Want You Back (From The Dead)

Halloween traditionally was a time to remember the departed, in particular the saints, before the actual celebration of their faith, life and death on November 1^st. Over time and with the influence of various religions, cultures and cults the feast took on a more sinister meaning and now we revel in the possible return of the undead on October 31^st whilst loading up on sugary treats and filling our homes with bizarre plastic decorations.

A couple of years ago, before the pandemic, I gave in after a lifetime of resisting and finally dressed up for a Halloween with my family. It’s also my birthday so it marks my turning another year older and being another year closer to my own death. Which is nice.

Anyway I chose to dress up as my favourite Star Trek character at this party so I excitedly donned a stretchy silver catsuit in the style of Borg goddess Seven of Nine and checked myself out in my sister’s full-length mirror. This Blog, written at the time, will explain why I had to take the costume off immediately, and why somebody in Weatherfield suffered a similar Halloween fate.

The spookiest time of year is almost upon us again and to avoid any costume nightmares I won’t be dressing up this year, but it looks like some of our Corrie favourites will be. There’s a huge storm, an explosion, more sinkhole drama and some dangerous and unpleasant people returning to the cobbles so it looks like an exciting few episodes await us at the end of the month. We may even be treated to a bit of death.

Coming soon (run)...

In keeping with the ‘return of the dead’ (or undead) theme, I was thinking who I’d like to see back on the cobbles at Halloween. The Sanderson sisters returned to cause havoc in the brilliant Hocus Pocus and Michael Myers still can’t stop coming back to terrorist people at this time of year in the ridiculously scary Halloween films. Corrie does go a bit mad with its storylines from time-to-time, admittedly not zombie-mad, but why not embrace the supernatural for a few episodes?

Ivy Brennan is an obvious choice for a Halloween comeback. Already deeply spiritual in life, Ivy’s Catholicism often caused friction within the family. She died when on a “religious retreat” and after her death Vera Duckworth claimed to have bumped into her ghost on Don’s landing. An exorcism soon followed. Ridiculous.

"I see dead seamstresses"

The most perfect Halloween return, for me, would come in the form of evil (and recently cremated) Pat Phelan. I can just see the horrified faces of all those that hated Pat as he appears out of the October darkness seeking revenge. Eileen, half terrified and half unsurprised he’s come back would have to kill him again. It would be brilliant.

Norris Cole once held a séance after being convinced the Kabin was haunted. While it turned out not to be evil spirits but a bit of damp, perhaps he’s now floating about the place, trapped between two worlds, unable to leave Rita. Time for Gemma to get the candles back out and see how Nozza’s getting on since he crossed over?

I also have this image of Fred Elliot coming back from the dead like the Jacob Marley in a Christmas Carol but instead of chains he's got loads of strings of sausages holding him down. 

Fred. Dead.

Anyway it looks like the buildup to some the the Halloween and autumn/winter storylines has already begun. You can read more about what’s in store on the Blog HERE and on the Corrie website HERE.

Have a good one.

@StevieDawson

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The Smiths in 1980s Corrie

Family and friends aside, I have two loves in life - 1) The Smiths and 2) Coronation Street. As is well documented (for example, in previous blogs here and here), I particularly enjoy it when there is synchronicity between the two.

I noticed in a Classic Coronation Street episode shown on ITV3 last week that the wall of 'Baldwin’s Curtains' (as the business had recently been renamed) was adorned with a Smiths poster:

The poster is in the right hand corner of the above image. In this scene, Shop Steward Ivy Tisley is busy with a clipboard while Shirley Armitage and Vera Duckworth are gossiping about Mike Baldwin’s arrest for drink driving. The episode was originally broadcast in April 1988, six months or so after The Smiths spilt up. The poster can be seen in closer detail below:

This poster advertised the band's eponymously titled debut album and featured the image from the front cover of the record, which is of American actor Joe Dallesandro in a still from Andy Warhol's 1968 film 'Flesh'.

The first Smiths album was released in 1984. Does this mean the poster was on the factory wall for at least four years? I have no idea but the fact that this prop was incorporated into the Corrie set at all fills me with joy.

I bet Morrissey got a kick out of it too - his favourite TV programme, which he used to send scripts to as a boy, now paying homage to his band.

I wonder who The Smiths fan in the factory was - possibly Shirley. I can’t imagine Ivy, Vera or Ida Clough being into them.

This album happens to be my favourite in The Smiths’ back catalogue. It is essentially Morrissey’s teenage diary set to Johnny Marr’s wonderful guitar playing. One of the standout tracks is ‘Miserable Lie’, which is also a fave of Mary Taylor’s:

Whalley Range must be a more desirable area of Manchester now than when Morrissey were a lad!

By Martin Leay, on Twitter @mpleay

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Five things we've learned from Classic Coronation Street this week

 

I was overjoyed when the announcement came that ITV3 would start re-running classic episodes of Coronation Street. To begin with, I was disappointed the network wasn't going to show episodes from earlier on - I believe the mid 1970s to early 80s to be the golden age for the show - however I can now see the benefits in starting in 1986. The episodes broadcast this week are modern enough to feature a vast number of characters viewers today will still be aware of, either because they are still regularly on our screens or because their time has only recently been and gone.

Coronation Street in 1986 featured regular characters who stlll appear today - Ken, Rita, Jenny, Audrey, Gail, Sally and Kevin. The likes of Deirdre, Emily, Jack and Vera, Betty and Hilda are still very much in our consciousness too. Early '86 also began some long running stories, introducing Sally Seddon to enliven Kevin's life for many years to come and most of all, the start of the three year Alan Bradley saga. 

I have been tasked with cobbling together a blog on five things we've learned from this week in the life of Classic Coronation Street on ITV3. This last week in 1986 saw the fallout from the Rovers fire continue and for a brief moment it seemed the famous pub was doomed. Thankfully George Newton had a change of heart, taking pity on Bet when he discovered the only belongings she'd managed to salvage from the fire were her singed 'butch" wig and her burnt Orinoco Womble. Elsewhere, young Susan Baldwin still couldn't act but managed to reunite Rita and Alan over a frozen pizza. Rita certainly would come away from that little lot with a bit more than just indigestion...

Ivy Tilsley: Knicker Nicker 

Another glam night out for Edina and Patsy

Yes you read it correctly, that cheeky little minx, the Pope's own representative in Weatherfield, Ivy Tilsley was up to mischief this week. Vera Duckworth, newly certified behind the wheel, dragged Ivy and Shirley Armitage (remember her?) off out in the Nova for a night of boozing and whooping at The Pink Flamingo Club. There, a reluctant Ivy ended up dancing on the stage with a muscle-bound stripper who's pants came away with her in her sensible handbag. What would Bert have thought? Second thoughts, don't answer that.

It was refreshing to see the fun, down to earth side to Ivy. I for one only remember her pointing the finger at Gail, tutting upwards at Audrey and trying to protect young Nicky from evil little Martin Platt. Who knew the hot summer of 1986 would see her pocketing what Terry reliably informed us were "briefs". These ravishing undercrackers would cause a great deal of trouble for Jack. And no, don't worry, he doesn't model them for Phyllis Pearce.

Who knows what you'll find down the back seat in a Vauxhall Nova...

Jack and Dulcie get down to business

Just for a change, Jack and Vera were at each others' throats this week. The Vauxhall Nova saga continued on with no sign of a truce. Jack, the rogue he was, started whipping the keys out of Vee's handbag and trotting off to her garage in Viaduct Street to pop out for a spin, and he wasn't going alone, oh no! Yes, the deliciously named Dulcie Froggatt was his back seat companion. However before they could get down to it, as it were, Jack felt something strange behind him - yes none other than Ivy's briefs. Someone pass the smelling salts. 

No sooner had the briefs been found than Jack was accusing poor old Vera of exactly what he was getting up to (or down to) with the delectable Dulcie! Incidentally, I caught up with the lovely Margi Campi, who played Dulcie, earlier this year. You can read our interview here.

A Rover Returns...

Alec reacts to Terry's request for a corned beef barm

The aftermath of the Rovers fire had one positive for us viewers. That's right, we were re-introduced to the fabulously grotty Graffiti Club. This members only, less than salubrious establishment was now owned by a certain Mr Alec Gilroy, last seen over a decade earlier as Rita's money grabbing agent. Now he was back, as the club's money grabbing manager. With only crusty old pensioner Sam Tindall as a customer, and he kept his dog in a bag, Alec was in desperate need of more customers. In comes Jacko (he was busy this week) and is soon running about recruiting members as if his job depended on it. Well, actually it did, or so Jack thought. Alec promised Jack a job behind the bar if he could round up new members for his crappy club. Jack's first mistake was agreeing to do Alec's bidding. And his second was taking GIlroy at his word.

This began one of Coronation Street's golden chapters, with Roy Barraclough on barnstorming form as the wily, tight fisted, sharp tongued publican. Roy fitted in so well with the rest of the Coronation Street cast and after many years of trying, Granada finally lured him back and signed him up to a contract and I'm really glad they did. 

Jenny Bradley, teenager from hell

Morten Harket

She's always been a heavy parcel, our Jenny. True enough in 1986 she didn't resort to dangling little children off balconies, instead she just sulked and flounced about between her dingy bedsit and her paper round. Not even her 80's summer pastel fashions and A-Ha haircut are entertaining any more. Dad Alan, pre full on psychopath he'd later become, was still showing signs of being less than pleasant by two timing Gloria Todd-Corkhill with Lady Reet of the Kabin. How could Alan even think of bonking, sorry bunking down with Gloria when Rita had gone to the trouble of styling her hair as if she was about to audition for a bit part in Howard's Way?

Jenny obviously had her favourite and it was Glo. Probably because she was younger and her wardrobe of latest polyester fashions was merely a few steps across the grimy hall. When Alan plumped for Rita, Jenny, obviously having slipped Susan Kennedy like on some spilt milk, seemed to forget that fluffy Fairclough the foster mam had saved her piggin' bacon. Even Alan's suggestion of a family trip to Jersey fell on deaf ears as little Jenny stropped about like a bad smell. Not a fan of Bergerac then.

Gail Warnings

Not a warm front in sight

Ah yes, an old one but a good'un. Everyone was wondering this past week 31 years ago, just why Gail was being so sullen, so moody and so standoffish. Personally, I couldn't make out any difference from her normal radiant self. She was snapping at 12 year old Martin Platt, brushing off support from gravel-voiced Phyllis and being terse with Brian the Teeth. Obviously I'm totally fine with Gail treating Brian like dirt but there was no need for the rest of it. In one totally hilarious (not) scene Gail even had the nerve to mind having her bottom pinched in the cafe by a rather rancid looking trucker (I think that's what she called him).

Of course the real reason for Gail's mardy mare act is revealed in the cliff hanger at the end of the episode. Rather rudely cutting off Hilda in her prime and putting an end to Audrey's endless twittering (oh Sue Nicholls, please join Twitter, it would be fabulous darling), Gail comes out with it. She's got a bun in the oven and it's not back at Jim's Caff. The penny drops with Aud the back street barnet permer when she realises the baby might pop out with an Australian accent. Fortunately, it didn't. Unfortunately, this happened instead:

Definitely Brian's

   

Until next week!

Classic Coronation Street is broadcast on ITV3 every week day at 14.40 and 15.15, repeated from 6am the next day.

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82

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