TV Gold

In an ever changing television broadcast landscape where competing for viewer becomes ever harder, the UK?s leading independent terrestrial television broadcast channel, ITV (now ITV1) took the seemingly bold step of axing its long running permanent ?News at Ten? program around Easter of 1999, stating that they wanted to use valuable prime time scheduling to bring viewers a greater selection of drama to retain and hopefully build on their viewing figures. There was, I recall, public uproar at the time with the matter even being raised in the House of Commons! So how did ITV launch into this ?brave new scheduling world? that they had created for themselves? Well, the first of the new original dramas concerned two obsessive fans desire to locate and reform a ?one hit wonder? 80s pop band for a live television performance. It has to be said that when ?Hunting Venus? originally aired on Wednesday, 31 March 1999 (I suspect its only outing as I?m not aware of any overseas transmissions) there was some talk of the plot being overly padded to fill the new increased time slot now available from the departed News program. Despite this I felt it a pleasant enough, meandering, light hearted comedy drama that largely succeeded in its objective of providing good natured family entertainment and I would like to spend a little time refreshing memories, maybe bringing some re-evaluations of perceived perceptions and possibly lead to its return from the archive vaults to where it has now been consigned.

As I recall our story memorably opens on a bright sunny afternoon in a rural seaside private car lot. We are presented with an eager salesman hovering around a potential buyer who is showing an interest in a pale blue, elderly Austin Maestro. In attempting to drive a hard bargain and obtain the best price possible for the vehicle the man sitting in the drivers seat turns on the smarmy charm and doleful looks during their negotiations. He even goes so far as to meddle with the electrics whilst the salesman is not looking in order to falsely indicate that the farside indicator light is not working. Clearly taken with the car the salesman concurs saying ?well it was the 80s classic?. In the end the salesman surrenders and the man delightedly drives away in his new purchase, accompanied by the programs opening titles matched to A Flock of Seagulls ?Wishing I had a photography of you? song. With the credits concluded we next watch the man, equipped with a hastily acquired vacuum cleaner, visiting an elderly pensioner, this time posing as a salesman. Whilst initially chatting with the lady over tea and cake, together with thumbing through a photo album of her beloved Jack Russell terrier he orchestrates an accidental spillage of said liquid over his trousers (which are sneakily protected by hidden newspaper). This gives him the opportunity to have the lady occupied with the vacuum cleaner while he, under the pretence of using the bathroom to get cleaned up, has a good look round the house, stealing whatever valuable things he can find. By this point the viewer has a fairly good idea that this character is a shady confidence trickster out to get whatever he can. However on this occasion, despite making a clean getaway from the old ladies house with a significant amount of valuable items (including a diamond studded dog collar) the woman is able to give police a good description of him which he sees on television in an electrical retailers shop window in the middle of a busy shopping precinct. Suddenly feeling conspicuous he plans to flee the country the next day, however in checking into a local B&B for the night his ?past life? catches up with him.

Running the seaside boarding house Cassandra (played by Jane Horrocks) immediately recognises the man as none other than Simon Delancey (played by Martin Clunes), former lead guitar player/songwriter for ?one hit wonder? 80s pop group ?The Venus Hunters?. Now clearly still passionate about that period (the door chime is the spooky opening bars of Japan?s ?Ghosts? and we hear Duran Duran?s ?Union of the Snake? playing in the background in the reception area) she is temporarily shocked to find her hero suddenly standing infront of her. Having booked him in she rushes into the kitchen and phones her friend (and as it later transpires Lesbian lover) Jacqui (played by Esther Coles) to tell her the news and get her to rush round. Well to cut a long story short (if you excuse the rather ?in joke?) the pair drug Delancey who then comes round to find himself tied up in a darkened room, the only illumination, a television screen where the video to the classic Ultravox single ?Vienna? plays out with similarly attired Cassandra and Jacqui pretentiously dancing round the room in time with music. Now I personally don?t know how accurate it is as to whether people in the UK are so obsessively ?time warped? as these characters are about 80s music. Although I personally share a keen interest in that period of music I certainly don?t have such a blinkered attitude and although the early 80s is my primary focus I do enjoy certain elements of the contemporary music scene. When silence again descends the pair confront him about his past identity and reveal that they ran the fan club which ultimately ruined them. Still hankering after those far off days they blackmail Delancey into locating the other four members of the band so as to reform the group for a special ?one-off? live television performance.

This lightweight piece of television then gradually leads us through finding and recruiting group singer Charlie (now a post operative transsexual club singer called Charlotte (played by Neil Morrissey)), keyboard player Peter (now a high flying, ultra successful, slightly stuttering, businessman (played by Mark Williams)), base guitar player John (a Gary Numan obsessed 24 hour plumber (played by Danny Webb)) and drummer Gavin (now residing in a mental institution (played by Ben Miller)) with many amusing moments along the way. Both Charlotte and Peter still hold simmering hatred towards Simon (not so Gavin whose memories of the period are virtually none existent) regarding his part in splitting up the band however John is more physical in demonstrating his feelings when on seeing him for the first time he drops his plumbers bag, rushes towards him, knocking the man over and proceeds to inflict serious nasal harm on Delancey with the use of a large wretch. Despite this Cassandra and Jacqui manage to persuade the five to lay aside their personal difficulties and to practice and ultimately turn up and perform, it has to be said, quite successfully at the end of the program.

It is in those latter sequences filmed at BBC television centre that certain familiar 80s music icons put in cameo appearances. In the centre?s lobby ex-mental patient Gavin exchanges pleasantries with arriving Human League members Philip Oakey, Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall whom we later see performing the opening bars of ?Don?t You Want Me?? following the Venus Hunter?s performance. We see Duran Duran?s Simon Le Bon arrive and later walking down an empty corridor he gives an understated self assured ?Hello girls? to the seated figures of Cassandra and Jacqui who typically offer up a squeal of delight at this passing comment. Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley can be seen briefly berating the seemingly inferior support group within earshot of Delancey whilst the obsessive and slightly disturbing fan aspect is apparent in the brief speaking cameo appearance scene that Gary Numan puts in with John. Plus of course Jools Holland (whom I?ve never really been that much a fan of (particularly when he was in Squeeze)) as live music show host also gains time to tickle the ivories in his own inimitable (and it has to be said talented) manner in addition to his incidental music and Venus Hunters song ?Starburst? writing credits.

Personally I find it sad that such an amusing piece of drama should indeed be permanently relegated to the archives, now deemed never to see the light of day again. When you consider that its premise was to tap into the public?s current and (even today) continuing interest in this period of popular music the case for a retail release would appear to be strong. The only merchandising exercise performed on ?Hunting Venus? around the time of transmission was the release of a ?soundtrack? CD (which I managed to get a copy of on ebay in January 2005) containing mostly tracks from popular artists which are available on other collections although this was the only way to obtain a recording of the ?Starburst? song that ?The Venus Hunters? perform at the end of the program. No doubt original poor sales of this release resulted in the permanently archived state of ?Hunting Venus?. I suspect that this program would be a contractual minefield with it leaning so heavily on both musicians appearances and performed work that would probably make any retail release impossible although a repeat transmission should not be beyond the realms of possibility. In the meantime I at least can count myself very fortunate in having taped ?Hunting Venus? on that one-and-only broadcast (so far!), my occasionally viewed copy (I notably remember seeing it last on New Years Day 2005 and 1st October 2005) being further enhanced by the guest appearance of Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey talking about ?Hunting Venus? on Richard and Judy?s ?This Morning? program, something I taped purely by chance.
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I did post something like this on the Human League board sometime ago...
Someone did say it was released on VHS as they saw a copy in Woolies...to me I never saw it...tho i do (did) see some on EBAY
Just glad I taped it off the tv at the time!!!
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I think someone is telling you 'porky pies' about this. I really can't believe that it has been released on VHS. There are a few good sites around where you can do good archive searches for long deceased videos (<a href='http://www.sendit.co.uk' target='_blank'>www.sendit.co.uk</a>) and I think they will support my opinion.

Shame indeed.

Glad you also taped it from the TV. Next up I hope that, some time in the future, I will be able to do a video to DVD disc transfer.

Was amazing a cd of Hunting Venus was released, but not the actual programme, I taped it off tv, and put it onto dvd, but stuff like this deserve to be released or at least re-shown, the tv companies must have tons of classic stuff, I could write an endless list covering the past 30 years or so, yet continue to fill the screens with utter rubbish. Dave

Having recently got my own 'scanner'/'printer'/'copier' in the New Year sales from Currys last weekend I'd like to offer up this newspaper extract on this 'criminally overlooked lightweight fond look back at the spooky old 80s'...

Just been doing a search for more on this and came up with...

http://www.square-eyedtv.co.uk/playsanths/huntvenus/index.html

...and quite an amazing find, you can actually buy this from here...

http://www.raretelevision.com/hunting-venus-1999-dvd-p_404.html

Anyone interested?, Now (hopefully) form an orderly queue behind me!

Thought I'd mention that today marks the tenth anniversary of the (one and so far only) transmission of "Hunting Venus" by ITV1, of which Human League played some small part in the latter stages of this comedy drama.

IMO it really baffles me why no label has picked this up for the full retail DVD release in light of continuing interest in 80s music from things like the reforming of Spandau Ballet, "Ashes To Ashes" TV series and, coming out during April 2009, "Electric Dreams".

I am sorely tempted to start an online petition using this site http://www.lobbyingforum.com but at present can't find the time or inclination to effectively word what I want to say.

Probably, judging by their output, Network DVD is the best option as I'm sure they'd do a great job and would probably include the interview with (Martin) Clunes and (Neil) Morrissey from 'This Morning' with the pair talking with 'Richard and Judy'

Anyway that's my winge is over... as you were!

Just to let you know I've just emailed Network DVD with the following text...

Dear Sir/Madam

With an insightful skill of selecting a wide range of desirable rare television and film titles for retail release which are then presented in marvellously designed packaging I have the highest regard for the quality products you create. It’s clearly evident that you have a strong researching grasp on potential archival material for future releases and ordinarily I wouldn’t normally contact you with regard to possible future titles. However with the recent passing of the tenth anniversary of the only UK transmission of one particular feature length ITV drama (something I believe has over the years gained a slight ‘cult’ status) I feel extremely saddened that it still remains neglected and would like to bring it to your attention for potential release consideration.

Taking a cheeky innocent swipe at the ‘spooky old’ early 80s music scene the light hearted good natured “Hunting Venus” television special I feel still offers good family entertainment potential for today’s viewing consumers. Indeed Nick Vivian’s comedy/drama (deftly directed by leading cast member Martin Clunes) has quite rightly been described as ‘a chunky, economical and politically sound satire which is funny, well observed and painfully well played’. As you’ll no doubt be aware its an easy going tale of fan club organisers Cassandra and Jacqui’s attempt to reassemble the five original band members of one hit wonder outfit ‘The Venus Hunters’ for a live television show. The proliferation of occasional bursts of 80s hits along their relaxed narrative journey (taking in the surprising/amusing career/life changes the former band members have taken since they went their separate ways) is something that is currently being used to great effect in the BBC’s highly successful “Ashes To Ashes” series which I believe further feeds the evergreen nostalgic passion for this musical era.

I’m presuming with minimal clean up of the (hopefully stereo) film prints I believe with a menu page featuring looped film clips and most likely accompanying ‘Starburst’ song this has the potential to be a marvellously appealing title (replete of course with the usual high standard Network designed cover). However in keeping with Network’s high quality reputation for surprising customers with unexpected but most welcome bonus features on their titles may I make a suggestion? Leading cast members Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey dropped in for a chat with ‘Richard & Judy’ on the ITV “This Morning” show of the 30th March 1999 (the day before “Hunting Venus” was premiered). In this nine minute light-hearted item Neil gave a basic synopsis of the film alongside the inclusion of three clips they teased viewing audiences with enticing them to tune in the following evening. This would, in my opinion, compliment the main “Hunting Venus” feature perfectly.

Personally I find it extremely baffling that this charmingly absorbing comedic romp is still buried in the archives with apparently no chance whatsoever of it ever again seeing the light of day again through either satellite repeat transmission or as a DVD title. The music of the early 80s seems to be continually ‘in vogue’ with current public tastes/trends and I can only hope that renewed awareness of “Hunting Venus” through DVD retail release will gain it the commercial success it certainly deserves.

Thank you for your time with my enquiry and I look forward with interest to your reply with keen anticipation!


Yours faithfully

Right I'll get off my soapbox for the time being and let you know if I get a reply!