Interim post: The World’s best “fan” club!

(As I still haven’t sorted my 1000+ pics from Shanghai yet…)

Obsessives might be a better word, but the NIN fan club, totally self-organised, started a project to film and document the band’s last major tour. They organised filmmakers, film editors, sound editors, producers, and paid for people to film the final concerts of the “Lights In The Sky” tour, which marked NIN’s penultimate performances.

They did play a final ”Wave Goodbye” tour, which I was fortunate enough to see in Singapore, albeit a cut-down but no less spirited performance.

So, taking it upon themselves, they produced 2 sets – a 3 DVD boxed set, and a 2 Blu-Ray set – which they made available  for a nominal fee, or even for free if you were prepared to take a chance

And I took that chance, and here’s what arrived in the post today – a boxed set of 3 fully produced DVDs, booklet, postcard and sticker – all FOC, delivered to my door. They may be obsessive, but what generous obsessives, and what a nice gift to receive.

Depression.

One of the most beautifully written, most descriptive pieces ever on the subject of depression comes in Hamlet Act 2, Scene 2 – I spare repeating the content and context of the Scene for those who know their Shakespeare, anyone else can see the play or read it if they want.

It was also used to great effect as the final speech in the brilliant, hilarious and superlative 1987 film, “Withnail & I,” by Bruce Robinson, and starring Richard.E.Grant and Paul McGann. Anyone who hasn’t seen this film has missed something of rare quality, IMVHO.

So the lines quoted below, as spoken by Hamlet in the eponymous play, are the (very slightly truncated) version as used to such great effect in the final scene of “Withnail.”

Very few people have described the terrible dichotomy of the conscious realization of depression so superbly.

I have of late—but wherefore
I know not—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of
exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my
disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to
me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy,
the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament,
this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why,
it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent
congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a man!
How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties,
in form and moving how express and admirable,
in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like
a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!
And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man
delights not me—no, nor woman neither, no nor woman neither…..

Moses finally curls up his toes.

Charleton Heston dead at 84.

Now, no-one likes to denigrate the dead after they pass, but fortunately plenty of us were denigrating Charleton long before he “kicked the bucket.”

And the obvious cliche emerges, time and time again, yes – now you can pry the gun from my cold, dead hands…and fucking point it back at me. Remember “Bowling For Columbine?” Guns are necessary to control race issues apparently, according to “UpChuck.”

In my previous life, I met with Mr. Heston’s bodyguards, not Mr. Heston himself – he remained aloof. He had 4 B/Gs, in a perfectly safe place with the best security (i.e., run by me LOL!), who made sure that no-one even got close to him. He refused to sign our visitor’s book – which includes signatures from everyone from Margaret Thatcher, the Duchess Of York (as was) and just about every other famous person that came through, including many, many actors of greater stature and ability than “Chuck.” I mean, even Tom Cruise signed it, and he wasn’t exactly “normal.”

He was arrogant beyond the scope of his abilities. Anyone with the temerity to compare his performance in Ben Hur with that of Kirk Douglas in Spartacus needs to re-watch both films. With their eyes open this time. And “Planet of the Apes?” Spare me stating the obvious.

So, no tears this end – as was stated, not a day too soon for a recalcitrant gun lobbyist, who turned his back on the liberal values he “supported” in the 60′s, made crap films, and thought himself more important than the US Ambassador to London and others that I mentioned. He will be missed for about…sorry, who just died?

Random shots number 41.

“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.” Blade Runner, 1982.  

“I think that people, in circumstances of stress, can behave like swine,

and that this, indeed, is not only a fit subject, but the only subject, of drama.”

Great article by one of my favourite playwrights and film directors.

David Mamet: Why I Am No Longer a ‘Brain-Dead Liberal’

Oh, OT, I HATE the way Safari deals with WordPress formatting!!!!!

25 years on – Blade Runner reborn! :)

In the pantheon of great Sci-Fi movies, one of the greatest for pure visual effect and atmosphere has to be Blade Runner. Conceived in 1980, and finally released in 1982, it was one of the most amazing spectacles to watch on a big screen cinema. The soundtrack by Vangelis became famous in it’s own right, and perfectly accompanied the film at every stage.

The only flaw was that the original had a totally unnecessary voiceover by Harrison Ford, explaining idiot style what was going on as the film progressed. The later Director’s Cut removed this, changed the ending, and inserted additional material that indicated more clearly that Dekkard, Harrison Ford’s character, was himself a replicant. As a “Blade Runner” working for the police, his job was to hunt down rogue replicants and “retire” them. IMHO, it was one of the best acting roles of his long career.

There was a DVD release made of the Director’s Cut in the early 90′s, but even Ridley Scott who directed was appalled at the dismal quality, and practically disowned the DVD version. Legal wrangles continued for years, with fans clamouring for a quality release, but it never materialized – until now.

Re-mastered digitally, using cutting edge technology, Ridley Scott has managed to turn a visual epic into a virtually holographic 3D cinemascape of glorious colour and rich detail. My sister-in-law bought us the collector’s set, which contains 5 discs, all the various releases, and artwork from the original storyboards. A beautiful package indeed, and much appreciated as a belated Xmas gift.

Watching it last night, on a 32″LCD, using an upscaling 1080i DVD player, and a quality Yamaha surround sound system, was the most amazing experience. Although I know the film backwards, new details shone out of the newly clarified footage, and it really came alive in a way that made the previous version feel like a joke knock off copy from a bad DVD stall! The soundtrack has been boosted as well, so all the atmospheric background noise is clear and unhindered.

The packaging is lavish, and a very nicely designed piece of work, but the film itself stands out mightily, and is rightfully called “Blade Runner – The Final Cut.”

It is not enough to buy a stall copy of this package – every penny of the purchase price is repaid through it’s quality – and I highly recommend any fans of the genre, and especially one of the finest Sci-Fi flicks of all time to invest in an experience that simply demands the best home theater set-up. Then sit back and be transported to another world.