Friday, September 28, 2007

if....


Criterion brings us another classic here with Lindsey Anderson’s “if ….”. Starring Malcolm McDowell as Mick Travis (in his first major role) the film is set in the God Awful world of the British boy’s school. Here is, I must say, first hand why I would not wish to have grown up in England. Appearantly Anderson’s depiction of this world is so complete and realistic, that the public and even the actors and crew found some of it almost primordially terrifying. This world of “authority” and “class structure” is so thoroughly despicable and demonstrably bad, even the horrific ending seems somehow justifiable.

Mick Travis arrives at school after his summer break and, with his friends, set about being the school trouble makers. The film is broken into episodic sequences with titles (very similar to what Monty Python would later do in “The Meaning of Life”) and then further broken down into realms of hyper reality and surreal unreality. The film switches between color and black and white (because they ran out of money … though some on the dvd that it was because it was too difficult to light the school in time) to great affect. It is, as with so many things of the late 60s, informed coincidence. Once Anderson knew he would have to film in black and white, it is incorporated into the narrative to give us distance during the more dream-like sequences, while the color comes back to provide us with reality.

The film is best remembered for two sequences. The first is the beatings that Mick and his cohorts received (as object lessons because of their attitudes.) Mick is the only one who is actually shown being beaten and, as the leader, he is given more than his friends. This is a pivotal moment when the viewer knows … something will have to happen. And, it does. During another punishment cleaning out the storage areas, Mick and his friends discover all the live amunition that the school uses for military training … and they decide to go up to the roof and shoot everyone, including the head master. It is a startling ending even now, but at the time it rang everyone’s bell – positively or negatively. Before the film even reached the theaters, the Paris riots exploded in 1968 making the masacre far more realistic than it was initially thought to be.

As usual, Criterion are really putting in some good work and you can bet any dvd that lists a bonus feature called “Graham Crowden Interview” is going to be very high on my list. The main bonus feature is an interview show (with Kirsty-Dead Ringers Loves you baby-Wark) with many of the principle crew and some location interview footage with Malcolm McDowell (who says it made his career.) The film itself looks good, considering how it was made. The sound is a bit chaotic and uneven. I found myself turning the volume up and down a few times during the piece.

Frankly, this is a very 60s film in a lot of respects, but unlike things like “Blow Up” or “Alfie,” it doesn’t necessarily seem so rooted in its time. In fact, the school system depicted is so backward that you could be forgiven for thinking it takes place just after World War I. And for that timeless quality, “if….” Remains very powerful.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Sarah Jane Adventures - Revenge of the Slitheen



Well ... er, it's Slitheen and Sarah Jane. Equals farting school headmaster. I mean the math is simple enough. What I truly don't understand is why this is actually better than the blatantly over-hyped (and more expensive) Torchwood. It's stupid, childish, and all those other words you can think to describe it. In fact, it makes K-9 and Company look like I-fucking-Claudius!

It is EXACTLY everything you expect. We knew the title, and even if you didn't, that's the first thing you see, so no surprises. Sarah's surrounded by children ... so school is kind of an obvious start ... A strange remake or mish-mash of School Reunion and WWIII ... with cheaper costumes and a lower budget. And, yet ... even though I'm very tired from a long day of stuff (a 12 hour one, almost) I still watched it all the way through. Honestly ... whatever it is that fuels the new Doctor Who with energy is present in the show (again, the way it is not in Torchwood.)




And, perhaps that is the reason ... the ultimate reason why Doctor Who really works ... when you compare the two spin-offs: the family and child oriented program fairs better than the unbridled sci-fi-fuck-fest. It's not really nostalgia that brings the audiences to Sarah Jane (it's a children's show full-on.) So, clearly the mixture of adult-to-children themes favors the child in us all.

Lesson to Mr. Davies.

Yes, definitely not Doctor Who. But ... not Torchwood.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Peter Askew T-Shirts

The Peter Askew T-shirt is ready for your enjoyment. Promote the book, be a walking billboard ... for me.

http://www.cafepress.com/Landru




If you have read the book, please visit Amazon.com and leave a review. I would like to myself, but that isn't really fair is it?

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Random Task

Well, the weekend was a bit lame. I watched the first few James Bond films and they are fun. I will admit that I have mixed feelings about the franchise. Even the first few films, while great, are a sometimes too outrageous to believe. Not just the outrageousness of the plots and gadgets, but the sexism. I realize that these films were meant to be viewed as “adult” but they seem as adult as cartoon women in comic books. It’s a special brand of male chauvinism that comes from adolescent fantasy.

Admittedly, I will watch Bond movies when I just don’t want to do anything at all and can’t bother to think. There is a reassurance in them for children of the 70s. Those ABC Sunday night movie events are a part of the landscape of my childhood. I remember sneaking out to the hall and watching the premier of “You Only Live Twice” in the early 70s (being past my bedtime) and loving the whole gyrocopter sequence. Or later actually sitting through the whole of “Goldfinger” and being certain that it was the greatest film ever made. It really isn’t, but it is good. I still can’t sit through “Diamonds are Forever.” I have no idea why. Sean is back, but the film just seems so at odds with the James Bond culture.

Doctor No – 8
From Russia With Love – 9
Goldfinger – 10
Thunderball – 6
You Only Live Twice – 7
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – 5
Diamonds are Forever – 4

“How Do You Want Me” – watched this short-lived late 90s series starring Dylan Moran. Wow, just so dreadful and hard to sit through. It just wasn’t funny and the sort of dry, dead humor that centers around the main character going through pure Hell. It was produced with such on odd sensibility. They clearly didn’t know what to do with Dylan Moran (who is, in my opinion, one those unique comedy voices that come along every generation), the sound track (and ghostly harmonica and toneless dreadful theme tune), and just a general malaise about the whole piece. Even though it was only 6 episodes, it felt like struggle to watch.

“The IT Crowd” – after that I rewatched the episodes of season 2 thus far and I have to say … it’s still really great. Sure, it’s a sitcom and is very silly sometimes, but there is something really likable about all the characters (especially Moss and Richmond.) I laughed and laughed. I then rewatched the season one dvd and laughed and laughed. Frankly, the real sad part of this show is knowing that there will be an American version (like the Office) that will completely erode the original.

But, this cheered me up a lot on Sunday and I was feeling a bit more normal.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

James Bond “Casino Royale” and “Live and Let Die”

I’ve been reading the original Ian Fleming James Bond novels in the original book order. Far less preposterous then the film version, but no less misogynist and racist, the books do give the reader a better glimpse of a hero that has, arguably, gone on to cast a massive shadow in both post-war literature and film. In fact, other than the Beatles, James Bond is Great Britain’s greatest export. Even watching the films is worthy of writing about, but let’s take a step even further back in time to look at Ian Fleming’s books.




Beginning in 1953 with “Casino Royale” (exasperatingly the last film in the series to date … but there is tons about that story on the internet) Royale does an early mystery genre (was spy thriller even a genre in ’53?) does best: sets up the characters, plots, and motivations. With James Bond in book form we are not given a character we have come to know from the films (no matter which actor plays him.) He is described as brutal and harsh, takes great pleasure in little details because he never knows when he might die, has a scar down the side of his face. There is very little of the debonair bon vivon, but more of a man of the edge of death.

If you’ve seen the film, then you know that the plot essentially revolves around Bond trying to outplay an international agent (in the book working for the Russians) to ruin and discredit him. The central action of the novel is in the casino and hotel, with the rather cruel torture happening just outside of the vascinity. The end seems a bit quick, but oddly leads us on to the next story (even though, at the time, Fleming had not thought to write one.)

“Live and Let Die”


1954 saw the character return and this one is kind of a powder keg if you don’t read it with the right eyes. The racism of the 1950s is really right up front as Bond journeys through the black underworld of Harlem, down to St. Petersburg, then on to Jamaica. Most of the film version is radically different than the book, but there are still a great many similarities. Bond never seems to be quite as racist as the book’s author (the, pardon me ... “nigger” descriptions are rather constant and there is even a chapter called “Nigger Heaven.”) But, I say Bond isn’t racist because he never seems to use the term and is in fact very much in awe of Mr. Big.

Mr. Big is running a rather sophisticated operation of removing buried treasure from Jamaica, getting it through customs in St. Petersburg, FL, and up into Harlem. Bond arrives in New York and is instantly embroiled in Mr. Big’s massive black spy network throughout Harlem. This is where Mr. Big puts the first squeeze on Bond, breaking his finger (Bond kills three of his guys in return.) Mr. Big’s power is largely created through his supposed voodoo connections and the superstitions of others. His affect is so powerful that even Bond gets a little freaked out (especially after his CIA pal Felix Leiter is disfigured in Florida.)

Since I used to live in the Tampa Bay area, I found the descriptions of the area remarkably similar to those I’d known in the 70’s and 80’s.


I’m currently reading “Moonraker” and it is far less ridiculous than the eventual film …

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Peter Askew hits Amazon



Well, here is the weirdest site I've seen in a while. Peter Askew on Amazon.com.

Buy it HERE

I know its a self-published book and I literally paid to get it on Amazon, but it still feels like its out there. I don't know how to promote it, but its there ...

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Heroes – Season One



Heroes – Season One

OK, first of all I don’t have HD yet and probably will be one of the last to do so. It’s just a question of waiting until the technology is right. (Hey, at least I have an ipod.) Point is I cannot review the HD version of “Heroes” which apparently has some different bonus features. But, then again … I didn’t really watch the bonus features. Lately I’ve come to think a lot of bonus features are kind of lame. Actually, I hate several things about DVDs … the first one is menus … hate menus … the second is non-anamorphic behind the scenes featurettes that last about 4 minutes and talk about nothing … the third thing is … well, let’s face it, we already know where going to buy this crap again.

So, really let’s talk content. The series “Heroes” turned out to be quite a crazy, albeit intermittent ride this last year. I think it off the air more than it was actually on the air, but in the Tivo age that means you can catch up during baseball playoffs or whatever. Re-watching the series in its entirety I was afraid that it wouldn’t hold up as an overall story. Its patchwork attitude seemed to be a bit too much “make it up as you go” but I was impressed that, overall, the series does hold up well. Sure, there are a few massive plot problems that don’t make sense (like what the “company” actually does, did do, who runs it, and why?) and there are many times during the series when a big cliffhanger is set-up only to be put off for a week while we wonder around endlessly with Nicky and Mica or Claire. But, again, it’s all part of a larger picture. When viewed as a whole, the season seems to work. It makes a kind of sense.

Again, as usual, I’ll skip a lot of the plot. You can look that up anywhere. My favorite moments of the series where generally the Hiro and Ando segments – especially “Five Years Gone” and “Landslide.” If someone had said to me ten years ago that there would two major characters on a primetime network show speaking almost exclusively in Japanese, I’d have said they were crazy.



George Takai as Hiro’s father (showing up in the same episode Christopher Eccleston pops up in) was a laugh out loud, “oh, look at his license plate” moment (the plate was the Enterprise registration.) Christopher Eccleston’s appearance seems to elicit the same fan gene response (he says “fantastic” and the word regenerate is used and an episode is called “Run!”) However, both characters become their own after the “geek” homage moment seems to pass. Takai especially redeems himself in “Landslide” during Hiro’s Kensei masters session.

In fact, there isn’t a single character that doesn’t undergo some sort of change. What is a question, however, is how the next season will even … work. It appears some of the cast are dead and the mystery is certainly out of the bag … Can Heroes survive a second season?