there was a sense of joy and nostalgia as i went around a spot of business earlier today. this does, you are right to say, happen a lot to me, look you see. it does not, however, frequently involve a magazine as such.
today it did, for this week - quite possibly Tuesday, if my memory serves correct and things have not changed all that much - this edition was published and offered for sale.
yes, the whopper double edition of the Radio Times is what excited me, ladies and gents.
is that all, you ask? well, yeah. try, if you will, going some 20 years without it. i did so without a thought, in truth, but seeing it once again brought back some very happy memories.
it will be difficult for the kids of today to do, but if you will remember or imagine a time when films were released on video 3 (three) years after their cinema run. a time when you didn't really own loads of films at home. a time when it cost, if you were fortunate, £2 to rent a video for the night. and, indeed, a time when one had only 4 (four) TV channels to choose from. the big Christmas line-up was, then something to get all excited about.
i remember rushing in from school on a Tuesday to read the Radio Times, and indeed the TV Times, to see which channel had the best selection of movies on. now, of course, anyone in England can watch any movie they want any time they like. this isn't a bad thing, far from it - it's what we dreamed of being possible.
highlights this year? The Dark Knight and The Avengers (decent one with Hulk and that) in regards of films, but the best of the best of the best is easily a 32 year old show being repeated.
yeah, the quality is not so good on that picture. you can, however, i think make out that i am speaking of Chas & Dave's Knees Up!, a celebrated and somewhat seminal slice of cockney culture. as well as Chas and Dave, you get Jimmy Crickett, that Eric Clapton bloke and none other than Jim Davidson.
let that line up sink in. and then have a look at this slightly clearer image of the above.
i have only flicked through the magazine thus far but have noticed that something called Channel 5, which is showing this celebration of Chas N Dave, has a noticeably large amount of content featuring Jim Davidson scheduled for broadcast. i seem to recall seeing the proprietor of Channel 5, a renowned if not formidable pornographer of note, is rather good friends with Jim. lucky man.
anyway, off i go to read the magazine in full, then. there i shall, no doubt, discover a number of shows that certain people in New Zealand (hello, Dad) will want taping.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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