UP ALL NIGHT TO GET LUCKY

The Excellent Mark Kermode's Secrets Of Cinema recently covered cult movies. With the restrictions of an hour he managed to cover a lot from the obvious to the more unexpected choices, and a mention was made of the Scala cinema. Most would know the Scala as the large venue in Kings Cross but my experiences of the wonderful world of cult cinema took place at the original Scala Cinema Tottenham Street. This was an intimate venue that hosted film festivals, all nighters and live bands.

Two of the most memorable occasions at the Scala were the Golden Turkey Awards Festival and the 3D Movie All-Nighter.

The treats that awaited us were a list of cult oddities and all sorts, many of which were exposed to the public for the first time. some of he titles shown were;

• Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, in which Kris kringle thwarts an alien invasion
• The advertised Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes was unavailable so we were treated to The Attack Of The Mushroom People
• Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter replaced the absent Billy The Kid V Dracula
• Robot Monster, a film so low budget that the antogonist is wearing a gorilla suit with a divers helmet
• Queen Of Outer Space (Pink Tinted Version) staring Zsar Zsar Gabor
• Monster On Campus, a chilling tale of a teen in a hairy rubber mask running amok
• Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space-the Citizen Kane of bad movies
• Glen Or Glenda, Ed Wood's autobiographical film about transvestism and Angora sweaters

The Perils of attending a 3D all-nighter are manifested in a blinding headache at around 5.00am as the 3D experience involved wearing 3D glasses and the toll it takes on ones eyes after 8 hours is rather fearsome when paired with sleep deprivation.

One of my favourite All-Nighters was the Gene Wilder/Mel Brooks experience. A blend now legendary and lesser known films from two of the funniest men in movie history.

Silver Streak, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, Blazing Saddles, The World's Greatest Lover and The Adventure Of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother. This was a bill of films that is unsurpassed in terms of comedy and shows a great deal of diversity in terms of Gene Wilder in particular. It's also worth noting the standout performances from Cloris Leachman (who died this week aged 94) in three of the titles. The Adventure  Of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother showed Wilder's love of  absurdist British Comedy and sits well with the work of Cook & More and Python. When we emerged blinking into the early morning sunlight our jaws and ribs were aching to add to the 100 yard stares a night without sleep evokes.

Of course there were other All-Nighters at the Scala, notably the Jamaican All-Nighter which featured the excellent The Harder They Come and the National Lampoonesque Smile Orange, and you could generally find All-Nighters at various Odeons, notably the raucous Kung Fu All-Nighters.

In those days these Cinematic outings were a lot of fun, a great shared experience and more importantly an opportunity to experience the breadth of movie genres that were out there. You might get lucky and find a real gem to recommend, or be there at the start of a cult,  it was, after all, an era where the words streaming and Youtube were unknown, you had to go out there and find it!

THE COVID KIDS

It's the Covid Kids I feel sorry for. They are unable to be out and about causing trouble, getting up to mischief and generally enjoying themselves, which should always be the case for young people. Being a kid during World War II wasn't easy but there was some respite in the form of evacuation to the country. And of course poverty levels are not what they once were (they are far from ideal, but not what they once were), but hardship is relative and there have been ways to circumnavigate difficulties in the past but not being able to leave the house has it's limitations.

It feels like modern children have been surrounded by 'things' for many years now; most of those things technology based, yet they cannot currently have that fundamental experience of playing with other children, getting out and about and generally building their socialising skills.

What will be the legacy for the Covid Kids? Certainly broader mental health levels will rise as will social anxiety levels.We may also see a decline in emotional intelligence as children spend more time engaging with technology than others.

Not being at school is harming in a number of ways, both academically and in terms of socialisation, and the latter could be the biggest issue post lockdown going into the future for our youth.

What can be done? tough question, but a good start would be to fund youth and play provision during the summer (If we are appropriately placed to do so health wise) and beyond, in order to give children a chance to catch up mentally and physically with being a child. Unfortunately I don't see that happening as the years of systematic cuts to these services has become an institution. 

I wonder what life for an energetic child in a small flat with no outdoor space is like for all concerned. I also wonder how many parents take the technology route to keep their children entertained; after all Screens make excellent child minders.

Mind you, its not easy to dim the flame of youth. Young people are resilient and despite their resilience being tested like no other generation of children in the last 75 years they may very well come out of this inspired to appreciate what the world has to offer and collectively grasp it.

VICE AND VIRTUE IN FARMINGTON

 

The Shield often gets overlooked in the discussion of the last two decades or so's rise in quality TV series.

The Shield ran for seven seasons between 2002 and 2008 and told the story of the officers of the Farmington district of LA. It's main focus was on Detective Vic Mackey and his Strike Team  team. Mackey and his team are a corrupt, no holds barred set of characters who although they get results, they bend the rules to the point where those rules almost snap.

Much like it's spiritual predecessor Hill Street Blues it featured multiple overlapping strands with a variety of characters, all with issues and struggles outside of the force from family issues and Autism to sexuality and religion

The main protagonist Mackey sets the tone in episode one when he executes a fellow officer who has infiltrated the Strike Team as part of an undercover plan to bring them to account.

Mackey and his team use brutality as a means to an end and it's this moral dilemma that is at the heart of the show. Mackey is one of the great anti-heroes who you root for despite their relentless corrupt nature.

The performances across the board are uniformly excellent. Even the smaller parts are delivered in a both believable and relatable way. 

Later series featured Laura Haring, Franke Potente, Glen Close and Forest Whitaker the latter two both tasked with difficult jobs; running the station and bringing down the corrupt Mackey. this is a tall order as Mackey and his team have a fierce loyalty. However that loyalty eventually implodes with catastrophic results

The quality of he writing and the character development are first rate and it doesn't lack in the action stakes either.

As the series developed the plot grew more complex and the levels of jeopardy rose, resulting in one of the very best finales in TV.

The Shield is currently available on Amazon prime and I would encourage those of you who have not seen it to give it a go as a visit to Farmington is a rewarding experience 

LIGHTS! CANNIBALS! ACTION!

Cannibalism, a bit of a taboo isn't it? Certainly in cinematic terms the controversial subject matter peaked in the era of the so called Video Nasty, with such titles as Cannibal Holocaust, Cannibal Ferox, the Man From Deep River, Slave Of The Cannibal Gods and Cannibal Apocalypse. These films were low on budget but actually quite high on ideas.

Then there were the films made about the Uruguayan Rugby Club plane crash in the Andes of 1972 that viewed the survivors resorting to cannibalism in a sympathetic light. 

There have also been interesting subversions of the form with Ravenous, Eating Raoul, Parents and Delicatessen as interesting entries, but generally outrage prevailed in regards to cannibal cinema but in the last few years there has been an absorption of cannibalism into other genres. Some fine examples are;

Cannibal Dystopia-The Bad Batch a bold look at a barbaric future

Cannibal Western-Bone Tomahawk a ferocious tale of the old west

Cannibal Coming Of Age- Raw a superb slow burn descent 

Cannibal Pygmalion-The Woman a study of what our true natures are

Cannibal Neo Noir-The Neon Demon a vivid view of the dark side of LA

Cannibal Transgressive-Trouble Every Day obsession viewed through a violent prism

Cannibal Musical-Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Ye Olde flesh eating sing along

What is worth noting is that a great deal of these modern Cannibal films are directed by women with female protagonists  which is interesting as it gives a new voice to a genre previously dominated by male directors and female victims. In the right hands metaphors abound with  Cannibals, they can be seen as modern day consumers, addicts  or typifying the cult of selfishness or simply as the ultimate in the 'Me' generation. There are also nods to the old school with The Green Inferno being the best known of the updated video nasty Cannibal oeuvre that can be found in abundance on streaming services. 

I guess you could say that Cannibals, much like Zombies who are now mainstream, are here to stay.

THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE (FICTION)

 

A question was asked; what is the best Science Fiction film that isn't Star Wars or Star Trek related?

Where to begin with this. The question itself shows a leaning toward franchise cinema, which isn't to say that's a bad thing. I think that The original Star Trek TV series and The Next Generation were hugely enjoyable and tackled some really deep and interesting themes. As for Star Wars, Episodes IV,V and VI are great fun entertainment (as is the underrated Rogue One).

But for me the real meat of Science Fiction Cinema is it's ability to ask questions about what it is to be human, how we subvert science to our own ends and how we are prone, as a species to a God complex that can go awry. With that in mind here are my Top Twenty favourite Science Fiction films within that criteria. there are many films that I could have included, but I've tried to keep it a lean list that reflects what I think Science Fiction is, and of course that will be different for everyone. Let me know your choices in the comments

1. Blade Runner (1982) The human condition, identity and the effects of science on man as the creator all combined in a Neo Noir thriller. the Future (now the past) had never looked so perfectly realised.
2. Planet Of The Apes (1968) Iconic. there is something about this story that captures he essence of Science fiction as society changing. The Apes world is a masterpiece of design and it has possibly the greatest twist ending in all of cinema.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) This really is a film that tackles all the big themes. It's a masterpiece of abstraction and the design ethic is phenomenal
4. Alien (1979) A peerless dark house horror set in space. All these years later it still has the ability to amaze and repel. 
5. Stalker (1979) A film of creative excellence. Very few films of any genre can match it's depth of purpose
6. The Thing (1982) Paranoia, fear and loathing in an intense isolated setting. The tension is palpable
7. The Fly (1986) Body Horror at it's finest and most accessible. There is genuine empathy for the transmutating scientist who meddles with nature
8. Frankenstein (1934) The Mad Scientist and the Monster. Still a benchmark for pathos, invention and the big questions on screen
9. The Terminator (1984) Stripped back time travel thriller that is as inventive as it is action packed. Schwarzenegger's killing machine is an iconic presence
10. Under The Skin (2013) An other-wordly creature stalking an other-wordly Glasgow in this mesmerising tale of  the ultimate outsider. Stunning
11. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) Christ like Michael Rennie visits us to tell us to get our act together. A paranoid morality play featuring one of the best movie robots.
12. Alphaville (1965) Dystopian detection delivered with panache
13. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) At the time a metaphor for the perceived threat of communism but ever since, a timely reminder of societies vulnerability
14. Forbidden Planet (1956) Quintessential fifties Sci Fi in vivid colour with an early electronic score. Marvellous
15. Starship Troopers (1997) Space satire on fascism with blistering set pieces and a nod and a wink
16. Metropolis (1927) The Original Science fiction film. Full of ideas and images that would last the test of time.Truly original
17. Primer (2004) A big idea on a low budget. This is a exemplary example of cut price intelligent film making
18. Akira (1998) The future never looked so mesmerising. Cyber punk started here
19. The War Of The Worlds (1953) Taking liberties with the source material this George Pal directed film is a perfectly balanced warning about our fragility
20. They Live (1988) This prescient film gives us a glimpse at what would be the biggest of all conspiracies, which you could say is actually happening

JAMBOREE BAG

Jamboree- 1a : a large festive gathering. b : a national or international camping assembly of Boy Scouts. 2 : a long mixed program of entertainment. 3 : a noisy or unrestrained carouse.

The good old Jamboree Bag. Buying one, or more than likely, having one bought for you, was a magical experience. Akin to Indiana Jones about to enter the anteroom of the Peruvian temple, there was a feeling of anticipation and anxiety. What wonders awaited in the interior of the flimsy paper bag illustrated in the most basic child friendly style?

Sweets? yes of course, but what sort and how many? Would there be the type of stickers and transfers you would be happy to adorn your belongings with? Would there be temporary tattoos with which to adorn your forearms and nascent bicep?

There had to be a puzzle of some sort that you could impress your friends by solving, and maybe some other item not to your liking that you could trade for something more suited to you.

Maybe their alternative name 'Lucky Bag' was more suited as you had to be lucky to get the perfect bag of your dreams, as I dare say the manufacturers were obliged to pad out the contents with lesser items to make them financially viable.

If they reintroduced the Jamboree Bag today I wonder what the contents would be

Harry Potter face mask

Jesse Lingard Panini sticker

Haribo Little Mix Starmix

Ariana Grande lower back temporary tattoo

Chicken Shop Colouring booklet

Syco branded Nitrous Oxide capsule

Little book of 'How To Have Beef'

Harry Styles Plastic Comb 

Packet of JD Sport Roaches 

LYNCHIAN RHAPSODY

Today is my favourite Movie director’s birthday, David Lynch. Not only has he made an indelible stamp on Cinema he’s also excelled at subversion on The small screen with the ground breaking Twin Peaks Season 1 & 2 and his magnum opus Twin Peaks The return.

The term Lynchian has entered the cinematic language and the talented people he has worked with says a lot about the esteem in which he is held. He has worked with a plethora of acting talent.

Established big names like Antony Hopkins, John Gielgud, Anne Bancroft, Max Von Sydow, Patrick Stewart, Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, Sian Philips and Jürgen Prochnow and Jeremy Irons.

Independent actors like Jack Nance, Brad Dourif, Isabella Rossellini, Willem Defoe, Grace Zabriski, Harry Dean Stanton, Patricia Arquette and Bill Pullman.

Musicians like David Bowie, Sting, Billy Ray Cyrus, Marilyn Manson, Henry Rollins, Chris Isaac and Julee Cruise.

Wildcards like Nicolas Cage, Mink Stole, David Patrick, Richard Pryor, Gary Busey and Crispin Glover.

Lynch’s work is as loved as it is loathed. Many critics simply say that they don’t understand his work. For me having to understand something does not preclude liking it; I don’t really understand Rothko’s paintings but I like them.

One thing that has to be said is that he is an uncompromising film maker. I love his work as i feel I am entering a singularly unique world when I watch it. He is a renaissance man as he is a talented painter , writer and now it seems, Weather-caster.

I’ve placed his films in some sort of order of preference which is hard as it’s a bit like selecting a favourite child. If you've never entered Lynch's world you may want to grab a cup of damn fine coffee, a piece of Cherry pie and find one of these to take you into a parallel universe.

1. Mulholland Drive
2. Lost Highway
3. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
4. Blue Velvet
5. Eraserhead
6. The Elephant Man
7. Wild At Heart
8. Dune
9. The Straight Story
10. Inland Empire

ALWAYS B SCROLLING?

 

In lieu of cinema's being open I have been watching a good few films on Netflix and Amazon and rather than going for the sort of thing I would ordinarily go to see on the big screen I have been dipping my toe into B Move territory. These films are generally around an hour and a half, are high on concept and feature both actors that are little known and a smattering of big names. Given that scrolling for the perfect film can become a repetitive strain sometimes it's good just to pay your money and take your choice.

Heres a rundown of the good the bad and the ugly;

• Songbird-Set in a Covid-23 future of complete lockdown this is an efficient race against the clock thriller that promises more, but enjoyable none the less
• Spree-The age of social media is put under the microscope in this frantic satire featuring multiple viewpoints.
• Ava-Standard female assassin stuff that wants to be Atomic Blonde but is more like Point Of No Return
• American Mary-Body Horror slow burner with a great deal of imagination, promising from all concerned
• 10 X 10-British cast, American accents, good concept but disappointing third act
• The Night Eats The World-Superior Zombie movie set in an isolated Paris apartment.
• The Wall
• Child Of God-Method, Method, Method in this meandering modern western
• Lifechanger- Much like Fallen this film is quite ingenious and does well on such a tight budget
• Orphan-Again a great concept but hampered by a 'by the numbers horror format'
• Sputnik-Very good Alien on earth movies from Russia. Well acted and executed
• Arizona- Wants to be a Coen Brothers film but a good cast fail to deliver 
• Arkansas-Above average Neo-Noir Crime drama
• White Boy Rick-Underrated biopic about a remarkable real life story set in the "white trash" drug world
• Adult Life Skills-Doctor Who on quirky form im this film that has a great deal of charm
• Blue Ruin-Superb dark side of America drama
• Saint Judy-Feel good Erin Brokovitch lite
• Bad Day For the Cut-Gritty Irish revenge thriller, well worth a watch

The world of the B movie offers much, the films are usually shorter which means not having to dedicate too much time on a risk but for every Frog there is a Prince. I grew up in the era of B movies and this was always a great opportunity to try something sight unseen before the main event. That's part pf the enjoyment of cinema for me. Discovering hidden gems and even getting something out of stinkers.

Given that there is so much choice on streaming platforms you can find yourself searching for a substantial length of time. Next time you are undecided, why not take a chance on a lesser known title? You never know, you might like it

SMOOTH PROGRESS

Pete Green's Fleetwood Mac, Eno's Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel's Genesis, they all metamorphosised into smooth pop acts. That's the general consensus, that their creative juices dried up when pivotal members of the band were no longer there, but I beg to differ when it comes to Roxy Music and Fleetwod Mac. I actually prefer their later incarnations.

Stalwart Prog rocker's could argue  a decline in the case of Genesis and it would be a good argument (unless your'e Patrick Bateman) as they reached their post Gabriel peak immediately with  the excellent Trick Of The Tail. Phil Collins' solo output has been consigned to the bargain bin of naffness and certainly you could argue that his songwriting erred on the side of Chris DeBurgh.

So let's look at Roxy Music and Fleetwood Mac as purveyors of smooth smart popular music.

Stranded was the first post Eno Roxy Music album and it is a triumph kicking off with the anthemic Street Life and featuring the melancholic masterpiece A Song For Europe the following albums all hinted at the Era defining Avalon and showed a great deal of finesse as opposed to the sometimes jarring earlier material. Some say bland but I say smooth and alluring. A fitting swan song for this most interesting of bands.

As for Fleetwood Mac, the 60's and early 70's saw them cement their reputation but it wasn't until Rumours that they had a huge mainstream hit which must have allowed for the experimentation of Tusk, but its Tango In The Night that is their peak with such immaculately delivered tracks as Big Love and Sara. This sound was being listened to by those who had invested in decent Hi Fi and the production stands the test of time.

Of course I'm not dismissing The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) or Virginia Plain I'm just saying that Bands can develop both ways. A band can start out with simpler arrangements and become more complex so why not start of with complexity and streamline your art? Besides which, when has popularity when it comes to popular music been a bad thing?

CELLULOID LOCKDOWN

Lockdown I

Lockdown II

Lockdown III

SENSE AND INSENSITIVITY

 

 Oi! Where's your mask?

I’m not saying that the government haven't  cocked things up with their handling of the pandemic; they have. But after Lockdown Episode One I went back to work, which involves travelling across London. I saw many many people oblivious to Government advice/instructions. Not conspiracist’s trying to make a misguided point, just bleedin’ ignorance. People that don’t understand what 2 metres is or how to wear a mask properly. Basically people who couldn’t care less. 

As we do not live in a country where a police presence or the military on the streets is part of a cultural awareness, we’ve had to rely on the common sense of the great british public but without public guardians, who were dispensed of in the eighties, there is no one to question the behaviours. Shop assistants and bus drivers probably feel that they are not paid enough to risk being abused or assaulted if they refer non compliers to the rules.

During Lockdown 2 : Electric Boogaloo I had a mixed work pattern which meant travelling twice a week across London and to my dismay there were still large numbers of people blithely not adhering to guidance. Thankfully a bike and British Rail provided travelling sanctuary.

Now we are in Lockdown III I am confined to the environs of North London and I have to say that I am seeing far more people following the guidance and not being so selfish. Could it be that the penny has dropped or is it that different parts of London think differently? Who knows, but here's the thing; people are and have been dying and a little bit of unselfish thought could help to stop further people from dying. a bit of sensitivity for those that are struggling.

It's getting boring now, this situation that we have been in for what seems like an age, and I would hope that the Great British Public can show what we have shown countless times in the past; Common sense and a spirit of unity. 

 That's more like it!