Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-6-2016

Hmmm … 

I don’t know if you follow the news, but I mentioned that the deadline to register to vote in the EU Referendum was midnight on Tuesday: a couple of days ago, now.

Tuesday came and went: as did the deadline.

As did the news — yesterday — that the website had crashed, overloaded by people trying to register at the last minute.

Effectively, it was a jammed switchboard: there was more people trying to phone in, than phones for them to phone in on.

To remedy that?

The deadline’s been extended: with support from both the Government, and from the Electoral Commission.

I tend to think that’s a good thing: the more people vote, the better.

I do know electoral law is a complicated thing: and that legal challenges, on the grounds of Gerrymandering are on-going.

~≈◊≈~

I can’t help but think a couple of things.

Frankly, I think a lot of people could have registered for the referendum a LOT earlier than they did.   That could well have saved a lot of trouble.

I’m ALSO think a couple of other things.

For starters, I think whoever runs the website for the government should maybe have foreseen this happening: and made provision to increase the bandwidth in anticipation of a last minute rush.

I’m also thinking this.   There’s legal challenges already going ahead against the extension.

I think the government, working with the relevant bodies, should modify UK law.   I think we need to have something in place, before the next general elction or referendum, that allows a similar extension the next time something like this happens.

Technology being what it is, I’m sure this will happen again.

~≈◊≈~

Transcendence: That Damn Frankenstein Complex!

5th September, 2014.

Can I ask you a question … ?

Can I … ?

Have you ever read anything by the late Dr Isaac Asimov … ?

Yes, I know: I can’t actually hear you answer.

Let me just, then, take a minute to briefly explain the subtitle.   “That Damn Frankenstein Complex!” is a phrase used — repeatedly, sometimes — in the good doctor’s work: usually by characters of his who built robots.

And usually when those builders saw members of the public, unfamiliar with — and scared of — the robots they’d created.

Now …

I don’t know about you: but I feel Asimov hit a nerve, there.

Let’s face it: how many people do you know who are nervous around technology … ?

Exactly.

So the fact I can think of a few films that also be accused of suffering from it.

The Will Smith version of I, Robot, for example.

War Games, with Matthew Broderick.

And — arguably … ?

Arguably, I think we can also include the Wally Pfister directed film, Transcendence, in there.

Although, possibly, it’s a better film that I, Robot …

~≈É≈~

The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus: SurREAL!!

You know, isn’t it strange how Movie Nights can get …

Well …

Strange …

Well …

Odd …

Well, ok, not odd, per sé, just unexpected musical.

You see, myself, Movie Night Adrian, Kevin D and Kevins wife, Sarah, had all got together to catch a movie.

You’d worked that out, I know.

And Sarah, bless her, got here a touch late.

Complete with a trumpet she was going to fix up, and pass on to a friend.

You know, twiddle with the valves, blow the dust out, make sure everything was working.

That’s her, tootling away in the picture. She’s rather talented with brass, I should add …

|»»•««|

Which is sort of going sideways isn’t it … ?

It’s also sort of incidental to the film we’d all got together to catch.

The 2009, Terry Gilliam directed fantasy that is The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus. And I swear whoever voiced the trailer couldn’t pronounce ‘Parnassus’.

Wouldn’t’ve happened with Don LaFontaine, I think. But that’s incidental.

Because The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus? Is quite good.

Maybe not on a par with some of Gilliam’s best work. But certainly not his worst, either.

The film follows the title character, Dr Parnassus — played by Christopher Plummer — as he, his daughter, Valentina and his two assistants — Anton and Percy — travel around London, with his small travelling show, the Imaginarium.

The twist in the tale … ?

Is that the Dr has been given immortality by Mr Nick: none other than the devil, himself, played with a certain relish by singer/songwriter* and actor, Tom Wait.

And the price of the good Doctor’s immortality is simple: that Mr Nick get’s the soul of the Dr’s daughter, Valentina, as and when she turn’s sixteen.

|»»•««|

13/10/2010. 12:28

Well, ok, I say morning …

But as you’ve probably noticed from the time-stamp, it’s actually a touch later than that …

Oy!

Bless ’em, I’ve just had Paul and Graham pop in on me: just as I was going to get in the shower.

Ahem!

Now, where was I … ?

Oh, yeah …

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus …

|»»•««|

Which I think I managed to tell you was the film that Movie Night Adrian, Kevin D, Kevin’s wife, Sarah — who I’m thinking should maybe dubbed Sarah, Tootles — and me all managed to catch, last night.

And I’ll have to admit, I think we can safely say we all of us enjoyed.

After all, Terry Gilliam is generally regarded a genius of a director.

If he isn’t … ? He’s certainly one of the more creative: with the possible exception of David Lynchº, I don’t think I know of any other that’s quite so visual.

And definitely one that’s capable of getting some interesting performances out of his cast: do you remember seeing Brad Pitt’s deranged performance in 12 Monkeys?

Exactly.

Which is kind of my point: I think he’s managed to do that again, with the cast and crew of The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus.

The shame of it is that Heath Ledger died. Because I think — had he survived — this could have been his equivalent. An off-the-wall Gilliam hit, with the rôle of Tony showing us a bit more of his range.

That’s not to talk down Johnny Depp, Jude Law, or Colin Farrell: who was the actor who stood out for me.

After all, Depp and Law’s scenes as Tony saw the Tony character turning up the charm, something I felt they did well.

But — granted their scenes didn’t call for it — I felt both Farrell and Ledger had a dangerous streak that gave us a little of what lay beneath the charm.

|»»•««|

All told … ?

Well …

There’s possibly a lot more I could add: especially about Christopher Plummer who I felt really shone as the title character.

But the bottom line is that The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus is a good film: although I know there was one scene that both Kevin D and Movie Night Adrian weren’t fond of.

But on the whole?

The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus an enjoyable film that we all felt is worth catching.

* You know, whenever I use the phrase ‘singer/songwriter’, I’m actually tempted to write ‘singer/songwriter/actor/dancer/model and Page Three Stunna!’ But that’s silly, isn’t it …

º Saying that, I don’t think I’ve seen as much Lynch or Gilliam as I’d’ve liked. I know that both Brazil and Eraserhead are on my bucket-list.

The Ninth Gate: Into the Outdoors with Bell, Book and Candles

You know, I’ve got to admit, I meant to get started on this post, a little earlier.

But, bless ’em, I had to go shopping, today.

And fill in a quick email to send off to the Brentwood Gazette.

And, what’s more, I had old friends — and regular Old Peculiar commentors — Sue and Andy, over, earlier.

Along with a rather big bag of Sue’s really rather distracting home-made peanut-butter cookies … !

All that, and BBC 3’s showing V for Vendetta, which has to be something of a favourite movie ; !

‹‹‹~›››

Actually, to be accurate, I wanted to get started on his, last night.

But my word, I weren’t half tired … !

‹‹‹‡›››

Right, now where was I … ?

Oh, yeah, I meant to tell you about the film that I, movie Night Adrian, and Squeaky managed to catch.

Tha 1999, Roman Polanski directed, Johnny Depp film, The Ninth Gate.

It sees Depp as unscrupulous rare book dealer, Dean Corso, hired by rich bibliophile Boris Balkan, played by Frank Langella.

Balkan has a problem, and one that he feels only Corso can help him with. Balkan has one of the last three surviving copies of The Book of The Nine Gates of The Kingdom of Shadows and he needs Corso to authenticate his copy.

There’s twists.

Isn’t there always … ?

For starters, the book is one thats rumoured to have been co-authored by Lucifer, himself.

And, as the film progresses, Corso discovers that each copy appears to be both genuine.

And identical in all respects.

Bar one.

Or maybe I should say three.

Each has a series of nine engravings.

But each of the three copies of the book has three engravings that have minor, but noticeable differences to the parallel versions in the other two copies.

And it’s a different three engravings* in each copy.

Obviously, Corso doesn’t realise this, until he get’s to examine each of them.

The trouble, of course, is that, in tracking down the book, he seems to be asking for trouble.

‹‹‹‡›››

Now, here comes the crunch. Is this a film worth watching … ?

I think it is.

I know that the mildly controversial Roman Polanski doesn’t produce work that’s going to be to everyones taste.

But I do know that 2 out of the three of us watching The Ninth Gate last night were glued to it°.

And that’s got to be worth mentioning …

* The one screen grab I did, was an attempt to show this. Let’s call each copy of the book, A, B and C. Now number the engravings, from 1 to 9. Engravings A1, A2 and A3 are different to the versions in B and C, Engravings B4, B5 and B6 are different to the parallel versions in in A and C, and Engravings C7, C8 and C9 are … you get the point … !

º With the third being glued whenever Johnny Depp got his shirt off. Can’t think why …

Sleepy Hollow

14th September, 2019

Hmmm …

Well, I must confess, it’s not often I write about a film I’ve seen, this far after the fact.

Not usually, anyway.

But one happy accident, about Fridge Freezer Weekend, is that not running the usual Movie Night meant me and Allison managed to catch a film ITV2 was showing, over the weekend.

The 1999 Tim Burton film, Sleepy Hollow.

And my word, isn’t that a film?

It’s certainly a treat for the eyes; something I know I’ve come to expect from Master Craftsman, Tim Burton.

Very much a visual treat!

I don’t know whether it’s the lighting, the film stock, or something Burton’s crew managed to pull off in post-production, but …

Well, I’m gonna try for a metaphor, here …

Imagine a very well drawn comic.

A well drawn, 19th Century comic.

One that’s been printed on very good quality, slightly cream coloured, paper-stock.

By someone like Basildon Bond.

Rather than on the usual pulp.

Hmmm …

Possibly, that’s not the best metaphor, is it? Calling it a sepia photo-comic book is maybe a better comparison.

But you get my point; Sleepy Hollow is rather unusual looking!

It definitely doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen before, I know that much!

I’d also say Sleepy Hollow is a very watchable movie, outside of the look of it!

Now I’ve never read the original Washington Irving short story, so I can’t actually tell you how different the two are.

But the Tim Burton movie is an entertaining ghost story, that follows Constable Ichabod Crane (Jommhy Depp*), sent to investigate some gruesome decapitations in the small town of Sleepy Hollow.

Which — according to the locals — are being committed by the headless ghost of a Hessian mercenary.

Seen, in the flashbacks before the ghost’s death, played by Christopher Walken, and, in headless ghost form, by Ray Parkesº.

Sleepy Hollow follows Crane’s very forensic efforts to catch what he thinks is a ‘normal’ murderer: finding that his assumptions are very wrong!

It looks like the locals are right: the killer isn’t exactly normal.

Or alive, for that matter … !

You know, it just occurred that Sleepy Hollow is Tim Burton’s take on the kind of small town American first tackled by David Lynch, in Twin Peaks.

Full of secrets, lies and unseen things.

But with more blood.

And less llamas.

But can I be honest, here?

Can I?

I loved this film!

To the point that, when I found out that ITV were repeating, the next day, I happily watched it, again!

Which sounds sad, I know, but there we go!

Sleepy Hollow is a bloody riveting watch!

Strange, emotional, gore-soaked …

But riveting …






*  Actually, this is possibly worth mentioning.   It strikes me that Johnny Depp must have been at the Sherlock Holmes novels: at least the way he played Crane seemed very much in the Scientific Detective mould.   Maybe I’m wrong there, but I’m willing to bet he did.   (There’s all sorts of rumours, about some of his other characterisations; Willy Wonka was supposed to be his take on Michael Jackson, for example.   As for a certain Captain Jack Sparrow, and a blues guitarist equally famed for falling out of coconut trees … Weeeeellllll …)

º  Yes, that Ray Parkes.   You know, Ray PARKES?   Darth Maul?   He of Big Red Double Ender fame?   Yes.   Him!