolm McDowell's Alex) is the director indulging both his cold eye for violence and a satirical approach that is particularly uncompromising. The crime comes with punishment (and plenty of Beethoven), as Kubrick works over the audience's sympathies. For fans of: Fight Club. Gaslight (1944) Yes, it's the movie that inspired the now much-used term. Ingrid Bergman plays a wife psychologically tormented by her gold-digging husband (Charles Boyer), who uses false accusations, conniving interpretations and blanket denials to dislodge her sanity. Marital bliss is a cruel illusion in this mix of noir menace and haunted house unease, and Bergman gives a full-blooded performance as a woman taken to her absolute limits. Ninotchka (1939) This witty, urbane screwball comedy where personal pleasure proves too much for state ideology has a timeless appeal. Greta Garbo, the sternest of Hollywood leading ladies, plays a Soviet commissar sent to Paris to fix a trade deal gone awry. But she comes up against a charmingly dissolute Russian exile (Melvyn Douglas), whose attempts to sabotage her mission turns into a livewire romantic attraction. Loading For fans of: Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls. The Maltese Falcon (1941) In the legendary John Huston's directorial debut, Humphrey Bogart plays Sam Spade, a San Francisco private eye who gets caught up in the murderous competition between rivals pursuing the priceless titular artifact. It's a tight, coolly executed crime thriller, with a memorable supporting cast of nefarious contenders, each of whom is open to negotiation and a double-cross. Greed's corrupting force has rarely been so entertaining. For fans of: Perry Mason. The Searchers (1956) TCM has some excellent westerns, but I can't go past John Ford's compelling collaboration with John Wayne, which took the leading man's stoic heroism and turned it into vengeful self-loathing. Wayne plays a Civil War veteran whose niece (once again, Natalie Wood) is kidnapped by Native Americans – he spends years in a brutal pursuit, even as his motivation darkens. The final shot is an all-time heartbreaker.
The Age
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
10 iconic films that are finally streaming in Australia
I have a ritual when a new streaming service launches in Australia: I try to find the oldest movie available. Mostly I am disappointed. Classic Hollywood movies, very broadly from the introduction of the 'talkies' in the late 1920s through to late 1960s, are deeply under-represented in the streaming age (and other cinematic cultures, such as Japan or France, are essentially non-existent). Loading Timeless filmmaking just isn't a priority for commercial streaming services. If you search on Netflix, for example, the oldest movies in their 'classics' section are just two Hollywood releases from the 1960s – the 1966 western The Professionals and the 1969 counterculture salvo Easy Rider. Calling that minute selection tokenistic would be generous. But when Max launched at the start of this month I finally found satisfaction. Among the assets of Max's parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, is Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Launched in 1994 as a cable channel by media mogul Ted Turner, TCM holds the rights to significant Hollywood feature film libraries. TCM has its own hub on Max, debuting in Australia with approximately 100 initial titles and plans to add more. That number is just a drop in the ocean, but it's still a promising start and a terrific collection in itself. Whether you're unfamiliar with classic Hollywood movies or rediscovering the long unavailable works of iconic stars and celebrated directors, there's already much to enjoy on TCM. Here are 10 recommendations to get you under way. An American in Paris (1951) Culminating in a magical 17-minute dance sequence where stars Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron high-step their way through 44 different sets, this stylised Hollywood musical was a best picture winner at the Academy Awards. With Kelly as the expatriate artist caught between a wealthy older woman (Nina Foch) and an ingenue (Caron), the story is familiar, but every technical aspect is inspired, and the stars give off sparks. For fans of: La La Land. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) Fresh from Broadway, Mike Nichols captured every lacerating verbal blow in his adaptation of Edward Albee's play about sparring married adversaries (Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton) who bring a younger couple (George Segal and Sandy Dennis) into their alcohol-soaked world of mutual torment and shattered illusions. Marriage is a crucible in this chamber piece where every edge cuts to the bone. For fans of: Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects. Rebel Without a Cause (1955) The film that invented the teenager. 'That's a new disease,' Natalie Wood's high school student Judy notes after meeting James Dean's disaffected fellow student, Jim. Nicholas Ray's potent melodrama turns the coming-of-age tale into a troubled quest to stay afloat amidst parental condemnation and exploitative peers. Dean's brooding performance is the definition of iconic. For fans of: The O.C., Heartbreak High. Dial M for Murder (1954) This knotty crime thriller, which boasts a fascinating and unexpected performance from Grace Kelly, is generally not considered a top-tier Alfred Hitchcock film, but the film's mordant humour and sharply visual storytelling have aged exceptionally well. Ray Milland's cold-hearted former professional athlete plots to have his unfaithful wife (Kelly) murdered to get the insurance money, but his plan goes awry. For fans of: Killing Eve, Fargo. Loading Adam's Rib (1949) Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were one of Hollywood's great screen couples, and this pithy, prescient romantic-comedy about married New York lawyers on either side of a hot-button case involving adultery is a standout collaboration. George Cukor's direction leans into the high-spirited, making for a battle of the sexes that highlights the feisty, fertile dynamic between the two leads. For fans of: LA Law, Suits. A Clockwork Orange (1971) Withdrawn from circulation for decades following controversy about its subject and copycat crimes upon release, Stanley Kubrick's dystopian drama about the criminal journey of a bored British teenager (Malcolm McDowell's Alex) is the director indulging both his cold eye for violence and a satirical approach that is particularly uncompromising. The crime comes with punishment (and plenty of Beethoven), as Kubrick works over the audience's sympathies. For fans of: Fight Club. Gaslight (1944) Yes, it's the movie that inspired the now much-used term. Ingrid Bergman plays a wife psychologically tormented by her gold-digging husband (Charles Boyer), who uses false accusations, conniving interpretations and blanket denials to dislodge her sanity. Marital bliss is a cruel illusion in this mix of noir menace and haunted house unease, and Bergman gives a full-blooded performance as a woman taken to her absolute limits. Ninotchka (1939) This witty, urbane screwball comedy where personal pleasure proves too much for state ideology has a timeless appeal. Greta Garbo, the sternest of Hollywood leading ladies, plays a Soviet commissar sent to Paris to fix a trade deal gone awry. But she comes up against a charmingly dissolute Russian exile (Melvyn Douglas), whose attempts to sabotage her mission turns into a livewire romantic attraction. Loading For fans of: Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls. The Maltese Falcon (1941) In the legendary John Huston's directorial debut, Humphrey Bogart plays Sam Spade, a San Francisco private eye who gets caught up in the murderous competition between rivals pursuing the priceless titular artifact. It's a tight, coolly executed crime thriller, with a memorable supporting cast of nefarious contenders, each of whom is open to negotiation and a double-cross. Greed's corrupting force has rarely been so entertaining. For fans of: Perry Mason. The Searchers (1956) TCM has some excellent westerns, but I can't go past John Ford's compelling collaboration with John Wayne, which took the leading man's stoic heroism and turned it into vengeful self-loathing. Wayne plays a Civil War veteran whose niece (once again, Natalie Wood) is kidnapped by Native Americans – he spends years in a brutal pursuit, even as his motivation darkens. The final shot is an all-time heartbreaker.
Telegraph
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘Like Upstairs Downstairs with pheromones': how Britain fell in love with Dempsey and Makepeace
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the classic 1980s British TV cop drama Dempsey and Makepeace. The series starred South African-born actress Glynis Barber as the aristocratic, Cambridge-educated Detective Sergeant Harriet 'Harry' Makepeace opposite Brooklyn-born actor Michael Brandon's tough, brash, impetuous and often trigger-happy New York cop Lieutenant James Dempsey. With Dempsey having been seconded to the Met in order to lay low in London for his own protection after exposing NYPD corruption, the series followed the ostensibly mismatched crime-fighting duo who, despite their initial reservations, developed a fulfilling working relationship, and in so doing rid the capital of nefarious thieves, murderers and terrorists with a heady mixture of sass, humour and uncompromising action. With Chief Superintendent Spikings (played with irascible charm by Welsh actor Ray Smith) heading up the (imaginary) elite Met unit S1-10 and Scottish stalwart Tony Osoba as reliable desk jockey Sergeant Chas Jarvis, Dempsey and Makepeace enjoyed a strong cast, as well as quintessentially 80s sartorial styles and memorably explosive music composed by Alan Parker. The show was written and created by Scottish writer and producer Ranald Graham, who also wrote the gritty 1970s television crime dramas The Sweeney and The Professionals. Yet it was noticeably different from its predecessors. Whereas both earlier shows had a harder edge, with the latter at times having an almost quasi-military feel (Lewis Collins 's character Bodie in The Professionals had formerly been in the SAS), Dempsey and Makepeace had a more knowing and ironic tone. For Glynis Barber, it was primarily the male-female dynamic which made it stand out. 'A lot of British TV shows, like The Sweeney, starred male cops only. This was one of the first where the leads were a man and a woman. 'Makepeace was ahead of her time in her position in the force and also how she took on Dempsey – her demanding to be treated with respect and as an equal, not as a sexual conquest. She exercised her boundaries while Dempsey had none. She had to keep him in check.' Running for three seasons and numbering 30 episodes in total, Dempsey and Makepeace aired between January 1985 and November 1986. Despite a few negative critical reactions to the first episode ('If I say that Dempsey and Makepeace appears to be the worst thing that London Weekend Television have done since they came into existence in 1968, this is probably an understatement,' growled the Telegraph critic Richard Last), it went on to attract more than 20 million viewers in the UK at its peak. As Brandon says, 'The public made the show a phenomenon. They showed their choice by watching every week.' Barber adds with evident satisfaction, 'I remember that after the first episode aired some of the reviews were scathing and thought it would bomb. They were instantly proved wrong and many of them made a quick U-turn and claimed they always knew it would be a success.' The show became a global hit at a time when much British TV failed to gain a worldwide audience and was exported to over 75 countries throughout Europe, America, Asia and Africa. As Brandon recalls, 'It was bigger in France than it was in England. It was huge in Poland and saved me from a speeding ticket in Spain.' 'On a trip to Slovakia in the early 90s we were mobbed by thousands of people,' recalls Barber. 'We were in Zimbabwe at around that time and at the Victoria Falls we were surrounded by a group of school children. We had no idea the show had been aired there but got recognised wherever we went.' For her, it resonated around the world 'because of the chemistry [between the two leads] which was universal.' Indeed the repartee between the two leads was often reminiscent of Burton and Taylor, or Bogart and Bacall. As Brandon asserts, 'The humour and the chemistry made it special. There are a lot of cop shows, but the viewers were drawn to the chemistry between these two characters.' 'The culture clash between Dempsey and Makepeace was real and hadn't been done before in this way, and the 'will they, won't they' element had people hooked. The constant clashing with a sexual tension,' says Barber. The class dynamic at play between the protagonists also helps explain the show's astonishing popularity. As Brandon notes laconically, 'It's a class clash which echoes Upstairs Downstairs, but with pheromones.' Despite the chemistry between the two lead characters, the scripts remained chaste. However what all adoring fans wished for actually took place off-screen, where, in a heart-warming case of life mirroring art, Brandon and Barber fell in love and married in 1989. Of their real-life relationship, Brandon says: 'Our series continues with 35 years of marriage – a great bit of casting!' Barber adds: 'Miraculously and against all the odds, we're still together. But it's Michael and Glynis who are together, not Dempsey and Makepeace. There's a big difference.' Today, Dempsey would doubtless be cancelled for his unashamedly macho posturing, but, despite the ease and frequency with which he dispatched criminals with his Smith & Wesson revolver, he was all heart – chivalrous, loyal, dependable and with a fully functioning moral compass. As Brandon aptly says of his most famous incarnation, 'Of course, today Dempsey is 'unwoke' – his irreverence was part of his charm.' It's easy to forget that Dempsey and Makepeace was made in an era where legitimate concerns were being raised about the levels of violence on TV and in the booming video market. The show walked a tightrope between authenticity and audience concerns, and Brandon says some of the more violent scenes were subsequently toned down for reruns. However, he argues: 'We were nowhere near as violent as shows are today.' The London backdrop was also a crucial part of the show's appeal. During the mid-1980s, the capital's skyline was in the process of change and much of the filming was done on location in pre-gentrified, often insalubrious parts of the city, including Docklands. There were also plenty of establishing shots of the murky River Thames, adding a Dickensian patina of grime, not to mention offering a portrait of a hidden London. Sadly for its devoted fanbase, the show ended after the third season – and for no discernible reason. Barber recalls that 'Our contracts were for three seasons. It was a co-production between LWT and Tribune Entertainment in the States. Tribune were very keen to make a lot more but LWT just dropped it. We never found out why.' There still exist a couple of dedicated fan clubs and websites around the world, testament to the cult status the show achieved in the intervening 40 years. Dempsey and Makepeace remains a standout classic of the genre, not only comparable with, but actually far superior to most other British crime dramas of the last five decades. The mixture of humour, grit and old-school action still gives shows like the hugely popular Gangs of London a run for their money. Above all, Dempsey and Makepeace is refreshingly itself – both of its time and for all time. All episodes of Dempsey and Makepeace are available to stream on ITV X. That's All I'm Sayin' by Michael Brandon (Chronos, £14.99) will be published on May 1
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Julian Holloway dies aged 80
Julian Holloway has died at the age of 80. The actor passed away on Sunday (16.02.25) at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset following "a brief illness". Holloway - who was the father of model Sophie Dahl - was a star of the 'Carry On' film franchise, as well as several high-profile TV shows, including 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?', 'Doctor Who', 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'The Professionals'. Holloway also starred alongside Johnny Depp in 'The Rum Diary', the 2011 comedy-drama film, and alongside Jim Carrey in 'A Christmas Carol', the 2009 animated movie. Some of Holloway's showbiz pals have already taken to social media to pay tribute to the late actor. Sarah Douglas, who played Ursa in 'Superman' and 'Superman II', said on Facebook: "I have known Julian Holloway since the early 70's and he has been the best of friends to me all these years. "Julian was the wittiest of men and we would laugh and laugh. "He was a friend through thick and thin, first in London then LA then back home again . "He was also the associate producer of the Brute (1977) but I had first met him professionally in 1973 on a BBC drama called "Secrets". "There will be lots written about him and all his wonderful work but right now he is just a dear and sorely missed friend. (sic)" Morris Bright has also paid tribute to Holloway on X. The 59-year-old director said on the micro-blogging platform: "Very sad to be told Julian Holloway has died aged 80. An accomplished actor who could play comedy as deftly as serious roles, from A Hard Day's Night to Carry On and beyond. Son of Stanley Holloway whose OBE I was recently bequeathed. I shall look after it in both their memories. (sic)"
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maya Woolfe death: Doctor Who and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet star dies, aged 72
Doctor Who and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet star Maya Woolfe has died aged 72. News of Woolfe's death was announced by the official social media account of the classic British comedy-drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. 'With sadness we announce the passing of Maya Woolfe who played Uli in Auf Wiedersehen Pet Series 1, Episode 11, 'The Lovers',' a statement on Instagram read. 'Maya's many TV appearances included The Professionals, Bergerac, and Doctor Who. We send our deepest sympathy to family and friends at this difficult time.' Woolfe appeared in some of TV's biggest shows over her 20-year career. She was best known for her performance as Uli in Auf, Wiedersehen, Pet's first season. In episode 11 'The Lovers', first released in January 1984, Woolfe acted as the love interest of Oz Osborne (played by actor Jimmy Nail). The episode saw the pair go on a date during which Wayne Norris (Gary Holten) wrongly identifies Osborne as the son of a wealthy tycoon. Woolfe's time on the show led to one of the programme's most memorable lines. While discussing his inheritance at the Tivoli, Uli asks: 'In the meantime you are just one of the boys?' Her date replies: 'Look again, pet. One of the men!' Tributes poured in from fans of the show as they wrote: 'Very sad news. She played a great part in a great episode. RIP Maya.' 'Sad news. One of the best ever episodes' wrote another. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Auf Wiedersehen Pet (@aufwiedersehenpet) Others quoted lines from the show as they commented: 'Have we met before my Dear? I do not think so my name is Uli'. Elsewhere in her screen career, Woolfe also appeared as a receptionist in an episode of Doctor Who in the Sixties, as well as a secretary in an episode of The Detectives, a character called Claire in The Professionals, and in the role of Nikki in Bergerac. Further TV parts for Maya included Tenko, Triangle, Wilde Alliance, Lief zijn voor elkaar, Dutch Cops, The Black Magic Man and C.A.T.S Eyes. Auf Wiedersehen, Pet was created by MasterChef creator Franc Roddam. The show was first released in 1983 and ran for four series and 40 episodes. It followed the lives of seven construction workers who are forced to look for work in Germany. The last series was released in 2004.
