David M. Brown's Blog, page 116

Cat Observations #10

In 2009 Mrs B and I adopted two brothers, Razz and Kain, from the RSPCA. It was my first experience of cat ownership having grown up either with a dog or goldfish in the house, the latter in a tank, of course, and not just in some innocuous location like the sofa or kitchen table. Since Razz and Kain joined the family we have also adopted two kittens, Buggles and Charlie, and two Norwegian Forest cats, Bilbo and Frodo, so you could say it's quite full in our household now. Though Mrs B knew what to expect, having previously owned both dogs and cats, it has been a steep learning curve for me and my lessons are still not over. In this blog I want to share some of the weird and wonderful antics I have discovered in the feline world, which is much different to the kingdom of dogs where obedience is paramount. A cat's motto seems to be, "I do what I please, so deal with it, you moron."

[image error] Bilbo waits for his next customer 

Grooming

I've been a cat owner for nearly two years now and in that time I've come to the conclusion that our feline friends are rather selfish. So long as they have plenty of naps and get fed twice a day they don't seem to need anything else. However, although they are largely independent they do show some remarkable signs of affection, examples that Mrs B and I have recently witnessed.

The majority of the time the six cats are happy to find a comfy spot (usually one of our seats if they have their wits about them) and nap the day away. There are, however, those pleasant moments when they'll come and sit in our laps, generally when we're busy and don't want to be disturbed. This is usually Bilbo who, despite being underweight and having had all his fur shaved off when we first adopted him, is one of the most affectionate of the bunch. He tends to sit with Mrs B most of the time but likes to shift between us on occasion, using a small table as a bridge. Kain is a funny one. Rather than committing to sitting on us he'll often perch on the arm of a chair and allow us to stroke him. He's a giver of affection but on his terms only.

Although all the cats enjoy attention and sitting on us it's Bilbo and Kain that are the most remarkable. Every now and again they'll climb onto the back of our chairs and initially you feel their weight tugging the chair back but things soon settle. Moments later our viewing of the TV or working away on our laptops is interrupted by paws on our shoulders and Bilbo or Kain grooming our hair! Kain was the first to display this behaviour, finding plenty to keep him busy in Mrs B's long hair. I'd like to say he's gentle when he tugs on Mrs B's locks but that would be a lie. After a few pulls at strands of hair he looks like he's chewing something disagreeable before resuming the act.

When Bilbo and Frodo arrived it was the former that seemed to take over Kain's grooming duties. At first it was just Mrs B that enjoyed this hair treatment in the comfort of her own home but in recent weeks I too have become one of Bilbo's targets. The first time it happened I was taken by surprise, well you would be wouldn't you? Bilbo didn't persevere with my hair as long as he has done with Mrs B but he still tended to it long enough to let me know he was there and afterwards I wasn't sure how the experience had left me feeling.

Grooming is clearly a sign of great affection but given that these six boys are always carefully plotting to outwit me in our ongoing battle for supremacy, I do wonder if there's something more to their act. Is a subliminal message involved, their way of trying to say you need to wash your hair more it's filthy? Whatever the answer I find myself momentarily statuesque whenever one of the cats sits on the back of my seat. Mrs B thrives with all this attention, of course, but she's long been under the spell of these six cats. I, of course, no different.

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Film Review #72: The Incredible Hulk

With prices for cinema tickets now reaching ridiculous heights it's not often I will treat myself to a new release unless it's something I simply cannot wait for. Instead, I'm happy to content myself with a cheap DVD or a film on TV which may have slipped through my critical net and, believe me, there have been far too many. Whether the films featured here are recent or old I'll still be providing my honest opinion on them and, with the benefit of hindsight in many cases, may offer a slightly different take to contemporary reviewers.

 

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Films of comic book superheroes seem to be a necessity of cinema at the moment especially when competing for the coveted title of summer blockbuster. I haven't seen many of them I have to say but do intend to in the near future. Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk is one of the more recent adaptations of a Marvel Comics hero and was intended to make up for Ang Lee's version from 2003 which didn't go down well with the critics. Trying to keep my anger in check I sat myself down to take on the Hulk.

Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is the subject of an experiment at the outset using gamma rays to increase the healing time in soldiers. The project is overseen by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt) and his daughter and Banner's girlfriend Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). After the process begins Banner turns into a giant green monster, destroying the lab and leaving both General Ross and his daughter injured during his violent outburst. The film picks up years later where Bruce Banner is leading a surreptitious existence in Brazil working in a soft drinks factory and thanks to martial arts training has learned to control his anger and prevent a transformation into the Hulk for many months. General Ross is still desperately seeking Banner and turns to ageing soldier Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) for help.

After a destructive opening with Banner's transformation into the Hulk the film quickly moves onto his time in Brazil where he has not turned into the Hulk for months and is in contact via the Internet with Mr Blue about a cure for his condition. Banner's location is revealed when he cuts himself at work and a drop of blood, heavy set with gamma rays, ends up in the bottle of one of the soft drinks shipped to the United States. When the unfortunate victim drinks from the contaminated bottle he is rushed to hospital and General Ross is alerted to Banner's whereabouts. British soldier Blonsky leads the raid of the soft drinks factory and witnesses the Hulk taking out his men though he doesn't realise this is Banner transformed after being overwhelmed by rage and anger. General Ross tells Blonsky the truth that Banner was deceived with the experiment on him, the real purpose being to develop super soldiers. With Blonsky now 39 and no longer the soldier he once was he volunteers to be the next guinea pig in the same experiment, the hope being he is fit, agile and strong enough to face the Hulk.

Though Banner escapes back to the United States he has to cross paths with Betty again and the inevitable romance plays out. With the army hot on his trail Banner faces more regular transformations into the Hulk. After hooking up with Betty it is time for Banner to locate Mr Blue and to take steps to curing himself of his purgatorial life. The army has other plans, however, and in Blonsky they have a secret weapon that is initially defeated easily by the Hulk leaving the soldier with nearly every bone in his body shattered. Blonsky, however, is no longer the same as a human and his body quickly repairs itself to fight another day. As with many guinea pigs of scientific experiments, Blonksy comes to face an ordeal even greater than that of the Hulk but this is one of his own choosing as he desires greater strength and power to face his formidable enemy.

With such acting talent as Norton and Roth I was optimistic that The Incredible Hulk would be a great film but I was left disappointed by the end. There's nothing wrong with Norton and Roth, I just felt this film wasn't a worthy vehicle for them to show off their respective talents. Norton, in particular, is one of Hollywood's finest given such a role as Fight Club or American History X to get his teeth into but I didn't feel that same memorable performance coming through here. Hurt and Tyler provide okay support while Tim Blake Nelson makes a noteworthy appearance as the mysterious Mr Blue. The film's effects are good but the ending was somewhat unsatisfying with a final showdown between Banner and Blonsky being a little flat. The opening half of the film is better than the second half and although this isn't a bad film it's certainly not the great one I had hoped for.

The Incredible Hulk is a pretty average action superhero film, getting decent performances out of Norton and Roth, despite the material they have to work with not being spectacular. Though the effects are good they're not stunning and the film feels like everyone is treading too carefully trying to avoid the same mistakes the 2003 Hulk film made. In the end it's an okay effort but not a memorable one.

Verdict: 6½/10

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In Search of Inspiration – The Journey of the Writing Pilgrim #5

In January 2011 I sent the Writing Pilgrim out on a worldwide journey in search of ideas and inspiration for stories, novels and blogs. I would have liked to make the journey myself but I'm not a rich man and I have a wife and four cats that need me, a blog to maintain and novels and short stories to write so my hands are a bit tied. The Writing Pilgrim is a free spirit, travelling on the crest of a creative wave and looking to experience the world in a lifelong journey he has long wanted to take. Whatever insights he can share I hope you'll look forward to as much as me.

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©Ben Burger

Just Me and the Polar Bears

Good afternoon. I'm so cold I can barely write these words and by the time you receive this letter I will hopefully be somewhere a little warmer. Unbelievably I am writing to you from the heart of the Arctic. That's that white bit on the globe in the north where that Pole thing is. You know the one I mean, don't you? What's it called again? North Pole! That's the one. I haven't ventured that far I must say but I am stranded on the ice and did I mention it's bloody cold?

How did I end up in such a remote place? Well, as you know I always take part in long stories and this one was no different. Can we just say I took a wrong turn somewhere? We'll not say I offended a flight crew so badly they threw me off the place, with a parachute of course, I mean they're not that inconsiderate! Anyway, I'm here and somewhere between Singapore and the Arctic something happened that brought me here and now I need to find a way off this ice.

I'm not alone here. I've seen a few polar bears but thankfully from a distance. They swim impressively between the packs of ice, waiting by holes in the ice for unsuspecting seals to surface. I had heard global warming has impacted badly on this region in the last few decades. Even in this isolation there seems to be a cold foreboding in the air. The polar bears and other life, well adapted to this terrain, go about their daily struggle for survival, seemingly oblivious to the impending danger melting all around them but I do wonder if their instincts can sense the approaching calamity.

The ice is unrelenting in its instability but the Arctic Ocean is still beautiful to behold even as the ice lives out the last years of its life. I have little sense of direction but know I need to head south to find some form of civilization. My senses tell me to just head away from the polar bears and I should be okay. They watch me with keen interest but do not approach. I expect they must be wary of a tall, imposing pilgrim like me. I continue along this broken path of ice and try not to think about the onset of frostbite that is gnawing at the ends of my fingers. It's unforgiving out here but somehow it all seems worth it to behold such a magnificent place.

Lady Luck comes in the form of something protruding from the ice which breaks apart as it continues its advance north. I try to back away but the ice around my feet begins to crack and I'm left on a makeshift island with seemingly no hope of escape. The dark object sticking out of the icy waters halts nearby and out of the precipice appears a man who speaks with an American accent. It turns out I've bumped into an American crew manning a submarine in the midst of Arctic exploration. This is good fortune indeed and even better is these men appear intelligent and nothing like that George Bush fellow who I once assumed was representative of all Americans, seems he was just a special case.

I manage to negotiate passage onto the American's submarine, I mean even with a haphazard traveller like me you'd have been regarded as cruel to have left me behind. The Americans are hospitable hosts and even lend me a pair of binoculars while we survey the area. Polar bears approach the bow of the submarine but soon lose interest and continue to hunt. I grimace at the damage the vessel is doing to the ice but keep those reservations to myself. After all, these men are my saviours.

It's not long before we descend beneath the water, having gone below deck and sealed the hatch first of course. I was careful to say little for fear of being left behind again. I'm not sure how long this expedition will be but the Americans have told me they'll drop me off wherever I'd like to go, well, somewhere within reason was their exact words but it was still a generous offer all the same. I just told them to leave me somewhere a bit less cold so who knows where I'll end up, eh?

I've learned from the Americans that the Arctic is a hotly contested area with no one having rights to the territory around the North Pole or indeed the Arctic Ocean but with Russia, Norway, Denmark, Canada and the U.S. all forming part of the collective definition of the Arctic, there is a lot of competition and interest as the ice gradually begins to melt. I find it sad that there seems to be no way to stop the melting and the perishing of the animals that reside there. I also learn from scientists on the submarine that global warming remains a hotly contested issue, something I find hard to understand having seen the wilting ice out here.

As the submarine continues its Arctic expedition I turn to thoughts of you and your writing. When it comes to inspiration for you I know that there are cold regions in Elenchera. Fedwino is a tad chilly but Sanamora is the equivalent of Antarctica in Elenchera, right? Given all that I have witnessed maybe Sanamora can be a fiercely disputed land by the colonists that discover it and begin to oust the indigenous peoples residing there. Sanamora is situated near the South Edge of the world so perhaps that could be the reason it is such a lucrative piece of land. I'll leave that up to you. In the meantime I'll relax with my new American friends and enjoy the speculation of where they'll take me next. The most important thing is to mind my words otherwise I'll get stranded somewhere even more isolated than the Arctic.

Sending chilly greetings and regards your way,

W. Pilgrim

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The Road to Fezariu's Epiphany

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In September 2009 I completed the first draft of Fezariu's Epiphany and felt mighty chuffed with myself, anticipating the editing to take a few months before I could harbour any dreams of publication. Well, here I am more than eighteen months later and am delighted to announce, that after a very long journey, my first novel from the world of Elenchera is here. Fezariu's Epiphany has finally been published in paperback on www.amazon.com and as an ebook on www.lulu.com and Amazon's Kindle Store. 

It took six drafts to get Fezariu's Epiphany into a state where both I and my most valued critic and no.1 fan, my beautiful wife Mrs B, were happy with it. The idea for the novel has been with me for a long time and it was a very different book when Fezariu first came to me. His life didn't have the same complications it does in the novel today, in fact that early effort had very little substance or emotional depth now I think back to it. I didn't realise, however, that the answers were with me all along in the form of a short story I wrote A Mother's Blessing which I suddenly realised could slot into Fezariu's Epiphany and give it that substance it desperately needed. There was still a lot more work to be done though. As well as being my no.1 fan and critic, Mrs B is perfect for brainstorming with and through her guidance and curses I was able to finally structure Fezariu's life, full of twists, turns and complexities into a narrative I was happy with but, most importantly, one my wife simply loved. Hopefully this version I offer to you now has made up for what the original idea was sorely lacking.

Through the six drafts of Fezariu's Epiphany I've made name changes, eliminated some characters completely, transformed others and even toyed with a happy or sad ending. I won't tell you which I went for. After six exhaustive drafts I realised just how difficult it is to complete a novel. I'd written four inferior books prior to Fezariu's Epiphany but I didn't put as much of myself into the editing and reworking of those novels as I did with this one. That just tells me how important it became for me to tell Fezariu's story and though he was always nagging at me to finish this book I wouldn't have done it without the support of my wonderful Mrs B.

Last week Mrs B was instrumental in getting the novel ready for publication on www.amazon.com and www.lulu.com She's Internet savvy is my wife, unlike me, and heading down the route of self-publishing there was a hell of a lot of work to do but, as always, we both got through it. We received word last week that two proof copies of the novel would be with us by the following Monday. It was one of the longest weekends of my life but Monday soon came and so did the parcel. Mrs B has been so supportive that I gave her the honour of opening the parcel and soon we beheld the proof copies. I have to say Mrs B and Amazon did an amazing job and looking through that proof copy it finally hit me that I'd reached the end of the road I've shared with Fezariu for such a long time.

As much as I've enjoyed Fezariu's company I feel it's only right that he be allowed to set out on a new journey where he can share his story with you. Those that choose to take his hand, I hope it's a journey you enjoy as much as I have writing it. 

Happy reading.

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Film Review #71: Eastern Promises

With prices for cinema tickets now reaching ridiculous heights it's not often I will treat myself to a new release unless it's something I simply cannot wait for. Instead, I'm happy to content myself with a cheap DVD or a film on TV which may have slipped through my critical net and, believe me, there have been far too many. Whether the films featured here are recent or old I'll still be providing my honest opinion on them and, with the benefit of hindsight in many cases, may offer a slightly different take to contemporary reviewers.

 

Eastern Promises (2007)

Anyone familiar with a film by David Cronenberg will know that the experienced director does like a spot of gore. His best film, The Fly (1986), is not one to watch while you're eating but under Cronenberg's direction it became more than a horror film, instead a surprisingly moving love story. Facing Eastern Promises, which deals with the Russian mafia, I was certain bloodshed would be prominent but would Cronenberg manage to deliver a great film rather than just a violent one?

The film opens with two interesting scenes: the first is of a man, Soyka (Aleksandar Mikic), who is murdered by a barber Azim (Mina E. Mina) and his nephew Ekrem (Josef Altin). The film then switches to a fourteen year old girl Tatiana (Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse) who wanders into a chemist and collapses, blood seeping down her legs. She is rushed to hospital and found to be heavily pregnant. Though the baby is delivered safely Tatiana dies leaving the attending nurse, Anna (Naomi Watts), with the baby and a lot of questions. Anna finds Tatiana's diary but realises it's in Russian though there is a card tucked in the pages for the Trans-Siberian restaurant. Anna wants to know more despite the concerns of her mother Helen (Sinead Cusack) and uncle Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski) who is of Russian descent and is insistent the diary is none of her business and should be left alone. At the restaurant Anna encounters the owner Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl) who is head of a Russian mafia family and seems keen on obtaining Tatiana's diary, offering to translate it for Anna. Also at the restaurant are Semyon's ruthless son Kirill (Vincent Cassell) and the family's driver Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen) who also dumps bodies in the River Thames. While Anna digs deeper into the Russian family's connection to Tatiana, Nikolai begins rising through the ranks under Kirill's guidance but he is drawn to Anna and she to him, suspecting there is enough good in him to help her.

After an intriguing opening with a murder and birth, Eastern Promises divides its time between Anna's search for the truth about Tatiana which leads her to asking her reluctant uncle to translate the diary. Tatiana is connected to Semyon and Kiril and her story is one of hope and excitement in the early pages but as the story unfolds we discover she is an unfortunate girl who has made it to Britain for a new life only to fall into the hands of the wrong men. The mafia boss, Semyon, seems cool and polite in his meetings with Anna but once he is alone with his family the mask is removed and we see his true colours, which incidentally are not pleasant. His son, Kirill, seems even worse in his dealings and his time with the driver Nikolai is in initiating him into the family to become a vory v zakone – the equivalent of one of the soldiers whose insignia is specific tattoos. Each of the mafia members are heavily decorated with tattoos, the symbols designating their heritage, prisons they've been in and their status. It is these honours that Nikolai, already heavy set with tattoos from his own past, wishes to obtain for himself but he is in complete contrast to Kiril, quiet and reserved though unmoved in getting his hands dirty, or bloody in this case.

As the film progresses the murder of the man in the barbers at the start becomes more significant. It transpires that Kirill ordered the murder without the permission of his father which leads to the siblings of the murdered man coming to London seeking revenge. Nikolai is faced with many dilemmas as the plot moves along frantically. Kirill's life is in danger but with Anna uncovering some of the dark secrets from the Russian family's past he is left with divided loyalties. Nikolai shows moments of decency and humanity in his dealings with Anna, fixing her motorbike that breaks down outside the restaurant and delivering it to her at the hospital where she works. Capable of violence and tenderness, Nikolai is very hard to read and has many secrets of his own, rather surprising ones as well. In another scene Nikolai faces an uncomfortable test from Kirill when they visit a brothel and Nikolai is ordered to prove he isn't gay by having sex with one of the prostitutes (most of them underage) while Kirill watches! Nikolai does as he is ordered then asks for Kirill to leave. Alone with the distraught prostitute who comforts herself with a song from her homeland, Nikolai asks for her name before giving her a large amount of money. We later learn the prostitute is gone and Kirill is furious to have lost her, but Nikolai simply shrugs his shoulders and offers no explanation. The secrets Anna shares with Nikolai about Tatiana including the diary seemingly have no impact on him, even when she asks how he can serve the mafia family, and things become even more complicated when Nikolai is ordered to kill Anna's Russian uncle!

Eastern Promises has only one weakness and that is the abrupt ending. Though it's clear what the eventual outcome is for Anna and Nikolai in their respective paths there is still some ambiguity as to how this has occurred. That said the rest of the film is brilliant with a terrific cast especially Mortensen whose Russian accent is far from embarrassing and let's just say any of you ladies or gentlemen that find him easy on the eye can look forward to a spot of nudity from Viggo though the rest of the scene may put you off! The rest of the cast are all good with Watts, Mueller-Stahl and Cassell all providing great support. A sequel is said to be in the works which will surely shed some light on that ambiguous conclusion so let's hope the follow-up is as terrific as this one.

Eastern Promises is a violent but terrific thriller, bringing the Russian mafia to the streets of London. Though let down slightly by the abrupt ending the story is very engaging and the acting excellent so that's just a minor blip in an otherwise brilliant film. Not quite as good as Cronenberg's The Fly but a great achievement nonetheless.

Verdict: 9/10

Classic Film Scene #29: The Godfather

Great films appear every year and with them are potentially classic scenes that may become more famous than the film itself. The shower scene in Psycho, the chariot race in Ben Hur, the chest bursting moment in Alien, and the opera music sounding across the prison yard in The Shawshank Redemption are just some of the examples of the classic celluloid moments that we may be familiar with even if we've never seen the film. I'll be sharing my favourite film scenes, some you will know others may be unfamiliar, but hopefully they'll be moments you enjoy as much as I do.

The Godfather (1972) – A Fresh Start

Francis Ford Coppola's crime drama The Godfather (1972), based on the novel by Mario Puzo, is aptly described as one of the finest films ever made. Not only does it boast a great story but a memorable bunch of characters that are imprinted in your mind with the likes of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino at the top of their game. Choosing the film's best scene is tough:- the opening request of a favour from Don Corleone by a devastated undertaker, Michael's assassination of Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey in a restaurant, or Sonny's brutal murder. All classic scenes, but one moment deserves the biggest shout out in my opinion and it comes near the end.

The Godfather focuses on the Corleone family headed by Vito (Marlon Brando) whose criminal activities and dealings win friends and enemies in equal measure, especially the five rival families all looking to profit in nefarious dealings. Vito's criminal empire is supported by his hot-headed eldest son Sonny (James Caan) and adopted son Tom (Robert Duvall). Daughter Connie (Talia Shire) stays out of the family business, as does her brother Fredo (John Cazale) who is considered weak. The youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) is a decorated war hero and undoubtedly Vito's favourite, though he too has nothing to do with his father's empire. The film deals with Vito's eventual retirement from the family business after he narrowly avoids being assassinated after refusing to negotiate with narcotics dealer Sollozzo (Al Lettieri). Through his concerns for his father, Michael enters the fray and after agreeing to a meeting with Sollozzo and corrupt police chief Captain McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) he assassinates both men before being sent to Sicily for his own safety. At war with the five families, the Corleones are dealt a devastating blow when Connie's abusive husband, Carlo (Gianni Russo), already on the receiving end of one beating from his brother in law, plots with the Barzini and Tattaglia families and arranges an ambush for Sonny which leaves him with no chance! In response, Vito meets with the heads of the five families and negotiates peace and a sharing of power, influence, the likes of gambling and alcohol, but also the sacrifice of supporting narcotics flooding the American market.

With peace assured Vito soon retires and Michael becomes the new head of the Corleone family. He makes the treacherous Carlo is right hand man and tries to move into the casino business in Las Vegas but comes up against stubborn owner Moe Greene (Alex Rocco). In private Vito warns Michael that the rival families will look to assassinate him and that they'll likely use someone within the family to organise the meeting. After Vito's death, Michael is asked to meet with the rival families and immediately knows what it will entail. While attending the baptism of Connie's child and while saying his holy vows in becoming godfather, we witness Michael's men setting up separate ambushes of the heads of the rival families who are all systematically assassinated, as is Moe Green and later Michael's brother in law Carlo for his part in Sonny's murder. This remarkable scene is symbolic with Michael's attendance at a baptism for it is also a baptism of him as the new Michael Corleone. The brave soldier and polite young man that arrives at his sister's wedding at the film's outset is now dead and in his place is the new godfather and what a way to begin your reign.

Film Review #70: Cloverfield

With prices for cinema tickets now reaching ridiculous heights it's not often I will treat myself to a new release unless it's something I simply cannot wait for. Instead, I'm happy to content myself with a cheap DVD or a film on TV which may have slipped through my critical net and, believe me, there have been far too many. Whether the films featured here are recent or old I'll still be providing my honest opinion on them and, with the benefit of hindsight in many cases, may offer a slightly different take to contemporary reviewers.

 

Cloverfield (2008)

Shrouded in secrecy in the run up to its release I remember the reception for Cloverfield being generally positive but it wasn't a film I was desperate to see at the cinema so it slipped me by. All I knew was it featured some monster terrorising a city and it was being filmed on a camera. Finally getting round to watching it I was intrigued to see if this would be just another Blair Witch Project (1999) or something a lot more substantial.

The film opens with some background information from the US government about a videotape we are about to witness of events concerning a disaster that hit Manhattan, New York, known as Cloverfield. The opening segment is of friends Rob (Michael Stahl-David) and Beth (Odette Annable) who have slept together and are beginning a wonderful day, but the video switches to a party being held for Rob who is due to head for Japan as part of his work. Jason (Mike Vogel), Rob's brother, and his girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas) have organised the party and entrust the camera to Rob's best friend Hud (T.J. Miller) who is asked to film goodbye messages. After failing to chat up Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), Hud learns that Rob and Beth have slept together and word spreads round the party leading to an argument between Rob and Beth who has brought a boyfriend with her! After Beth leaves, Jason and Hud are advising Rob on what to do when an earthquake hits the city and is soon followed by explosions. Heading out into the streets Hud follows Rob, Jason, Lily and Marlena as the friends traverse the pandemonium of a city under attack from a mysterious monster!

Initially you think to yourself that Cloverfield won't be any good. I certainly assumed some monster rampaging through a city was a tried and tested formula and nothing new could be offered here. Thankfully, Cloverfield does have plenty about it to make for engaging viewing. Having Hud film events actually works and while the incredulity of filming everything overwhelmed The Blair Witch Project it is justified by Hud who insists this is big news and must be documented. The friends see glimpses of the monster as it terrorises the city and after witnessing the head of the Statue of Liberty thrown through the streets, they are ordered to evacuate the area by the army leading to a dramatic flight across the Brooklyn Bridge leading them away from Manhattan. During the crossing Rob gets a call from Beth who is at her apartment, the wall having fallen on her and left her trapped and bleeding. While Rob is trying to speak to Beth he falls behind on the bridge, leaving Hud to stay with him while Lily and Marlena also halt. Jason is pushed along the bridge by the fleeing crowd and without warning the tail of the monster appears and smashes the bridge in two, killing hundreds of people, including Jason! It's a stunning opening and a surprising exit for one of the characters we thought would be with us throughout the film's duration.

The film then follows the progress of Rob, Hud, Lily and Marlena as they make their way across the city to rescue Beth. They find themselves in the firing line as the military do battle with the monster throughout the devastated streets and the damage it has inflicted in so little time is extraordinary. An added problem for the city is a series of creatures that the monster sheds to swarm throughout the streets and attack the locals. This leads to one of the best and most chilling moments as the friends head into the subway in the hope of a train appearing but when that fails they hop onto the tracks and traverse the dark tunnels. With a faint light for company they are stunned to find dozens of rats racing along the tracks in the same direction, running away from something in the shadows! Eventually they reach Beth but only after climbing the building adjacent to her apartment, which is more akin to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and crossing the rooftop of one building to the other. Cloverfield remains enthralling and brief interruptions in Hud's filming give us glimpses of the previous recording as Rob and Beth, long-time friends with feelings they've always struggled to express, enjoy a day together. It's a perfect contrast to the horror of what they're facing in the present.

As effective as Cloverfield was I found the film's length to be very disappointing. I understand and appreciate that it is supposed to be filmed on a camera with limited running time but it still fell well short of 90 minutes which I think is inexcusable when some films can be as long as three hours at the cinema these days. The brevity is the only downfall really but it's such a major headache it leaves me little choice but to mark Cloverfield down for the blemish. The opening section with Rob's party takes up the first 20 minutes so by the time the earthquake strikes you're left with less than an hour of the monster's rampage! Everything else is done effectively. Cloverfield manages to achieve everything The Blair Witch Project did not and although it isn't a long film it should be one you enjoy.

Cloverfield is an exciting but brief ride of destruction and terror as Manhattan is ruined in mere seconds by a monster whose origins are unclear but because this is filmed by a group of friends who are frightened and confused by what's happening to them this seems appropriate. The brevity of the film is its only serious weakness but if you can prepare yourself in advance for that disappointment there is still a good film on offer here.

Verdict: 8/10

Film Review #69: Clash of the Titans

With prices for cinema tickets now reaching ridiculous heights it's not often I will treat myself to a new release unless it's something I simply cannot wait for. Instead, I'm happy to content myself with a cheap DVD or a film on TV which may have slipped through my critical net and, believe me, there have been far too many. Whether the films featured here are recent or old I'll still be providing my honest opinion on them and, with the benefit of hindsight in many cases, may offer a slightly different take to contemporary reviewers.

 

Clash of the Titans (2010)

I'm old enough to remember the original Clash of the Titans which was released in 1981 and when I heard there would be a remake I had the same opinion I often do i.e. what's the point? There are so many aspiring scriptwriters out there that you'd think Hollywood would have no need to remake classic films or indeed Americanise popular hits from world cinema, I mean where's the originality? That rant aside I approached Clash of the Titans with the hope that it would improve on the original, which has its moments but was by no means a masterpiece.

Both Clash of the Titans films are very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus, slayer of the gorgon Medusa who also saved Princess Andromeda from being sacrificed to a sea monster. The film actually opens with some background to the myths that told of the Titans that were overthrown by their sons, three brothers Zeus (Liam Neeson), Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Poseidon (Danny Huston). While Zeus became ruler of the heavens and created mankind, Poseidon took charge of the oceans leaving Hades (tricked by Zeus) as reluctant ruler of the Underworld. The film switches to the tale of Perseus (Sam Worthington) who is found by a fisherman, Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite) in a floating coffin at sea when he is just a baby. Spyros raises the child as his own and when Perseus is grown up he faces a fight for his own survival and that of the kingdom of Argos that foolishly renounces the gods. Zeus turns to Hades for help and the god of the Underworld insists he will release the feared Kraken to destroy Argos in ten days unless they sacrifice Princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos). Perseus becomes the leader of a quest to find the means to destroy the Kraken and save Argos from the retribution of the gods.

Having appeared in Terminator Salvation (2009) and Avatar (2009) recently it seems Sam Worthington is drawn to the potential box office hits and in Clash of the Titans he gets to traverse the ancient historical path of Russell Crowe in Gladiator (2000). After the background to the rise of the gods to power the film quickly moves onto the mysterious origins of Perseus found in a coffin at sea with his dead mother alongside him. Though the kindly fisherman, Spyros, may have suspicions about the child's origins he raises him as his own regardless and the family continue a seemingly carefree existence. When Perseus is grown up the family are at sea and witness a statue of Zeus being felled along the coast. The culprits are immediately made to suffer when Hades appears and kills the bulk of the soldiers as well as Perseus' family. Perseus is taken to the kingdom of Argos where the ruling monarch King Kepheus (Vincent Regan) and Queen Cassiopeia (Polly Walker) believe Cassiopeia and their daughter Andromeda are superior in beauty to Aphrodite. Having been granted permission by Zeus to bring havoc to Argos Hades soon appears and begins killing soldiers and ageing the boastful Queen. He realises that Perseus is a demi god and we soon learn of his background as the son of Zeus. Andromeda is then to be put forward as a sacrifice in ten days otherwise Hades will unleash the Kraken to destroy the kingdom. Argos turns to Perseus for help and a band of soldiers join him on a quest that forms the high point of the film.

Aware of his origin, Perseus refuses to welcome his heritage as a demi god, refusing aid that the gods send him though welcoming the advice and support of Io (Gemma Arterton), a woman who cannot age having been punished by the gods after refusing their advances. It is Io that tells Perseus of his origins and helps train him for the difficult encounters on his quest, most notably the fight with the Gorgon Medusa whose stare turns anything to stone but her severed head is considered the best way to defeat and kill the Kraken. Though far from faithful to the myth of Perseus, Clash of the Titans still has nods to many of the Greek tales. In one scene Perseus leads the warriors into the Underworld where they buy passage from the ferryman Charron who takes them across the murky waters to the home of Medusa. The Gorgon herself isn't as fearsome as I recalled in the original, she is portrayed as a beautiful woman here though one that has been cursed by the gods and that serpent tail with matching hissing hair does little to make her appealing. That said, in the 1981 version I vaguely recall that she wasn't as easy on the eye, a more apt punishment for gods jealous of her beauty when she was still human. The battle with Medusa is probably the best bit of the film; the soldiers gathered not heeding the warnings of facing the Gorgon by staring down and not meeting her gaze. The death toll in the exchange is horrific but as per the myth Perseus does triumph in the end.

Watching Clash of the Titans I found some moments very appealing, mostly the combat scenes but by the end I was left feeling disappointed. The film isn't particularly faithful to the myth of Perseus. The wonderful winged horse, Pegasus, is encountered by Perseus as a herd of such fine horses rather than emerging from the beheaded body of Medusa while the concluding segment with Perseus' battle with the Kraken doesn't ring true either. It was a sea monster in the myth that Perseus defeated and in the aftermath he married Andromeda. Clash of the Titans has two endings, one appears faithful to the myth but the one I watched was very different. Perseus became a king in the myths but despite his lineage in the film our hero has no desire to be a king or a god in Olympus. There is just enough time at the end for a spot of romance, one that overcomes death, which is always handy but even as the end credits roll you'll be feeling that's a very abrupt way to conclude a film, though I understand a sequel is in development.

Clash of the Titans has some good moments but as a whole it's a pretty weak affair. Greek and Roman history is a popular theme for Hollywood at the moment but since Gladiator the standard has been rather poor and this latest version of Clash of the Titans, sadly, has done nothing to redress that balance.

Verdict: 6/10