C U LT ÚR
November 17 2020
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SIAMSAÍO CHT
CREATIVE CORNER
Series review: Ratched By Anastasia Burton If you loved ‘American Horror Story Season Two: Asylum’ you will definitely love ‘Ratched’. Not to mention many of those who are involved in ‘American Horror Story’ were featured in this series, familiar faces are always a plus. Nurse Ratched is played by the talented and charming Sarah Paulson who can probably pull off any character she puts her mind to. But let’s not forget Finn Wittrock the very guy who played the psycho rich kid in season four of ‘AHS Freak Show’. With the main roles given to actors we know are capable of pulling off strong and slightly psychotic characters you will feel confident in watching this series from beginning to end! Nurse Ratched is a highly stylish nurse who is clouded by mystery and confidence and is very driven. The entire series revolves around the topic of mental illness, betrayal and murder which is bound to keep to on the edge of your seat. The series opening gives viewers a gruesome and vio-
lent murder of priests, by Wittrock’s character Edmund. The series focuses on the fact that he had been arrested and placed in psychiatric care before his death sentence. We seem to get the impression that Nurse Ratched and Edmund may have some sort of connection from the way she desperately tries to get hired in the very institution he will be placed in. The series blessed us with a great plot, amazing cast, and an atmosphere to die for. The inhumane treatment of the patients and the brutal murder of people who got in their way, the characters of ‘Ratched’ are bound to make you fall in love, hate them, love them again, and then grieve for them. The series deals with topics of discovering and accepting one’s sexuality in the early/late 40s-50s and how trauma and abuse leads to more abuse in an endless cycle of violence. Throughout the eight episodes we follow Nurse Ratched at her new workplace where she makes sure to get close with the head of the institution to make him trust and listen to her. It is impos-
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Quarantine By Anastasia Burton
sible not to love her. Her charm, charisma and intelligence makes her one of the best characters in the show and one that you want to succeed and do well. The ending of the series will leave you wanting more, and don’t worry season two is confirmed, so more Nurse Ratched to come! It’s curious to think about what else they could possibly add to the series and what the future of the series will hold. Judging from its popularity on Netflix I have reason to believe we will see a second season during spring or summer time of 2021.
Sitting by a window, coffee gripped in my hand, I can’t help but think back to all the good times I’ve had, Watching the rain beat against my window reminds of the seasons that’ve passed, Where did our summer go? Pumpkins and ghosts look lonely swaying on childless paths, Trick or treat or merry Christmas? I can’t remember anymore, Seasons blended into one who might notice the fall? Sitting by a window, coffee gripped in my hand, I have felt the passing of time, Quarantine has left me terrified of human contact, So I sit here by a window, cup of coffee in my hand, Staring at the empty streets I leave behind.
Sean Connery was the quintessential Bond but his legacy extends far beyond 007
By Darragh Nolan The passing of Sir Sean Connery at age 90 is one of those uncommon Hollywood tragedies. Such is the nature of celebrity in 2020 that a “celebrity death” is becoming more commonplace as more and more people reach the once loftier status of fame. Even still it is a rare moment of sadness to lose an icon as towering as Connery. Something often not mentioned of Sean Connery’s life is his upbringing. His early life was spent splitting meals between himself, his parents and
younger brother Neil. About as far from the bright lights of cinema as one could be, his formative years were spent delivering milk in Edinburgh. An early life that took him from the milk round to the Navy and, eventually, to a fledgling acting career, goes to show just how remarkable Connery’s rise to fame was. From the moment he entered the frame in 1962’s ‘Dr. No’, the name Bond became ingrained in cinematic and cultural history. The opening few minutes of Connery’s first turn as 007 capture so perfectly everything the character is meant to be. Opposite Eunice Gayson’s ravishing Sylvia Trench, seen gambling at a casino and calmly collecting his winnings after a near impossible display of luck. In an instant, James Bond became the archetypal leading man. “Bond… James Bond”. Connery, in one scene, in just three words, put his stamp on a character that has now spanned seven actors, 27 films and over 60 years. He was cool, rakishly good-looking, suave. Six others have had their crack at the role to varying degrees of success, but none have brought the same indescribable it - factor of Connery’s portrayal.
ROPES Literary Journal Submission Call The 29th Edition of the ROPES Literary Journal is now open for submissions! ROPES is an annual publication by the MA in Literature and Publishing students in NUIG. Every year there is a chosen charity to whom all proceeds are donated. This year we have decided to fundraise for COPE Galway. COPE is an amazing charity that offers support to those experiencing homelessness and domestic abuse. They also offer senior support services. We accept both written and visual submissions including; fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, essays, short stories, photography, comics, illustrations etc. This year we are focusing on creating a platform for emerging creatives. This does not mean however, that
you are not eligible to submit if you have been previously published. Deadline for written submissions is December 31st and the deadline for visual submissions is February 14th. We ask that written submissions be kept to a maximum of 3,000 words and any visual submissions must be at least 300ppi. Each applicant can submit a maximum of 3 submissions. All submissions are subject to an editorial process prior to acceptance and all submissions must be previously unpublished. Send all submissions to ropeslitmag.submissions @gmail.com. Please include your name along with the title of your submission in the subject line. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @ROPESLitJournal to keep up with us!
As ‘From Russia With Love’ (1963), ‘Goldfinger’ (1964), ‘Thunderball’ (1965) and ‘You Only Live Twice’ (1967) followed, he commanded the role even more which each entry. Sean Connery created the Bond blueprint. He drank the first martini, shaken, not stirred. He was the first to get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, the first to outsmart the villain, break out all the gadgets and get the Bond girl. As much as Connery’s influential career extends far beyond the secret agent, that part of his legacy alone is massive. The acting pedigree he brought in his own Bond films makes them so rewatchable even now. His performances laid the foundation for a movie empire that will continue long into the future. After two more Bond flicks, the post - 007 Sean Connery catalogue demonstrated his true range as an actor. He was the older figure guiding a leading man in ‘Highlander’, the mystery solving friar in ‘The Name of the Rose’. The greatest moment was perhaps his Academy Award winning performance opposite Kevin Cost-
ner in ‘The Untouchables’. Witty and authoritative as ever, Connery’s Jim Malone stole the show in the period piece detailing the downfall of Al Capone. Connery’s creative influence shone through on the set of ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’. As Indy’s estranged father, his improv and suggestions for the script made it into the beloved classic and his dynamic duo turn alongside Harrison Ford brought the franchise back to its best, reintroducing the sharpness and fun that made it so beloved. More blockbusters such as ‘The Hunt for Red October’ followed as what would prove to be the nightcap to Sir Sean Connery’s remarkable career. Over the course of nearly 50 years, he brought one of cinema’s most iconic leading men to life, rounded off his filmography with a host of excellent films and left an indelible influence on the movie world. Scotland’s own Hollywood giant, he was the greatest to ever call himself 007, but his legacy stretches well beyond the confines of the tuxedo and the Aston Martin. Sir Sean Connery was a legend of the silver screen who will be dearly missed.
