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khearne
Reviews
Due South: Pilot (1994)
Very tongue in cheek!
I think that some people who criticize this show have missed the point. Yes, the concept of it is totally silly - because Mounties are rarely actually seen in red uniforms, let alone while cavorting around Chicago solving crimes...
BUT, the show is fantastic for playing upon the world (and American!) perceptions of Canadians. It's got it all - the red suited Mountie, the husky-wolf-dog, the overly polite Canadian who's politeness always end up saving the day, and lots of scenes in a cabin in the snowy wilds of Canada (I mean, isn't Canada covered in snow 90% of the year, and don't we all drive dog sleds?).
I am Canadian, but have been living in England for the past 5 years, so my perspective on Canadian television has changed. I now look at it with the eyes of an ex-pat who can see all the terribly amusing little Canadian things in the shows.
As a result - watching this show again in re-runs has made me realize just how good it is. The writing and the acting are brilliant - with Benton (displaced polite Mountie) and Ray (gruff, jaded, hard Chicago cop) are perfect television partners. They play off each other's eccentricities, while making fun of both American and Canadian stereo-types. There is comedy, drama, and even action!
Try not to take this show too seriously - the writers know that a red suited Mountie in Chicago is ridiculous - that's what makes this show so brilliant! The show was filmed in Toronto (which any self-respecting Torontonian would be able to tell you), so if for no other reason, watch the show to see how many times the producers/editors put in a shot of the EL (the famed Chicago Elevated Train), just to try and pretend that they really WERE in Chicago!
Pure Rage: The Making of '28 Days Later' (2002)
Annoyed
This documentary, that is on the DVD, spent most of its time talking about the probability of a super-virus that will wipe out humanity. I *thought* the documentary was meant to be about how they shot all the really great scenes in London in the film.
Time spent on how the scenes were shot/created and time spent on make-up effects for the infected was very very minimal. We have been waiting for this DVD since we saw the film in the cinema only to be annoyed and disappointed that a documentary sub-titled "The Making of 28 Days Later" actually spent very little time talking about how it was made. The rest was sensationalist garbage about viruses.
A waste of time watching if you were looking for technical details and secrets of production.