Ellie Robson Venue Editor
Hello! If you’re reading this, it means we all made it through the first two weeks, and being knocked out by those reading lists we’re starting to really wish we did over the summer. Between editing our gorgeous magazine, and doing my course reading, it’s time to admit to needing my glasses again. Congratulations if you haven’t had to deal with Fresher’s flu yet - I’ve managed to avoid it so far, but with my housemates and half the editorial team being ill, it’s only a matter of time. You’re probably starting to familarise yourself with the campus and with Norwich by now - if you’re a fan of indie music, I’m letting you into the secret of Waterfront right now in this column. If you’re not a clubber, check out some cosy spots like the cafes in the Sainsbury Centre, or The Bicycle Shop in town. Finally, thank you to everyone who came along to our Big Meet, which took place between issues! It was lovely to meet so many new faces, and I can’t wait to work with you all! We should have some fantastic articles and artwork coming up this semester.
Amelia Rentell Venue Deputy Editor
Fingers crossed, you’re feeling more into the swing of the academic year. We’ve had a great few weeks meeting some new faces and hearing your ideas for Concrete and Venue. I think it’s going to be a really exciting year. If you’re new to UEA, I hope you didn’t get lost trying to navigate what rooms 0.1 is or 2.23 etc. They still get me, and I feel like I’ve been here forever. If it’s a final year, try not to get too stressed. What will be will be, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t feel at the same place as some of your peers. We had some fantastic artwork done for our cover by Jo Castle that I was really excited to use. It gives Unio such a cool, vintage feel. If you think you can draw something great for our cover, (with or without a UEA theme) please get in touch with either Ellie or myself or lookout on our Concrete Facebook page, which always has something going on. Best wishes as the days get darker and colder, and the excitement of student living starts to wear off. Before you know it, it’ll be Christmas!
Featured Articles: Take a look at the first instalment of Gaming editor Martha’s “New Gamers’ column, this week written by Helen Drumm.
ARTS - Leia Butler
Head over to our Fashion section to see Alice Clegg’s “All that Glitters in HBO’s Euphoria”. Check out the inspired looks she created.
SECTION EDITORS
FASHION - Maya Coomarasamy CREATIVE WRITING - Oliver Shrouder
02 Cover art: Jo Castle @reverseorangejuice
MUSIC - Lewis Oxley
GAMING - Martha Griffiths FILM AND TV - Fin Aitken
The true tea on book covers Book covers
Overarching view: I think not judging a book by its cover can be a load of nonsense. Yes, you shouldn’t make your mind up on its cover alone, but a little bit of aesthetic bias is never too harmful. I’ve got a definite weakness for eye-catching typography and detailed illustration (which I much prefer to photography) and don’t get me started on dust jackets with hidden fantasy maps of the realms from the novel or fan-art posters on the reverse. I didn’t realise just how crucial a book cover was until I started reading plays online. Without any artwork and only a title to go off, it’s pretty hard to judge what something is about. A beautiful cover is great for motivating you to read, especially during my A-Levels when I was trying to force my eyes open reading ‘Emma’ (sorry Jane Austen fans). It’s a tad annoying that hundreds of stunning covers exist for a book I wanted to stay well away from, but I can’t help but gravitate towards them every time I’m in a bookshop. Final thoughts: the only enemy of the book cover is the dreaded ‘replace the book cover with the film poster to remind everyone who might pick it up that this book is being adapted to film and will probably be destroyed in the process’ redesign. Please, just stop. Priya Appleby
General view: The cover of a book is important to attract the eye of a prospective reader and functions to set the tone of the book’s contents. One of my favourite books, American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis, does this perfectly in the original edition. Set against a blood-red background suitable for the book’s content, the anti-hero protagonist Patrick Bateman covers the top half of his face in a bloody mask, concealing his eyes and what remains of his soul. Despite this bloody mask labelling him as the titular murderer, he keeps his Wall Street polish; his chiselled jaw which he admires in the mirror every day and his pinstriped suit that he keeps on even for his murders. I feel as if later covers for this book don’t do it justice at all. The image of Christian Bale’s face on one edition just tries to attract the eye of those who have seen the fairly decent film adaptation. The simple blood splatters against a plain white background on another are visually striking, sure, but they fail to capture the depraved essence of the book that makes it one of the most disgustingly intriguing books ever written.
Jack Oxford
General view: Rich tapestries deck the rolling tables of my local Waterstones. Visitors pore over book covers that, like mosaic tiles, tesselate into swirling colours and designs. Each small canvas, flitting in and out of sight, yearns for an owner, a reader, a private audience. Like carefully crafted illusions, book covers are often a marketing ploy, a deception. I have chanced on books which boast scenes of resplendent beauty on their front, only for their promise to dissipate as I begin to read. I have also dared to read books bound in grey hues of apathy, only to be drawn in by tales of wonder. The corporate connotations of book covers, each vying for attention, based on false promises, leave a foul aftertaste. It may be kinder to see book covers as art, distinct from the words inside. They may reflect the art movements of the time. Or, they may reveal cultural connotations of different genres and politics, from counterculture to fantasy. Like a finely presented gourmet dish, there is beauty in the superficial. My favourite book cover belongs to ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe. The spiralling design of a rooster, its neck strangled by a white chain, perfectly encapsulates protagonist Okonkwo’s descent into tragedy, also highlighting themes of masculinity, tradition, and inevitability. The design pays homage to the bright colours and masterful delineations of Igbo art, a reflection of the story within and an extension through forms of art that the written word cannot reach.
Books that make you happy Like Water for Hot Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
This is a book that once opened wraps its pages around me. My copy is old and battered and borrowed from my mum, but the vibrancy of the words has never faded. It’s the story of Tita, a young woman in a large family on the De La Garza ranch during revolutionary Mexico. She, the youngest daughter, is consigned to a life of celibacy and misery caring for the tyrannical Mama Elena. However, she falls in love with Pedro, but he is forced to marry her sister. What I love about this book and the reasons it never fails to bring me happiness is the sensuality and the magic with which Esquivel tells the story. Each chapter, originally written as a monthly serial, is delivered on the back of a recipe; Quail in Rose Petal Sauce, Beans with Chile and Chabela Wedding Cake. Imagine the magic of being able to smell and taste and swallow the ingredients that Tita is using, it feels as though the novel itself is digested like a meal, leaving me more satisfied than any other book I have read before, or since, for that matter.
Rahul Mehta There is a special kind of magic in this story; the recipes that Tita prepares sustains the love she shares with Pedro, despite their separation by Mama Elena. The Chabela Wedding Cake that Tita pours her heart into and bakes for his wedding to her own sister, Rosaura, is so powerful that it makes all the guests burst into tears upon their first bite. This magical realism that Esquivel uses pulls me in as a reader and I am hungry for the drama to unfold. Books that make you happy are rarely happy books themselves. There is a large mouthful of heartbreak and sadness in Like Water For Hot Chocolate. The rich intensity of Esquivel’s story however, warms the reader inside in a way that can only be achieved through this immersive pain. The ending of the book, which I shall not spoil, triggers a climax of all the themes running concurrently throughout the story; family, romance, hunger and political turmoil. It left me exhausted yet with room for more.
Elif Soyler
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How important are art titles? Art titles I think art titles are incredibly important. For me, it helps to centre a piece and place it in a larger context, whether that is the world of the figures included in the art piece or the world of the creative who made it. With older pieces of art, particularly paintings, the titles can be simple and descriptive. I prefer this to when art has an abstract title, as that can draw me away from the piece as I grapple with why the title may have been selected. These more “basic” titles pull me further into the piece and helps me see the mundane as something more exciting and beautiful. One example of this is Degas’ “The Dance Class”. The title is a simple match to the piece, which depicts a group of girls being instructed before or during a dance lesson. The title paired with the painting allows my attention to focus on small details which conjure questions in my mind. Who are the girls? Are they younger and more amateur, waiting to be taught new skills, or are they professionals who are more confident in their dancing ability? “The Dance Class” implies that the class is an event, perhaps a highlight of the girls’ week. What do they spend the rest of their time doing? Who is the man lecturing to them? In this case, the title of “The Dance Class” really encourages me to explore the piece, and also appreciate the gorgeous way in which Degas captures the costumes, and the way they would move with the dancers.
Ellie Robson
Wikipedia
A name carries weight. In an almost entirely visual medium, the title of an art piece can be crucial to adding further context of a piece, offering a fragment of the artist’s thought process in the creation of their work. The importance of a title has less prevalence in older works of art. Infused with either religion or mythology, these pieces often took their titles from the stories they depicted. The masses already knew the stories in the paintings back then; the myths and the biblical lessons were familiar to them, and thus a title did not further their engagement with the work. Modern art has a different story. From Abstract Expressionism to Dadaism, Performance Art to Minimalism, these pieces can stray from reality and be nonsensical when taken at face value, and so a title is important in that it offers context on what the viewer could not gather straightaway. Marina Abramović, a Serbian performance artist, is notable for her charged, psychologically (and often physically) strenuous performative works. One of my favourite pieces of hers involves fellow artist Ulay. They hold a taut bow and arrow between them for four minutes, the arrow poised straight over Abramović’s heart, overlaid by the audio of their breathing and their pulses. The piece is titled ‘Rest Energy’ – it presents relaxation versus tension, stillness versus movement, silence versus loudness. Two words are full of a thousand juxtapositions. A title expanding the spectrum of human comprehension. Next time you find yourself in a gallery, try this: confront a work of art before you look at its title. Take thirty seconds, or thirty minutes. Think of your own title. And measure it up against the work’s name; when you balance your ideas against the artist’s, you might discover something new about yourself.
Ally Fowler
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Image: Flickr
At first, I thought that art titles aren’t very important, most people forget what the piece is called and end up describing what they can see instead. However, when I started thinking about more than just real-life art, and cast a lens on conceptual art, it is clear that art titles are important. Most of Georges Braque’s work is made up of the same colour palettes – grey, brown and black. Most of his work is difficult to make out and distinguish, so the titles of the art are one of the only things that can help you to understand them.
For example, Braque’s ‘Violin and Sheet Music’ is a conceptual piece, each aspect of the violin is pulled apart and is indistinguishable – therefore the information provided in the title in vital in understanding, and consequently appreciating the piece of art. The information provided in title ‘violin and sheet music’ allows you to link together the disjointed and abstract elements of the painting and further imagine that Braque is recreating a scene, a performance instead of the art work being seen as static and still.
Jess Barrett
Vote We asked you this question: Is the finished product the most important thing when judging the quality of something? Here are your votes!
58.5%
41.5%
Yes
No
In some cases, I find an artwork interesting or engaging primarily for the finished product itself, or aesthetic impression. However, many of the artworks, visual or otherwise, which I find most personally valuable are ones in which the process of its creation is ‘doing’ something interesting. The context of an artist’s thinking can bring a lot to a piece of art, drawing your attention to a particular way it is communicating with other aspects of art and culture, although the artist’s intentions certainly shouldn’t limit interpretation. Personally, I love work which has been produced through unconventional means, as, although the finished product may be less conventionally aesthetically appealing, these are often the pieces which help us reflect on the ‘big’ questions art brings up; especially questions about what it means to ‘create’ or experience art. It’s difficult to say whether I consider this to be what defines an artwork’s ‘quality’, but I definitely don’t think the finished product in and of itself is always the most important thing to consider.
Lizzie Louise
I think it depends on whose perspective you look at the piece from. For example, I would argue that with pieces of literature, the finished product is the most important as that is what the general public will be given access to. However, from the point of view of the writer, they may consider part of the experience that they had when creating the text to be more important. The same can be said for TV and film; we see the final product, but the actors and creatives involved may have found the process more important and rewarding.
Ellie Robson
The context of the creator and the process of creation can often impact the subjective “quality” of the piece. Take Tracey Emin’s work, for example, or the intricacies of Hokusai’s block prints. A seemingly simple piece can derive its quality not only from its final form, but from the sheer volume of work put into it, the emotional fluency it conveys and both the social and personal context of the author. Perhaps its value is found in it existing as an act of rebellion, perhaps as a commentary on the self. Personal work is almost always a kind of working document in my experience; making it is a process of exploration for the creator, and the work can be enjoyed more fully by the viewer with the additional context to unwrap.
Meg Watts
The ‘quality’ of a piece of art is quite subjective. The final product is the most important thing, but it’s also important to consider how a piece evolves over time. An example of this would be early access in gaming; this allows for public feedback to improve the game in the very earliest stages, leading to a greater final product. It is also worth considering whether or not a piece of work has reached its full potential, regardless of whether it’s good even if it hasn’t.
Jack Oxford There will be polls in every issue, so do vote when we put them on Concrete’s Twitter and Instagram (@ConcreteUEA). Feel free to email any comments or discussion points to concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
Image: Public Domain pictures
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Red Carpet Evolution
The Emmys were last week, signalling the time to once again roll out the red carpet and for the biggest names in Hollywood to get dressed to the nines for the flurry of media. Red carpet wfashion has always been highly followed, with a whole host of TV shows and blogs dedicated to judging and praising what all the stars are wearing. If you look back to the golden age of Hollywood, the big actresses, such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, appeared on the red carpet in the 40’s and 50’s exuding the same glamour as their on-screen characters. Mink throws, silk dresses and long white gloves could be seen on every starlet, alongside opulent jewellery, even a tiara or two made an appearance at the 1957 Academy Awards. Following that, the 60’s and 70’s reflected the cultural zeitgeist, with a more relaxed and liberal approach to dressing, with Cher ruling the red carpets in her daring and often fringe heavy dresses. Nothing, however, will compare to the awards season fashion of the noughties. Remember Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in their matching all denim ensembles? Yep, the early 2000’s were the hay day of red carpet fashion. The idea of having a stylist was not yet on the horizon, so celebrities dressed themselves in the biggest trends for award shows. Think anything from low rise jeans, to bedazzled belts and a whole host of trousers worn under dresses. Paris Hilton was the pinnacle of this style of dressing, so for reference look up her early style for an overwhelming archive of imagery and all those who she inspired, from the Olsen twins to Ashley Tisdale. It would be impossible to mention red carpet fashion without mentioning THAT Versace dress that Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammys in 2000. The
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plunging neckline, completely sheer, tropical print dress received so much attention online, it led to the invention of Google images. For the Versace spring/summer 2020 show, J-Lo strutted down the runway in a modern revamp of said dress, looking just as glamorous and daring as she had two decades earlier. Times have shifted considerably since the early 2000’s, thank goodness, as the celebrity stylist has now become the norm. No longer do Hollywood stars have to fork out for their own dresses, as high-profile stylists liaise with the biggest fashion houses to borrow suits and frocks. One of the most influential and highly praised stylists in the game is Kate Young, formerly Anna Wintour’s assistant, who now dresses a whole host of It girls, such as Sophie Turner, Selena Gomez, Margot Robbie and Dakota Johnson. Young and other stylists are able to collaborate with designers, for example pairing Louis Vuitton and Sophie Turner, so that the starlets are not only on campaign billboards in the designer looks, but out and about on the red carpet promoting the brand as well. The future of the red carpet is unpredictable, take the way that actors came dressed all in black for the Time’s Up movement, redirecting media attention so that the red carpet became a platform to make a political statement. It is exciting to think about what’s next, and as long as jeans worn under dresses are well and truly in the past, the future looks bright.
Maya Coomarasamy
Images: Flickr, Walt Disney Television
Now Trending ‘Florals, for spring? Ground breaking’. We’ve heard it all before, but perhaps we haven’t thought to turn to florals for autumn and winter. This season, think dark and moody trimmed with lace and you’re well on your way to nailing the first major autumn 2019 trend. Another perfect way to channel this trend is to reuse those major midi-skirts that were all the rage this summer, and simply throw a chunky knit over your ditsy-print satin to transition into the cooler months. Type in ‘chunky knit’ to ASOS and you get over 100 results back, anything from a cardigan to a beanie. For this next trend, steer clear of headwear and instead invest in a neutral coloured roll neck, anything from cream to camel. These knits give the illusion of effort even when paired with a simple jean, and even better, they work for all genders. Another gender neutral trend is bright monochromatic. Now, hear me out: pick a warm colour to beat those winter blues and wear it head-to-toe. Topshop have some coloured jeans that would pair beautifully with a jumper in a matching colour. The key here is to mix slightly different shades of the same colour; maybe a bright red knit with a washed out jean and a pair of oxblood boots.
If bold colours are not for you, what about bold shapes? The next key autumn trend is all about a bold shoulder and a power suit. Zara offer blazers every season and right now their suits are double-breasted, and more importantly, they have subtle shoulder pads. Don’t be put-off, a small amount of padding does not scream 80s nightmare, but rather creates a slightly curved shoulder that has been walking down all the major runways. If blazers are too formal for you, you can mimic this trend with a square neck or balloon sleeve blouse, giving bold shape in a more discrete way. Finally, we turn to street style, arguably a step ahead of the runways these days. A bonus trend this season that all the ‘it girls’ seem to be trying out involves a strappy sandal and a wide leg trouser. Simply tie the straps of your heeled sandal around your ankle, and over the trouser, creating a slight flare to the hem. Instant tailoring.
Reeve Langston
Future of the runway: Fenty vs Victoria Secret The basics are all there – a fashion show with a little bit more: live performances, theatrical looks, a focus on the female body as a part of the spectacle and charismatic models who make the show that little bit more special. Seeing beautiful people parade around in something as intimate as underwear for all to see is a staple to the Victoria’s Secret show that drew people in since its inception and Savage x Fenty takes this same path. However, that is where the comparison ends. Rihanna’s new lingerie line takes the path untrodden in its diversity of colour, size, disability and sexuality in the models that walk the stage and the way femininity is shown to the masses; you can be sexy with a shaved head, you can be sexy with a prosthetic leg, you no longer have to look like everyone else in order to be a beautiful person. The brand takes a look at femininity and sexuality through a decidedly female lens, no longer catering to the male gaze and focusing instead on making women feel good about themselves. Even some past Victoria’s Secret models joined the cavalcade of women to show off Rihanna’s designs, highlighting the difference between the two brands as Bella Hadid rocked a covered head with gelled down curls, walking alongside Laverne Cox, who would not have been accepted on the VS stage due to her being transgender, someone the VS chief marketing officer Ed Razak stated would not be seen on their runway. This marked shift away from exclusivity to diversity and the incredible responsfrom the
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public demonstrates a world that is ready for socvmething new and better, demanding to see more of themselves reflected on the runway, rather than a select few deemed beautiful enough to be seen. Not only were the models different, the performances and the show space took the lingerie catwalk to new heights. Not content with a straight forward runway, Rihanna’s team crafted a performance space more in tune with a theatre than a fashion show with different settings to showcase each new collection. These significant changes to the way runway shows, especially lingerie shows, are run suggests that as a society, the desire for representation and inclusivity is now expected from brands and, as evidenced by the slow decline of the Victoria’s Secret brand, that expectation demands to be met. The overwhelming success of Rihanna’s debut show points to a future where the audience can look forward to seeing themselves walking down the runway, either through representation or in the real, as the doors to the world of fashion are slowly but surely being pried open for everyone. Dancers sporting Fenty lingerie performed routines as the models crossed the stage, arranged up and down stairs, stood in windows and on pedestals in a pool of water, as much of a feature to the show as the models were, proving that the underwear is as flexible as it is beautiful.
Even Rihanna herself joined the dancers, performing in the opening number in a black bodysuit, verifying to her fans that she is as fully involved in her brand as anyone else and bringing her unique flair into fashion as she has always done. The musical aspects also highlights a change to the runway as each singer or rapper graced the stage
by themselves without the accompaniment of models, allowing their music to speak for itself, rather than as a mere background to the fashion.
Jophi Nyeko-Lacek
All that glitters in HBO’s Euphoria HBO’s breakout show Euphoria had everybody hooked over summer. Not only have the characters and their stories stayed with us but so has the fashion and makeup. The makeup on the show, created by Donni Davy, isn’t just part of a costume, it is key in visualising character development and can most clearly be seen in the titular characters of Maddy, Kat and Jules. The perfected glamour of Maddy’s aesthetic crumbles away as the details of her abusive relationship are revealed. As Kat empowers herself and her self-confidence grows, her makeup becomes more daring and expressive. Jules’ makeup is particularly expressive and creative, which conveys the emotional journey she has been on through her transition. The bold, bright, glittery makeup is not only intrinsic to the narrative of the show but has also taken the makeup community by storm. The work done on the show has inspired people everywhere, from the makeup artists working on the shows at New York fashion week, to YouTubers with online makeup platforms consumed by the makeup trends. One of the most empowering aspects of the show is that the characters can wear rhinestone eyebrows and graphic liner to school and there is no judgment in the fact that this
is how they choose to present themselves. Each character in Euphoria wears their look with absolute confidence, so I decided that I would give this new makeup trend a go during Freshers week, to see if I could feel as empowered as Kat or Maddy in the show. I started with a simple look to dip my toe in, and with my favourite character in the show being Maddy, I naturally went straight for the rhinestones. I went for a very natural base, super glossy lip and a soft pink eye with small rhinestones scattered around my brows and eyelids. After feeling more comfortable experimenting, I recreated one of my favourite Jules looks with a pink graphic liner and pocket bursts of colour across the lid. This was one of the bolder looks I tried, but it was fun to get creative and artistic with the way I applied my makeup for this look. Over the week, I tried more and more looks, usually sticking to the rhinestones as they were my favourite. By the time Exit Ball came around, I was a seasoned professional in rhinestone application and maintenance. Although it was exciting to play with makeup and I felt confident and empowered while roaming the LCR dance floor, I don’t think I will start turning up to seminars with glitter tears.
Alice Clegg
Images: Alice
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Stitch stitch beneath my skin, the veins underneath my fingertips— need sowing back together again. the blood runs cold, too far from home, and all of the rivers start to look like oceans. build me a bridge out of thread, a life raft, life jacket, anything to traverse the stream, anything to traverse the ocean, anything to keep me open— anything to keep the water flowing through me. i don’t want to be thinking of drowning but i’m thinking of drowning— out the sound of your voice over the phone— just so i don’t have to hear the goodbye— thinking of drowning— out the tug of the tether pulled tight around me; breathing feels difficult lately. stitch me in to a picture, of a place better than this— the thread is copper, gold, shimmery, tinsel on a christmas tree— thread me back through the loop, put me up on the mantelpiece, stitched
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into the photograph, threaded around your fingertips, while you sit, muttering, working, whispering words i do not need to hear to know. familiarity. family. something more than that. something where the tether still feels slack, no matter how far the distance is— you are right near me— we are right near me— we are right at the bottom of this ocean together, and the waves are just passing over us, because you stitched a glass dome in to keep us covered. pull the thread back through me, onto glossy laminate print. put some red into my cheeks. make a smile that shows teeth. make me someone i want to be. someone who doesn’t know what the word lost is. someone who smiles when they start to bleed, because it reminds me, of the prick of your needle and thread, against my fingertips. it’s easier like this. i used to think— not knowing what distance is, not knowing how things start to pull and push and fray and
tumble not knowing where the blood goes when it starts to sink because i am sinking, watching water wash over me poppy stained aquamarine, looking for gold thread shimmering; looking for bright red stitched into a sepia photograph— not looking for me, but really just looking for anything. so let me in. stitch beneath my skin, the veins underneath my fingertips— need sowing back together again. the blood runs cold, too far from home, and all of the rivers start to look like oceans. build yourself a bridge out of thread, a life raft, life jacket, anything to traverse the stream, anything to traverse the ocean, anything to keep me hoping— that the journey might not be so bad, when we look to what’s left and find ourselves perfectly kept preserved in a jar, in a box of photographs, with the thread on the lid pulled tightly.
Lucy Cundill
Image: Unsplash, Piotr Gaertig
Summer in September Across from you, I hide in plain sight, sipping on a fix Of iced coffee and neurosis. Watching your words spout Off into sentences which resolve into open air then collect Into piles at my feet. Little tapes of thought reeling out In tandem, a tangle, a tender blur of noise I cannot grasp Nor follow. Volume raises its head to the height of my neck, Keeping me tied down in measures of politeness. Its touch is grey, unsettled, uncertain around my arm. As if it Wants me to stay put and yet would not be upset if I were to Slip away. Which is an option, of course. Between you, me, and the Small party amongst us, I am a ghost. An unwelcome guest left Out from your bubble to grasp onto snippets of conversation. You look through me, an acknowledgement I am here, a by-line. Yet we have so little to say. Shame salts my tongue, stinging Deeper, a vertigo doubt, plunging under reaction. We talk in decaffeinated tones, impersonal, indifferent Language shared between friends, in theory, shouldn’t be so Dry, right? - This feels to me like stranger’s apathy, Brittle and cheap, taut to snap if either were to walk away. My fear tastes of spit. Of drowned-out words, of half smiles. Of overthinking, overcompensating, over nothing. I laugh off-cue, try to catch your eyes and make some form of contact. I nod my head, play the friend, ignore how these lines of our chitchat are Taking my throat, a sensation as passive and strange as a Summer in September.
Maddi Hastings
Pull I often think about all the loose threads I throw away. How many times I’ve cut the circulation in my thumb whilst pulling a stubborn cotton thread off the hem of a sleeve. The throbbing sensation as the blood charges back into my finger like commuters cramming onto the tube at rush hour. Those small strings floating to the floor or sticking to a strangers jacket. How careless I am with something that should be essential to the design as I flick it off my fingers. How many times I’ve pulled too hard and made the fabric bumpy and wrong, leaving a permanent kink in the folds of my shoulders and seams. I remember watching my mother sew a button back on her blouse, how simply she picked it off her lap, held it up to me with a smile and said, “fixed!” If I were made up of stitches, which ones would come loose? Would the memory of my first kiss, a pink cotton thread end up stuck to the back of a businessman? Or the green weave of my first day of school find itself at the back of the washing machine? I’d gladly give the memories of hangovers and embarrassment over to the fates of a snag but would that make the fabric scrunch up? Would I look less complete? I think that’s why my mother tells me off for pulling. She rolls her eyes and scorns, “Just use some scissors.” Because she knows we need all our threads, we need all those stitches of memories, friends, lovers. We have to resist the temptation to discard them, that they make us. Because some things your mother can’t sew back together.
Amelia Rentell Images: Unsplash, Nathan Dumlao
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Red String Our midnight conversations over mulled wine transformed into afternoon espionages, armed with nothing but cold sandwiches people watching. Our three PM classes on igneous rocks maneuvered into six AM walks by the broad, skipping pebbles from the trail; as the morning sun varnishes elm branches vermillion. Then came the rain. Trickling softly; its rhythm startling a tawny squirrel, who lumbers back into her tree. We sprinted under a canopy, hurriedly finding shelter, as dampness spread on our shirts, like red tints on ripening apricots.
Down here – days away from history and free pizza stands – we watch the road disappear into the ferns. When we broke into vulnerable conversations on anxieties, travels, and heartbreaks, I felt my walls crumble down. As we sit on the side of the buildings and stand stark against the universe, I know. It may just be freshers, but believe me when I say, I didn’t believe in miracles before I met you. I didn’t know I could heal, Before you waved,“Hello.”
Monique Santoso
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Image: Unsplash, Elliott Matthews
Review: Pixies “Beneath the Eyrie” The Pixies have somehow made one of the most boring records to date. It is disappointing one of the most influential and pioneering grunge bands have produced a painfully middleof-the-road, muddy sludgefest. This would be a perfectly satisfactory contribution from a debut act, or someone without any provenance – but in the context of “Surfer Rosa” and “Doolittle” all you can do is lament, and cry, ‘Why Francis Black, why? ’. It appears that an identity crisis is in full swing for the Pixies, and hopefully they’ll recognize it and fix it. It seems they’re not sure if they are a grown-up mature rock-band or the brash, playful art-rockers they once were. Nonetheless, the record does have a couple of OK tracks – “Silver Bullet” has a pleasant guitar part to
it, particularly the chorus. It clearly is going for a twangy 60’s Western sound, but it doesn’t really do it right. “St Nazaire” is a bit fun, but the production is too good, any energy that could be there is immediately sucked out of it. “This Is My Fate” is probably the most traditionally Pixies track on the album. While exuding goofiness it isn’t all that good, and it needs more cowbell. Clocking in at a brief 38 minutes, it’s quite noticeably short. Despite the brevity, you can’t remember or distinguish from one song to the other. The melodies are not that inspired, they just exist and go straight through you. It’s not the fuzzfest that Head Carrier was either, and if you didn’t know what the singles were, you’d have a hard-time picking them out.
Not because they’re all single material, but because none of them are. It really is quite sad that the Pixies have stripped themselves of brilliance, but hopefully another studio album will pick-up the baton before it sits on the ground for too long. 2/5
Callum Gray
Belle and Sebastian “The Days of the Magnold Summer” Belle and Sebastian’s ‘Days of the Bagnold Summer’ begins in some kind of dreamy summer evening with a hint of whimsy. This latest addition to their catalogue of twee-pop forms the soundtrack to Simon Bird’s new film, to be released in 2020. Naturally, we can expect this to be an indie fest, though the album is a continuation of Belle and Sebastian’s ‘summer of love’ sound. It’s not offering much in the way of new, but it’s worth checking out if you’re after more of the same. With new songs like ‘I know where the summer goes’, we get a nostalgic look back to a time gone by, though this is invoked in much the same way as before – more ‘car window staring’ Image: Wikipedia
music as Belle and Sebastian have been described in the past. A nice new offering is ‘Jill Pole’, which would not be out of place in a film like Amelie. Think moonlit Parisian backstreets and someone spinning romantically behind a block of flats to some gentle accordion. ‘Safety Valve’ is certainly a nice tune, a little jaunty but still with the sad-boy undertones that make Belle and Sebastian so appealing. ‘Get Me Away From Here I’m Dying’ (initially appearing on ‘If You’re Feeling Sinister in 1996’), gets an amped up reboot. It sounds a little more crowded, though by no means is it any worse off. It’s completely congruous to its surrounding songs despite being 23 years
their senior. The order of the day with ‘Days of the Bagnold Summer’ seems to be the same soft acoustics and sweet but sometimes melancholy vocals that have proven a successful formula thus far. Extension, not expansion. 3/5
Georgia Brumby
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Has the Mercury Prize Changed its Tune? As I glanced upon the shortlist of the 2019 Mercury Music Prize nominees earlier in the year, a wave of shock and disbelief hit me ... this is actually ... alright?. 2019’s list of artists perfectly reflects a year where quality and popularity genuinely seem to be correlating, proving that major record labels may actually be acknowledging the urgent dosage of personality needed back in our music scene. Perhaps the greatest embodiment of this is Northampton rapper Slowthai, with his record ‘Nothing Great About Britain’, earning him the title of bookies favorite. The 24-year old’s performance at the ceremony went viral after he was spotted swinging round a decapitated head dolled up to mirror our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. The act emphasizes the rappers’ punk ethos, something praised by fellow nominees, Bristolian post-punk band, Idles. Are previous years of redundancy and predictability making way for a genuine radicalism being shared by some of the country’s biggest and brightest new talent? The answer is no, not necessarily. While you could hardly imagine ‘the tall one’ from Rizzle Kicks risking his platform by threatening David Cameron with ultraviolence at the decade’s commence, the ceremony did ultimately display an allegiance to our more conventional media ‘darlings’. The prize ultimately went to South London rapper Dave. While the decision was far less lazy than the twin pairing of Foals or The 1975, it was nonetheless an outcome mirrored by Psychodrama’s commercial success.
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Hailed as the prodigal son of UK rap for several years now, the judges’ consensus to give the award to Dave seemed significant in allowing this trajectory to continue. With a leading role in Drake-produced ‘Top Boy’ series 3, as well as his ‘Alex from Glasto’ performance receiving over 8 million views on YouTube, the prize ensures Dave’s development to the next tier in mainstream music. It is probably unfair to label Dave’s win as a safe choice. The album is largely a commentary of his tough upbringing, managing to contain pop crossover appeal while not sacrificing any integrity or emotion. In another year perhaps ‘Psychodrama’ would deserve to take home the prize, but among a shortlist of albums containing genuine originality and experimentation, it feels anticlimactic. Take Black Midi, a band who meld noise rock, jazz and new wave, and end up sounding like a cyberpunk fronted Talking Heads. Or Islington MC and fellow Top Boy star Little Simz, who’s album ‘GREY area’ was released at the start of the year. All killer with no filler, the album is outstanding in how it manages to contain so many influences instrumentally while retaining consistent quality from Simz’s performances. It is the album’s lyricism, playful production and moments of sheer poignancy that I believe deemed it worthy of the prize. One wonders if it is her Britishness, or indeed her gender, that prevents her placement at the very top of rap music.
Overall, there is much to be happy about with this year’s Mercury Music Prize. The nominees represent the possibility for an exciting shift in our popular music scene, and all but proves the sterility present in recent years.
Fin Aitken
First on the Bill - The Role of Support Acts I have been a regular music concert attender since the age of 14, and ever since then I have always believed that support acts were never any good. I look upon Support Acts the way you might look upon a bowl of olives at a restaurant – not to everyone’s taste and leaving you hungry for something bigger and better. I have felt so strongly about the insignificance of support acts that I often don’t turn up to gigs until just before the main act comes on, because after all that is who I have paid to see. I agree that the existence of support acts is good for enabling such artists to gain a bigger following, but in the 50 or so gigs I’ve been to, I don’t remember once seeing a good Supporting Act.
The best support act that I’ve come across is British rock quartet, Yonaka. Having previously supported Bring Me The Horizon on their European tour, I saw the band in April when they supported The Hunna at the UEA LCR. Yonaka absolutely stole the show for me, becoming my favourite artist of 2019, and I later saw them headline a gig at Norwich Arts Centre in June. Funnily enough, their support The Ninth Wave has become another favourite of mine. I still don’t quite understand people who only turn up for the headline act of a gig – for me Supports Acts are a fantastic way to discover new musicians, especially when their performances are already included in the price of your ticket.
Ellie Robson
A recent favourite support Act were LINES (supporting Sleaford Mods), who are a three-piece post-punk outfit hailing from Manchester. They displayed a great level of energy and anticipation needed before a gig. They were a great warm-up act because the go back to basics of what a warm-up act should be. Electric. Gritty. Ferocious. Just to wet the whistle. LINES fitted nicely into the post-punk wave, capturing the likes of The Jam for that three-piece close-knit group with the attitude of The Slits. Just like Slits frontwoman Ari Up said, these were far from typical girls. It is Acts like LINES that keep the aura surrounding Support Acts, keeping an energy on the stage rather than making half of the audience fall asleep. A worthy wait for the pre-gig pint.
Lewis Oxley
Jess Barrett
Wild Paths Festival Preview In a weekend celebrating the best of what Norwich has to offer as a musical city, The Wild Paths festival is the first of its kind. An inner-city, multi-venue festival that wants to put Norwich on the music map. The festival features appearances from the likes of Jose Gonzalez, Franc Moody, Black Honey, and Anna Meredith to a name a few.
Running alongside the music, there wil be a conference of experts, giving their expertise and input to the state of Norwich’ music scene, and how to break through as a music journalist. They include: Radio One DJ Phil Taggart, veteran music journalist and author, John Robb and Head of Music Syncing at Sky, Peter Bradbury.
Image:s Wikimedia Commons (bottom left) Flickr
With over 200 acts across 18 inner-city venues, Wild Paths promises to be a great gathering for all music fans, with an eclectic mix on offer.
Lewis Oxley
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Women in Gaming
Many industries have a gender imbalance, with men securing jobs over their female counterparts. It’s no surprise that the gaming industry is one of the worst for this, with gaming employees and audiences alike being predominantly male. One excellent example of this is in the UK, where 49% of men and 48% of women play mobile games, but women make up only 19% of the teams who produced these. One company addressing this imbalance is Women In Games, who want to promote gender diversity in esports, and force gaming to be a socially responsible sector. The number of women working in esports is estimated to be about 5%, but professionals are becoming increasingly aware that women need to be welcomed into the industry to keep building on its success. Women In Games argue that women’s esports should exist in its own right, rather than being an add-on to the already established male equivalent. Another platform pushing for change in the industry is Womenize, a program designed to support women who want to pursue a career in media, IT, or the games industry. Womenize want to normalise gender equality in these professions. Another contributor to the lack of female presence in the gaming industry are the huge pressures that are placed upon employees. It Image: JESHOOTS.com, Unsplash
is suggested that in the US, video games companies pay less than other industries, and offer unstable employment. They are also likely to provide poor health benefits, just adding to the issues that women already experience when trying to secure employment. Many argue that the work environment needs to become healthier and more sustainable as even male employees are underpaid, underworked, and expected to work at unreasonable levels to meet demanding deadlines and game release dates. Women are expected to provide emotional labour both in and beyond the workplace, and as such a greater work-life balance needs to be present in the gaming industry, instead of perpetuating a dangerous burnout culture. On a brighter note, companies have now begun to go into schools to promote STEM careers to girls who may not otherwise consider these jobs to be accessible for them. Coding is now taught to girls in some schools, and the US Girl Scouts have introduced badges in cyber-security. Sexism is not only present in the gaming industry but is also prevalent in gaming communities all over the world, who have historically been exclusive and abusive towards female players. This abuse came to a head with the “Gamergate” controversy in in 2014. This harassment campaign
began after game developer Zoë Quinn broke up with her boyfriend, and he posted over 10,000 words about her online, including a false claim that Quinn had slept with a journalist to secure a positive review for a game that she had worked on. Quinn, and the gamers who came to her defence, were subject to rape and murder threats. Unsurprisingly, this has decreased the incentive for women to join online gaming communities. Some women claim that they practice games alone before they engage in multiplayer matches, listing this as a very “female” thing to do. Even worse, some women have experienced men masturbating live over headsets once their identity as female has been revealed. As a result of experiences such as these, women often keep their identity online a secret as they feel unwelcome in the online spaces that men feel entitled to. Changes will hopefully be seen in gaming culture standards as female gamers become accepted, and as stereotypically male players begin to understand the wrongdoings of their behaviour. Additionally, users need to start being more critical of the content which they are fed by gaming companies, which is often misogynistic to attract male attention.
Ellie Robson
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Does Minecraft deserve the title of Greatest Game of the 21st Century?
The
Guardian has recently named Minecraft as the greatest game of the 21st Century. Titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Dark Souls were also in the running. But does Minecraft truly deserve this crown? If we take the amount of sales worldwide, Minecraft takes the top spot, having now overtaken Tetris as the best-selling game of all time, reaching a colossal 176,000,000 units sold. This figure represents just how far Minecraft has reached its net, with many schools using the Education Edition, as well as having released Minecraft on every major gaming platform. But does this justify its legendary status? Undisputedly, Minecraft is one of the most innovative games to be released this decade. Despite taking inspiration from games that released
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Image: Evenecer Andujar exels
before it, such as Dwarf Fortress in 2006, Minecraft is often considered the advent of the popular survival genre, and the most polished of the bunch. Its lack of a streamlined goal – particularly during its earlier days, before the release of the End and its ‘final’ boss – allows players to explore a true sandbox world. And not just explore, but manipulate as well, something games had touched on in the past, such as in 2009’s Red Faction: Guerrilla, but never based their entire premise around. This was a new idea, that especially appealed to children and teenagers, but could be enjoyed by all. One issue that I believe followed this initial wave of innovation was the drastic slowdown in active update development that the game suffered. Very little content has been added to the game in recent years in
comparison with the vast amounts of mods available, made by people in their free time, for free. With so many other great survival games releasing, such as Subnautica last year, has Minecraft struggled to stay relevant? It would seem so; however, the sandbox experience remains to embody gaming in its purest, most interactive form. Sometimes, I find myself coming back to Minecraft, but without player-made additions the game feels devoid of any big changes, which is a shame. But the memories I made with my friends on this game are countless, and its impressive cultural impact is a phenomenon
of the modern age, so ultimately, I would struggle to give anything but Minecraft the top spot.
James Ward
AI: The Somnium Files Review ‘AI: The Somnium Files’ is the latest work from the mystery game writer Kotaro Uchikoshi, perhaps best known for creating the puzzle-thriller series Zero Escape, and his staple wit and humour is present here in just as great a supply. Unfortunately, while the writing is strong the gameplay, which manifests in several differing styles during the game, lacks the satisfying balance of its spiritual predecessor. ‘The Somnium Files’ stars Kaname Date, a ‘Psyncer’ (basically a hyper-invasive detective) working for the Advanced Brain Investigation Section of Tokyo’s nearfuture police department, solving crimes whilst being aided by the AI stored inside his cybernetic eye. While investigations begin at a standard surface level, in which the player explores various areas talking to people and gathering evidence, things soon shift to a more technical side as Date makes use of his augmented functions to reach more conclusive ends of a case. These abilities range from the simple, like x-ray vision, to the far more curious, namely the titular Somnium’s. This is where the ‘AI’-ball, or Aiba, takes over; control is switched over to Aiba in order to extract ‘testimonies’ by diving into people’s minds and viewing their memories. However, instead of viewing potentially suspicious past events from a suspect’s perspective, their mind is instead depicted as
New Gamers
an abstract area created by the So I don’t really game. I have recently subconscious. moved into a house with someone who does. They’ve asked me to review this This puts an incredibly unique game, as they are under the impression graphical spin on past areas you that my lack of experience in the genre may have visited in the real world might offer a ‘fresh’ perspective. In the investigation, as they are now warped interests of friendly house relations, both by real memories and dreams here are my thoughts on the hour I spent presenting both contextual and playing Firewatch. thematic puzzles. While entertaining In this POV game I am Henry, and after to look at, the bizarre concept of the some drama goes down that I won’t get Somnium’s can prove to be a double- into, I become the park ranger of the edged sword: solutions to certain Shoshone National Forest. It’s a lonely puzzles within these sections can be job; I live in a studio flat suspended above downright nonsensical at times, often the ground, with windows on all sides. forcing the player to take random The effect of this is that I constantly guesses at what might work, which feel exposed, and very much a part in a game based around detective of the landscape. My possessions are work is disappointing. This, coupled few, and the wilderness vast, imposing with the strict time-limit imposed and beautiful. I mostly interact with my during the Somnium’s (in which every boss Delilah, whom I communicate with action deducts more time from the via walkie-talkie. I get to choose from clock), makes for a far more relaxed a selection of dialogue options, which experience than would be expected means I either get to keep things profesh, of the genre. maintain a friendly banter, or be the Regardless, ‘The Somnium Files’ still disagreeable bastard that deep down I serves as a thrilling story set in many know I am. She gives me a job to do, and visually-appealing environments I go do it, navigating the forest and it’s (both real and mindscape-based), mysteries. My adventures punctuated by and offers a very bizarre take her reassuring, if harshly put, guidance. on futuristic crime-solving. The The world that has been built is stunning, originality and quality of writing are things really have moved on since I was enough to recommend it to any fan of playing sims on a boxxy computer in the mystery fiction willing to put up with a early 2000’s. Every leaf, tree and river is little trial-and-error. accounted for. I climb over rocks and abseil down cliffs, getting a kick out of Jude Davies the simulated physical exertion. Using the controller is pretty straightforward, and doesn’t take too long to get the hang of. Will I play the game again? It was pretty fun, but honestly, gaming just isn’t my thing and that’s ok. I’m always down to crank up the mario kart, but games like this that demand a level of long term engagement and commitment are perhaps more suited to some of the more contemplative beginner gamers out there. If you’re not someone who likes the idea of simulated guns shooting at you, then this might be your cup of soup.
Helen Drumm Image: Dario Bentancor, Pexels
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Venue at the Venice Film Festival The 76th Venice International Film Festival was definitely the experience of the year for me. Not only because I was about to see some of the most anticipated films of the year, but because I was among the lucky ones that got to see films like Marriage Story or Joker before anyone else on this planet. On the latter, is Todd Philips’ Joker better than Christopher Nolan’s? The answer is they are categorically different. This is like comparing tea and coffee, personally I love both of them. The truth is that Philips’ Joker bears the inward story of the bitter-sweet villain, while Nolan’s explores the interplay between the Joker and Gotham City. Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker is unbelievably mesmerising, as at times it makes you feel uncomfortable and out of your skin, trying to feel what he feels in his. The use of colour contributes to the overall aesthetics, as the main palette relies on the yellow, green and blue tones. The lighting merges with the costumes and makeup and it creates a seamless world of destruction, annihilation of the identity, and societal chaos. The highlights of the festival were
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Image: Wikimedia Commonsedia
not only the new releases, but the restored films that were gathered in the category of Venice Classics. The Incredible Shrinking Man’ directed by Jack Arnold in 1957 felt like a perfect time capsule back to that era. At the dawn of science fiction, the film is saturated with an incredible substance in terms of messages towards humanism under the surface of the plot, which essentially revolves around the story of a man who starts shrinking due to unexplained phenomenon. The elaborate script by Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone) manages to balance the terror from the unknown and question of selfidentity. On a similar note, another restored classic was Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York, starring Robert De Niro and Liza Minelli. The screening was followed by a Q&A with the producer of Scorsese, Irwin Winkler. The details he shared around Raging Bull, New York, New York and even the latest The Irishman were pure joy for all the cinephiles in Sala Giardino. The most experimental films I saw during the festival were Ema by
Pablo Larrain and Madre by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. Ema and the electric disco music that was the foundation reminded me instantly of the recent surreal horror production Climax by Gaspar Noe. Aesthetically the connection with Climax is as overt as the structure similarity between Ema and We Need To Talk About Kevin. Both of the films focus on dysfunctional families and tackle central topics such as motherhood, society and relationships. Due to its extreme scenes, Ema is not a film for the mass audience, but it is wonderfully shot, directed and acted. Equally, the Spanish film Madre explores motherhood, a prevalent topic at this year’s festival. With a superb script, lead actors Marta Nieto and Jules Porier manage to sustain exceptional chemistry throughout. Undoubtedly, the 76th Venice Film Festival will stay with me a long, long time. Be it the red colours of the buildings or the blue lasers used when someone tries to use their phone, my trip had an inexpressible flavour of uniqueness.
Iveta Trifonova
Theatre on the Big Screen National Theatre Live is just one of the companies capturing theatre on film and making it accessible for thousands around the world. Broadcasting to over 700 venues in the UK alone, NT Live streams a variety of stage shows, from Shakespeare to musicals, and most recently the stage version of Phoebe Waller Bridge’s brilliant work Fleabag. It is very difficult for me to critique the work of NT Live. It’s a simple yet genius idea, broadcasting theatre onto big screens across the world to enable more people to experience the magic of theatre. My hometown is over double the distance that Norwich is from London, and although I’m lucky enough to have seen a few West End shows on tour, seeing a London show in London was pretty much impossible
until university. I love that NT Live can bring theatre to those who, even if they can afford the steep London prices, can’t travel to London or the other venues that NT Live utilises. It can make dreams a reality, and for a reasonable price – the last time I checked, seeing NT Live broadcasts at Norwich Vue cost under £20 per person. The ability to save recordings and hold encore performances gives even more people the chance to get involved. There is only one thing I can fault with theatre live screening, but it’s tricky as it can also be an advantage. The shots are tailored to the theatre and the production, which allows viewers to get the best close up views of performers in wonderful clarity. However, the cuts between camera
angles can slightly pull the viewers out of the performance. The main thing that is lost, which is wonderful in live theatre, is the ability to look wherever you please, and focus on the aspect of the performance which interests you. I really love looking at the sets of plays, and this is something that’s difficult to do when your eyes are being controlled by someone else. However, this is really a minor thing, and the benefits of NT Live far outweigh this small compromise. I really have nothing bad to say about the broadcasts, and look forward to this idea catching on more, or being used more frequently. Making theatre accessible to more people will hopefully increase its demand, and allow more productions to be brought to life.
Ellie Robson
Hustlers Based on a true event, Hustlers tells the story of a group of strip club dancers who, after the 2008 economic collapse, decide to commit fraud by drugging their male patrons and stealing their money. The cinematography within the film was excellent, even more so when one takes into consideration the film was shot in 29 days. The cast were fantastic, but it is Jennifer Lopez’s performance as the matriarch of the group, Ramona, that fully stole the show. The bond between
the actresses on screen evokes genuine empathy and a connection to the characters even whilst they commit serious crimes. Additionally, the film has some fantastic comedic moments that furthers the viewers connection to the characters on screen. Lastly, the film is written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. It is refreshing to see a film starring women which is written and directed by a woman. The film also rejects the idea of a Mary
Sue, a female character who is simply perfect. The women in this film are flawed and learn from their mistakes, not simply stereotypes of what a strong woman should be. Overall, whilst I don’t believe the film will win any major awards or break any box office records, Hustlers was a widely enjoyable film. It manages to get you to root for the girls on screen and in doing so, leaves you feeling morally grey for a few days afterwards.
Niamh Brook
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The Death of the DVD In the last decade society has shifted from having DVDs lining the shelves of TV cabinets and bookcases, to streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime dominating the film and television industry. DVDs were a phenomenon when they were first invented and changed the shape of both the television and film industries. Unlike CDs, the Digital Versatile Disk has a larger storage capacity – the perfect place to store a film. DVD video players were released for sale in 1997. History is only repeating itself with DVDs being taken over by Netflix - DVD’s preceded Video tapes. VHS were developed in the early 1970’s and released to the United states in 1977. Video recording was an essential element of the television industry through the commercialisation of video tape recorders. The death of the DVD is clear - in 2017, the number of DVDs sold in the high-street fell by 23.5%, with Blu-ray disks only marginally better with a fall of 12%. DVDs are seen as a waste of space at home but also aren’t sustainable; streaming sites are the environmentally friendly and space saving alternative. One of the few benefits DVDs have over streaming sites is
that films and TV series are usually only uploaded to the streaming site after it has been released in physical DVD form. However, I believe that this benefit will soon become void due to the rise of streaming sites producing their own original films and tv series. Netflix have released hit programmes such as House of Cards, Narcos and Orange is the New Black. The rise of Netflix has taken place over the last few years, Netflix now has around 150 million paying subscribers. Their content ranges from films to documentaries and television series. It is safe to say that it caters for all; everyone from children to teens and grandparents can find something of interest to stream. Netflix is so much more versatile than DVDs. Portable DVD players are no match for your tablet or phone. Having the Netflix app downloaded on your devices also enables you to download any content you chose to watch when you don’t have internet available to you. It’s the perfect solution to long flights or train journeys. It is clear that both the television and film industry are constantly evolving, especially in regard to their platforms and technology use. So, what’s in store for the instant video streaming giants Netflix? Will they face the same fate as their predecessors VHS and DVD or will they remain ever popular?
Jess Barrett
Fifty Years of Midnight Cowboy ‘Ahead of its time’ is a phrase often associated with Midnight Cowboy; its depictions of homosexual sex, drugs and poverty made it become the first X rated film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. But really, it was a frustrated appeal for Hollywood to pay attention to the things really taking place in 1969 urban life. The film’s release date was a mere few weeks prior to the Stonewall riots in New York’s Greenwich Village – a setting also used in Midnight Cowboy. While this proves the pertinence of LGTB endangerment to the time of release, with the film ironically receiving its temporary X-rating due to the “possible influence upon youngster’s sex lives”, to focus on male prostitute and lead character Joe Buck’s clientele is completely misreading the film’s message on identity and sex work. Partners-in-defeat Joe (Jon Voight) and Ratso (Dustin Hoffman) are so inextricably linked by their powerlessness,
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with the films running time essentially being a slow decline into resignation in the wake of failure. Rather than judging Joe for his profession, it is merely a vehicle to convey one man’s hopelessness and the contrast between his idealised vision of city life. The irony comes through in Joe’s financial losses through his chosen profession, through acts of blind naivety and innocence such as lending cab money, getting coaxed or not being paid for his service Midnight Cowboy is well and truly an artefact of its era, yet its themes and grittiness are components still lacking from much of modern cinema. Rarely is a film depicting poverty and loneliness not subjected to a Hollywood ending where one is ‘rescued’, let alone containing a spiral into further isolation and deprivation. The film forces you to step inside the world and sympathise on a human level without external judgement or preconceptions at the world it presents.
Fin Aitken
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