The Lord of the Rings (1978) — A Review.

1st February, 2026 — The Lord of the Rings (1978).

An Introduction.

OK … it’s a Sunday afternoon: and … ?

I have dinner cooking.

Sausages, so you know: with potatoes.

Exciting stuff, eh … ?

At any rate: it’s quiet, my browser isn’t making my Mac over heat … and there’s laundry doing.

Which has just reminded me: putting things in the dryer, helps … !

At any rate?

I’ve a quiet night in, and a pile of movies to watch.

And … ?

Ever since seeing Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards, a while back, there was something else I meant to catch … 

Catch, review … and tell you about by Wednesday … 

~≈🧙🏾‍♂️≈~

Wizards (1977) — A Review.

7th November, 2025: Wizards.

The Introduction.

I have to admit, I’ve been thumb twiddling.

In between writing quizzes, jobhunting, worrying about my health, shopping, thinking about Christmas presents, watching deliveries being delivered, wondering where I put my most recent set of stamps … 

Which reminds me, I need to get stamps … 

At any rate … ?

I have a loose, quiet, evening: and plenty of things I could be watching.

Including the Ralph Bakshi animated fantasy, Wizards.

Considering I caught his version of The Lord of The Rings, many years ago, watching Wizards seemed like a good idea.

So … ?

I’ll be watching it … then telling you about it on Monday night!

I have a busy calendar … !

~≈🧙🏽≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-6-2025 — The Wise Little Hen

9th June, 2025: The Wise Little Hen.

Right: I’m now awake … !

Early, as always.

It’s Monday: so I’m off to my regular weight management group.

Hopefully?

I’ll’ve lost some weight.

I’ve been plateauing on the same weight for the past three weeks, so I’d like to have lost some!

~≈⚖️≈~

I think Jude — my nephew — has a hidden talent or two.

We had the inevitable family dinner, last night.

So, Jude being Jude, he brought his laptop: to give himself something to do.

It seems he’s got a musical bent: as he was experimented with a music creation site — it’s called BeepBox — while he was there.

And?

And … ?

He managed to come up with this lot.

I’m mildly impressed … !

~≈🎵≈~

Just as a last thoughts … ?

I had a word, last night: from Gill, the sister of long time reader, Trevor.

He’s currently in hospital at the moment: with a Serious urinary tract infection.

Here’s hoping that can be treated, quickly!

~≈🏥≈~

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs — Snow White (1937) — A Review

31st March, 2025: Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs/Snow White.

The Introduction.

It has got to be said: I watch movies, occasionally.

You’ve possibly noticed, haven’t you … ?

At any rate, I watch movies, and feel that I should review them: both here on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar, and on my YouTube channel, @MrCuddy2977.

Feel free to subscribe, both here, and on YouTube.

It’s very appreciated.

At any rate … ?

It’s a quiet Monday night.

And I felt I should watch a movie.

Something I’ve felt I should do, over the years?

Is simply watch films that have some sort of worth to them.

Which is why I’ve all sorts of things, over the years: Nosferatu, for example, Der Golem, or The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, as others.

More recent ones, too: Close Encounters, or Blade Runner.

I’m using the term ‘recent’, loosely, there: but you get my point.

I’ve tried to see things that are viewed as historically significant.

Which is why — as I’m burning sausages to death — I’m writing this.

It’s to let you know that — given the fuss about the live action remake, and given I first saw it as a child — I going to watch the original Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.

Even if it’s not my usual thing.

~≈👸🏻≈~

Given all that … ?

Given that, I’m going to give this a watch, tonight: then let you know what I thought about it by tomorrow, Tuesday, 1st April.

Hopefully?

I’ll see you then …

~≈👸🏻≈~

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem — A Review

12th January, 2024: the Introduction.

Right … in amongst everything else … ?

It’s Friday.

And?

I think I’m going to be watching a movie: I fancy something silly, to be frank.

Silly or not?

I’ll let you know more, tomorrow.

~≈🐢≈~

Just as a quick point?

I’ve recently learnt that superstar DJ, Annie Nightingale, has died.

That’s sad to hear: as Radio 1’s first female DJ, she was a trailblazer.

I’ll possibly say more in the morning.

But will leave you with songs she introduced me too, many years ago.

I’ll see you in the morning.

~≈🐢≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28-10-2019: International Animation Day

28th October, 2019.

Yep: I’m officially getting old.

I managed to get one of those decongestant inhalers, yesterday: something you can get to help clear a blocked nose.

They’re  usually cheap … and helpful, this time of year.

And guess what I managed to do … ?

I managed to waste £1·50: and forget to put it into my shopping bag.

Anne, Debbi, Olga?

Can one of you kick me: I’d only miss!

~≈§≈~

Oh, just as a quick question … ?

Were you ever a fan of the band, Nirvana?

It seems that the cardigan Kurt Cobain wore at the band’s famous Unplugged gig was sold for some $334, 000: about £260, 000.

Which is nice.

Mind you … ?

I think they could’ve given it a wash, first … 

~≈§≈~

Batman: The Killing Joke — Ummmm … …

11th August, 2016.

You know … 

There are times when time off can be as … well … as boring a feck.

If you’ll excuse the language.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, getting the first visitors you’ve had for a while — thanking you, Jeanie, and Callum — can make a day go faster.

As can something else.

Yep.

I’ve caught myself a movie.

Yep: 2016’s VOD/theatrical release of the Alan Moore/Brian Bolland Batman story, The Killing Joke.

Personally?   I’ve always felt Alan Moore’s habit off keeping his name OFF film versions of his work could be good: or bad.

In this case … ?   Well … 

~≈Ê≈~

The Fantastic Planet: Make of it what you will

22nd February, 2014

You know, I actually had a spare evening.

No, really.

Absolutely no cash money to go and spend.

But I actually had some free time — he says, with no discernible trace of irony — and a few films to catch up on.

A whole external drive full, in fact.

Yes, I know I’ve been renting a fair few, now, from iTunes: the iTunes Genius feature is very helpful at suggesting news ones I may like, and come up trumps a time or two.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, I’ve a collection of films on my external drive: digital ones from my now long gone movie collection.   Some of which I’d seen: some of which I hadn’t.

Given that I’ve a new Apple TV — an Apple produced set-top box — I felt it was time to experiment with its streaming abilities.

By copying a film across from my external drive over to iTunes, turning my TV set over to ‘HDMI’ … 

And using the Apple TV’s oh-so-Front-Row-like interface to watch a film.

At ANY rate: I had a film on that external drive that I wanted to watch.   The 1973, René Laloux directed and co-written animation that is The Fantastic Planet.

And it’s … 

Hmmm … 

~≈®≈~

23rd February, 2014.

And yes: I think Hmmm …

Let me see what I can tell you …

Set in an unnamed future, The Fantastic Planet shows us a world occupied by a race called the Traags: a highly advanced, giant humanoid species who keep humans as pets.

And as wildlife in local parks.

It also shows us the bond between Tiva, a Traag child, and Terr, her pet Om*: bringing up and forming a bond with, her pet.

Until one day … ?

One day Terr escapes: after absorbing a lot of Traag knowledge, as Tiva had held him whilst receiving lessons through an advanced headset.

Escapes …

And joins a tribe of wild Oms.

Which is where things start to go badly for the Oms in the park …

~≈®≈~

Now …

‘Hmmm’ …

I have to admit, I saw The Fantastic Planet mentioned in a list of stand out sci-fi films: and don’t I wish I could find that, again?

I’d love to find out where it was on that list!

But where it actually WAS … ?

Well, I was impressed enough with the list — and the films on it — to want to rent them, at some point.

Fantastic Planet was one of them.

Don’t get me wrong: this is an well made film.

But, for the life of me, it’s also one I felt little emotional involvement with, despite having an unwatched copy in my collection for so long.

The length of time that it had remained unwatched should maybe have told me what my subconscious was trying to tell me: that it wasn’t a film I’d find to my taste.

Please bear that in mind if you decide to rent or buy it.

Being beautifully drawn does not mean it’s going to appeal to everyone.

Fantastic Planet
☆☆☆☆

*        The name the Traags give to both wild and domesticated humans.

The Adventures Of Tin Tin: Sex and Drugs and Adventures on the High Seas … !

Hmmm … 

You know, it’s not THAT often I settle in for a cartoon, of an evening, it really isn’t.

No, really, it isn’t.

It’s also — debatably — what I watched, last night.

Given that — and, yes, Kevin, Grub, I know I’m going to put the cat amongst the pigeons, with that last sentence — I had a night to myself.

And a copy of recent DVD release, the 2011 Steven Spielberg film, The Adventures Of Tin Tin.

Hmmm … 

Yes, let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

☴☲☱☲☴

Spirited Away: That’s the spirit …

You know, I’ve got to confess, times are decidedly hard, at the minute …

Recent events, and the lack of hours at work, leave me with little in the way of finances, and no weekly quizzes to actively prepare for.

Beyond the daily questions I’m posting here, of course.

Feel free to leave answer for those, folks.   It’s nice to know I’m having an effect.

I’m so short of money that I’m can’t – at the moment – see how I’m to take up the very nice invite from the No Idea’s, to sit in with them on The Rising Sun’s quiz, tomorrow night.

Which is a very nice, and very flattering invite, indeed.   Adrian, Margaret, John and Trish have bee one of the most formidable teams I had taking part in one of my quizzes, and getting a invite from them is both an honour, and praise, indeed.

But – to quote an old cliqué I’ve heard, from the people who saw the truth of it – one day at a time.

Something I did mange to do, last night, was use the hard drive recorder to tape “Spirited Away” so I could watch it today.

And I’ve got to admit, I found it rather good.

I’m not usually one for cartoons.   I think, like many of us in Britain, I grew up on 2000AD and endless repeats of Tom and Jerry cartoons and tend to think anything beyond that is kids stuff.

Reinforced by the heavily censored version of Battle of the Planets shown by the BBC, when I was a child

Which isn’t necessarily the case, of course.

I have, after all, seen Shrek and found it hysterical – plenty in there to make kids laugh, and adults laugh even louder, recognising the references.

But the  Japanese made and Hasao Miyazaki directed, Spirited Away is a different kettle of fish.

In part, I feel, because the film seems to keep the computer animation so prevalent in many animated films one sees, these days, to something of a minimum, giving Spirited Away a very old fashioned look and fell.

Another point is the simple fact is it is – as you may guess from the name of the director – a film made in Japan, originally for a Japanese audience, in Japanese – with English subtitles, I should add – and with a very Japanese look and feel to it.   I’m assuming it also draws from the varied animé traditions that have grown up in the land of the Rising Sun, over the past few years.

Which made it and very unique looking film, to my comparatively innocent eyes.

I think I can safely say I have a limited knowledge of Japan: with what I know largely picked up from news reports, an ageing copy of GURPS Japan, and the World War Two history I learnt at school, along with know roughly what Japanese letters look like, as they come enabled, under Leopard.

Actually, a bit of a side issue, here.   I used to work at a shop in Brentwood High Street, called Arnold’s Gift Centre, whose owner was a London-born chap called Arnold.   Obviously.   But I can remember something he said, when we saw a news report about the A-bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki  – I think the report was about one of the anniversaries, but don’t quote me – and said he’d always mentally put the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on a moral par with the Holocaust.

Which, as he was Jewish, always stuck in my mind, and definitely left an impression on me: and always gets me looking sideways at warfare.   It strengthened a long held certainty that wars are not the best way to sort out an international argument.

And that neither side behaves well in such a conflict, whatever side wins, or claims the high ground.

But, back to my earlier point, Japan is, to me, unfamiliar territory.

And “Spirited Away” an alien looking film.

But it’s also one that tells story that will be familiar, even though it’s in unfamiliar garb.

Quite simply it tells us of how Chihiro, the little girl at the heart of the story, is forced to grow up by travel through an alien enviroment, finding friends, love, meaning.

It’s a coming of age movie: a very familiar rite de passage.

And one that touches emotions in a way I’ve not seen a cartoon do.

I think I’d like you to see this film.

And let me know what you think, folks …