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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Flashing Blade is a tale of high adventure set in 1630 as the dashing Chevalier de Recci (Robert Etcheverry) undertakes a dangerous mission across occupied territory to avert war between France and Spain. This 13-episode serial was made for French television in 1967, and in dubbed form regularly shown on the BBC during school holidays from 1969 through the 1970s (usually when 1965's Adventures of Robinson Crusoe was having a rest). This release is aimed at that generation who, from the spine-tingling theme song onward, remember the show with tremendous affection. Like the classic Hollywood movie serials, each 23-minute episode packs in a couple of action sequences; some plot twists, a little comic relief and very variable acting and costumes. For a children's programme the story is remarkably complex, and takes a while to gather pace. The colours have faded, the use of classical music is clumsy, but the dubbing is surprisingly accomplished. The swashbuckling action is at odds with the more serious historical drama, but viewed with nostalgia The Flashing Blade is thoroughly entertaining vintage TV. --Gary S Dalkin
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Interactive Menu, SYNOPSIS: The Flashing Blade was a twelve part adventure drama centering around the war between France and Spain. It was set at a place called Casal during the year of 1630 and a Castle on the border between France and Spain is under siege from Spanish forces. Two Frenchmen (the heroes of the story) with a wicked sense of humour appear and make merry hell for the Spaniards. Francois de Chevalier and his servant Guillot are the story's main characters. The Spanish hear of a possible truce between France and Spain but some of the Spanish elite do not want a truce until the fort of Casal is taken. Hence they begin a bombardment of the battlements and try everything they can to prevent any form of truce being signed.
...The Flashing Blade ( Le Chevalier Tempête )
...The Flashing Blade ( Le Chevalier Tempête )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
73 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
17th century comic strip capers in southern France in one of several series that the BBC, in its infinite wisdom, imported from the continent as part of the memorable "Tales from Europe" anthology, and which lay in wait for Blue Peter viewers on Monday evenings during the Golden Age of children's television. Enjoy a satisfying wallow in nostalgia with this excellent double DVD which will evoke the good old days when summers had never been so happy and sunny. Relive the thrills, the clash of swords, the famous theme song, the quaint costumes and amusing hairstyles, the highly-strung cleric Bodinelli (they're well worth buying it for), and the love (Isabelle de Sospel - aah, François, you lucky devil!). Then recall the arguments with parents that it wasn't a foreign film ("Simon, it's dubbed." "But they're all speaking English." "Yes, but..."). It was some time before I was eventually convinced that it was indeed a French creation. Exquisitely filmed, although you do see a road sign (Roundabout ahead) whizz past as the dashing Lone Ranger de Recci and Tonto-type Guillot make their first cavalier charge across the fields. Occasionally weighed down with excessive diplomatic and military chinwagging - the defenders of Fort Casal spend far more time talking about fighting to the last man than actually doing so - and it all seems a tad too involved at times for a children's series, each episode nonetheless serves up enough action sequences to keep the kiddies entertained, always ensuring that the good guys win the day. The final episode, which I had never previously seen, offers a brief glimpse of how the rest of the series must have appeared when first shown in France: complete French dialogue, the original theme tune and title (Le Chevalier Tempête), as well as a strikingly richer colour quality. A splendid piece of vintage drama from which present-day programme makers could easily take their cue, if they had any light in their lantern, and which also qualifies for that most exclusive of epitaphs: "We shall not see their like again". An essential purchase for anyone who would relish being transported back to those halcyon days of the late 1960s, because we shan't.
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Re-live the excitement of your youth with this BBC TV childrens production.
Originally shot in French and then dubbed into English to be first shown in 1969.
In full colour it is exactly as I remember it, full of excitement and daring do by Francois and his Flashing Blade.
I was disappointed by the fact that there was no French option so that I could finally find out exactly what was going on rather than relying on the BBC story, although there is a major treat with Episode 12 which is in French with English subtitles.
Watch this with an eye for nostalgia and see if you can spot the road sign in episode 1!
Buy it you know you want to!
Originally shot in French and then dubbed into English to be first shown in 1969.
In full colour it is exactly as I remember it, full of excitement and daring do by Francois and his Flashing Blade.
I was disappointed by the fact that there was no French option so that I could finally find out exactly what was going on rather than relying on the BBC story, although there is a major treat with Episode 12 which is in French with English subtitles.
Watch this with an eye for nostalgia and see if you can spot the road sign in episode 1!
Buy it you know you want to!
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For those who remember 1969 for Neil Armstrongs landing on the moon,who can forget the brilliance of this adventure story:watching it now nearly 30 years on it is a journey back to carefree days; yet its message of genuine heroics againts the odds sadly rings true today. But never mind, hooray for the chevalier and his ill coiffeuerd Guillot,hooray for the Abbe Mazarin and the cure Bodinelli, and boos for Alonso,and boos and hisses for the pig dog RIcardo!!!!!Sit back and enjoy,even though we'd all re edit the sound track to make more of Berlioz.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Trip down Memory Lane
My husband loved this programme when he was young and watched through the summer holidays, he loves it now, in fact he watches it so much I can't get the theme out of my head,... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Karen
You've got to fight for what you want...
Nowadays, if the BBC were to buy a twelve part serial from another european country, it would be shown late at night on BBC2 and attract a small but very loyal cult audience. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paul Tapner
the flashing blade
One of the best series i remember as a kid.
I was expecting it to be a bit corny and and i wasn't disappointed.
But what fun... Swashbuckling, overacting... Read more
I was expecting it to be a bit corny and and i wasn't disappointed.
But what fun... Swashbuckling, overacting... Read more
Published 1 month ago by silverfox
The Flashing Blade (12 part series)
A wonderful blast from the past, following the adventures of Chevalier de Recci and his valet Guillot as they seek to halt the Spanish bombardment of the castle of Castile. Read more
Published 4 months ago by NickDownUnder
those were the days my friends
The Flashing Blade: The Complete Series [1967] [DVD]Imagine my joy when I found out that the Flashing Blade had been re released, I was always watching this during the school... Read more
Published 5 months ago by small and covered in hair
le chevalier tempete
Thoroughly enjoyable for a fiver. The acting isn't so good and the production values are fairly low but it's a fast paced ripping yarn with lots of fighting. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jeff Betts
Happy days!
I bought this DVD to remind myself of simpler times, of board games, walking to school, riding bikes, when kids were scared of policemen! Read more
Published 8 months ago by G. Malloy
The Flashing Blade: The Complete Series [1967] [DVD]
Takes you back to the summer hols mornings when it was the most cool programe ever , 35 years on I've just about understood the plot plus the bonus of the "unseen" ending, best... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Flypress
Classic French Sixties TV Swashbuckler
The Flashing Blade was an ambitious historical adventure and romance for Childrens' European television. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Paul Mason
memories
i watched this series as a teenager and found it fascinating then, now i am 47 i still found it brilliant, it is not everyone's cup of tea but i loved it especially the signature... Read more
Published 21 months ago by marley
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