Remember Torchwood? A Doctor Who TV spin-off for grown-ups – dark, but often fun, and containing those post-9pm ‘adult themes’. Torchwood was a specialist government unit of attractive people, led by a Scot with an American accent (or is John Barrowman an American with a Scottish accent?), dealing with various alien creatures on the streets … Continue reading
Frankenstein, the modern Prometheus, creator of the ‘monster’, and inspiration for all those mad scientists, has been portrayed in countless movies since the original 1910 adaptation of the Mary Shelley story. Usually he’s Dr Victor Frankenstein (as in the book), but sometimes Henry, or Baron von Frankenstein, or one of his many descendants (check this … Continue reading
‘Tribute’ acts don’t often cause much excitement, or top the bill at a serious festival. But what if the tributes are performed by multi-Grammy winner Dr John and Britain’s own Jazz FM award-winning Neil Cowley? Continue reading
The latest chapter of the rebooted Planet of the Apes series has been hailed as the ultimate summer blockbuster of 2014 – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes boasts lots of action, expensive CGI and even a 3D version. Continue reading
One of the funniest gags in the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles (and there are plenty to choose from) must be the running joke about the character Hedley Lamarr – that’s Hedley, not Hedy! Supposedly, the Austrian-born actress took exception to the unauthorised use of (almost) her name for the Harvey Korman character and threatened … Continue reading
It doesn’t have much of a plot, its songs were mostly recycled from earlier productions, and the star was suffering a fever when he had to film the title song-and-dance routine, getting soaked to the skin in a shrinking wool suit. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it? But this was Singin’ in the … Continue reading
Ripper Street, BBC’s intelligent crime drama set in late 19th century Whitechapel, has been cancelled after two series. We asked the lead character, Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, for his thoughts. I have been surprised and gratified to learn that reports of our work in H Division have spread beyond London to the Provinces, and – … Continue reading
Maybe pop songs aren’t the best place to seek your philosophy of life, but if that’s where you’re looking, may I recommend you pay more heed to the acid-jazz/funk of Brand New Heavies than to the pop-pop/pop of Ronan Keating? Ronan told us in 2000, “Life is a rollercoaster/ Just gotta ride it” and I’ve … Continue reading
As a Psycho prequel arrives on British TV screens [I write this in September 2013], I did some digging around the Bates Motel, and found some grisly stuff. Psycho (a 1960 horror-thriller, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, in case anyone was unaware) is one of my favourite movies, so when I learned of the TV series … Continue reading
Sherlock Holmes has been brought into the 21st century by numerous TV productions – the excellent Sherlock, Elementary, the less-obvious House, and countless detectives clearly inspired by the Conan Doyle creation. So it’s a rare pleasure to see a new Holmes production, set in the 1890s – Sherlock Holmes: The Best Kept Secret. Continue reading
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