IMDB Link: “Who Pays the Ferryman?” Receive the Light (TV Episode 1977) – IMDb
Synopsis: Haldane’s newly finished kaiki garners some attention from a fisherman from Sitia, and is challenged to a race. He also experiences Greek Easter. Matheos sets the kaiki alight but Haldane’s friends help him to rebuild it.
The title caption location is outlined in the end credits – see the bottom of the page for information on this.
The scene starts with Nikos, Annika and Haldane taking The Knot for its’ maiden voyage. This first shot is of a slow right hand turn in the bay south of Spinalonga, camera pointed towards the south-west around Mavrikiano, Ayia Paraskevi and Elounda.
They sail up the Bay and around Spinalonga. The next shot is taken from the south side of Spinalonga, facing south-east.
It’s difficult to get a similar viewpoint using Street View. The rock formation in the water opposite is the key here.
The pin shows the approximate location of the kaiki.
Meanwhile, Matheos Noukakis has turned Haldane’s apartment upside down and is making a discreet exit.
Notice at the top of the stairs, across the street, there is nothing but rocks and greenery.
Nowadays, across the street there is a branch of the Greek Post Office, although rocks and greenery are still visible behind it.
At the same time, Xenophon Hasabis from Sitia observes The Knot from the coast. It’s nigh on impossible to place this exactly, however they are on the coast near to the Despina taverna. The stone striations behind them are prevalent in the area, and so it would make logical sense to shoot there, as they drive up to the pier to speak to Haldane a short while later. There has also been a lot of development in the area, so this location may be long gone.
This is the kind of scenery that matches nowadays.
He sees this view in his binoculars:
Again, as with the opening and closing credits, the same location is used. With the positioning of Spinalonga in the background, and its’ distance to Kalydon, it looks as though this was filmed in the Plaka beach area.
They continue sailing past Spinalonga. This view is just to the south-east of the island. Annika gives a worried look and Nikos crosses himself, which prompts Haldane to question why they are so disturbed by the place.
Here’s a similar view taken by Robin & Bazylek.
The kaiki’s position would be around here:
Whilst they are talking, this shot appears.
The shot above looks like it was taken from the main landing area at the middle point to the south of the island.
Matheos visits Katerina Matakis and discusses the importance of the vendetta.
At the same time, The Knot is Christened by Annika, on what looks like the northern-most pier of the two.
The above derelict buildings are visible in the Street View just up the road from the Despina Taverna.
The Knot is moored to the pier and gently rocks with the waves.
Xenophon and sons drive up to the pier to introduce themselves to Haldane. This and the Christening sequence previously was all shot up near the Despina Taverna.
The vehicle above may look strange, however Nikos Kakodeipnakis on Facebook, writes:
The protagonist on the roads and in rural life a few decades ago in the inland of Crete. Quadricycle or transformed into a tricycle was used for all jobs. Digger (for milling land), means of transport, carrying tools and harvest. It was driven by the whole family, even the women. Especially during the harvest season, it was the main means of transport for transporting grapes for many! With this, father took us to sea or on a walk. Now there are only a few, from the elderly, a sample of memories from earlier productive times!
Translated using Google Translate
We can prove this location with a few shots. Firstly, behind Xenophon’s son is a mountain, with a ridge pointing towards the harbour. This is part of the Oxia mountains to the south west of Elounda.
This same mountain is in the Google Street View below.
The shot of Haldane shows the Despina Taverna in the background.
The stone wall to the left of the top of Haldane’s head is above the road to Mavrikiano and ends up in front of the Despina Taverna. This is behind the truck in the Street View below.
Haldane and Annika return to the Taverna Vassilakis for lunch after their morning’s sailing.
He shows her back to her car which is parked by the water’s edge.
Haldane then returns to his apartment, where he finds it ransacked. He calls the Police and the Major pays him a visit.
He discusses the problem with Major Krasakis, then goes to Heraklion to see Babis at work to inform him. In the opening shot, we see another FIAT 128 like Annika’s drive past Haldane. Whether it’s her car is a mystery… but a green FIAT is seen a few times parked or driving along in the background.
Meanwhile, Annika returns to the Taverna as she is staying there for Easter, and is told of the incident by Elena.
The exact same angle is used for when Nikos, Elena and Alexi leave the restaurant to go to Church.
She rushes to see Haldane to see if he’s OK and to help him tidy up. They go out to dinner afterward, where they discuss the general proceedings at Greek Easter.
As Annika is staying next door at the taverna, she gets ready and goes to Haldane’s so that they can go to church together…
…whilst Nikos, Elena and Alexi also make their way.
Everyone congregates for Good Friday at the church, where they walk the Epitafios, a canopy holding an icon of the burial of Christ. There is usually a procession around the village or church depending on the area whilst everyone holds candles. In the long shot of the church, you can see that they’re congregated outside it.
In this scene the Epitafios is just outside the church on the road. So exiting the front steps of the church, you turn left and left again to head toward Elounda Square.
The window on the very right hand side is to the side of the church. The arches at the front of the church are just behind the larger road sign, where you can see shadows of people. That road sign is not there any more, neither is the tree behind it – that’s since been moved. Haldane and Annika also stand in front of this tree in Episode 2.
Another image that proves this location is a screenshot from episode 7, where Matheos follows Haldane’s FIAT when he’s driving Alexi to Annika’s house. When Matheos pulls away after waiting next to the church, we see the road sign at the other side of the street to the church. This matches the road sign in the screenshot of the Epitafios being walked around the church (with the red rectangle around it).
In the above Street View, I’ve tried to mimic the screenshot of the Epitafios in the street below. The church window is to the right, the arch and doorway opposite are where they should be. The scene in the series was probably shot from the upstairs balcony of one of the properties across the street.
In the next shot everyone looks to be walking on the road between Elounda Square and the church. This walk is not very long, so the Epitafios probably only came out of the church, went to Elounda Square and then back again. We know where this location is, because we can see the signage for the Aristea Hotel in the distance.
We also see the signage for the Aristea Hotel later on in the episode when Matheos Noukakis is setting fire to The Knot.
The following shots are of everyone walking to and from the church, along Dimokratias Street.
Haldane and Annika return to his apartment, and take in the view of the bay from the balcony. As they look out, the following shot is shown (which incidentally was also used in another episode). It’s the view from the Taverna across the bay with the mountains of Kalydon on the far side.
Haldane offers to walk Annika home (even though she’s only staying next door), much to her disappointment.
Dawn breaks. This is a ground-level view of Kalydon from the same angle as above, the boat in the foreground being the one behind the taverna.
The cockerel crows, it’s early morning.
The next shot of the boat next to the taverna shows the mainland north of Plaka, Kalydon is off-camera to the right. Spinalonga would be behind the front of the boat.
This Street View image from a restaurant further along the quay shows the correct horizon in the distance.
Haldane and Annika are still awake in their own beds thinking about each other. Annika’s bed and bedside table looks like Hebden’s from episode 2.
Incidentally, the book Annika is reading is the Charles Exprayat novel “Pour ses beaux yeux” translated into Greek [“For her beautiful eyes”].
In the next shot, we see Haldane on location on the apartment balcony. This looks to be a sea view window, which we can see is on the upper level – if we consider that Haldane’s apartment is 2 floors due to the stairs inside, then this fits. Check the photo of Haldane checking Alexi’s egg – there is a balcony on the upstairs floor behind him.
Another observation though, is the layout of the apartment in general. In many scenes, we see a balcony on the ground floor next to the front door, however if we consider that the front door is on the alleyway side, there won’t be a balcony at all on the sea front side. Using the photo below of Haldane and Alexi, you can see that at the level where the ground floor would be, there is no sea-facing balcony. More artistic licence it would appear.
Some old ladies have made red eggs for easter and are walking over to hand them out to the children. At the end of this scene, it looks like they are walking down a slope.
This doesn’t look like a familiar location as it’s not in line with any tavernas leading in to Elounda. It’s got to be to the east of the harbour though, due to the positioning of the shoreline. The closest spot looks like the quayside where the Ergospasio Restaurant is further down the coast.
The angle of the brown brickwork is similar and the shoreline juts inwards at this point only really. There is also a down slope to get to the road. In the map below you’ll see that path is now covered.
Haldane leaves his boat moored to the pier (up near Despina Taverna).
As he leaves, Matheos Noukakis walks onto the pier to check the boat out, but thinks better of it as he’s being watched.
He’s hiding behind the trees on the other side of the road. The horizon behind them has since changed due to development. In the following Street View shot, the tree further up the hill could be the one he is hiding behind.
If we look at 2 other screen grabs from the same episode, we can prove an approximate location of this tree. The first is when Xenophon is challenging Haldane to a race. This tree is in the background, between his son’s heads.
The second is at the end of the episode, when Haldane is surveying the burnt remains of The Knot – the same tree is top right.
Haldane then goes to the Taverna where he speaks to Alexi. This scene is interesting. It looks to be a shot of the side of the taverna where his apartment is, with the steps leading up to the main road. It gives you a feel for how sparse the Elounda coastline was back in 1977.
Note also however, the balcony upstairs behind Haldane’s and the children’s heads in the photos below – this is the one he is leaning against when contemplating Annika that morning in his bathrobe. If the small window just above Haldane’s left shoulder is the level of the front door (which we know by looking at the first screen capture of Matheos at the beginning of episode), then the interior layout suggests that in the real apartment just as in the studio set, there is a flight of stairs and that there is a balcony off the bedroom with a sea view. The balcony off the lower floor is creative license.
If you also consider that where that building ends is way before the end of the taverna. Hence, since the serial was made, another building has been constructed in front of the apartments, which looks to be part of the Ferryman Taverna, which brings the buildings level. If you take a look at the photo of the taverna from Google below, you will see that the Taverna is on the right, on the left the apartment block is just visible behind the newer building in front of it.
Everyone is in church that evening. Father Zacharias (noted in an Elounda Memories Facebook Group) leads the liturgy.
The villagers light a bonfire and set off fireworks at the celebration of the resurrection of Christ, “Χριστός Ανέστη” [“Christos Anesti”] is the phrase spoken after midnight, meaning Christ is Risen. The fireworks and bonfire are a tradition that are still upheld to this day.
Haldane and Annika go back to his apartment, where they finally sleep in the same bed. Outside, Matheos is keeping tabs on their whereabouts.
Outside, meanwhile, the celebrations of Christ’s resurrection continue, with a bonfire and fireworks set off in front of the Church.
Haldane and Annika finally make love.
Another insert shot of the old boat in the foreground with Kalydon in the distance.
The next shot is of Elounda, the next day.
The following morning, Annika tells Alan that he can’t back out of the race, and has to go through with it.
The race begins in the middle of the harbour. The position of the church and its’ tower indicate this to us.
Incidentally, in the screenshot above, we see the Vritomartes restaurant directly behind Haldane (with the angled roof), and the two buildings next to each other to the left of that are the buildings in the centre of the Street View below.
The race is to follow up to the west side of Spinalonga, round down the east side and then back to the finish. It looks like a long way…
Haldane (ably assisted by Nikos and Annika) is obviously victorious. One thing to note, is that during the race is the only time the full version of the WPTF Theme song (with the violins at the beginning) to the series is played.
The assembled crowd waits on the pier.
The pier they end up on after receiving their congratulations is the one next to what is now the Megaro Restaurant. We know this by the style of the windows in the building behind it. We also saw this building in a previous episode where the Hebdens were waiting before walking across Elounda Square nearby, and is recognisable as it’s a light yellowy coffee colour with brown shutters. The building to its’ left in the above shot is the Aristea Hotel.
Haldane takes pity on Xenophon and sells his kaiki back to him for a bottle of brandy.
The celebration afterwards is at the taverna (where else?). Meanwhile, Matheos Noukakis is up to no good, setting fire to the boat. The location of the pier looks to be correct, as the signage in the background is from the Aristea Hotel. This matches the location of the pier where the race-winning scene was filmed.
I’ve included the screen cap above so that you can see the detail of the top of the boat and the fishing nets and gear sat on the pier’s edge.
Haldane is notified that his kaiki is on fire.
The kaiki burns whilst moored next to the pier beside what is now Megaro restaurant.
It does look scarily like the actual Knot on fire. However, Andrew Morgan informs me that this was in fact a stand-in dressed to look like The Knot, so unlike the FIAT, the real Knot was safe and sound.
The next morning, Haldane surveys the burnt out wreck of what was The Knot. But it’s magically been transported around the bay to where the Despina Taverna is again! This looks like one of the other boats sat at that location in previous shots filmed there.
The building in the background can be seen in the below Google Street View shot (with the curved arches). It’s been partially hidden by some other buildings in front of it.
It’s interesting to note the burnt out wreckage is probably the one we saw at the beginning of episode 3.
The Major comes to see Haldane, and tells him this was a deliberate act. The Major has a very good idea as to who it is, and his suspicions are correct.
Xenophon and his friends turn up to help rebuild The Knot.
Babis and Annika are overjoyed that the kaiki will be rebuilt, and that the friends Haldane made only recently were willing to help him get it done.
The end credits roll over a shot of a boat sailing slowly towards Spinalonga. This same scene is used for the opening title caption.
The camera boat seems to be sailing from this direction in Plaka.
Credits
| Alan Haldane | Jack Hedley |
| Annika Zeferis | Betty Arvaniti |
| Matheos Noukakis | Takis Emmanuel |
| Katerina Matakis | Patience Collier |
| Babis Spiridakis | Neil McCarthy |
| The Major | Stefan Gryff |
| Elena Vassilakis | Maria Sokali |
| Nikos Vassilakis | Nikos Verlekis |
| Xenophon Hasapis | Nikos Kouros |
| Production Assistants | Andrew Morgan |
| Michael McDermott | |
| Production Unit Managers | Colin Dudley |
| Petros Raptis | |
| Costume Designer | Tudor George |
| Make Up Artist | Gwen Arthy |
| Studio Lighting | Barry Hill |
| Studio Sound | Ramon Bailey |
| Film Cameraman | Max Samett |
| Film Recordist | Arthur Chesterman |
| Film Editor | Bill Shapter |
| Composer | Yannis Markopoulos |
| Series Creator | Michael J. Bird |
| Designer | Myles Lang |
| Producer | William Slater |
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