They just dont make tv like this anymore!!! Knightmare is a British television programme for children and was broadcast on CITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994. An adventure game show, Knightmare involves a team of four children – one taking the role of the sightless dungeoneer, and the remaining three acting as their guide – traversing a medieval environment as they attempt to complete a quest and exit the dungeon, using their wits to overcome puzzles, obstacles and the unusual characters they meet along the journey. The show is most noted for its use of blue screen chroma key (an idea borrowed by Tim Child from weather forecasts, where it had just started to be used) and use of virtual reality interactive gameplay on television. Broadcast to high viewing figures throughout its original run, it has garnered a cult status amongst its fans since its final television episode in 1994. It was revived for a one off special by YouTube in August 2013.The show features teams of four children (around 11–16 years old). On the call of Enter, Stranger, the first member of the team (the dungeoneer) enters Knightmare Castle via an antechamber belonging to Treguard of Dunshelm (played by Hugo Myatt).[1] After giving his or her name, the dungeoneer is asked by Treguard to call three advisors, who magically appear next to the viewing apparatus (though, in Series 8, all members of the team appeared at once). Before entering the dungeon, the dungeoneer is given a knapsack to wear, in which food found along the way is to be placed, in order to replenish Life Force (see below). In addition, the Helmet of Justice is put on the dungeoneers head, blocking vision except for the area immediately around. The story is that this is to protect the dungeoneer from seeing the real danger ahead. The dungeoneer then enters Treguards partly computer-generated, partly hand-drawn fantasy dungeon which was accomplished through blue screen chroma key — hence the need for the helmet, as the dungeoneer otherwise just sees a large blue room. The team watches the dungeoneer from a screen in the antechamber, and guides the player using hurried descriptions and shouted instructions, overcoming a variety of puzzles and traps in the dungeon. The instructions might be Sidestep left, walk forward, take a small step to your right, pick up the key, much like many text-based computer games (for example the appropriately named multi-user dungeons) which rely on description and commands rather than any visuals. Spells can also be cast, which enable the dungeoneer to attack, open doors, restore life force, reveal clues, and perform other special abilities. This is accomplished by spelling the name of the spell the team wishes to cast. For example, to cast a WELL spell that reveals a wellway to the next level, an advisor calls out: Spellcasting: W-E-L-L. It is also possible to reverse or stop a previously cast spell by dispelling, which can be done by calling out Dispel, followed by the letters of the spell in an incorrect order, but not necessarily in reverse order. One team (Team 7 of Series 2) was confounded by bad spelling, continually missing out the letter O of a SHROUD spell that is put on their dungeoneer while the antagonist Mogdred laughs evilly, while Treguard, apparently constrained by magic, tries to tell them (Let...ter...O!). In their subsequent episode, that same team was killed, this time by word misinterpretation (misinterpreting a SHOVEL spell that they had been given earlier as SPADE). There are three levels in the dungeon. The object of the game is to collect various items, meeting a selection of the many inhabitants of the dungeon along the way, and get out alive after finding a specified treasure. In some series, the teams could choose one of four treasures to pursue. The choice would only affect the first room entered, and the prize found. It was always located towards the end of level 3. There are various ways to travel between levels, including wellways, mine cart rides, lifts (descenders), and even airborne rides on the dragon Smirkenorff. The dungeons inhabitants include: jesters, maids, and wizards, who help the dungeoneer; and guards, witches, and sorcerers, who either demand passwords, spells, or objects, or who simply try to kill the dungeoneer. Mary Whitehouse was initially critical of this latter aspect of the programme (i.e. the simulated deaths of the dungeoneers) after having been given a macabre description of Knightmare by the press. However, she apologised after she saw Knightmare, noting that there was no gore and Treguard always made it clear that the dungeoneers still survived in their own time. If the team manages to complete all three levels and master the dungeon, it is awarded with a prize, which changed over the years from the Silver Spurs of Squiredom, to medallions (Series 4), to Frightknight trophies (a design of a Knight holding a sword). Unlike most other childrens shows, Knightmare had no qualms over having a very high difficulty level. In its eight-year history, only eight teams managed to conquer the dungeon: two in Series 2 (teams 4 and 10), one in Series 4 (team 6), one in series 5 (team 4), one in series 6 (team 5), two in Series 7 (teams 6 and 7), and one in Series 8 (team 6). The last team to play in each series often faced an impossible quest, as the dungeon always collapsed (indicating the end of the series) before the conclusion of the quest. While the essence of Knightmare remained the same, there was also much change and development throughout its series. In Series 2 (1988), a quest object system was introduced, so that dungeoneers now had a specific item to reclaim at the end. There were four main quest items: The Sword of Freedom (originally The Sword of Justice, retrieved once), The Shield of Justice (originally The Shield of Liberty, retrieved twice), The Cup that Heals (never retrieved), and The Crowning Glory (retrieved three times). There were occasionally others, such as Free the Maid (used twice, freed once) or Find the Talisman (used once, retrieved once). In its early series, Knightmare lacked a single major antagonist or baddie. Indeed, originally Treguard was specifically a neutral character, neither on the side of good nor evil. The closest there was to a main villain was Mogdred (portrayed by John Woodnutt), but his main duty was (according to wizard Merlin - Mogdreds alter ego in the first series - in the penultimate episode of Series 2) to scare you into making a mistake, though he did kill two dungeoneers, one in Series 2 and another early in Series 4. In Series 5 (1991), however, changes were made. The majority of the characters were split into two sides: the righteous Powers that Be, and the villainous Opposition, the leader of which was Lord Fear played by Mark Knight. By this time, Treguards stance had now fully evolved into that of a strictly good character.The life force was a combined clock and progress meter used to track the energy status of the dungeoneer (the main contestant). It could be reduced by the dungeoneer taking too long (Treguard would often tell the team Youre wasting Life Force), taking damage through being attacked by monsters or hazards, taking the wrong route or making bad decisions. However, it could be refuelled by placing food in the knapsack. In the first five series and the YouTube special, the life force was a computer animated image of an adventurer wearing a helmet. When healthy the image was complete, it would be shown against a Green background. As life force was lost the background would turn Amber and parts of the helmet would break off into pieces. Once the helmet was gone completely, pieces of skin would break off to reveal a skull underneath (though no blood was seen), now with a red background. If life force diminished further the skull would start to crumble away, ending with the eyes rolling away past the camera as a death knell tolled. In series six and seven, the life force was a picture of a walking knight losing armour to reveal a skeleton which eventually crumbled to bits. In the final series, the life force was a picture of an animated pie, its slices slowly dissolving. This life force only appeared whenever the dungeoneer picked up food. The teams deaths were indicated by the life force sequence ending, either by the second eye rolling off-screen or by the skeleton collapsing (though the latter was rarely used). Unlike the first two sequences, the pie life force was never used to indicate a death. Also, Team 3s death in Series 2 never used the death sequence. During filming, the life force animation was never shown on the advisers screen (though its heartbeat could still be heard; it was only shown within the shots of the current chamber), although changes to its status were announced by Treguard (e.g. Life Force damaged!). Almost none of the dungeoneers deaths were caused by the life force clock simply running out, as there was usually an additional factor that caused the deaths. The eighth team of series 2 were the only team to have their life force run out completely, as the dungeoneer found themselves trapped in a room where they needed a divining rod to find which of four doors was the correct exit. Certain traps and pits caused instant death, regardless of remaining life force. For example, if the dungeoneer stepped off the edge of a platform, they would fall to his death. Occasionally, the dungeoneers death would be animated. The most common death showed the challenger falling straight downwards while waving their arms. If they come in contact with a moving saw, sometimes it would appear that the dungeoneer got split into two pieces. These animations were made in post-production. Treguard A Saxon Knight named Treguard, or Treguard of Dunshelm, was the dungeon master and was played by Hugo Myatt for the shows eight series. Information about his supposed background can be found in the related literature (see merchandise section). During the show, it was Treguards job to assist the dungeoneer and his team of helpers wherever possible. At first, Treguard directed the contestants on his own. However, from Series 4, Treguard had an assistant: Pickle the elf, played by David Learner, and (from Series 7) after Pickle had gone back to the forest, Majida, a princess and genie of Arabian descent played by Jackie Sawiris. (Majida originally claimed her name was Daughter of the Setting Moon Whose Eyes are Like Daggers in the Hearts of Men Who Ride the Great Caravan of the Sultan.) During the early series Treguard was portrayed as a neutral character, most notably between Series 1 and 3. During the start of Episode 14 of Series 3 (when no team had yet completed that series dungeon) he went as far as to say were celebrating an unbeaten record, apparently siding against the dungeoneers. However, from Series 5 onwards there was a clear distinction made between The Powers that Be and The Opposition, against which Treguard became less neutral, and more inclined to aid the dungeoneers to complete their quest. Over the course of the series Treguard became known for his catchphrase Ooh, nasty!, regularly used just after a team had died. Intended only as a passing remark, this was originally an ad lib by Myatt.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 16:48:24 +0000
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