Becoming Bond (2017)
Becoming Bond is a curious documentary in so far as it’s totally dependent on whether the viewer believes the story that George Lazenby tells. Because George is obviously a well-practised raconteur one gets the impression that many of the anecdotes and vignettes he recounts have been embellished for artistic effect. He has that easy going, informal Australian charm and frequently smiles ironically, as director Josh Greenbaum, quizzes him off camera over the voracity of his tale. Mr. Lazenby also treads that fine line between being a likeable rogue and a bit of a dick, especially when he focuses on his youth. Yet he broadly keeps to the right side of this and maintains the audiences’ good will.
Valkyrie (2008)
In terms of its production values, Valkyrie is a throwback to the big budget war films of the sixties and seventies. However, that is where the similarities end. This is not a stylised action movie with the Nazis simply as a dramatic foil. Valkyrie focuses on facts, narrative and performances. Director Bryan Singer ensures that the true story that the film depicts is driven by the central characters. Overall Valkyrie is a very laudable production and although not an outstanding feature film, it is competently made, broadly historically accurate whilst and entertaining.
The Silmarillion Movie
When Peter Jackson finished filming The Hobbit trilogy, there was some idle speculation by fans as to the possibility of a movie adaptation of The Silmarillion. It was meant mainly as a talking point, rather than a serious proposition and there certainly was an enthusiastic response from some quarters. Three years on, the fantasy genre is still a commercially successful genre both at Cinemas and on TV. Furthermore, production studios are regularly looking to existing literary properties that they can convert into viable long term franchises. Bearing all this in mind, is it possible that Tolkien’s complex mythopoeic work could be adapted for either the big or little screen?
Classic Movie Themes: The Bride of Frankenstein
Franz Waxman's score for James Whale's The Bride of Frankenstein is as iconic as the movie itself. It has a weird and haunting quality to it with its three distinctive themes: one for the Monster; one for the Bride; and another for Pretorius. With only a modest twenty two piece orchestra , the score was recorded in a single nine hour session. Universal recycled many elements of the music in other productions over the years, most notably in Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars. This has led to it becoming an accepted part of popular culture and synonymous with spooky castles and baroque electrical equipment. It has aged remarkably well over the years and is still very evocative.
Death Sentence Unrated (2007)
Urban vigilantes have always been a mainstay of exploitation cinema. Then in 1974, the commercial success of Death Wish brought the revenge thriller sub-genre in to the mainstream. It succinctly tapped into the public's fear of urban decay, escalating crime rates and an impotent justice system. However, in recent years the tide of lawlessness has broadly turned and the public's views on crime and punishment have been tempered. Subsequently the appeal and relevance of vigilante genre has waned. However, a decade ago there was brief resurgence of movies that tackled this thorny issue, although they did so in different ways. Neil Jordan's The Brave One (2007) pursued a more cerebral approach to the genre, attempting to intellectually or philosophically justify its themes of revenge. Then in 2009, Law Abiding Citizen, took the theme of retribution to extreme levels, with a farfetched plot and outrageously contrived death scenes. Sitting in-between these two movies was James Wan’s Death Sentence, which put a contemporary spin on what was essentially a very eighties style of movie. Sadly, the film did not garner much attention at the time, with the press quick to dismiss it as exploitation fodder dressed up in studio trappings. Yet the film is more than that mainly due to the lead performance by Kevin Bacon.
City of Vice (2008)
After recently catching up with Ripper Street, I felt the need for more period set crime drama so decided to revisit City of Vice. This Channel 4 series from 2008 explores the true story of Henry and Sir John Fielding, the crime-fighting magistrate brothers who created Britain’s first police force. Eighteenth century London was a violent den of brothels, murderers and street gangs. The city endured crime rates of epidemic proportion. It fell to Henry Fielding, the author of the novel Tom Jones and his half-brother Sir John, a leading social reformer, to bring order to the streets. In 1749 Parliament permitted the magistrate brothers to put together a small constabulary to clean up London.
Contracting Out Work in LOTRO
I recently decided to focus upon crafting on my new Hunter. I’ve opted for the explorer professions on this character as refining raw material is always a good way of making in-game gold. However, over recent weeks I’ve focused on levelling and have not processed any wood or ore from the various zones that I worked through. Thus, last week I found myself in Eregion and I couldn’t mine any of the ore nodes or gather timber. If I wanted to progress, I had to consider the following options. I could return to the starter zones and farm the resources I needed then process them, unlocking the next levels. Or I could buy what stocks of wood and ore that I required from the auction house and again work through the crafting tiers. The first option didn’t really appeal to me and the second was dependent on stock levels of various resources on Auction House. So, after some thought I decided the best alternative was to contract out the gathering work.
Tape 407 (2012)
I really won't be sad to see the back of the found footage sub-genre because it really is becoming an over saturated market at present. For example, at the last count there were six Paranormal Activity movies, with their respective quality inversely proportional to their number in the franchise. Yes, there are the occasional good ones, such as the recent Operation Avalanche, which tackled conspiracy theories and the Moon Landing. But broadly speaking, this genre has become a dumping ground for cheap and uninspired movies, by mediocre film makers, out to make a fast buck. Take for example Tape 407 (AKA Area 407). It’s chosen twist on the genre is the inclusion of included dinosaurs. I was hoping that this would make the film sufficiently different to others and offers something new. Predictably it did not.
Register to Vote
A third of registered voters in the UK do not vote in either Local or General Elections. Out of an electorate of approximately 46,200,000 that is 15,700,000. Yet despite this substantial group not participating, it is seldom covered or discussed in the media. It is usually just written off as “voter apathy”, implying that those who did not cast their ballot are feckless, lazy or stupid. Not only is this patently untrue, not voting has major consequences. If this group of people were engaged and voted in the upcoming general election, then it would have a tangible impact upon the results. By not voting you are effectively giving the next UK government carte blanche to ignore your interests and pursue their own agenda. As Leonardo da Vinci famously said, "Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence".
The A-Team Unrated Extended Cut (2010)
Despite an excess of CGI driven action scenes, Joe Carnahan's reboot of the iconic eighties TV show The A-Team, still manages to capture elements of the original. The plans are complex but come together and there are improvised devices and munitions made from sundry items. Due to the strong cast, there is also a good dynamic between the lead characters. It's all very loud, incredibly stupid, yet surprisingly entertaining. Don't get me wrong, this far from a hidden gem. Merely an enjoyable, bombastic exercise in cinematic self-indulgence,
What is Your Favourite Bond Title Song?
There are many subjects that when mentioned will quickly start an argument. Who’s the best Doctor Who? (and it isn’t David Tennant), do Balrogs have wings? (no, read the text again) and of course that old chestnut, “Data or Spock?”. Then there’s the thorny issue of Bond film title songs. We now have twenty-four to choose from. Obviously, your age group and musical preferences will shape your opinion. As well as when you started viewing the franchise. I personally have very particular views on the subject, hence this post. So here for your edification are five of my personal favourites, each with a few thoughts about why they are of merit. Feel free to leave comments with your own opinions. I’m sure we won’t fall out over the matter. Unless you like Sheryl Crow.
Stunt Masterclass with Vic Armstrong at the BFI (2009)
From time to time, I trawl through the various content that I've archived from all my previous blogs and websites. During one such search, I recently found a post I had written in 2009 after attending an event at the British Film Institute. Stunt Masterclass with Vic Armstrong, was held on Saturday May 2nd of that year and I remember it being an especially interesting interview with the UK's leading Stunt Co-ordinator and 2nd Unit Director. The event was chaired by the writer Mark Salisbury and consisted of an in-depth interview followed by an audience Q&A session. Here's how I originally summed up the evening:
The Decline of the British Front Garden
My parents still live in the house they bought when they got married in 1960. It’s three bedrooms, end of terrace house in a leafy suburb, in South East London. Built in the 1930 as family homes, the street is still predominantly populated by owner occupiers; mainly couples raising families. Yet there is one change that has occurred in my life time that is very noticeable. Over the last forty years the front gardens have all but vanished to be replaced with drives and other kinds of off road parking. Out of approximately a hundred homes in the street, at present only three still have a front garden in the traditional sense. My parent’s house is one of these but this is soon to change.
LOTRO: The Codemasters Years
On 23rd February 2013 I was invited along with several other members of the LOTROCommunity (AKA the unofficial forums) to listen to an online talk from a former Codemasters employee. It was regarding their involvement with the European service of The Lord of the Rings Online between 2007 and 2011. Sincilbanks (their forum name at the time) was online customer services manager and during their tenure oversaw the daily administration and support of the game for non-US customers. The discussion provided a very interesting insight into the running of the MMO and and drew attention to clear ideological and business differences between Codemasters and Turbine at the time. It also highlighted the significance of EU customers to Turbine and answered some of the questions that have persisted over the years regarding the disparity between the two services.
Sniper Elite 4
I first discovered the Sniper Elite franchise back in 2014, when Steam gave away free keys for Volume 2 as part of a promotion. I enjoyed the game so much I purchased all the available DLC. Having regularly played both Call of Duty and Battlefield, it was a pleasant change at the time, for a game to be set during World War II. Later that year I bought, Sniper Elite 3, as it offered a far more polished gaming experience, compared to earlier instalments. Furthermore, the story was set in North Africa; a theatre of war that is often neglected in multimedia. Although the plot was somewhat arbitrary, Sniper Elite 3, like its predecessor, still offered an immersive gaming experience with an emphasis on situational awareness and stealth. The franchise has never been about “running and gunning” and favours the patient and methodical player.
Filmed in Supermarionation (2014)
Trying to encapsulate any artists body of work is a difficult enough task in itself. To then attempt to distil all associated anecdotes, vignettes and legends, while dispensing with the apocrypha, complicates matters further. Yet that's exactly what film maker Stephen La Rivière has done. The documentary Filmed in Supermarionation, is possibly the definitive history of the work of Gerry Anderson from 1957 to 1968. This insightful, meticulously researched exploration charts the rise of AP Films from its humble beginnings, to the halcyon days of Thunderbirds and the studios transition to Century 21 Productions. It also sheds some light into how things rather rapidly came to an end in the late sixties..
Ex Machina (2015)
At the heart of Alex Garland's provocative movie Ex Machina, is the concept of the Turing Test and the notion that giving an emerging AI a gender identity is potentially the only way to pass it. It's a very bold concept but it's bolstered by the fact that nature hinges upon our biological imperatives driven by our respective sex. Set within a claustrophobic environment and laced with a more than a hint of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Ex Machina is an intelligent and challenging science fiction movie that taps into several very topical themes.
Run All Night (2015)
Run All Night is a neo-noir with an above average cast (Neeson, Ed Harris, Vincent D'Onofrio and even Nick Nolte). The screenplay by Brad Ingelsby (who co-wrote the similarly hyperbolic Out of the Furnace) is based around the perennial theme of family feuds in the New York's gangster community. It's a plot device that’s been the mainstay of many a movie over the years but few of any outstanding quality. However, Run All Night has the benefits of two strong leads and an exceptional visual aesthetic, that elevate it above the mundane. Narrative weakness is countered with strong performances and the inherent charisma of Neeson and Harris.
The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2015)
The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is set forty years after the events of the first movie and despite the outbreak of World War II, malevolent spirit Jennet Humfrye is still haunting Eel Marsh House. The decaying mansion is now home to a group of evacuee children from London and it's not long before staff become aware of a ghostly presence. A mute child named Edward, who is bullied by the other children, seems to be the focal point of Jennet's supernatural interests. One of the teachers, Eve Parkins (Phoebe Fox) is protective towards the boy and subsequently incurs the wrath of the woman in black.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
When I was first introduced to the character of Jack Ryan, twenty-seven years ago, I liked the fact that he wasn't the usual sort of Hollywood hero. The emphasis on analysis rather than action in The Hunt for the Red October (1990) was very engaging. The fact that Jack Ryan is a retired Marine who was desk bound made him far more credible and interesting. However, even back then the movie industry struggled in bringing Tom Clancy's work to the big screen in an effective manner. Alec Baldwin was replaced by the more likable Harrison Ford, yet the two sequels Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger struggled to find the right tone. The last entry with Ben Afleck, The Sum of All Fears (2002), fell awkwardly between two stools trying to be both an action movie and a complex thriller.