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“Welcome to Summer Bay”: Rewatching the early years.
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<blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 192374" data-attributes="member: 23"><p><u><span style="font-size: 22px">Episode 71</span></u></p><p></p><p></p><p><em>Home and Away’s</em> first MTV moment - the use of a one-time chart single playing over and complementing an on-screen montage - took place in Episode 71. For a series which, to the uninitiated, could be viewed as teen-orientated and sunny, the song in question might be a surprising one: folk group Redgum’s<em> I Was Only 19.</em></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]Urtiyp-G6jY[/MEDIA]</p><p></p><p>We might have expected the theme of this montage to be love, loss, relationships or grief. And indeed we get all four, and so much more. All centred around an equally unexpected theme: Anzac Day.</p><p></p><p>It's understating to say it pulled the emotional rug from under me with its beauty and emotional potency.</p><p></p><p>The montage in question runs for over four minutes… the entire length of the song, which is also known as <em>A Walk In The Light Green</em>. For almost the entire song, no dialogue or sound is audible. We see Fisher and Tom getting dressed in in their respective rooms. Fisher, in his army regalia, medals gleaming on his chest, admires himself in the mirror. Veteran Tom dresses in a simple grey suit and dark tie. Both are readying themselves for the Anzac Day service. They’ve already had a tense conversation on the subject, with Donald unaware of Tom’s service in Vietnam:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Next in the montage we see a close-up of a ring box opening. Seated at her dressing table - note the theme of reflection in the first half of this montage - Celia looks thoughtfully at the engagement ring and its red stone, then places it onto her ring finger. Then she picks up a framed photo of a young man in uniform and clutches it to her chest. Ailsa has already filled us in on some of the story, and Celia had a conversation with Ailsa about her fiancee just a few episodes ago:</p><p></p><p></p><p>These earlier snippets of conversation inform how the scene is viewed. The background, the imagery and the music make it a very poignant moment. Indeed, this is the episode in which Celia has emerged as one of the series’ richest and most complex characters, and taken a left turn from tickling our funny bones to tugging earnestly at our heartstrings. Fiona Spence's moving performance alone has made this single episode a contender for my favourite of the entire rewatch to date.</p><p></p><p>Then we go to the service. The cast (and some townspeople extras) gather at a windblown cenotaph, surrounded by woodland. Each looks reflective as we watch Walt Bertram lead the service (without hearing what he is saying) and see Neville play a silent Reveille on his bugle (he was a bugler in the army, we’ve learnt. And there’s been a running gag about him disturbing the peace while practicing). Floss looks at him with quiet pride and I find myself wondering how these actors can say so much with just the smallest of expressions and no words at all.</p><p></p><p>There are some cuts to younger cast members. Bobby lying on the bed, having presumably chosen not to attend (the only imagery that’s not <em>directly</em> connected to Anzac Day). Sally looks round at the service, probably not fully understanding what it’s all about but looking equally thoughtful. There’s also a presumably deliberate placement to drive home some of the lyrics. During the lyrics “Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon. God help me. He was going home in June”, we’re given a close up of Frank.</p><p></p><p>Fisher looks behind him to see Tom deep in thought, and becomes reflective himself. Celia looks shaken and upset during the service, while Alf stands beside her, stoical and still and unable to reach out despite seeing her pain.</p><p></p><p>A little audio comes in towards the end, and we can just make out Walter Bertram conclude:</p><p></p><p></p><p>Celia cries. And Tom looks down with concern at Danny King in his wheelchair.</p><p></p><p>It’s quite incredible for a soap opera, particularly one still so early in its lifespan, to give us what is essentially a four minute music video that pays respectful tribute to fallen soldiers without being tacky. At the same time, it captures the stories and backstories of each character in attendance. Paradoxically, by taking this pause, the action has moved forward. By saying nothing, the characters have spoken to us as they never have before. Over thirty years on, it’s engrossing, absorbing, subjective, powerful and beautiful. I’m fascinated by this choice, because it’s quite unlike anything I’ve seen in soap before or since.</p><p></p><p>More than any other character, Danny King - Pippa’s brother and one of Tom’s closest friends - embodies Remembrance. His appearance has stirred up memories for many characters… most of them unpleasant ones. Even young Sally has said that she hates his visits. After such a build-up it’s surprising to everyone that he’s shown to be amiable and smiling.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>He’s said to Tom this Anzac Day will be different. And while it’s not yet been made clear what is meant by this, he wasn’t smiling then.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.vgy.me/Obqe1N.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/Q8O9UN.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/FBgs0v.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/hSfNhB.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/iAX6P3.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/EkVBTL.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/XGYFz7.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/JBdxBT.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/PnG8s8.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/yDbYFu.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/mUy0jg.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/d7zTYN.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/WvFzol.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/9jgTmT.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/4BojsI.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/Sv9QFU.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/YA23hy.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/JrcsW5.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/OOMXAC.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/1jUwk7.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://i.vgy.me/RMZN6z.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Spells & Karma, post: 192374, member: 23"] [U][SIZE=6]Episode 71[/SIZE][/U] [I]Home and Away’s[/I] first MTV moment - the use of a one-time chart single playing over and complementing an on-screen montage - took place in Episode 71. For a series which, to the uninitiated, could be viewed as teen-orientated and sunny, the song in question might be a surprising one: folk group Redgum’s[I] I Was Only 19.[/I] [MEDIA=youtube]Urtiyp-G6jY[/MEDIA] We might have expected the theme of this montage to be love, loss, relationships or grief. And indeed we get all four, and so much more. All centred around an equally unexpected theme: Anzac Day. It's understating to say it pulled the emotional rug from under me with its beauty and emotional potency. The montage in question runs for over four minutes… the entire length of the song, which is also known as [I]A Walk In The Light Green[/I]. For almost the entire song, no dialogue or sound is audible. We see Fisher and Tom getting dressed in in their respective rooms. Fisher, in his army regalia, medals gleaming on his chest, admires himself in the mirror. Veteran Tom dresses in a simple grey suit and dark tie. Both are readying themselves for the Anzac Day service. They’ve already had a tense conversation on the subject, with Donald unaware of Tom’s service in Vietnam: Next in the montage we see a close-up of a ring box opening. Seated at her dressing table - note the theme of reflection in the first half of this montage - Celia looks thoughtfully at the engagement ring and its red stone, then places it onto her ring finger. Then she picks up a framed photo of a young man in uniform and clutches it to her chest. Ailsa has already filled us in on some of the story, and Celia had a conversation with Ailsa about her fiancee just a few episodes ago: These earlier snippets of conversation inform how the scene is viewed. The background, the imagery and the music make it a very poignant moment. Indeed, this is the episode in which Celia has emerged as one of the series’ richest and most complex characters, and taken a left turn from tickling our funny bones to tugging earnestly at our heartstrings. Fiona Spence's moving performance alone has made this single episode a contender for my favourite of the entire rewatch to date. Then we go to the service. The cast (and some townspeople extras) gather at a windblown cenotaph, surrounded by woodland. Each looks reflective as we watch Walt Bertram lead the service (without hearing what he is saying) and see Neville play a silent Reveille on his bugle (he was a bugler in the army, we’ve learnt. And there’s been a running gag about him disturbing the peace while practicing). Floss looks at him with quiet pride and I find myself wondering how these actors can say so much with just the smallest of expressions and no words at all. There are some cuts to younger cast members. Bobby lying on the bed, having presumably chosen not to attend (the only imagery that’s not [I]directly[/I] connected to Anzac Day). Sally looks round at the service, probably not fully understanding what it’s all about but looking equally thoughtful. There’s also a presumably deliberate placement to drive home some of the lyrics. During the lyrics “Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon. God help me. He was going home in June”, we’re given a close up of Frank. Fisher looks behind him to see Tom deep in thought, and becomes reflective himself. Celia looks shaken and upset during the service, while Alf stands beside her, stoical and still and unable to reach out despite seeing her pain. A little audio comes in towards the end, and we can just make out Walter Bertram conclude: Celia cries. And Tom looks down with concern at Danny King in his wheelchair. It’s quite incredible for a soap opera, particularly one still so early in its lifespan, to give us what is essentially a four minute music video that pays respectful tribute to fallen soldiers without being tacky. At the same time, it captures the stories and backstories of each character in attendance. Paradoxically, by taking this pause, the action has moved forward. By saying nothing, the characters have spoken to us as they never have before. Over thirty years on, it’s engrossing, absorbing, subjective, powerful and beautiful. I’m fascinated by this choice, because it’s quite unlike anything I’ve seen in soap before or since. More than any other character, Danny King - Pippa’s brother and one of Tom’s closest friends - embodies Remembrance. His appearance has stirred up memories for many characters… most of them unpleasant ones. Even young Sally has said that she hates his visits. After such a build-up it’s surprising to everyone that he’s shown to be amiable and smiling. He’s said to Tom this Anzac Day will be different. And while it’s not yet been made clear what is meant by this, he wasn’t smiling then. [CENTER] [IMG]https://i.vgy.me/Obqe1N.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/Q8O9UN.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/FBgs0v.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/hSfNhB.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/iAX6P3.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/EkVBTL.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/XGYFz7.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/JBdxBT.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/PnG8s8.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/yDbYFu.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/mUy0jg.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/d7zTYN.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/WvFzol.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/9jgTmT.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/4BojsI.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/Sv9QFU.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/YA23hy.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/JrcsW5.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/OOMXAC.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/1jUwk7.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://i.vgy.me/RMZN6z.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] [/QUOTE]
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“Welcome to Summer Bay”: Rewatching the early years.
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