Baffled!
(1972/Network U.K./PAL Region 2 DVD Import/Web Exclusive)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Telefilm: C+
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on
machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Two/2 PAL format
software and can be only be ordered from our friends at Network U.K. at the
website address provided at the end of the review. This disc is only available on their site as
an exclusive.
After his
legendary run on Star Trek and solid
work succeeding Martin Landau on Mission: Impossible, Leonard Nimoy singed on
for what was a great team-up of two companies known for successful action
series. Arena and Producer Norman Felton
made The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
(reviewed elsewhere on this site) a huge hit and also came up with its
underrated spin-off The Girl From
U.N.C.L.E., while also finding success with ITC and Lord Lew Grade on the
hit British series Strange Report. They tried to launch Nimoy into his own big
hit with this pilot telefilm called Baffled!
in 1972.
It did
not sell, but has been an item fans of Nimoy and other involved have wanted to
se in an official DVD for years and now, here it is from Network U.K. and it
makes for interesting viewing. Nimoy is
professional race car driver Tom Kovac, who in the thick of a Formula One race
in Pennsylvania
sees a series of visions that makes him spin out of control. Fortunately for him, an expert on ESP (Susan
Hampshire of The Andromeda Breakthrough,
Danger Man) sees him on TV and meets
him to tell him what she thinks is going on.
It is enough to convince him to go with her to England, where
they find a house to match the vision.
Three,
they find a legendary actress (played by Vera Miles), her daughter and some
other matches to his vision as they come closer and closer to a murder plot
that might get them killed too. Theodore
Apstein’s teleplay wants to be The
Avengers, Psycho and anything
else he can add, but this mixes good moments with poor and dated choices that
likely stopped this from being sold. If
it had, this could have been a big hit all around, though the Nimoy/Hampshire
relationship needed some work.
Still, it
is very ambitious, some money was spent and it was a serious attempt to have a
hit, but it just did not work out despite being some of Director Philip
Leacock’s most interesting work.
However, it is very interesting and entertaining to watch, which is why
its arrival on DVD is a good thing.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot in 35mm color film by Director of Photography Ken Hodges (Star Maidens, Danger Man, Peter Medak’s Negatives)
has its moments and looks good here, but there are also parts of the transfer
that are soft and slight print flaws throughout. Still, this looks good, especially for a
telefilm of the time. The Dolby Digital
2.0 Mono is also fine for its age and Richard Hill’s score is interesting. Extras include stills and PDF promotional
material via DVD-ROM playback.
As noted
above, you can order this DVD import exclusively from Network U.K. at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
