Pet peeves

Finding this article in the Times Online about the top ten most historically inaccurate movies reminded me that this sort of thing is one of my major bug bears.  I’m getting better as I get older, and there are some movies that I like enough to give a free pass, but this seriously annoyed me back in the day when I was studying history.  In fact my dislike of some movies was so vehement that my friends would avoid putting on historical movies when I was around.  I think I missed an invite to watch Alexander at the cinema for the same reason but I don’t think that was much of a loss (I still haven’t bothered to watch it). 

I had such a fit while watching A Knight’s Tale (a movie Rufus Sewell, Alan Tudyk, Paul Bettany and Heath Ledger couldn’t save) that my friends almost turned it off to stop me complaining.  It illustrated so many things that are wrong with vaguely historical movies and tried to pass it off as funny and amusing.  The camera pan of London where all the houses were Tudor style started it and then to be super helpful someone pointed out the character that was meant to be Chaucer (Aaaaah!).  Yeah, not helping me like it.

But it is not the worst offender which is an honour reserved for King Arthur, the awful, awful movie with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley.  So, so wrong…and for more than just historical reasons.  The history it was based on was at least 20 years out of date (yes people, history changes with perceptions and new discoveries) and they completely changed the result of the battles (assuming there actually were any).  I spent most of this movie imagining alternate story lines for the characters by reading too much into the  badly scripted lines but even that didn’t help (and my version was way better anyway). Click here for a page of goofs.

I also hated Gladiator.  The Emperor should have won.  Maximus was a hypocrite. And if I have to watch Derek Jacobi wear Roman getup again (he better not think about stuttering either) I will do something bad.

FYI Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a terrible movie but it gets a free pass because Alan Rickman is in it and is the most awesome Sheriff ever (and I also may have liked Christian Slater way back in the early nineties ssshhhh don’t tell anyone…)

The Sheriff

Sad news for basketcases

Today came the news that teen (and adult) movie maker extraordinaire of the eighties and nineties John Hughes had died.  He was still very young, only 59, and apparently suffered a heart attack.  I’m writing about this because I am a huge fan of John Hughes movies, especially the teen stuff from the eighties.  One of my all time favourite movies is The Breakfast Club and it is the movie from which I lifted my online name, basketcase. I loved, loved, loved that movie and was also into Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink (James Spader and Andrew McCarthy anyone?) and Sixteen Candles. These movies personified teen angst and being misunderstood and while other movies may have covered similar ground, John Hughes did it best.  Hughes was also responsible for a slew of other popular (if occasionally annoying movies) such as the National Lampoons Series, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

So, RIP John Hughes and I’ll leave you with the iconic letter/essay from The Breakfast Club that inspired my online name all those years ago.

Dear Mr Vernon,

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms with the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain and an athlete and a basketcase, a princess and a criminal.  Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,

The Breakfast Club

Han Solo, P.I.

 Accompanied by crack detectives Chewie, Luke and Obi Wan.  Full of win.

Murdoch

the man in question - Murdoch

Ok, so the article is old but it happens to focus on one of my favourite movies of all time – Dark City.  Following Murdoch, a man who wakes up in dark city not knowing who he is or where he is, the otherworldiness of the plot unfolds.  The city is gripped by a series of brutal murders, but could Murdoch really be a killer? 

The city and its people are noirish, stylish in their perpetual evening.  It’s beautiful and engaging. It also came out with a killer storyline about a year before the Matrix tried something similar but with martial arts.  It’s a simplistic description of an excellent movie but there are plot twists that it just wouldn’t do to give away, but I do highly recommend it.

Bueller….Bueller….

It’s been all over the internet the last few days, Cameron’s house from the classic movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is for sale.  Not only is it a stunning architecturally designed house, but it’s a little piece teen movie memorabilia.  If you want to see a pic of the car pavilion without a Ferrari crashing through it, click on the link above.

Beam me up Scotty….

there's a Klingon on the starboard bow.....

Yeah, so it’s cliched, but after a day of work my ability to think up snappy titles has diminished greatly.  This weekend just past I went to movies to catch the new Star Trek movie.  I don’t know that I could adequately explain just how much of a Star Trek geek I’ve been over the years to people who didn’t know me in High School (yeah I was totally cool) but lets just say that I’ve probably watched more than my fair share.  So I was looking forward to having a new movie to see (though not as much as I would have ten years ago).  I tried not to pay too much attention to the build up, seeing as some past movies have been major disasters.  I turned up just hoping for an entertaining movie and I was optimistic considering some of the actors that had been roped into appearing. 

It turned out to be mighty entertaining and chock full of squee worthy fan moments recognising people’s names or various situations (Kobayashi Maru anyone?).  I think giving control of the movie to JJ Abrams instead of one the usual helmers was good idea.  It means they finally made a Star Trek movie that had lots of people interested in tuning in, not just the die hard fans.  The movie was better for it, even if they did go down the alternate reality path again.

Presidential picture book

I don’t know what your thoughts may be on the current American president but he does have good taste in children’s books.  Check out Obama reading the classic “Where the Wild Things are“. 

And if you’re on of the sad sacks who haven’t watched the movie trailer yet, check it out on youtube.  I’m still not sure about the clip but it won’t stop me seeing the movie in the end because I love the book so much.

Almost in Vietnam

Good afternoon.  I’ve arrived in Singapore (free internet access in the terminals!) and everything is fine so far.  I had a lovely view of engine from my window seat which reminded of the excellent youtube montage of airplane and helicopter crashes Sharon and Anita so thoughtfully showed me yesterday.  Thanks  

Am a bit over the plane thing even though there’s still a few hours to go.  Though it must be said I don’t begrudge enforced time spent on movie viewing and magazine reading (life’s so hard).  So far I’ve watched Angus thongs and perfect snogging – good, Journey to the centre of the earth – not so good, and just over half of Iron man.  Hopefully I’ll get to finish it at some point but they took away my headphones because we were landing soon (I don’t know, such efficiency).  Hope all is well wherever you are, and here’s to arriving at a hotel sometime in the next six hours.