Power-saving promoted by programming

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 4

Power-saving promoted by programming

A warm invitation for viewers to save power was extended by the N.Z.B.C. at the weekend. For most of Friday and Saturday evenings, the urge to go to bed or find a good book must have been widespread.

The main offering on Friday night was the 1954 film, “The Seekers,” some scenes of which were shot in New Zealand. This would rank as one of the greater loads of rubbish, so bad at times it was laughable. The final battle scene was outstanding in this regard; much of it recalled primary school children in pairs and clashing their spears in an end-of-year extravaganza. There was some fun, too, when the hero, Jack Hawkins, had to swim for his life. He had a five-second start on a Maori warrior, armed with a dagger and played by Bill Wharatau, a former New Zealand backstroke champion. Wharatau was not permitted to use the backstroke. But they both swam madly, the pursuer slashing at his quarry at intervals, in the manner of a cartoon crocodile.

An N.Z.B.C. announcer, Marama Martin, was seen in this production. Little wonder she seemed convulsed with merriment when Laya Raki went into her extremely sensuous and very un-Maori-like dance. Inia Te Wiata, with his singing and acting, steadied the ship now and then, but usually it was out of control.

Another Friday programme, “Search," was amusingly fatuous. Burgess Meredith has every reason to smile quietly to himself all the while, as he sits in his control room chair and controls those Probe agents all over the world by talking to them through signet rings. The appearance of Barbara Feldon, Agent 99 of “Get Smart,” lent “Search” a faint flicker of interest. The weekly news round-

contains some interesting and. important items. But Barry,; Jordan is a somewhat anae-h mic front man, and there are < times when it is rather as i if he was reading through the stock market prices on a dull day at the exchange. On the other hand Wayne Andrews, the racing man for the sports i 'preview programme, “Billboard” has a confident, lively personality which does much for this weekly budget of forecasts. One week-end item which could not be taken lightly was “Focus,” in which Hanafi Hayes reported on aspects of mistreatment of children. ' There was no attempt to dramatise this horrifying account of brutality. The facts were more than enough. Even Julie Andrews and her show did not hold its usual appeal. It seemed to be striving rather too hard to discover something different, after many weeks of success.

Susan Saint James starred in a film made for television, “Magic Carpet,” and it was utterly undemanding of the viewer. It is no new idea to set a story around a group of people thrown together — in this instance, on a conducted bus tour in Italy. It was as light as gossamer, and its chief merit was in its fine photography. Colour viewers had a rewarding look at places of historical and architectural interest, and some truly magnificent coastal scenery. But it looked very much as if the cast had paid a hurried visit to Italy at the invitation of the Italian tourist and publicity department. “Night Gallery” almost completed this procession of the inconsequential. Its voodoo story was just about the limit, and perhaps the least convincing tale in a series which has to be seen to be disbelieved. “The Doll of Death” made even “Big Time Wrestling” seem real. There was a more cheerful note at the week-end. This was the information that Bryan Allpress himself wrote the script for his splendid Shakespearian oration last

week So he is to be congratulated again on this double triumph. And the extraordinary sketch of Rodney Bryant which went with lit was the work of Rolf Harris. Viewers may now look forward to some delicious act of reprisal. —R.T.B.