tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13915092741280339292024-03-13T14:05:22.375+00:00Cinema RevisitedA blog about film for film lovers based on our radio show of the same nameUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-39296076858230258202014-05-03T19:58:00.000+01:002014-05-03T19:58:18.906+01:00Dead By Dawn<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jane was in Edinburgh last weekend for the Dead By Dawn Festival at The Filmhouse on Lothian Road. The horror film festival is held annually and kudos to organiser Adele Hartley for a cracking selection of films, some old, some new.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The festival opened at 23.30 on Thursday with an introduction from Adele who outlined her 'no sweet wrapper rustling policy'; so Marie, you're not alone! You can, however, take your drinks into the screening which explains why some of the pictures are a little bit blurry. There was a 40 minute montage of classic horror trailers followed by William Castle's Spooktacular 'House on Haunted Hill' starring the inimitable Vincent Price. I <i>have</i> seen his cookery shows on You Tube and they are fabulous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They also showed William Castle's 'Mr Sardonicous' (complete with punishment poll) which I had never seen before and it is <i>wonderful.</i> The film is not currently available on DVD in the UK so if you get the chance to see this on TV take it! Guy Rolfe is magnificent. 'Where the Red Fox Lies' (originally a Kickstarter project) draws a thought provoking analogy with mental illness and was paired up with 'Les Gouffres' which explores similar themes. 'Friday 13th' seems remarkably tame now when you consider the 'moral panic' about video nasties it (along with other 'slasher' films) provoked here in the UK. Also enjoyed Japanese film 'Greatful Dead' which I'm sure we'll be hearing more of when word gets out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tickets for the weekend were £75 which is amazingly good value. You can also buy tickets for the films individually. It's a marathon, I admit, but well worth it. Adele is a splendid and erudite hostess and I met some great people there (even the guy next to me whom I 'cuddled' when I briefly dozed off in my seat just after midnight took it in good humour- sorry about that btw). If you can get to Edinburgh next year, do come along. I'll certainly be there. </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-40690302733989964642014-03-30T19:44:00.001+01:002014-04-20T19:19:59.110+01:00Kate Bush and Film<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have Kate Bush Tickets! I got them in the pre-sale on Wednesday. 9th September. 166 days away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In preparation I have decided to make the change from Lush's 'Caca Brun' to 'Caca Marron' in the hope that, when Kate's eyes meet mine, my hair will resemble hers', circa 1980 at the height of her Babooshka bikinied brilliance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's my hair today after one go with Caca Marron. Watch it turn more racily red over the coming months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The BFI pipped us to the post with this run down of the inspiration Kate has taken<i> from</i> film, strategically worded to fit in with the Gothic theme they have going on this year. http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/let-me-grab-your-soul-away-kate-bush-gothic</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Not to be out-Bushed I have put together my own little montage of Kate's contribution<i> to</i> film;</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Woman's Work (1989).i</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was written for the John Hughes film 'She's Having a Baby'. Many (not fans) say this is their favourite Kate Bush song ever. It was covered by experimental jazzist Theo Bleckmann on his album of Kate covers (which I own). It's also the name of her 1978-1990 box set anthology (which I own).</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brazil (1985)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate recorded a version of Ary Baroso's 1939 song 'Brazil' (Aquarela do Brazil) for the soundtrack of the Terry Gilliam film of the same name. It wasn't actually used in the film. No surprise, though, that two very individual artists chose to work together. We played Kate's version when we did the Gilliam show in 2010. It is absolutely beautiful. Perfect. Transcendent. We were asked to play it again for the 1000 show mash up we did with 'At the Movies' and, sadly, couldn't find the licensed version we'd downloaded. You Tube it.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lyra (2007)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate contributed this to the soundtrack for 'The Golden Compass'; Hollywood's go at Philip Pullman's 'Northern Lights'. It was.apparently, written and recorded with 10 days notice and featured the choir from Magdalen College. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ken (1988)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This tribute to 'Red' Ken Livingstone (leader of the GLC and Mayor of London until succeeded by bumbling idiot Boris Johnson) was kindly contributed to 'The Comic Strip Presents..The Strike' which was televised at the peak of my 'Kate Bush Period'. Ken was played by Robbie Coltrane (who I once met in an Indian restaurant in Stirling. Tall). It was released on the 'b' side (remember those) of Love and Anger (which I also own).</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Les Dogs (1990)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Kate made an appearance in this Comic Strip production which, frankly, still baffles me. LOVE YOU, KATE. SEE YOU ON THE 9th Sept MWWAHH.. xxx </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cloudbusting (1985)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Co-starring Donald Sutherland as a version of Wilhelm Reich, and made in conjunction with Terry Gilliam, this music video had limited release at the cinema as a 'support' film, it were that good. I went to the cinema just to see it on the big screen!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Line, the Curve and the Cross (1993)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dismissed by Kate as "A load of old bollocks". It co-stars Miranda Richardson and, Kate's old mime teacher, Lindsay Kemp (he was in 'The Wicker Man'). Kate knows best, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don't Give Up (1986)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This duet with Peter Gabriel was used over the closing credits of 'The Bone Collector' (1999). The song was written by Gabriel and appears on his 'So' album. His original choice for the female </span>vocal<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was Dolly </span>Parton<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who didn't manage to secure tickets, Hackney Attic, above Hackney Picturehouse, are hosting a Kate Bush Night on the first night of Kate's run. You can find details here; http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Hackney_Picturehouse/film/Fk_I_Didnt_Get_Kate_Bush_Tickets_Kate_Bush_Night/?utm_source=/cinema/Hackney_Picturehouse/Whats_On/All/This_Month/&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=selected. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Did I mention I have tickets? Got them in the </span>pre<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-sale. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-20830959073192685412014-02-12T14:13:00.001+00:002014-02-12T14:37:48.903+00:00We Didn't Kill Shirley Temple.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The very
first Cinema Revisited was broadcast in June 2009 and we mentioned Michael Jackson.
On the 25<sup>th</sup> June Michael
passed away. We dedicated a show to the
magnificent Elizabeth Taylor in 2011. We
lost Liz. You’d think we’d have learned
our lesson? No. Our last show was
broadcast on the 18<sup>th</sup> January and we mused about the fact that one
of cinemas’ most enduring icons, Shirley Temple, was still alive, and joked
that, should she die, it wouldn’t be our fault.
It seemed odd given that she is a figure we associate with an earlier,
more naive, movie age. Also child stars,
Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor grew up, lived their lives and died before
our eyes yet Shirley was still with us. We now live in an age where we consider it our
right to view gruesome and intrusive detail of celebrity deaths; a harrowing
picture of Michael Jackson’s corpse lying on a hospital trolley was published
around the world. It was almost a
comfort to know we still had Shirley, an untouchable, golden curled reminder,
of more innocent times, keeping a dignified eye over modern celebrity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can think
of no more iconic celebrity figure that Shirley Temple. She outshines, Michael and Liz, Chaplin, Mickey
Mouse, Darth Vader, Clint Eastwood in a poncho and that other blonde goddess, Marilyn Monroe. Her very name is a byword for
all that is good, and cute and wholesome. Which curly haired child has not been
compared to her? Monroe herself was a
grown-up reworking of her. She even has a (non-alcoholic) cocktail named after
her. She was the youngest person to have ever won an Oscar. It’s hard to imagine she was ever,
actually <i>real.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the
coverage of her death has been celebratory and wistful. A child star whose life
did not descend into the obligatory car crash. Shirley’s career took off during
the American Depression. She became the
golden child, untroubled by the poverty other American children were
facing. A child living as it ‘ought’ to do,
untouched by the realities of war, politics and economics, allowed to develop its
growing personality in an ideal bubble. Readers in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> may see a
correlation with the Daily Mail giving away a free calendar featuring ‘Little
Prince George’; another child we can watch grow up because we can’t afford to
have children of our own at the moment.
Shirley’s optimism, self reliance and agreeableness was the embodiment
of the values Americans had been reading about in self help tomes like Napoleon
Hills ‘Think and Grow Rich’ or Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends and
Influence People”. Values they were too
ground down by poverty to try out for themselves but still wanted to believe would
‘work’. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Temple</st1:city></st1:place> herself worked long hours, once
performing a dance routine after badly injuring her foot. If Shirley could do it why couldn’t the rest
of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>? President
F D Roosevelt himself commented “As long as our country has Shirley Temple we
will be alright”. For a brilliant essay
on the use of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>
as a political tool and “the fantasy of the golden-haired goddess magically
solving all class antagonisms” check out <span class="url" style="background-color: white; color: #1e7d83; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px;">www.e<b>jumpcut</b>.org/archive/onlinessays/<wbr></wbr>.../<b>shirleytemple</b>.html</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMEsN6Rp9Xo/UvuA8nRy5NI/AAAAAAAAAek/icSfudV2aMY/s1600/Shirley+Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMEsN6Rp9Xo/UvuA8nRy5NI/AAAAAAAAAek/icSfudV2aMY/s1600/Shirley+Temple.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span lang="EN-GB">Even Shirley’s legend has its dark side though. The ‘internet’ has been awash this morning
with talk that our Shirley was a racist! So, she wore blackface in ‘The Littlest
Rebel’ and was a Republican. I think as grown ups we should perhaps accept that
not all Right Wing people are evil, bigoted bullies. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>
was seven years old when she blacked up for ‘The Littlest Rebel’, how much
political awareness do we expect the average seven year old have? <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city> herself did
acknowledge that her early ‘Baby Burlesques’, “occasionally were racist or sexist".
In her later roles, however, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>’s
character is often sympathetic to the American working man, including black Americans.
She performed song and dance routines with black male performers which adult
female performers of the time were rarely seen doing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Critics have also picked up an unsettling,
sexual undercurrent in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>’s
persona. In her 1991 bestseller ‘Backlash’
Susan Faludi suggested Temple’s screen persona represented an nonthreatening, ideal
woman; childlike, unchallenging, grateful for male assistance, compliant and
without body hair. It was Graham Greene
who first proposed this idea, referring to
her performance in ‘Captain January’ as “a little depraved”. He went further when
reviewing ‘Wee Willie Winkie’ and suggested her older male admirers “respond to her
dubious coquetry, to the sight of her well-shaped and desirable little body”. Twentieth Century Fox sued Green and he was
forced to pay damages to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>,
or, as he called her, “that little bitch”. Temple herself revealed in her
autobiography that a spy hole had been drilled through her dressing room wall and
that an MGM producer had exposed himself to her during negotiations for ‘The
Wizard of Oz’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Temple</st1:city></st1:place>
was also rumoured to be a “curly haired, fifty year old dwarf”; curiously a
similar rumour circulated about Michael Jackson, perhaps testament to both of
their professionalism and capacity to understand the material they were working
with. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shirley’s
career faltered when she lost out on the lead in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to Judy Garland.
Times were changing and </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
was ready for a new sort of heroine.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Details of her brief marriage to abusive alcoholic John Agar tarnished
her impeccable image. Her second marriage to Charles Alden Black was a long and
successful one.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now known as Shirley
Temple Black she went public with her breast cancer and campaigned for better treatment.
She was appointed United States Ambassador to </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" w:st="on">Ghana</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
and later, </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">’s
first female chief of Protocol at the White House.</span></div>
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</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst <st1:city w:st="on">Monroe</st1:city> got to marry a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">millionaire</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Temple</st1:placetype></st1:place>’s
character often finds herself being adopted by one. Surely this is a much more
desirable financial position than <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Monroe</st1:city></st1:place>’s.
Who can forget Gertrude Moon reminding her daughter, Daphne, of her good
fortune with the words “He’s rich and you don’t have to sleep with him"? Whilst Faludi’s point is certainly a valid one,
Dame Magazine yesterday lauded <st1:city w:st="on">Temple</st1:city> as “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city>’s First Little
Feminist”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-60949696021846414792013-12-26T18:02:00.000+00:002013-12-26T18:02:26.096+00:00Top Ten Festive Films<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Another film which has grown in popularity after being shown on television. The film was listed by the FBI for 10 years
as suspected communist propaganda. Maybe
the FBI failed to notice its hero, George Bailey, is a banker and that director
Frank Capra was a supporter of Mussolini. It was certainly controversial at the
time to deal with suicide (the word is actually spoken during the film) and
films about money don’t often tug at the heartstrings the way It’s a Wonderful
Life does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">2. White Christmas (1954) I know those pedants amongst you are probably
screaming ‘No! Holiday Inn! Holiday Inn!’
but seriously, this film is better. Get over yourselves. It’s Christmas. Bing
Crosby’s version of Irving Berlin’s ‘White
Christmas’ was initially poorly received but
went on to become the biggest selling single of all time <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">3. Miracle on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">34<sup>th</sup>
Street</st1:address></st1:street> (1947) Of course we mean the 1947 original
not the 1994 remake. The film was declared ‘morally objectionable’ by the
Catholic Legion of Decency as it portrayed a divorced, single parent. Despite its obvious Christmas setting, it was
originally released in May because Darryl F. Zanuck believed more people went
to the cinema in warmer weather. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) This was
released back in the days when Tim Burton still had an edge. Its mix of old
fashioned, Harryhausen inspired stop motion animation and German Expressionist
look manage to create something fresh, modern and different. Danny Elfman’s score is spot on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">5. A Matter of Life and Death (1946) Not as well known as Powell and Pressburger’s
mighty ‘The Red Shoes’ this film is still essential Christmas viewing. The film reverses the effect of The Wizard of
Oz by showing the real world in Technicolor and the fantasy world in black and
white. Jack Clayton’s beautiful cinematography
makes this a true gem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">6. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) This is what we want! Action, adventure, humour, and a hard drinking,
wise cracking, feisty heroine. Lucas and
Spielberg really do bring out the best in each other in this delirious nod to Saturday
morning cinema. Spielberg reigns in the schmaltz,
Lucas let’s loose a bit and Harrison Ford is just perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">7. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(2005) I’m personally not a fan of this watered-down and rather flat version of
Lewis’ wonderful, classic children’s’ book.
I include it because it’s got snow, but it really is a case of ‘the book
is better’. It was only a matter of time before the story was committed to celluloid
but I found it a disappointing affair all round. Things improved a lot with Prince Caspian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">8. The Wizard of Oz (1939) Not massively popular on its initial release
The Wizard of Oz was first shown on television in 1956 and as part of the Christmas
schedule in 1959. Such was the response
that CBS made screening the movie an annual Christmas event; it was only
televised once a year, on the second Sunday in December, for 30 years and is
now the most viewed motion picture on television in history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">9. Meet me in St Louis (1944) Vincent Minelli’s musical was both critically
and commercially successful and features Judy Garland (again) singing ‘Have Yourself
a Merry Little Christmas”. The song was written by Ralph Blame and Hugh Martin
for the film and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Garland</st1:place></st1:city>
found the original lyrics too depressing requesting that they be
rewritten. The song was later recorded
by Frank Sinatra who also requested changes to the lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">10. Elf (2003)
When this movie’s shown on TV it’s generally considered a sign that “Christmas has
truly started”. Sky caused controversy here in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> by swiping Elf from Channel 4 meaning
only Sky Movies subscribers could watch it.
This caused a general outpouring of grief on Facebook and prompted The
Telegraph to ask “Did Sky steal Christmas?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-20595082401560810522013-11-30T12:10:00.000+00:002013-11-30T12:14:53.346+00:00Disability History Month<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were invited to Disability Equality North West on Monday as part of their celebrations for UK Disability History Month. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Disability Equality (NW) LTD is a disabled people's organisation which works to further the human rights of disabled people in the North West of England and to remove the disabling barriers put in place by society that stop disabled people taking a full and active role in society.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We facilitated the event 'A Picture of Disability' and discussed a number of issues surrounding disabled people in film and television. We talked about the way disabled people are represented and the obstacles and prejudices facing disabled actors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We showed some clips from film and TV including Tod Browning's 'Freaks', Xavier Leret's 'Kung Fu Flid', 'E.R.' and 'Frasier' </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was an open discussion and those who attended shared some interesting and informative views. I certainly learnt something. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some of those who came along. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnBPkx1oIAk/UpnViP_iIVI/AAAAAAAAAck/0Snb7gMN7r8/s1600/DHM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnBPkx1oIAk/UpnViP_iIVI/AAAAAAAAAck/0Snb7gMN7r8/s320/DHM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-56627244957618125972013-11-07T18:48:00.000+00:002013-11-07T18:48:12.081+00:00A Picture of Disability<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check out this fabulous event we're facilitating for Disability Equality North West!</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1BpVDVqI-4/UnvgU-ImoZI/AAAAAAAAAZg/6u9ex1yeBwk/s1600/A+Picture+of+Disability.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1BpVDVqI-4/UnvgU-ImoZI/AAAAAAAAAZg/6u9ex1yeBwk/s640/A+Picture+of+Disability.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-44351612119680335282013-11-05T18:39:00.000+00:002013-11-06T16:41:26.775+00:00Christopher Lee<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last month Cinema Revisited enjoyed a right old Christopher Lee
fest. We saw ‘The Wicker Man – The Final
Cut’ at Filmhouse in <st1:city w:st="on">Edinburgh</st1:city> and then Hammer’s
1958 ’Dracula’ (released in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Horror of
Dracula’) </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">at The Cornerhouse in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘The Wicker Man’ was originally released in 1973 as a supporting picture
for ‘Don’t Look Now’. Although it is now respected by critics it did not fare
well in 1973. Studio executives had no
idea how to market the film and wanted to change the ending (Noooooooo!). EMI (who had bought British Lion during
production) advised director Robert Hardy to remove twenty minutes from the
film and Roger Corman suggested a further thirteen minutes were cut to make the
film marketable in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Christopher Lee fervently supported the film
(although he was unhappy with the cuts) and even offered to buy critics seats
to see the film in order to get it reviewed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Over the years various efforts have been made to locate and restore
footage and many who have seen the film on TV or on video are often confused as
to which version they have seen. ‘The
Final Cut' celebrates the film’s 40<sup>th</sup>
anniversary and restores the story to the version Robert Hardy originally intended
with reinstated scenes including the ‘Gently Johnny’ segment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">To be honest ‘The Final Cut’ is an odd experience. The film opens with a scene of Howie on the
mainland which is so brief it’s pointless.
There are other scenes from the mainland which I have seen on the TV that
were missing from ‘The Final Cut’, whilst a brief, irrelevant scene showing <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Willow</st1:place></st1:city> cleaning down a
table outside the Green Man is included.
The restored scenes are obvious, of poor quality and lacking
colour. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Willow</st1:place></st1:city>’s
Song and her attempt to seduce Howie occur later in ‘The Final Cut’, on his
second night on Summerisle and, whatever Robert Hardy’s original vision may
have been, I’ve seen this film too many times to find this switch anything but
clunky and odd. Although most critics are in agreement that the film is
improved by introducing Lord Summerisle earlier I’ve always enjoyed the way he pops
up out of his chair like a pantomime demon when Howie visits him at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For viewers today the power of the film lies in the ending. Maybe back
in 1973 it asked some questions about religion which were ahead of it’s
time. The people of Summerisle have
abandoned Christianity in favour of a reconstituted neo-paganism introduced by Summerisle’s
grandfather. Lee’s Lord Summerisle makes
it perfectly clear he doesn’t believe in this religion but it suits his purpose,
controls the population and made his family rich – ideas which are still
pertinent today. In an era where horror
film vampires could be destroyed by the
very sight of a makeshift crucifix made from two splinters of wood, the idea
that Howie’s ‘true’ God does not save him is an unsettling one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Howie’s outrage at the islanders’ sexual liberation, particularly the sexual
assertiveness of the women, also loses impact in the age of Madonna and
internet porn, although scenes in the school showing the sexualisation of
children are still uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KTM9hz-9iec/UnpxBUFtvYI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/dESBKep6Zxc/s1600/Castle+Dracula.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KTM9hz-9iec/UnpxBUFtvYI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/dESBKep6Zxc/s320/Castle+Dracula.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is Jane at 'Castle Dracula' in Bran when she visited Transylvania in 2008.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">God gets a slightly better deal in ‘Dracula’. Vampire films haven’t been
the same since Louis du Pont Du Lac told ‘the boy’ in ‘Interview with the
Vampire’ that he couldn’t be killed with holy water or crucifixes. Terence Fisher’s ‘Dracula’, though, can be. Harker vows ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">It only
remains for</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> me now to await the daylight hours where I will, with God's help,
forever end this man's reign of terror.’ and Van Helsing destroys the fiend
using a crucifix made from two candlesticks a sign he claims represents the
triumph of good over evil. Things aren’t
quite so simple now and our relationship with ‘belief’ is less self-assuredly ‘right’. Eagle eyed viewers may have also spotted the bizarre horoscope mosaic on which Dracula meets his (un)death. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In common with many film versions of Stoker's original text Fisher plays around with the plot and the characters switch around but the names stay the same. In this version Harker is engaged to Lucy and Mina (it's Rose from 'Brighton Rock'!) is married to Holmwood. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the vampire has come a long way through folklore and literature it was Tod Browning's version (played by Bela Lugosi) who made the mould until Anne Rice came along with her pesky logic. It was cinema that started to make vampires sexy (this hasn't changed) and let's face it, nothing says 'sex' more that Christopher Lee. Women love him; he only loves blood. Vampires are no longer just animated corpses, the work of a Christian devil; with The Twilight Saga's Rnenesmee we now have children who are born vampires, it's no longer even necessary to die first. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was Lee's first outing as The Count (although not his first pairing with Peter Cushing) and he went on to play the character seven times for Hammer, with a decreasing number of lines and less and less to do. One of the reasons Lee was so keen to play the role of Lord Summerisle was to show his skill and versatility as an actor. The year after 'The Wicker Man' was released Lee played Scaramanga in 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. For those who like trivia, Lee is related to Bond author Ian Flemming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're covering Hammer on our next show on November 23rd so tune in between 4-5 for more Christopher Lee!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fAH1iXMZB-s/Unk65-OLK5I/AAAAAAAAAY4/ziNn-Pw_FTI/s1600/Cornerhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fAH1iXMZB-s/Unk65-OLK5I/AAAAAAAAAY4/ziNn-Pw_FTI/s320/Cornerhouse.jpg" width="240" /></a></h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-74302327265077079542013-10-14T11:23:00.000+01:002013-10-14T11:32:06.673+01:00One in Four Film Festival<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week
we were at UCLAN’s One in Four Film Festival.
The festival takes place annually in the week of World Mental Health Day
(10<sup>th</sup> October) and is designed to reduce the stigma surrounding the one
in four adults who will be affected by mental health issues in any given year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinema
Revisited have been honoured to cover the event for the past two years and this
year <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Chat</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> covered the whole week’s
events. The films are shown at the
Mitchell and Kenyon Theatre in UCLAN’s <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Foster</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Building</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and tickets are free. Each film shown explores a particular mental health
condition. Before the screening a mental health service user or carer gives an
introduction and the film is followed by an open discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a brilliant
way to look at how real lives are affected by mental health issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zvr7AHAZTbw/UlvEiU91tYI/AAAAAAAAAWg/ycmzkDSZPLU/s1600/1+in+4+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zvr7AHAZTbw/UlvEiU91tYI/AAAAAAAAAWg/ycmzkDSZPLU/s1600/1+in+4+logo.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year’s
films were;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday The Hours<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tuesday The Mars Project<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday Silver Linings Playbook<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday For the Love of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nancy</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2F0bOKGZM-Q/UlvF_CCy7CI/AAAAAAAAAWs/ekxVDJQTKnk/s1600/foster+building.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2F0bOKGZM-Q/UlvF_CCy7CI/AAAAAAAAAWs/ekxVDJQTKnk/s1600/foster+building.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we are
with Keith Byers, one of the many people who work so hard to make this festival
a success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you missed
this year’s event you can get involved in time for next year by visiting <a href="http://www.facebook.com/1in4film">www.facebook.com/1in4film</a> and even
suggest films that could be shown at future events.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-80577212746982377022013-10-04T22:04:00.000+01:002013-10-14T11:26:07.274+01:00The Wizard of Oz<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We showed
The Wizard of Oz at The Museum of Lancashire* last night. Here are a few bits
and bobs that didn’t make it into our introduction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L Frank Baum’s
Oz books anticipated television, laptop computers, mobile telephones, women’s suffrage
and advertising on clothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
leitmotif for Miss Gulch/ The Wicked Witch of the West is significant and has
subsequently been used to indicate a threatening character; it was used in Ally
McBeal for Lucy Liu’s character when she first arrived. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YskjWQOXrZo/Uk8wByBqFMI/AAAAAAAAAWI/XAeaqJviGE4/s1600/FASHION!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YskjWQOXrZo/Uk8wByBqFMI/AAAAAAAAAWI/XAeaqJviGE4/s320/FASHION!.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time
of filming Margaret Hamilton was 36. Billie Burke was 54.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bert Lahr
(the film is HIS) played Estragon in the first production of Beckett’s Waiting
for Godot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it a dream? We meet the 'farmhands' and Marvel in Kansas first. Does Dorothy's imagination turn Miss Gulch into The Wicked Witch of the West?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marvel comics produced a graphic version of the story in which Dorothy enters Oz via an earthquake in San Francisco. Ultimate 'Lad's Mag' gone gay?</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Dr
Frasier Crane accidentally ‘outs’ himself on air, Gill Chesterton compliments him
on taking his “first brave steps on that yellow brick road to pride and self
acceptance.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Favourite
bits from Salman Rushdie’s (wonderful) essay on Oz (BFI Film Classics ISBN
978-1-84457-516-9); Rushdie, as an immigrant, identifies with Dorothy as a stranger
in as strange land. Oz, from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Kansas</st1:state></st1:place>
himself, is the ultimate immigrant done well for himself. Marie loved his observations about shapes; <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas</st1:place></st1:state> is ‘regular’- triangles
and squares; Oz is all spirals and spires, Evil is deformed and twisted “Throughout
The Wizard of Oz, home and safety are represented by such geographical simplicity,
whereas danger and evil are invariably twisted, irregular and misshapen’. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jane loved
the idea that Auntie Em and Uncle Henry
kow tow to Miss Gulch because she has money and power whilst Dorothy demands equal justice for all, even Toto. The idea of the inadequate adult does
seem to run through the film- Miss Gulch is scary because she is an adult who behaves
like a child.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Invisible
Homosexuals? The Stonewall Inn was managed
by Ed Murphy; known locally as ‘The Skull”. Prior to his tenure at Stonewall he
had been convicted for blackmailing gay men to the tune of $2, 100, 00.00. The
news reports referred to the victims as ‘playboys’- the term ‘homosexual’ was
not used. Similarly, Judy Garland’s audience
was referred to (in Time magazine) as ‘the men in tight trousers prancing down
the aisles” . Gay men were persecuted whilst not being acknowledged! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgDR1NNlniM/Uk8v2g9F0VI/AAAAAAAAAWA/5KEHlufQvqg/s1600/No+Place+Like+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgDR1NNlniM/Uk8v2g9F0VI/AAAAAAAAAWA/5KEHlufQvqg/s320/No+Place+Like+cheese.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank
Marvel played no less than five characters in The Wizard of Oz; previously, he
was most famous for his partnership with Fanny Brice – MGM’s first choice to
play Glinda.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also loved
Alexander Sergeant’s musings about space. In <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas</st1:place></st1:state> no one listens to Dorothy because
they are too busy working. She has no space. In Oz she is the centre of everything that happens,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Favourite story
has to be THE COAT! The wardrobe
department searched second-hand shops to find a suitably shabby costume for
Oz. They purchased a coat which bore the
label ‘Property of L Frank Baum’. Baum’s widow confirmed the coat had previously
belonged to the author himself. The creator became the created.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the film we served Lancashire Cheese on a Chorley Cake. Everyone with any taste agreed we were right to do so.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mc_Y4a5YLHk/Uk8wI6ARBMI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/b6gOCKXJz-I/s1600/Give+it+up+for+STEVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mc_Y4a5YLHk/Uk8wI6ARBMI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/b6gOCKXJz-I/s320/Give+it+up+for+STEVE.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Go there –
it’s BRILLIANT!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-82992092595354002452013-09-04T14:49:00.002+01:002013-09-04T14:51:30.648+01:00Our Twin Passions Meet!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUXt_fwBR84/Uic6RSPkfBI/AAAAAAAAATs/hnos0UCIOv8/s1600/Wizard%2520of%2520OZ-%2520there%2527s%2520no%2520taste%2520like%2520home%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUXt_fwBR84/Uic6RSPkfBI/AAAAAAAAATs/hnos0UCIOv8/s1600/Wizard%2520of%2520OZ-%2520there%2527s%2520no%2520taste%2520like%2520home%5B1%5D.jpg" height="640" width="452" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-20892621484357112252013-08-17T15:12:00.003+01:002013-08-22T12:25:49.686+01:00Preston Pride Launch<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinema Revisited's Jane was hob-nobbing with the higher-ups at yesterdays' super posh Pride launch.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2yvnN9S36U/Ug-FI1FtMyI/AAAAAAAAARs/7MxuitHBBe0/s1600/Preston+Pride.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2yvnN9S36U/Ug-FI1FtMyI/AAAAAAAAARs/7MxuitHBBe0/s1600/Preston+Pride.bmp" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinema Revisited is delighted to be contributing to the festivities this year. We're going to be showing 'The Wizard of Oz' in full glorious colour on the big screen at the Museum of Lancashire on October 3rd. We'll be introducing the film and giving away cheese and cakes. The event is free so come along!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This years' Pride is looking amazing. The acts appearing were confirmed at the launch and include Musical Ruth - The Singing Nun, Dave the Bear, local legends Eva Fox and Coco Malone and Stock Aiken and Waterman diva Hazel Dean! You can find more information on the events here www.prestonpride.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great to see some Preston FM people at the launch too, including Neil who was there with 'Older and Out' and Robin who used to present At the Movies (we miss you Robin).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event was held at The Hidden Gem on Church Street and it turns out their regular menu contains a cheeseboard. They call it "The Ultimate Cheeseboard"; we'll see about that. Watch this space. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oua_UKFbOo/UhXx1hLMulI/AAAAAAAAATU/Uh2d7ZAksfg/s1600/pride+launch.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oua_UKFbOo/UhXx1hLMulI/AAAAAAAAATU/Uh2d7ZAksfg/s1600/pride+launch.bmp" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ETVIF9MVB0U/Ug-HoEczFvI/AAAAAAAAASI/AezmrZMuFSI/s1600/Pride+Launch+3.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ETVIF9MVB0U/Ug-HoEczFvI/AAAAAAAAASI/AezmrZMuFSI/s1600/Pride+Launch+3.bmp" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtPUMcEUUTs/Ug-HZlmQ1wI/AAAAAAAAASA/o1rYFC4BW50/s1600/pride+launch+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtPUMcEUUTs/Ug-HZlmQ1wI/AAAAAAAAASA/o1rYFC4BW50/s1600/pride+launch+2.bmp" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-31397792836705355732013-08-15T20:24:00.002+01:002013-08-22T12:05:38.718+01:00Brighton Rock 1947<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to celebrate the lovely weather we’ve been having
we decided to give our last show a summer theme and talked about the Boulting
Brothers 1947 movie ‘Brighton Rock’. This is based on Graham Greene’s 1938
novel of the same name. We’ve covered
Greene before when we did Carol Reed back in 2010.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the surface this is a crime story – it’s often referred
to as British Noir and was re-titled ‘The British Scarface’ for the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
market. Like much of Greene’s work,
though, there is a strong anti-Catholic vein running through it. Polite reviewers of Greene tend to refer to
this as a “challenge to Catholic Doctrine”.
I feel something much nastier and poisoness going on, maybe a
manifestation of (Catholic) Greene’s own self hatred.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The plot centers on an underworld criminal gang based in <st1:place w:st="on">Brighton</st1:place>. Their leader has recently been executed and 17
year old Pinkie Brown has stepped into his shoes. Pinkie is played by Richard
Attenborough who had also played the role on stage. Most reviews of this film
refer to Pinkie as either a ‘psychopath’ or a ‘sociopath’. Greene refers to the
character as “Peter Pan”. Greene claimed ,horrifying, ‘the child who doesn’t grow
up remains the great champion of justice’. Pinkie is certainly presented as
petulant, expecting high standards of behavior from others but “his crimes have
an excuse”. This is evident on the two occasions in the film when Pinkie finds
himself cornered and faced with the consequences of his actions. The look of
utter incredulity on his face sums his character up more than any of his
dialogue. In order to be allowed to film
in Brighton the film makers had to open the film with an on screen blurb about
how <st1:place w:st="on">Brighton</st1:place>’s problems with crime were in the
past, as the council did not want to discourage tourists from visiting the
resort. Pinkie is an unpredictable and
irrational character, unable to effectively lead the gang. He has secured his
position, it seems, because the other gang members fear his violent mood swings
and the gang begins to fall apart as the film progresses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pinkie (a Roman Catholic) murders a journalist named Fred
Hale. Realising local waitress Rose (also a Roman Catholic) has discovered a
clue which could negate Pinkie’s alibi; Pinkie romances Rose and then marries
her. The spanner in the works is pier
performer Ida Arnold (the standout performance of the film by Hermione Baddley)
who, having met Fred on the day of his death, decides to track down his
killers. This dynamic is where I start
to feel a little uncomfortable; Greene (who co-wrote the screenplay with
Terence Rattigan) raises some very interesting and valid questions about
‘morality’ but undermines himself by singling out Catholics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ida is the wrong sort of woman. She’s overweight,
overdressed, coarse and likes a drink and the company of men. She is the sort
of woman the British would describe as ‘common’, a woman who is not
respectable. Yet, she has a strong sense
of right and wrong and the willingness to actually<i> do</i> the right thing. Pinkie
and Rose, do not talk about right and wrong but ‘good’ and ‘evil’. As
Catholics they do not answer to men but to God and have little respect for
earthly justice. The idea of deferring
judgment and responsibility to ‘God’ and the afterlife rather than acting in a
morally responsible way on earth is an interesting one. If this idea was explored without making it a
specifically Catholic issue it would be superb. Greene believed that Catholics
looked down on people who are not Catholics.
This seems to be a very interesting and stunningly unself aware piece of
projection on Greene’s part; <st1:place w:st="on">Oxford</st1:place>
contempory Evelyn Waugh (who later converted to Catholicism himself) noted
“Graham Greene looked down on us…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Much of the guilt Pinkie
feels in the novel is missing from the script although there are references to
the fact Pinkie believes he is living in Hell.
There are some nice touches highlighting the subjective point of view we
have on life. We see <st1:place w:st="on">Brighton</st1:place>
‘front’ a fresh faced family resort contrasted with the crime ridden backstreets.
Pinkie and Rose, despite living in a grotty boarding house always give a
respectable ‘front’, wearing their Sunday best, whilst Ida, good hearted on the
inside, dresses in a cheap and showy fashion. There is also the recording of Pinkie’s voice
which, because the record is scratched, seems to be a loving message to Rose
but is in fact a vitriolic statement of hatred for her. Greene’s original story
ended with Rose hearing the message in full but the film makers wanted an
upbeat ending. Greene was initially
unhappy with this but then realized that viewers would know it was only a
matter of time before Rose moved the needle over the scratch and that her agony
was merely delayed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We played summer themed hits on the show including ‘Here
Comes Summer’ The Dave Clark Five, ‘Long Hot Summer’ The Style Council and
Laura Veirs’ ‘Summer is the Champion’.</span> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-4725271240691253592013-07-17T17:51:00.001+01:002014-02-12T16:08:38.606+00:00Ray Harryhausen. 1920-2013<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ray
Harryhausen. 1920-2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In May this
year we lost one of cinema’s true legends; Ray Harryhausen. We covered Harryhausen’s work when we did our
2010 Summer <st1:place w:st="on">Holiday</st1:place> show. We talked about the big summer ‘event movies’
which began in 1975 with the release of Steven Spielberg’s 'Jaws' and decided, in
the end, to cover the original and best kids movies; Harryhausen’s “Dynamation!”
movies. The films we covered were 'The 7<sup>th</sup>
Voyage of Sinbad' (1958), 'Jason and the Argonauts' (1963), 'One Million Years BC' (1966), 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad' (1974) 'Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger' (1977) and 'Clash of the Titans' (1981). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also got
a very special guest in to the studio with us “Nick the Teenager”. Nick watched the 1981 version of ‘Clash of
the Titans’ as well as the 2010 3D remake and gave us his verdict. Nick said he
actually preferred the 2010 version which wasn’t the answer we had hoped for! Nick’s
beef was interesting; his dislike of the 1981 version was down to Harryhausen’s
Kraken. Teenagers, as you are aware,
like to have their facts right. Being an
aficionado of Greek Mythology Nick was correct in stating that the Kraken, a
sea monster from Norse mythology, is usually represented as similar to a giant squid or
octopus. Harryhausen, however, chose to present
his Kraken as a bipedail, vertebrate primate, wrong we were told “on so many
levels”. Harryhausen made the decision to design his own Kraken as he had
already used a giant octopus in ‘It Came from Beneath the Sea’ in 1955 and didn’t
want to do so again.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_CxhOEIR9Q/UebDxS5lgzI/AAAAAAAAAPI/2QJkzgGRBCE/s1600/Nick+the+Teenager.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_CxhOEIR9Q/UebDxS5lgzI/AAAAAAAAAPI/2QJkzgGRBCE/s1600/Nick+the+Teenager.bmp" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ray
Harryhausen was born in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city>.
His interest in stop motion animation began in childhood when he was taken to
see ‘King Kong’. He joined the local
Science Fiction club where he became friends with Science Fiction Writer Ray
Bradbury. The two vowed “always to remain friends and always to love dinosaurs”
and both kept their promise. The two remained friends until Bradbury’s death in
2012. Harryhausen set up his first animation
workshop in his parents’ garage. His father made the metal skeletons around
which he built the figures and his mother made miniature costumes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In his
early career many of Harryhausen’s films involved animating the destruction of
several <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
landmarks by various creatures. In 1952
he moved his attention to the <st1:placename w:st="on">Eiffel</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Tower</st1:placetype> for the unfinished movie 'The Elementals' because
he fancied making a picture in <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>. He eventually
relocated to Europe (<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city></st1:place>)
in 1960 and lived there until his death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harryhausen’s
major innovations were his split screen method allowing him to combine stop
motion models and live actors and the use of rear and front projection to
enable the use of glorious colour. It is
his colour productions that are his most iconic, particularly the Sinbad films
and ‘Jason and the Argonauts’. The
Sinbad films always include a climactic battle between two creatures. More terrifying than Medusa and Kali put
together must be, though, the most hideous menace ever committed to celluloid;
THE SKELETON ARMY from ‘Jason and the Argonauts’. Utterly iconic and the stuff
of nightmares the three minute scene took four months to produce. It is now
impossible to tell the story without the skeleton army; A 2009 production of “Jason and the Argonauts” by The
Dukes Playhouse in Williamson Park, Lancaster, although based on the original
myth (Nick was pleased to note), went to great pains to include a version of this
scene. It has become part of the Golden Fleece mythology. </span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time ‘Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger’
came out in 1977 it was up against the mighty ‘Star Wars’ and the special
effects now seemed old fashioned and unconvincing. Although the special effects in ‘Star Wars’ were
groundbreaking they were still an updated version of stop motion animation.
Speaking after Harryhausen’s death George Lucas said “Without Ray Harryhausen,
there would likely have been no <i>Star Wars</i>.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q84fTu8IQzg/UebLMFaKKBI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Gh5hExfni0o/s1600/35234_133371650035402_2130973_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q84fTu8IQzg/UebLMFaKKBI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Gh5hExfni0o/s1600/35234_133371650035402_2130973_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This show
went out as part of Preston FM’s “12 Weeks of Summer” tour where we broadcast
from various local locations including the new Media Centre at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Preston</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place> and Brite Futures in Ribbleton. The Harryhausen show went out live from
Roccocco Coffee Lounge and Bakery in <st1:place w:st="on">Leyland</st1:place>.
Roccocco is run by Brothers of Charity, an organisation which provides services
to people with learning disabilities.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-88204352025131771422013-07-15T18:11:00.002+01:002013-07-15T18:11:44.890+01:00Here's an artists' impression of Cinema Revisited's Jane and Marie; we had this done at The Cornerhouse in Manchester (independent cinema, bar and restaurant). The artist calls himself "The Human Camera".<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws4hInM8240/UeQtPFFJAGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Tox-k2YTnPg/s1600/human+camera.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws4hInM8240/UeQtPFFJAGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Tox-k2YTnPg/s1600/human+camera.bmp" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-55655070389774554492013-06-02T21:42:00.001+01:002013-11-30T13:57:32.157+00:00Breakfast at Tiffany’s? 1961<ul class="UFIList" data-ft="{"tn":"]"}" id=".reactRoot[5]">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, here’s
the plot. A young writer of compromised sexuality moves into an apartment
building in a changing and cosmopolitan city. Here he meets a bohemian, off the
wall female who has left her past behind and reinvented herself. The audience can see they’re perfect for each
other but she’s looking for someone richer and he’s looking for someone, er, butcher.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m talking
about Blake Edwards 1961 film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ but you’d be forgiven
for thinking I’m referring to Bob Fosse’s 1972 ‘Cabaret’ as they have more than
a little in common.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although ‘Breakfast
at Tiffany’s’ was the earlier film, the roots of ‘Cabaret’ are oldest. ‘Cabaret’ is based on the stage musical of
the same name which was an adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s 1945 novels
‘Goodbye to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:state>’
and ‘Mr Norris Changes Trains’. Reader, I’ll be honest with you, I’m a huge Isherwood fan so if you’re hoping ‘Breakfast
at Tiffany’s’ is going to come out of this stand off the better you’re going to
be disappointed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Isherwood’s
novels are a fictionalised account of his time in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:state> in 1931 during Hitler’s rise to
power. Openly homosexual, Isherwood had been initially attracted to the sexual
liberation of life in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:state>
prior to the rise of the Nazis. Following
a period of imprisonment for 'Reciprocal onanism'</span><span lang="EN">” (Google it) he traveled to
<st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> with the poet W H Auden
before relocating to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>
on the eve of the war. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was here he
met the young Truman Capote, a young writer greatly influenced by Isherwood’s <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:state> stories and in
particular by the character Sally Bowles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Capote published
the novella ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ in 1958 and it is clear reworking of
Isherwood. <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state>
replaces <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Berlin</st1:state></st1:place>,
Post WWII social change replaces the rise of the Third Reich and Holly
Golightly steps in for Sally Bowles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1962 film Breakfast
at Tiffany’s is a film many hold in great affection. It’s light, stylish and
fresh but it is what makes it so enduring that is precisely what’s wrong with
it. Edwards plays down Holly’s occupation (the oldest profession) and Fred’s
sexual orientation. Understandably this is due to the conservatism of the time,
eleven years later with the sixties behind it ‘Cabaret’ could be a lot more
daring. Both novels involve the
relationship between a gay man and a straight woman; what endears us to these
characters is that, given the social mores around homosexuality at the time,
both Fred and Chris are both writing about women they think, hope that maybe,
just maybe, they could make it “work” with,
and live a socially acceptable life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Holly Golightly
is undoubtedly Hepburn’s most famous role but, iconic as she is, I can’t help
feeling she’s, deep breath, miscast
(Capote, incidentally wanted Marilyn Monroe for the role and, as with most of
the roles Monroe didn’t get you can’t help but think she’d have been
better). Fred and Holly are a pair of
hustlers living on their wits; the problem is Hepburn doesn’t look like it.
She’s far too chic. The scene when she and Fred decide to shop at Tiffany’s
doesn’t work because she<i> doesn’t </i>look out of place. The financial position of
the main characters in both films is precarious to say the least and you should
leave the cinema wondering what will become of them, and don’t think this is
the case with Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Minnelli's equally iconic Sally Bowles looks fabulous in a different way, she looks down
on her luck, trashy and down at heel. Isherwood’s Sally Bowles has, in the
novel, come to <st1:state w:st="on">Berlin</st1:state> from Lancashire, the
home <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Cinema Revisited</st1:placename></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Cabaret’ features
a supporting cast of characters who, though quirky are also wholly human and
vulnerable (particularly given the rise of fascism). Breakfast at Tiffany’s is populated with
grotesques like Rusty Trawler and Mag
Wildwood who frankly, you don’t give a fig about.<b> </b> Another
of Edward’s (typically) heavy handed inclusions is the obligatory party scene;
a lazy and over used shorthand way of signalling how <i>crazy</i> the times are. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Edwards also
takes the easy step of giving Fred and Holly a happy ending, playing it as a
conventional romance. This was not how
Capote intended it, the bittersweet power of both stories is that they are the
story of someone the narrator has loved and lost. Isherwood ends his tale of Sally Bowles by
imploring her, if she’s reading this, to get in touch. Maybe it is this that is the key to
understanding why Isherwood’s tale trumps Capote’s; Sally Bowles was based on a
real friend of Isherwood’s Jean Ross, who died before ‘Cabaret’ was filmed and
never saw herself immortalised by Minnelli.
Isherwood was describing very real feelings of loss, not only of a
friend but of his youth, a time and place that was never the same again and his
chance of that ‘normal’ heterosexual life. Capote’s Holly Golighlty is based
only on a fictional character, Sally Bowles, the shadow of a ghost, as flimsy and insubstantial as Edward’s film.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-86082326002135198342013-05-27T11:17:00.002+01:002013-06-02T21:39:36.253+01:00The Great Gatsby 2013 <div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<ul class="UFIList" data-ft="{"tn":"]"}" id=".reactRoot[5]">
<li class="UFIRow UFIComment UFIFirstComment UFILastComment UFIFirstCommentComponent UFILastCommentComponent UFIFirstComponent" data-ft="{"tn":"R"}" id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499"><div class="clearfix" id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0">
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<div id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0">
<div class="UFICommentContent" id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0">
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:0"><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:0.:3">Baz
Luhrmann - t'other half of Cinema Revisited likes you again. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:0.:4" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:0.:5" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:0.:6">Fitzgerald's
novel is difficult to transpose onto the screen, so the director has instead
translated it. There are both obvious and subtle references</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3"><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0"><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:0">to
the hypocrisy of hierarchy and failure of the "American Dream" (the bronze
eagles on the stone plinths a gentle nod and the dialogue at times a slap to the
face) of the text but he's chosen to focus on the love story. Perhaps it's more
accurate to label it a dream, the fantastical nature of the visuals and the
frenetic editing creating a film reminiscent of a Freudian subconscious night
scape. Shots are held for no longer than a few seconds and images almost stutter
at times; the editing is careful, providing a fluidity of movement and
highlighting the ephemeral nature of the tale, the hero and the "love" between
him and Daisy. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:1" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:2" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:3">The
limited use of wide angle shots increases the pace and intensity of the film and
contrasts the enclosed, encapsulating environment of the interiors with the
calming yet ever-present threat of the exterior - the ocean, the working class
territory, the roads running as veins though the industry that feeds the luxury
of Long Island and capitalism of central New York. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:4" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:5" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:6">The
soundtrack going from jazz to Jay-Z by way of Bach reinforces the fantasy
element of the tale and the differing versions used of the same songs reflects
the way different characters view both themselves, their history and others.
Only the anachronistic use of Gershwin jars, it's a clunky moment in an
otherwise impressive array of song arrangements. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:7" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:8" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:9">The
referencing of serpents in relation to women (the chandelier, the decoration of
the handrail by the pool for example) hints at both mythical and biblical tales
of the destructive or fatalistic influence of women; in particular the florally
named Daisy and Myrtle (let's not linger on the potential meaning of
Carroway/caraway). There's the usual subtlety of sturdy trees and pale flowers
using nature to illustrate the masculine/feminine; again highlighting the
impermanence of Daisy's love against the enduring love of Gatsby. The Ad Finem
Fidelis emblazoned on his gate is a very literal sign to the audience of his
loyalty to both her and the notion of love he has for her. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:10" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:11" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:12">The
occultist symbolism of the novel is over-played and perhaps only has relevance
to those of us who have read the source material; the green light, whilst
providing a wonderful visual, is also an unnecessary link to the book. Luhrmann
should have played to the strengths of his alternative adaptation. The
Hitch-style cameo may be a hint to the viewer that he's adopted the auteur's
style of extracting the elements of a novel that play best in a film rather than
laying the text verbatim on the screen. The early French farce scenes work to
clear the mind of Firzgerald's more gentle, carefully laid out scenarios; the
film then softens its focus, not just with the images but also the interplay
between characters. In spite of, or perhaps as a result of, the pervasive party
scenes the viewer becomes the Carroway character; the third person both watching
and participating. There are haunting hints of Carné's Les Enfant du Paradis;
the failure or success of relationships, the power and harm of attraction and
dependence. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:13" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:14" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:15">DiCaprio's
heavy acting style managed not to crush the nuances of Gatsby but actually to
sustain them through a close, crowded, intense film. Mulligan portrays the
evasive, elusive traits of Daisy well and Fisher is bold yet brittle as the
overly made-up, passionate Myrtle. Jordan Baker is under-used; perhaps because
Luhrmann was less confident with the more androgynous female, to ensure the
audience isn't distracted by another potential romance or just for reasons of
economy with regard to the script. Edgerton is strength disguised in the form an
unfaithful fool. Maguire's Carroway is a less well-formed creation, this is
either a strength of the film in that the audience can more easily place itself
in his role or a weakness in that he fails to elicit sympathy for Gatsby and the
others. Bachchan's Bollywood star shines in his minimal appearances. </span><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:16" /><br id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:17" /><span id=".reactRoot[5].:0:0:1:comment547301171975779_5946499.:0.:1.:0.:1.:0.:0.:0:2.:0.:3.:0.:18">I
love the novel and I also admire this film but they are two separate, yet linked
creatures, and should be treated as such; if you seek to compare you'll be
disappointed, take the occultist hint and open your eyes and mind to something
different.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
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</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-20212470692656098102013-05-04T18:00:00.000+01:002013-05-04T18:05:28.392+01:00Top Ten Hottest Women in Cinema <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's taken some time but t'other half of Cinema Revisited (Marie) has finally settled on her ten hottest women in cinema. In no particular order....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kathleen Turner</b>: I challenge you to suggest another actress who could have burned her way into an audience's psyche with the sort of performance she produced in Body Heat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Anna Karina</b>: but only in black and white, unfortunately her teeth are a bit grim in colour! She's captivatingly cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hedy Lamarr</b>: incredibly beautiful and intelligent (look up her contribution to technology, really), but with vulnerability.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Monica Belluci:</b> girl crush! The woman has incredible allure and the ability to take on challenging roles</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Faye Dunaway:</b> sexy, sharp and stylishly sixties. The chess scene in The Thomas Crown Affair is legendary for a reason.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Catherine Deneuve:</b> think Belle de Jour and Repulsion: she draws you in but holds you at a distance. Chic and cutting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Berenice Marhole</b>: I confess to only having seen her i the latest Bond but she practically crackles on screen; confident, striking and different from the standard Hollywood fare.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marisa Berenson</b>: she glides with a certain serenity and has a calm beauty that would surely quell any audience in uproar. Not likely with Death in Venice or Barry Lyndon but never mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Charlotte Rampling</b>: surely no other actress has a verb for a form of attraction in her name but take a look at Helmut Newton's photos of her and you'll understand why.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Julie Christie</b>; her Lara is so embedded in my mind I still haven't recovered from discovering that Pasternak's version was not the complex, conflicted blonde shown in Lean's film. Charlize Theron's recreation for Dior of her Darling "strip" is a good but superficial version of the spiky original. </span><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Preston, Lancashire PR1 3NR, UK53.7571075 -2.699289399999997853.756521 -2.7005498999999977 53.757693999999994 -2.698028899999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-22428512747354816152013-04-21T14:50:00.004+01:002013-04-21T17:59:01.828+01:00THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN 1960<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did this
film when we did our “Lucky Seven” show. We started with Kurasawa’s 1954
masterpiece, ‘Seven Samurai’, and followed the theme through ‘A Bugs Life’, ‘The
Three Amigos’ and Bollywood’s ‘Sholay’. Interestingly we went to see ‘Oz The
Great and Powerful’ over the Easter break and found this film also shares much
in common with the movies covered on this show. Elmer Bernstein wrote the
iconic theme, as well as the music for ‘The Three Amigos’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d
forgotten what a man-fest ‘The Magnificent Seven’ is! Girls, if you thought this was a ‘lads’ movie’;
think again. Seven drool worthy
specimens each more gorgeous than the last. I challenge you to remember all
seven of them (without ‘Googling’). The show is stolen by Yul Brynner and Steve
McQueen. In their scenes together the tension as they compete for screen time
is tangible. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brynner lights a cigar. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McQueen lifts his hat. Wonderful stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ‘Seven Samurai’
is credited in the opening sequence. In
Kurasawa’s film the leader of the bandits isn’t really explored as a character,
in fact his threat to steal from the village is overheard by accident, driving
the villagers to protect themselves. In ‘The
Magnificent Seven’ the role of the bandit leader, Caivera, played by Eli Wallach,
is expanded; he’s more psychopathic and takes pleasure in taunting the villagers. He’s given a back story, having been involved
in a bank robbery which has led to his being an outlaw. He says to the Seven “Your government came
after me with a whole army” which, curiously, places the seven hired
gunslingers in the position of being the establishment. Whilst Kurasawa’s story is absolutely
grounded in social position and pedigree ‘The Magnificent Seven’ is politically
more ambiguous. The villagers are farmers, described as being “like
the land itself”. They are content, happy and we see a community made up of
men, women and children working with nature.
The villagers hide ‘their’ women from the gunslingers, women are their treasure,
their future, and the gunslingers cannot be trusted with them. The Seven themselves are guns for hire,
drifters, outsiders, described as “like the wind” and there is no sign of
friendship or loyalty between those remaining at the end of the film, once they
have done the job they are paid to do. Coburn’s character displays his
death-wish throughout the film (his erect knife in his final shot) and when
Caivera asked Chris “Why?” Chris doesn’t answer. When we first meet Chris he is the uncivilized, outsider involved in a dispute over the burial of a Native American who cannot be buried in a white mans' graveyard "Since the town got civilized". The villagers hire men because men are cheaper then guns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no
doubt the film is exploring the idea of what it is to be a “man” but when and
where. Are all Westerns ultimately American narratives? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-8731490023074305362013-04-13T12:30:00.000+01:002013-08-17T15:43:13.897+01:00Autism Awareness Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPIIcyHcxXE/Ug-L6a2BvFI/AAAAAAAAASU/OMXlULDKfmY/s1600/denw.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPIIcyHcxXE/Ug-L6a2BvFI/AAAAAAAAASU/OMXlULDKfmY/s1600/denw.bmp" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
Today we're marking Autism Awareness Day (2nd April).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IGKPNKs9C7M/UWlBjS3F8wI/AAAAAAAAAHU/KcZCgkcf6Ak/s1600/mel.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IGKPNKs9C7M/UWlBjS3F8wI/AAAAAAAAAHU/KcZCgkcf6Ak/s1600/mel.bmp" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We'll be discussing "Rainman" and "Mercury Rising".<br />
<br />
We're also really luck to have Mel from Disability Equality North West on the show. She'll be talking about autism and the services which are available locally for people affected by this issue.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-5207735573523962482013-04-07T15:16:00.001+01:002013-05-30T19:03:40.652+01:00In the Mood for Love 2000"You notice things if you pay attention." The framing of the action through doors and windows, the truthful reflection of a tarnished mirror, the use of clocks and lights (in particular the tree lampshade- beautiful link with the floral of Mrs Chan's dresses as her focus changes), the slo-mo of Maggie Cheung descending/ascending the stairs, noodles in tow ( a bit Freudian but it works), the way Wong catches the reflection of the light on her eyes in the subtle revelation of the affair scene, the shadows and bars as Mrs Chan and Mr Chow recognise the infidelity of their spouses, the sliding of the camera back and forth as they talk, the literal and allegorical feeding of the soul, the layering of different angles/perspectives of the same scene, the use of smoke and rain, the surreptitious blocked angles. In the Mood for Love is just lovely.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-90543000274375836652013-03-30T16:25:00.000+00:002013-05-04T17:44:55.665+01:00Top Five Movies Filmed in North West England<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">2012 was Preston Guild Year. This is a celebration of <st1:place w:st="on">Preston</st1:place>’s
right to hold a Guild Merchant and has taken place once every 20 years since
1179. Celebrations traditionally begin on the first Monday following the Feast of
the Beheading of John the Baptist. It is
the origin of the local expression “Once every Preston Guild” meaning
“infrequently”. Cinema Revisited celebrated the Guild by covering movies which
have been filmed in the North West of England.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My niece, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Lydia</st1:country-region>, did
the music for us on this show, choosing a fine selection of artists from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">North West</st1:state></st1:place> and covering
everything from The Smiths to The Nolans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Here is our list of the Top Five Movies Filmed in the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">North West</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">1. A Kind of Loving. (1962)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Schlesinger’s film of the novel of the same name by Stan Barstow
practically defined the “Kitchen Sink Drama”.
As well as superb performances by Alan Bates and (Lancashire actress)
Thora Hird it features locations in Blackburn, St Annes on Sea, Bolton, Salford
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city>. Scenes filmed in Preston feature some of
Preston’s most iconic buildings, including the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Harris</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Museum</st1:placename></st1:place>
and flag market and the Miller Arcade, complete with cigarette kiosk. The
cinema Vic and Ingrid visit on their date is now the Lava/Ignite night club on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Church Street</st1:address></st1:street>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">2. Whistle Down the Wind. (1961)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Alan Bates appears again, along with a young Hayley Mills, in this timeless
tale of <st1:place w:st="on">Lancashire</st1:place> schoolchildren who believe
Jesus is hiding in their barn. It is filmed around Burnley, Bacup and Downham
and children from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Chatburn</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Primary School</st1:placetype></st1:place> were cast
in minor roles. Rumour has it that the
local schoolgirl cast as the youngest Bostock sibling was, for a time, landlady
at <st1:place w:st="on">Blackpool</st1:place>’s favorite Indie hangout The Blue
Room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">3. East is East. (1999)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This film about a Pakistani Muslim, his Irish Catholic wife and their
mixed ethnicity children is a firm favourite with British audiences. Set in the
1970s it follows the children’s attempts to grow up as ‘British’ despite their
father’s desperate attempts to ensure they respect his religion and Pakistani
customs. Set in Salford it was filmed in Ealing Studios and Openshaw in <st1:city w:st="on">Manchester</st1:city> with (bizarrely) Middlesex doubling as the
Yorkshire town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bradford</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Yanks. (1979)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This film about American Troops stationed in <st1:place w:st="on">Northern
England</st1:place> during World War II opens with the point of view of the
soldiers surveying the bleak and windswept Northern countryside. The film features Oldham, Stalybridge and
Glossop, St Mary’s Church in <st1:place w:st="on">Stockport</st1:place> and the
railway station at Keighley. I
personally dislike violence in films and the lynching scene, filmed in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Hyde</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Town
Hall</st1:placetype></st1:place>, is particularly upsetting yet the power of
the scene is a credit to </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Schlesinger in terms of the way it is set up and filmed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Hindle Wakes. (1927, 1931 and 1952)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We only briefly talked about Hindle Wakes as we were unable to get hold of
copies of the film in time for the show but it has to be mentioned in view of the
fact three versions were filmed. Set in local holiday resort <st1:place w:st="on">Blackpool</st1:place>, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">the “Wakes” of the tile refer to the “Wakes Weeks” holidays, when mill workers
were given a week off to visit the seaside. All three versions were filmed in Blackpool and
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city>. The
films were based on the Stanley Houghton</span> play of the same name, considered
extremely shocking and controversial at the time as it deals with a woman choosing
to have a no strings attached sexual adventure with a man from a different
social class.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0-YNaZAWrwE/UVcRw8NRoDI/AAAAAAAAAHE/ArjiJMdKhvQ/s1600/guild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0-YNaZAWrwE/UVcRw8NRoDI/AAAAAAAAAHE/ArjiJMdKhvQ/s1600/guild.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little oddity for you - I took this photo in The Stanley Arms pub of a lithograph
of the 1882 Guild Celebrations. Notice the
strange, demonic figures in the foreground. I have no idea who or what they represent
so if anybody does know please, feel free to enlighten us!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-18386107902900238972013-03-16T13:25:00.003+00:002013-03-17T11:40:26.424+00:00Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I came across a brilliant article by Buddhist writer David Loy entitled
“Bubbles of Delusion with some Sex” on the OBC Connect forum about how human
beings can create microcosms of denial within families and other groups which
facilitate abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It encouraged me to revisit a show we did back in April 2009. We covered the career of George Segal and his
performance in the superb “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”. The 1966 film is
the film version of Edward Albee’s 1962 play of the same name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Middle aged academic George Washington (Richard Burton) and his wife
Martha (Elizabeth Taylor) invite a younger academic (Nick/George Segal) and his
wife (Honey/<st1:personname w:st="on">Sandy</st1:personname> Denny) to their
home for a drink. It’s George and
Martha’s home, it’s their “bubble”, and
the dysfunctional, co-dependent, heavy drinking couple spend the evening
belittling, abusing and terrorising each other before turning on their guests.
Their behaviour is typical of emotional abusers; insults and humiliation disguised
as “jokes” where, should the victim speak up, he will be accused of having “no
sense of humour”. Martha’s father is the
President of the University and the surface gloss the couple present is one of
social respectability and kindly networking with junior members of the
establishment. Blindsided, Nick and
Honey know something is “wrong” but are powerless to escape, bound by the
‘rules’ of the fantasy world created by the Washingtons, rules which the Washingtons do not adhere to
themselves. They are deceived by the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washingtons</st1:place></st1:state>
show of magnanimity and narcissistic largesse and by the time they reveal their
true colours it is too late. The <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washingtons</st1:place></st1:state> have created
a cult of mutual abuse which they are determined to play out in front of an
audience, as if the involvement of other people validates their disordered
behaviour. George and Martha are frozen
in a relational folie a deux, simultaneously needing others yet needing to destroy others at the same time.
There are several moments when the glass almost shatters, Martha talks about
things “snapping” and says “Truth or illusion, George, doesn’t it matter to you
at all?”. Just as it seems that reality
is going to intervene (the film has recurrent images of illumination; lights
being switched on and shots of the full moon) the bubble re-inflates. The <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washingtons</st1:place></st1:state> clearly
consider Nick and Honey to be rank and file subordinates, there to serve their
projective needs, yet they are also envious and jealous of them, raging at
those they consider inferior and unworthy as Nick and Honey’s “normal” marriage
shatters their fragile, inflated and grandiose self image. Nick is not once
addressed by his name throughout the film.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Given the <st1:state w:st="on">Washingtons</st1:state> are named after <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s first
couple it seems undoubted that Albee is trying to make a wider point about the collective
bubbles in which we live. Their “power”
and respectable façade is borrowed in the first place, it is the university
which employs George and Martha’s father which has the gravitas and George and
Martha assume it by proxy. Arguably, universities themselves have only the ‘power’
society is encouraged, even deluded, into according them. So the ‘bubbles’ expand,
ever out, or inward. The failure of the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washingtons</st1:place></st1:state> to support one another renders
their marriage, a supposed cornerstone of “society”, nihilistic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Loy’s article discusses the need for us to free ourselves from society’s
collective delusions “Such group bubbles of denial” he writes “become much more
difficult to dispel, or even become aware of, because people consciously or
subconsciously believe they benefit by not seeing them.”. I recently read an
article on Fred Phleps (leader of the <st1:placename w:st="on">Westboro</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Baptist</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype>)
who, I understand, is banned from entering the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He intimidated, bullied and
abused his own children ensuring, unbelievably, their compliance and
devotion. Those reading in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> cannot be
unaware of the recent scandal surrounding the BBC after allegations that a very
well known media celebrity had been abusing children on BBC premises,
unchallenged by those around him despite suggestions his <span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">peccadilloes</span> were well
known. Whilst the façade may be
comforting it is, ultimately, damaging to the individual and to society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The film is 131 minutes long (I’m with Hitchcock on this) but the
original stage play ran for 3 hours! At 32, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Taylor</st1:place></st1:city> was too young to play Martha and
gained weight for the role (this was the reason for filming in black and
white). She won an Oscar for the role, and rightly deserved as she rocks! <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burton</st1:place></st1:city>
on the other had is awful; hammy, laboured and seemingly unable to understand
the material he is delivering. Given
what we now know about the Burton/Taylor marriage this is, tragically, ironic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I found the David Loy article here: http://obcconnect.forumotion.net/t678-bubbles-of-denial-bubbles-of-delusion-from-writer-david-loy
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There’s also another version in The Huffington Post
about global warming – I’m not sure which is the earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Don’t forget, we’re on air today 16<sup>th</sup> March
between 4-5 GMT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-63845290498071376192013-03-11T18:09:00.000+00:002013-03-11T18:10:13.835+00:00Barcelona!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinema Revisited were in Barcelona over the weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We found this fantastic little DVD and record shop on Tallers which could almost have been made for us! It has some really quirky films but we had to limit ourselves to one each as we had cabin luggage. Hey! We're film geeks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we are enjoying delicious puddings on Placa Reial, a 19th century square next to La Rambla with lanterns designed by Gaudi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was disappointing, after sitting outside in the sunshine, to return to the UK and find it snowing! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-73561203529039543532013-03-05T18:39:00.001+00:002013-03-05T18:39:10.119+00:00Lincoln <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The opening 15 minutes filled me with fear/disappointment that it would be classic Spielberg (infused with schmaltz and trite symbolism) but it was very good. It's long but you don't notice it and it requires your focus. It's dialogue heavy but wonderfully articulate and the "characters" are carefully drawn. There are flashes of humour, carefully placed to lift it when it drifts towards melancholy and it has a feel of authenticity that's good enough not to make you question the legitimacy of the version of history it provides. His shots are varied and slight but it still has scenes(particularly the close interplay of two people) that show his skill at creating an intimacy beyond the fourth wall. In short, it's worth a watch.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391509274128033929.post-52552360235484533102013-02-25T12:31:00.000+00:002013-02-25T12:31:00.025+00:00Gay History Month 2013<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Due to changes in the schedule we didn't have a show in February so we're going to be celebrating Gay History Month a month later on the 16th March.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've got Debs Bradshaw, who recently won a Homo Hero award for her community work, joining us in the studio as our guest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We caught up with Debs in The Continental last night at the O'Hooley and Tidow gig. O'Hooley and Tidow were nominated for 'Best Duo' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2013 and we'll be playing a track from their last album on our show. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0