The Flipside of Dominick Hide (1980)
Dominick Hide, a time traveller from the year 2130, is studying the London transport system of 1980. Time travellers are supposed to be observers, and are strictly forbidden to land their flying saucers. One time traveller who broke this rule accidentally killed a dog, changing history and causing many future people to disappear. Inspired by his Great Aunt Mavis, Dominick decides to find his great great grandfather. He begins to land in 1980, where his strange clothes and speech make him seem an eccentric oddball. His quest brings him into contact with beautiful boutique owner Jane, and they fall in love. As Dominick's visits become more frequent and more prolonged, he increasingly risks his indiscretion being discovered by his boss, Caleb Line, and every moment he spends in the past increases the danger that he will catastrophically change the future
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I helped make the first of these two splendid TV programs. I was a video tape operator/engineer on the pub / party scenes in part one. I had the chance to read the script before the recording. It read well and they acted it wonderfully. I am delighted that these programs survived the pillage of the VT library that killed so many other programs, but this one would still stand out as superlative even if all the rest made it to the 21st century.I watched it just now on an 'old' digital PVR and online (for part 2). The machine I recorded it on from the studio at the BBC shares none of that technology. We have come further in these 30 years in many technical and social areas than is shown in the future view of 2130 that we see in these flips and yet this double past somehow still feels alive and vibrant. If we can see and hear the past, it's still there. I would never have 'clean wiped' that tape.
This was a delightful time travel play from 1980, beautifully played by the main actors, and including clever references, and even a sly note about attitudes to homosexuality.One person mentioned about making this a film with Jim Carrey. I think that would be a dreadful mistake. For one thing, Peter Firth's Dominick is a bit odd in 1980, rather than the madcap zany character in many of Carrey's roles. Secondly, the whole production is understated, the only music being Beatles music played by a futuristic hologrammatic trio, and an undistinguished theme song.Appropriately, this, together with its less successful follow up, Another Flip for Dominick, is definitely "of its time", and should be left alone, but the BBC should repeat both, and on a mainstream channel rather than BBC4, on which they were recently shown.
Just watched this on bbc 4 and just have to say i thought it was great.The story was well written.The writers letting the story flow and not trying to speed it up with unwanted action.The acting was superb from Firth and the rest of the great cast,Patrick magee giving a good performance in his small but pivotal role.The music at the beginning and the end was very good.Although i have no doubt i am probably looking at this through rose coloured glasses,and that there was a fair share of trash on TV in the 80s.This really puts the TV programmes of today to shame.Given a choice what my TV license fee should be spent on it would be this kind of programme not reality TV.Anyway i do hope the sequel will be shown on TV soon.
A young man from the future arrives by flying saucer in 1980s London, and finds it an interesting experience. This is enjoyable and interesting drama, rather than mainstream science fiction.