Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)
Back in the summer of 2012, the red band trailer for Cockneys vs Zombies set a very high benchmark and certainly raised expectations for the final movie. The title itself was also somewhat of a gamble, either raising a wry smile among horror fans or eliciting a roll of the eyes and a deep sigh for a genre in decline. I was unable to attend the premier at Frighfest 2012, but the general feedback at the time was that that that the movie was extremely well received by horror fans. Finally, six years later, I finally caught up with the film on Amazon Prime and I’m happy to report that Cockneys vs Zombies does live up expectations and is a thoroughly entertaining, quirky and very British horror movie. It manages to balance both visceral horror with a healthy dose of black humour, which is no mean feat.
LOTRO: Progressing Through Mordor
It was in May that I last subscribed to LOTRO and attempted to progress through the Mordor expansion. I was under geared and under powered and the initial zone of Udûn was proving to be an up-hill struggle. So, I decided to level elsewhere in the game and managed to get as far as 111 (the current level cap is 115). I still couldn’t improve my gear so there was no point bypassing Mordor and going straight to the Dale-lands which were released in June in Update 22. So, I decided to spend my gaming time elsewhere and left LOTRO. However, the recent Bullroarer preview of Update 23 rekindled my interest in the MMO. Surely Mordor wasn’t the immovable obstacle that I thought? So, I subscribed once again, and returned to the game on Friday evening. Luckily, there were several kinship members online and they generously helped me until I reached the “tipping point” of the Mordor expansion. Two days later and I’ve nearly hit level cap and the game although challenging, it’s no longer the grind that it was a few months ago.
The Awakening (2011)
The Awakening has a strong opening with a scene involving a seance. Set in the post WWI years of the early twenties, the film explores the concept of a nation coming to terms with grief. It is here that we are introduced to Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) a professional hoax exposer and paranormal investigator. Is she solely dedicated to debunking the supernatural or does she have a yearning to encounter something genuinely supernatural? This opening sequence is perhaps the highpoint in The Awakening, as it is clever and thought provoking and could have been developed into a story in itself. Although the narrative moves on and maintains a strong grip on the audience for the next two acts, it never quite recaptures the atmosphere and depth of its opening.
LOTRO: Update 23 Preview
I managed to spend an hour or so today, exploring the latest preview of Update 23 for LOTRO, that is currently being beta tested on the Bullroarer server. Sadly, due to my schedule, I did not get to spend as much time as I would like, exploring the new zones, and by the time I reached the Withered Heath, the server closed. However, I did see sufficient for me to be able to gauge progress. Overall this is an interesting zone which offers new iterations of Dwarven culture. Standing Stone Games once again have found the right balance between using established in-game assets and integrating them with newer designs. The results are two regions that are bright, roomy and distinctly Dwarven. However, it should be noted that as ever with these beta previews, the build is subject to change.
Cinema, Risk Aversion and Creativity
Paramount Pictures’ recent decision to forgo a worldwide theatrical release for Alex Garland’s innovative science fiction movie Annihilation and to sell it directly to Netflix, is still a matter of debate. It raises a wealth of issues from the current culture of financial risk aversion that dominates Western society, right the way through to gender politics. It certainly highlights the fact that the bottom line is now the primary motivator of any mainstream studio film production. All other considerations be they artistic, socio-political or just telling a good story are now subordinate to whether or will not a movie will make a predefined return on investment. It can therefore be cogently argued that many classic films from the sixties and seventies such as Bullitt, Deliverance and Dog Day Afternoon or would not be approved for production if they were pitched to studios in the current climate.
Spock
I’ve written in the past about the problems that can arise from untempered fandom. If enthusiasm and inspired love are not balanced by contextual reason and a healthy dose of reality, then it can get a little bit over zealous. Need I cite Star Wars fans and The Last Jedi as an example of unchecked fandom. However, I am now going to stray a little into the “Twilight Zone” of fandom myself, although I shall attempt to apply a healthy dose of realism into the proceedings. Because I want to discuss the fact that Ethan Peck has been cast to play one of the most iconic characters in popular culture. Yes, Gregory Peck’s grandson (and there’s plenty of “baggage” there) has been cast to play Spock in season two of Star Trek: Discovery. Furthermore, rather than be concerned, I am very excited by this development and I really look forward to seeing how this pans out.
Classic Movie Themes: Basic Instinct
Paul Verhoeven has seldom made a movie without some semblance of controversy associated with it, and his 1992 neo-noir Basic Instinct was no different. Even before its US release, Basic Instinct courted controversy due over its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence. It was strongly opposed by gay rights activists, who criticised the film's depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a homocidal narcissistic psychopath. The opening murder with an icepick is still shocking twenty six years later and is an excellent showcase for makeup FX artists Rob Bottin.
The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
I first saw The Land That Time Forgot way back in 1975 at the Odeon Isle of Wight, when it was first released. We were on holiday at the time, which was cause for celebration in itself, as these were few and far between during my youth, due to the state of the UK economy at the time. But to then go to the cinema and see a fantasy film, filled with action, adventure and monsters, was the icing on the cake for an over excited eight-year-old. Adapted by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn from the 1924 the novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Land That Time Forgot is a classic example of high adventure on a low budget. Its technical shortcomings were even apparent to me as a child, yet there was a charm and honesty to this curious British production, that had the audacity to try and compete with the likes of more expensive US productions such as The Golden Voyage of Sinbad and Island at the Top of the World.
Video Games: The Broadest of Churches
I started playing video games in the eighties, mainly coin-op arcade machines. By the time the nineties console boom began, I was out of school, working and therefore bought several generations of home entertainment systems. By the late nineties I moved over to the PC and subsequently got access to a wider variety of games. I came relatively late to the MMO boom, although I had played other types of multiplayer internet-based games. Thirty-five or so years later, I find myself a mature player of games (I do not identify as a gamer per se but that’s another blog post entirely) with a bunch of views, opinions and expectations shaped by the decades I’ve lived (and played) through. Simply put, my head is at a different place to those who are ten, twenty or thirty years my junior. Games have evolved, just like popular music, TV and movies. The associated culture around video games has also been subject to change. You may well think I’ve just stated the “bleedin’ obvious”, but in my experience it doesn’t hurt to re-iterate this point when addressing a new trend or craze that on first inspection seems somewhat abstract to us.
The Games (1970)
The Games is the story of four marathon runners and their preparations for the Olympics. Harry Hayes (Michael Crawford) is a British runner with a highly demanding coach (Stanley Baker). US athlete Scott Reynolds (Ryan O’Neal) is reaching the end of his career and continues to run, even though it might kill him. Czechoslovakian world record holder Pavel Vendik (Charles Aznevour) is “encouraged” out of retirement to competes for the glory of his country, and then there’s Aboriginal Australian runner Sunny Pintubi (Athol Compton) who competes as a way of escaping his life of poverty and racial oppression. All come under media scrutiny and must confront their own demons before competing in the race that will possibly define their life.
Are You Not Entertained?
I distinctly remember when I finished the main story in Saints Row the Third and had completed the majority of the content available. I’d bought the game as part of a bundle for a mere £3.99 and had spent over sixty hours in-game, so overall, I considered this money well spent. But what made the experience particularly memorable, as I logged out of the game knowing that I was effectively done with it, there was an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Not only was there the sheer value for money that I have mentioned, but I felt that I had been entertained (hence the Russell Crowe reference in the title of this post). This happened again recently when I completed the final DLC for Sniper Elite 4 and also when I finished the main story in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. Although there was a sense of achievement, I predominantly felt pleased by the fact that I had fun. The latest expansion for Star Trek Online, Victory is Life made me feel this way too.
Appaloosa (2008)
I have been revisiting the western genre and reacquainting myself with some of its more cerebral examples. Ulzanna’s Raid (1972) and Tom Horn (1980) certainly helped remind me of the diversity of themes and the scope of subjects that this genre has explored over the years. Obviously due to the westerns decline in popularity, there are fewer examples to cite from recent years, although I would single out Open Range (2003) and 3:10 to Yuma (2007). However, Appaloosa (2008) is a movie that embodies all the narrative qualities that a good western can achieve and furthermore it does so without the need to re-invent the wheel. In structural terms, this is old school cinema and all the better for it.
Opinions, Debate and Courting Controversy
This post has been sitting in “draft” for a while and for the want of Blaugust Reborn, it may well have remained there. I guess I've held fire on writing it because I've gotten somewhat tired of pissing in the wind. Because that is what speaking out on certain subjects frequently feels like these days. There is a sense of tedious inevitability that any post that expresses an opinion on social issues or any form of societal marginalisation will eventually lead to a torrent of vile, ill-informed and just plain dumb comments. It puts me in mind of that quote from Platoon "Hell is the impossibility of reason". And you'll find precious little reason on the internet. What bothers me about all this is why does it have to always be this way? Is there anything that can be done? Well I believe there is.
Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut (2012)
I originally saw Nightbreed upon its UK cinema release in 1990 and like so many others, was disappointed by the inconsistencies of the theatrical version. Over the next twenty-two years, the movie evolved its own mythos regarding the infamous studio interference that left Clive Barker's original vision undermined and neutered. However, in early 2012, Russell Cherrington, a senior lecturer in film and video production at the University of Derby, created a composite cut of the film using two workprints of the original movie that were sourced from VHS tapes, as well the DVD of the standard theatrical release. This version offered the most complete version of Barker's film available. It ran for 155 minutes and was been dubbed Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut. It was never intended as the director’s definitive version of the film and was primarily created to “encourage” the rights holders to allow Clive Barker to produce a director’s cut of his magnum opus.
The Selfie
In recent weeks, I’ve had several conversations with friends and colleagues about photos, privacy and social media. All of which have undergone significant changes during my lifetime. I was asked why there are no photos of me on my Instagram account, or on my blog or Twitter profile? Well the answer is it has never occurred to me that there needs to be any, which probably seems like a dreadfully “old fashioned” attitude to those who our half my age. Privacy is another factor. I come from a generation where people by default, would address anyone they didn’t know formally as Mr or Mrs [insert surname here]. You didn’t call someone by their first name until you were invited to do (Despite being given permission to do so, I still call my relatives “Aunty” or “Uncle” instead of by their names). I’m also inherently distrusting of giving too much information away and still bear in mind the old adage that “familiarity breeds contempt”.
Outrage (2010)
Multi-talented Japanese actor, director and comedian Takeshi Kitano has gained a global reputation due to his cerebral exploration of Yakuza culture. In recent years he has moved away from this specific sub-genre and has focused his attentions on a series of human dramas, exploring such complex themes as the nature of reality and mortality. With Outrage (Autoreiji, 2010) he returns once gain to the subject of criminal clans. This time round, director Kitano has opted to reduce some of the more spiritual and philosophical elements of the narrative and has focused far more upon the brutal and political nature of Japanese organised crime. As a result, Outrage is horse of a very different colour, compared to earlier examples of his work, such as Boiling Point (1990) and Sonatine (1993).
Dream House (2011)
Despite being derivative of several other well-known notable genre films, Dream House has several positive attributes. With its strong cast and capable director, the movies offers a well-made and tense tale with solid production values. But like so many contemporary psychological thrillers and baroque stories with a twist, your overall enjoyment depends on how familiar you are with the genre. The biggest problem I encountered while watching Dream House was my own over familiarity with films of this kind. Hence, I saw the first major plot twist coming a mile off and subsequently accurately predicted the film’s outcome. Because of this it does make it somewhat difficult for me to be as objective as I should about Dream House. However, that is not to say that the movies multi-faceted plot won’t be a source of surprise to the more casual viewer.
The Silent House (2010)
The Silent House takes a very traditional haunted house story and develops it in a distinctly postmodern fashion. This Uruguayan horror film hinges on the concept of the entire film being shot in one take. Hence the tag line of “real fear in real time”. This takes the recent trend of filming with handheld digital cameras one step further, in an attempt to outdo the likes of Paranormal Activity and its subsequent sequel. It certainly creates a minimalist feel to the proceedings, similar to the myriad of supernatural reality shows that are currently popular on TV. By using the medium of digital cameras, smart phones and internet searches, the movies initially manages to sustain an authentic atmosphere. However, as the narrative proceeds the films flaws become more apparent.
Blaugust Reborn: Event or Cause?
The Blaugust Reborn is an event, which promotes blogging and offers advice and guidance to those who have just started or who are toying with the idea of doing so. It has no agenda beyond providing encouragement and support. The advice that is offered through various veterans’ content creators collective experience, is just that, advice. It can be taken or ignored, because ultimately blogging is a very personal pastime and there really isn't a right or wrong way to do it. If doing what you do and the way that you do it brings you pleasure, then you've pretty much well nailed it. I see Blaugust Reborn as a benign undertaking. It has no agenda that I am aware of. In fact, I could argue that my involvement is a little self-serving, in so far as I hope that some great new blogs emerge from this year’s event that I can read on a regular basis. Overall, I see the Blaugust Reborn as a simple exercise in offering a helping hand. For me it's not any more complex than that.
Blogging and Self-Discipline
Although blogging is great fun and a very rewarding hobby, it is also at times hard work. I don't say that to discourage you, but it is a fact that needs to be considered by all embarking upon their content creation journey. Writing per se requires a degree of self-discipline. Without it, your aspirations will remain just that. Nothing will get done, posting will become irregular and you'll readers will simply lose interest and look for material elsewhere. So, what exactly do you need to be self-disciplined about? Well if you want to write posts regularly that are engaging and of a good standard then consider the following points: