Watch Blake's Junction 7 For Free

Fantastic!

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

A Disappointing Continuation

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

"Blake's Junction 7" is a British short film from 2005, so this one is already over a decade old, way over and it runs for slightly under 15 minutes including credits. The ones who made this are Ben Gregor and Tim Plester and it's among their more known works overall, even if it obviously cannot compete with a supporting role on Game of Thrones. Anyway, this is a little spook of an old British sci-fi series and the Brits are in that genre probably about as successful as us Germans. I must admit that I haven't seen the show this is cheekily making fun of, but this one here also didn't get me curious one bit. The Sci-Fi genre seems entirely gone here as honestly it's about nothing but comedy, but not in a particularly good way. No idea why I liked Martin Freeman a few years ago as his approach and delivery are virtually the exact same in every project he stars in. Johnny Vegas I came across on QI for the first time not too long ago and I don't like him either. So maybe if you like the cast here and also liked the show this is based on, then you will have a decent time watching. But I myself say skip it, it's really nothing special and never particularly funny or creative.

I had high hopes for this having heard about it a while back. Finally got hold of the DVD release and was left somewhat non-plussed. I love the premise of the Liberator crew still on the run, by now reduced to a beat-up old car. I like motorway service stations too, they're odd, surreal places, particularly late at night. But somehow I found this short lacking.Besides the costumes and props, which are excellent, there's very little that's very "Blake's 7" about it. For a homage to a show loved for its dialog and characters, the script is really lacking - the characters don't interact or have dialog anything like those they're emulating, and there's pretty much zero plot. I got to the end feeling "is that it?" They could've done something so much better with a 15 minute short like this, considering the effort gone to, if only the writers and cast had taken some interest in the subject matter.

This excellent short film deserves a much bigger audience, and hopefully is on its way to getting one. It has everything going for it, after all: good scripting, wonderful cast, remarkable production values (even considering its budget) and the perfect cross-over appeal. There's nostalgia for all of us who remember Blake's Seven the first time around, mixed with a brilliant cast of high-profile, slightly more modern, acting talent to attract the hip young things who are too young and trendy to have any idea exactly what is being parodied/homaged. And there is no need to know anything about Blake's Seven to enjoy this little masterpiece; its early eighties targets are caught with a wide and subtle enough stroke to work as a perfect evocation simply of Sci fi of the period, or even of t.v. of the period. I'm not saying the characters are stereotypes, per se. Archetypes, perhaps. But easily recognisable to non-fans almost as much as to fans, certainly.Of course, if you do remember Blake's Seven, there's a lot more humour to be found in the details, and some hidden gems for the real fans to spot. There's even an original cast member in there! And - whatever you may think of Blake's Seven, or eighties memorabilia, or Sci fi - this is worth seeing just for Mackenzie Crook as a Servalan to rival Servalan herself, even if you don't know who that is...My only complaint about this short film would be that it's short. It leaves you wanting more - and yet its length is perfect.

I was privileged to see Blake's Junction 7 at a Sci Fi Convention and it was so good they showed it twice in the same sitting. It's a fifteen minute tribute to all the sci fi made in the 70's and eighties, transplanted into normal everyday life. It does of course centre around Blake's 7 and if you're not familiar with Blake's 7 then you won't get as much out of it but you will still enjoy it. There is a fabulous cast and Mackenzie Crooke as Servelan is a masterstroke. The action takes place in Newport Pagnell service station on the M1 at what looks like 3 AM. The film captures wonderfully that feeling we've all had when making a necessary stop on a long trip, which is why it will appeal to non fans too.All of the Blake's 7 old favourites are there, with some of the actors being extremely good as their Blake's 7 characters. The cast also includes Peter Tuddenham, the original voice of Orac. He has some particularly funny lines.Well worth the fifteen minutes it takes to watch it, I'd love to see a full length version. Top marks to the writer and director for a well observed and funny homage to Blake's 7.