Peter Sellers on the well-known childhood prank: "Setting Fire to the Policeman."
"The most strongly enforced of all known taboos is the taboo against knowing who or what you really are behind the mask of your apparently separate, independent, and isolated ego."
I really like Half in The Bag. It's in many ways my favourite review programme now. Zaat was really good.
I've developed an addiction over recent months to Highlander 2 reviews, though. It is such a bad film (which had provoked such high hopes, given the decent quality of the original) that I actually remember how incredibly shit it was after all these years. It was and is so bad. It's fans are so bad as well. Even bad reviews of it can't help but make memories of the film itself better:
"All he fucking did was come back and jump into a ceiling fan!"
"The universe is 40 billion light years across and every inch of it would kill you if you went there. That is the position of the universe with regard to human life."
AhabsOtherLeg wrote:It is such a bad film (which had provoked such high hopes, given the decent quality of the original) that I actually remember how incredibly shit it was after all these years.
Indeed. For me, the only other film that approaches its high hopes/shit product metric is The Avengers. Not the Marvel super heroes, but the Ralph Fiennes/Uma Thurman take on the classic TV show. That was of a similar Who could have thought this was a good idea? quality.
One of the best things about the Internet, IMO, is how it introduced me to Armando Iannucci.
One of the best things about the Internet, IMO, is how it introduced me to Armando Iannucci.
Ditto. I had high hopes for Veep, the Iannucci-produced-and-written HBO series with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but it just ain't working for me so far. I don't think there's a common 'edge' to American and UK style that Ianucci can settle on (the insults and cursing on Veep sound forced and off-key, for example) and Louis-Dreyfus is only giving the VP a same-o Elaine-Christine characterization.
Pretty sure that Veep will be put out of its misery soon.
AhabsOtherLeg wrote:It is such a bad film (which had provoked such high hopes, given the decent quality of the original) that I actually remember how incredibly shit it was after all these years.
Indeed. For me, the only other film that approaches its high hopes/shit product metric is The Avengers. Not the Marvel super heroes, but the Ralph Fiennes/Uma Thurman take on the classic TV show. That was of a similar Who could have thought this was a good idea? quality.
I was never an Avengers fan (original series) in fact I've never seen a full episode, but even I knew the Ralph Fiennes remake was pish. It should've worked though. Ralph Fiennes for that role - well, who else? But Uma Thurman for the other... mmmph. I've never really rated her very high, to a lot of folk's annoyance, and i still don't. And then the script...
Highlander 2 is a whole different beast though, a whole different order of wrong - it exists on a separate plane of terribleness. The Avengers remake was just an inevitable moneymakers mishap, like the new-ish tv series of The Prisoner. Highlander 2 was different. Highlander 2 was the harbinger of universal decline in all areas of human existence.
Like I said, I'm obsessed with it. I've seen the documentary on it's making - "Seduced By Argentina" - and what comes across most strongly is the colossal effort, expenditure, and spirit that went into making this piece of utter trash. They all poured every bit of their hearts and souls into making it - that's what's heartbreaking. Like Barton Fink, they wanted to give us something beautiful, something true... They spent a fortune building a whole district of that horrible city down in Argentina, with moving trains and everything, as if they were making a film with the stature of Terry Gilliam's Brazil - and then they went and made Highlander 2.
Jeff wrote:One of the best things about the Internet, IMO, is how it introduced me to Armando Iannucci.
Armando is a great man. Sad to hear that Veep is tanking over there, from what Jack says. Armando works best on the small scale, pointing up absurdities in everyday life rather than huge systemic abuses (The Thick of It notwithstanding).
"The universe is 40 billion light years across and every inch of it would kill you if you went there. That is the position of the universe with regard to human life."
Simulist wrote:Peter Sellers on the well-known childhood prank: "Setting Fire to the Policeman."
Fantastic, and not all that far out from the truth either. One of the primary recreational activities for street kids in Edwardian London was sneaking up and surreptitiously nailing window-shopper's jackets to shop fronts while they were distracted by the merchandise. True story. "One good clout nail, one good tap, and you had them... it was tremendous fun!"
Maybe TV and the internet aren't so bad after all.
"The universe is 40 billion light years across and every inch of it would kill you if you went there. That is the position of the universe with regard to human life."
semper occultus wrote:..an apparently well-refreshed tory back-bencher adds greatly to the dignity of Parliament as she enjoys her 30 secs. of national fame at PMQ's...
I like the front bencher who facepalms as soon as her name is called, at exactly 0.05. He knows what coming!
"The universe is 40 billion light years across and every inch of it would kill you if you went there. That is the position of the universe with regard to human life."