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Ace Of Wands [1970]


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Fantastic!
Review date: 2008-09-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is a great release of a great series, with excellent extras including a superbly researched booklet by Andrew Pixley. Highly recommended!

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Reviews


A True Sense of the Mystic
Review date: 2008-09-09 Rating: 10 out of 10

It had been, perhaps, thirty three years since I'd seen 'Ace of Wands,' when I learned it had come out on DVD. Worryingly, we were told that this 4-disc set contained only 'all surviving episodes.' Worryingly, because the only 'AoW' story I remembered was 'Peacock Pie,' and I wasn't sure whether that one would be among the 'surviving.' My memory of 'Peacock Pie' was that it had been astonishingly good: atmospheric, mystical, claustrophobic and subtly sexy. Was it worth getting this set, though, on the off-chance that the adventure I wanted would be in it and would that adventure, after all these years, be as good as I remembered? After all, when you're twelve, most of existence seems atmospheric, mystical, claustrophobic and subtly sexy. Well it did to me. Anyway, I decided 'What the Hades,' splashed out and - joy! - 'Peacock Pie' was among the survivors and - twice joy! - it was every bit as good as I remembered. Better. Brian Wilde - pitiable yet absolutely terrifying - is the lonely hypnotist Peacock, able to force his illusions on anyone whether they like it or not. Look at the stares he gives into the camera and he really is as disturbing as any evil-doer you'll see on the small screen. All the more so, perhaps, because, during the course of the story, he never actually kills anyone. It's implied that he has done so in the past, though, and the subtlety of the implication makes it uniquely horrible. Writer PJ Hammond went on to do 'Sapphire and Steel,' which I never saw but now wish I had!

The whole box set is worth it for this story alone. But there is much else to applaud. Michael MacKenzie's hero is devastatingly handsome ('Wish I still looked like that,' he is heard to chunter at one point during the commentary) and supremely charismatic. A stage magician and mind-reader whose powers may or may not be partly supernatural (I loved that ambiguity when I first saw it and longed for years for another story that allowed its audience to make up their own minds...), 'Tarot' is an investigator of 'strange goings on.' In the surviving episodes, he's aided by brother and sister 'Chas' and 'Mikki,' Roy Holder and Petra Markham. We have a possibly haunted street market, whose ghosts turn out to have a very rational explanation (or do they?), the spirit of a vindictive ancient Egyptian stage magician, whose power depends on his disciples' continued belief in him and a deranged doll-maker who wants to turn human beings into mannequins (a touch of the John Fowles there, maybe?) The sympathy and gentleness with which Tarot defuses the doll-maker's obsession is really quite touching. He's determined that she won't hurt anyone, but similarly determined not to hurt her if he can help it. Doctor Who was never so sympathetic to Davros. Finally, there's the fascinating 'Beautiful People,' whose guest stars, Edward Hammond, Susan Glanville and (Awww!) Vivien Heilbron, really do live up to the title. A trio of malicious computer-programmed brats who play technological practical jokes on the elderly and infirm in the belief that they have the perfect right to do so, being the next stage in human evolution, this lot were a far more convincing take on the idea of 'Homo Superior' than were 'the Tomorrow People,' heroes of the unhealthily misanthropic series that replaced 'Ace of Wands' in the schedules. Though this is the least well-paced of the surviving 'AoW' stories, it's a sharp and well observed satire on the more arrogant and self-satisfied end of the hippie movement (which would, four years later, miraculously transform itself into the more arrogant and self-satisfied end of the punk movement - who'd've thought it?)

Extras include scripts from some (but not all - have even the scripts been destroyed? AAARRGGGHHH!!! And some of them were by Don Houghton! Double AAARRRGGGHHH!!!) of the missing stories, including the clearly wonderful 'Seven Serpents, Sulphur and Salt,' by series creator Trevor Preston which, on the evidence of the script alone, was second only to 'Peacock Pie.' A very sad loss.

Incidentally, I wonder if famed occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger ever watched 'Ace of Wands'? I think he was living in Britain at the time it was aired, making 'Lucifer Rising,' and some scenes in that movie seem, to my eyes, to parallel others in 'AoW''s Egyptological adventure 'The Power of Atep.' If so, it's hardly a surprise; trust the grand visionary himself to spot, in what was nominally only a children's programme, touches of the authentically magickal.

A mere taste of genius
Review date: 2008-07-16 Rating: 6 out of 10

So, "Ace of Wands" is here at last. The most shameful gap in the legacy of British SF/fantasy is (partially) filled.
This is a vitally important set and belongs in any collection worthy of the name.
But enthusiasm is severely tempered by the knowledge that all that survives is the decidedly inferior 3rd series. It's like trying to appreciate "The Avengers" without Diana Rigg or "Star Wars" based on only "Return of the Jedi".
This is a mere flavour of the true greatness of this show. As such we must be grateful but the tragedy of it!

On DVD at long last!
Review date: 2008-04-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

It's great to see AOW on DVD - it was last repeated on ITV back in 1974 (well at least a few episodes were) so it's been a very long wait indeed. Alas, only season 3 has survived - seasons 1 & 2 suffering from the same fate as 60s Dr Who, in that the tapes were wiped by the network. This unfortunately included my favorite story, 'The Eye of Ra' - maybe they'll turn up one day somewhere!

Anyway, for anyone who can't remember this show, it was sort of ITV's answer to 'Dr Who' aimed at the 'prog rock' generation... the same unsettling, uncluttered atmosphere as some of the Jon Pertwee era stories set in the Home Counties, and aimed at older children - and the same clunky SFX!

Made by Thames TV between 1970 & 1972, the stories concern Tarot, a talented stage hypnotist/illusionist (played by Michael McKenzie) and his investigations into paranormal or unexplained activities in the London area. He is ably assisted (for this final season) by his two friends, brother & sister duo Miki and Chas Diamond.
The stories are in 25 minute episodes (some running to 3 episodes, some 4) and, though it looks a little dated by today's standards, it does have a wonderfully whimsical groovy 70s charm.

There's a big booklet accompanying the DVD that lists an in-depth background to the episodes (all 3 seasons) in great detail, and a wonderful documentary on disc 4 documenting the making of the show - plus commentary on one story. The Thames TV idents and original ad-caps are in place too - very important!
The theme music (by Status Quo's Andy Bown) is excellent too - lyrics are included!

Definitely worth checking out if you like tele-fantasy and 70s kitsch - it's not as scary as you may remember as a child, but it's certainly wonderful watching these stories again and bathing in a bit of telly nostalgia.

"Hand of Stabs after all these years - make Ace of Wands reappear.
Review date: 2008-03-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

Yes, I know, an appallingly bad attempt at bringing the Hand of Stabs back to life!

Now, on to the review.

The Ace of Wands was a ground-breaking series that challenged the existing children's TV format by being unpatronising, edgy, and capturing the essence of what it was that made the 70s so creative and exciting. Although low-budget, and with some obvious special effects and continuity flaws, the storylines and scripts were first rate and in this respect it puts many of today's so-called adult programs to shame.

The series was built around the exploits of a stage-magician Tarot (Michael Mackenzie) who was neither comic-book-type superhero hero nor Bond clone, but instead an ordinary human being albeit with more highly developed psychic powers. One of these, ESP, he shared with the other lead character, Mikki (Petra Markham). It was these heightened powers that Tarot and Mikki used to put right the wrongdoings of others--although it's often surprising that they found time, given their constant flirting.

Unfortunately my favourite story "Seven Serpents, Sulphur and Salt" featuring Russell Hunter's `Hand of Stabs' is lost forever, as someone at Thames Television, in an appalling example of cultural vandalism, had the tapes of the first two series (featuring Judy Loe and Tony Selby) erased. But nevertheless there are some good storylines on this DVD set, most notably "The Meddlers" and "Peacock Pie". Furthermore, it was great to see Petra Markham in that dress during the final scene of "The Sisters Deadly" again after 35 years.

I remember being bitterly disappointed when the Ace of Wands was abruptly cancelled and never really got into its replacement, The Tomorrow People. But then perhaps that was more a function of my transition from child to teenager. Nevertheless even today I still feel that there was a good deal of scope for the series to be continued and plenty of avenues that could have been explored. Indeed as has been commented elsewhere, it had the potential to be ITV's Dr Who.

Oh yes--and it was great to hear the superb theme tune (by Andrew Bown and Trevor Preston) again too.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Roy Holder; Petra Markham; Michael Mackenzie

Creators:
Roy Holder; Petra Markham; Michael Mackenzie (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Network
Manufacturer: Network
EAN: 5027626221041
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, PAL, Special Edition,
Release date: 2007-07-09
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 500 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1970-07-09
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)

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