Tag: sharpe

Sharpe’s Command

Sharpe's Command book cover

The next Sharpe book has been published, Sharpe’s Command.

“If any man can do the impossible it’s Richard Sharpe . . .”

And the impossible is exactly what the formidable Major Sharpe is asked to do when he’s dispatched on an undercover mission behind enemy lines, deep in the Spanish countryside. For a remote village is about to become the centre of a battle for the future of Europe. Sitting high above the Almaraz bridge, it is the last link between two French armies, one in the north and one in the south; if they meet, the British are doomed. Only Sharpe’s small group of men – with their cunning and courage to rely on – stand in their way. But they’re rapidly outnumbered, enemies are hiding in plain sight, and time is running out . . .

I think Bernard Cornwell taking Sharpe back to the Peninsular War (rather than forward) was a really clever idea.

I enjoyed the last Sharpe book, Sharpe’s Assassin, it was great to see Sharpe back in action.

Buy Sharpe’s Command from Amazon.

From Crimea with Love: Misadventures in the Making of Sharpe’s Rifles

After rediscovering Sharpe, I also saw that Jason Salkey, who played Private Harris has written a book about his experiences in making the series: From Crimea with Love: Misadventures in the Making of Sharpe’s Rifles.

In the summer of 1992, Jason Salkey was cast in a role that would change his life forever. Sharpe’s Rifles, a Napoleonic war drama, was to be shot in the Crimean Peninsula. Little did the producers know that they would be sending Jason and the crew to film in a rapidly disintegrating Soviet Union. There they faced near-starvation and danger round every corner as they set about creating one of Britain’s most successful and critically acclaimed television programmes.

From Crimea with Love documents the mishaps, blunders, incompetence and downright corruption that made Sharpe’s Rifles go down in British television folklore for its unique tales of hardship. Follow the cast through intense depravation and constant catastrophe until they become every bit the jaded, battle-hardened soldiers we saw on screen. Tapping into his diaries, photo journals and video log, Jason brings you an eye-opening, jaw-dropping insider’s account of one of the best-loved shows ever made.

I once met Jason at Salute, when it was at Kensington Town Hall.

Returning to the Spanish Penisular War

I saw on the Twitter a link to a Radio 4 show, The Reunion, which brings together people from a common event or background. The most recent episode was about the Sharpe TV series.

It’s a great insight into the background of the making of the series, some of the challenges that the cast and crew faced.

It was a Napoleonic war drama to be shot in the Crimean Peninsula. But little did the producers know that they would be sending the cast and crew to film in a rapidly disintegrating Soviet Union.

Once in Crimea, the whole production faced near-starvation and danger around every corner as they set about creating one of Britain’s most successful and critically acclaimed 90s television programmes, Sharpe.

It was to go down in television folklore for its unique tales of mishaps and hardship. Renowned actor Paul McGann was originally cast to play the lead character, Sharpe. But only six weeks into filming he picked up a serious injury and had to pull out.

It left the production in chaos and saw one of the highest-ever insurance pay-outs for a television series.

Everyone packed up back to the UK with the future of the series left in suspense. That was until a relatively unknown actor called Sean Bean took on the part and the show was back on the road. The cast and crew headed back to Simferopol in Crimea (later to be nicknamed “simplyawful”) and filming resumed.

Sharpe became a six series hit across nearly 15 years, with viewing figures topping 10 million.

Our panel includes Sharpe’s author Bernard Cornwell, then-assistant producer Stuart Sutherland, one of the “chosen men” Jason Salkey who played one of Sean Bean’s right hand men, Michael Cochrane who played Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson across the entire series, and Diana Perez who played Ramona.

What I didn’t know, and was quite a surprise was that Paul McGann was originally cast as Sharpe. I thought I knew a lot about the series (I even have a book about the making of the series). However, I didn’t know that.

I do wonder how different the series would have been with Paul McGann in the lead role.

I really enjoyed the series when it was broadcast and though around thirty years old, is still great television. I also love the books as well.

It certainly has rekindled my interest in the subject matter, I re-watched an episode of Sharpe, thinking about re-reading the books, and looking back into my Flintloque collection and digging out my 25mm Napoleonic Rifles figures.

95th Rifles

I really enjoyed both watching the Sharpe TV series and then reading the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell. As a result many years ago I bought some 25mm Napoleonic 95th Rifles, mainly on impulse with the intention of painting them at some point. Found them the other day…

The first thing I did was base them using two pence pieces and Citadel Sand.

I will be using them as they were in the Penisular War, so will be giving them gravelly bases with some brush grass.

The 95th Rifles

I really enjoyed both watching the Sharpe TV series and then reading the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell.

As a result many years ago I bought some 25mm Napoleonic 95th Rifles, mainly on impulse with the intention of painting them at some point. Found them the other day… maybe time to get some dark green paint out.

 

Sharpe’s Cut

This book presents a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Sharpe’s Challenge”, a major film for television starring Sean Bean. The Sharpe television series is a high point of British television drama. Led by the charismatic Sean Bean playing the redoubtable hero Richard Sharpe, the films brilliantly echo and enhance the remarkable strengths of the bestselling novels by Bernard Cornwell…

"Sharpe" Cut: The Inside Story of the Creation of a Major Television Series

Fourteen films have already aired and now two new films are being released. The series has achieved 14 million viewing figures, with additional and ongoing sales in video and DVD. “Sharpe Cut” is a unique book. It is the book of the creation of a television drama from start to finish; the first of its kind. Linda Blandford spent the entire six months of the filming of “Sharpe’s Challenge” with the cast, crew and producers. She has created a brilliant, vivid account, full of scene and story, high drama, near disaster and comedy.

“Sharpe Cut” gives the reader all the inside touches of what life on a film set is really like. From the producers to the stuntmen, from the chefs to the martial organisers, from the production designers to the costume designers and the make-up artists; they are all here. And so of course are the actors, famous and unknown, bringing all the work to life. Living together for months on end, they become a family of a sort and yet are torn apart at the completion of each film.

“Sharpe Cut” is a brilliant evocation of the life and work of creating a major television drama, with a narrative as compelling as a thriller. It is an intimate and compelling peak behind the director’s chair, into a world the audience can normally only guess at.

Get Sharpe’s Cut at Amazon.

Sharpe’s Challenge

Though not related to a specific book (it took elements from Tiger and Fortress) I did find Sharpe’s Challenge an enjoyable romp and very much in the tradition of Sharpe on TV.

Sean Bean gave his usual portrayal of gutter rat raised from the ranks and was a classic Sharpe.

It was nice to see a little homage to the books showing Sharpe in India in 1803.

If you didn’t see it, you can now order the DVD which was released today (1st May 2006).