h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Done.

This sure is getting long. Are you about finished yet? Once you're done, I'll go through it again to make sure no problems leaked in at some point. Probably will take a while, though.

I just need another check through 'Word', I've an idea there's a little more on the Chosen men, then that'll be it. I promise I'll be all done in time for it to be sent back to the Eds on Monday.

Emmily

simpost, yep it's almost finished.

You'll be pleased to hear the last two posts are coming up, this one then another straight after and I'm done.

There's one little thing I can't find out at the moment, and that's Rifleman Cooper's first name. I'll have to watch some Sharpe DVDs to find that out, I can easily ask the Eds to add that, if you've already sent it back by the time I find it, so it's not a problem.

If you have any questions about any details when you're going through the Entry, feel free to ask me.

Could you slot this section in after Subheader 'Stuntmen' section please.

Repeat Filming

One way of saving money on the tight budget was the occasional use of the repeating of a scene. This can be seen most clearly in a battle near the end of Sharpe's Siege, when the same piece of film is seen as least three times.

Please replace the whole section on the Chosen Men with the improved following.

The Chosen Men

'Chosen Man' is an early form of the rank lance-corporal in the British army. In reality, these men were given command of a small unit (usually eight to 10 men) and often became more senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). In the Sharpe TV films they were a group of misfits and criminals who were crack shot riflemen, and are fiercely loyal to each other, and most of all, to Sharpe.

Sergeant Patrick Harper, played by Daragh O'Malley. Despite his original hostility towards Sharpe, for not being a 'proper officer', which extended to Harper leading an attempted mutiny against Sharpe, the huge Irishman soon becomes Sharpe's best friend, protector and confidant.

Harper's favoured weapon is a seven-barrel volley gun, given to him by Sharpe. Harper is the only one of the chosen men to have the strength to handle the recoil of the massive gun. Harper acts tough when he needs to, but he's a bit of a softie at heart.

Harper finds it difficult sometimes to see where his loyalties should lie, with the British who have his homeland under occupation or Ireland his native land, he decides his true loyalties are to Sharpe and the Chosen Men.

O'Mally was the first actor to be cast, as Sgt Patrick Harper, while the Sharpe project was still in its early stages, and he saw it through most of the stops, starts and problems. O'Mally had bumped into McBain in a pub in Dublin; they knew each other from their drama school days. McBain had arranged to meet Harris in the pub to discuss casting for Sharpe. While he waited, he caught up on old times with O'Mally. McBain told him about Sharpe. He had already told O’Mally that he was too young for the part of Harper when Harris joined them; he took one look at O'Mally and declared he'd be perfect in the role of Harper, and so the first role was filled.

Rifleman Daniel Hagman, played by John Tams, was a Cheshire poacher given the choice of prison or the army, he chose the army. His experience as a poacher gave Hagman a distinct advantage as a skirmisher and earned him the title of crack marksman the best shot of the chosen men. As the oldest of the Chosen Men he is often seen as a father figure with a calming influence on the younger men. His popular remedy for injuries is to treat it with vinegar and brown paper.

Tams, was involved in the making and composing of the tunes and music for the films. He can often be found singing, or playing an instrument; in some scenes Hagman is seen playing a fiddleA type of violin., which is one of the few instruments Tams does not play in real life.

Rifleman Cooper, played by Michael Mears is former thief and pickpocket, who grew up in the slums of London. He chose the army as lesser of two evils: jail or army, when given the opportunity by a magistrate.

He's got a good sense of humour and is quick witted, as well as being a good shot with his rifle. Cooper's last appearance is in Sharpe’s Gold

Rifleman Harris, (Harris has no first name) played by Jason Salkey, is the best educated of the Chosen Men. He can write and read, and is fluent in French. Harris was invaluable when enemy communications were captured, he could also crack codes and repair shoes.

When Sharpe asks Harris what he did before he joined the army Harris replied 'I was a Courtier to Lord Bacchus and an unremitting debtor', which Sharpe translated that he was rogue and a wastrel. Though, Harris is not a snob, and gets on well with the other chosen men, particularly Hagman.

Rifleman Isaiah Tongue, played by Paul Trussell, was a morose individual prone to quoting scripture (or what passed for scripture among the Chosen Men). Like Sharpe, Tongue is unsure of his birth details, and spent his life in one institution or another, the army now being his family.

Tongue mysteriously disappears after Sharpe's Eagle. Although we don't see him injured or killed, he is never seen or mentioned again.

Rifleman Ben Perkins, played by Lyndon Davies, was the youngest of the Chosen Men. Originally the company standard bearer (flag carrier), Sharpe made him a Chosen Man after ambush in Sharpe's Rifles where a French chasseur had Sharpe in his sights and was promptly shot by young Ben.

Perkins was the first of the chosen men to die on screen in Sharpe's Battle. He was shot by a renegade soldier from the Royal Irish Company; Harper wastes no time in avenging Perkin's death.


Thanks very much Wyatt, and sorry to have been a pain.

Emmily

That's it then? I'll check through it *one more* time later on to make sure everything all right.

In the fourth pargraph, you say it would cost 6000,000 pounds per hour. Do you mean six thousand or six million? I'm pretty certain you don't mean six million, but if you mean thousand, it is really nessecery to have the extra 000 at the end?

That comes from the book I have about about the making of Sharpe, I'll quote you the sentence I took it from

>>Top quality television drama costs around £600,000 per hour, and it was clear that these films were going to be more expensive than that.<<

And now I see I've added an extra '0' well done for checking that, it's thousands, not millions. Put it how you think best.

Emmily

Okay, I'm finished with it. Just say the word.

the word

have an you deserve one

Emmily

glunkglunkglunkglunkglunk...

Off to hit the button, then.