Along with my older brother, I recently re-watched episodes 1 and 2 of Penny Dreadful, a TV horror series from 2014.
Rated 18, its quite gory, hence the age limit.
Its the story and in particular the characters that have me intrigued. Its like a Universal Studio monster reunion!
There's Mina, a werewolf, vampires, Frankenstein and his monster and a baronial fellow rather like Van Helsing. There's a sharpshooter too.
Set in foggy 19th Century London, the monster action takes place whilst Jack the Ripper is about and a demonical quest is afoot with Eva Green's sensational Mina and one-time James Bond Timothy Dalton's superb aristocrat at the helm. Josh Hartnet is the gunslinger and Billy Piper the tavern moll. Dorian Gray adds further weirdness.
The séance scene alone was astonishing.
This literary mashup reminds me greatly of the 2003 adventure movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Described as a steampunk rendition of a well-known comic series, League was largely panned at the time I for one enjoyed it, largely because it brought together a ragtag of monsters and famous characters. Alan Quartermain, played by James Bond himself, Sean Connery, Tom Sawyer - a Secret Service agent, Captain Nemo, Dr, Jekyll, Dorian Gray and Mina.
These last two characters above all connect this flick to Penny Dreadful. Both are in the public domain as may well be other characters in both.
Many of the characters have literary lives elsewhere. Tom Sawyer featured as a detective in one of Twain's novels in 1897 and Alan Quartermain is the leading man in both King Solomons Mines, 1887, and The Lost City of Gold among others by H. Rider Haggard.
Its worth noting that the Granddaddy of Horror itself, Dracula by Bram Stoker [1897] contained a sort of super league and perhaps the very first one. Besides Count Dracula, theres Jonathan Harker the solicitor, Mina Murray his fiancée, Jack Seward the doctor, Quincey Morris the Texan gunslinger, Arthur Holmwood or Lord Godalming and of course, Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the Dutch vampire-hunter.
Here's the male cast from the 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula.
With all this extraordinariness in mind, I'm looking forward to the rest of Season 1 of Penny Dreadful.
Have you seen it readers?
I gave it a go for the first episode, for the second time. Eva Green is always very watchable, but I found Timothy Dalton to be chewing the scenery, he was so stiff! Its an interesting premise, but nothing that hasn't been done before. I dozed off during the second episode, so never saw the seance! The League film is based on a long series of comics by veteran writer Alan Moore, who wrote V for Vendetta, Watchmen and Miracleman. The comic is infinitely better, but does get a bit strange after a few volumes. I cant quite understand why they needed a gunslinger on the team, as he doesnt really do a lot - a thug with a sawnoff would probably have fared better. The scenery is excellent, but it still fels a little light, like theres something missing. Maybe ill give it another go, as theres not much else to watch - tried the latest Marvel series Agatha, but as expected, its apalling. Bill
ReplyDeleteI read that Tom Sawyer was added to the movie League of Gentleman to encourage the American market for the film. Maybe Penny did the same? The Séance scene is magnificent Bill and deffo worth a watch. I've bought Season 1 on DVD now.
DeleteOne of my all-time favourite shows! Eva Green and Josh Hartnett, what's more to wish for. Still have Season 3 to look forward to. And then replay all over again!
ReplyDeleteWow, Season 3! I'm excited about the rest of Season 1 and then 2 Arto! Enjoy!
DeleteTried again - worked through Billie Pipers gratuitous sex scene to the seance, but it still cant hold my attention. Ill enjoy Eva Green in Kingdom of Heaven, Sin City 2 and Casino Royale! Bill
ReplyDeleteYou're just not keen on Penny Dreadfull Bill!
DeleteHmm, the Missus and I enjoyed it until the finale, which like so many shows, seemed to lose the plot.
ReplyDeleteWe tried the sequel City of Angels, but that died a premature death...
City of Angels? What, LA Looey?
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