DA
It was superb. The casting was spot on, the script was brilliant, the LOOK was fantastic - there seemed to be such attention to detail. Probably the best thing I've seen all year - I had to re-watch it again on iPlayer it was that good.
Violet's line in the mirror when she said "this is a woman who's buried children, watched her man beg for work and still gets down on knees every night to pray" to sum up so perfectly Ena's character was incredible, I was nearly in tears.
And Jessie Wallace was a revelation. I'll confess I've never rated her before and I was confused by the casting but she proved me so wrong. Her audition scene was brilliant.
Couldn't have asked for a better tribute to Corrie.
Violet's line in the mirror when she said "this is a woman who's buried children, watched her man beg for work and still gets down on knees every night to pray" to sum up so perfectly Ena's character was incredible, I was nearly in tears.
And Jessie Wallace was a revelation. I'll confess I've never rated her before and I was confused by the casting but she proved me so wrong. Her audition scene was brilliant.
Couldn't have asked for a better tribute to Corrie.
PT
Finally watched on iPlayer last night. Had my doubts about this but stunning piece of TV. Actually brought a lump to my throat near the end. Never knew Vi Carson wasn't the original casting for Ena...fantastic character, they all were.
JE
I think in the first scenes there was meant to be a cat outside the Corner Shop?
I echo what everyone else said - it was amazing. I have never seen Jessie Wallace in anything before as im not an EE fan, but that scene with her and Tony reading the parts of Elsie and Dennis was perfect. Lynda who played Vi was also brilliant. I was left wanting to see more when it ended.
Jez
Founding member
thanks for the links to the first episode.
one query, how could they loose the cat from the opening titles when there was no cat in the opening titles until the 1970s, the opening titles was just the view of the street (Archie street)
one query, how could they loose the cat from the opening titles when there was no cat in the opening titles until the 1970s, the opening titles was just the view of the street (Archie street)
I think in the first scenes there was meant to be a cat outside the Corner Shop?
I echo what everyone else said - it was amazing. I have never seen Jessie Wallace in anything before as im not an EE fan, but that scene with her and Tony reading the parts of Elsie and Dennis was perfect. Lynda who played Vi was also brilliant. I was left wanting to see more when it ended.
NI
Yes, the opening titles at the time were an overhead shot of Salford terraces with the Granada ident overlaid on to this picture, fading to the Archie Street view. There was meant to be a cat in the opening scene outside the Corner Shop - I think one of the various books say that the cat was meant to jump out of a bin next to the shop and then walk into the shop, where the waiting actresses would begin their lines. I'm speaking purely from memory but I think the book also states that the cat performed "beautifully" on the rehearsal tape, but went missing at the necessary moment (i.e. seven minutes to live transmission!) The director then hastily arranged for three children to appear in the opening scene instead: two girls playing with a bouncy ball, and Mrs Lappin giving a boy a sweet from a bubblegum machine in front of the door.
Having said all that, it's been a little while since I read the book that has all this info - so I could just as well be wrong! But I think that's the gist of the whole 'cat in opening scene' story.
thanks for the links to the first episode.
one query, how could they loose the cat from the opening titles when there was no cat in the opening titles until the 1970s, the opening titles was just the view of the street (Archie street)
one query, how could they loose the cat from the opening titles when there was no cat in the opening titles until the 1970s, the opening titles was just the view of the street (Archie street)
Yes, the opening titles at the time were an overhead shot of Salford terraces with the Granada ident overlaid on to this picture, fading to the Archie Street view. There was meant to be a cat in the opening scene outside the Corner Shop - I think one of the various books say that the cat was meant to jump out of a bin next to the shop and then walk into the shop, where the waiting actresses would begin their lines. I'm speaking purely from memory but I think the book also states that the cat performed "beautifully" on the rehearsal tape, but went missing at the necessary moment (i.e. seven minutes to live transmission!) The director then hastily arranged for three children to appear in the opening scene instead: two girls playing with a bouncy ball, and Mrs Lappin giving a boy a sweet from a bubblegum machine in front of the door.
Having said all that, it's been a little while since I read the book that has all this info - so I could just as well be wrong! But I think that's the gist of the whole 'cat in opening scene' story.
RB
I wouldn't be surprised if The Road to Coronation Street were repeated on BBC2 (or even BBC1) in the week of Coronation Street's 50th anniversary in December. It would be a more logical time to schedule it than two and a half months earlier and it would steal some of the thunder from ITV's celebrations.
SP
I watched it over the weekend, and agree it was absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully acted, perfectly cast... oh heck, everyone's said it all already! Even my other half who isn't a Corrie fan absolutely loved it.
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
NW
I was out of the UK myself last week so I only ended up watching it last night, and my comments will only echo what everyone else has said and it was a superb piece of Television, great cast, especially Jessie Wallace and Lynda Barron, superb choices.
From what I could see when they showed the Florizel Street clip, the titles looked to have been recreated. Granada must be one of only a few companies who have alot of their archive still available, so I guess it would have probably been shown by now.
I saw the 1st ever episode when ITV showed it ten years ago, hopefully ITV might do the same for the 50th.
Although it was nice to see 'From The North, Granada Presents...' at the beginning, shame it was contradicted at the end with 'An ITV Studios Production for the BBC'
I watched it over the weekend, and agree it was absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully acted, perfectly cast... oh heck, everyone's said it all already! Even my other half who isn't a Corrie fan absolutely loved it.
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
I was out of the UK myself last week so I only ended up watching it last night, and my comments will only echo what everyone else has said and it was a superb piece of Television, great cast, especially Jessie Wallace and Lynda Barron, superb choices.
From what I could see when they showed the Florizel Street clip, the titles looked to have been recreated. Granada must be one of only a few companies who have alot of their archive still available, so I guess it would have probably been shown by now.
I saw the 1st ever episode when ITV showed it ten years ago, hopefully ITV might do the same for the 50th.
Although it was nice to see 'From The North, Granada Presents...' at the beginning, shame it was contradicted at the end with 'An ITV Studios Production for the BBC'
NI
From what I could see when they showed the Florizel Street clip, the titles looked to have been recreated. Granada must be one of only a few companies who have alot of their archive still available, so I guess it would have probably been shown by now.
Yes - although every episode still exists in one form or another, the dry runs (unfortunately) do not. A few photographs do remain though; there's a very weird one in which Ena, Minnie and Martha are portrayed by completely different actresses. Quite uneasy on the eye! Doris Hare played Martha but I forget the other two (neither of them were Nita Valerie - though of course she was one of the original Enas). I haven't seen any other photos of the dry run cast but it'd be good if these are released at some point.
I also loved the "From the North" frontcap tribute at the start of the programme. Quite sad that they couldn't have inserted the accompanying endcap before the "ITV Studios" one!
I watched it over the weekend, and agree it was absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully acted, perfectly cast... oh heck, everyone's said it all already! Even my other half who isn't a Corrie fan absolutely loved it.
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
One thing I didn't realise was that they'd recorded pilot episodes. Does anyone know if they're still in existence?
From what I could see when they showed the Florizel Street clip, the titles looked to have been recreated. Granada must be one of only a few companies who have alot of their archive still available, so I guess it would have probably been shown by now.
Yes - although every episode still exists in one form or another, the dry runs (unfortunately) do not. A few photographs do remain though; there's a very weird one in which Ena, Minnie and Martha are portrayed by completely different actresses. Quite uneasy on the eye! Doris Hare played Martha but I forget the other two (neither of them were Nita Valerie - though of course she was one of the original Enas). I haven't seen any other photos of the dry run cast but it'd be good if these are released at some point.
I also loved the "From the North" frontcap tribute at the start of the programme. Quite sad that they couldn't have inserted the accompanying endcap before the "ITV Studios" one!