A Year in Multimedia
In the past, I’ve often written a summary of my experiences with gaming, movies and TV at the end of each year. Similarly, I usually reflect upon my activities in podcasting and blogging as well. However, 2016 has been unique in many respects. Political and social tides have changed in the West and there is much to reflect upon in the real world. Certainly, my appetite for creating content has taken a knock and I have at times stopped and wondered if it really is all worth the bother. But after such moments of introspection I still see the benefits of the written word or bellowing in to a microphone, so here we are once again. The only difference this time is rather than multiple posts, I can pretty much distil my thought on 2016 in one simple account.
A Christmas Carol (1971)
I have a great deal of affection for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, not only because it’s a fine piece of literature but because it lends itself so well to dramatisation. I therefore have a keen interests in all the respective adaptation, of which there are many. Over the years there has been a trend to focus excessively on the sentimental aspect of the plot, resulting in a rather nauseating Disneyfication of the story. Although the redemption of the main protagonist is central to the narrative, the poverty and deprivations of the time are still very pertinent themes, especially in today's economic climate. I was therefore very gratified to rediscover the 1971 version of Charles Dickens' classic story which was originally shown on ABC. This short 25 minute animated feature realises the story superbly, capturing the tone of the book and accurately reflecting the darker aspects. Remember that A Christmas Carol is fundamentally a ghost story.
Standing Stone Games and LOTRO
To date one of LOTRO’s greatest weaknesses has been the way it’s been run and marketed. There are other flaws but these have been fully discussed over the years, so I see no reason to revisit them. Considering the games pedigree, the nine-year-old MMO has never reached its full potential but that is a criticism that can be levelled at many entries in this genre. In recent years LOTRO has limped forward, hobbled by an ever-diminishing development team and starved of resources by its corporate master. Yet because of the dedication of a core group of fans the game generates sufficient revenue to keep it from folding. Thus, despite continued predictions of closure from armchair experts such as myself, LOTRO endures, while other titles have sailed into the West.
Rogue One (2016)
After watching Rogue One earlier today, I was suitably impressed. Once again Disney have used all the knowledge they've amassed from successfully running major franchises and applied it here, resulting in a finely tuned and polished entry into the Star Wars pantheon. The concept of standalone movies released in-between instalments of the classic story has now proven viable opens up a wealth of possibilities. Rogue One works well narratively and provides the spectacle that fans expect from the series. The continuity and attention to detail is outstanding continuously keeping viewers on their toes. Furthermore, the story itself is credible, dovetailing nicely into the lore.
Westworld (2016)
Considering the pace of technological change since the early seventies, Michael Crichton’s Westworld was ripe for a reboot. Where the original movie simply pondered the notion of robots designed by computers becoming psychotic, HBO’s recent ten-part series has opted for a broader exploration of the subject matter. Show creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy reflect upon the nature of sentience, the moral ambiguity of an amusement park such as Westworld and whether fictitious emotions created through programming are any less real than those genuinely experienced. Over ten and a half hours Westworld certainly covers a lot of ground. Its $100 million production cost is also very apparent.
Amazon Echo
I recently decided to buy a year’s subscription to Amazon Prime. It was discounted by £20 and as I’ve been purchasing more and more from Amazon of late, it made sense to take advantage of the deal. So, I spent £59 and became a Prime customer. The first thing I did after receiving the confirmation email that I was now one of the “chosen”, was to buy the Amazon Echo. I’ve had my eye on these so-called smart speakers for a while. I was toying with the idea of buying the Google Home but it doesn’t become available in the UK until after Christmas. The Amazon echo has the advantage of being a tried and tested product that has been around since June 2015 in the US. As I’ve now bought into the Amazon ecosystem it made sense to go with their product and utilise its respective resources fully.
The Grand Tour
I don’t drive. Never have done. I don’t hold a driver’s license and have never been behind the wheel of a car. My life has panned out in such a way that driving has never been a necessity. When I was a teenager, there was always someone else in the social group who drove (thanks’ Chris) and as an adult my other half took up the slack. Plus, I happen to live in an area with great public transport links. Driving has been something that I’ve simply bypassed without any major consequences. Furthermore, I don’t feel that I’ve missed out on anything. Therefore, the entire sub-culture associated with cars and driving is somewhat abstract to me (just like sports). Don’t get me wrong, I can understand its appeal but overall, it’s not relevant to my life.
Therefore, you may be forgiven for assuming that the popular culture phenomenon that is Top Gear is of no interest to me. However, that is in fact not the case. For many years now Top Gear has been an “entertainment” show and Mr. Clarkson a consummate performer. So, I’ve never felt my lack of interest in motoring excluded me from viewing. Irrespective of whether you’re a serious “petrolhead” or not, Top Gear is a show that you can just tune in to and enjoy for what it was; dumb fun. Like many others, I was also interested in the debacle that surrounded Messrs Clarkson, May and Hammond’s departure from the BBC and was curious to see where they’d find a new home. The subsequent move to Amazon Prime seemed a logical choice.
Thoughts on the Current Political Climate
Both the US Presidential election and the recent UK Brexit referendum are subjects that can be dissected from numerous angles and perspectives. Pundits, journalists and academics alike will be debating these “shock results” for months to come. As for the proverbial man in the street, let it suffice to say that these electoral outcomes have come as far less of a surprise. The divide between electorate and political classes has been clearly highlighted in 2016. However, it should be noted that the overall sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo is a very broad church and that the public are motivated by a wide variety of ideas, concerns and motivations. Analysis of both these political outcomes is complex and should not simply be dismissed with broad brushstrokes.
The Damned (1963)
The Damned starts as a delinquent youth drama (a popular theme at the time) and then over the proceeding ninety minutes morphs into a menacing sci-fi plot that climaxes in a full blown conspiracy. It's a most unusual and experimental film that cannot easily be pigeon-holed, yet the same could be said about many other movies by veteran film director Joseph Losey (Boom!, Figures in a Landscape). It proved to be somewhat too "different" for Hammer studios who commissioned the movie and they subsequently shelved The Damned for two years. It was finally released in a heavily edited form under the alternative title of These are the Damned.
The Terror of the Tongs (1961)
In 1910, Hong Kong is in the grips of the powerful Red Dragon tong, a secret society that extorts revenue from merchant seamen, deals in both opium and slave trades and savagely slaughters all those who offer opposition. A merchant sailor, Captain Jackson (Geoffrey Toone), swears revenge on the nefarious clan after they brutally murder his first officer and daughter. Hammer's The Terror of the Tongs strives to offer a lurid period drama but falls somewhat short of the mark due to a clumsy script, an indifferent hero and a conspicuous lack of authentic Asian actors. Apart from Burt Kwouk, most of the cast are Europeans sporting rather poor prosthetics. Christopher Lee manages to bluff his way through his role as Tong leader Chung King, through the force of his acting skills. French actress Yvonne Monlaur (Brides of Dracula) is not as successful as a mixed raced serving girl.
The Enigma of 2001: A Space Odyssey
"2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick’s philosophically ambitious, technically innovative and visually stunning cinematic milestone". BFI November 2014.
You will often find this sort of language associated with Kubrick's work, especially 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is considered by many to be his finest production and one of the greatest science fiction feature films ever made. In fact 2001: A Space Odyssey has become one of those cinematic sacred cows that regularly features in most film buffs top ten movies of all time. It's a curious thing because a little research will show that critical opinion was split right down the middle on its release in spring 1968. It is only over the course of the last five decades that the movie has grown in artistic stature and garnered the acclaim it now enjoys.
Endeavour (2012-present)
The police procedural genre is one of the most flexible in existence. It has an innate quality that allows for continuous reinterpretation and reinvention. Thus it is a perennial mainstay of television drama and shows no sign of losing popularity with the public. Endeavour is a prime example of this, with three seasons under its belt and fourth in production; it’s a polished, intelligent and character driven production. Based upon Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse, Endeavour explores the detectives early years in the Oxford Police, set against the social and political changes of the sixties. The writing and performances are outstanding, elevating often formulaic stories to greater dramatic level. The use of classical music and the Oxford locations add a layer of sophistication and gravitas to the proceedings.
For the Love of Spock (2016)
Adam Nimoy doesn’t paint a rosy picture of family life in his documentary about his father. The novelty of fame and popular acclaim soon wore off with it’s never ending photoshoots and long working hours that kept his father from ever being home. Yet among the anecdotes in this greatly condensed biopic there evidence of a lot of love and professional respect. Far from being comprehensive For the Love of Spock focuses on the matters that interest fans the most. So the documentary explores Nimoy’s relationship with Gene Roddenberry, his subsequent casting in Star Trek, his post Trek stage career and his return to the fold with the big screen movies.
Space: 1999 (1975-77)
In late 1975 I was faced with a very difficult choice. Should I watch Doctor Who on BBC1 or the new Gerry Anderson series, Space: 1999 on LWT? I opted for the latter, being seduced by the big budget production with its special effects that were (for the time) streets ahead of the competition. Now if memory serves me rightly, this was broadcast late afternoon or early evening. It was definitely a pre-watershed show by modern standards although there was no concept as such at the time. Yet like Doctor Who, this had me hiding in terror behind the proverbial sofa. Two particular episodes left a marked impression on me. This was because they were both creepy and punctuated by some rather frightening imagery. They were Dragon’s Domain and The Troubled Spirit.
Alligator (1980)
After the commercial success of Jaws in 1975, there followed a wealth of low budget creature features, hell bent on separating the viewing public from their hard earned cash. At one point every conceivable species of animal featured in a movie in which it went on the rampage and dined on B list actors and sundry extras. Many of these films left no lasting impression and vanished into obscurity (only to be resurrected a decade later during the eighties video boom). However even in this desert of cinematic mediocrity, a few examples stood out as an oasis of independent creativity. Alligator is one of these. It has stood the test of time because it’s smart and has a good pedigree.
Leviathan (1989)
There was a glut of undersea action film in 1989. The only one that really had any credibility was James Cameron’s The Abyss. Although it was not a box office success, the film gained a following over time and was substantially improved by the release of the special edition in 1993. Leviathan conversely, is one of the forgotten titles from that aquatic sub-genre. The plot follows a team of undersea miners that find a sunken Russian vessel. A case of recovered vodka turns out to be a genetic mutagen, resulting in crew members mutating into an aquatic human hybrid. It’s all conspicuously derivative and the embodiment of the term formulaic. Yet despite these flaws it does have a few virtues that merit a viewing, if you’re feeling undemanding.
The Tower (2012)
Kim Ji-hoon's The Tower is an indirect remake of John Guillermin's 1974 disaster movie, The Towering Inferno. The plot centres on a fire that breaks out in a luxury skyscraper in central Seoul on Christmas Eve. However the director manages to put a very modern spin on the story while maintaining the human drama you would expect from such a genre movie. It’s also apparent that the events of 9/11 have had an influence on the narrative; something that some critics have taken umbrage at. Yet these parallels do not extend beyond the superficial and there is certainly no attempt at any wider commentary on that real life tragedy.
From Paris with Love (2010)
Some people have made the mistake of confusing From Paris with Love with the thriller and have subsequently criticised it for its failings within that genre. The thing is it’s patently not a thriller or a spy drama. It’s a textbook action film and a throwback to the 1980s. As such its merits are rather straight forward and easy to define. If you are looking for a slick, formulaic, shoot ‘em up set against the backdrop of Paris, complete with wise-ass dialogue and two personable lead actors then director Pierre Morel delivers in spades. The ludicrous premise, flagrant breaking of possibly every French law in existence and the sheer volume of carnage should not be over analysed. Action movies are not intended to stimulate debate or provoke deep thought. Their job is to entertain.
Some People (1962)
Some People offers a rather interesting insight in to early sixties youth culture, as well as touching upon the class divide in post war Britain. It focuses on a group of working class youths (Ray Brooks, David Hemmings and David Andrews) who after being banned from driving, are somewhat at a loose end and heading for trouble. Their fortunes change when a local choirmaster (Kenneth Moore) gives them an opportunity to use the church hall for band practice. However this is not a rags to riches story by any means. In many ways it’s quite the opposite as the narrative has a sense of inevitability about the protagonist’s long term prospects and overall fate.
Split Second (1992)
Split Second has great aspirations. Sadly they’re totally beyond the movies budget, the quality of screenplay and the ability of director Tony Maylam. The poster clearly demonstrates this with the rather bold tagline of "Blade Runner meets Alien". The reality is somewhat different. Furthermore Split Second seems to be from the wrong decade. Despite being a nineties sci-fi action movie it has all the hallmarks of one from ten years prior. The Director of Photography relies on a wealth of neon lighting to try and create a suitable atmosphere. The costume design is heavily based on leather clothing and outfits that accentuate the shoulders. There's also a drab and grating electronic score that was synonymous with this genre during the eighties. Overall Split Second certainly has a lot of strikes against it.