#neil moodie comedy

[iamthecomet]

Hi Comet! Here's another headcanon question. The whole band share one tourbus because I say so.

Who is the main person responsible for the roadtrip playlists? Which ghoul is banned from adding songs to the queue and why is it Rain for adding "What's New Pussycat?" 25 times in a row? Is there a song that everyone sings along to? Any songs added ironically to a playlist that the band members end up liking un-ironically by the end of the tour?

-Ghoulette Anon

HI! Road trip music headcanons under the cut because I'm insane and I had thoughts.

Cirrus is the head playlist maker. She is almost too organized, and this leads to being very good at putting together very curated playlists. They tend to be a little predictable sometimes, but there are certain days when that's exactly what they all need. Her playlists are best for quiet off days when everyone is tired, or long night drives. Swiss is the other trusted playlist maker. He is less curated, a little more random. But is good at picking songs that everyone likes. His goal with all of his playlists is to keep the mood up. He wants to hype everyone up, keep everyone happy. His playlists are great for sing-a-longs on long travel days. Sunshine was banned from having her playlists played on the bus when it became clear that 60% of them were comedy bands, or weird mixes of songs together (think Neil Cicierega) and while sometimes that's a great vibe at the Abbey, it's a little grating on tour. Rain is absolutely banned from adding songs to the queue. He is not allowed to be in control of the music at all. He's too unhinged, and known for, yes, playing the same song on repeat. He also has no sense of what songs should come after what. He thinks it's perfectly acceptable to put Cattle Decapitation on directly after The Spice Girls. He doesn't understand what everyone's problem is. Mountain is only allowed to play music late at night. He has a penchant for classical and folk songs and singer-songwriter stuff. everyone else is fine with that, but not when they're trying to get hyped up for a show. There are only so many sea shanties they can all take before someone is throwing something at Mountain and physically wrestling control of the music away from him. Aether's the classic rock guy. Loves his 70s and 80s rock. Especially punk. He is allowed to have control of the music during long days, but only until he starts playing the obscure stuff. Everyone is on board when he's playing The Clash and Black Sabbath and Van Halen, but as soon as he starts breaking out some punk band from London that only ever played one show he's cut off. Cumulus plays a lot of shoegaze. indie. early emo (Cursive is one of her favorites). She likes her music a little dreamy a little moody. Also a great choice for when they're driving through the night. But like Aether, when things start to get too obscure and weird someone has to cut her off. Dew is, weirdly, the best at manning the queue. When they've gotten sick of the playlists and everyone else has exhausted their permissions Dew is really good at finding the vibe and working with it. He knows a lot of music. And, while, if you caught him listening to k-pop back at the Abbey he would deny it until his last breath, he doesn't have shame about playing his guilty pleasure music for the rest of the band as long as it helps keep the peace. If asked about it, he'll say he knows it for this specific reason. No no, he's not mouthing the words, you're insane. Copia is really into early rock. Buddy Holly. The Beach Boys. The Monkees, all of that kind of stuff. He is also, inexplicably VERY into disco. If they don't listen to Abba's entire discography at least once during the tour he gets sad. Guaranteed full party sing-a-long songs? - I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys - Take On Me - A Ha -Dancing Queen - Abba -Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen -Literally anything by Lady Gaga. I think there are A LOT of songs that get played while they're queuing music that get a lot of eye rolls at first or are played for the laugh, that they end up falling in love with by the end of the tour. Something about singing a song with people you love can make even the most cringe songs loveable. I also think that some of Sunshine's "weird joke" songs start to grow on them (turns out everyone loves Ninja Sex Party by the end of the tour).

[jminter]

Vancouver Opera's A Midsummer Night's Dream wakes in 2 weeks

In just two weeks, the Vancouver Opera 2022-2023 season continues with the company premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. British composer Benjamin Britten’s romantic, atmospheric opera makes its Vancouver Opera debut for three performances starting February 11th at 7:30pm, followed by Thursday, February 16th at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 19 at 2pm. Adapted from the Shakespeare play, Britten’s Dream promises an evening of enchantment as some of The Bard’s most iconic and outright hilarious characters are swept up in a whimsical whirlwind of magic potions, love triangles and mistaken identities. Dream is the story of four lovers, a feuding King and Queen of the fairies, and a comedic ensemble of Mechanicals. Each group is beautifully captured by Britten’s contrasting sound worlds, resulting in an accessible operatic fairy tale complete with plenty of comedy. “Presenting this magical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a thrill for us at Vancouver Opera,” said Tom Wright, Vancouver Opera General Director. “Audiences are familiar with the story and we hope that familiarity will encourage patrons to come experience this fantastical opera. In our cast for Dream we are thrilled to have a descendant of composer Benjamin Britten join our company; Spencer Britten will be singing in the role of Lysander. This is a treat for audiences to have a multi-generational connection to this production here in Vancouver.”

Conductor Jacques Lacombe makes his return to Vancouver Opera after conducting Turandot in 2017. Director Aria Umezawa makes her debut with Vancouver Opera bringing her innovative work to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage. Daniel Moody is cast in the role of Oberon, with his faithful servant Puck portrayed by Kunji Ikeda. Magali Simard-Galdes is Tytania, Queen of the Faeries. The four lovers are Spencer Britten as Lysander, Clarence Frazer as Demetrius, Jonelle Sills as Helena, and Hillary Tufford as Hermia. Royal Court members include Neil Craighead as Theseus and Stephanie Tritchew as Hippolyta. Peter McGillivray plays Bottom, who becomes entangled with Tytania as she falls under a love spell. Fellow Mechanicals include Ian Cleary as Snout, Jason Cook as Starveling, Luka Kawabata as Quince, Peter Monaghan as Snug and Asitha Tennekoon as Flute. For a deeper look at the composer and work, on February 2nd the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and Vancouver Opera are presenting the second instalment of Opera Adventures.  Dreaming Wide Awake: Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a free event allowing audiences to learn about the Vancouver Opera production.  Visit the VPL Central Branch Level 8 from 6:30pm for an evening of performances and presentations by the artists and experts who make Vancouver’s opera scene come to life exploring the life and musical influences of the composer, Benjamin Britten. Vancouver Opera’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre; February 11 & 16 at 7:30pm and February 19 at 2pm. Find tickets online at vancouveropera.ca Performances are sung in English with English SURTITLES™ projected above the stage. Read the full article

[ao3feed-ineffablehusbandz]

Trick or Teat

Trick or Teat

by myfinejacksauce (murphywilling)

Newt shrugged. This was an angel and demon they were talking about. They could be filled with galaxies; they could be filled with slugs. It was always going to be weird.

-- (Crowley and Aziraphale attend a little Halloween get-together. Aziraphale makes a part of his costume real, and Crowley delights in it.)

(Suffice it to say angels and demons need not abide by mammalian biology.)

(Based on Good Omens the Musical)

Words: 2108, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Good Omens - Hare/Moody/Larnach, Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), Anathema Device, Newton Pulsifer, Madame Tracy (Good Omens), Sergeant Shadwell (Good Omens)

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Anathema Device/Newton Pulsifer, Sergeant Shadwell/Madame Tracy (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Post-Canon, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Animal Play, Sort Of, udder and teats, drinking from teats, Alcohol, Lactation Kink, In a sense, Closets, Oral Sex, Crack, shadwell and nipples, momentary hand job, Humor, Comedy, kink is not the crack

From https://ift.tt/0kFmOuP https://archiveofourown.org/works/42716202

[twh-news]

Interview: Makeup Artist Douglas Noe on Loki’s Looks Through the Years & Creating Anew for ‘Loki’ [EXCLUSIVE]

Douglas Noe has been in Hollywood for three decades. An award-winning makeup artist, he’s worked on projects such as World War Z, Planet of the Apes, Spider-Man 3, I Saw the Light, and Birth of a Nation. On top of these impressive credits, he’s also been Tom Hiddleston’s personal makeup artist since joining the MCU in The Avengers, designing all of the looks for Loki’s subsequent appearances.

Noe has been nominated for three Emmys with one win, and five Makeup Artist and Hairstylist (MUAHS) Awards resulting in two MUAHS awards. His skills include creating making natural and period looks, prosthetics, hair, and tattoos.

Along with being the head of the makeup department for the most recent Disney+ series Loki, Noe is also creating looks for the new Netflix comedy series True Story starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes.

We had a chance to chat with Douglas Noe about his work on Loki, The Avengers, the incomparable value of teamwork on set, and most importantly, Richard E. Grant.

Nerds and Beyond: So you started your Marvel journey with The Avengers, but what drew you to your field in the first place? And how did you get your start?

Douglas Noe: Star Wars was a huge influence to me as a young boy, both sketching and drawing, and a little bit of sculpting but not much. Cut to 1983, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” comes out and I find a magazine called Fangoria on the newsstands where I can order blood and wax and pencils and fake hair. So, I started playing with these things. I was also taken with the horror movie craze that was happening in the early 80s — Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, and others, obviously.

In High School, in 1984, I joined choir thinking I would get an easy credit, but my voice had not changed. So the choral instructor had been waiting for a boy soprano to do a theatrical opera presentation. So with that I sang the lead, I quit choir after that, because my peers were merciless, but, I learned the world of theatrical makeup which I hadn’t been introduced to.

I did years of theater. I went to a performing arts high school — it’s called Fort Hayes School for the Performing Arts in Columbus, Ohio — graduated, went to beauty school, and continued working in Ohio doing industrial, commercial, theater, and opera [makeup]. Worked for Maybelline and Revlon, got restless, worked in Cincinnati on my first film in the summer of 1990, it was July so 31 years ago, A Rage in Harlem. And my boss said you come to Los Angeles, I’ll make sure you get on your feet.

Nerds and Beyond: So you mentioned that it’s been about 31 years since your career started, what’s changed over the course of those 30 years in your field?

Douglas: How much time do we have? I’d say the biggest, biggest change would probably be the way we make these things now. Although another large change, more specific, would be the materials that we use. There’s a constant evolution and reinvention of almost all aspects of the materials that a makeup artist uses. That said, I have to shine a light on the way we do things now with the onset of digital and digital cameras. Shooting on film now has almost completely fallen by the wayside. Film was very forgiving, quite frankly, and now it’s not so forgiving. And because of that, the bar has been raised. The wonderful thing about this journey is watching my peers just get better and better and better, my colleagues rising to meet the challenge of not having anything to hide from with this new way we make films.

Nerds and Beyond: So, sometimes you kind of throw prosthetics to the wayside in favor of a more traditional makeup. How do you make that decision on which one to go with?

Douglas: That’s an excellent question. The decision is based purely on what are we going to see. That’s where I start, what is the lighting? I have a conversation with the director of photography and I find out what is the dynamic. Obviously, I know from the script whether it’s an interior or exterior, or if we’re exterior but we’re going to be on a stage, if it’s day or night. These variables all play into my decision as to whether or not I should rely on my theatrical experience and ability to paint 2D to appear 3D, or go ahead and make small prosthetics and put them where I need to put them and use actual prosthetics in lieu of paint.

That has everything to do with lighting, locations, logistics, and because most of his [Loki’s] wounds appear on his arm and some on his face in the Void, it’s all very moody and very dark. And again, the theatrical quality of the paint is not going to be altered by the changing light, it’s just going to react the same way the rest of the face is going to react. It’s purple light, it’s going to make everything have a purple hue. There was no accounting for any correction that didn’t need to be done. There wasn’t anything wrong with that. It’s real.

Nerds and Beyond: So, you did make up for not only Tom on Loki, but you helped plan out the looks for everybody?

Douglas: Yes, what I do is I surround myself with strong talent. It’s all about team. I designed Wunmi Mosaku, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia DiMartino, and Tom [Hiddleston]. Regarding the rest of it, Neil Ellis, both Dennis Liddiard and I, added to the elements of his scars and wounds, which you would only see in close-ups.

The rest of it, the parameters are set — Blade Runner to Mad Men — and stay in those confines. And obviously, I choose color palettes for the women and there are parameters set for the men, but then it’s about team. I’m a big one on a team and not putting my thumbprints on other people’s work, but rather build other people up so they feel like they own what they’re doing.

My team consists of artists that also have stronger resumes and quite frankly, skills that exceed mine. It’s the mutual trust that allows us to keep a high level of artistic integrity in every aspect of the job. It also means I get the very best from my team, and it shows on the screen.

So, I didn’t have every look in my hand. Dennis Liddiard designed the Mobius character and I had Ned Neidhardt run with Gugu and turn up the volume on some of the elements that she already possesses that we can play with. Her eyes and lips, I think Ned turned the volume on both. And because we’re shooting in order, it’s a progression in the makeup you did.

Nerds and Beyond: When it came to Sylvie and Loki, when you when you’re doing those, did you try to kind of plan them both to have any similar things to give them a Loki look?

Douglas: It’s a fair question, but the answer is no. So again, I think the characteristics and traits that were going to be similar among them, aside from wardrobe and costume hints, were all character driven. And I did nothing with the makeup and hair to try to make them look or even closely resemble each other.

Nerds and Beyond: I want to kind of back up a little bit to Tom in the first Avengers film. That was by far one of his most standout looks. Can you tell me anything about what went into the creation of that absolutely tormented, haunted look that he had throughout that entire movie?

Douglas: Yeah, and that’s probably one of the elements that, because the character has evolved, we kind of left with Avengers because by the end of Avengers, and we carried it into Endgame, he does have a bit of an edgier look in Avengers, and not many people pick up on it. But the reality is he’s a little sculpted in Avengers.

I remember sculpting his cheekbones and temples, and doing a little play on his forehead for when he’s in the cell on the Helicarrier carrier with all that overhead lighting. I did like a little devil horn shadow, which is so subtle. The only person who’s going to notice is anybody who looks back at it and having read this and knows what to look for, but it is so nuanced and so subtle. And that’s the only place I think we did that. But the rest of him is very much chiseled and sculpted, but it’s a light touch.

And I think, again, as he evolved through the Marvel Universe and into the other movies that was something that was easy to leave behind, because I think that look played directly into his evil desire to rule over Earth. We rested that design element with that storyline.

Nerds and Beyond: It’s very clear too and I’ve always loved looking at that, because I’m a huge fan of the character. I’ve always loved kind of comparing how he looked in that movie to the rest of them.

Douglas: You’re on to me!

Nerds and Beyond: I’m not! I swear [laughs] So, what’s your best method for making the actors comfortable in the makeup chair? And with the final outcome?

Douglas: It’s dialogue; listening, talking to them, talking to their representation, whether it be an agent or a manager, and doing my homework and doing my due diligence to find out what’s going to make them comfortable the moment they walk through the door. I do my homework on them. It’s not just IMDb, it’s an internet search. So, I spend some time on the web and find out who these folks are, and if I find out, for example, they’re not one that likes to talk a lot, well, the writing’s on the wall, we’re not going to talk a lot, we’ll cut to the chase and get to the point. But also, it’s about building a rapport and building a relationship. Also, knowing that, I’ve said this in previous discussions, knowing it’s necessary to get out of the way.

Like if, for example, I’m not a proper fit for somebody, I have to be plugged in, I have to be aware enough to understand that it may not be working before somebody says to me, “Hey, this isn’t gonna work.” So it’s just about being open, especially as Tom’s personal on these projects and running the department, knowing that I don’t get to do everybody. I don’t get to put my thumbprint on other people’s work. Because not only is that disrespectful, it’s very often unnecessary, because I hire good people. I hire contemporaries and peers. Truly, you’re only as good as your weakest crew member. I surround myself with good people.

So, take Owen Wilson, for example, it would have been wonderful to do Owen’s makeup, but there were times when he was not going to be shooting with Tom and I was going to need to be ready for Tom or available to Tom, so it didn’t make sense. So I never touched Owen, I had Dennis Liddiard design that look and run with it. And then Ned Neidhardt took over that look when Dennis had to depart. That’s just one example of not trying to do everything.

Another one was the Classic Loki. I wanted to do Richard E. Grant’s [makeup] so bad, I can’t even tell you. I’ve been a huge fan since 1987. I wanted so badly to bring that full circle, didn’t make sense. It just didn’t make sense. So again, I never touched him. It wasn’t necessary. Ned was always there. And I think the same thing happened to me on Ragnarok reshoots, which I ran in Atlanta again with Dennis Liddiard. I wanted so badly to do Sir Anthony Hopkins makeup, but it didn’t make sense. So I was happy to hand it off to Bill Myer.

Nerds and Beyond: Oh man, I loved Richard E. Grant in this show so much.

Douglas: He’s amazing.

Nerds and Beyond: He’s so good!

Douglas: He really is. And he’s that good in person. He’s just so fun and interesting and alluring and attractive. He’s such a wonderful, wonderful person and, of course, a phenomenal actor.

Nerds and Beyond: I was watching little videos that he posted and he just seems like the warmest person.

Douglas: You know, just one last tidbit about Richard Grant is he’s got wonderful stories and as he’s telling them he’ll often stop and pause and just laugh. Just laugh, not for the sake of the stories or for anybody that he’s telling the story to, but because recounting the story brings him true joy. So he’ll stop and embrace that joy. Oh, it’s so wonderful.

Nerds and Beyond: That’s so amazing to hear. What is the most memorable job that you’ve done?

Douglas: The most memorable … That’s a tough one because I have so many fond memories of so many projects. The first Avengers film was memorable because there was a buzz, there was a vibration, a frequency, that was in the air when we were shooting that. We kind of knew we were making something big and something special. I don’t think any of us knew how big or how special it would be, but that certainly is one of the most memorable and most special projects.

I’m pretty good about focusing on the positive aspects of all these things, regardless of how difficult the project may be for whatever reason. The pros always, always heavily outweigh the cons, but I have a lot of wonderful, memorable experiences. Another one, it’s the polar opposite only because of the conditions in which we shot, but Birth of the Nation was one of the most memorable and exceptional experiences of my career. I was on the wrong side of 40, had 25 years of experience, and had still never worked so hard in my entire life. We did a 50-day shoot in 27 days. So proud of the work we did.

It was 100 degrees with 99 percent humidity, we shot it in the summer in Georgia, in Savannah, so it was hot, humid, and just getting the makeup necessary to be on individuals to stay put was its own challenge. And then the other challenges only added to that. But Nate Parker, the director, writer, producer, and lead actor, he is a special human being. And he was inspiring from start to finish. Usually, the first people in are the teamsters, transport department, and usually I’m second. He beat me in almost every single day. He’s in three hours before he needs to be. That was a very special experience.

Nerds and Beyond: Finally, are you excited about the news of Loki Season 2?

Douglas: I’m beyond thrilled! I invite being in the dark a little bit, I kind of like surprises and I like not knowing, so I suspected, but hearing the news confirmed, I was thrilled, naturally. What are they going to dream up? This is amazing. How do you top season 1 of Loki? That’s the burning question.

[aion-rsa]

Dennis ‘Des’ Nilsen is Far From David Tennant’s First Psychopath Role

https://ift.tt/2RNJXa5

David Tennant’s transformation into serial killer Dennis Nilsen for ITV’s Des was unsettlingly convincing. It wasn’t just the physical resemblance, though under that hairstyle and behind those 1980s glasses frames, the similarity was remarkable. It was also the posture, the unwavering eye contact, and the voice; mumbling and unconcerned, listing the terrible details of Nilsen’s crimes as if reciting a recipe instead of multiple brutal murders. 

As Nilsen, Tennant pulled off what every actor hopes to in a real-life role – a disappearing trick. He slid clean inside the role, leaving no trace of The Doctor, or Simon from There She Goes, or the demon Crowley, or Alec Hardy, or his funny, self-deprecating public persona. For those three hours on screen, he was nothing but Nilsen.   

The role is one in a long line of on-screen psychopaths for Tennant. He might be best loved around these parts as excitable, convivial romantic hero the Tenth Doctor (who, as noted below, also had his villainous moments), but David Tennant has been playing bad guys for decades, starting with a 1995 episode of ITV police procedural The Bill…

Steven Clemens in The Bill, ‘Deadline’ (1995)

In his early 20s, David Tennant went through a rite of passage for the UK acting profession: he landed a part in The Bill.  And not just any old part on The Bill, this one was a peach. Tennant wasn’t cast as some kid DC Carver caught snatching a granny’s handbag – he played psychopathic kidnapper and murderer Steven Clemens.

When 15-year-old schoolgirl Lucy Dean (an early role for Honeysuckle Weeks) was abducted after receiving threatening phone calls, the caretaker from her school was brought in for questioning. What followed was a high-stakes game of Blink between Tennant’s character and Sun Hill Station’s finest. Clemens toyed with the police, first denying responsibility and then refusing to tell them where he’d stashed Lucy. It’s a big performance, as suits the soap-like context, but even then Tennant made a good villain, revelling in his evildoing. Clemens came a cropper eventually when Lucy was found alive and the investigation linked him to the kidnap and murder of another schoolgirl. Watch the whole episode here. 

Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Skipping forward a decade, Tennant’s most mainstream cinematic baddie to date is Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr. in the fourth Harry Potter film. Crouch Jr. was the Voldemort supporter who engineered Harry’s entry into the Triwizard Tournament, and turned the winning trophy into a portkey that delivered Potter straight into Voldemort’s waiting arms (well, Voldemort was sort of soup at that point, but bit of magic and voila – arms!).

Crouch Jr. did all this while magically disguised as Brendan Gleeson’s character Mad-Eye Moody, so Tennant’s actual screen time in the film is pretty limited. In his few short appearances though – in a flashback to his Ministry of Magic trial and after his disguise is rumbled – Tennant makes a real impression as the unhinged, tongue-flicking baddie.

The Time Lord Victorious in Doctor Who ‘Waters of Mars’ (2009)

The majority of the time, the Tenth Doctor was a sweetie – big grin, lots of enthusiasm, two hearts full of frivolity and love. Every so often though, Ten’s genocidal, survivor-guilt past rose to the surface. Never cruel, never cowardly, no, but sometimes a bit… murdery and drunk on power. 

One such occasion was his brutal extermination of the Racnoss children in Christmas special ‘The Runaway Bride’, and another was his Time Lord Victorious trip at the end of ‘Waters of Mars’. In the special, Ten changes the events of a fixed point in time to save the lives of Captain Adelaide Brooke (Lindsay Duncan) and her surviving crew, bringing them back to Earth in the TARDIS instead of leaving them to die. Realising the serious ramifications of his timeline meddling, Brooke confronts the Doctor about his arrogance, and puts the mistake right. It doesn’t take Ten long to come back to his senses, drop the god act, and realise he’s gone too far, and it’s David Tennant’s ability to convincingly play both the power-crazed god and the devastated man that makes him one of the best in the business. 

Kilgrave in Jessica Jones (2015)

David Tennant played a bonafide demon from actual hell in Good Omens, the TV adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s 1990 novel, but Crowley still had nothing on his Jessica Jones character.

The first series of Marvel’s Jessica Jones on Netflix won acclaim for its depiction of a coercive, abusive relationship through a comic book fantasy lens. David Tennant was Kilgrave, a villain with the power of mind control following experiments conducted during his childhood. Instead of using his power for good (convincing people to pick up litter, be kind to animals, etc.), Kilgrave exerted his will on the world at large, bending those around him to his sick desires. When he stumbled upon super-powered private investigator Jones, he didn’t stop at using her super-strength for his own ends. Kilgrave also used his powers to keep Jones hostage and manipulate her into coerced sex. Jones’ battle to escape Kilgrave was powerfully acted by Krysten Ritter and David Tennant, who had the range to show Kilgrave’s ‘charm’ as well as his chilling megalomania. 

Read more

TV

Staged: BBC Comedy Confirms Sheen & Tennant’s Double-Act Greatness

By Louisa Mellor

TV

Doctor Who: David Tennant reflects on his final line

By Kayti Burt

Cale Erendreich in Bad Samaritan (2018)

Director Dean Devlin followed up weather-disaster flick Geostorm with Bad Samaritan, a dark psychological thriller about a small-time crook who gets into the bad books of a wealthy sicko when he stumbles upon his dark secrets while burgling his house. Misfits’ Robert Sheehan plays the burglar, and David Tennant plays the loaded psycho whose obsession with technology earned him the nickname ‘Evil Bruce Wayne’. Cale Erendreich is a Patrick Bateman-like moneybags psycho with a sick taste in torture. Overall, the film itself isn’t a huge amount of cop, but boy, does Tennant commit.

Dr Edgar Fallon in Criminal ‘Edgar’ (2019)

Netflix’s multi-lingual European series Criminal takes the best bit of Line of Duty – the police interview scenes – and strips away everything else. Every episode has a new case, a new interviewee, a new lead actor, and a team of cops trying to break them within a limited time frame. 

Kicking it all off with the first UK episode of series one (a second run is available to stream now) was David Tennant as Dr Edgar Fallon. You’ll have to watch the 42-minute episode to know whether or not Fallon is guilty of the crime about which he’s being interviewed (the rape and murder of his 14-year-old step-daughter), but Tennant is chilling and magnetic enough as the well-spoken English doctor to keep you guessing.

Dr Tom Kendrick in Deadwater Fell (2020)

When a tragedy occurs in a Scottish village, suspicion falls on those closest to the victims. David Tennant plays local GP Tom in Channel 4 drama Deadwater Fell, a four-part series available to stream on All 4, about how a small community responds to a terrible event. Is Tom really the perfect family man he appears to be, or is there something else under the surface? Without giving anything away in terms of plot, Tennant moves fluently between the roles of victim and villain in the audience’s mind as this empathetic, clever miniseries twists and turns. 

Dennis Nilsen in Des (2020)

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This starring role is the culmination of years spent clocking up experience on how to unsettle on screen. As real-life Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, David Tennant is chillingly perfect. It’s both an on-point impersonation and a disquieting performance that conjures up this peculiarly banal killer. Tennant is ably aided by co-stars Daniel Mays and Jason Watkins as, respectively, Nilsen’s arresting officer DCI Peter Jay and biographer Brian Masters. It’s a triangle of excellent actors at their best, making for a compelling three-parter. 

The post Dennis ‘Des’ Nilsen is Far From David Tennant’s First Psychopath Role appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3iFjuHb

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: July 2019

I’ve really stepped up my comics reading having fully embraced my local libraries. You can just borrow them whenever you want! Also saw lots of movies and watched a lot of the Bachelorette. It’s been a good summer. 

……….FILM……….

Midsommer (2019) Oh wow. I’m not one for scary movies but this never felt like a scary movie. Sure it was definitely “horror” in the sense that so much of it is horrific, but it never relied on the typical “scary movie” tactics. For this, I am grateful.

Paddington 2 (2017) The perfect counterpoint and emotional reset after our matinee screening of Midsommer. This video does a better job of explaining why I love these movies, but if you haven’t got the time then know that the Paddington movies are a masterclass in efficient storytelling, visual comedy, and good natured entertainment for all ages. It’s not quite the same as Pixar sneaking in jokes that only adults will get, it’s more that it tells a universal story with familiar characters that land at any age. Just beautiful.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Okay so I get that illustrating a tie-in book for this movie means I likely can’t be objective, but I really dug the film. Solid themes that carried through to most of the characters and their arcs, as well as some of the most comic-book accurate visuals I could have hoped for. And I really dig the Parker/MJ dynamic here. Ugh it’s just all so good.

Alien (1979) I don’t need to tell you how well this holds up. Still as subversive and terrifying as it was 40 years ago. Still not sure what the alien was doing in the escape pod before Ripley shows up.

The Dead Don’t Die (2019) This was a weird one. Meta zombie movies already exist. Zombies as social commentary already exist. Zombie comedies already exist. I suppose I was just hoping for something...new? It was all of these things, but it didn’t seem to push any individual element into unexplored territory. The cast seemed like they were having a good time, but I don’t think it quite translated to the screen. I’d recommend Shaun of the Dead, Fido, or Zombieland instead.

……….TELEVISION……….

Instant Hotel (Episode 2.01 to 2.06) A 6-episode season of Australian reality tv judging Airbnbs? A cast that includes an 80 year old trying to look 20 and perfect couple who find each other hilarious? Sign me up. It’s available on (Canadian) Netflix but if you can find it, check it out.

Stranger Things (Episode 3.01 to 3.08) Without spoiling too much, I’ll say that this season was on par with the first, and felt better than the second. It’s not as moody and contained, but it really embraces what I take to be the spirit of 80s media. I feel like the early eps were setting up more of a zombie/body-snatchers plot but I don’t think the series likes to stray too far from the core of that first season. Super fun, wildly silly, and once I embraced the lighter tone it really delivered.

Queer Eye (Episode 4.01 to 4.08) This season really seemed to focus on philanthropic and independent businesses and I’m here for it. There was a Wayfair product placement towards the end which...felt out of place given the politics of the show, but dang if this series isn’t a light in the darkness!

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) What a mood. It’s a slow burn but I’m really digging that the world feels established and that we’ve come into something well after all the big revelations happened. Now that the crazy has settled, we get to spend more time seeing how the crazy affects the day-to-day. Or what the day-to-day looks like in a new, wild world. Digging it.

The Bachelorette (Episode 15.08 to 15.13) Just wild. Watching that rollercoaster with Luke P was excellent television and terrible dating but that finale was *chef’s kiss* perfect.

……….READING……….

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett (Page 230 of 406) Fun so far! There’s far less of the angel/demon relationship than I expected, but that’s only because I’m going off of what the Amazon show has been promoting. I need to do more research into how they shared the writing because the humour and meandering chapters really feel like Pratchett. I’m keen to see where it all goes!

Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt (Abandoned) I read half the novel before deciding this one wasn’t for me and it’s not because it wasn’t well-written or an engaging story. I found this on a list of good reads for those who like Wonderland and Alice’s adventures, but I’d say the links between the two were...thin...at best. When you’re expecting fanciful worlds and exaggerated characters, but get far more human (and all too real) trauma then it’s a jarring experience. I read a synopsis of the last 100ish pages that I missed and admit that I think I would’ve been satisfied with the conclusion, but it’s a bummer that the first 60% of the book felt like a holding pattern to get to the good stuff.

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 5 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Still one of my favourite fantasy comics. The characters are nuanced and are continuing to get developed, as is the setting and supporting cast! Every so often it’ll break format, but I appreciate that the gimmick (including a monster-based recipe in each chapter) isn’t getting in the way of good storytelling. I love everything about this and you should be reading it.

Superior Spider-Man Vol. 1 & 2 by Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Humbero Ramos, and so many more (Complete) I wasn’t sure about this before picking it up but it’s a fascinating study of Spider-Man. It feels like an answer to all those that focus on plot holes and logic. Doc Ock has taken over Spider-Man’s body and he, as the epitome of troll, is just going through and “fixing” what Peter Parker gets wrong. It’s an interesting study in learning more about someone with opposing views. It even keeps Parker’s spirit around to dramatically and comedically respond to his life being taken over by a villain. It’s good! Not the first Spider-Book you should pick up, but worth reading if you want a spider-change. 

Saga of the Swamp Thing Vol. 1 by Alan Moore, John Totleben, & Steve Bissette (Complete) After hearing good things about the TV series based on this character (still haven’t watched it) I figured I’d check this out. Knowing very little about the character going in, I loved every second of it! It’s a little bit horror, a little bit classic superheroics, and just a touch philosophical. Can’t recommend this enough.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 2: Squirrel You Know It's True by Ryan North, Erica Henderson,  (Complete) I can’t (and won’t) stop praising this book. It’s fun, creative, and funny! Pitting Squirrel Girl against an evil Squirrel just makes sense and is a fun break from the classic Marvel villains. Hopefully we get back to more of the classics, as that’s what I enjoyed most about volume 1, but it’s good to see that the book doesn’t shy away from variety.

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff (Complete) Such a great adventure comic! Set in the early 1800s, it’s like a Female Indiana Jones adventure with all the swashbuckling and plundering that you’d want out of a treasure hunter. Mature in its handling of a number of topics, but done in a light tone and without heavy violence. I think it was sorted as a young adult graphic novel in my library, and that feels fitting. Stellar art and charming characters.

The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff (Complete) Very character driven and an interesting foundation for the story (set in northern China when tradition demanded men be married even after they’ve died). There are really inspiring moments with the watercolour artwork and while it didn’t always resonate with me, it really served the story.

……….GAMING……….

Maze of the Blue Medusa  (Satyr Press) We very nearly had our first character death! Almost multiple! But they’re playing with level 9ish characters and with quick wits it’s proving difficult to defeat them. They’re still kinda wandering around this maze, but I think it’ll all start to come together soon!

And that’s it! As always, feel free to send me anything you recommend to see, read, hear, play, and so on.

Happy Wednesday!

[dannyreviews]

In Memoriam 2018

Happy New Year everyone. It’s time to remember the well known icons of entertainment that we lost in 2018.

Ray Thomas - musician (The Moody Blues) (1941 - 1/4/2018)

Jerry Van Dyke - actor (1931 - 1/5/2018)

France Gall - singer (1947- 1/7/2018)

Donnelly Rhodes - actor (1937 - 1/8/2018)

Terence Marsh - production designer (1931 - 1/9/2018)

Eddie Clarke - musician (Motorhead) (1950 - 1/10/2018)

Jean Porter - actress (1922 - 1/13/2018)

Edwin Hawkins - gospel singer (1943 - 1/15/2018)

Dolores O’Riordan - singer, musician (The Cranberries) (1971 - 1/15/2018)

Bradford Dillman - actor (1930 - 1/16/2018)

Dorothy Malone - actress (1924 - 1/19/2018)

Jim Rodford - musician (The Zombies, The Kinks, Argent) (1945 - 1/20/2018)

Connie Sawyer - actress (1912 - 1/21/2018)

Hugh Masekela - musician (1939 - 1/23/2018)

Dennis Edwards - singer (The Temptations) (1943 - 2/1/2018)

John Mahoney - actor (1940 - 2/4/2018)

Kenneth Haigh - actor (1929 - 2/4/2018)

Reg E. Cathy - actor (1958 - 2/9/2018)

John Gavin - actor (1931 - 2/9/2018)

Jóhann Jóhannsson - film composer (1969 - 2/9/2018)

Vic Damone - singer, actor (1928 - 2/11/2018)

Jan Maxwell - actress (1956 - 2/11/2018)

Idrissa Ouédraogo - director (1954 - 2/18/2018)

Nanette Fabray - singer, actress (1920 - 2/21/2018)

Lewis Gilbert - director (1920 - 2/23/2018)

Bud Luckey - animator, director, actor (1934 - 2/24/2018)

David Ogden Stiers - actor (1942 - 3/3/2018)

Hubert de Givenchy - fashion designer (1927 - 3/9/2018)

Ken Dodd - actor, comedian, singer (1927 - 3/11/2018)

Stephen Hawking - scientist, personality (1942 - 3/14/2018)

Delores Taylor - actress (1932 - 3/23/2018)

Stéphane Audran - actress (1932 - 3/27/2018)

Steven Bochco - producer (1943 - 4/1/2018)

Susan Anspach - actress (1942 - 4/2/2018)

Isao Takahata - director, animator, screenwriter, producer (1936 - 4/5/2018)

Chuck McCann - actor, comedian (1934 - 4/8/2018)

Milos Forman - director (1932 - 4/13/2018)

R. Lee Ermey - actor (1944 - 4/15/2018)

Harry Anderson - actor, magician (1952 - 4/16/2018)

Verne Troyer - actor (1969 - 4/21/2018)

Michael Anderson - director (1920 - 4/25/2018)

Charles Neville - musician (The Neville Brothers) (1938 - 4/26/2018)

Lester James Peries - director (1919 - 4/29/2018)

Robert Mandan - actor (1932 - 4/29/2018)

Ermanno Olmi - director (1931 - 5/5/2018)

Anne V. Coates - editor (1925 - 5/8/2018)

Margot Kidder - actress (1948 - 5/13/2018)

Tom Wolfe - author, journalist, personality (1930 - 5/14/2018)

Joseph Campanella - actor (1924 - 5/16/2018)

Patricia Morison - actress (1915 - 5/20/2018)

Clint Walker - actor (1927 - 5/21/2018)

Philip Roth - author (1933 - 5/22/2018)

Jerry Maren - actor (1920 - 5/24/2018)

Kate Spade - fashion designer (1962 - 6/5/2018)

Anthony Bourdain - chef, personality (1956 - 6/8/2018)

Eunice Gayson - actress (1928 - 6/8/2018)

Danny Kirwan - musician (Fleetwood Mac) (1950 - 6/8/2018)

Jon Hiseman - musician (Colosseum, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers) (1944 - 6/12/2018)

Matt “Guitar” Murphy - musician (The Blues Brothers) (1929 - 6/15/2018)

XXXTentacion - rapper (1998 - 6/18/2018)

Vinnie Paul - musician (Pantera, Damageplan) (1964 - 6/22/2018)

Harlan Ellison - author (1934 - 6/28/2018)

Steve Ditko - comic book writer/artist (1927 - 6/29/2018)

Gillian Lynne - dancer, choreographer (1926 - 7/1/2018)

Robby Muller - cinematographer (1940 - 7/4/2018)

Claude Lanzmann - director (1925 - 7/5/2018)

Tab Hunter - actor, singer (1931 - 7/8/2018)

Roger Perry - actor (1933 - 7/12/2018)

Yvonne Blake - costume designer (1940 - 7/17/2018)

Mary Carlisle - actress (1914 - 8/1/2018)

Winston Ntshona - playwright, actor (1941 - 8/2/2018)

Moshe Mizrahi - director (1931 - 8/3/2018)

Charlotte Rae - actress (1926 - 8/5/2018)

Aretha Franklin - singer (1942 - 8/16/2018)

Brian Murray - actor (1937 - 8/20/2018)

Barbara Harris - actress (1935 - 8/21/2018)

Robin Leach - personality (1941 - 8/24/2018)

Neil Simon - playwright, screenwriter (1927 - 8/26/2018)

Paul Taylor - dancer, choreographer (1930 - 8/29/2018)

Carole Shelley - actress (1939 - 8/31/2018)

Jacqueline Pearce - actress (1943 - 9/3/2018)

Bill Daily - actor (1927 - 9/4/2018)

Christopher Lawford - actor (1955 - 9/4/2018)

Liz Fraser - actress (1930 - 9/6/2018)

Burt Reynolds - actor (1936 - 9/6/2018)

Mac Miller - rapper (1992 - 9/6/2018)

Peter Donat - actor (1928 - 9/10/2018)

Fenella Fielding - actress (1927 - 9/11/2018)

Marin Mazzie - actress, singer (1960 - 9/13/2018)

Dudley Sutton - actor (1933 - 9/15/2018)

Arthur Mitchell - dancer, choreographer (1934 - 9/19/2018)

Denis Norden - comedy writer (1922 - 9/19/2018)

Al Matthews - actor (1942 - 9/22/2018)

Otis Rush - musician (1934 - 9/29/2018)

Charles Aznavour - singer, actor (1924 - 10/1/2018)

Geoff Emerick - recording engineer (1945 - 10/2/2018)

Will Vinton - animator (1947 - 10/4/2018)

Audrey Wells - screenwriter, director, producer (1960 - 10/4/2018)

Montserrat Caballe - opera singer (1933 - 10/6/2018)

Scott Wilson - actor (1942 - 10/6/2018)

Peggy McCay - actress (1927 - 10/7/2018)

Arnold Kopelson - producer (1935 - 10/8/2018)

James Karen - actor (1923 - 10/23/2018)

Ntozake Shange - playwright, poet (1948 - 10/27/2018)

Raymond Chow - producer (1927 - 10/2/2018)

Roy Hargrove - musician (1969 - 11/2/2018)

Sondra Locke - actress (1944 - 11/3/2018)

Francis Lai - film composer (1932 - 11/7/2018)

Douglas Rain - actor (1928 - 11/11/2018)

Stan Lee - comic book writer, editor, actor (1922 - 11/12/2018)

Katherine MacGregor - actress (1925 - 11/13/2018)

John Bluthal - actor (1929 - 11/15/2018)

Roy Clark - country singer (1933 - 11/15/2018)

William Goldman - novelist, playwright, screenwriter (1931 - 11/16/2018)

Bernardo Bertolucci - director, screenwriter (1941 - 11/26/2018)

Stephen Hillenburg - cartoonist, animator (1961 - 11/26/2018)

Ken Berry - actor (1933 - 12/1/2018)

Philip Bosco - actor (1930 - 12/3/2018)

Pete Shelley - singer (Buzzcocks) (1955 - 12/6/2018)

Nancy Wilson - singer (1937 - 12/13/2018)

Penny Marshall - actress, director (1943 - 12/17/2018)

Donald Moffat - actor (1930 - 12/20/2018)

Amos Oz - novelist (1939 - 12/28/2018)

June Whitfield - actress (1925 - 12/28/2018)

Ringo Lam - director (1955 - 12/29/2018)

Don Lusk - animator (1913 - 12/30/2018)

Mrinal Sen - director (1923 - 12/30/2018)

[tradervewor]

Hulu hannibal season 1

Hulu hannibal season 1 series#

Hulu hannibal season 1 tv#

We won’t know what happens with Bedelia until it happens, but it’s looking like one shoe or the other is going to drop early on in the new season of the show. Fans of horror television suffered a big loss when NBC axed Bryan Fullers Hannibal back in.

Hulu hannibal season 1 series#

The rumor is that the series is going to see Hannibal captured, which seems to play into the Red Dragon storyline that is being followed during the season. Hannibal Creator Promises No One Has Given Up on Season 4. Meanwhile, Alana and Wills relationship deteriorates and Kade Purnell with the FBI visits him. If Bedelia is playing Hannibal, it could be something that leads to him being captured again. In the second season premiere, Will is desperate to prove his innocence, while Hannibal and Jack try to accept the fact hes behind bars. But we can’t forget her meetings what Jack and Will and how there is a connection there between the characters that could be hinting at some sort of double play here. Only time will tell though, as entering season three it could go either way with Bedelida. Even though we’ve seen set photos of Bedelia in Italy, suggesting she’s with Hannibal, she has said in the past that she’s not his friend. There have been plenty of times where it has looked like Bedelia is mentoring Hannibal but there have been instances as well where she appears as though she could be working against him and only getting close to him to flip on him. But is she really aligned with Hannibal or is she playing him for a fool as a double agent working for the FBI? We’ve seen Bedelia be there for Hannibal - most notably in the season finale when they’re flying away on a plane together. Becoming Elizabeth release date, synopsis, cast, trailer, and more.Is a new episode of Charmed on tonight? (April 22).Doctor Who Centenary special: Details on Jodie Whittaker’s farewell episode.This Is Us spoilers: New synopsis hints Miguel’s death could be coming soon.Watch Transplant Season 2, Episode 7 live online.Evil fans looking for a taste of The X-Files might want to start with one or two of Morgan's episodes we recommend the Season 3 Emmy winner "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose. And while Evil is more playful, The X-Files isn't above poking fun at itself, either - especially in the episodes written by Darin Morgan, whose absurd sense of humor is right in line with Robert and Michelle King's. Decades after its premiere, The X-Files' moody blend of monsters and government paranoia is as relevant as ever. It's not just the spooky cases both shows share a deep-down fear that something is wrong with the world, and that people in authority are lying about it for their own benefit. On the surface, Evil is basically a riff on The X-Files with exorcisms instead of alien abductions. The X-Files' Mulder ( David Duchovny) and Scully ( Gillian Anderson) are TV's definitive believer and skeptic, paired up to investigate paranormal phenomena for the FBI. You had to know this list would get here eventually. Difficult People: Season 1 Finale (Hulu Original) Why With Hannibal Buress: Season 1 Finale (Comedy Central) Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris: Series Premiere (NBC) Available September 17.

Hulu hannibal season 1 tv#

While we wait for its return, TV Guide has rounded up a list of shows that scratch the same kind of itch, whether you're on the hunt for more exorcisms, horror homages, skeptic-and-believer partnerships, or just really weird crimes.ĭavid Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, The X-Files Fox It's chilling and smart, with a uniquely off-kilter sense of humor that keeps viewers on their toes. If you're looking to pass the time before Season 3, can we interest you in a selection of similarly great shows?Įvil, which started out on CBS before moving to Paramount+ beginning in Season 2, follows a trio of investigators (played by Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, and Aasif Mandvi) hired by the Catholic Church to look into possible cases of demonic possession. The second season of Robert and Michelle King's devilishly fun Paramount+ series ended on a whammy of a cliffhanger - we'd expect nothing less from the show TV Guide crowned the best show on TV in 2021 - but it looks like all our deals with the devil are paying off. Have you heard the good news about Evil? The coolest procedural on the block returns for Season 3 on June 12.

[ashxpad]

Best Entries So Far From the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

While there are still six weeks left to submit entries, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has published the front-runners for its 2021 competition that includes a pouting boxfish from Curaçao and a laughing lion from Tanzania.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam. The organization says that the duo wanted to create a competition that focused on the lighter side of wildlife photography and would help promote the conservation of wildlife and habitats through humor. Each year, the competition highlights a charity working tirelessly to protect vulnerable species. This year, the competition is supporting Save Wild Orangutans by donating 10% of its total net revenue to the charity. The initiative safeguards wild orangutans in and around Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo.

In its seventh year, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards says that it has already received thousands of entries from around the world, but wants to see if there are any others still out there before considering a winner. To that end, the organizers have released the images below that they consider to be the best entries so far and show animals from around the world that show expect photographic timing, including a moody pied starling showcasing its best frown, a bald eagle receiving a surprise from a prairie dog in Colorado, and a group of penguins enjoying a surfing session in the Falkland Islands.

Pied Starling | © Andrew Mayes / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Bald Eagle Gets A Surprise! | © Arthur Trevino / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

ROFL | © Giovanni Querzani / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Quarantine Life | ROFL | © Kevin Biskaborn / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Yoga Bittern | © KT Wong / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Missed | © Lea Scaddan / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Yay! It’s Friday! | © Lucy Beveridge / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Sweet lips are for kissing! | © Philipp Stahr / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Cranky Hippo | © Rohin Bakshi / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Happy | © Tom Svensson / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

Houston – We’ve Got a Problem! | © Txema Garcia Laseca / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

For those interested in submitting their own images, the competition is free to enter and each photographer can submit up to ten photographs across six categories. This year the prizes range from a once-in-a-lifetime safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, a subscription to Affinity Photo, a camera bag from ThinkTank and, of course, the prestigious title of 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

The deadline for entries is June 30, 2021.

Entries will be judged by a panel comprised of wildlife photographers, Daisy Gilardini, Tom Lanman and Will Burrard-Lucas, travel editor Neil Stevenson, tv presenter Kate Humble, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, Co-Founder of The Born Free Foundation Will Travers OBE, Managing Director of Serif, developer of award sponsor Affinity Photo Ashley Hewson, ThinkTank’s Simon Pollock, image expert Celina Dunlop, Amazing Internet’s Andrew Skirrow, and the formidable ambassador for conservation, Bella Lack.

from PetaPixel https://ift.tt/3bHdX1C

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY AND THE 20-20 VISION

S3;E18 ~ January 11, 1971

Directed by Jack Carter ~ Written by Phil Leslie & George Balzer

Synopsis

Lucy wants to take the kids to Tijuana for a long weekend, but first must get grouchy Harry to give her two days off.  Lucy thinks the cause of his moodiness is due to vision problems and goes to outrageous lengths to get him to go see an eye doctor.  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter)

Guest Cast

Jack Collins (Doctor Collins / 'Carl Baker') appeared on the final two episodes of “The Lucy Show.” He played Russel Slater on “Dallas” from 1982 to 1987. This is the fourth of his six appearances on “Here’s Lucy.”

The final credits of the episode list the character as Doctor Proctor, when he clearly answers the telephone “Doctor Collins.”  The name might have been left over from an earlier draft of the script.

Morreen and Colleen Gemini (The Conklin Twins aka 'Jane Conklin') make their only screen appearance in this episode.  

Their surname would lead one to believe that these are not their real names! 

Tippy the Invisible Dog (Himself) makes his only (dis)appearance in the Carter living room!

Tippy belongs to the Watsons, who live next door. 

This episode was rerun by CBS on June 21, 1971. It was up against a major league baseball game on NBC. 

The final draft of the script was submitted on June 12, 1970 and read by Lucille Ball in July of that year. 

This is the first of only two directing credits for comedian Jack Carter, both on “Here's Lucy.”  Carter was a friend of Lucille Ball and Gary Morton's having served as best man at their wedding in 1961.  A few weeks later he married Paula Stewart, who played Lucy's sister Janie in Broadway's Wildcat. He acted in “Lucy Sues Mooney” (TLS S6;E12). He will direct one more episode of “Here's Lucy” later in 1971 starring Carol Burnett.

This is the second episode in a row where Lucy wants a vacation and tries to convince Harry to let her have the time off by using unusual tactics.  

Kim and Craig had a grouchy math teacher named Mr. Ridgeway (”the terror”) who had vision problems rectified by glasses.

Harry shouts that if he really yelled at Lucy he'd “shatter every piece of glass from here to Pismo Beach!” This isn't the first time that Pismo Beach has been used for a punchline on the series. Harry offered Lucy “three days in glamorous Pismo Beach” as a bargaining chip in “Lucy Goes on Strike” (S1;E16). The California beach town was a favorite destination of Bugs Bunny in the Warner Brothers cartoons. 

When Harry yells at Lucy from the open door, we see that there is a fallout shelter sign in the hallway. These signs were introduced by the Office of Civil Defense on December 1, 1961 (during the height of the Cold War) to designate federally approved public shelters in the event of a nuclear explosion. This particular sign indicates that the fallout shelter is in the basement. The capacity of the shelter was also sometimes indicated. The Office of Civil Defense was dissolved in 1970, but many of these signs remain on buildings to this day. 

Lucy has the Doctor make-up some nonsense signs and bring them over in disguise as a painter.

Sign #1: “Carter’s for Jobs” (in Latvian)

Sign #2: “Carter’s Gets Best Results” (in Rumakian...where they make rumaki!)

Lucy says “If there were free meals on the moon, Harry would have been there three days before Neil Armstrong.”  US Astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) was the first human to step foot on the surface of the moon on July 21, 1969. The food on Apollo 11 was freeze dried and the menu consisted of pineapple fruitcake, peaches, beef with vegetables, beef hash, chocolate pudding, brownies, and spiced fruit cereal for breakfast!  Interestingly, in “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (TLS S1;E6, abouve), Lucy Carmichael is seen eating space foods when in a simulator.

In order to pretend to be surprised by Harry at the door, Lucy acts as if she was putting out the milk bottle.  At the time, rural delivery of milk and other dairy products to residential homes was commonplace.  In order to ‘recycle’ the milk bottles, homeowners would put the empty bottles on the porch at night, so the milkman could take them away early the next morning.  A famous example of this was seen in the closing credits of the primetime cartoon sitcom satire “The Flintstones” (1960-66, inset photo). 

Some of the ways Lucy, Kim, and Craig plan to convince Harry his vision is bad include:

Disconnecting the doorbell and telling him he missed the button

Employing a retractable hat hook so his hat falls to the floor

Pulling the chair out from under him as he goes to sit

Asking twin girls to drop by and pretending they are only one girl

Claiming to see an invisible dog

Asking him to sign a contract on the dotted line that has no dotted line

Polishing an invisible magnifying glass to help him find said dotted line

In the twist ending, Harry (now happily bespectacled) exits quoting Romeo and Juliet with a Mexican twist:

HARRY: “Ah, Senorita. Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I could say adios till it be morrow.” 

In a 1969 episode of “Here’s Lucy,” Harry says that he was in Romeo and Juliet in college. Because it was an all-men’s college, he played Juliet. 

Harry offers to take Kim and Craig to Lake Arrowhead for a swim, or to San Diego to visit the zoo. They (coincidentally) settle on Tijuana for the bullfights. Lake Arrowhead stood in for the 49th state during the location shots for “Lucy Goes to Alaska,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” 

The famous San Diego Zoo was suggested as a possible stop-over in “Lucy and Viv Visit Tijuana” (S2;E19). Finally, Lucy Ricardo went to Tijuana in “Lucy Goes To Mexico,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” which featured second unit footage of a now-demolished Tijuana bull ring where Lucy disguises herself as a matador and takes on a bull!

Although “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11) ended with Lucy being seen by the optometrist, it was originally Ricky who had the headaches that Lucy believed were caused by vision problems.  

Set Change! This episode features some changes to the office set including panels in place of the shaded glass in the office doors plus a time clock next to the door. The clock is necessary for the finale of the episode, but there seems no explanation for the sudden replacement of the glass. The next time we see the office, the glass panes will be back and the time clock is gone.

Timeline Troubles! In this episode, Harry ends up wearing glasses, which he wore extensively in the previous episode, “Lucy's Vacation” (S3;E17). It is likely that this episode was filmed first and aired out of sequence.

Sound Defects! When Lucy shows Craig the contract without the dotted line, her lips don't move when she says “Here, see?” This is either a really bad case of ADR overdubbing due to studio noise or something Lucy actually said on set that needed to be changed. A few moments later, as Harry says “Something smells delicious” there is an audible squeak on the soundtrack. If this had occurred earlier (and louder) it could have necessitated the sloppy overdub.

Time Check! Just before Harry bursts cheerfully through the door wearing his new glasses, Lucy says “He's at his worst in the morning.” The time clock next to the door, however, reads 1:55!

When Harry bursts through the door shouting “Good Morning!” (although it is clearly afternoon) Kim moves back startled and nearly knocks Craig over when he backs into the side table behind him!  He steadies himself just in time. 

“Lucy and the 20-20 Vision” rates 2 Paper Hearts out of 5

The premise of this episode relies on faulty logic that Harry's new glasses will make him happy enough to give Lucy two days off – a real stretch.  Suppose Harry believed (thanks to Lucy's tricks) that he was going insane and having hallucinations? Although the elaborate mind-games she plays with Harry are humorous in and of themselves, the episode doesn't really go anywhere and is fraught with odd inconsistencies and errors.

[rocksbackpages]

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[biofunmy]

10 hot new shows to watch

CLOSE

10 new noteworthy shows are coming to TV this summer, including “Euphoria” on HBO and “Four Weddings and a Funeral” on Hulu. USA TODAY

Summer isn’t the TV wasteland it used to be. 

Once a dumping ground for networks to burn off their dopiest procedurals and low-stakes competitions, it’s increasingly become a go-to season for some of the small screen’s most addicting shows, with Emmy-winning favorites including HBO’s “Big Little Lies” and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” returning in the coming weeks. It’s also a good time to test the waters for starry new miniseries and high-concept dramas, both of which are premiering in abundance this year. 

After sampling much of what’s to come on broadcast, cable and streaming, we picked 10 of the best new series that you should tune into this summer. 

Preview: 5 returning TV shows to obsess over this summer, from ‘Big Little Lies’ to ‘Stranger Things’

John Legend, left, Shane McAnally, Ryan Tedder and Ester Dean are looking for the next big songwriter in NBC’s new reality competition “Songland.” (Photo: TRAE PATTON/NBC)

‘Songland’

NBC (premieres May 28), Tuesdays, 10 EDT/PDT

Singing competitions are a dime a dozen. NBC’s intriguing new series, which premieres after “America’s Got Talent,” shifts the focus behind the scenes to undiscovered songwriters competing to write the next big hit, in hopes of getting it recorded by an A-list. Contestants are judged by panelists Ryan Tedder, Ester Dean and Shane McAnally, while guest artists appearing throughout the season include the Jonas Brothers, John Legend and Meghan Trainor. – Patrick Ryan

Martin Sheen stars as the angel Aziraphale and David Tennant as the demon Crowley in “Good Omens.” (Photo: CHRIS RAPHAEL/AMAZON)

‘Good Omens’ 

Amazon (all episodes available May 31)

The apocalypse is coming, and it’s far funnier than you might have imagined. Amazon adapts beloved cult novel “Good Omens” (by the late Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman) into this six-episode miniseries. Starring David Tennant as a slick demon and Michael Sheen as an uptight angel, the “Omens” is about an end of days where heaven and hell are more interested in fighting than saving the world, and the antichrist has been misplaced. Irreverently funny with great lead performances, the series, written by Gaiman, captures the unique tone of the book. – Kelly Lawler 

Asante Blackk in “When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay’s retelling of the Central Park Five. (Photo: NETFLIX)

‘When They See Us’

Netflix (all episodes available May 31) 

Director Ava DuVernay brings the story of the Central Park Five, five black and Hispanic teens who were wrongfully convicted of the 1989 rape of a jogger, to stark, brutal life in this limited series. Intimate, gorgeously acted and hard to look away from, the story focuses on the youths’ treatment by police and rabid media response to the crime. – Lawler 

Cassandra Ciangherotti, left, Ana Fabrega, Bernardo Velasco and Julio Torres play misfits who get paid to scare people in HBO’s “Los Espookys.” (Photo: HBO)

‘Los Espookys’ 

HBO (June 14), Fridays, 11 EDT/PDT 

More kooky than spooky, HBO’s new Spanish-language comedy is a delightfully strange and drolly entertaining half hour, in a similar vein to FX’s stellar vampire show “What We Do in the Shadows.” Produced by “Saturday Night Live” head Lorne Michaels and Fred Armisen (who also appears), the series follows a ragtag group of friends (including “SNL” writer Julio Torres) who start a horror-for-hire business, helping stage a fake exorcism to boost a priest’s profile and creating a haunted mansion for an eccentric millionaire. – Ryan

Singer/actress Zendaya returns to TV in HBO’s potentially controversial “Euphoria.” (Photo: HBO)

‘Euphoria’

HBO (June 16), Sundays, 10 EDT/PDT

HBO makes its first foray into edgy teen drama with this American adaptation of a 2012 Israeli series. The show centers on 17-year-old outcast Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a moody, mercurial recovering drug addict who returns to high school after a stint in rehab. Frequently uncomfortable to watch with its graphic nudity and depictions of teen alcohol and substance abuse, the series is anchored by a grounded, wholly captivating performance from Zendaya, a former Disney Channel star taking on her most mature role to date. Eye-popping cinematography and a killer contemporary soundtrack elevate the sometimes hackneyed material, which is at its best when it explores mental health and human connection in the digital age. – Ryan

Arturo Castro plays a variety of outrageous characters in his Comedy Central sketch series “Alternatino.” (Photo: CARA HOWE)

‘Alternatino with Arturo Castro’

Comedy Central (June 18), Tuesdays, 10:30 ET/PT

For five seasons of “Broad City,” Arturo Castro was a quiet scene-stealer as Ilana’s neurotic gay roommate Jaime. Now, the Guatemalan actor/writer gets a chance to shine in his very own sketch series, which lovingly spoofs the Latin American experience while also sharply tackling topical issues such as the family separation crisis. (In one sketch, Castro plays an ICE agent whose solution is “cage-free children,” aka letting immigrant kids roam free in fields.) Other segments are just plain silly but no less uproarious, including “Broken Home Hunters” (a parody of “House Hunters,” but with a couple that hates each other) and a “Fifty Shades of Grey” parody co-starring Abbi Jacobson where the dirtiest act is giving “tiny little kisses.” – Ryan

Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes in “The Loudest Voice. (Photo: JOJO WHILDEN/SHOWTIME)

‘The Loudest Voice’

Showtime (June 30), Sundays, 10 EDT/PDT

Fox News has a whole new look on this limited series from Showtime. “Voice,” based on the book “The Loudest Voice in the Room” by Gabriel Sherman, chronicles the rise and fall of former Fox News chief Roger Ailes (brought to life by Russell Crowe in heavy prosthetics) at the cable news channel, from its 1990s launch to his death in 2017. The propulsive, witty series has a talented cast including Seth MacFarlane putting his smarmy smiles to good use as former Fox News PR chief Brian Lewis; an unrecognizable Sienna Miller as Ailes’ wife, Elizabeth; and Naomi Watts as former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. – Lawler 

Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott, left) and Homelander (Antony Starr) are two of the superheroes featured in Amazon’s meta new series “The Boys.” (Photo: JAN THIJS)

‘The Boys’

Amazon (all episodes available July 26)

Superhero shows are hit or miss, and the ones that work are often not long for this world (RIP, our dearly beloved “The Tick”). Here’s hoping that Amazon’s latest foray into the genre sticks around: “The Boys” grimly satirizes our insatiable superhero obsession, imagining a world where caped crusaders are branded and monetized by a major corporation, while the vigilantes themselves are largely self-absorbed, cynical and sexually deviant. It’s subversive, gritty and often darkly funny, which is to be expected from executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who also oversaw another Garth Ennis comic-book adaptation, AMC’s “Preacher.” – Ryan

Brandon Mychal Smith and Nathalie Emmanuel in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” (Photo: HULU)

‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ 

Hulu (July 31), Wednesdays

“Game of Thrones” fans who have been missing Missandei can at least see actress Nathalie Emmanuel in this new Hulu limited anthology series based on the 1994 Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell film. Produced by original “Four Weddings” writer Richard Curtis, “Four Weddings” updates the story for 2019 and follows a group of four American friends who reunite for a glamorous wedding in London where things don’t go exactly as planned. It’s the kind of light, easy-to-watch rom-com that you’d expect from writer and executive producer Mindy Kaling, and has an instantly charming cast that, in addition to Emmanuel, includes “You’re the Worst” breakout Brandon Mychal Smith. – Lawler 

The Gelfling Deet, voiced by Nathalie Emmanuel, on Netflix’s “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” (Photo: KEVIN BAKER/NETFLIX)

‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ 

Netflix (all episodes available Aug. 30) 

Jim Henson’s breathtaking story of Gelflings, Skeksis and Mystics returns after 37 years. The series is a prequel to Henson’s cult classic 1982 fantasy film “The Dark Crystal.” The series manages to re-create the world of Thra with elaborate puppetry enhanced by limited visual effects, to tell the story of a trio of Gelflings who discover a secret to the Skeksis’ power and ignite a rebellion. The series has an impressive voice cast that includes Mark Hamill, Alicia Vikander, Taron Egerton and Keegan-Michael Key. – Lawler 

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[therealkn]

David’s Resolution - Day 24

Day 24 (January 24, 2019)

Jabberwocky (1977)

“It is the middle of the Dark Ages. Ages darker than anyone had ever expected.”

I love Terry Gilliam’s work, whether it's his animations and occasional live-action work on Monty Python or his films that, like Guillermo del Toro, use a unique and amazing visual style to tell compelling and interesting stories. His first film was Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which he co-directed with fellow Python member Terry Jones, and which is in my opinion one of the greatest comedies of all time - still funny as hell over 40 years later and the jokes have aged remarkably well, even if some of them have been overused. Afterwards, the two Terrys decided that Jones would be sole director on subsequent Python films, while Gilliam would get the chance to establish his own distinct style with this film, the 1977 comedy Jabberwocky.

Although it’s not a Python film (it was promoted as one when it first came out in the U.S. because Americans are kinda dumb), it does have some people whoa are part of Python, most notably Michael Palin as Dennis Cooper, the protagonist of the story - I’m not going to call him a hero because he really isn’t one. Terry Jones also has a cameo at the beginning as a poacher who is the first victim of the Jabberwock, and Neil Innes - a musician who’s worked with the group for many years - plays the second herald to the king. But this is basically Palin’s film; his character Dennis is a man with lofty ambitions of getting into commerce, offering ideas about boosting productivity to people who simply do not care for what he says. He also wishes to marry Griselda Fishfinger, an overweight peasant who doesn’t show even the slightest interest in him. Poor old Dennis even thinks a rotten potato she throws out after taking one bite from it is a memento of her love for him, which helps compel him to find work in a city so that he can marry her. And then one thing leads to another and he ultimately ends up on a quest to slay the fearsome Jabberwock.

The film looks great, which is funny to say considering that this follows Monty Python and the Holy Grail in portraying the Dark Ages as un-glamorously as possible. Everything’s dirty and filthy and unflattering, there's so much crap (figurative and literal) everywhere, and standards of life are practically non-existent. It has much of the same atmosphere as Holy Grail, letting you feel how filthy everything is, and yet it’s very nice to look at at the same time. There’s some great shots in the first act where the lighting is moody, being in darkness save for splotches of light that make it look like it was taken right out of a medieval painting. There was some of this kind of lighting in Holy Grail, but Gilliam really goes all the way with giving us beautiful shots of absolutely dirty life in the Dark Ages.

And there is a lot of comedy, including quite a bit of satire. The king, Bruno the Questionable (Max Wall), is a completely inept monarch whose best idea for finding a champion to go out and face the Jabberwock is to copy his great-great-great-great-grandfather’s idea of holding a tournament to the death, something that his servant Passelewe (John Le Mesurier) points out is a bad idea... during the tournament... after he and the royalty are splattered in blood. Trust me, it’s more hilarious than it sounds. There’s also the doomsday worshipers who bicker with each other over which of them should be set on fire and launched via catapult as a sacrifice to appease the Jabberwock; the merchants (and bishop) who benefit greatly from the fear caused by the Jabberwock and would prefer not to have it killed; the knight who is apparently oblivious to a band of brigands assaulting a family while on his quest to face the Jabberwock... I could go on. A highlight for me is the king’s herald, who is so bad at his job that it’s hilarious. The herald quite simply doesn’t know how to shut up, and it causes no end of irritation to those around him, especially when his introduction to the king’s appearances and speech make it hard for the king to speak, which ultimately gets him killed and gets one of the biggest laughs from me. There’s too many great moments that had me cackling.

And then there’s Dennis, the man who is both figuratively and literally pissed upon by those around him. One might think life has it out for him with all the madness that goes on in his life. All he wants is to live a dull life, get into commerce, and settle down with the woman he loves yet doesn’t love him back. He’s an ordinary man who keeps getting wrapped up in one thing after another, and it’s so absurd we just roll with it and laugh. Michael Palin’s always been fantastic at playing characters like this in Python sketches, the ordinary man doing his best to handle absurd scenarios as straight as possible, and his performance in this movie is no exception.

If you are a fan of Monty Python or absurd British humor in general and you haven't seen this movie yet, please do so as soon as possible. If you are not a fan of Monty Python or absurd British humor in general, then this movie may not be for you. If you’re looking for an introduction to either of those things... well, this movie’s a good starting point. Or Holy Grail. Either way, this is an absolutely ridiculous and hilarious movie.

Next time: the tale of Capt. Jack Sparrow, who may or may not be the worst pirate you’ve heard of.

[brownheadedcowbird]

tagged by @goddammitiliveinacloset thanks dude!!

1: Are you named after someone? yeah im named after a goddamn neil diamond song

2: When was the last time you cried? i repress a lot of things so its been a while i think.....maybe weeks tbh? oh boy

3: Do you like your handwriting? sometimes!! depends on how fast im writing

4: What is your favorite lunch meat? pastrami

5: Do you have kids? god no

6: If you were another person, would you be friends with you? i hope so!!

7: Do you use sarcasm? sometimes? maybe not as much as i thought tho, huh

8: Do you still have your tonsils? god i hope so

9: Would you bungee jump? probably lol im an adrenaline junkie and a bit of an idiot so yeah 

10: What is your favorite kind of cereal? honey bunches of oats

11: Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? what do u think i am.... an energy wizard? pleas.....

12: Do you think you’re a strong person? i think so!! both physically and mentally

13: What is your favorite ice cream flavor? ok theres this one called french silk and its like mocha with fudge and vanilla and its the SHIT!!! 

14: What is the first thing you notice about people? probably clothes/hair/faces idk i just kinda look at them

15: Red or pink? both? both!

16: What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself? its weird but probably my neck or my knees lmao

17: What color pants and shoes are you wearing now? black pants and tie-dye pink/purple/blue socks (also bear foot slippers)

18: What was the last thing you ate? gum

19: What are you listening to right now? if i wanna sound cool im gonna say “woman woman” by awolnation bc thats the last real song i listened to...... but this is what i got on now, not gonna lie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmhSvQpgU-w ......im 30 minutes in

20: If you were a crayon, what color would you be? goldenrod or pine green

21: Favorite smell? hot scrub (the plant kind- like wild tall grass/weeds on a hot dry day)

22: Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? my boss? or my neighbor that i was catsitting for, but that was just a message

23: Favorite sport to watch? ..football

24: Hair color? brown!

25: Eye color? blue!

26: Do you wear contacts? nope! just glasses

27: Favorite food to eat? ice cream because its really cold

28: Scary movies or comedy? both!!

29: Last movie you watched? UGH that shitty maximum ride movie on netflix

30: What color of shirt are you wearing? blue-gray

31: Summer or winter? summer!!!

32: Hugs or kisses? mmmmmm prob hugs

33: What book are you currently reading? maximum ride bc i have to cleanse my soul after that movie

34: Who do you miss right now? my brother!! he just left for college and im not going to see him again until after i graduate in june :(

35: What is on your mouse pad? nothing?

36: What is the last TV program you watched? my mom was watching criminal minds while i was painting last night so i guess that counts

37: What is the best sound? any kind of water (waves, rain, creeks, anything)

38: Rolling Stones or The Beatles? the moody blues (aka the Better Beatles)

39: What is the furthest you have ever traveled? hawaii or new england

40: Do you have a special talent? i can shoot a basket from a pogo stick and make it BALLIN

41: Where were you born? brecksville, ohio!

42: People you expect to participate in this survey? im always afraid of bugging people when i tag them so if we’re mutuals go for it :D

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: June 2017

Did you know the year is now 50% complete? It is.

……….FILM……….

Wonder Woman (2017) So so great and I can’t believe this is in the same world as Man of Steel and Batman v Superman! I also really appreciated the depiction of a healthy relationship that developed in a logical manner, but then again I suppose that’s a reflection on the director and actors.

Logan (2017) I missed this in theatres but hot damn did I enjoy this. I also dug all the video essays about it like this one and this one. It was so refreshing to get satisfying closure in a superhero film.

Fired Up! (2009) For a teen comedy that’s 8 years old, a lot of the humour holds up. It was silly and a little self aware and I’m always a fan of that.

Rough Night (2017) Oof. I’m not sure why some of these comedians agreed to this movie but it...it wasn’t good. It just feels like such a hurdle to build a comedy around accidental murderers who then make every wrong decision possible. The term “lazy feminism” was mentioned in discussing it afterwards and I couldn’t agree more. The film felt like it thought it was so progressive to put women in the roles played by shitty late 90s actors but it doesn’t feel like a step forward for anyone. Bad movies make me sad.  

……….TELEVISION……….

Glow (Episodes 1.01 to 1.02) So far, so good!

The Bachelorette (Episode 13.03 to 13.05) This dumpster fire really ramped up the garbage by discussing race via a racist troll; great job, producers. Now that he’s gone I hope we can get into some classic romance television in the vein of The Bachelorette Canada (seriously, watch it and you’ll remember a time when reality tv was a little nicer).

……….READING……….

Spider-Man: Fever by Brendan McCarthy & Steve Cook (Complete) I generally like my Spider-Man comics to be a bit lighter but the inclusion of Doctor Strange and crazy dimension-hopping stuff totally balances this moody story out. This book looks and feels like I imagined all superhero comics to be like before I started reading them (saturated colours, zany plots, hero team-ups, etc.) and it’s definitely worth the read.

Sandman Vol. 9 - The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman + countless excellent artists (Complete) So I’m not gonna lie, I found this one to be a chore. I don’t know if it’d been too long since I’d seen most of these characters, but the arc didn’t do enough to reintroduce me. I dunno it was more Morpheus but it never quite came together at the end.

Headlopper & The Island or a Plague of Beasts by Andrew MacLean (Complete) I suppose an easy comparison would be to the visual style of Mignola, but this feels pulpy and fun in a way very different from Hellboy. It’s so serious it’s silly and so violent that it’s beautiful. Go pick it up.

Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure by Walter Simonson, Mike Mignola, and Bob Wiacek (Complete) This was a fun short story featuring early Mignola. I always love Simonson’s writing and the whole thing feels very Conan-esque.

Vornheim: The Complete City Kit by Zak S (Complete) This is a stellar book for running a D&D game. It has a few adventures in it, but it also has a TON of tables and references for on-the-fly playing in a city! I can’t recommend this enough

A Red & Pleasant Land by Zak S (Complete) This is another D&D book but it’s more of a fully realized campaign and is so wonderfully imaginative! The Alice in Wonderland motif is so rich with content for adventure that I can’t help but want to set all of my games in this land. 

……….GAMING……….

Dungeons & Dragons Homebrew Campaign (Wizards of the Coast) Okay so the party figured out the source of the zombie uprising and are now on to new adventures! And I learned a big lesson with the most recent boss: don’t get too wordy. I had this elaborate plot figured out but got tripped up in communicating it. I should’ve just been more straightforward with the exposition! Live and learn. Anyway now they’re on to a colosseum-based adventure with the goal of saving a trapped sphinx!

Dungeons & Dragons Hexcrawl Campaign (Wizards of the Coast) My players read this and complained I didn’t give enough detail in the last update so here’s my big picture assessment: this party wants a pet SO BAD! Every creature becomes an attempt to befriend (with varying success) meanwhile I give them passive goblins and all they do is murder them every chance they get. It’s amazing. Oh also they’ve discovered a library that only opens during a full moon, a fort run by said goblins, and a cave filled with mysterious mushrooms!

And that’s it! As always, I love hearing recommendos for stuff to read/watch/play.

Happy Friday!

[jillmckenzie1]

Hell No

Some characters lend themselves to endless interpretations. Batman is one of them. Let’s say you’re planning to make a Batman movie, and by some miracle, you don’t have to attach it to an expanded universe or follow up on threads from a previous installment. Warner Brothers gives you a $90 million budget and sends you on your merry way. What kind of film should you make?

Lucky you, because you have options! Just a few of them might be:

  A goofy comedy that’s tonally similar to the 1966 Batman television series

A horror movie where Batman is trapped within Arkham Asylum

A procedural where Bats must live up to his title of the World’s Greatest Detective

A gothic romance between Batman and Catwoman

A globetrotting adventure in the vein of James Bond with a focus on bat-flavored gadgets

A family drama where Bruce Wayne undergoes extensive therapy to let go of his trauma

  Other characters don’t quite have that degree of flexibility. Sure, you could do a dark and gritty take on Superman,* but why would you want to? The right Superman story should be light and colorful, with a splash of science fiction and a drizzle of aspirational morality. You should walk out of that film feeling…well, like you can fly.

That brings us to Hellboy. Created by the wildly talented Mike Mignola, the character was well-loved yet fairly obscure. His comic book adventures have deep roots in pulp adventure, Gothic horror, and folklore. There was a pretty solid 2004 film and an even better 2008 sequel, both directed by Guillermo Del Toro and starring Ron Perlman. Years dragged on, creative differences were inflicted upon us, and it was decided that the character was ripe for reimagining. Ripe is certainly one way to put it with the reboot of Hellboy.

 Rather unceremoniously, we’re dropped into Ye Olde England and right into the middle of a pitched battle between the noble King Arthur (Mark Stanley) and Nimue (Milla Jovovich), a supernatural blood queen with unholy designs upon the Earth. She has unleashed a plague upon the land, but thanks to the trusty blade Excalibur and an assload of special effects, the plague is stopped. Since fire was apparently not an option, Nimue is hacked to pieces, the pieces are placed in magically locked boxes, and the various boxes are hidden across the land where nobody will ever, ever find them.

From there, we fast-forward to the present, and we’re re-introduced to the demonic paranormal investigator Hellboy (David Harbour). As an agent for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense,** it’s his job to deal with supernatural threats. His side gig is to have massive daddy issues, apparently, and boy does he ever! His adopted father is Professor Broom (Ian McShane), and to say the two have a somewhat fraught relationship would be an understatement.

As so often happens, the world is on the brink of destruction. Why? Remember the boxes crammed with the remains of Nimue that nobody would ever, ever find? Welp, it turns out the pig-beast Gruagach (Stephen Graham) is busy re-assembling her. Why is he doing that? While her head has been locked in a box for centuries, Nimue has devised a plan to enact vengeance upon humanity and stuff.

Hellboy must team up with Alice (Sasha Lane), a young woman who can channel the dead, and Major Ben Daimio (Daniel Dae Kim), a gruff soldier with his own secret. They will (takes deep breath) try to stop the apocalypse, deal with vampire luchadores, famished giants, the Baba Yaga, the corpse of Merlin, and learn the truth about Hellboy’s origins and destiny. Oh, and Lobster Johnson shows up. Don’t hold your applause, guys.

If you haven’t read Mignola’s original comics, you’re really missing out. His art is shadowy and moody, and he excels at creating a mood of creepy unease. Mignola’s Hellboy is a guy who’s literally seen it all, and whether he’s dealing with French werewolves or cyborg gorillas, he has a world-weary resignation about the whole thing. Add to that Mignola’s tight plotting and strongly researched lore, and you’re in for a treat. I mention all of that because while I was watching the 2019 film I desperately wanted to be at home with a good glass of whiskey and my nose in one of the Hellboy trade paperbacks. Instead, I had to watch this.

 The film should work. Director Neil Marshall made the very good Dog Soldiers and The Descent, as well as a few episodes of Game of Thrones, so the guy clearly knows what he’s doing. He’s got a game cast, and the blessing of Mignola himself. Instead, we have a movie that too often feels like a charmless and repetitive slog. Hellboy goes to a place, has a conversation, fights a fiendish thingy, repeat. We get all of that with action scenes that are rarely inspired, editing that feels haphazard, and effects that look cheap.***

The screenplay by Andrew Cosby feels just as haphazard. The moody horror and wit from the comics are replaced by gore, copious f-bombs, and lame one-liners. Clichés are embraced with abandon, and clunky exposition plagues the story. To be fair, the production of this film was notably troubled, and there were 16 credited producers. I’d be willing to bet that Cosby wrote a draft that was pretty solid, and he became just the latest writer to have his script brutalized during production due to a group of people failing to work as a team.

Let’s also take a moment to consider the Deadpool-ization of Hellboy. When 2016’s Deadpool made close to $800 million, the lesson learned was that people like superhero movies with swearing and blood. The thing about that? It works for Deadpool, since it fits the interpretations of the character. It doesn’t work for Hellboy, and here it feels like a 15-year-old boy desperately trying and failing to be edgy.

Ron Perlman’s film portrayal of Hellboy casts a massive shadow. With the right script and production, David Harbour might have equaled it. Burdened by both pounds of makeup and a lousy script, Harbour acts his ass off. It’s not enough, and it’s not his fault. He tries to show us the sensitive and conflicted interiors of Hellboy’s gruff exterior, but too often he’s just asked to make a lame joke, snarl, or punch something. As Nimue, Milla Jovovich seems to be the only member of the cast who could escape the production woes and deliver a performance that balances gothic horror and fine cheese.

When I heard that Del Toro and Perlman wouldn’t be able to finish their original trilogy, I was disappointed. Hollywood is littered with cinematic almosts. When I heard that Neil Marshall was making a film, with Mignola’s blessing that was meant to be closer in spirit to the comics, I hoped for a character piece where Big Red investigated the nameless horrors at a spooky old house. What we got is a failure from people who consistently deliver better work than this.

    *We’re lucky that nobody has ever had an idea that bad and saw it through to its unfortunate conclusion.

**In this film, the BPRD is headquartered in Colorado. It makes me smile that, in movies like this, Colorado is depicted as being towering mountains everywhere always.

***How is it that, more than ten years later, the Hellboy makeup and prosthetics actually look worse than the 2004 and 2008 movies?

from Blog https://ondenver.com/hell-no/