CG Resurrection
The following contains spoilers for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story so look away if you have not seen it.
Final Chance
SPOILERS
Rouge One features a sub plot that focus on a power struggle between the villain played by Ben Mehdelson and Gran Moff Tarkin, all Star Wars buffs know that the role Tarkin was played in the original Star Wars film by Peter Cushing who died in 1994. Guy Henry whose credits include numerous Harry Potter films, Holby City and V for Vendetta takes on the role of Tarkin in Rouge One but his face is grafted over with that of Cushing while he delivers the limes. This is a bit of distraction for those clear memories of Cushing's performance as a different voice comes out of his face. If you look at photos of Henry you will find a close resemblance to Cushing that you have to wonder why the filmmakers use CGI instead of prosthetics to create an image of Cushing and avoiding unnecessary confusion.
Friday, 16 December 2016
Wednesday, 14 December 2016
BBC SPOTY 2016: Shortlist rundown
This Sunday BBC sports personality of 2016 will be revealed. There are 16 candidates. I have split then into 3 groups.
Not a chance of winning
Sophie Christasen
Kadeena Cox
Won't win but may come second or third
Nick Skelton
Danny Willett
Dame Sarah Storey
Nicola Adams
Kate Richardson-Walsh
Max Whitlock
Adam Peaty
Alistair Brownlee
The out and out favourites
Jason Kenny
Laura Kenny
Jaime Vardy
Gareth Bale
Mo Farah
Andy Murray
This Sunday BBC sports personality of 2016 will be revealed. There are 16 candidates. I have split then into 3 groups.
Not a chance of winning
Sophie Christasen
Kadeena Cox
Won't win but may come second or third
Nick Skelton
Danny Willett
Dame Sarah Storey
Nicola Adams
Kate Richardson-Walsh
Max Whitlock
Adam Peaty
Alistair Brownlee
The out and out favourites
Jason Kenny
Laura Kenny
Jaime Vardy
Gareth Bale
Mo Farah
Andy Murray
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Xmas Day 2016 telly
When most of us are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ some people are stuck indoors watching televison, here is a brief run down on what is on.
BBC1
The first part of a 2 part Great British Bakeoff send off precedes a somewhat rigid schedule of Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Call the Midwife and Mrs Brown's Boys. The most interesting is Doctor Who's take on the superhero genre.
BBC2
There is a screening the Oscar winning The Artist. A Xmas edition of University Challenge and there is repeats for Dad's Army and Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Speaking of Rowan Atkinson.
ITV
Filling the Downton Abbey shaped hole in it's schedule is Rowan Atkinson second outing as French detective Maigret. Other than that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are separated by Paul O'Grady's For the Love of Dogs.
Channel 4
A couple of festive films get seasonal outings. It's a Wonderful Life and Home Alone
Channel 5
On this channel a couple of musicals. The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.
When most of us are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ some people are stuck indoors watching televison, here is a brief run down on what is on.
BBC1
The first part of a 2 part Great British Bakeoff send off precedes a somewhat rigid schedule of Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Call the Midwife and Mrs Brown's Boys. The most interesting is Doctor Who's take on the superhero genre.
BBC2
There is a screening the Oscar winning The Artist. A Xmas edition of University Challenge and there is repeats for Dad's Army and Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Speaking of Rowan Atkinson.
ITV
Filling the Downton Abbey shaped hole in it's schedule is Rowan Atkinson second outing as French detective Maigret. Other than that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are separated by Paul O'Grady's For the Love of Dogs.
Channel 4
A couple of festive films get seasonal outings. It's a Wonderful Life and Home Alone
Channel 5
On this channel a couple of musicals. The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.
Monday, 12 December 2016
Weather Men, the golden generation
Today the death of Ian MacSkill has been announced, Macskill was one of a quartet of weather forecasters who left a huge impact the national psyche. Michael Fish who was right to refute a women who had phoned to say that a hurricane was coming the UK's way, the only problem was that the winds that did come were of near hurricane levels. John Kettley who became immortalised by the band A Tribe of Toffs with the song John Kettley is a Weatherman. Bill Giles was seen as so reliable he ended up selling retirement insurance. MacSkill himself was always enthuisnatic despite how horrible the weather was. The four of them achieved a level of fame that their predecessors and successors never achieved.
Today the death of Ian MacSkill has been announced, Macskill was one of a quartet of weather forecasters who left a huge impact the national psyche. Michael Fish who was right to refute a women who had phoned to say that a hurricane was coming the UK's way, the only problem was that the winds that did come were of near hurricane levels. John Kettley who became immortalised by the band A Tribe of Toffs with the song John Kettley is a Weatherman. Bill Giles was seen as so reliable he ended up selling retirement insurance. MacSkill himself was always enthuisnatic despite how horrible the weather was. The four of them achieved a level of fame that their predecessors and successors never achieved.
Sunday, 11 December 2016
Radio Review: Thunderball
BBC Radio 4, drama
Starring Toby Stephens, Alfred Molina, Tom Conti, Janet Montgomery
The latest of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels to be brought to radio under the direction of Martin Jarvis who in the guise of Fleming himself narrates the action. Those who know Thunderball just through the film version may be disappointed that the embellishments that came with it, such as the femme fatale character of Fiona Volpe are gone as this is faithful to the novel. Toby Stephens as Bond shows us the the many facets of the character such as his determination to get one up on the enemy in whatever that may be, charming the ladies and despairing over M's obsession with his health. Alfred Molina as Blofled and Tom Conti as Largo mark for a pair of the most hissable villains as they plot nuclear blackmail. Janet Montgomery as Domino who despite speaking in a cut glass English accent is Italian makes for a tender love interest. The action is brought vividley to life through the combination of Jarvis as Fleming narration, Stephens conveying Bond thoughts and the use of sound effects. It is curious to think that Stephens as the bad guy Gustav Graves who modelled himself on Bond in Die Another Day has now become the definitive radio Bond.
Thunderball can heard on I-player until 10 January 2017
BBC Radio 4, drama
Starring Toby Stephens, Alfred Molina, Tom Conti, Janet Montgomery
The latest of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels to be brought to radio under the direction of Martin Jarvis who in the guise of Fleming himself narrates the action. Those who know Thunderball just through the film version may be disappointed that the embellishments that came with it, such as the femme fatale character of Fiona Volpe are gone as this is faithful to the novel. Toby Stephens as Bond shows us the the many facets of the character such as his determination to get one up on the enemy in whatever that may be, charming the ladies and despairing over M's obsession with his health. Alfred Molina as Blofled and Tom Conti as Largo mark for a pair of the most hissable villains as they plot nuclear blackmail. Janet Montgomery as Domino who despite speaking in a cut glass English accent is Italian makes for a tender love interest. The action is brought vividley to life through the combination of Jarvis as Fleming narration, Stephens conveying Bond thoughts and the use of sound effects. It is curious to think that Stephens as the bad guy Gustav Graves who modelled himself on Bond in Die Another Day has now become the definitive radio Bond.
Thunderball can heard on I-player until 10 January 2017
Friday, 9 December 2016
Greg Lake for Xmas no 1
It used to be the case that the United Kingdom was on the edge of it's seat about who would have the no 1 single at Xmas. However in recent years with the co-ordinated efforts of Simon Cowell , X Factor winners have dominated the past decade. There have been exceptions. A couple of choirs guided by Gareth Malone, a charity single for the Hillsbrough legal fight and Rage Against the Machine topping the charts with the seasonal Killing in the Name. For this year I would like to see I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake to be re released for many reason, first and foremost all proceeds should go to cancer charities because of the disease he died of, as a reminder of his talents and lastly it would good to have a Xmas no 1 that was about again.
It used to be the case that the United Kingdom was on the edge of it's seat about who would have the no 1 single at Xmas. However in recent years with the co-ordinated efforts of Simon Cowell , X Factor winners have dominated the past decade. There have been exceptions. A couple of choirs guided by Gareth Malone, a charity single for the Hillsbrough legal fight and Rage Against the Machine topping the charts with the seasonal Killing in the Name. For this year I would like to see I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake to be re released for many reason, first and foremost all proceeds should go to cancer charities because of the disease he died of, as a reminder of his talents and lastly it would good to have a Xmas no 1 that was about again.
Thursday, 8 December 2016
DVD Review: Game of Thrones - Season 6 (2016)
TV Drama
Starring Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Heady
This is the season that marks the point where the TV show has over taken George R R Martin's original source material, A Song of Fire and Ice series of novels. So both readers and non-readers have no idea of what is coming next and that helps the show with it's progression towards the end game as the producers have said that there are just 2 more seasons. Each episode rattles along with no fat to weigh it down as they all have moments that have an impact on the overall storyline. In the North Jon and Sansa try to make alliances in order to drive out the ruthless Boltons out of Winterfell, King's Landing sees various factions plotting to gain power, Dany and Tyrion having to deal with the slavers and Arya contuing her assassin training. As the season progress an number of long standing characters are killed off, some deserve it and some who don't. Episode 9 Battle of the Bastards not only features the engagement at Winterfell that the title refers but also the slavers attack that is repelled by Dragon, this makes one of the most thrilling pieces of television ever made. Special mention must go out to 2 actors who both make a big impression in very few episodes, Max Von Sydow brings gravitas to the role of the mystic Three Eyed and in just 1 episode Ian McShane makes a big impression as a warrior turned holy man. The extras include a look at the filming of the Battle of the Bastard that includes the fact that the shot where Jon Snow facing off a 40 strong Calvary charge was done for real. You are left with much antictpation for the final 2 seasons.
TV Drama
Starring Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Heady
This is the season that marks the point where the TV show has over taken George R R Martin's original source material, A Song of Fire and Ice series of novels. So both readers and non-readers have no idea of what is coming next and that helps the show with it's progression towards the end game as the producers have said that there are just 2 more seasons. Each episode rattles along with no fat to weigh it down as they all have moments that have an impact on the overall storyline. In the North Jon and Sansa try to make alliances in order to drive out the ruthless Boltons out of Winterfell, King's Landing sees various factions plotting to gain power, Dany and Tyrion having to deal with the slavers and Arya contuing her assassin training. As the season progress an number of long standing characters are killed off, some deserve it and some who don't. Episode 9 Battle of the Bastards not only features the engagement at Winterfell that the title refers but also the slavers attack that is repelled by Dragon, this makes one of the most thrilling pieces of television ever made. Special mention must go out to 2 actors who both make a big impression in very few episodes, Max Von Sydow brings gravitas to the role of the mystic Three Eyed and in just 1 episode Ian McShane makes a big impression as a warrior turned holy man. The extras include a look at the filming of the Battle of the Bastard that includes the fact that the shot where Jon Snow facing off a 40 strong Calvary charge was done for real. You are left with much antictpation for the final 2 seasons.
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