The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club (1.11)

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TankTop44 · #21 Post by **TankTop44** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:39 pm

I suppose you could look at it two ways. Yes he is looking at the "camera" and it appears he is breaking the fourth wall, however, is it the "camera" he is looking at or is it Magnum. If he is looking at Magnum, then we are seeing him through Magnum's eyes and not just us the veiwer.

#22 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:05 pm

I agree!

Agatha · #23 Post by **Agatha** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:45 pm

Me, too!

Jay-Firestorm · #24 Post by **Jay-Firestorm** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:44 pm

Another good, if not classic ep.

[TV.com rating=9.0; Another Great Instalment]

At the King Kamehameha Club, where a surf-ski competition is planned, a Kahuna places a 'curse' on the club. Soon, a member dies, a number of 'accidents' occur and Rick falls ill, but Magnum is sure there’s a more logical explanation. A good episode...

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When I think of great first season episodes of MPI, 'The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club' is one that I always tend to overlook. Which is somewhat unjust, as it is a good episode, if one not to be taken too seriously.

This episode is the last time that we hear the original Ian Fairbairn-Smith theme on the opening credits (the more familiar Mike Post and Pete Carpenter theme had been on the closing credits since 'The Ugliest Dog in Hawaii' a few episodes previously). Although Post and Carpenter’s theme is the more iconic, I really liked Fairbairn-Smith’s theme, and think it suited the early episodes really well.

This episode takes place completely away from the Robin Masters Estate, centring around the King Kamehameha Club (obviously). The story also acts as more of an ensemble, as Higgins, T.C. and Rick also get a lot of screen time together with Magnum (incidentally, this is the first episode where Magnum is called "T.M.", by T.C.).

In fact, there are a lot of first and lasts in this episode, and it really feels as if the show is making the transition into a on-going series: It is the first time we see Magnum on his surf-ski, which will be seen MANY times in the series; it is the last time we see Moki (Remi Abellira), an early recurring KCC barman; and we get our first mention after the Pilot of Rick’s disco, which seemingly went bust before he took over running of the Club.

To look out for, playing pushy news reporter Christine Richards, is Gretchen Corbett, who played the recurring attorney Beth Davenport in that other classic detective show, 'The Rockford Files', for the first five seasons. Corbett reappears as a different character in 'Magnum' in the fourth season's 'The Look'.

The story is a bit silly in places but still a good one, and there are several red herrings as to who might be behind all of the trouble at the Club. The final outcome is a pleasing conclusion, and well played. This does stand out as one of the times that Magnum gets his judgement seriously wrong at one point though (boy was he hard on that poor old man!)

Overall, as I say I tend to overlook this episode, but it’s still a good one. I hadn't watched it for quite a while until I came to review it, and I really enjoyed re-watching it. Not an all-time 'Magnum' classic, but a fair example all the same.

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Other notes, bloopers, and misc.:

* As already mentioned in my review, this is the first episode to take place completely away from Robin’s Nest, instead centring around the King Kamehameha Club.

* Also as mentioned above, this is the first time in the series that T.C. addresses Magnum as “T.M.”. As a side note, many of the early promotional literature that went with the series referred to Magnum as often being nicknamed ‘T.S.’ (Thomas Sullivan), but this was never used in the actual series.

* When Henry, Magnum’s rival surf-skier dies, watch carefully – his surf-ski continues forwards in the ocean and hits the camera, causing it to wobble slightly!

* As with ‘Never Again… Never Again’ and ‘The Ugliest Dog in Hawaii’, the DVD version has the first commercial break abridged (as in, it doesn’t have a gap). The subsequent ad breaks have a gap.

* Several shots of the sugar cane fields burning are quite clearly pre-existing stock footage.

* This one has already been mentioned, but watch the scene in Rick’s office where a storm is blowing outside – close ups of both T.C. and Magnum show the weather to be calmer outside!

* On the closing credits, there is a shot of Magnum looking up and smiling at the camera, from the aforementioned scene with the storm in the background; this shot was not used in the actual episode.

By the way, I’m not sure if I’d class this as a Rick-centric episode; yes it does feature him, but doesn’t centre around him, much more time is spent with Magnum and T.C.

Kwanzaa · #25 Post by **Kwanzaa** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:21 pm

Great episode. I love how they use misdirection and red herrings in this one. Charlie was a great character in this episode. They should have used him for more small parts in more episodes.

I like all of the points made in previous posts. This is one of the best epis.

Jay-Firestorm · #26 Post by **Jay-Firestorm** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:43 pm

One thing I forgot to mention, not really a blooper but a strange moment – at the end, only one of Charlie’s eyes glow ruby red. What is he, half Kahuna or something?!

#27 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:13 pm

Jay-Firestorm wrote:One thing I forgot to mention, not really a blooper but a strange moment – at the end, only one of Charlie’s eyes glow ruby red. What is he, half Kahuna or something?!

He IS the Kahuna, who protected Magnum from Makua...

Frodoleader · #28 Post by **Frodoleader** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:24 pm

Doc Ibold wrote:
Jay-Firestorm wrote:One thing I forgot to mention, not really a blooper but a strange moment – at the end, only one of Charlie’s eyes glow ruby red. What is he, half Kahuna or something?!
He IS the Kahuna, who protected Magnum from Makua...

Exactly!!!

#29 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:35 pm

Jay is referring to T.C.'s quote to Magnum earlier in the episode (while they are in the Ferrari). T.C. is reading a book on Kahuna's and tells him:

"Kahuna's look just like you and me... (both laugh) According to legend, the only way to know for sure if someone is a Kahuna is by the presence of a ruby flash, detectable in the eyes. (in a newscaster voice) "A ruby flash detectable in the eyes". Why am I reading this nonsense?"

"... in the eyes". Hence, why did Charlie only have a "ruby flash" in ONE of his eyes. But, "detectable in the eyes" doesn't necessarily have to mean plural (i.e. both eyes at the same time).

Jay-Firestorm · #30 Post by **Jay-Firestorm** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:34 pm

James J. Walters wrote:Jay is referring to T.C.'s quote to Magnum earlier in the episode (while they are in the Ferrari). T.C. is reading a book on Kahuna's and tells him:

"Kahuna's look just like you and me... (both laugh) According to legend, the only way to know for sure if someone is a Kahuna is by the presence of a ruby flash, detectable in the eyes. (in a newscaster voice) "A ruby flash detectable in the eyes". Why am I reading this nonsense?"

"... in the eyes". Hence, why did Charlie only have a "ruby flash" in ONE of his eyes. But, "detectable in the eyes" doesn't necessarily have to mean plural (i.e. both eyes at the same time).

Exactly. I know why his eyes were glowing; the point I was making is that only one of them turns red!

N1095A · #31 Post by **N1095A** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:46 pm

Jay-Firestorm wrote:
James J. Walters wrote:Jay is referring to T.C.'s quote to Magnum earlier in the episode (while they are in the Ferrari). T.C. is reading a book on Kahuna's and tells him:

"Kahuna's look just like you and me... (both laugh) According to legend, the only way to know for sure if someone is a Kahuna is by the presence of a ruby flash, detectable in the eyes. (in a newscaster voice) "A ruby flash detectable in the eyes". Why am I reading this nonsense?"

"... in the eyes". Hence, why did Charlie only have a "ruby flash" in ONE of his eyes. But, "detectable in the eyes" doesn't necessarily have to mean plural (i.e. both eyes at the same time).
Exactly. I know why his eyes were glowing; the point I was making is that only one of them turns red!

It was the Kahuna Wink. You can't wink with both eyes. Then it would have been a Kahuna blink

#32 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:07 pm

"The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club" used to be one of the few episodes that didn't have any documented flubs. Well, not any more!

I know it's pushing the boundaries of what is (and what's not) a flub, but black tape can be seen on the floor where Magnum and the maid are supposed to stand!

And here they are standing on their spots...

Never thought to look for black tape on the floor before!

lutherhgillis · #33 Post by **lutherhgillis** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:56 pm

No, James. That's not marginal. It is a geuine spot! Good job. The tape was part of the staging and should not have been revealed to the audience. Good detective work...

Sam · #34 Post by **Sam** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:04 pm

James...There are two other flubs..When Higgins,Rick and TM are in the upstairs office,Higgins is wearing a yellow and navy striped tie.Moments later the fire alarm sounds Higgins is seen in the kitchen with a burgundy and navy striped tie. The tie also switches back and forth in a later scene in the office.

At the end of the episode,Charlie inserts the left earplug twice.

#35 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:15 pm

I wouldn't consider the earplug thing a flub. You sort of have to mold them to be effective. If there's the slightest leak, it's even worse if you don't have earplugs in

The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club (1.11)

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