Discuss, review and rate Castle De'ath, produced c. Monday 2nd August 1965 to Friday 20th August 1965.
Teleplay by John Lucarotti
Directed by James Hill
4.15 - Castle De'ath
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darren
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10/10
John Lucarotti's only film series script. Goodness knows what the plot is about something to do with fishing but who cares when it's this much fun.
Both Peel and Steed have fun with their assumed covers. I love how they revel in the clichés of an old castle and it's dark history. Of course the best scene is strangely the explosition one. He does a silly dance and she plays the mini-bagpipes.
James Hill makes a very strong directorial debut, he did his best work in season 4. It's makes it very much like a feature film, it looks so expensive.
The set design from Harry Pottle is superb, that grand main hall of the castle with massive dinning table, large staircase, big open fireplace. It all looks so solid. The gorgeous panelling in the hallways.
Ernest Steward's lighting is very effective and atmospheric.
Gordon Jackson brings such dignity and weight to his performance as the Laird Ian that it's not surprising that Clemens hired him for The Professionals. He's rather sympathetic even when painted as the villain. Robert Urquhart has that quality of being innocently mischievous - it used again in Wish You Were Here when he turns out to be the baddie in that as well.
Laurie Johnson's score is wonderful, really one of his best. I've got a re-recording of the fight music somewhere that he did for KPM production music.
And it all ends with that awful car boat thing.
John Lucarotti's only film series script. Goodness knows what the plot is about something to do with fishing but who cares when it's this much fun.
Both Peel and Steed have fun with their assumed covers. I love how they revel in the clichés of an old castle and it's dark history. Of course the best scene is strangely the explosition one. He does a silly dance and she plays the mini-bagpipes.
James Hill makes a very strong directorial debut, he did his best work in season 4. It's makes it very much like a feature film, it looks so expensive.
The set design from Harry Pottle is superb, that grand main hall of the castle with massive dinning table, large staircase, big open fireplace. It all looks so solid. The gorgeous panelling in the hallways.
Ernest Steward's lighting is very effective and atmospheric.
Gordon Jackson brings such dignity and weight to his performance as the Laird Ian that it's not surprising that Clemens hired him for The Professionals. He's rather sympathetic even when painted as the villain. Robert Urquhart has that quality of being innocently mischievous - it used again in Wish You Were Here when he turns out to be the baddie in that as well.
Laurie Johnson's score is wonderful, really one of his best. I've got a re-recording of the fight music somewhere that he did for KPM production music.
And it all ends with that awful car boat thing.
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mousemeat
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one of the best of that season...wonderful monochrome feel to it, and the script was snappy....as for the ending, it was funny...and as a kid in michigan, in the 50's, I remember a guy in town, had one of those cars, that doubled as an boat...cheezy cool....Darren wrote:10/10
John Lucarotti's only film series script. Goodness knows what the plot is about something to do with fishing but who cares when it's this much fun.
Both Peel and Steed have fun with their assumed covers. I love how they revel in the clichés of an old castle and it's dark history. Of course the best scene is strangely the explosition one. He does a silly dance and she plays the mini-bagpipes.
James Hill makes a very strong directorial debut, he did his best work in season 4. It's makes it very much like a feature film, it looks so expensive.
The set design from Harry Pottle is superb, that grand main hall of the castle with massive dinning table, large staircase, big open fireplace. It all looks so solid. The gorgeous panelling in the hallways.
Ernest Steward's lighting is very effective and atmospheric.
Gordon Jackson brings such dignity and weight to his performance as the Laird Ian that it's not surprising that Clemens hired him for The Professionals. He's rather sympathetic even when painted as the villain. Robert Urquhart has that quality of being innocently mischievous - it used again in Wish You Were Here when he turns out to be the baddie in that as well.
Laurie Johnson's score is wonderful, really one of his best. I've got a re-recording of the fight music somewhere that he did for KPM production music.
And it all ends with that awful car boat thing.
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Lhbizness
I saw this one for the first time with a friend of mine from our degree program in Edinburgh, so we had lots of fun giggling about the representation of Scotland. It's a great episode, though, and one of the first I ever saw. The mystery about the leader of the gang is quite good; set designs are great, and the cast seems to have fun with the faux Scottishness. It's just a very well-plotted, well-structured episode, balancing its two stars admirably. The final fight sequence is one of the best in the series.
I was a bit disappointed to notice that Steed is not a true Scotsman, though...
I was a bit disappointed to notice that Steed is not a true Scotsman, though...
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Frankymole
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I see it has been 7 years since anyone wrote about this episode - and it's probably just as long (if not longer) since I've seen it so I thought I would make it my second watch this afternoon, as I'm isolating and can't go out with the rest of the family 
When I saw this as a teenager I found it quite spooky, slightly unnerving. It does have a haunted feel to the castle and even as the viewer, you don't have much of a sense of who is behind everything, and you left guessing between the two cousins right until the end.
What a fantastic set. The film series really did bring a sense of scale that couldn't be achieved in a television studio. Based on our monochrome / colour discussions else where, the b/w her really does allow scale, tone and shadow. The opening scene which is basically just a walk through the castle really gives a sense of the proportions, build and design of the whole set. A very grand sense for a grand setting.
The direction makes good use of the set, with shots from different heights offering a slightly different view, particularly down the main stair case into the great hall.
Someone above commented on the music - it is very strong. I think the standard cue music of series 4 was so much stronger than what followed in series 5 and 6, particularly the piece which is a variation on the theme played on the harp, follows piano arpeggios and stings, then muted trumpet. It is very mysterious.
A strong cast, but Diana is the only woman this week - and there is that scene with the cannon.... Was the face on the iron maiden based on Diana? There was a scene where there was a close up of the two faces and I wondered if there was a similarity there with her face being used a basis for the design. Who knows.
A strong episode from a very strong season.
I give this 9.
When I saw this as a teenager I found it quite spooky, slightly unnerving. It does have a haunted feel to the castle and even as the viewer, you don't have much of a sense of who is behind everything, and you left guessing between the two cousins right until the end.
What a fantastic set. The film series really did bring a sense of scale that couldn't be achieved in a television studio. Based on our monochrome / colour discussions else where, the b/w her really does allow scale, tone and shadow. The opening scene which is basically just a walk through the castle really gives a sense of the proportions, build and design of the whole set. A very grand sense for a grand setting.
The direction makes good use of the set, with shots from different heights offering a slightly different view, particularly down the main stair case into the great hall.
Someone above commented on the music - it is very strong. I think the standard cue music of series 4 was so much stronger than what followed in series 5 and 6, particularly the piece which is a variation on the theme played on the harp, follows piano arpeggios and stings, then muted trumpet. It is very mysterious.
A strong cast, but Diana is the only woman this week - and there is that scene with the cannon.... Was the face on the iron maiden based on Diana? There was a scene where there was a close up of the two faces and I wondered if there was a similarity there with her face being used a basis for the design. Who knows.
A strong episode from a very strong season.
I give this 9.
You really must have a word with that cleaning lady....
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Castle De'ath
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This episode has to be my favorite of all time. A fact I'm sure you all could have easily guessed based on my username. When I was about nine years old I had this one recorded and would watch it over and over again. I can still recite most of it by heart. Whenever I watch it, it brings back good memories of being a kid and first getting into these shows. Where does the time go?
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mousemeat
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glad to see that someone in the forum, loves the episode as much as I do...I always get a chuckle..when McSteed is chained up..and asks for a spot of ale...(?) tooo funnyCastle De'ath wrote:This episode has to be my favorite of all time. A fact I'm sure you all could have easily guessed based on my username. When I was about nine years old I had this one recorded and would watch it over and over again. I can still recite most of it by heart. Whenever I watch it, it brings back good memories of being a kid and first getting into these shows. Where does the time go?
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Castle De'ath
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So many great moments in this episode! What's not to love?mousemeat wrote:
glad to see that someone in the forum, loves the episode as much as I do...I always get a chuckle..when McSteed is chained up..and asks for a spot of ale...(?) tooo funny
~Operator of The Avengers Archive~
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5OVvr ... hqe1_1eeXQ
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