The Event - Issue 190

Event The

Issue: 138

Art Fashion Film Internet Music Television

Jim Woodring’s Frank series Inside... Film Philosophy Kids’ TV Parisian Style

Contents Features

Cover

.OSTALGIC 46 $O WE REMEBER IT ACCURATELY

7E LOOK AT THE WORK OF COMIC ARTIST *IM 7OODRING AND EXAMINE WHY IT MAY BE A GOOD THING THAT HIS WORK IS SO UNFAMILIAR

TV Â 9

Centre  Spread  12  &  13

Film  19  &  20 -OVIE 0HILOSOPY 7E LOOK AS DEEPLY AS WE CAN AT SOME MOVIES #') IN #INEMA (OLLYWOOD HAS GONE ALL ARTIlCIAL ON US

Music  15 #HARLIE 3IMPSON 7ILL HE EVER SHAKE HIS DAYS WITH "USTED

Reviews

TV Â 8

-AN 3TROKE 7OMAN !MERICAN 'OTHIC ON $6$ CAMP AND COM PETIVE CRAZINESS IN #RYSTAL -AZE AND YOUR DOSE OF SOAPY SUDS

Art  6

Art  7

3WEDISH 4HEATRE !N INSIDE VIEW OF 3WEDENS STAGES

4RAINSPOTTING ON STAGE AND 4HIS 3IDE OF 0ARADISE

Fashion  4  &  5

Film  18,  21  &  22

Regulars

Music  14,  16  &  17

-ATURE 3TYLE 7E SHOW YOU HOW TO KEEP THINGS CHIC

Creative  Writing  10 Listings  17

(OSTEL 6 FOR 6ENDETTA AND 4SOTSI ON THE BIG SCREEN -Y .EIGHBOUR 4OTORO 3AW 3TORMY -ONDAY AND OTHERS ON THE SMALL ONE &IGHTSTAR AND 2EUBEN LIVE PLUS $AFT 0UNK -EW AND MORE REVIEWED

Internet  23

2ELAX WITH WWW .ICE#UPOF4EAANDA3IT$OWN COM

Hello "EFORE YOU BEGIN READING MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND WE AT 4HE %VENT HAVE SOME SAD NEWS 4HIS ISSUE IS TO BE OUR LAST OF THE SEMESTER LEAV ING ONLY ONE MORE UNTIL WE LEAVE YOU HIGH AND DRY FOR AN ENTIRE SUM MER 4AKE A MOMENT TO THINK BACK THROUGH THE MONTHS OF LAUGHTER AND TEARS THAT WE HAVE SHARED BE FORE WE MOVE ON TO MORE PRESSING MATTERS 4AKE YOUR TIME .OW BECAUSE WE SHAN T SEE EACH OTHER FOR SOME TIME YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU TRULY SAVOUR THIS ISSUE OF 4HE %VENT JUST AS WE HAVE SAVOURED EVERY MOMENT OF PRODUC ING IT FOR YOU 4URN OFF YOUR MO BILE CANCEL TOMORROW MORNING S AM SEMINAR POUR YOURSELF AN EX TRA LARGE GLASS OF YOUR VERY FAVOUR ITE DRINK )F YOU RE FEELING mUSH IT MIGHT BE WORTH INVESTING IN A NEW PAIR OF SLIPPERS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE SEEING AS IT IS A SPECIAL OCCA SION DESERVING OF SOME HEED 9OU SEE OLD SLIPPERS HAVE A HABBIT OF BECOMING LIKE A SECOND SKIN WHEN THEY ARE WELL WORN 4HIS IS PERFECTLY ADEQUATE AND YOU MAY GO FOR SOME MONTHS THINKING HOW GLAD YOU ARE THAT YOUR SLIPPERS lT YOU SO VERY WELL MEETING EVERY CONTOUR OF YOUR SOLE AND YOUR SOUL (OWEVER DON T FORGET THE ADDED SPRING THAT A NEW PAIR OF SLIPPERS ADDS TO YOUR STEP !

LITTLE RENOVATION IS HEALTHY NEEDED

Event The

IN FACT AND SHOULD BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS "EFORE YOU BEGIN THINKING ABOUT HOW THE COMFY OLD SLIPPERS YOU RE WEARING ARE MUCH LIKE THE FAMILIAR PAGES YOU RE HOLD ING IN YOUR HANDS WE LL MOVE ON 4HIS ISSUE S CENTRE SPREAD IS ONE THAT SHOULD INSPIRE YOU TO GO OUT AND lND MORE THINGS THAT TICKLE YOUR PARTICULAR FANCY 4HEN ONCE YOU HAVE FOUND THAT SOMETHING WHICH YOU FEEL ALL AmUTTER ABOUT

SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD ANY WAY YOU CAN #ALL UP RELATIVES AND RECOUNT YOUR JOY TO THEM FASHION YOURSELF SOME BIZARRE 4 SHIRT WITH THE DE TAILS OF YOUR NEW FOUND LOVE 7HEN PASSERS BY INQUIRE AS TO WHY YOU ARE WEARING SUCH OUTLANDISH GEAR

EXPLAIN YOUR MISSION TO THEM AND BEG OF THEM TO DO THE SAME )F WHILE YOU ARE STITCHING YOUR 4 SHIRT YOU lND THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD MORE mAIR TO YOUR DESIGN THEN mICK OVER TO THE FASHION PAGES FOR SOME INSPIRATION )N HONOUR OF THE IMPENDING GRADUATION CEREMONIES THAT BOOT A WHOLE NEW BUNCH OF STUDENTS INTO THE REAL WORLD WE VE TAKEN IT UPON OURSELVES TO GUIDE YOUR lNAL STEPS OF STUDENTDOM TO WARDS A HAPPY AND WELL DRESSED ADULT EXISTENCE (OWEVER AS YOU WELL KNOW

WE RE NOT ALL ABOUT APPEARANCES HERE AT 4HE %VENT !LTHOUGH IT TOOK

A LOT OF COURAGE ON OUR PART WE HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE #HARLIE 3IMP SON OF PREVIOUS "USTED FAME A SECOND CHANCE TO WIN HIS WAY INTO OUR HEARTS AND THE STAR STUDDED HALL OF FAME THAT LIES THEREIN 7E PUT ASIDE HIS GOLDEN HAIRSPRAYED LOCKS AND TEEN POP ANTICS TO TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY FOR A MOMENT 7E ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME IF NOT FOR US THEN FOR LITTLE #HARLIE /F COURSE AS A SEASONED READER YOU WILL KNOW THAT WITH THE TURN OF A PAGE A NEW AND EXCITING INTEL LECTUAL JOURNEY WILL AWAIT YOU YOU HAVE ONLY TO READ ON 3O RATHER THAN DETAIN YOU ANY LONGER DIS CUSSING THE ARTISTIC MERIT OF THIS ARTIST AND THAT LET S JUST AGREE THAT EVERYONE CAN lND SOME ENJOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE NEXT TWENTY SOME THING PAGES AND THOSE WHO DON T CAN WRITE CRITICAL COMMENTS IN THE MARGINS TO THEIR HEART S CONTENT ,ASTLY AS ALWAYS ) MUST TAKE THE CHANCE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED WITH THIS ISSUE ) WILL AT SOME UNKNOWABLE DATE lND A WAY OF CONVEYING MY GRATITUDE IN ITS FULL GLORY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU 0OSSIBLY IN SOME KIND OF SACRIl CIAL CEREMONY 7HEN THAT MOMENT COMES WHETHER IT IS TOMORROW OR DECADES FROM NOW ) WILL TRACK DOWN EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU

Editor-in-chief  3ARAH %DWARDES Editor  &  Designer +ATE "RYANT Art  Editor  2OANNA "OND #ONTRIBUTORS "EN "ARUCH -IRANDA "RYANT

0HILIPPA / 3HAUGHNESSEY

Fashion  Editor  ,AURA #OBB Film  Editor  3EBASTIAN -ANLEY

#ONTRIBUTORS ,AURA "URNETT !LEX &LUX #HRIS (YDE

!NDY *UDSON #HARLOTTE +IMBERLEY

.ATASHA +UNDAIKER ,YDIA -OSSAHEBI *OHN -UTCH

4ONY 3AUNDERS

Music  Editor  #HARLES 2UMSEY #ONTRIBUTORS 3OPHIE #ASTLE #LARKE -ARK #RAWLEY

#HRIS (YDE +ELVIN +NIGHT *OEL 3MITH 'REG 3ULLIVAN

3AM 7ALLAM 'EORGE 7YNDHAM TV  Editor  #HRIS (YDE #ONTRIBUTORS "EN 3PARSHOT 2EBECCA (UNT $EREK *OHNSTON "ECKY 2UTT Creative  Writing  Editor   -ERINNE 7HITTON #ONTRIBUTORS !LAN !SHTON 3MITH !LEX )RVING !LEX +ENDALL "ECKY -AYHEW -ARK 3MITH

Listings  Editor  &IONA "ILLINGS

Internet  Editor  7ALTER 0LINCH Additional  Artwork  +ATE "RYANT

Kate

Event 3 The

Mature  Couture

%VERYONE NEEDS LUXURY AND NOBODY DOES SLEEK SOPHISTICATION BETTER THAN THE &RENCH )N THIS #OMING OF !GE 'RADUATION 3PECIAL ,AURA #OBB GIVES YOUR STUDENT STYLE A TALKING TO 3O BID BYE BYE TO THE SCRUFFY TEENAGER IN YOU AND BIENVENUE TO THE WORLD

3

EEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT YOU TOOK YOUR lRST INTREPID STEPS INTO HALLS #ARRY ING YOUR CUT PRICE 7OOLIES CROCKERY

UNTOUCHED BED SHEETS AND A HEAD FULL OF CRAZY DREAMS 4HREE YEARS LATER ALL CROCK ERY IS LONG GONE SMASHED IN NUMER OUS DRUNKEN RAGES THE BED SHEETS HAVE BEEN WORN TO THREADS AND THE DREAMS ARE STILL IN THEIR PACKAGING &OR ALL US THIRD YEARS THE UNIVERSITY THAT WELCOMED US WITH OPEN ARMS

GAVE US THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES

HAS DUMPED US BY TEXT AND MOVED ONTO SOMEONE YOUNGER SLIMMER AND WITH A LIVER THAT STILL FUNCTIONS 7E VE BEEN LANDED SLAP BANG IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY SCARY THING CALLED LIFE /NCE YOU COME TO TERMS WITH

4

Event The

3OPHISTICATION FOLLOWS HOT ON THE KITTEN HEELS OF SIXTIES ICON "RIGITTE "ARDOT

THE FACT THAT YOU CAN NEVER SLEEP ALL DAY AND DRINK ALL NIGHT AGAIN

THERE S LOTS THAT WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER 9ES OBVIOUSLY DOING EXCITING STUFF LIKE KEEPING A JOB YOU DON T HATE OWNING YOUR OWN HOME BLAH BLAH BLAH BUT ALL THAT S IRRELEVANT WHEN YOU CONTEMPLATE ALL THE DIF FERENT OUTlTS YOU RE GOING TO NEED 3TUDENT STYLE IS WONDERFUL IN THAT IS FUNCTIONS FOR ITS PURPOSE #AMPUS HAS BEEN YOUR OWN WONDERFUL MI CROCOSM WHERE ANYTHING GOES 9OU DRESS FOR THE WEATHER IN LAYERS OF WOOL AND TIGHTS UNDER YOUR JEANS 9OU CAN MAKE BED HEAD HAIR YOUR OWN AND NOT CARE THAT YOU CAN SEE YOUR PANTS THROUGH THE HOLES IN YOUR SCRUFFY DENIMS "UT AS YOUR LIFE EVOLVES SO SHOULD YOUR STYLE AND THERE S NO CALL FOR 5%! SPORTS TOPS IN THE CITY .OW THE STUDENT STRUGGLE IS COMING TO AN END YOUR WARDROBE

MUST REmECT THIS MATURITY BOOST !ND EVEN IF YOU RE NOT GRADUATING EVERYONE S LOOK CAN AFFORD A LICK OF SOMETHING LUXURIOUS 4HIS SEASON SOPHISTICATION FOL LOWS HOT ON THE KITTEN HEELS OF SIXTIES ICON "RIGITTE "ARDOT 4HE 0ARISIAN STARLET TRADEMARKED HER BUTTERSCOTCH BLONDE CURLS BOW LIPS AND HEAVY KOHL EYES IN A MANNER THAT HER MODERN DAY MIMIC 3I ENNA -ILLER CAN ONLY DREAM OF )N THE WAKE OF HER &RENCH CHIC SPRING STYLES ARE DEFYING GRAVITY WITH HEAV ING CLEAVAGES AND DAINTY WAISTS )T S ALL ABOUT LAVISH LOOKS THAT WOULDN T LOOK OUT OF PLACE TAKING A LEISURELY LUNCH ABOARD A CRUISE SHIP *EANS ARE EITHER TAILORED AND LEAN AND IN THIS SEASONS SHADE OF CRISP WHITE

OR WIDE SAILOR TYPE PANTS IN WORN DOWN DENIM .AUTICAL EMBLEMS ARE ALSO BEING SPLASHED ACROSS T SHIRTS

AND HANGING ON THE LOOPS OF HAND BAGS #ONTINUING THE MARITIME THEME TEAM YOUR BOTTOMS WITH TOPS IN NAVY STRIPES AND CUT SHIRTS 4HEN CINCH IT ALL IN WITH A PLASTIC PATENT BELT )F YOU CAN T QUITE STRETCH TO CRUISE SHIP CHIC YOU CAN STILL ADD SOPHISTICATION EVEN AT THE END OF YOUR OVERDRAFT (ERE S SIX WAYS TO BRING "ARDOT BREATHLESS BEAUTY TO YOUR CHIC ALL FOR ONLY A FEW OF YOUR PRECIOUS BEER POUNDS

1.  Tweeze  me  tweeze  me

4WEEZERS ARE THE CHEAPEST WAY IN THE WORLD TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF YOUR ENTIRE FACE ! CAREFULLY TWEEZED BROW CAN SLIM YOUR FACE ACCENTUATE YOUR CHEEKBONES AND ENLARGE YOUR EYES 3TART BY SLICKING THE BROW WITH A THICK MOISTURISER LIKE 6ASELINE AND REMOVE THE STRAY HAIRS UNDER

Fashion

Costume  Drama !S -ISS LL &IX )T PACKS UP HER &ENDI 3PY BAG DONS HER OVER SIZED SHADES AND SLIPS ON HER POLKA DOT SKY SCRAPERS HEAD ING OFF TO SPEND THE SUMMER ABOARD HER YACHT AND NO DOUBT INADVERTENTLY EDUCATING MORE FASHIONABLY IMPEDED FOLK

SHE OFFERS %VENT READERS THE lNAL CHANCE TO PICK THE CRUMBS FROM BELOW HER OH SO FASHIONABLE NAUTICAL INSPIRED TABLE

$EAR -ISS LL &IX )T

) VE lNALLY ACCEPTED THAT ) CAN T LIVE OFF 4ONY S GENEROUS HANDOUTS ALL MY LIFE AND WILL ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET MYSELF A JOB COME *UNE ) VE GOT SOME INTERVIEWS COMING UP BUT HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DRESS FOR THEM 3MART LIBRARIAN STYLE COMBOS OR SEXY SECRETARY $O ) WEAR HEELS /R MAKE LIKE THE MATURE CAREER GIRL ) AM SUPPOSED TO WANT TO BE IN mATS 3OON TO BE 7ORKING TO

NEATH UNTIL YOU VE CREATED AN ARCH THAT LESSENS SLIGHTLY AT THE TIP AND THICKENS TOWARDS YOUR EYE

2.  Glamourous  Hands

!DD A TOUCH OF INSTANT LUXURY WITH NAIL VARNISH 4HE MOST SOPHISTI CATED SHADES ARE RICH CHOCOLATEY BROWNS AND SULTRY ROUGES WHICH PAIR PAIR PERFECTLY WITH THIS SEASON S 2IVERA STYLES $EEP COLOURS DON T LOOK GREAT ON LONG TALONS SO KEEP NAILS ROUND AND TRIM WITH A COUPLE OF HORIZONTAL SWIPES WITH AN EMERY BOARD "EFORE YOU lLE MAKE SURE TO MOISTURISE #UTICLES AND HANG NAILS THAT HAVE BEEN KNAWED AT UNDER THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF PRESSURE REQUIRE A SOFTENING BALM TO GET THEM FEELING SMOOTH AND LOOKING WELL CARED FOR 4HOSE FEELING THE PINCH SHOULD RAID THE PANTRY A DOLOP OF OLIVE OIL MAS SAGED INTO EACH NAIL IS JUST AS EFFEC TIVE AS AN UP MARKET MOISTURISER

3.  Rest  and  Refresh

4HE lNAL WEEKS OF TERM WILL HAVE SEEN THE BEST OF US EXISTING ON A DIET

OF PRO PLUS AND -CCOYS AND THIS WILL BE REmECTED IN THE LOOK OF YOUR SKIN !LTHOUGH MANY AS THE COSMET ICS GIANTS WILL TELL YOU OTHER WISE

THERE S LITTLE THAT WILL SHIFT THE BAGS OR RIGHT NOW SUITCASES FROM UNDER NEATH YOUR EYES 4HE BEST REMEDY FOR DEEP SHADOWS AND A LACKLUSTRE COMPLEXION ARE TWO GLORIOUS LUXU RIES WHICH DON T COST A PENNY SLEEP AND WATER ! WEEKS WORTH OF EARLY NIGHTS SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE DULL NESS FADE 2EVIVE YOUR COMPLEXION FURTHER BY AIMING TO DRINK ONE AND A HALF LITRES OF WATER THIS SHOULD ALSO HELP THE UNSIGHTLY BLEMISHES THAT THE MONTHS OF STRESS HAVE RE SULTED IN

4.  Lets  get  Physical

%VERYONE KNOWS THAT EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR THE HEART AND THE HIPS "UT A COUPLE OF HOURS A WEEK SOME FORM OF AEROBIC ACTIVITY IS ANOTHER GREAT BOOST FOR THE SKIN GIVING IT AN ENVIABLE GLOW !ND lNDING OUT WHICH EXERCISE SUITS YOU BEST IS THE FUN PART $IG OUT THOSE TRAINERS YOU

HAVEN T SEEN SINCE SCHOOL AND RUN LIKE YOU RE AGAIN "UT FOR ALL YOU LAZY BUGGERS A DAUB OF BRONZER ON EACH CHEEK ALSO ACHIEVES THE SAME GLOW

5. Â Smile!

3MILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT SMILING INSTANTLY MAKES YOU LOOK MORE FRIENDLY AND IT TAKES MORE MUSCLES TO FROWN THAN TO SMILE &ACT #OM PLIMENT NATURE S GENEROSITY WITH A WHITENING TOOTHPASTE WITH ADDED SPARKLE 4HEN THINK OF SOMETHING LAUGHABLE LIKE YOUR DISSERTATION AND GET GRINNING

6.  Ditch  the  evil  weed

7ANT TO KNOW HOW TO SAVE YOUR SKIN NAILS AND TEETH 3MELL BETTER AND BE ABLE TO DRINK OR EAT ANY WHERE YOU FANCY 'IVE UP SMOKING *UST SAVED YOURSELF A MINT SO GO SPEND IT ON CRISPS 7ITH THANKS TO +- FOR THE WONDER FUL STYLING !ND OF COURSE ALL THOSE LOVELY PEOPLE AT (OUSE OF &RASER

(OW WONDERFUL THAT THOSE THREE YEARS WEREN T A TOTAL WASTE AND ALL THOSE HOURS SPENT lGHTING THE URGE TO THROW YOUR SELF OFF THE LIBRARY BALCONY WERE REALLY WORTH SOMETHING IN THE END &IRST THINGS lRST 7HAT SORT OF JOB ARE YOU AIMING FOR )F IT S A TYPING TYPE THING WITH NUMBERS AND BITS OF PAPER AND A DESK WITH A PHOTO FRAME OF YOU ON A hMAD NIGHT OUTv SITTING A TOP IT THEN CHOOSE YOUR INTERVIEW OUTlT ACCORDINGLY 4HOSE INTERVIEWING YOU MAY BE OF THE OLDER GENERATION AND WOULDN T TAKE KINDLY TO YOU TRIPPING IN DRESSED IN A PUFFBALL SKIRT AND ANKLE BOOTS "UT IF YOU STILL WANT TO SHOW THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE OFlCE EXACTLY WHO WILL BE LEADING THE STYLISH STAKES COME YOUR EMPLOYMENT

TRY A PENCIL SKIRT ! STREAM LINED SKIRT WITH A SHIRT TUCKED IN SHOULD mATTER YOUR CURVES AND PRESENT A SMART AND SENSIBLE PERSONA (OWEVER IF THE JOB S MORE OF A TRENDY AFFAIR WITH DRESS DOWN &RIDAYS AND YOUR OWN APPOINTED hBUDDYv MAKE SURE YOU DON T FALL BY THE WAYSIDE IN YOUR $OROTHY 0ERKINS WASHABLE SEPARATES )F THE DRESS CODES MORE UP ON STYLE YOU CAN AFFORD TO MAKE MORE DARING CHOICES WITH YOUR DRESS #ITY SHORTS WERE MADE FOR THESE SORT OF OCCASIONS !GAIN

DON T STRAY TOO FAR FROM THE NORM AND STICK WITH TEAMING THEM WITH SHIRTS OR DELICATE BLOUSES $ON T BE AFRAID OF EX PERIMENTATION SHORTS LOOK FABULOUS WITH A PAIR OF OPAQUE TIGHTS AND LOW SHOES )F THERE SEEMS TO BE A STRICTER DRESS CODE EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH SOME WELL CHOSEN ACCESSORIES TEAMED WITH A PLAIN SUIT 4HIS SEASONS CHUNKY BEADED NECKLACES LOOK FANTASTIC WITH SIMPLE OUTlTS AS DO KNOTTED SCARVES AND EVERY OUTlTS SAVIOUR THE COLOURFUL CORSAGE 7HEN IT COMES TO THE NO NOS OF INTERVIEW DRESS THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU MUST BE AWARE OF *UST BECAUSE YOU RE MEANT TO LOOK A LOT MORE WELL GROOMED THAN YOUR UNDER GRADUATE YEARS HAVE SEEN YOU GROW ACCUSTOMED TO DON T THINK FOR ONE MOMENT THINK THAT THIS MEANS YOU SHOULD WEAR A TIE 9ES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND PLAYING A MAN AT HIS OWN GAME IN A MANS WORLD IN HIS ATTIRE IS ALL WELL AND GOOD "UT IF ANY OUTlT MIRRORS SOMETHING THAT #ILLA "LACK THINKS IS STYLISH IT S NEVER NECESSARY NO MATTER HOW LIBER ATED YOU FEEL 7HAT S SEXY AND HIP AT A SKOOL DAZE ,#2

OFTEN BECOMES SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY !LSO DON T ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE THE INTERVIEWEES VIA A SEXY UNCROSSING OF LIMBS OR A TRANSPARENT SHIRT 4HIS RARELY WORKS AND IF IT DOES WHO WANTS TO WORK FOR SOMEONE WHO HIRED YOU ON THE BASIS OF YOUR CUP SIZE RATHER THAN THAT STARRED lRST &AREWELL FASHION LOVERS IF ) EVER SEE ANY OF MY DOTING FANS AS ) TOTTER THROUGH THE CITY ) LL BE SURE TO GIVE A ROYAL WAVE /F COURSE THAT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU RE WEARING -WAH +ISSES

Event The

5

Arts

The Power of Theatre

-IRANDA "RYANT TAKES US ON A JOURNEY THROUGH 3WEDEN S ARTISTIC UNDERBELLY INVESTIGATING WHAT LIFE IS LIKE WHEN WORKING IN A NATIONAL THEATRE 3HE DISCOVERS THE TRIBULATIONS TERRORS AND TEARS THAT LIE BEHIND THE GLAMOUR OF THEATRICAL LIFE

3

CENE ONE A BLEAK MORNING IN EARLY *ANUARY THE SCENE TAKES PLACE ON ,IDINGÚ AN ISLAND OUTSIDE CENTRAL 3TOCKHOLM KNOWN FOR ITS BIG HOUSES AND INDUSTRIAL PLANTS 'ROUND THICK WITH SNOW LIGHT BRIGHT YET OPPRESSIVE !'! FACTORY VISIBLE ON THE HORIZON AND POWER STATION IN FOREGROUND ! SMALL ISLAND TRAIN PULLS UP AND A YOUNG WOMAN STEPS OFF 4HE YOUNG WOMAN STOPS IN FRONT OF THE POWER STATION 3NOW BEGINS TO FALL h/H 'ODv (ER EYES WELL UP SHE CRIES PATHETICALLY

CURSING 3WEDEN AND THE SNOW !T THIS POINT ) REALISED THAT ) WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE 4HAT ) WAS GOING TO BE VERY EMBARRASSED WHEN ) lNALLY GOT TO THE THEATRE BECAUSE ) OR MY COUSIN HAD DIRECTLY TRANSLATED THE NAME OF THE THEATRE SO THAT ) HAD ENDED UP AT hAv POWER STATION NOT h4HEv 0OWER 3TATION !S A SECOND YEAR %NGLISH AND $RAMA STUDENT ) HAD TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY UNIQUE TO 5%! S DRAMA PROGRAMME TO GO ON AN INDUSTRY PLACEMENT THIS *ANUARY !ND THE ABOVE SCENE IS DIRECTLY LIFTED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF GETTING TO WORK ON MY lRST DAY AT %LVERKET h4HE 0OWER 3TATIONv THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE AT 3WEDEN S NATIONAL THEATRE

$RAMATEN )N FACT THE THEATRE IS LOCATED IN A POWER STATION A CONVERTED ONE n THINK 4ATE -ODERN SCALED DOWN ON A MAIN ROAD WITH AN ACTING SPACE IN ITS 4URBINE (ALL EQUIVALENT #OMMITTED TO SHOWING 3WEDISH AND %UROPEAN NEW WRITING SINCE %LVERKET IS EXEMPT FROM $RAMATEN S DEDICATION TO CONSERVING 3TRINDBERG AND #ULTURE #ONTRARY TO THE VISIONS ) HAD EXPERIENCED OUT ON ,IDINGÚ n OF 3TOCKHOLM THEATRE GOERS BATTLING WEATHER AND SEVERAL FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT LIKE A PILGRIMAGE

hALL IN THE NAME OF 4HEATREv n %LVERKET IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF 3TOCKHOLM S ¾STERMALM DISTRICT

DOWN THE ROAD FROM $RAMATEN AND A QUICK WALK FROM #ENTRAL 3TATION 7ORKING UNDER THE BUSIEST PERSON IN THE THEATRE 3TAGE -ANAGER MADE FOR A SIX WEEK PLACEMENT OF EXTREME VARIETY ) ARRIVED IN 3WEDEN WITH A STUNTED VOCABULARY /VER A MEAL ON MY lRST DAY $INA THE 3TAGE -ANAGER WITH A THICK AND SOUTHERN DIALECT STARTED ASKING ME WHAT TECHNICAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE ) HAVE !TTEMPTING TACT

6

Event The

4HE TERROR OF THE UNKNOWN LURCHED FORWARD INTO MY LOWER ABDOMEN EVERY MORNING

MOUTH FULL OF KNËCKEBROD THE REAL -C#OY OF 2YVETA ) TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT LIGHTING SOUND ETC WERE NOT MY FORTE "Y THE END OF THE DAY HOWEVER ) HAD READ A PLAY CUT AND COILED A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF CABLES AND BEEN SHOWN AROUND THE THEATRE "Y THE END OF THE lRST WEEK ) HAD LEARNT TO USE A POWER DRILL

DONE A LOT OF PAINTING AND HELPED ORGANISE A SEMINAR 4HE BREADTH OF INSIGHTS THESE VARIED JOBS OFFERED WAS BRILLIANT BUT THE TERROR OF THE UNKNOWN LURCHED FORWARD INTO MY LOWER ABDOMEN EVERY MORNING AT ABOUT AS THE TRAIN APPROACHED 3TOCKHOLM 4HE DURATION OF MY PLACEMENT FORMED A SIX WEEK COUNTDOWN FOR THE PREMIER OF 4USEN ÍR HOS 'UD n EN SEKUND PÍ JORDEN h!

4HOUSAND 9EARS 7ITH 'OD n !

3ECOND /N %ARTHv ! PLAY WHICH ITS DIRECTOR A COMPARATIVELY FAMOUS CHOREOGRAPHER WHO S HEYDAY AS A DANCER WAS IN THE S LIKES TO CALL SOMETHING ON THE LINES OF hNINETY MINUTES OF A DANCE SPACE FANTASY EXPERIENCEv h! DREAM PLAYv IS ANOTHER TERM SHE USES 4HE PLAY S BASIC TEXT FROM AN UNlNISHED PROLOGUE BY 3TIG $AGERMAN UNDER THE TITLE 4USEN ÍR HOS 'UD ENTAILS A VISIT FROM 'OD TO )SAAC .EWTON THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH 'OD UNDERMINES .EWTON BY OVERTHROWING THE RULES OF QUANTUM PHYSICS 7HAT -ARGARETHA ±SBERG S PLAY IS ABOUT IS STRANGELY DISCONNECTED FROM ITS ORIGINAL TEXT )N THE END PRODUCT

THE TEXT GETS A BIT LOST TO AESTHETICS $ANCERS SINGERS DESCENDING FROM THE CEILING PROJECTIONS hSPACEYv

MUSIC A GIANT STAIRCASE AND LIVE DEBATING SCIENTISTS 7HEN ) SAW THE PLAY FOR THE LAST TIME IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THIS PLAY WAS ATTEMPTING TOO MANY THINGS AT ONCE $AZZLING

YES "UT NO TIME TO ABSORB ITS CONTENT 4USEN ÍR HOS 'UD CAN DElNITELY BE REGARDED AS A SUPREME TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT "UT IN TERMS OF FOCUS AND THE TRUTH OF THE EVERYDAY GENERALLY SO PROMINENT IN 3WEDISH THEATRE n THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO BE FOUND IN OTHER 3TOCKHOLM PRODUCTIONS /N THE SMALLER STAGE AT %LVERKET

/SKAR OCH DEN 2OSA 4ANTEN h/SKAR AND THE 0INK ,ADYv PROVIDED A COMPLETE ANTIDOTE TO THE AESTHETICALLY BIG SCALE NATURE OF THE OTHER PRODUCTION /NE VERY TALENTED lFTY SOMETHING YEAR OLD WOMAN !NITA 7ALL ON A MINIMAL SET PLAYING A YOUNG BOY /SKAR

AND EVERYONE HE KNOWS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH FROM CANCER (ER ONLY TOOLS OTHER THAN HER RAW HONESTY WERE A PINK COAT AND A BLUE HAT STAND 4HE BRILLIANCE OF THE PLAY WAS THAT IT TOOK THE DRAMA OUT OF DEATH S REALITY )T REMINDS US THAT AS LONG AS SOMEONE LIVES THEY DO NOT ESCAPE LIFE S IMMEDIACY MOST OF LIFE IS NOT ABOUT hHIGH DRAMAv UNIVERSAL QUESTIONS AND EPISODES 7HAT MAKES !NITA 7ALL EVEN MORE OUTSTANDING IS THAT ON ALTERNATE NIGHTS TO ACTING IN /SKAR SHE PLAYS AN EMBITTERED FAILED ACTRESS 4HE FUNNIEST AND BRAVEST MOMENT IS WHEN SHE PULLS OFF HER KNICKERS TO STRADDLE HER UNWILLING ACTOR HUSBAND IN HIS DRESSING ROOM

)N 3WEDISH THEATRE EVEN WRINKLY MIDDLE AGED PEOPLE HAVE SEX AND SEXUAL DESIRES !DMITTEDLY AT TIMES IT BECOMES A BIT OF A CLICHÏ WHEN NUDITY CAN BECOME A BIT INEVITABLE "UT AT LEAST THE WILL TO TAKE RISKS IS THERE 4HE NATIONAL THEATRE IN 3WEDEN MAKES A LOSS 4HE MONEY IT MAKES ON TICKET SALES ONLY PAYS FOR ITS EMPLOYEES 4HE REST COMES FROM THE STATE !LTHOUGH 4USEN ÍR HOS 'UD IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT HAS SCIENCE COUNCIL BACKING THE POINT IS THAT THESE THEATRES CAN AFFORD TO FULlL THE VISIONS OF ITS DIRECTORS WITHOUT lNANCIAL CONCERNS -AYBE 4USEN ÍR HOS 'UD @S PROBLEM AS A PLAY WAS THAT IT HAD TOO MUCH MONEY )N A BUSINESS MINDED AND PREDOMINANTLY CAPITALIST WESTERN CULTURE WHERE CULTURE IS OFTEN OVER LOOKED HOW CAN ) COMPLAIN THAT A PLAY IS hOVER FUNDEDv )N AN IDEAL WORLD CULTURE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COMMERCIAL

MONEY MAKING CONCERNS "UT ) CANNOT HELP FEELING THAT ) D RATHER HAVE A COUNTRY WITH A LIVELY UNDERGROUND SCENE THAN ONE WITHOUT !ND THAT IS SOMETHING 3WEDEN LACKS DUE TO THE STATE S INTERVENTION IN THEATRE FUNDING )S THEATRE REALLY A PUBLIC RIGHT IN A DEMOCRATIC STATE 4HE S DREAM OF A hPEOPLE S THEATREv FOR 3WEDEN HAS IN THEORY BECOME A REALITY BUT THERE IS SOMETHING CONTRIVED ABOUT IT THAT PREVENTS IT FROM FEELING QUITE REAL ) GOT NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS WHEN ) WAS IN 3WEDEN FROM MY 3WEDISH GRANDMA ASKING ME IF ) D MET ANY FAMOUS ACTORS YET 4HE CLOSEST ) GOT WAS WALKING PAST THE DRESSING ROOM DOORS OF -IKAEL 0ERSBRANDT AND -ARIA "ONNEVIE *EAN AND *ULIE OF $RAMATEN S PRODUCTION OF -ISS *ULIE 7HEN WITNESSING THE REHEARSAL PROCESS OF THE PRODUCTION AT %LVERKET THE PRINCIPAL THING THAT ) REALLY NOTICED WAS THAT ACTORS ARE ESSENTIALLY A VERY SMALL COMPONENT 5NTIL PREMIER "ACKSTAGE AT 3TADSTEATERN LITERALLY hCITY THEATREv ALL THAT EXISTED AFTER "RECHT S 4HREEPENNY /PERA WAS A LOT OF SWEATY BODIES %XHILARATED ONES "UT VERY SWEATY .ONE OF MY GRANDMA S ANTICIPATED GLAMOUR 4HE &INAL 3CENE 4HE YOUNG WOMAN LEAVES 4HE 0OWER 3TATION

TUMMY FULL OF CAKE AND HEADS FOR THE AIRPORT %XCESS BAGGAGE lNE a #URSES AGAIN THIS TIME 2YAN !IR %XITS STAGE

Arts

Theatre

Books

4RAINSPOTTING

& 3COTT &ITZGERALD

4UESDAY ST -ARCH 3ATURDAY TH -ARCH 0LAYHOUSE

4HIS 3IDE OF 0ARADISE

2EAD THE BOOK SEEN THE lLM NOW YOU MUST EXPERIENCE THE PLAY (ARRY 'IBSON BROUGHT HIS ADAPTATION OF 4RAINSPOTTING TO THE 0LAYHOUSE LAST WEEK FOR THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 4HIS IS A STORY WHICH NEVER LOSES ANY OF ITS GRITTY IMPACT IT STILL FEELS LIKE A PUNCH IN THE FACE IN THE MOST ENJOYABLE WAY POSSIBLE 3ET IN MID NINETIES %DINBURGH

THE CHARACTERS lLL THE VACUUM OF THEIR LIVES WITH COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF DRUGS MAINLY HEROIN (OWEVER

AT NO POINT HAS 'IBSON GLORIlED THE DRUG CULTURE YOU LEAVE THE THEATRE VOWING NEVER TO TOUCH THE STUFF 3OME SUGGESTED IT FELT LIKE AN EXPERIMENTAL @THEATRE IN EDUCATION PIECE TOURING SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES PROVIDING A DIDACTIC LECTURE ON THE BLUNT REALITIES OF HEROIN "UT THE SECOND ACT IN PARTICULAR HAD MORE SUBSTANCE TO IT THEN A SIMPLE SOCIOLOGICAL WARNING /THERS COMPLAINED THAT THE FOUL GRATUITOUS LANGUAGE BECAME TOO MUCH AND THE SHEER VOLUME OF C

S AND F

S BORDERED ON THE UNECESSARY (OWEVER LIKE IT OR LOATH IT 4RAINSPOTTING IS ONE PLAY YOU SIMPLY CANNOT SHY AWAY FROM 9ES THE LANGUAGE IS AGGRESSIVE BUT RIGHTLY SO 4HE IDIOM OF THE CHARACTERS IS WHOLLY REALISTIC AND FULLY JUSITIlED BY THE BACKGROUD FROM WHICH THE YOUTHS COME

CREATING A BELIEVABLE PORTRAIT OF DISENFRANCHISED YOUTH AT ITS VERY WORST 4HOUGH PAINFUL AND GRATING AT TIMES IT ADDS TO THE AMIBIENCE IN A BRUTALLY MACABRE SHOCKING AND UNNERVING KIND OF A WAY 0ETER -ILNE GIVES AN ASTOUNDING PERFORMANCE AS -ARK 2ENTON THE

7RITTEN AT THE DAWN OF THE h*AZZ !GEv &ITZGERALD S DEBUT NOVEL IS A MESS OF LITERARY STYLES COMPLEX LANGUAGE AND ALL ROUND CONFUSION )N THIS JUNGLE OF UNCONVENTIONAL PROSE &ITZGERALD TAKES US THROUGH A LARGELY AUTOBIO GRAPHICAL TALE OF THE INCREDIBLE ARROGANCE AND EXCESSIVE POMP OF THE PROTAGONIST !MORY "LAINE %XTRAORDINARILY HANDSOME AND WELL AWARE OF IT !MORY STRUGGLES TO UN DERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND HIM FROM HIS SCHOOL DAYS TO THE HEIGHTS OF 0RINCETON 5NIVERSITY !MORY S ODYSSEY IS RIDDLED WITH ANECDOTES ABOUT HIS UNASHAMEDLY POMP OUS VIEWS ON SOCIETY n FROM HIS FELLOW PEERS TO WOMEN AND EVEN THE POOR "RAZENLY mIPPANT COMMENTS ARE LIT TERED THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL h)T S ESSENTIALLY CLEANER TO BE CORRUPT AND RICH THAN IT IS TO BE INNOCENT AND POOR v HE STATES FAMOUSLY AT ONE POINT IN THE NOVEL 5NFORTUNATELY &ITZGERALD S INEXPERIENCE SHINES THROUGH WITH THE NOVEL OFTEN SINKING INTO A TEDIOUS OVER ANALYSING OF "LAINE S CONSCIOUSNESS "UT IN THE GREATER SCALE OF THINGS WHAT MAKES THIS READ MOST COMPELLING IS THAT WE ARE NOT JUST SEEING !MORY "LAINE WE ARE SEEING & 3COTT &ITZGERALD AS A STUDENT n THIS BOOK IS THE CONFES SION OF THE AUTHOR S CONCEIT VANITY AND SELF IMPORTANCE AS MUCH AS IT IS THE DESCRIPTION OF A lCTIONAL CHARACTER !ND IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE GUIDED THROUGH THE POMP OF 0RINCETON LIFE AND !MERICAN (IGH SOCIETY WITH A HEALTHY SOURCE OF COMEDY ROMANCE AND ULTIMATELY TRAGEDY "EN "ARUCH

CHARACTER MADE SO INFAMOUS BY %WAN -C'REGOR (IS SHARP AND VIBRANT PHYSICALITY BROUGHT THE ENTIRE STAGE TO LIFE AND INJECTED THE PIECE WITH THE ENERGY IT NEEDED (IS PRESENCE SEEMED TO RADIATE AROUND THE STAGE TRANSPORTING THE AUDIENCE INTO HIS WORLD IN A WAY ONLY TRULY VISCERAL THEATRE CAN ACHIEVE !T TIMES PARTICULARLY IN THE lRST ACT IT FELT LIKE THE GUTSY GRATUITY OF THE BOOK WAS SOMEWHAT LACKING FROM THIS STAGE PRODUCTION

PREDOMINANTLY IN THE INFAMOUSLY GROTESQUE TOILET SWIMMING SCENE AND THE DEAD BABY SEQUENCE WHICH ADMITEDLY WOULD HAVE BEEN NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE TO PORTRAY ONSTAGE (OWEVER IN THE SECOND ACT THIS PERCEPTION WAS VIOLENTLY ALTERED

BY THE ARRIVAL OF 2UARAIDH -URRAY

AS 4OMMY ONSTAGE IN A HIDEOUSLY GRAPHIC SCENE WHERE HE WANDERED ON STARK NAKED AND INJECTED HEROIN INTO HIS OWN PENIS 4HE SHOCK OF THIS WAS PAINFUL TO WATCH NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER S DRAMATIC CHANGE FROM THE NAÕVE AND CHIRPY

4OMMY THAT WE HAD WITNESSED IN THE OPENING OF THE PLAY 4HE SIGHT OF HIS DOWNFALL ALONE IS ENOUGH TO WARD ANYONE AWAY FROM DABBLING IN DRUG CULTURE ,AURA (ARVEY ALSO DESERVES A MENTION HERE HAVING PLAYED SEVERAL CHARACTERS TO AN EXTREMELY HIGH STANDARD (ER VERSATILITY TRULY STANDING OUT IN THE SECOND HALF WHERE SHE DELIVERED SOME EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL MONOLOGUES AND SWITCHED FROM ONE CHARACTER TO ANOTHER WITH SUPREME EASE AND mUIDITY 0ERHAPS THE BEST ACCOLADE TO BESTOW UPON THIS STAGE VERSION IS THAT THE lLM REMAINS FAR FROM THE MIND WHEN ONE IS WATCHING IT 4HOUGH EQUALLY AS HARROWING

FOR THE MOST PART IT WAS EVIDENT HERE THAT THE BOOK WAS THE MAIN INSPIRATION 2ENTON OFTEN FEELING VERY MUCH LIKE THE NARRATOR AGGRESSIVELY GUIDING US THROUGH THIS @F

D UP WORLD OF DRUGS 0HILIPPA / 3HAUGHNESSY

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Event The

7

TV

Primetime Man  Stroke  Woman ""# PM -ONDAYS /RIGINALLY MAKING ITS DEBUT ON ""# AND CAN NOW BE SEEN EMERGING FROM ""# S NEW #OM EDY .IGHT ,INE 5P n @-AN 3TROKE 7OMAN HAS BEEN A PIECE OF COMIC BRILLIANCE 4HE ENSEMBLE CAST n !MANDA !BBINGTON "EN #ROMPTON #LOCKING /FF $AISY (AGGARD 'REEN 7ING -EREDITH -AC.EILL .ICHOLAS "URNS !BSO LUTE 0OWER AND .ICK &ROST OF @3PACED @3HAUN OF 4HE $EAD AND @(YPERDRIVE FAME n TAKE A LOOK AT CONTEMPORARY LIFE FROM A SLIGHTLY WARPED PERSPECTIVE )T IS NOT OUTRAGEOUS CHARACTERS WHICH MAKE THE SERIES SHINE OUT IT S THE SITUATIONS THEY lND THEM SELVES IN WHICH SERVE TO HIGHLIGHT

JUST HOW FRAGILE THE HUMAN PSYCHE CAN BE 4HERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT MANY OF THEIR SKETCHES ARE EX AGGERATED VERSIONS OF REAL LIFE BUT THE SIMILARITIES CAN IN PART BE SCARILY ACCURATE .OTHING IS SAFE FROM THE @-AN 3TROKE 7OMAN TEAM EVEN LADS NIGHTS OUT ALBEIT IN FAIRLY ECCENTRIC SURROUNDINGS n ARE REGULARLY TEASED BECAUSE hYOU SAID THERE D BE GIRLS HERE v )NSPIRED BY CLASSIC SHOWS OF THE SAME GENRE SUCH AS @4HE &AST 3HOW AND @"IG 4RAIN THE SHOW GOES ONE STEP FURTHER BY ESTABLISH ING BIZARRENESS WITH A DARK TWIST AS THE BENCHMARK FOR ST CENTURY COMEDY ,IKE ITS PREDECESSORS

@-AN 3TROKE 7OMAN RELIES ON THE

Suds

9OUR DOSE OF SOAP NEWS (OLLYOAKS 9ET ANOTHER WEEK OF DRAMA IS SET FOR THE SMALL VILLAGE OF #HESTER THIS WEEK 4HE OPENING OF THE NEW HAIR SALON BRINGS MUCH EXCITEMENT AND ALSO FORCES ,OUISE TO MAKE HER FEELINGS ABOUT 3EAN CLEAR BY PUBLICLY DEMANDING A DIVORCE -AX AND /" ARE AGAIN ARGUING OVER #LAIRE AS -AX OFFERS HER A ROOM IN THEIR HOUSE LEAVING /" STUCK IN THE MIDDLE ONCE AGAIN 2HYS AND 3ARAH ARE ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS TRYING TO KEEP THEIR RELATIONSHIP SECRET FROM HER OVER PROTECTIVE MOTHER 3TEPH IS GETTING EVER MORE DEPRESSED OVER #AM ERON S DEPARTURE SO *ESSICA AND /LIVIA MAKE IT THEIR MIS SION TO GET HER BACK ON TRACK AND IN THE STARLIGHT BUT AS EX PECTED THINGS DO NOT QUITE GO TO PLAN -EL HAS ALSO FALLEN BACK TO HER OLD WAYS AND WHEN 4OM FALLS ILL SHE IS FORCED TO CONFESS ALL /NCE AGAIN ANOTHER DRAMATIC WEEK FOR THE PEOPLE OF (OLLYOAKS MAKE SURE YOU DON T MISS IT "ECKY 2UTT .EIGHBOURS )S IT JUST US OR IS ANYONE ELSE GETTING SLIGHTLY SCARED BY THE LATEST GOINGS ON IN 2AMSAY 3TREET 4HERE IS JUST SOMETHING SLIGHTLY WRONG ABOUT (AROLD "ISHOP 3ALVATION !RMY EN THUSIAST #HRISTIAN MORALISTIC AND GENERAL ALL ROUND GOOD GUY TURNING INTO A MURDERER 4HIS WEEK SAW HIM SEEKING REVENGE ON 0AUL 2OBINSON FOR THE DEATHS OF HIS FAMILY HE HAS ATTEMPTED VARIOUS TECHNIQUES WHICH RANGE FROM STRAN GULATION RUNNING HIM OVER AND GIVING HIM A PANIC ATTACK (OWEVER HE HAS MANAGED TO TURN 0AUL INTO A GIBBERING

PARANOID WRECK JUSTIFYING HIS ANTICS WITH VARIOUS QUOTES ON REVENGE AND JUSTICE FROM THE "IBLE 3TEPH WAS ALSO IN TROUBLE AS SHE FOUND THAT HER CANCER HAD RETURNED AND CONCLUDED THAT THIS WAS WHAT $REW HAD BEEN TRYING TO WARN HER ABOUT IN HER SPOOKY DREAMS (OWEVER SHE IS DECLINING TO TAKE $R +ENNEDY S WHO ELSE ADVICE AND GET TREATMENT BECAUSE OF THE RISK IT MAY POSE TO THE HEALTH OF HER UNBORN BABY LEADING TO CONmICT BETWEEN HER AND -AX 2EBECCA (UNT

8

Event The

USE OF RECURRING CHARACTERS WHICH THE AUDIENCE CAN LATCH ONTO TO THIS EXTENT IT CAN BE DIFlCULT IN PART FOR A NEW VIEWER TO UNDER STAND THE HUMOUR TO ITS FULLEST LEVEL (AVING SAID THIS WITH CHAR ACTERS SUCH AS THE HILARIOUS $AN GEROUS $AD IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE FUNNY SIDE WILL BE LOST FOR TOO LONG $ANGEROUS $AD WILL ALWAYS TRY TO GET HIS BABY SON *OSH INVOLVED IN MANY ACTIVITIES AS POSSIBLE BUT ALWAYS SEEMS TO GET ONE VITAL DE TAIL WRONG 7HILST COOKING A ROAST CHICKEN FOR EXAMPLE ALTHOUGH A VERY NOBLE IDEA TO KEEP YOUR CHILD ABREAST OF WHAT IS GOING ON ONLY UPON A COMBINATION OF THE MOTH

ER ASKING @7HERE S *OSH AND THE CAMERA REVEALING AN UNCOOKED CHICKEN IN THE BABY S PRAM DOES THE AUDIENCE lNALLY TRULY UNDER STAND WHY HE IS SUCH A $ANGEROUS $AD @-AN 3TROKE 7OMAN IS CLEARLY A FAST PACED AND WITTY COMEDY

%VEN IF IT IS NOT THE MOST INNOVA TIVE OF ITS GENRE IT CAN CONSTANTLY BE RELIED UPON TO PROVIDE LAUGH OUT LOUD MOMENTS AND DElNITELY LIVENS UP ""# S -ONDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE "EN 3PARSHOT

TV Â DVD

!MERICAN 'OTHIC a 2ELEASED @!MERICAN 'OTHIC RAN FOR ONE SEA SON FROM TO AND FOLLOWS THE INHABITANTS OF A SMALL TOWN IN 3OUTH #AROLINA CALLED 4RINITY THAT IS DOMINATED BY AN EVIL SHERIFF WITH SOME VERY DEVILISH POWERS INDEED 4HE SUPERNATURAL YET DRAMATIC TONE OF THE PROGRAMME MEANS THAT INDI VIDUAL EPISODES ARE INTERESTING IN THEMSELVES THE TONE OF SOME CAN BE A LITTLE UNEVEN AS THE SHOW lNDS ITS IDENTITY THE REAL STRENGTHS LIE IN ITS CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS ALL EXCEL LENTLY PORTRAYED BY THE CAST 4HIS IS CRUCIAL AS 3HERIFF "UCK S POWER IS SHOWN TO DERIVE LARGELY FROM HIS KNOWLEDGE OF PEOPLE AND ALL OF THEIR LITTLE SECRETS /F COURSE SOME TIMES HE HAS TO MANIPULATE EVENTS TO GAIN OR RETAIN POWER AND THERE ARE RARE INDICATIONS THAT HIS POWER

IS MORE THAN JUST HUMAN 4HIS IS A STORY OF TEMPTATION OF GOOD AGAINST EVIL OF MAGIC WONDER AND FEAR "UCK S HOLD OVER THE TOWN IS ONE IN WHICH IT IS EXPLICIT THAT THE TOWNSFOLK ARE HELD BY THEIR OWN SINS AND THEIR FEAR OF THOSE SINS BE ING REVEALED #ALEB THE YOUNG HERO

IS TORN BETWEEN FAMILY AND POWER AND WHAT IS RIGHT A LIFE OF EASE OR A LIFE OF GOOD "UT "UCK S ATTEMPTS TO GAIN CONTROL OVER #ALEB AND THE CHALLENGE BROUGHT BY OUTSIDERS

LEAD PEOPLE IN THE TOWN TO BEGIN TO QUESTION THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF "UCK S RULE !ND YET EVERYDAY LIFE CONTIN UES TO BE FULL OF COMPROMISE AND SECRETS 4HE RIGHTEOUS FALTER AND SOME FALL BY THE WAYSIDE !ND THE BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF A YOUNG BOY AND FOR

THE TOWN ITSELF CONTINUES IN 4RINITY !MERICAN 'OTHIC IS AN INTEL LIGENT AND HIGHLY ENJOYABLE PIECE OF !MERICAN DRAMA AND FOR FANS OF SHOWS SUCH AS (EX OR 4WIN 0EAKS

IT REMAINS A MUST SEE SHOW 4HE TOWN ASPECT OF IT MEANS THAT LOTS OF CHARACTERS CROP UP THROUGHOUT THE SERIES RANGING FROM THE DOC TOR TO #ALEB S TEACHER BUT LOYALTIES ARE NEVER QUITE CLEAR AND IT S OFTEN DIFlCULT TO KNOW WHICH SIDE CHAR ACTERS TRULY ARE ON 4HIS GUESSING GAME ELEMENT IS AN INTERESTING IDEA AND SUSTAINS THE VIEWERS ATTENTION THROUGHOUT EVEN THE MOST BORING OF EPISODES AS WE TRY TO lGURE OUT JUST WHAT MOTIVE THE DOCTOR HAS FOR PRO TECTING #ALEB )F ONLY IT HADN T BEEN CANCELLED AFTER JUST ONE SERIESx $EREK *OHNSTON

Telly  Classics 4HE #RYSTAL -AZE

@#OME WITH ME MY DEARx EC CENTRIC PRESENTER 2ICHARD / "RIEN WOULD SAY AS HE LED CONTESTANTS THROUGH THE DIFFERENT ZONES THAT MADE UP THE LEGENDARY #RYSTAL -AZE 3IX CONTESTANTS HAD TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE !ZTEC FUTURISTIC ME DIEVAL AND OCEAN ZONES COMPLET ING GAMES ON THEIR WAY IN ORDER TO WIN TIME CRYSTALS THAT WERE WORTH SECONDS IN THE INFAMOUS #RYSTAL $OME 4HE GAMES RELATED TO THE

THEME OF THE ZONE AND AS SOON AS 2ICHARD UTTERED THE CLASSIC @THIS IS A TWO MINUTE GAME FROM THE SECOND ) CLOSE THE DOOR THE CONTESTANT HAD TO COMPLETE A MENTAL PHYSICAL SKILL OR MYSTERY PUZZLE TO WIN A CRYSTAL BEFORE THE @SANDS OF TIME RAN OUT )F THIS HAPPENED A LOCK IN OCCURED SOMETHING THE ANIMAL PRINT CLAD / "RIEN SEEMED TO QUITE ENJOY 4HE TRUE GENIUS OF THE GAME CAME AT THE END WHEN THE TEAM

WERE LET LOOSE IN 4HE $OME WHICH WAS lLLED WITH GOLD AND SILVER TO KENS THAT WHOOSHED AROUND IN A VORTEX THEY HAD TO COLLECT OVER GOLD TOKENS TO WIN A FABULOUS PRIZE 4HE MAGIC OF THE SHOW IS THAT IT AP PEALS TO THE @WOULD BE ADVENTURER IN ALL OF US WHO WOULD LOVE TO PAD DLE UP THE !MAZON RIVER TO REACH THE !ZTEC RUINS GUIDED BY THE MAD / "RIEN AND HIS HILARIOUS QUIPS 2EBECCA (UNT

TV

A  Trip  on  Memory  Lane -ODERN KIDS 46 DOESN T SEEM LIKE A PATCH ON OURS DOES IT )S THIS BECAUSE CHEESY S CARTOONS AND TALKING TANK ENGINES WERE ACTUALLY BETTER /R IS IT OUR MEMORIES MAKING THEM SEEM BETTER THAN THEY ARE #HRIS (YDE TAKES A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

4

HOMAS THE 4ANK %NGINE 0OST MAN 0AT "UCKY / (ARE !LL PRO GRAMMES THAT WE ENJOYED IM MENSELY IN OUR YOUTH BUT ARE THEY ACTUALLY AS GOOD AS WE REMEM BER THEM 4HE ISSUE OF NOSTALGIA IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HEAVILY ANALYSED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS OVER THE YEARS n FOR EXAMPLE IN )NSPECTOR 'ADGET OUR NOSTALGIC MEMORIES WILL OVERLOOK THE TERRIBLE ANIMA TION THE CHEESY VOICES AND DIRE PLOTS TO MAKE US PERCEIVE IT AS WE DID WHEN WE WERE LITTLE TYKES AS A SLICE OF PURE FRIED GOLD 7E REMEM BER THEM AS WE WANT TO REMEMBER THEM WHICH DOES NOT NECESSARILY CORRELATE TO HOW THEY ACTUALLY ARE 3O THIS REVIEWER SAT DOWN FOR A DAY

ARMED WITH A HOST OF $6$S OF CLAS SIC KIDS 46 SHOWS AND PLOUGHED THROUGH THEM TO SEE IF THEY WERE AS GOOD AS REMEMBERED &IRSTLY 4HOMAS THE 4ANK %N GINE 4HIS WAS A PARTICULAR FAVOURITE AND THE CHANCE TO WATCH IT AGAIN WAS SEIZED WITH RELISH 4HE TWO EPISODES WATCHED CAME FROM VERY DIFFERENT POINTS IN 4HOMAS CAREER n ONE WAS FROM AN EARLY SERIES AND WAS NARRATED BY 2INGO 3TARR THE OTHER FROM A MUCH LATER SERIES /NE THING STRIKING ABOUT THESE EPISODES WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN 4HOMAS CHAR ACTER IN THE EARLY EPISODE HE WAS MUCH MORE hCHEEKYv WHEREAS HE D BECOME MUCH MORE HELPFUL AND KIND IN THE OTHER 0RESUMABLY PAR ENTS DIDN T TAKE TOO KINDLY TO THEIR CHILDREN WATCHING THE ADVENTURES OF A LEAD CHARACTER WHO WAS RUDE AND SULKED IF HE DIDN T GET HIS OWN WAY

)T S ALSO NOTICEABLE THAT THE SHOW IS VERY MALE ORIENTED THE 2INGO 3TARR NARRATED EPISODE FEATURED NO FEMALE CHARACTERS AT ALL AND IT CAN ONLY BE ASSUMED THAT THE MAKERS MADE IT AS SUCH BECAUSE THEY ASSUMED THAT STRAPPING YOUNG LADS WOULD BE THE ONLY AUDIENCE OF THE PROGRAMME $ESPITE THESE MINOR NIGGLES ONLY SEEN THROUGH VERY CYNICAL EYES THE PROGRAMME HELD UP WELL AND WAS AS GOOD AS THE TREASURED MEMORIES HAD OF IT 7HILE BEING A BIT MORAL ISTIC IN PLACES IMPRESSIVE REALLY

WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE TRAIN BASED SETTING IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF YEARS AND IS STILL A GREAT KIDS SHOW 4HE SECOND SHOW WAS 0OSTMAN 0AT 4HE LITTLE 'REENDALE POSTMAN IS STILL A REGULAR CHARACTER ON #""#

WITH NEW EPISODES BEING AIRED AS OPPOSED TO REPEATS FROM THE S #LEARLY THIS MEANS HE S POPU LAR ENOUGH TO HAVE NEW EPISODES MADE FOR A NEW GENERATION BUT ARE THESE NEW EPISODES AS LEGENDARY AS THE OLD ONES ! STRIKING DIFFER ENCE ABOUT THE NEWER EPISODES IS HOW UPDATED THEY ARE 0LOTS NOW INVOLVE 0AT ONCE A POSTMAN GO ING SNOWBOARDING AND RESURRECT ING THE ONCE FORGOTTEN 'REENDALE STEAM TRAIN TO GIVE TWO EXAMPLES 7HAT HAPPENED TO SIMPLE EPISODES BASED AROUND A POSTMAN DOING WHAT HE S SUPPOSED TO AND DELIV ERING THE POST !NOTHER FEATURE OF THE NEW EPISODES IS *ULIAN 0AT S SON YES SON A REBELLIOUS GUI TAR WIELDING TEENAGER #HARACTERS THAT WE GREW UP WITH SUCH AS THE NOSEY -RS (UBBARD AND KINDLY OLD 'RANNY $RYDEN HAVE BEEN AXED FROM THE NEW EPISODES SHOCK HOR ROR AND A NEW 0AKISTANI FAMILY HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED n MOST LIKELY

BECAUSE THE VILLAGE OF 'REENDALE WAS MORE WHITE THAN A SHEET OF !

AND SHOWS THAT DON T EMBRACE ALL CULTURES COME UNDER A LOT OF STICK 4HE OLD EPISODES OF 0AT WERE STILL AS BRILLIANT AS REMEMBERED BUT THESE NEWER ONES WERE IRRITATING BECAUSE THEY D CHANGED SO MUCH &OR A NOS TALGIA TRIP AVOID THE ONES ON #""# AND GET HOLD OF THE ONES FROM OUR CHILDHOOD POSSIBLY WHILE MOAN ING TO PEOPLE hTHINGS WERE SO MUCH BETTER WHEN ) WAS YOUNGv .EXT WAS "UCKY / (ARE (ALF AN HOUR SOME DIRE ANIMATION AND A SUB 3TAR 7ARS PLOT LATER LITTLE HAD IMPRESSED )T DID HAVE A VERY GOOD THEME TUNE BUT THE REST OF IT WAS COMPLETELY IRREDEEMABLE 2EASONS WHY PEOPLE LIKE IT SO MUCH ARE CLEAR n IT FORMS PART OF OUR CHILDHOOD AND SO IS LOOKED AT FONDLY n BUT IT DIDN T APPEAL AT ALL (OPEFULLY THE NEXT SHOW WOULD FARE A BIT BETTER #HARLIE #HALK n OR hTHE STOP MOTION S PREDECESSOR TO ,OSTv n STARS A CLOWN WASHING UP ON AN ISLAND POPULATED BY MISlTS AND WEIRDOES 4HE STOP MOTION ASPECT OF IT MEANS IT S SIMILAR IN STYLE TO 0OSTMAN 0AT OR &IREMAN 3AM OR OTHER GENERIC WORK RELATED ANIMA TIONS BUT THIS ONE HAS MORE TO IT THAN ANY OF THEM )N THE LATE S

ALL THESE PROGRAMMES WOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHED BY OUR PARENTS AS WELL AS US AND THE ENDLESS SLEW OF TERRIBLE ANIMATION AND SIMPLE PLOTS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY DRIV EN MOST OF THEM INSANE #HARLIE #HALK IT SEEMS ATTEMPTED TO BUCK THIS TREND BY INCLUDING ELEMENTS OF HUMOUR IN IT THAT WOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT OVER OUR LITTLE HEADS BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENJOYED BY OUR MUMS AND DADS )N THE EPISODES

7E REMEMBER THESE SHOWS AS HOW WE WANT TO REMEMBER THEM

NOT HOW THEY ACTUALLY WERE

WATCHED COMEDY DEVICES INCLUDED SLAPSTICK IMPERSONATIONS OF OTHER CHARACTERS BY #HARLIE AND A COU PLE OF VERY ADULT JOKES ABOUT SEX ALL FEATURED CLEARLY STUFF THAT THEY WOULD APPRECIATE 7HILE THE PLOTS DO SOMETIMES VEER A BIT CLOSE TO BE ING TOO MORALISTIC AND TEACHING LIFE LESSONS IT S STILL A VERY GOOD KIDS 46 SHOW AND ONE THAT IS UNFORTUNATE LY FORGOTTEN BY MANY /THER SHOWS WATCHED THAT ALL PROVED TO BE AS FANTASTIC AS RE MEMBERED INCLUDED 4RANSFORM ERS CHECK OUT THE MOVIE FOR SOME QUALITY S CHEESY MUSIC CLASSY AN IME AND A SURPRISINGLY IMPRESSIVE CAST LIST INCLUDING %RIC )DLE ,EON ARD .IMOY AND IN HIS LAST EVER lLM ROLE /RSON 7ELLES &IREMAN 3AM

)NSPECTOR 'ADGET ALTHOUGH LIKE "UCKY / (ARE THE ANIMATION WAS A LOT WORSE THAN REMEMBERED AND RUINED IT SOMEWHAT 4HE &LINT STONES AND 4HE *ETSONS !LL THESE PROGRAMMES WERE REMEMBERED FOR BEING BRILLIANT AND INTEGRAL PARTS OF CHILDHOOD n FOR THIS REVIEWER

AT LEAST n AND IT WAS A JOLLY TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WHEN WATCH ING THESE SHOWS 4HE ISSUE OF NOS TALGIA WHETHER WE REMEMBER THE PROGRAMMES AS HOW THEY TRULY ARE OR HOW WE WANT TO REMEMBER THEM AS BEING PROVED IN THIS CASE TO BE MORE THE FORMER THAN THE LATTER )F YOU FANCY A NIGHT IN TO RELIVE YOUR CHILDHOOD THEN ALL THESE SHOWS CAN BE FOUND CHEAPLY ON !MAZON ORDER A FEW GET A BAG OF 0ICK @. -IX FROM 7OOLWORTHS AND WRAP YOUR SELF UP IN A DUVET THEN WHACK SOME OF THEM ON AND FEEL LIKE YOU RE YEARS OLD ALL OVER AGAIN )T S MORE FUN AND WHOLESOME THAN GETTING TRASHED AT THE ,#2 AT LEAST

Event The

9

Creative Writing

Poetry

Verbal Di ary-ea

Strange Pets

'O ON LET IT ALL OUT 3END YOUR VERBAL DIARY EA TO CONCRETE CREATIVEWRITING UEA AC UK

-Y CAT WEARS FRILLY KNICKERS -Y HAMSTER WEARS A BRA 4HEY STRUT AROUND THE HOUSE 0LAYING DRUMS AND BASS GUITAR

)S IT NOT PARADOXICAL THAT ) SHOULD CELEBRATE RECOVERING MY VITALITY AND GOOD HEALTH AFTER A FAIRLY HEFTY BOUT OF mU TWO WEEKS SPENT HUDDLED ON THE LUMPEN SOFA IN A BLANKET LIKE A NOMAD TRIBESMAN PERCHED ATOP HIS CAMEL OR AT LEAST LIKE A NO MAD TRIBESMAN WITH A WORRYING PROCLIVITY FOR LAVENDER mEECE AND A FACE LIKE AN OVERENTHUSI ASTIC SNOT GEYSER BY GOING OUT AND GETTING PARALYTICALLY DRUNK

THUS NECESSITATING SPENDING THE FOLLOWING WEEK WELL HUD DLED ON THE SOFA WRAPPED IN A BLANKET LIKE A NOMAD TRIBES MAN ALTHOUGH THIS TIME ONE THAT IS GETTING CAMEL SICK 3MACKS OF POOR LOGIC ) BELIEVE !LSO LACK OF MORAL l BRE -UST TRY HARDER ETCETERA

-Y LIZARD S HOT ON SAXOPHONE -Y SPIDER PLAYS THE mUTE "UT THEY RE NOT INTO LINGERIE !ND WEAR THEIR BIRTHDAY SUIT ) KNOW MY PETS ARE VERY STRANGE !ND ALL NEED THERAPY "UT ) ASSURE YOU THAT MY PETS !RE NOT AS STRANGE AS ME - Mark Smith

While On The Tube 7HILE ON THE TUBE ) FELT THE URGE 4O TAKE HOLD OF MYSELF AND PURGE -YSELF OF MY ALMIGHTY SEED 4O SUMMON IT AND SEE IT BLEED &ROM OUT MY MEMBER AND THEN SPLURGE ) FELT THAT ) SHOULD FEEL IT SURGE !ND WHILE THIS THOUGHT DID

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SEEM TO VERGE /N THE OBSCENE ) FELT A NEED 7HILE ON THE TUBE ) THOUGHT THAT ) MIGHT THEN SUBMERGE 4HE TRAIN IN SEED AND THUS CONVERGE -Y JUICES WHILE ) MOVED AT SPEED !ND SO ) UNDERTOOK MY DEED !ND CAUSED THOSE JUICES TO EMERGE 7HILE ON THE TUBE

To Justify ‘While On The Tube’ $EAR EDITOR YOU MUST AGREE 4HERE CAN BE NO OBSCENITY )N FORMAL VERSE LIKE MY RON DEAU

7HICH IS ARTISTIC EVEN THOUGH 9OU FAIL TO SEE ITS ARTISTRY ) MAY WRITE LOWBROW POETRY

"UT ONE CAN T WRITE OFFENSIVELY )N PROPER FORM AS YOU SHOULD KNOW

$EAR EDITOR 4HEREFORE ) WRITE DEFENSIVELY !ND HOPE THAT YOU WILL

The Annual Congressional Meeting

)T S THE !NNUAL #ONGREGA TIONAL -EETING TOMORROW ) M DREADING IT )T S JUST SO BOR ING 3ITTING IN THOSE RIDICU LOUSLY KNOBBLY CHAIRS FOR TWO HOURS TRYING TO STAY AWAKE FOR THE WHOLE DAMNED THING -RS #ANAPÏ WILL BE BULL DOZING DOWN THE AISLE SHOV ING SOGGY DIGESTIVES IN PEOPLE S FACES -R (AMMOND WILL BE MARCHING AROUND RED FACED

ADJUSTING THE 0! SYSTEM AND mICKING SWITCHES -R 0OND WILL BE SITTING AT THE FRONT LOOKING FAT APOLOGISING FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE SENSIBLE ENOUGH NOT TO BOTHER TURNING UP AND

THEN DRONING ON ABOUT HOW WELL THE CHURCH IS DOING AND HOW SUPER THE HALL LOOKS NOW -RS 0LEDGE HAS REARRANGED THE mOWERS AND HOW NICE IT WAS OF -RS !PRON AND -RS #AKE BREAD TO DO THE REFRESHMENTS 4HEN THERE LL BE THE ELEC TIONS FOR NEW JOBS WHICH IS SO UNUTTERABLY BORING )T TAKES AGES TO DO BECAUSE NINETY PER CENT OF THE CONGREGATION ARE ABOUT lVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD AND IT TAKES THEM THAT LONG TO RAISE THEIR HANDS 4HEN THE VOTES ARE COUNTED AND lNALLY -R 0OND STANDS UP STRAIGHT ENS HIS TIE NODS TO -R (AM

MOND TO TURN HIS MICROPHONE UP EXTRA LOUD AND BOOMS SOMETHING ABOUT WHO THE NEXT CHURCH WARDEN IS WHO THE NEXT CHURCH GARDENER IS

WHO S GOING TO BE TIDYING THE BIBLES AFTER SERVICES AND EVERY THING DOWN TO THE MOST MINIS CULE AND POINTLESS OF THINGS ) REALLY DON T KNOW WHY ) GO )T S SO DISTRESSINGLY TEDI OUS THAT ) COME OUT WANTING TO KILL MYSELF IMMEDIATELY "UT ) SUPPOSE PEO PLE EXPECT ME TO BE THERE !FTER ALL ) AM THE VICAR

PUBLISH ME !LTHOUGH MY VERSE LIES WELL BELOW 4HE LINE OF TASTE IT S FORMAL SO )T CANNOT COUNT AS LECHERY

$EAR EDITOR

!ND NETTLES TALKED OF STALKS AND SPROUTS AND YELLOW BIRDS n (OW COULD ) BE DISAPPOINTED WHEN THEY ARRIVED - Anon

- Alan Ashton-Smith

An Incident Among The Wildflowers #LIMBING "ELLS ARE FRAGILE AND MOST OFTEN SACRIlCED ! SMALL AND INSIGNIlCANT PATCH OF mOWERS

4HEY REACH ARCHING OUT ON LONG RISING SPIKES !ND THEN SINK TO THE GROUND

CONFESSING IN A SPLASH OF COLOUR 4HE BUSHES CLOSED UP WITH A SCRIBBLING OF TWIGS "EFORE THE MONSTROUS MANY HEADED !GAPANTHUS !MBULANCES CAME RUSHING FROM THE BOTTLEBRUSH TREES !ND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ,IGHT RELIEVED ITSELF BETWEEN THE SHADOWS !ND SOMEBODY CHUCKED AWAY A HANDFUL OF BIRDS "ATHE WITH ME AND THE GRIT FROM MY lNGERNAILS 4ILL THE WORLD RETURNS NAÕVE

FROM BENEATH THE PETTICOAT OF THE SUN !LL IS FORGIVEN ) ASKED FOR mOWERS n 4HE LEAVES WRUNG OUT THEIR MOTTLED AND LEATHERY WORDS

From One Set of Keys (or Overexposure of the Vanities ) 4HE WAY OUR TONGUES CAUGHT ON h$ECISION 3TREETv WE HELD FULL POSSESSION /F DEPRESSION BUTTONS MINE SHAFT CLIQUE

#LOUDRATTLE mAGSHIPS GRAVITY SHIFTS !ND RADAR BLIPS #ORNERSCUFmE CLICKMISSION CALCULATION (OW MUCH OOMPH WOULD BE SAFE TO LAPSE )N THAT TROT PAST SUCKING NOISES AND BUG ZAPS ! RUSH OF HEAT AND CLOTHERUS TLE -APS !ND ) REMEMBERED SENSATIONAL GASP KISSING 2ATHER THAN A STOMPY LIP S JEALOUS ITCHING 4OWARDS YOUR TEETH HUMMING GROWLING .EAR WETNESS AND BARREL SIGHTS COLLAPSING .OT ENOUGH SOFTENER NAIL VAR NISH REMOVER "OOT KNOCKS HEADS IN HANDS OUR BLINKHEART SUTURE .O EVIL BRIGHTENING UP OUT OF THE PICTURE - Alex Kendall

- Becky Mayhew

The Forest )N THE DIMMING LIGHT OF A DY ING DAY *OHN LOOKED OUT OVER THE VALLEY HE HAD OFTEN WALKED IN BUT HAD NEVER TRULY SEEN (E SAW WHERE THE lELDS GAVE WAY TO THE DARK LOOMING WOOD YET HE COULD SEE NO FURTHER 4HE TREES SUCKED IN ALL LIGHT THEY WERE A WALL OF MYSTERY *OHN

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FELT DRAWN TO THE FEARFUL UN KNOWN AND HE WALKED ONTO THE THRESHOLD (E WANTED TO KNOW WHAT LAY WITHIN BUT THAT KNOWL EDGE WAS IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE SAFETY OF THE GREEN lELD HE NEEDED TO SUBMIT HIMSELF TO DANGER AND IMMERSE HIM SELF IN THE CHAOS OF THE FOREST

Event The

)N TIME HE STOOD IN THE DARK SPACE BETWEEN FOREST AND GRASS (E FELT THE FOREST S WET BREATH ON HIS COOL FOREHEAD AND IN A MOMENT HE STEPPED FOR WARD INTO MYSTERY INTO CHA OS INTO TRUTH INTO THE FOREST

- Alex Irving

3END )N 9OUR 0 S 0OETRY 0ROSE 0ICTURES 0LAYS 0LEASE EMAIL YOUR STUFF TO CONCRETE CREATIVEWRITING UEA AC UK TO APPEAR IN

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Graphic  Novelties

*IM 7OODRING IS QUITE POSSIBLY ONE OF THE lNEST ARTISTS OF OUR TIME CREATING TECHNICOLOUR WONDERLANDS LIKE NONE OF HIS PEERS 7HY THEN DOES NOBODY KNOW HIS WORK +ATE "RYANT EXAMINES WHAT IT IS ABOUT 7OODRING THAT MAKES HIM SO DIFlCULT TO PIN DOWN

&

RANCIS &ORD #OPPOLA LIKES *IM 7OODRING S WORK (E LIKES IT SO MUCH THAT IN HE WROTE THE INTRO DUCTION TO ONE OF 7OODRING S BOOKS

A COMPILATION OF COMICS STARRING 7OODRING S MOST POPULAR CHARACTER A PURPLE BEAVER LIKE CREATURE SOMETIMES DESCRIBED AS AN ANTHROPOMORPH CALLED &RANK 4HE &RANK COMICS AREN T FOR CHILDREN

NOR DO THEY HAVE EXPLICIT SCENES OF SEX OR VIOLENCE IN THEM AND DESPITE HIS FONDNESS &RANCIS &ORD #OPPOLA IS NOT ABOUT TO MAKE A FEATURE LENGTH lLM ADAPTATION OF THEM 3O THE &RANK SE RIES IS LEFT TO BE A ROUND PEG IN A WORLD OF SQUARE HOLES THESE HOLES BEING THE SPACES AFFORDED IN POPULAR CULTURE FOR COMIC BOOKS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS )F A lLM NOVEL OR EVEN 46 PROGRAMME REPLICATED THE MIXTURE OF ALIENATION

FANTASY AND MYSTERY THAT 7OODRING ACHIEVES WITH &RANK ITS CREATOR WOULD BE RECOGNISED AS A MASTER OF THEIR CHOSEN lELD ONLY STRENGTHENING THE QUESTION OF WHY IT IS ONLY THOSE WITH A VESTED INTEREST IN COMIC BOOKS WHO EVEN KNOW 7OODRING S NAME %VEN #HARLIE "ROWN HAD A CARTOON SO WHY LEAVE ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING EX AMPLES OF CONTEMPORARY COMICS TO BE FORGOTTEN 7OODRING S lRST WORK WAS A SELF PUBLISHED AUTOJOURNAL CALLED *)- STARTED IN WHEN HE WAS AND IN WHICH THE lRST &RANK DRAWING AP PEARED IN LOOKING MUCH THE SAME AS TODAY 4HE CHIEF PURPOSE OF *)- WAS TO DOCUMENT SOME OF THE VI SIONS HALLUCINATIONS AND PARANOIA THAT HAD COLOURED 7OODRING S CHILD HOOD AND STILL CAN BE SEEN AS THE MOST DOMINANT FORCE SHAPING HIS WORK TO DAY ! GLIMPSE OF THE INNER CHASMS OF 7OODRING S MIND GIVES THE &RANK SERIES AN ACID TRIP AURA WITH A MORE CHILDLIKE EDGE (E SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE AF mICTIONS NOT SO MUCH SUFFERING FROM THEM AS PURELY EXPERIENCING THEM AND EVEN ENJOYING THEM .OW

7OODRING LOOKS MUCH AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT BEARD GLASSES TURTLENECK JUMPER OVERWHELMINGLY ORDINARY BOTH IN HIS APPEARANCE AND HIS DE MEANOUR (E IS ULTIMATELY NONCHALANT ABOUT THE SUCCESS HE HAS EXPERIENCED

AND LIKE THE CREATORS OF MANY STORIES THAT MYSTIFY THEIR AUDIENCE $AVID ,YNCH SPRINGS TO MIND HE IS GINGERLY AMBIGUOUS WHEN DIRECTLY DISCUSSING ANY OF HIS WORK (OWEVER THE &RANK SERIES HARDLY NEEDS ANY MORE AMBIGUITY THRUST

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4HE &RANK SERIES IS LEFT TO BE A ROUND PEG IN A WORLD OF SQUARE HOLES

UPON IT THAN IS ALREADY THERE 5NLIKE MANY GRAPHIC NOVELS KNOWN FOR THEIR DENSE AND COMPLICATED NARRATIVES

&RANK OCCUPIES A MORE AVANT GARDE SPACE (IS ADVENTURES ARE LARGELY IN DECIPHERABLE IF YOU LOOK FOR CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS 4HE CANDY COLOURED LANDSCAPE OF &RANK S WORLD IS ONE FULL OF CONTRADICTIONS RED HER RINGS AND GENERAL ODDITIES 7ITHIN THE DENSE IMAGES THAT 7OODRING CREATES IS A RATHER HEFTY AMOUNT OF SEXUAL SYMBOLISM HIDDEN ENOUGH TO BE IN NOCUOUS BUT FREQUENT ENOUGH TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY A THOUGHTFUL READER AND DElNITELY PROBLEMATIC WITHIN THE SACCHARINE SURROUNDINGS THAT &RANK OCCUPIES 4HE COMPLEXITY OF THE WORLD CREATED BY 7OODRING IS DIFlCULT TO GET A HOLD OF AT lRST THINGS LOOK BEAUTI FUL AND INVITING BUT ARE OFTEN REVEALED TO BE TREACHEROUS AND DECEPTIVE !T THE CENTRE OF THIS WORLD IS &RANK WHO EMBODIES THIS DUALITY ENTIRELY HE IS NAÕVE AND INQUISITIVE BUT CAPABLE OF VIOLENCE AND DECEIT (E ISN T A SUPER HERO OR A CHEEKY CRITTER BUT A MORE DEVELOPED AND UNKNOWABLE CHARACTER

EVEN MORE CONFUSING BECAUSE OF HIS CLASSIC CARTOON EXTERIOR ! SENSE THAT LATENT MEANINGS LIE SOMEWHERE BEHIND EACH FRAME IS OF TEN LEFT UNSATISlED BY EACH EPISODE S

CONCLUSION WITH A TEASING ENDNOTE SAYING h3HOW S /VER 'O (OMEv OR h2EMEMBER v THAT ONLY HELPS TO MUD DY THE WATER FURTHER 4HE CARROT OF A SIMPLE EXPLANATION IS ALWAYS DANGLED A LITTLE TOO CLOSELY IN FRONT OF THE READ ER S NOSE TO BE BELIEVED AND IS YANKED AWAY AT THE LAST SECOND 4HIS IS WORS ENED BY THERE BEING NO SOUND OR NO DIALOGUE TO HELP PUSH THE NARRATIVE FORWARDS /NE COMIC FEATURES A RUN NING COMMENTARY PLACED AT THE BOT TOM OF EACH PAGE EXPLAINING IN THE STYLE OF A CHILDREN S STORYTELLER WHAT IS GOING ON IN EACH FRAME !S THE STORY CONTINUES IT LIKE THE IMAGES SPINS OFF ON A TANGENT PROVOKING MORE QUES TIONS THAN IT ANSWERS 0ERHAPS THIS IS WHY 7OODRING S WORK ISN T LIKELY TO lND ITS WAY ONTO THE BIG SCREEN IT IS SIMPLY TOO COMPLICATED 4HERE IS A THREAD TO EACH EPISODE BUT ANYTHING MORE THAN THE BARE BONES OF A PLOT RIPPLE OFF INTO UNKNOWN TERRITORY 4HE RESULT IS THAT RATHER THAN TEAR ING THROUGH PAGES OF THE COMIC IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO READ A PAGE OF TEXT EACH IMAGE MUST BE POURED OVER BEFORE THE READER CAN MOVE ON AND THE JOY OF INTERPRETATION IS INJECTED INTO THE EXPERIENCE !NYONE WHO HAPPENED TO SEE !LAN -OORE INTERVIEWED ON 4HE #ULTURE

3HOW WILL UNDERSTAND THE DIFlCULTY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL AND CINEMA SCREEN -OORE THE WRITER OF NUMEROUS GRAPHIC NOVELS IN CLUDING 4HE ,EAGUE OF %XTRAORDINARY 'ENTLEMEN USED THE PROGRAMME TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE lLMS THAT HAVE BEEN BASED ON HIS WORK WORK THAT HE EXPLAINS WAS hDESIGNED NOT TO BE SUITABLE FOR lLMv (IS DISILLUSIONMENT WITH THE lLM INDUSTRY HAS GONE SO FAR THAT HE REFUSED TO BE CREDITED OR AS HE SEES IT hBLAMEDv FOR ANY OF THE lLMS MADE FROM HIS WRITING 4HE LATEST lLM TO USE -OORE S GRAPHIC NOVELS WAS 6 FOR 6ENDETTA WHICH RECEIVED A LUKE WARM AT BEST COMMENT FROM THE MAN HIMSELF 6 SEEMS TO lT NICELY INTO THE NEW WAVE OF lLMS BASED ON GRAPHIC NOVELS AIMED AT MATURE AUDIENCES

DElNED MOST CLEARLY BY THE SUCCESS OF 3IN #ITY WHICH IS BY FAR THE BEST REALISED ADAPTATION YET (OWEVER THE CONlNEMENT OF AN ENTIRE MEDIUM TO A SINGLE CINEMATIC GENRE GIVES WEIGHT TO THE COMPLAINTS THAT -OORE HAS (IS WORK VARIED AND DENSE AS IT MAY BE

HAS BEEN SHOE HORNED INTO A VERSION OF THE CLASSIC ACTION THRILLER EXCITING YET LARGELY MINDLESS 4HOSE ASPECTS OF -OORE S WORK WHICH DO NOT lT TO THIS MOULD ARE EITHER LOST OR SEEM A LITTLE OUT OF PLACE !LTHOUGH 6 DOES GO SOME

&RANK ISN T A SUPERHERO OR A CHEEKY CRITTER BUT A MORE DEVELOPED AND UNKNOWABLE CHARACTER

WAY TOWARDS ESTABLISHING A CONVINC ING IMAGE OF A DYSTOPIC POLICE STATE

AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS THAT EMANATE FROM IT THE FEELING REMAINS THAT THE lLM IS PARAPHRASING $ESPITE COMPLAINTS FROM -OORE

AND MANY OF HIS ADMIRERS IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY HIS WORK IS USED IN THE WAY THAT IT IS 4HERE ARE EXPLOSIONS AND RIP PLING PECKS AND ALL THE TYPICAL TROPES OF THE ACTION GENRE #ONVERSELY IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ASSIGN A GENRE TO 7OODRING S WORK PERHAPS PSYCHEDEL IC COMEDY DRAMA WOULD lT BEST BUT STILL NOT VERY WELL !LTHOUGH A PRES ENCE ON THE SILVER SCREEN UNDOUBT EDLY HELPS THE CREATORS OF COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS TO PAY THE RENT AND RAISE THEIR PROlLE IT CERTAINLY DOESN T SEEM TO COMPLETE THEIR WORK IN ANY WAY 4HE lLMS DON T CREATE THE CRITI CAL ACCLAIM THAT THEIR COMIC ORIGINALS DO )NSTEAD WORKS THAT ARE WIDELY REC OGNISED AS THE lNEST OF THEIR TIME BE COME MEDIOCRE WHEN TRANSLATED INTO A CINEMATIC FORM THAT DOESN T QUITE lT 7OODRING S WORK IS THANKFULLY SO FAR AWAY FROM THE NARROW VIEW (OLLY WOOD HAS OF THE COMIC MEDIUM THAT IT IS LEFT TO BE A TRULY GREAT COMIC 4HIS IS PROBABLY WHY #OPPOLA DECIDED TO LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE AND LEAVE &RANK WHERE HE lTS ON PAPER

Event 13 The

Music

Golden Benjamin  Zephaniah   Sounds Naked

2ADIOHEAD 4HE "ENDS

COULD EASILY BE WRITTEN OFF AS THE YEAR TWO CHEEKY -ANCU NIAN S EPITOMISED THEIR CAREER AND CONTEMPORARY POP MUSIC ,UCKILY FOR US THERE WAS MORE TO @ AS PROVED BY A CERTAIN 4HOM 9ORKE A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH "ELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE WAS LIFE BEFORE THE GROUNDBREAKING / + #OMPUTER LIFE MORE GRAN DIOSE THEN ANYTHING PRE OR POST 4HE "ENDS SET A BENCHMARK THAT STILL REMAINS TO BE SURPASSED YEARS ON &OR MOST THIS WAS THE BIRTH OF @INDIE ROCK AS THEY KNEW IT AN ALBUM THAT SPAWNED NUMEROUS SUBORDINATES OF THE #HRIS -ARTIN TYPE

MOST STEADY ON BECOMING THE WORLD S NEXT @BEST BAND 4HE "ENDS ALSO MARKED THE POINT 4HOM 9ORKE AND CO lNALLY GREW UP WITH AN UNCOMPROMISING DOSE OF GRAND VIGOUR 4HE ECLECTIC TWELVE TRACKS ILLUSTRATE WHY THIS BAND IS STILL SO IMPORTANT (IGH AND $RY AND &AKE 0LASTIC 4REES BONA lDE 'LASTO SINGALONGS

*UST AND 4HE "ENDS STEADFAST INDIE ANTHEMS AND WITH 3TREET 3PIRIT THE BAND GAVE US AN EERIE GLIMPSE OF WHAT WAS ON THE HO RIZON 9ORKE S FALSETTO LYRICS BASED ON DEEP SOCIAL METAPHOR IN PARALLEL WITH THE ELECTRIC ECCENTRICITY AND ACOUSTIC MELANCHOLY THAT SUPPORT ED TIE TOGETHER EFFORTLESS LY TO CREATE AN UNDOUBTED GLORY THAT STILL REMAINS PRESENT DAY %SSENTIAL DOESN T EVEN DO THIS AL BUM JUSTICE #OLDPLAY

3NOW 0ATROL AND ERM

+EANE YOU KNOW WHO TO THANK 'REG 3ULLIVAN

Albums $AFT 0UNK -USIQUE VOL &RENCH DANCE DUO $AFT 0UNK IS 'UY -ANUEL $E (OMEM #HRISTO AND 4HOMAS "ANGALTER 4HEY BEGAN AS $ARLING AND WERE lRST FEATURED ON A COMPILATION ON 3TEREOLAB S $UOPHONIC LABEL AND SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP A LIBRARY OF TRACKS CHRONICLING THE DANCE TRENDS OF THE LAST DECADE 0ORTRAYING THE STATE OF POP AS A SERIES OF PREDICTA BLE FORMULAE LONG SINCE EXHAUSTED

BY CORPORATE SUPERSTRUCTURE $AFT 0UNK HAVE A UNIQUE AND PALPABLE SENSE OF ABSURDITY 4HE END RESULT IS STRUCTURALLY AND TECHNICALLY IM PRESSIVE THOUGH AT TIMES AESTHETI CALLY MORE CURIOUS THAN INTRIGU ING "UT THIS LATEST INSTALMENT IS

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MERELY A HASH OF ALL THINGS PAST AND ALTHOUGH WE MAY TAKE NOTE OF @GREAT TUNES FROM OUR YOUTH THERE STILL DOESN T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH TO QUENCH OUR THIRST $AFT 0UNK ARE LIKE A CELEBRITY CHEF WHO SERVES UP NOTHING BUT HIS SIGNATURE DISH 3OON YOU LL STOP EATING IN HIS RESTAURANT 0ERHAPS @-USIQUE 6OL IS A CURTAIN CALL A LAST GRAB FOR ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THEY CAN lND )T MIGHT BE THE DUO S OWN SELECT COMPILATION BUT IT REMAINS NOTHING MORE THAN A REMINDER OF THEIR LIMITED SUCCESS RATHER THAN A RESTATEMENT OF THE POTENTIAL THEY STILL MIGHT POSSESS 5NFORTUNATELY THE NEAREST THAT THEY WILL GET IS FOR US ALL TO DUST OFF OUR @$ISCOVERY AND REMINISCE FOR THE LAST TIME 3AM 7ALLAM

!RGUABLY MOST FAMOUS FOR TELLING THE "RITISH CONSTITUTION WHAT IT CAN DO WITH ITS /"% ACCLAIMED POET "ENJAMIN :EPHANIAH HAS NEVER KEPT HIS LYRICAL VOCALISM IN THE WRITTEN MEDIA /RAL POETRY IS BASI CALLY AT THE CENTRE OF HIP HOP AND "ENJAMIN S POEMS HAVE ALWAYS RE QUIRED PERFORMANCE WITH RHYTHM TO THE POINT OF BEING A WORK OF DUB IN ITSELF /F COURSE THE QUALITY OF FAMOUS ,ONDON $UB ARTISTS WOULD NOT USUALLY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLITICALLY CHARGED RHYMES OF THE "IRMINGHAM BORN POET "UT HIS PO EMS ARE MUSIC IN THEMSELVES DUB POETRY IS ESSENTIALLY A SUB GENRE OF REGGAE THE RESPECTABLE RASTA HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE GENRE THROUGH HIS LITERARY WORKS AIMED AT ALL AGES AND CLASSES .AKED IS AN ALBUM THAT CRIES OUT TO BE HEARD

HUGELY INTELLIGENT AND INSPIRING THE ONE THING THAT TRULY STANDS OUT IS ITS SIMPLICITY :EPHANIAH DOES NOT RAP LIKE ANY AVERAGE HIP HOP ARTISTS BECAUSE THE MUSIC IS STRUC TURED ROUND HIS WORDS AS OPPOSED TO HIS LINES lTTING THE MUSIC !ND THUS YOU CANT HELP BUT LISTEN TO THE PERSONAL AND HONEST CONFESSIONS AND HOPES HE IS LITERALLY NAKED IN HIS SINCERITY AS THE STORY TELLS OF THE WORLDS CORRUPTIONS FALLING ON IN NOCENT EYES 4HE PERSONAL CONmICT

"E 9OUR /WN 0ET "E 9OUR /WN 0ET 4HE .ASHVILLE PUNK ADOLESCENTS "E 9OUR /WN 0ET DON T SUFFER AN INCH FROM THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BASICALLY NEW TO THE CHALLENGE OF STEERING A SUCCESSFUL MUSIC CA REER )N FACT IT IS THIS FUNDAMENTAL QUALITY AND COMPLETELY UNTUTORED SIMPLICITY THAT IS THE WHOLE AP PEAL &RONT GIRL *EMIMA !LBEGG S RAUCOUS SHRIEKS AND SLICES OF RA ZOR SHARP LYRICS SOUND UNCANNILY INNOCENT SONGS THEMED AROUND NAÕVE SUMMER FUN LACED WITH QUIPS OF GORE AND DEBAUCHERY

ARE AN EXCITING PROSPECT 4HEY PROBABLY HAVE TEXTBOOKS WORTH OF INmUENCES TO FOLLOW BUT JUST WANT TO DO IT THEIR OWN WAY ANY WAY 4HE MADNESS OF STRANGE AG GRESSIVE ECSTASY WHICH "E 9OUR /WN 0ET PULL OFF WITH APLOMB IS EASILY PARALLELED TO BANDS SUCH AS 1UEEN !DREENA 4HE SINGLE !D VENTURERS FOR INSTANCE IS A TRACK OF UNARGUABLE QUALITY PROVING THAT THIS BAND NOT ONLY HAVE THE ATTITUDE TO CHALLENGE THE SCENE BUT ALSO THE SONG WRITING SKILLS TO BACK IT UP "Y COMBINING THE EDGINESS OF ART ROCK AND THE BLASE

THAT IS CLEAR THROUGHOUT HIS SONGS DElNES THE FRUSTRATION AND IT IS HARD TO NOT WARM TO HIS TRUTHS DE SPITE BEING DIRECTLY CONFRONTED BY THE ANGER AND EMOTION THAT LACES THE MESSAGE )N ITS OWN LITTLE NICHE .AKED IS AN ARTWORK THAT GOES FURTHER THAN THE MUSIC IT IS FOUNDED ON )T IS ALSO CLEAR TO SEE THAT THERE IS NO IN TENTION FOR THIS BIOGRAPHY TO HAVE ANY COMMERCIAL IMPACT IT IS A STATEMENT A MESSAGE LEFT HANGING IN LIMBO 4HERE HAS BEEN NO MA

PUNK SPIRIT WITH A MODERN TWIST THE FOUR PIECE HAVE ALREADY CAP TURED THE ATTENTION OF MANY AND SOME MIGHT RECOGNISE THEIR NAME FROM LAST YEARS +ILLER 1UEEN TRIB UTE ALBUM 4HIS IS FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THEIR MUSIC TO HAVE ENERGY

EDGE AND EXCITEMENT #HARLES 2UMSEY

!DAM 'REEN *ACKET &ULL /F $ANGER !DAM 'REEN S THICK DEEP VOICE DElES THE FORMER -OLDY 0EACHES FRONTMAN S TWENTY FOUR YEARS AND BOYISH LOOKS (IS WORK COULD SIT HAPPILY ALONGSIDE THAT OF &RANK 3INATRA OR 'EORGE 'ERSHWIN AS HE CROONS HIS WAY THROUGH HIS FOURTH SOLO ALBUM YET IT IS WITH THE IN

JOR PUBLICITY OR BUILD UP BACAUSE .AKED IS AS MUCH A PERSONAL AC COMPLISHMENT AS IT IS A QUALITY EX AMPLE OF CHILLED OUT RASTA DUBBED HIP HOP "ENJAMIN S SMOOTH VOCAL STYLE DOES MAKE THIS ALBUM AN EXIT ING LISTENING PROSPECT JUST AS MUCH AS THE CENTRAL POLITICAL )MPORTANT

AND SERIOUS MESSAGES BEING DELIV ERED SO COOLY AND SWEETLY THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO FORGET THAT MUSIC IS NOT THIS POETS SOLE PURPOSE #HARLES 2UMSEY

DIE SCENE INCLUDING 4HE 3TROKES AND 4HE ,IBERTINES BOTH BANDS WHO INITIALLY CHAMPIONED HIM

THAT HE IS MORE COMMONLY ASSOCI ATED )NDEED IT IS WITH FELLOW .EW 9ORKER AND CELEBRITY FRIEND *ULIAN #ASABLANCAS THAT 'REEN HIMSELF ASSOCIATES HIS RESONANT VOCAL STYLE (IS LYRICS ARE CERTAINLY MORE INDIE THAN CABARET 4HE GENTLE DIRECT AC COMPANIMENT AT TIMES DOMINAT ED BY STRINGS MEANS THAT AN AP PRECIATION OF HIS WORDS IS FAR MORE ACCESSIBLE REVEALING MORE DEPTH TO 'REEN S WRITING THAN THERE IS TO #ASABLANCA S OR EVEN 0ETE $OHER TY S 4HE NEAR CABARET STYLE INVITES THE LISTENER TO LOOK FOR HUMOUR

AND THERE IS PLENTY OF WIT TO BE FOUND HOWEVER THERE ARE ALSO EL EMENTS OF VULGARITY WHICH -OLDY 0EACHES FANS WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH

AND OF SADNESS !T TIMES THE LIS TENER DOESN T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY *ACKET &ULL /F $ANGER IS AN EERILY STRANGE UNSETTLING YET BEAUTIFUL AND COMPELLING ALBUM )N A TIME OF GENERIC ACOUSTIC SOLO ARTISTS !DAM 'REEN IS BRILLIANTLY UNIQUE AND VERSATILE COMBINING A MASSIVE MUSICAL TALENT WITH AN AWESOME INTELLECT +ELVIN +NIGHT

Music

Fightstar get Busted !S AN INNOCENT LAD WITH A CRUSH ON HIS TEACHER AIR HOSTESS #HARLIE 3IMPSON MIGHT WELL HAVE SACRIlCED ANY FUTURE CREDIBLE MUSIC CAREER #HARLES 2UMSEY LOOKS AT HOW #HARLIE 3IMPSON IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO LEAVE HIS "USTED GLORY DAYS BEHIND

4

HE PAST CONNO TATIONS OF ANY UNFORTUNATE CE LEBRITY PINNED IN THE PUBLIC EYE ARE ALWAYS A FAVOURITE FOR HUNGRY ME DIA VULTURES )T IS THE PERFECT WAY TO DISCREDIT SOMEONE S ILL FOUNDED CLUTCH OF FAME WITHOUT HAVING TO DIRECTLY CRITICISE THEIR CURRENT OF TEN FASHIONABLE STATUS h)T GIRLSv MAKING MONEY FROM BEING hITv AND GOOD LIFE PARODIES MAKING A SCENE ABOUT INEQUITABLE INHERITANCE AND UNDESERVED LIFESTYLES )T S JEALOUSY PURE AND SIMPLE BUT THEN IT S NOT REALLY IMMORAL STRAIGHT THINKING *OES ARE BOUND TO RESENT THOSE WHO HAVE IT EASY AND THIS RESENTMENT IS UNDERSTANDABLE WHEN CERTAIN FOLK HAVE OBTAINED AN UNBURDENED LIFE WITHOUT EFFORT "UT WHEN DUES ARE EARNED IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY "ILL 'ATES EARNED THE POSITION HE IS IN TODAY AND IT IS NO EXAGGERATION TO PLACE THE POP LEGEND THAT WAS #HARLIE FROM "USTED IN THAT PLACE TOO 9ES h#HARLIE FROM "USTEDv THE FULL TITLE OF THE MAN WHO SAID hNO MOREv TO MANUFACTURED POP ROCK IMMATURITY

THE MAN WHO lNALLY DECIDE TO PLUG IN HIS GUITAR TO SEE WHAT SOUNDS HE HAD BEEN MAKING FOR THE PAST lVE OR SO YEARS )T WAS ALWAYS PUZ ZLING HOW 53 POP PUNKSTERS IN THE VEIN OF 4HE 3TARTING ,INE OR (OME 'ROWN ACTUALLY RECEIVED A DEGREE OF SUCCESS AND RESPECT ON "RIT SOIL WHILST OUR OWN EFFORTS STRUGGLED TO BREAK THROUGH THE HUNDREDS OF SCREAMING TEENAGE GIRLS 4HE TWO WORTH MENTIONING "USTED AND -C &LY UNFORTUNATELY HANG IN A PLACE OF SEMI MANUFACTURED POP BUT BOTH THESE GROUPS STARTED OUT WITH HOPES OF BEING ROCKSTARS THEY WERE JSUT PUBLICISED TO THE WRONG PEOPLE AND GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE EYE OF THE STORM THAT IS POP 2ESPECT WAS ALL IT CAME DOWN TO #HARLIE HAD JOINED A BAND WITH THE HOPES OF MAKING MUSIC BUT THAT BAND TOOK OFF IN THE POP WORLD AND THE SUCCESS EVERY ROCK FAN DREAMS OF WAS CLOUDED BY HAVING A CHOICE TAKEN AWAY #$5+ WAS NOT THE PLACE A SERIOUS ROCK STAR WANTS TO BE 4HE TRANSITION FROM NOT SO COOL BOYBAND ESQUE "USTED TO AUTHENTIC EMOCORE &IGHTSTAR FRAMED #HARLIE 3IMPSON THE LOCAL )PSWICH LAD AS A PRETENDER THREATENING TO BRING DOWN THE NICHE CLICHÏ OF REAL EMO

"REAKS #O OP

MUSIC !BSURD SONGS ABOUT !IR (OSTESSES ETC WERE CREDITED TO THE BAND WHO DIDNT EVEN WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS WITH ADDED RAINBOW COLOURS AND A TOUCH OF BLEACH IN THE HAIR THE ONLY THING TO SEPARATE "USTED FROM "OYZONE WAS THE FACT THAT AT LEAST "USTED PRETENDED TO BE AUTHENTIC 4HE REALITY IS HOW EVER THAT &IGHTSTAR ISN T EVEN CLOSE TO PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT BUT WITH ALL THE EMO TIVE HARDCORE AND SCREAMO RIFFAGE IN THE WORLD WILL THEY EVER SATISFY THE CRITICS %VEN AS HEADLINERS IN THE ,#2 LAST 4HURSDAY THE QUARTET PLAYED SECOND lDDLE TO THEIR HUM BLE SUPPORT ACT 2EUBEN !LTERNATIVE MUSIC FANS CAN NOT ACCEPT PREMA TURE POPULARITY BUT A HEADLINE TOUR EVEN BEFORE THE RELEASE OF A DEBUT MAKES IT SEEM MORE LIKE PRENATAL 2EUBEN THE TOUR SCARRED VETERANS OF 5+ ROCK REMAIN HUGELY RICH IN RE SPECT AND THEIR DEDICATED FAN S LOY ALTY ! MAJOR CONTRAST TO &IGHTSTAR

THE GROUP THAT WERE PROBABLY ONLY HEADLINING DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THEIR FRONTMAN WHOSE COMMERCIAL ATTRACTIVENESS WAS ONLY SKIN DEEP

HAD TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE GOT

SOMETHING TO OFFER THE SCENE EVEN IF THEIR FAME IS ILLFOUNDED /NE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT CRITICS SEEM TO FORGET IS &IGHTSTARS RECENT SIGNING ON TO $EEP %LM 2ECORDS 4HOSE WHO GREW UP LIS TENING TO THEIR REGULAR lX OF REAL EMO COMPILATIONS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT &IGHTSTAR AT LEAST TO THE 53 ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED NAMES IN EMO #HARLIE MAY HAVE FOLLOWED THE ARGUABLY MISTAKEN PATH OF "USTED BUT HE HAS NOT SOLD OUT HIS TRUE DREAMS WITH &IGHTSTAR 4HIS ISN T YOUR NU GOTH POSERS SUCH AS -Y #HEMICAL 2O MANCE OR THE !LL !MERICAN 2EJECTS BUT THEN THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE GENRE THEY ARE MORE EASILY AUTHEN TICATED BY USING YOUR EARS )T IS QUITE CLEAR THAT IF #HARLIE 3IMPSON WAS A NAME NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD BEFORE &IGHTSTAR AT THE MOMENT WOULD BE NOTHING 4HEIR %0 WOULD BE CIR CULATING MINOR ROCK CLUBS FOR FREE AND THEY ED BE DESPERATELY SEEKING A LABEL "UT WHAT THEY WOULD STILL HAVE IS THE POTENTIAL AND INDEED THE SKILL UPON LISTENING TO THEIR ALBUM IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THEY CAN WRITE SONGS AND GOOD ONES

!LTERNATIVE MUSIC FANS WON T ACCEPT PREMATURE POPULARITY &IGHTSTAR MUST EARN THEIR DUES

TOO )F #HARLIE HAD NEVER BEEN IN "USTED &IGHTSTAR MIGHT HAVE GROWN TO BECOME HUGELY RESPECTED STARS OF 5+ ROCK AND BE TOURING IN THE SAME VEIN AS 2EUBEN THEMSELVES OR EVEN "IFFY #LYRO "UT THIS IS NOT TO BE "USTED WAS BOTH A CURSE AND A LUCKY STRIKE FOR #HARLIE IT GAVE HIM A NAME ALBEIT TAINTED WITH UNDE SIRABLE PAST BUT A NAME NONE THE LESS 4HERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH USING THIS ADVANTAGE TO PROMOTE SOMETHING NEW &IGHTSTAR HAS NOT DILUTED THE BITCHY WORLD OF ROCK WITH THEIR MUSIC ONLY WITH THEIR PAST 4HEY CAN ONLY REMAIN AS A SPARK OF EMO THAT IS FORCED TO BATHE IN THE MAINSTREAM &OR A BAND THAT DO NOT DESIRE HITS NUMBER ONES OR ARENA STAGES ONLY A SIMPLE MARK OF RESPECT &IGHT STAR HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY POS SIBLY CAN TO ACHIEVE THIS BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL 7ITH HIS "ENTON &ALLS T SHIRT ON AND 3 ' TUNED UP AND READY #HARLIE 3IMPSON COULD EASILY BE THE NEXT *ONAH -ATRANGA (E HAS BEGUN HIS MASSIVE MISSION OF MAKING "USTED A THING OF THE PAST SOMETHING THAT MOST AREN T PREPARED TO LET HAPPEN

Event 15 The

Music

Fightstar  and  Reuben Â

,#2

4RAWLING THROUGH THE MAZE OF MUSIC FORUMS YOU WILL NO DOUBT lND 2EUBEN BEING THROWN AROUND IN AWE OF A BAND THAT @SO SHOULD BE 4HE VOICES OF FANATICAL S AND CHILDREN DONNING THEIR FAVOURITE HOODYS SOUND OUT LOUD IN AN TICIPATION "UT THIS ATMOSPHERE IS LIKE NO ORDINARY @PRE GIG NERVES THERE IS A REAL ANNOYANCE THAT 2EUBEN AREN T HIGHER ON THE BILL

ALTHOUGH THIS STILL TAKES NOTHING OUT OF THERE DESIRE TO SEE #HAR LIE 3IMPSON AND CO 2EUBEN ARE NOT HERE TO MERELY HOLD THE FORT

THEY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO 5%! TO RIP THE FORT APART WITH THEIR BARE HANDS 4HE CROWD LOVE 2EUBEN 4HEY LOVE 2EUBEN HOW THEY USED TO LOVE &UNERAL FOR A &RIEND IN THEIR HEYDAY SINGING ALONG TO EVERY CHORUS EVERY VERSE 4HE MIXTURE OF THE @OLD N NEW SHOWS A MASTERPIECE COLLECTION OF GUI TAR DRIVEN ANTHEMS AMPLY SHOW CASED HERE TONIGHT WITH FRIGHTFUL

Off  the Record 2EISSUE )SSUES

2EISSUING #$S IS SOMETHING THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS THRIVED ON FOR YEARS 4HE OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS TO SQUEEZE THEIR HARDCORE FANS OF EVEN MORE MONEY BY RE RELEASING A THIRTY YEAR OLD ALBUM IS COMMON PRACTICE BUT WHO ACTUALLY BENElTS IN THE LONG TERM #ERTAINLY NOT THE FANS WHO ARE SHELLING OUT AGAIN FOR SONGS THEY VE ALREADY GOT WITH THE ADDITION OF MAYBE A FEW BONUS TRACKS /NE OF THE MOST AN NOYING CASES OF THIS IS WHEN A BAND RELEASE AN ALBUM AND THEN A YEAR LATER WILL REISSUE THE ALBUM WITH MAYBE TWO EXTRA SONGS 3TEREOPHONICS WE RE LOOKING AT YOU 4HIS WEEK HAS SEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF BOTH 4HE *AM AND 3MALL &ACES REISSUING !LL -OD #ONS AND /GDEN S .UT 'ONE &LAKE RESPECTIVELY 7HILE THE RE ISSUES DO COME WITH THE USUAL SLEW OF " SIDES ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS DEMOS AND @MAKING OF DOCUMENTARIES ONLY THE MOST HARDCORE OF FANS WILL WANT TO BUY THESE VERSIONS n AND CASUAL LISTENERS WILL MORE LIKELY WANT THE ALBUM AS OPPOSED TO ALL THESE MODERN CONS 3O WHY RELEASE THESE EXPANDED VERSIONS NOW )T S SIMPLY A WAY TO LEAP ON A NEARLY PASSED BANDWAGON 4HE *AM S ALBUM AND 3MALL &ACES RELEASE HAVE BOTH BEEN MASSIVE INmUENCES ON TODAY S "RITISH ROCK BANDS FROM S BEHEMOTHS /ASIS AND "LUR THROUGH TO 4HE ,IBERTINES AND $IRTY 0RETTY 4HINGS AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE A PERFECT CHANCE TO CASH IN ON THE HORDES OF IMPRESSIONABLE $OHERTY AND "ARAT WORSHIPPING TEENAGERS .OW WHILE BOTH THESE ALBUMS ARE UNDENIABLY CLASSIC AND WORTH A PLACE IN ANYONE S #$ COL LECTION THEY CAN BE BOUGHT FOR LESS THAN A lVER FROM EBAY EASILY )F YOU RE INTERESTED IN THEM DO JUST THAT AND SAVE YOURSELF THE MONEY AND SONGS YOU LL NEVER LISTEN TO -AYBE THEN RECORD LABELS WILL REALISE HOW CYNICAL THEY RE BEING AND STOP 7E CAN HOPE AT LEAST #HRIS (YDE

16

Event The

VIGOUR AND COURTESY *AMIE ,EN MAN S MIXTURE OF PRIMAL SCREAM

GUTTURAL YEARNINGS AND AWESTRUCK RECEPTION GLIDE SWIFTLY AGAINST THE FURIOUS TAUTNESS OF THE UNTOUCH ABLE RHYTHM SECTION HERE 4HIS RE ALLY OUGHT TO BE THE CURRENT STATE OF "RITISH ROCK "UT JUST AS SOON AS THEY APPEAR THEY THEN DISAPPEAR

MUTTERING A DESIRE TO STAY LONGER UNDER THEIR BREATH AND WITH A SHOWMAN SHIP THAT HINTS AT AN ENCORE THAT NEVER COMES 4HIS OPENS THE PATH FOR &IGHT STAR TO DON THE STAGE WITH ALL THE ENERGY AND POWER THAT WE EXPECT FROM THEIR ENSEMBLE 4HEIR MATE RIAL DIFFERS GREATLY FROM WHAT 2E UBEN HAS JUST DISHED UP AND WHILST MANY EXPECTED TO SEE CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF THE CROWD THERE WAS NO DISCRIMINATION OF MUSIC GENRE HERE 4HE FANS HAD COME TO SEE "RITISH ROCK IN ITS ENTIRETY !FTER THE STANDARD INTRO OF IRONIC MUSIC AND GREEN LASERS #HARLIE

LEADS HIS BAND ONTO THE STAGE 4HE STROBES KICK IN THE HEAVY GUITAR RIFFS KICK IN AND IN ONE ALL MIGHTY CLASH THE ROOM ERUPTS INTO A FRENZY 4HE CRUSH THAT BURSTS FOR WARD SUGGEST THAT ONE OF "RITAINS BEST NEW COMER BANDS CAN EXCITE AN AUDIENCE AS MUCH AS THE METAL BAND THAT PRECEDED THEM ! LOOK ACROSS THE FRONT ROW MIGHT REVEAL YOUNG GIRLS WHO STILL HOLD #HAR LIE AS THEIR HEARTTHROB AS IF THEY D STUMBLED INTO THE AUDIENCE AT 4/40 "UT THE BAND HAS EVERY IN TENTION OF LEAVING THAT PAST BEHIND THEM 9OU COULD BE SURE THAT IN EVERY SONG #HARLIE WOULD ATTEMPT TO WHIP THE CROWD INTO AN ENERGY YOU USUALLY GET AT THE hFESTY Sv AND EVERY COMMAND IS MIRRORED WITH PRECISION &IGHTSTAR HAVE THE PRES ENCE OF A WELL TRAVELLED ROAD BAND AND THE HEART TO MATCH .O ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD TAKE THIS MOMENT AWAY FROM THEM 3AM 7ALLAM

Live  Gigs (ORACE !NDY ,#2 (ORACE !NDY IS ONE OF REGGAES GREATEST LIVING LEGENDS AND FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR ANOTHER CHANCE TO WITNESS THE MASTER AT WORK (E WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS TO EVER RECORD AT 3TUDIO /NE IN +INGSTON *AMAICA AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE S (IS BEAUTIFUL LILTING FALSETTO HAS CROONED WITH REGGAE LEGENDS LIKE #OXONE $ODD ALSO $UB MASTERS ,EE @3CRATCH 0ERRY AND +ING 4UBBY WHILE HIS MOST RECENT REMAKE OF SOME OF HIS CLASSICS WITH -ASSIVE !TTACK HAS GIVEN HIM A SOLID 5+ FANBASE &IRST ON THE BILL TONIGHT IS -AD 0ROFESSOR S !2)7! $UB SHOW 4HE HEAVY BASELINES AND THE OVERTLY EX PERIMENTAL SAMPLES OF THE 0ROF CRE ATE AN ATMOSPHERE AND IF IT WASN T FOR THE ,#2 lLLING UP WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WHITE KIDS WITH UN WASHED POO DREADLOCKS YOU MIGHT THINK FOR A BRIEF MOMENT THAT YOU WERE SWAYING IN A BACKYARD TENE MENT SOMEWHERE IN THE BOWLS OF +INGSTON h7E COME TO .ORWICH TO GO TO COLLEGEx TO GET SOME +NOWL EDGEv -AD 0ROFESSOR BOOMED THESE WORDS OUT IN HEAVY PATWA FROM THE STAGE SEVERAL TIMES MUCH TO TEH CROWD S AMUSEMENT !MID RIOTOUS

APPLAUSE A CAMOUmAGED GREY HAIRED (ORACE !NDY TAKES THE STAGE NEXT WITH THE "LOOD !ND &IRE 3OUNDSYS TEM WHICH ACTUALLY ONLY CONSISTS OF ONE SOLITARY MAN SPINNING BACKING TRACKS )T S A SIMPLE SHOW BUT IT CRE ATES AN @INTIMATE ENVIRONMENT OF SORTS (ORACE S ETHEREAL VOICE SEEMS TO HAVE MATURED WITH AGE AND TRACKS LIKE @-ONEY -ONEY AND @:ION 'ATE STILL CARRY THE SAME RESONANCE AND WEIGHT THEY DID YEARS AGO (ALF WAY THROUGH HIS SET (ORACE STOPS TO ASK THE CROWD TO @BUILD HIM A SPLIFF WITHOUT ANY TOBACCO IN IT TO HIS VISIBLY GREAT PLEASURE SOMEONE

DOES (E SINGS US -ASSIVE !TTACK SONGS BUT FOR SOME REASON CANNOT PLAY THE BACKING TRACKS FOR THEM "ECAUSE OF THIS HIS FAMOUS HIT @3KYLARKING IS PROBABLY THE BEST RE CEIVED TRACK TONIGHT 4HE 3OOTHSAY ERS WHO ARE AN EIGHT PIECE !FRO $UB BAND lNISH OFF THE SHOW WITH THEIR LIGHTHEARTED .AIROBI STREET PARTY VIBE 4HEY ARE QUITE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS DANCE

HOWEVER WAITING FOR (ORACE TO RE APPEAR AND SING WITH THEM WAS ALL IN VAIN UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS ELEVEN THIRTY AND WAY PAST HIS BED TIME 'EORGE 7YNDHAM

Music

Singles 'ORILLAZ %L -ANANA +IDS 7ITH 'UNS 'ORILLAZ FOURTH SINGLE RELEASE FROM THE OUTSTANDING $EMON $AYS SEES THE BAND RESURRECT A FORMAT THAT MANY THOUGHT DIED OUT WITH THE DODO n THE DOUBLE ! SIDE )N AMONGST THE USUAL SLEW OF " SIDES AND VIDEO FEATURES ACROSS THE RE LEASES ARE A FEW VERY SPECIAL THINGS INDEED )N THE BAND HELD A 0OP )DOL ESQUE COMPETITION ON THEIR WEBSITE TO lND A COLLABORA TOR TO WORK WITH ON THE lNAL SINGLE OF THIS PART OF THEIR CAREER 7ITH ITS POPULARITY BEING MUCH HIGHER THAN PRECEDENTED THE GROUP DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH ONE PERSON AS WAS PLANNED THAT THEY D WORK WITH THREE SEPARATE PEOPLE ON THE VIDEO ARTWORK AND " SIDE FOR THE SONGS 4HE RESULTING PACKAGE IS NOW lNALLY HERE %L -ANANA A DARK AND MELLOW PIECE OF LO l GOODNESS

HAS BEEN GIVEN THE USUAL GLOSSY ANI MATED VIDEO n THIS TIME WITH THE TWIST OF BEING MORE DEPRESSING THAN AN EMO KID MOPING IN HIS BED ROOM AND CULMINATING IN THE DEATH

OF ONE OF THE 'ORILLAZ !S A VIDEO OF THIS STYLE DESPITE BEING UNIQUE

WOULD HAVE MOST CASUAL MUSIC LIS TENERS REACHING FOR THE REMOTE THE SONG HAS BEEN BOLSTERED BY THE MUCH MORE RADIO FRIENDLY +IDS WITH 'UNS WHICH IS CATCHY AND BOUNCY DARK POP AT ITS BEST AND WAS SCREAM ING OUT FOR A SINGLE RELEASE $AMON !LBARN S LAZY SINGING DURING THE VERSES SITS PERFECTLY AT ODDS WITH HIS SOARING VOCALS IN THE CHORUS AND THE SAMPLE OF 3ALT N 0EPA S 0USH )T FEELS LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN JUST FOR THIS SONG n EXPECT TO HEAR IT AT THE ,#2 SOMETIME SOON 7ITH " SIDES IN CLUDING A SONG RECORDED WITH %INAR /RN EX MEMBER OF 3UGARCUBE AND THE VARIOUS BITS @N BOBS MADE WITH THE NEW COLLABORATORS THE WHOLE PACKAGE MAKES FOR SOME VERY IN TERESTING LISTENING AND IS DElNITELY A GLEAMING GEM IN THE DARKNESS OF THIS WEEK S SINGLE RELEASES #HRIS (YDE

-EW 4HE :OOKEEPERS "OY -EW S APPROACH IS THAT @-USIC IS ANOTHER WAY TO KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS ELSEWHERE@ 4HE :OOKEEPER S "OY DOES INDEED SEEM TO BE SOME KIND OF WEIRD ESCAPE FROM REALITY 4HIS SONG FULL OF STRANGE LYRICS AND HAR MONIES IS SOMETHING ORIGINAL EXCIT ING AND RELAXING ALL ROLLED INTO ONE 4HIS IS THE SORT OF MUSIC THAT TAKES A NUMBER OF LISTENS TO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT S GOING ON )T IS

What’s  On

ALSO THE SORT OF TRACK THAT WOULD BE BETTER LISTENED TO AS PART OF A FULL AL BUM AS -EW ARE THE TYPE OF GROUP THAT SEEM TO REVEL IN CREATING AN OVERALL JOURNEY THROUGH AN ALBUM RATHER THAN EACH TRACK BEING A SEPA RATE ENTITY &OR SOME THIS MUSIC MAY JUST BE THAT LITTLE BIT TOO STRANGE BUT FOR ANY FANS OF SOME OF -EW S INmUENCE SUCH AS THE 0IXIES OR -Y "LOODY VALENTINE THEY ARE A BAND WORTH A SECOND LOOK -ARK #RAWLEY

SECOND RANT PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF %AMON (AMILTON FORMERLY OF "RIT ISH 3EA 0OWER OFFERING hGUIDANCEv TOWARDS THE VICE PRESIDENT @!LL .IGHT $ISCO 0ARTY IS PERHAPS MORE LIGHT HEARTED ALTHOUGH EQUALLY EC CENTRIC 4HIS FEEL GOOD ANTHEM IS CHARACTERIZED BY UNIQUE GUITAR RIFFS AND THE REPETITION OF THE UP BEAT RE FRAIN hA SUPER NON STOP UBER ROCKING DISCO PARTY v 4HE TRUE EXTENT OF THE TRACK S DANCE mOOR APPEAL WAS HIGH LIGHTED BY THE RECEPTION IT RECEIVED ON "RAKES RECENT TOUR SUPPORTING %DITORS WHEREBY THE ELECTRIC ENERGY ON STAGE EMANATED THROUGH THE EN THUSIASTIC MASSES WHO WERE MOVED

QUITE LITERALLY

BY THE STAND OUT SONG OF THE SET 'UARANTEED TO ENTERTAIN

"RAKES DESERVE FULL RECOGNITION AS A GREAT NEW TALENT AND THIS COULD BE THE SONG TO ATTAIN IT FOR THEM 3OPHIE #ASTLE #LARKE

"RAKES !LL .IGHT $ISCO 0ARTY &ROM THE DEBUT ALBUM h'IVE "LOODv @!LL .IGHT $ISCO 0ARTY CON FORMS TO THE QUIRKY ALMOST NOVELTY STYLE CAPTURED ON "RAKES lRST ALBUM RELEASE 3IXTEEN TRACKS SPEED PAST THE LISTENER IN JUST MINUTES LEAVING THEM REFRESHED AND SATISlED IF NOT A LITTLE DAZED .O SUBJECT MATTER IS LEFT UNEXPLORED ON THIS EXPRESS MUSICAL VOYAGE INCLUDING !MERICAN POLITICS

WHICH IS ADDRESSED WITH THE APTLY TITLED TRACK @#HENEY 4HE VIGOROUS

4HE 6IBRANTS "ULLET %0 &OUR TRACKS HERE THAT SCREAM @LIVE PERFORMANCE /N lRST IMPRESSIONS YOU EXPECT TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF

A YOUNG "RITISH BAND ASPIRING TO ROCK STATUS )NSTEAD HOWEVER WE ARE AUDIENCE TO lVE EXPERIENCED MUSICIANS SQUIRMING AT THE CAUL OF MODERN CHART ROCK #OMPARISONS WITH THE %DITORS HAVE BEEN MADE

PERHAPS INEVITABLY BUT THIS CAN BE JUSTIlED ONLY AS FAR AS THE lRST TWENTY SECONDS OF THIS %0 S OPENING TRACK @"ULLET 7ITH THE EXTENSION PROVIDED BY A REALLY FUNKED UP OR GAN 4HE 6IBRANTS FROM THIS POINT ON ARE QUITE THEMSELVES IN CRASH ING AND ENERGETIC FORM 4HROUGHOUT WE HAVE VOCALS AND HARMONIES THAT EMIT THE SENSE OF A SMOKING LIVE EX PERIENCE ON A STUDIO ALBUM WITH CONVICTION ENOUGH TO COMPEL US ON TO PLAY EACH SONG IN ITS ENTIRETY AND NOT FEEL DRIVEN INTO THE REALMS OF MONOTONY AND SO THE 6IBRANTS DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES FROM THE %DITORS 4HERE S A LOT OF SOUND IN THESE FOUR TRACKS TWISTS AND TURNS IN TEM PO THAT DOUBLE BACK ON A REASSUR INGLY STRONG UNDERTONE OF CONSIST ENCY )NTERESTINGLY THESE GUYS HAVE PLAYED AN ACOUSTIC SET SUPPORTING "ADLY $RAWN "OY WHICH 5NDOUBT EDLY POINTS TOWARD THE VERSATILITY THEY OWN AS A BAND AND GOES SOME WAY TO JUSTIFYING THE OPPORTUNITIES BEING OFFERED TO THEM WITH PLANS TO RECORD A SECOND %0 FOR I4UNES IN THE NEAR FUTURE )T LOOKS AS THOUGH A STRONG ALBUM MAY BE ON THE CARDS LATER THIS YEAR n PERHAPS "RITISH ROCK IS STARTING TO BREATHE *OEL 3MITH

Wednesday  29/3/06

&ILM 4HE #ORPORATION &2%% PM ,4 0ROTOCOL a PM 7ATERFRONT !NNUAL $ANCE 3OC .IGHT a PM THE (IVE

Thursday  30/3/06

0IRATES VS $EVIANTS 'IG a PM 4HE &ERRYBOAT -ENDEED OTHERS a PM 7ATERFRONT 5NION lLM -ARCH OF THE 0ENGUINS a PM ,4 *OHN %THERIDGE !ND +IT (OLMES a PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE

Friday  31/3/06

4HIN ,IZZY a PM ,#2 "RITTEN 3INFONIA ,AYTON a a PM 4HE #ATHEDRAL #OLIN "LUNSTONE 2OD !RGENT /F 4HE :OMBIES a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE .ONSTOP S a PM 7ATERFRONT

Saturday  1/4/06

+UNK a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE -ELTDOWN )N 4HE "AG a PM 7ATERFRONT #LUB 2ETRO VS .OW S a PM ,#2

Sunday  2/4/06

5STAD !SHRAF 3HARIF a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE

Monday  3/4/06

+ILLING *OKE a PM 7ATERFRONT #OMEDY 2USSELL +ANE a PM THE (IVE

Tuesday  4/4/06

7ISHBONE !SH a PM 7ATERFRONT 0ETER +ING 1UARTET &2%% PM 4HE 'REEN -AN 3AM "ROWN a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE 3KOOL $AZE a PM ,#2

Wednesday  5/4/06

5NION &ILM "ROKEN &LOWERS a PM ,4 .IGHTMARES ON 7AX 3OUNDSYSTEM a PM 7ATERFRONT

Thursday  6/4/06

5NION &ILM #ORPSE "RIDE a PM ,4 #ORINNE "AILEY 2AE 3/,$ /54 PM ,#2 4ERRAFOLK a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE

Friday  7/4/06

7E 6S $EATH a ADV PM .ORWICH !RTS #ENTRE ,AST #HANCE ,#2 a4"!

PM ,#2 S .IGHT (IT 0ARADE a PM 7ATERFRONT

Saturday  8/4/06

#ARTRIDGE &2%% PM 4HE !LIBI 0AMS (OUSE AND 0HUNKY a PM ,#2

Want  to  place  a  listing? #ONTACT CONCRETE LISTINGS UEA AC UK /R CALL

Must  see:  #ORINNE "AILEY 2AE

!RTISTS LIKE #ORINNE "AILEY 2AE OFTEN END THEIR BRUSHES WITH FAME BY SIMPLY RUNNING OUT OF STEAM NOT QUITE HAV ING THE INDIVDIUALITY OR STAYING POWER THEY NEED 4HE REAL TEST IS WHETHER THEY CAN CUT THE MUSTARD WHEN THEY RE LIVE

WHEN THEY VE GOT NOTHING TO RELY ON BUT THE SET OF PIPES THEY WERE BORN WITH "Y ALL ACCOUNTS #ORINNE "AILEY 2AE IS LOOK ING TO STAY EXACTLY WHERE SHE IS WOWING AUDIENCES UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY !DMITEDLY THE IMAGE SHE HAS CULTIVAT ED FOR HERSELF AS A NON OFFENSIVE SWEET SOUNDING SONGSTRESS COULD DO WITH A LIT TLE SOMETHING TO JAZZ IT UP AND HER IM PRESSIVE LIVE PERFORMANCES HAVE DONE JUST THE TRICK )T NEVER FAILS TO IMPRESS WHEN AN ARTIST CAN TRULY DELIVER THE SAME VOCAL QUALITY LIVE AS THEIR LATEST HIT SINGLE DEMONSTRATES 3O THE CHANCE TO SEE A TRUE TALENT BEFORE SHE STARTS BOOK ING HUGE VENUES IS A RARE TREAT

Event 17 The

Film

Main  Feature Hostel $IR %LI 2OTH 2ELEASE $ATE

(OSTEL S DIRECTOR AND WRITER %LI 2OTH POSSIBLY HAD OTHER INTENTIONS FOR HIS NEW lLM THAN TO SCARE FUTURE TOURISTS AWAY FROM VISITING RURAL 3LOVAKIA -AYBE HE WANTED HIS lLM TO SCARE HEDONISTIC !MERICAN YOUTHS FROM PLUNGING HEADLONG INTO %ASTERN %UROPE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT REALLY GOES ON THERE -AYBE HE HAD NO MORALISTIC LESSONS UP HIS SLEEVE BUT SIMPLY WANTED TO

CREATE AN ENJOYABLE INTERESTING AND ENGROSSING HORROR TORTURE mICK THAT MAKES AUDIENCE MEMBERS CRINGE INTO THEIR OVER PRICED POPCORN IN COMPULSIVE FEAR AND DISGUST 7HETHER HE ACHIEVED EITHER OF THE lRST TWO IS DEBATABLE !S ) WALKED OUT OF THE CINEMA HAVING SEEN (OSTEL ) OVERHEARD A MAN COMMENTING PARAPHRASING OF COURSE @WELL THAT lLM HAS DONE

TWO THINGS MAKE ME NEVER WANT TO GO TO 3LOVAKIA AND TO NEVER SEE ANOTHER 4ARANTINO lLM !

FAIR COMMENT AND A TELLING ONE BECAUSE IT SEEMED THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO SAW THE TRAILER BELIEVED THAT (OSTEL WAS THE NEW 4ARANTINO lLM

WHICH IT MOST DElNITELY IS NOT 4O BE FAIR IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CONTRIBUTION HE ACTUALLY MADE !CCORDING TO THE !MERICAN

ADVERTISING HE WAS @PRESENTING THE lLM WHICH NORMALLY MEANS THAT HE WAS CHIEF DIRECTOR OR WRITER (OWEVER JUST TO CLEAR THINGS UP THIS IS AN %LI 2OTH lLM BOTH WRITTEN AND DIRECTED 4ARANTINO WAS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER 4HE PRIDE OF PLACE GIVEN TO HIS NAME IS SIMPLY FALSE ADVERTISING 5NFORTUNATELY THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PIECE OF FALSE ADVERTISING IN THE TRAILER WHICH PROMISED CONTENTS OF EXTREME GORE AND VIOLENCE

AND MOREOVER INNOVATION 4HE HIGH PITCHED PRAISES OF SOME lLM PUNDITS CONCURRED WITH THIS AND THE CINEMATIC MARKETING MACHINE PROJECTED (OSTEL S IMAGE AS ONE OF THE YEAR S BEST RELEASES 4HE TRUTH IS THAT AS POLISHED AND WELL CRAFTED AS IT IS (OSTEL IS A FRANKLY UNORIGINAL HORROR lLM WHERE THE CAREFREE AND SELlSH YOUNGSTERS ARE PREYED UPON AND DECEIVED BY MURDEROUS MANIACS A LA (OUSE OF 7AX ETC

WHO ARE IN THIS INSTANCE 3LOVAKIANS CATERING FOR THE TWISTED DESIRES OF MORALLY BANKRUPT WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN 5NDENIABLY THERE ARE SCENES OF THE MUCH VAUNTED VIOLENCE AND GORE BUT NOT SO MANY THAT THEY GET REPETITIVE AND ONLY SERVE TO DESENSITISE THE AUDIENCE JUST A LITTLE

MORE /NE OR TWO EVEN GENUINELY SHOCK AND ) ADMIT THAT ) HAD TO LOOK AWAY SHARPISH AT ONE POINT 4HE !MERICAN HORROR lLM STRUCTURE IS lRMLY IN PLACE HOWEVER AND THE COUNTDOWN TO CRISIS AND EVENTUAL RESOLUTION AT THE END COMES ACROSS AS SOMEWHAT TIRED

IF NOT ANNOYINGLY SO 3IMILARLY

THE CHARACTERS ARE ONCE MORE LET DOWN BY THEIR INABILITY TO SEE THE SLIGHTLY 0INOCCHIO ESQUE PLOT THAT IS UNFOLDING AROUND THEM WHICH LEAVES TWO OF THE THREE FRIENDS AS SO MANY DONKEYS SOLD FOR THE SLAUGHTER ENDING THEIR DAYS IN IMMENSE PAIN AS PART OF ANOTHER MAN S HOMICIDAL FANTASY $ESPITE THESE mAWS AND THE FACT THAT 2OTH SEEMS TO THINK 'ERMAN IS THE $UTCH lRST LANGUAGE (OSTEL IS ENJOYABLE AND CONVINCING ENOUGH TO SECURE INTEREST FOR ITS DURATION IF NOT AFTERWARDS ) RECOMMEND SEEING IT AS LONG AS YOU RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE NEXT DAZZLING 4ARANTINO SHOW STOPPER OR EVEN AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE HORROR lLM GENRE )F THIS WAS 2OTH S INTENTION WHEN HE SET OUT THEN WELL DONE TO HIM

BUT HE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST PUT THAT IN THE TRAILER !LEX &LUX

Five  Great:   Bruce  Lee  Films 4HE RESURGENCE OF -ARTIAL !RTS lLMS IS THANKS IN PART TO THE +ILL "ILL lLMS AND EMERGING STARS SUCH AS *ET ,I AND 4ONY *AA BUT THE -ARTIAL !RTS lLM WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE 7ESTERN WORLD IF IT WASN T FOR ONE MAN "RUCE ,EE WHO HIT IT BIG IN !MERICA WITH %NTER THE $RAGON 3OME WOULD ARGUE THAT ,EE WILL ALWAYS BE THE MILESTONE FOR EVERY ASPIRING -ARTIAL !RTS ACTOR 7ITH THIS IN MIND HERE ARE lVE OF HIS GREATEST lLMS 4HE "IG "OSS 4HE "IG "OSS WAS "RUCE ,EE S lRST MAJOR lLM )NITIALLY THE STAR OF THE lLM WAS INTENDED TO BE *AMES 4IEN BUT ,EE S STRONG PERFORMANCE RELEGATED 4IEN THEN A MAJOR STAR IN (ONG +ONG TO SECOND BILLING (IS SUCCESS IN THIS lLM MADE "RUCE ,EE A STAR ACROSS !SIA AND IS MY

18

Event The

PERSONAL FAVOURITE OF ,EE S lLMS 4HE "IG "OSS 4HE lLM IS SET IN THE S DURING THE OCCUPATION OF 3HANGHAI BY SEVERAL FOREIGN COUNTRIES INCLUDING *APAN 4HE lLM IS FAMOUS FOR THE SCENE IN WHICH #HEN :HEN PLAYED BY ,EE IS DENIED ENTRY INTO A PARK BEARING A SIGN STATING @.O $OGS AND #HINESE !LLOWED !FTER THE GUARDS ALLOWED A FOREIGNER S DOG TO ENTER THE PARK A GROUP OF *APANESE APPROACHED #HEN INFORMING THAT HE HAD TO PRETEND TO BE A DOG BEFORE BEING ALLOWED INSIDE THE PARK #HEN BECAME FURIOUS AND PROCEEDED TO ATTACK THE *APANESE WITH PUNCHES AND KICKS !FTER THAT

HE KICKED THE OFFENDING SIGN IN THE AIR AND BROKE IT WITH A mYING KICK 7AY OF THE $RAGON 4ANG ,UNG "RUCE ,EE IS SENT

FROM (ONG +ONG TO 2OME TO HELP A FAMILY FRIEND WHOSE RESTARAUNT IS BEING TARGET BY THE ,OCAL -AlA !FTER COUNTLESS ATTEMPTS OF TRYING TO BUY OUT THE RESTAURANT OWNER S LAND THE GANGSTERS TURN TO FORCE n AND CARELESSLY UNDERESTIMATE THE NEWCOMER !FTER FACING DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF 4ANG ,UNG THE CRIMINALS RESORT TO HIRING THEIR OWN MARTIAL ARTS EXPERTS !LL OF THIS INEVITABLY LEADS TO A lNAL SHOWDOWN IN THE #OLOSSEUM BETWEEN 4ANG ,UNG AND #OLT 4HE lLM IS ALSO DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY ,EE %NTER THE $RAGON 7ARNER "ROTHERS MARTIAL ARTS lLM STARRING ,EE *OHN 3AXON AND *IM +ELLY )T IS THE LAST COMPLETE lLM MADE BY "RUCE ,EE BEFORE HIS DEATH HE DIED THE MONTH BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED )T IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE DElNITIVE +UNG &U lLM

AND WAS THE lRST TO EVER BE MADE

BY A (OLLYWOOD STUDIO )T HAS ONE OF THE MOST INmUENTIAL MARTIAL ARTS SCENES EVER MADE n THE .UNCHAKU SCENE 'AME OF $EATH 4HIS WAS THE lLM ,EE HAD PLANNED TO BE THE DEMONSTRATION PIECE OF HIS MARTIAL ART *EET +UNE $O MINUTES OF FOOTAGE WAS SHOT

BEFORE HIS DEATH SOME OF WHICH WAS LATER LOST AND HAS NOT YET BEEN RECOVERED 4HE REMAINING FOOTAGE HAS BEEN RELEASED WITH "RUCE ,EE S ORIGINAL %NGLISH DUBBING AS PART OF THE DOCUMENTARY ENTITLED "RUCE ,EE ! 7ARRIOR S *OURNEY -OST OF THE FOOTAGE WHICH WAS SHOT IS FROM WHAT WAS TO BE THE CENTRE PIECE OF THE lLM 4ONY 3AUNDERS

Film

Thinking  Films

-OVIES ARE OFTEN REGARDED AS GUIDES TO THE TIMES AND RECENTLY PHILOSOPHY HAS GOT IN ON THE ACT OF @READING lLMS ,AURA "URNETT CASTS A PHILOSOPHER S EYE OVER &IGHT #LUB AND -EMEMTO AND ASKS WHETHER lNDING METHOD IN MADNESS SPOILS THE FUN

3

HOULD THE lRST RULE OF &IGHT #LUB BE TO CONSIDER 4YLER $URDEN S P H I L O S O P H I C A L RELEVANCE $O ,EONARD S FREAKY TATTOOS ACT AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A -EMENTO $OES ANYONE ACTUALLY CARE &ILM CAN BE AN ENGAGING WAY OF PORTRAYING VITAL PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES TO PUPILS OF THE SUBJECT #OLOURFUL AND CREATIVE IMAGES ON SCREEN ARE OF COURSE MORE FAVOURABLE THAN HOLDING YOUR EYELIDS UP WITH MATCH STICKS TO GO OVER ANOTHER COMPLICATED TEXT !N OPEN MIND IS REQUIRED BEFORE ANY PHILOSOPHICAL RELEVANCE CAN BE PLUCKED FROM A RANDOM mICK THOUGH 3TUDENTS OF A MORE DOWN TO EARTH SUBJECT MAY BE EXPECTED TO RESPOND BY SAYING ANY lLM CAN BE VIEWED PHILOSOPHICALLY 0HILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS LAY UNANSWERED n WHY COULDN T "RIDGET *ONES GIVE US THE SOLUTION 4HOUGH NOT WRONG THESE VIEWS CAN BE CHALLENGED AS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE lLMS THAT STAND OUT MILES AHEAD FROM THE EMPTY lLMS THAT WE WASTE TIME SEEING 4HE IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT ALL lLM LOVERS NEED ANSWERED IS WHETHER 0HILOSOPHY CAN BRING ANYTHING TO THE ENJOYMENT OF OUR FAVOURITE MOVIES &IGHT #LUB IS A CRAZY lLM IN ANYONE S EYES 4HE PROTAGONIST HAS BEEN SUCKED INTO THE COMMERCIAL WORLD OF )KEA AND AS %DWARD .ORTON EFFECTIVELY PUTS IT @0LANET 3TARBUCKS 3O WHAT BETTER WAY TO ESCAPE THIS MODERN MADNESS IN WHICH EVERYONE WALKS AROUND LIKE ZOMBIES IN SUITS THAN BEATING THE CRAP OUT OF OTHER MEN AS A FORM OF GROUP MASCULINE @THERAPY 4HIS IS WHERE PHILOSOPHY COMES IN $UMB WIT VIEWERS WHO PREFER A ROMANTIC COMEDY WILL VIEW THIS PHILOSOPHICAL MASTERPIECE AS ANOTHER REASON FOR ONSCREEN VIOLENCE #LEARLY IT IS AN EXCELLENT EXCUSE TO SEE "RAD S BOD

BUT BE SURE THAT THERE IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT TO IT 4HE QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE JUMPING UP IN OUR HEADS AS WE WATCH lLMS IS @WHY 7HY DOES THE UNNAMED PROTAGONIST SEE EVERYTHING AS @A COPY OF A COPY OF A COPY #OME TO THINK OF IT WHY IS THE UNFORGETTABLE %D .ORTON S CHARACTER UNNAMED -OST IMPORTANTLY WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THE PENGUIN BEING HIS @POWER ANIMAL 4HOSE VIEWERS WITH A PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND MAY

SUGGEST POSSIBLE ANSWERS .ANCY "AUER A CONTRIBUTOR TO 2UPERT 2EAD S AND *ERRY 'OODENOUGH S BOOK &ILM AS 0HILOSOPHY EXPRESSES THE OPINION OF &IGHT #LUB EXPRESSING #ARTESIAN SCEPTICISM )N BRIEF THE IDEA IS THAT &IGHT #LUB COULD BE QUESTIONING THE NOTION OF REALITY JUST AS 2ENEE $ESCARTES DID IN HIS INFAMOUS -EDITATIONS 4HIS IS OBVIOUS ONCE HAVING TAKEN A COURSE DEDICATED TO lLM AND PHILOSOPHY

BUT ANYONE CAPABLE OF REALISING LIFE S IMPORTANCES CAN WATCH A lLM LIKE ANY OTHER REGULAR PHILOSOPHER #HRIS .OLAN S -EMENTO ITSELF IS A FANTASTIC ADVENTURE STARRING 'UY 0IERCE 4HE lLM JUST AS WITH ANY OTHER ATTENTION CATCHING PICTURE

OFFERS ESCAPISM .OLAN S INGENIOUS IDEA OF HAVING THE STORY RUN BACK TO FRONT KEEPS BOTH THE PROTAGONIST

,EONARD AND THE AUDIENCE DEEP IN CONCENTRATION YET CONFUSED AND DETERMINED TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF WHO IS @*OHN ' WE ARE DRAGGED FROM OUR OWN SIMPLE LIVES INTO A WORLD WHERE MEMORY LASTS ONE DAY ,EONARD AS A RESULT MUST TATTOO HIMSELF WITH SUPPOSED FACTS ABOUT THE CASE AND TAKE PICTURES TO STORE HIS MEMORY OUTSIDE THE MOVIE REEL IN HIS HEAD -EMENTO RAISES THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUERY OF PERSONAL IDENTITY $OES ANYTHING EXIST OUTSIDE OUR MINDS #AN WE TRUST THE PEOPLE AND OBJECTS IN THE WORLD AROUND IT #AN WE TRUST OURSELVES

9OU WILL NEED TO WATCH IT TO SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT ! lLM S SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY A COMBINATION OF ITS POPULARITY

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE AND ECONOMIC BENElT TO ITS MAKERS AT LEAST 0HILOSOPHY OFFERS A NEW AND EXTREMELY WORTHY WAY OF CLASSING A lLM AS GOOD "LADE 2UNNER IS A PECULIAR lLM AND UNFORTUNATELY STARS BORING (ARRISON &ORD BUT TO A PHILOSOPHICALLY MINDED VIEWER THIS IS DElNITELY NOT WORTH OVERLOOKING 4HE EASY THING IS THAT ANYONE CAN ALLOW THEMSELVES TO WATCH A lLM THROUGH PHILOSOPHERS EYES .OT TRYING TO SOUND LIKE SOME SICKENING *ULIE !NDREWS ESQUE PREACHER BUT WATCHING A lLM IN A PHILOSOPHICAL FRAME OF MIND CAN ALLOW US TO SEE THAT lLMS HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER -EMORABLE MOVIES CAN TEACH US MORE ABOUT OUR LIVES AND EVEN OURSELVES -EMENTO LIKE &IGHT #LUB WHEN LINKED WITH PHILOSOPHY CAN ALLOW US TO RE ASSESS OUR POSITION IN THE WORLD 3EEING SOMEONE SO SCREWED UP PUTS IT INTO CONTEXT 0ERHAPS MY LIFE ISN T AS BAD AS PREVIOUSLY IMAGINED AT LEAST ) AM SURE OF MY MEMORY $ESCARTES WOULD BEG TO DIFFER BUT THAT S NOT THE POINT 3OME STUDENTS MAY DISMISS PHILOSOPHY S CONTRIBUTION TO lLM ENTIRELY 0HILOSOPHERS ARE OVER ANALYTICAL CREATURES AND IT COULD BE THAT $AVID &INCHER DID NOT WANT

7HY DOES &IGHT #LUB S UNNAMED PROTAGONIST SEE EVERYTHING AS @A COPY OF A COPY OF A COPY

HIS lLM TO BE STUDIED IN A NIT PICKING MANNER &IGHT #LUB AND OTHER lLMS GLOBALLY POPULAR OR OTHERWISE HOWEVER HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON SOCIETY GOOD AND BAD 4HERE MUST BE A REASON BEHIND THIS FORCE IT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED

BY CHANCE 4HERE MUST BE A METHOD TO 4YLER S MADNESS $OES THIS WAY OF SITTING THROUGH A lLM TAKE AWAY THE ENJOYMENT )T IS A TASK THAT MANY WOULD DISPOSE OF SEEING AS IT COULD TAKE AWAY THE ENJOYMENT OF FANTASY AND LINKING IT BACK TO OUR OWN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES 6IEWERS WHO DO ACTUALLY EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY THROUGH lLM HAVE REALISED THAT A LOT HAS GONE INTO THE lLM SO THE LEAST THE VIEWER CAN DO IS MAKE THE MOST OF IT -INDLESSLY SITTING IN A CINEMA

TUCKING INTO SALTY POPCORN MAKES AN ENJOYABLE EVENING BUT GETTING UP AND LEAVING THE lLM BEHIND YOU RESTRICTS YOU FROM GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE #ONSIDERING THE EFFECT OF FACTORS IN lLM ON OUR OWN LIVES WHETHER IT IS THE CONCEPT OF MEMORY IN -EMENTO OR PERSONAL IDENTITY REPRESENTED BY THE SEXY -R 0ITT CAN LET US APPRECIATE OUR SITUATION &IGHT #LUB DESPITE THE VIOLENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOU SHOULD BE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE TO lND YOUR TRUE SELF 4HERE COULD NOT BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL REASON TO WATCH lLMS WITH PHILOSOPHICAL DEDICATION THAN THAT

-EMENTO

Event 19 The

Film

Computer  Genreated  )N THE MID S 4OY 3TORY PROPOSED #') TECHNOLOGY AS CINEMA S NEXT ARTISTIC REVOLUTION

BUT THE CURRENT GLUT OF #') lLMS SHOW MORE SIGNS OF FATIGUE THAN INNOVATION #HRIS (YDE LOOKS AT THE (OLLYWOOD TEMPLATE AND WONDERS WHETHER IT WILL EVER BE BROKEN

/ 4OY 3TORY

VER THE PAST FEW Y E A R S

T H E R E H A S BEEN AN I N F L U X OF #') COMPUTER ANIMATED IMAGERY lLMS IN OUR LOCAL CINEMAS

RANGING FROM THE GOOD 3HREK 4HE )NCREDIBLES THE BAD #HICKEN ,ITTLE -ADAGASCAR TO THE UGLY *IMMY .EUTRON "OY 'ENIUS "UT WHY IS THE CURRENT ANIMATED VOGUE LEANING TOWARDS THIS TYPE OF CARTOON )S ONCE AGAIN (OLLYWOOD SACRIlCING QUALITY FOR DAZZLING IMAGERY !ND MORE IMPORTANTLY

WHY DO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM FEATURE IRRITATING TALKING ANIMALS 4HERE IS A BASIC TEMPLATE THAT THESE lLMS ALL FOLLOW WHICH WILL BE OUTLINED BELOW %XPECT ANY #') lLMS RELEASED IN THE NEXTx OOH

LET S SAY TEN YEARS TO FOLLOW THIS VAGUE MODEL $AZZLING GRAPHICS 4HIS IS

OF COURSE HELPED BY THE COMPUTERS THAT THE lLMS ARE ANIMATED USING

AS THEY ALLOW THE IMAGERY TO BE MUCH CRISPER THE COLOURS TO LOOK MORE VIBRANT AND THE DETAIL TO BE MUCH MORE DElNED THAN GOOD OLD FASHIONED PENCILS @N PAPER 4HE DEEP OCEAN IN &INDING .EMO WITH PLANKTON mOATING PAST LOOKS SO REALISTIC THAT YOU COULD ALMOST BE

20

#') lLMS ARE HERE TO STAY IN ALL THEIR CELEBRITY VOICED

POP CULTURE REFERENCING

FRANCHISE MAKING GLORY

Event The

WALLOWING AROUND THE SEA BED WITH -ARLIN AND $ORY #UTE CHARACTERS @#UTE CAN RANGE FROM KIDS FAWNING OVER THE CUDDLY IKKLE PUDDY CAT 3HREK TO ADULTS BEING CHARMED BY 7OODY S CONSTANT GOOD NATURE 4OY 3TORY 4HE CUTENESS OF THE CHARACTERS WILL OBVIOUSLY HELP ITS APPEAL n A lLM ABOUT NASTY AND FOUL TEMPERED SWAMP CREATURES MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST lLM FROM THE VIEW OF CUTENESS 4HEN AGAIN 3HREK PROVED THAT WRONG ! SHARP SCRIPT 0LENTY OF WITTY ONE LINERS AND QUOTABLE PASSAGES MAKE FOR A GOOD SCRIPT AND SO #') lLMS USE THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE 7HO COULD FORGET "UZZ ,IGHTYEAR S RESPONSE TO 7OODY S RANT AT HIM ON THE FORECOURT OF THE PETROL STATION IN THE lRST 4OY 3TORY !FTER AN UNEXPECTEDLY VITRIOLIC RANT FROM EVERYONE S FAVOURITE COWBOY "UZZ SIMPLY SHAKES HIS HEAD SADLY AND RESPONDS @9OU ARE A SAD STRANGE

LITTLE MAN 0RICELESS 0OP CULTURE REFERENCES 4HIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN lLMS VERY RARELY A DECADE OR SO AGO AND YET EVERY SINGLE #') lLM NOW USES THESE )N #HICKEN ,ITTLE FOR EXAMPLE

BARELY lVE MINUTES GO BY WITHOUT A PARODY OF A FAMOUS lLM SONG OR CELEBRITY THE OPENING SEQUENCE ALONE FEATURES SPOOFS OF 2AIDERS OF THE ,OST !RK AND 4HE ,ION +ING 1UITE WHY THIS TREND HAS SUDDENLY

BEGUN IS UNCLEAR n THE MOST LIKELY REASON IS TO MAKE IT APPEAL TO ALL AGES AS ADULTS THAT ARE DRAGGED ALONG TO SEE THE NEWEST $ISNEY lLM

BY THEIR KIDS ARE REWARDED WITH REFERENCES TO lLMS THEY KNOW #ELEBRITY VOICES 4HIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TAKEN OFF WITH #') lLMS AS WELL BUT WAS PRESENT FROM THE S ONWARDS IN TRADITIONAL ANIMATED lLMS &ROM THE VERY lRST #') lLM 4OY 3TORY FAMOUS ACTORS AND ACTRESSES HAVE RECORDED VOICES FOR CHARACTERS MEANING THAT PARTICULARLY NERDY AUDIENCES CAN DISCERN THE NAME OF THE ACTOR FROM THE VOICE ALONE 4HIS DID HAPPEN IN ANIMATED lLMS TOO THE CAST OF 4HE ,ION +ING HAS MORE TOP CELEBRITIES THAN AT A POST /SCARS PISS UP BUT EVERY SINGLE #') lLM NOW FEATURES AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOUSEHOLD NAMES 4HE POSSIBILITY OF TURNING IT INTO A FRANCHISE $EPENDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE ABOVE lVE FACTORS

THEN A LUCRATIVE #') lLM WILL BE TURNED INTO A SERIES OF lLMS 4HE 3HREK STABLE FOR EXAMPLE CURRENTLY HAS 3HREKS AND IN PRODUCTION

ALONG WITH A SPIN OFF MOVIE STARRING 0USS IN "OOTS -ADAGASCAR AND ARE BEING PLANNED AND 4OY 3TORY IS BEING MADE ALBEIT BY $ISNEY AND NOT 0IXAR !LONG WITH MAKING A FOLLOW UP THE NATURE OF #') lLMS CARTOONY AND BRIGHT CHARACTERS LEADS WELL TO MERCHANDISE TOYS

STATIONERY AND CLOTHING 4HE BASIC PHILOSOPHY SEEMS TO BE THAT AS LONG AS THE BRAND NAME CAN BE STUCK ON IT SOMEWHERE THEN IT WILL SELL 4HERE ARE PLENTY OF #') lLMS DUE OUT THIS YEAR WITH #HICKEN ,ITTLE STILL SHOWING AT CINEMAS AND A SEQUEL TO )CE !GE DUE OUT IN A FEW WEEKS /THERS DUE FOR RELEASE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS INCLUDE /VER 4HE (EDGE IN WHICH CUTE FOREST CRITTERS LEAD AN ATTACK ON SUBURBIA AND FEATURES SUCH RENOWNED CELEBRITY VOICES AS "RUCE 7ILLIS

7ILLIAM 3HATNER AND !VRIL ,AVIGNE n GOODYx "ARNYARD VOICES PROVIDED BY +EVIN *AMES #OURTENY #OX AND !NDIE -AC$OWELL AND (APPY &EET A MUSICAL EPIC ABOUT A DANCING PENGUIN 4HEY ALL SOUND THRILLING DON T THEY !LL OF THEM FOLLOW THE PATTERN OUTLINED ABOVE n OR AT LEAST THE BITS OF THEM THAT WE VE SEEN SO FAR IMPLY THAT THEY DO n WHICH SHOWS THAT THE TEMPLATE SHOWS NO SIGN OF BEING REBELLED AGAINST ANY TIME SOON !N EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IS 0IXAR S NEWEST lLM

#ARS WHICH WHILE HAVING SOME OF THE IDENTIlABLE ASPECTS OF #') lLMS CELEBRITY VOICES SWEET CHARACTERS A TRADEMARK WITTY SCRIPT WILL AT LEAST BE GOOD AS LET S FACE IT WHICH 0IXAR lLMS HAVE NOT BEEN ABSOLUTE JOYS TO WATCH 7ITH #') lLMS TAKING OFF IN A BIG WAY IT S ALSO HERALDED THE DEATH OF THE OLD SCHOOL HAND DRAWN ANIMATIONS n AT LEAST FROM MAJOR STUDIOS WITH $ISNEY NOW SHYING AWAY COMPLETELY FROM THEM IN FAVOUR OF COMPUTER ANIMATED FEATURES )F THEY ALL FOLLOW IN #HICKEN ,ITTLE S DIMINUTIVE FOOTSTEPS THEN IT S GOING TO BE A MARKED DECREASE IN THE QUALITY OF $ISNEY lLMS /F COURSE THE WORLD OF CARTOONS IS NOT COMPLETELY DOMINATED BY #')

WITH RECENT ANIMATIONS INCLUDING THE PLASTICINE ADVENTURES OF 7ALLACE AND 'ROMIT AND 4IM "URTON S STOP MOTION #ORPSE "RIDE ALONG WITH THE 7EST S DISCOVERY OF THE BRILLIANCE OF ANIME ARTISTS LIKE (AYAO -IYAZAKI (OWEVER THESE EXCEPTIONS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND #') lLMS LOOK LIKE THEY RE GOING TO BE THE NEXT MAINSTAY FOR ANIMATION 3O LIKE IT OR NOT THEY RE HERE TO STAY IN ALL THEIR CELEBRITY VOICED POP CULTURE REFERENCING

CLEVERLY SCRIPTED FRANCHISE MAKING

CUTELY CHARACTERISED AND VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE GLORY 7HETHER THIS IS A GOOD THING OR NOT SIMPLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN

Film

Other Screens 6 FOR 6ENDETTA $IR *AMES -C4EIGUE 2ELEASED "ASED ON !LAN -OORE S COMIC 6 FOR 6ENDETTA CREATES A NEAR FUTURE

ESQUE VISION OF "RITAIN WHERE A PERMANENTLY MASKED ANTI HERO 6 CREATES A REVOLUTION TO END THE REIGN OF THE DESPOTIC !DAM 3UTLER PLAYED BY (UGO 7EAVING AND *OHN (URT RESPECTIVELY 6 IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND DRAMATIC CHARACTERS EVER ENVISAGED AND KEEPS US ENTERTAINED THROUGHOUT WITH HIS 3HAKESPEAREAN DIALOGUE .ATALIE 0ORTMAN HAS A LOVELY TURN AS %VEY THE YOUNG GIRL WHO BECOMES ENTANGLED IN 6 S lGHT 4HERE IS A THOROUGHLY EXCELLENT CAST INCLUDING A MOVING TURN BY 3TEPHEN &RY AND AN EXCELLENT SUB PLOT REVOLVING AROUND THE DETECTIVE CHASING 6

WHILST QUESTIONING THE MORALITY OF HIS OWN GOVERNMENT -OST NOTICEABLE OF ALL THOUGH IS THE HEAVY DETAIL WHICH PAINTS INTERESTING AND PROVOKING LINKS BETWEEN THIS "RITAIN AND OURS .OT AS ACTION PACKED AS YOU WOULD BE MADE TO BELIEVE BUT THOUGHT PROVOKING AND ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING lLMS YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR !NDY *UDSON

4HE (ILLS (AVE %YES $IR !LEXANDRE !JA 2ELEASED !NOTHER YEAR ANOTHER REMAKE OF A CLASSIC HORROR lLM 4HIS ONE

HOWEVER IS ACTUALLY COMPARABLE TO THE ORIGINAL AND DOESN T LEAVE THE VIEWER WONDERING WHAT POSSESSED THE PRODUCERS TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT COMPLETELY RUINS THE ORIGINAL 4HE PLOT FOLLOWS AN AVERAGE

!MERICAN FAMILY WHOSE CARAVAN BREAKS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE !MERICAN 3OUTHWEST n WHICH

UNKNOWN TO THEM WAS USED AS A GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR TESTING SITE AND AS SUCH IS lLLED WITH ALL MANNER OF MUTATED FREAKS THAT WANT THE FAMILY S BLOOD $ESPITE THE SIMPLE PLOT YOU BECOME QUICKLY DRAWN INTO THE FATE OF THE FAMILY AND AS THEY RE PICKED OFF ONE BY ONE THROUGH METHODS RANGING FROM BURNING TO BEING EATEN YOU RE LEFT WONDERING WHETHER SOME WILL SURVIVE WHICH OF COURSE THEY DO ! NICE BALANCE OF @BOO SURPRISES THAT WILL MAKE YOU JUMP AND PROPERLY DISGUSTINGLY GORY SCENES ENSURES THAT ANY VIEWER IS CONSTANTLY ALERT SOME OF THE MORE FAINT HEARTED #ONCRETE READERS SHOULD BE WARNED THAT NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS IN THE lLM

SUCH AS GRAPHIC RAPE AND SOME VERY DISTURBING MUTANTS AND MAY WANT TO STICK TO SOMETHING LIKE #HICKEN ,ITTLE 7ITH SOMETHING TO SCARE EVERYONE IT S A BRILLIANT HORROR lLM AND IT S WELL WORTH CATCHING WHILE IT S STILL ON AT CINEMAS *UST DON T GO ON A FULL STOMACH n YOU MAY EMPTY IT AT SOME POINT #HRIS (YDE

&AILURE TO ,AUNCH $IR 4OM $EY 2ELEASED &AILURE TO ,AUNCH STARS -ATTHEW -C#ONAUGHEY AS 4RIPP A YEAR OLD COMMITMENT PHOBE WHO STILL LIVES AT HOME WITH HIS PARENTS &ED UP WITH HIS LAYABOUT ATTITUDE HIS PARENTS HIRE 0AULA 3ARAH *ESSICA 0ARKER AN @INTERVENTIONIST TO SHOW 4RIPP HOW TO SPREAD HIS WINGS AND MAKE HIM TAKE THAT lNAL STEP OF LEAVING THE NEST !S FAR AS

ROMANTIC COMEDIES GO THE MOVIE IS PREDICTABLE AND QUITE FRANKLY DULL )T FAILS AT BOTH ASPECT OF ITS GENRE WITH THE RARE COMEDIC MOMENTS SPURNED

BY THE SUPPORTING CAST RATHER THAN THE LEADS THE LAUGHS BEING VERY SCATTERED AND THE lLM S TITLE TURNING OUT TO BE A SELF FULlLLING PROPHECY -C#ONAUGHEY ADDS NOTHING NEW TO HIS REPERTOIRE WHICH MAKES HIM BORING THROUGH ALL THE CHARM AND 0ARKER IS BLAND AND ALMOST PLASTIC

DESTROYING ANY HOPE OF THE ESSENTIAL ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY THAT MOVIES OF THIS TYPE NEED MAKING THEIR LOVE AFFAIR UNEXCITING AND UNBELIEVABLE )T S A MOVIE THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT TO VIDEO AND ONE THAT FAILS TO ENTERTAIN .ATASHA +UNDAIKER

4SOTSI $IR 'AVIN (OOD 2ELEASED 4SOTSI S MEDIA FRIENDLY SOUND BITE n @THE !FRICAN #ITY OF 'OD n DOESN T REALLY DO IT JUSTICE BUT NEITHER DOES THIS INTIMATE HANDSOME

AND ULTIMATELY SENTIMENTAL GHETTO FABLE REALLY CARVE ITS OWN PATH IN THE WAY THAT -E IRELLES "RAZILIAN EPIC DID "LESSED WITH A HARD EDGED PERFORMANCE FROM DEBUTANT 0RESLEY #HWENEYAGAE WHO lNDS REDEMPTION FROM HIS GANGSTER EXISTENCE IN THE SHAPE OF A STOLEN BABY THINGS NEVERTHELESS SHADE INTO MAWKISHNESS WITH UNEXPECTED FREQUENCY 4HE lLM IS BEST WHEN MINING THE VIOLENT CLASS TENSIONS ACTIVE IN 3OUTH !FRICA SUCH AS IN THE STAND OUT SET PIECE WHEN 4SOTSI RAIDS AN UPMARKET HOME IN SEARCH OF THE BABY MILK HE CAN T AFFORD 3EB -ANLEY

Cinefile N o 69 .

Braindead

)NTRODUCINGx "RAINDEAD 0ETER *ACKSON S "RAINDEAD DESPITE THE CLAIMS BY THE MAKERS OF 3HAUN OF THE $EAD IS THE DElNITIVE AND ORIGINAL @ROM COM ZOM MOVIE 4HE PLOT IS CENTRALISED AROUND THE LIFE OF ,IONEL A PATHETIC MUMMY S BOY

WHOSE LIFE REVOLVES AROUND THE NEEDS OF HIS HORRIFYING AND DOMINATING MOTHER /NE DAY WHILST ,IONEL IS ON AN ERRAND FOR HIS MOTHER HE BUMPS INTO 0AQUITA A YOUNG 3PANISH WOMAN WHO WORKS IN THE LOCAL CORNER SHOP 5NKNOWN TO ,IONEL 0AQUITA S GRANDMOTHER IS A PSYCHIC AND HAS ALREADY PREDICTED THEIR ENCOUNTER 4HEREFORE FOR 0AQUITA AT LEAST THEIR MEETING OVER THE TILL SYMBOLISES THAT DESTINY HAS DELIVERED HER FUTURE HUSBAND /F COURSE TRUE LOVE NEVER DOES RUN SMOOTHLYx /N ,IONEL AND 0AQUITA S lRST DATE TO THE ZOO THEY ARE WATCHED BY ,IONEL S POSSESSIVE MOTHER FROM AFAR 5NFORTUNATELY SHE SLIPS AND FALLS AGAINST A CAGE THAT CONTAINS A VICIOUS CREATURE CALLED THE RAT MONKEY 4HIS GROTESQUE ANIMAL SAVAGELY BITES ,IONEL S MOTHER AND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS

SHE BECOMES SICKER AND SICKER SHOWING INCREASINGLY STRANGE AND DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR SUCH AS EATING HER OWN EAR %VENTUALLY ,IONEL REALISES THAT HIS MOTHER MAY INDEED BE A ZOMBIE 3O NOT YOUR CONVENTIONAL ZOMBIE HORROR THEN *ACKSON DELIVERS AN IRONIC SLANT WITH "RAINDEAD ON THE OVERWORKED :OMBIE GENRE (E ACHIEVES THIS BY ADDING A HUMOROUS TWIST TO THE GORE BLOOD AND DISSEMBLED BODIES -ASSACRING ZOMBIES 0ETER *ACKSON STYLE IS FULL OF ABSURDITY AND SLAP STICK COMEDY THAT IS EQUAL IN QUALITY TO THAT OF THE LATE -ARX "ROTHERS 4HE HIGHLY STYLISED PHYSICAL COMEDY HEIGHTENS THE FANTASY ELEMENT AND GROTESQUE HORROR OF THE lLM !N EXAMPLE OF HUMOUR JUXTAPOSED IMMEDIATELY WITH A BLOOD BATH IN "RAINDEAD IS WHEN THE ZOMBIES ESCAPE AND INVADE A HOUSE PARTY ,IONEL DESPERATELY STRUGGLES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION BY POURING WHISKEY DOWN THE ZOMBIES THROATS

BEFORE DISSEMBLING THE THEM WITH A LAWN MOWER AND FOOD BLENDER "UT WHAT CLASSIC lLMS INmUENCED 0ETER *ACKSON 0ETER *ACKSON S BLOOD FEST "RAINDEAD OBVIOUSLY INITIATED A LOT OF IDEAS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 3HAUN OF THE $EAD BUT THIS DOES NOT UNDERMINE THE CREATIVITY OF THIS "RITISH ZOMBIE PROTÏGÏ *ACKSON HIMSELF MAKES SEVERAL REFERENCES TO PAST (OLLYWOOD CLASSICS THROUGHOUT "RAINDEAD

SUCH AS MAKING IRONIC COMPARISONS BETWEEN ,IONEL S OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER AND THE DISTURBING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN .ORMAN "ATES AND HIS MOTHER IN (ITCHCOCK S TERRIFYING MASTERPIECE 0SYCHO 4HIS IS DISPLAYED THROUGHOUT THE SET OF "RAINDEAD *ACKSON ALSO MAKES REFERENCES TO EARLY CINEMATIC OUTINGS SUCH AS THE ORIGINAL +ING +ONG MOVIE BY SETTING THE INITIAL SCENES OF "RAINDEAD ON THE lCTIONAL 3KULL )SLAND

6 FOR 6ENDETTA

#HARLOTTE +IMBLEY

Event 21 The

Film

Special  Feature My  Neighbour  Totoro

$IR (AYAO -IYAZAKI 2ELEASED /PTIMUM (OME %NTERTAINMENT 7ITH ITS VERTIGINOUS RABBIT HOLE SEQUENCES BIZARRE UMBRELLA IMAGERY AND MAGIC FELINE @BUS

GRINNING LIKE A MASSIVE #HESHIRE #AT -Y .EIGHBOUR 4OTORO IS (AYAO -IYAZAKI S ANSWER TO !LICE IN 7ONDERLAND ,EWIS #ARROLL S SUBLIME SENSE OF PERVASIVE MENACE IS MISSING HERE WHERE !LICE TOPPLED INTO A DREAMWORLD PEOPLED WITH THE MOST ELUSIVE TRYING AND DOWNRIGHT HOSTILE CHARACTERS EVER TO GRACE A CHILDREN S BOOK 3ATSUKI AND -EI THE YOUNG GIRL HEROINES HERE VENTURE INTO THE FORESTS TO lND A BAND OF BENEVOLENT ROTUND CRITTERS n THE TOTOROS OF THE TITLE -Y .EIGHBOUR 4OTORO IS BEST IN THESE FANTASY SEQUENCES WHICH ARE AMBIGUOUSLY FRAMED AS SOMETHING BETWEEN DREAM SPIRIT VISIONS AND CHILD FANTASY WHEN -EI COMES ACROSS SOME @DUST GREMLINS SHE IS TOLD THEY APPEAR ONLY TO CHILDREN LATER THE GIRLS DREAM ABOUT GROWING A COLOSSAL TREE TOWER IN

THEIR BACK GARDEN AND WAKE TO lND THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY OAK TREE SHOOTS BREAKING THROUGH THE SOIL 4HE TOTOROS THEMSELVES n PART BEAVER PART WHISKERY RABBIT n ARE AMONG THE MOST BIZARRE AND CUTELY DEADPAN CREATURES OF ANY -IYAZAKI lLM AND THEIR MOTIVES ARE TYPICALLY OBSCURE )N A INVERSE OF MOST WESTERN SUPERNATURAL NARRATIVES

IT IS THE HUMANS HERE WHO PESTER THE SPIRITS -EI BOUNCES UP AND DOWN ON LARGE SLUMBERING TOTORO

AND WHEN THE FAMILY MOVES INTO THEIR NEW @HAUNTED HOUSE IT IS THE GHOSTS WHO UP STICKS AND LEAVE &OR THE MOST PART THE WONDROUS GENERATIVE WORLD OF THE CHILDREN LIES IN CONTRAST TO THAT OF THE ADULTS 4HE GIRLS $AD

4ATSUO TOILS AWAY IN A DUSTY HOME OFlCE AND IS LATE BACK FROM WORK

WHILE -UM LIES IN HOSPITAL BESET

BY SOME UNSPECIlED ILLNESS -Y .EIGHBOUR 4OTORO NEVER QUITE SUCCEEDS IN MAKING THE REAL WORLD

AS COMPELLING AS ITS FANTASIES n THE BEDRIDDEN MOTHER IS THE lLM S WEAKEST POINT A CIPHER OF SENTIMENTAL MATERNALITY n BUT THERE ARE SOME NICE TOUCHES INCLUDING A NEIGHBOURING GRANNY WHO BELIEVES HER VEGETABLES TO BE THE CURE FOR ALL AILS AND MOST SPECTACULARLY THE

TOWERING FOREST SCAPES !ND THE lNALE WHERE FANTASY lNALLY BURSTS INTO THE TRAGIC REALIST STORYLINE IS BREATHLESSLY EXCITING -Y .EIGHBOUR 4OTORO PLAYS ON THE SAME PARENTAL SEPARATION ANXIETIES AS MOST $ISNEY AND THE MORE AMBITIOUS SOCIAL PARABLE OF

-IYAZAKI S RECENT WORK IS IN SHORT SUPPLY "UT FOR CHARM VISUAL INVENTION AND mAT OUT ABSURDITY

IT S KING OF THE ROOST n AND JUST TRY PUTTING THE EBULLIENT THEME SONG OUT OF YOUR HEAD 3EB -ANLEY

DVD Â Releases

3AW $IR $ARREN "OUSMAN 2ELEASED

%NTERTAINMENT IN 6IDEO

3AW RETURNS TO THE GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE THAT GAVE 3AW ITS INFAMY

REVEALING THE NEXT IN PSYCHOPATH @*IGSAW S PLAN 4HE PLACE OF ACTION IS NOW EXPANDED TO A WHOLE HOUSE OF HELL THE VIOLENCE TOO BECOMES MORE INVENTIVE AND MORE PAINFUL TO WATCH 4HERE S NOT MUCH MORE TO THE lLM THAN THIS BLOOD AND GORE

WITH THE VICTIMS OFTEN HAVING TO PERFORM A FORM OF SELF AMPUTATION IN ORDER TO SURVIVE 4O GIVE THE lLM SOME CREDIT THE CONCLUDING TWISTS IN THE PLOT ARE SURPRISING BUT THE lLM LOSES THE " MOVIE CHARM OF THE lRST 3AW 4HIS BRASH REPULSIVE

VICIOUS lLM IS ONLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU HAVE A STOMACH OF STEEL AND SOME SADISTIC TENDENCIES ,YDIA -OSSAHEBI

$AY OF THE $EAD $IR 'EORGE ! 2OMERO 2ELEASED !RROW &ILM $ISTRIBUTORS ,TD

3AW

22

Event The

2OMERO S $EAD SERIES OF lLMS HAVE GATHERED SOMETHING OF A CULT FOL LOWING OVER THE YEARS AND IT S EASY TO SEE WHY GORY ZOMBIE lLMS AREN T FOR EVERYONE BUT FOR THOSE WHO

DO LIKE THEM THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE BEST 4HE PLOT OF A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE DESTROYING CIVILISATION IS HARDLY NEW BUT $AY OF THE $EAD CREATES AN EXCELLENT FEELING OF TEN SION AND SUSPENSE AS OUR INTREPID HEROES STRUGGLE AGAINST AN IMPOSSI BLE SITUATION 4HE INCLUSION OF THE @TAME ZOMBIE "UB IS AN EXCELLENT TWIST AND THE CAST OF WEIRD NOT EN TIRELY SYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS mESH IT OUT WELL !S EVER 2OMERO S USE OF GORE IS EXCELLENT BUT MORE IMPOR TANT IS THE OVERALL SENSE OF DREAD AND BLEAKNESS WHICH lLLS THE lLM

MIXED WITH A FANTASTIC SENSE OF HU MOUR !NDY *UDSON

0RINCESS -ONONOKE $IR (AYAO -AYAZAKI 2ELEASED /PTIMUM (OME %NTERTAINMENT ! MAGNIlCENT VENTURE INTO EPIC POLITICAL ANIMATION FOR (AYAO -IYAZAKI 0RINCESS -ONONOKE MAKES VERY FEW CONCESSIONS TO AUDIENCES ACCUSTOMED TO THE CUTER IMAGININGS OF ,APUTA #ASTLE IN THE 3KY 3PIRITED !WAY OR (OWL S -OVING #ASTLE &OLLOWING THE HERO QUEST OF VILLAGE PRINCE !SHITAKA

WHO MUST lND A CURE FOR HIS MAGICAL INFECTION AT THE HANDS OF A MALIGN BOAR GOD THE ACTION OPENS OUT TO THE BATTLEGROUND BETWEEN

THE FOREST HOMELAND AND ITS ANIMAL SPIRITS POPULACE LED BY THE BESTIAL BUT HUMAN TITULAR 0RINCESS AND THE INDUSTRIAL ALL FEMALE IRON MINERS 4HE VIVID ANIMATION IS ALL BUT UNEQUALLED IN *APANESE ANIME 3EB -ANLEY

3TORMY -ONDAY $IR -IKE &IGGIS 2ELEASED /PTIMUM (OME %NTERTAINMENT /RIGINALLY RELEASED IN 3TORMY -ONDAY PROVIDES 3EAN "EAN HIS lRST HIGH PROlLE ACTING ROLE A NOBODY WHO BECOMES CAUGHT UP IN THE AFFAIRS BETWEEN A 'EORDIE GANGSTER 3TING AND HIS !MERICAN ASSOCIATE 4OMMY ,EE *ONES !

GANGSTER COME ROMANTIC THRILLER

THE lLM ALSO DELEGATES TIME TO "EAN S LOVE INTEREST AN ESCORT GIRL

DESPERATE TO LEAVE THE BUSINESS AND START A NEW LIFE 5NFORTUNATELY IN A BLATANT BID TO EMBRACE AN !MERICAN AUDIENCE THE lLM USES A TOKEN !MERICAN STAR AND THE UNFOLDING EVENTS ARE SET DURING @!MERICAN 7EEK A WEEK IN WHICH 4YNESIDERS CELEBRATE THE CULTURE SUPERIORITY AND INTERNATIONAL INmUENCE OF !MERICA !LTHOUGH ONCE DUBBED @INTENSELY STYLISH FOR ITS INNOVATIVE DIRECTION IT FAILS TO OFFER ANYTHING NEW TO A MODERN AUDIENCE *OHN -UTCH

Internet

NiceCupofTeaandaSitDown.com

4

HE INTERNET IS SOMETIMES LACKING IN AN APPRECIATION OF THE lNER THINGS IN LIFE AND THE SIMPLE PLEAS URES !S IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST LEISURE TOOLS OF OUR TIME THIS IS QUITE SURPRISING 3O .ICE#UPOF4EAANDA3IT$OWN COM REALLY IS lLLING AN ONLINE VOID IN A WORLD FULL OF FUNCTION SPEED AND BISCUIT SHORTAGES 7E COULD ALL DO WITH A LITTLE MORE 4,# IN OUR LIVES AND A VISIT TO THIS SITE REMINDS US OF THAT )T IS NOT SOMEWHERE TO VISIT IF YOU RE NOT WITHIN GRABBING DISTANCE OF A LOVELY HOT CUPPA THOUGH 2UN BY A FORMIDABLE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM REFERRED TO ON THE SITE AS .ICEY AND 7IFEY .ICE#UPOF4EA ANDA3IT$OWN COM IS DEDICATED TO JUST THAT THE PURSUIT OF A BET TER EXISTENCE THROUGH MORE TIME BEING SPENT ON ONE S DERRIERE WITH DELICTABLES 4HEY EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SPORT A -ISSION 3TATEMENT ON THE SITE h7ELL ) THINK WE SHOULD ALL SIT DOWN AND HAVE A NICE CUP OF TEA

AND SOME BISCUITS NICE ONES MIND YOU /H AND SOME CAKE WOULD BE NICE AS WELL ,OVELY v )T IS A UTOPIC WORLD VIEW BUT A DIFlCULT ONE TO ARGUE WITH WHEN FACING A PLATE OF CUSTARD CREAMS AND A COMFY WARM SOFA 4HE SITE IS ALSO DEDICATED TO THE APPRECIATION OF QUALITY BISCUITS AND THE COVERAGE OF BISCUIT AND CAKE RELATED NEWS )T PROVIDES A BAL ANCED AND INSIGHFUL DISCUSSION OF THE AGE OLD DEBATE REGARDING *AFFA #AKE S BISCUIT CAKE STATUS 7IFEY AND .ICEY FALL ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE FENCE ON THIS ONE BUT THE DE BATE TAKES IN EVERYTHING FROM *AFFA #AKE S 6!4 STATUS TO WHETHER THEY GO STALE WHEN LEFT OUT WHICH THEY DElNITELY DO 4HE AMOUNT OF FEED BACK THE SITE RECEIVES SUGGESTS THAT THE *AFFA DEBACLE IS ONE THAT WILL RAGE ON AND CERTAINLY SHOWS IT ISN T CONlNED TO AN ECCENTRIC COUPLE WITH A WEBSITE .ICE#UPOF4EA ALSO SPORTS A RATHER LONG RUNNING "ISCUIT OF THE 7EEK SECTION WHICH DATES BACK ROUGHLY lVE YEARS 4HE MOST ALARM ING THING ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF

BISCUIT PROlLED IN GREAT DETAIL BY 7IFEY AND .ICEY IS THAT THE DETAILS AREN T LOST EVEN ON A FAIR WEATHER BISCUIT EATER 4HE DIFFERENCE BE TWEEN A DIGESTIVE AND A RICH TEA ISN T JUST NOTICEABLE IT S CRUCIAL %ACH "ISCUIT OF THE 7EEK IS AFFORDED AN IN DEPTH PROlLE AND A FULL APPRE CIATION FROM A FULL BISCUIT FANATIC OF ITS HISTORY AND ORIGINS 4HE RANGE OF BISCUITS FEATURED IS ALSO IMPRESSIVE

OPTING TO INCLUDE AN INTERNATIONAL FOCUS RATHER THAN JUST THE DOMESTIC FAVOURITES 4HERE IS ALSO A SURPRISING AMOUNT THAT IS lTTED UNDER THE TI TLE OF .ICE .EWS ALL BISCUIT TEA OR CAKE RELATED OF COURSE 4HE CURRENT HEADLINER IS THE IMPRESSIVE BISCUIT RELATED FEAT OF 3ONG $ONG AN ART IST WHO BUILT A REPLICA OF ,ONDON OUT OF BISCUITS 7IFEY S REPORTING CHRONICLES WHAT BISCUIT VARIETIES HAD BEEN USED TO CREATE THE MOD EL IN THE WAY ONLY AN ENTHUSIAST COULD WITH A HINT OF DISAPPROVAL AT THE FUNCTIONAL USE OF WHAT IS ESSEN TAILLY A THING OF PLEASURE 4HERE IS ALSO AS THE SITE RE MINDS ITS VISITORS A .ICE #UP OF

4EA AND A 3IT $OWN BOOK ALSO WRIT TEN BY .ICEY AND 7IFEY )T IS EQUALLY DEVOTED TO THE SAME PURSITS AS THE SITE AND PROVIDES A CHRONICLE OF TEA DRINKING BISCUIT MUNCHING CAKE SCOFlNG AND SEAT lLLING 4HERE IS ALSO A FAIR AMOUNT OF OTHER MER CHANDISE AVAILABLE ON THE SITE SUG GESTING THAT THE PUTTING YOUR FEET UP INDUSTRY IS FAST GROWING 4HE INTERNET COULD DO WITH A MORE SLIPPER CLAD SENSIBILITY AT TIMES !FTER ALL WE SPEND HOURS ON END CLICKING AWAY AND THE POSSIBIL ITY OF A BREAK WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR MONITOR IS A WELCOME ONE 4HE NOTION OF AN EXISTENCE WHERE TEA IS PLENTIFUL AND THE ONLY ARGUMENTS HAD ARE OVER WHETHER OR NOT *AFFA #AKES ARE BISCUITS IS ONE THAT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED 7ALTER 0LINCH

Event 23 The