"The wind that shakes the Barley"....

Having recorded "The wind that shakes the Barley" during the week (thank you Film4, a few more evening premiers would be lovely) we've just plucked up the courage to watch it all the way through. Thankfully apart from one scene close to the start that would not turn the stomach of horror movie fans but if you are like me look away. Now I have seen it I'm glad I did. Its a very good film and fully deserved its "Palme d'or " not only because with its acting, direction and the power of the script it conveys up a captivating sense of time and place. But also because this is a film that is long overdue. Many films have been made that offer insight into the troubles in Northern Ireland but few have been made that try to capture the situation before, the events that spilt over into the sectarian violence and terrorist actions that we associate with the 1970's and 1980's. I've only ever seen one film set in Ireland at this time which even touches upon these themes "The Last September" Its worth seeing in its own right and encapsulates much of the contrast between the anglo-Irish and the native Irish. This is something quite different and possibly one of Ken Loach's best.
In light of the subject matter I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised at the reception that this film received but have to confess I am, The Telegraph went so far as to accuse Ken Loach of hating his country whilst sponging of it before admitting they hadn't seen the film with the limp excuse that you don't have to read Mein Kampf to know that Hitler was a louse.... Excuse me...? I think there were rather a lot of clues as to Hitler's character and one does not have to be a genius to know that he had some unpleasant and clearly dangerous views. Why admitting that there was such a thing as the IRA and possibly suggesting that even if their methods were brutal so were ours is on a Parr with Mein Kampf I don't know. You could say that the film wasn't completely impartial but what a dull film that would be. Anyway how many films are just as impartial but because they aren't events so close to home never get a mention. Is "Waterloo" impartial ? You could say that a British director should not be making this film but you would have to be pretty closed to ideas other than blind patriotism to think that. Both sides were human, both were equally three dimensional and if you can't see those truths expressed in the film then look harder.
Everyone has to make their own decisions as regards "controversial" films, if you don't want to watch it then that's your choice asI said earlier I don't watch Horror films. I don't mind if you don't want to see this but then again you can't possibly make judgements about what a film is trying to say if you don't watch it.
Maybe one day the events of the last century won't be so fresh in our minds and this film will be more widely appreciated. For now I can speak only for myself ... Its a very good film and it needs a wider audience. If you want to know more try the IMDB reviews.

So Much for freedom of speech.

Yesterday Mum was asked to shut up and keep her opinions to herself on "Bryan Ferry Online" . This as a result of her extremely low view of Otis Ferry. This was rather odd and discriminatory as others have expressed similar opinons . The very rude moderator made her feel like a criminal for having opinions. Had she been made to sign a statement when she joined that she would never criticise Bryan or anyone to do with him she'd never have joined. She is an intelligent woman with forthright views who is no sycophant.Obviously she left as she could never be a toady . In fact Otis is digging himself into a deeper hole everytime he opens his mouth. So as she presumes she is allowed an opinion whilst it is a free country she will express them on her blog as will I .Mum has been a fan of Roxy since she was 17 at the very start and is very hurt . I have learnt that fans have no sense of proportion at all and fandom has taken over religion ..Mum you blasphemer you !

David Tennant Leaving Doctor Who....

I only found out about it this morning and I'm sure that many will be terribly sad to hear this. I'm not one of them, ohh believe me I adore D.T ("Bath chair" come on you have to love anyone who still says things like that, so much more chic than a wheelchair) but I think if your a fan of his then you'll be as pleased to see him develop his skills in fresh parts as you were to watch him in Doctor Who. If your a Doctor Who fan well then I'm sure that you know that that's the nature of the show. The Doctor changes and just as David reinvigorated the show, that'll happen again if they choose the right man for the job (No David I don't think someone with your charms could be replaced by wee Jimmy Crankie but it's an amusing image). If your loyalties are split then guess what you can still follow both.... I won't comment on the many who can't accept this parting of the ways because he was always going to grow old and have to leave and how many of you wanted the doctor to totter out of the Tardis and bleakly mutter. "I don't know where we are, I don't know what I had for breakfast and I hope that I remembered to turn the kettle of. Whatever aliens I'm battling today they had better be slow moving that's all I'm saying... Still mustn't grumble, stew for tea tonight... Ohh we had a lovely stew during the time wars....". Not a particularly alluring image is it?
Well David, cheers, enjoy your run of Shakespeare. Have fun and enjoy whatever projects you take on in the future. I for one am utterly glad to see you doing something different rather than getting stuck in a rut and becoming "former Doctor Who David Tennant...". I won't name names but too many have got caught like that. On the reverse of that look at the still enduring appeal of Tom Baker?
I heard somewhere that D.T was keen to get into films, I'd be very interested to see if that comes about and in what form.
See always something around the next corner!

Beautiful promise...

Yesterday mother (the big Roxy Music / Bryan Ferry fan) ordered a new CD of the first record... I like a lot of their stuff now but this has to be my favourite. There is a magnificent atmosphere to the tracks, carving a seamless arch from Rock'n'Roll to Country. You can feel the inspiration oozing out. More than any other it proves that Roxy Music wasn't just a sound it was a whole experience. A chocolate box of Americana and Pop culture that seem to spill neon light and Deco cinema into the room. Excuse me if that sounds a little florid but then florid is not something of which we should necessarily be afraid.
It also got me thinking about that strange set of circumstances that means we can listen and watch the days when our household names were still full of promise, their whole lives laid out ahead of them and the future as yet a blank horizon. Amazing to think that Bryan couldn't have imagined then that he would be being graced with a BMI lifetime achievement award... Other things came to mind to but lets not spoil the mood now.
Something else brought this to mind only this morning, I was flicking through one of my collection of old Vogues (Mainly from the 1980's) this one came from x.mas 1981 and like most Christmas magazines it featured a round up of the year gone and a hint of what might be in the years ahead. No2 on its list of hot things to watch was that years Cambridge footlights troupe, all of whom it assured had glittering futures ahead (as you might know that year they included Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson). I smiled as I remembered that only two days ago I'd been watching "Stephen Fry In America " (wonderful show by the way). Back when those words were being printed in Vogue neither he nor the readers could have guessed that he'd end up as the nations teddy bear.
No none this really comes to anything, it's just interesting and strange to me that's all. Anyway what else would I put on my blog?

"I'm alright Jack."

Mother has been rather disappointed by a certain old glam rocker recently... Bryan Ferry. She's been a huge fan of his since she was a teenager and recently she's been having a little Renaissance of affection. Not such a good idea it seems.... Mothers always been a firm believer in the Labour party (well not in Blair, no one was that keen) and naturally assumed that due to the high volumes of actors and performers who vote Labour there was nothing to worry about.... Ohh.... She's been very disappointed to discover that Bryan attends Tory party balls, etc. Still she tried to convince herself that he might just be going and not know what it was for, or wasn't really a commited Tory. Now of course with news about the "lovely" Otis Ferry and certain discoveries shes made about Bryan's ex-wife Lucy Ferry and her new husband (I can think of other people who liked Pinochet, not that I'd want to share a lift with any of them) She has had to accept that if nothing else Bryan might be a little, tweeny bit more right than she thought... It's definitely getting her down. Not surprised, politics is very important and not forgetting where you came from is just as important. Washington was a mining town, what did the Conservatives ever do to help miners rights? Nothing until they finally closed them all down and put the miners out of work at the same time diminishing the power of British industry and manufacturing. It's a pattern that's been repeated in many industries under the Conservatives. It's a shame if people don't remember this. There has been a lot on about the party conferences if you watch the news now. When they ask people what they think the answers are as pitiful and inane as one would expect from those who have been convinced that they live in an age where the political parties are nearly indistinguishable (they might look alike but they are still poles apart). Quite a lot of people seem to have come around to the view that Mrs Thatcher was actually a rather nice woman who put the unions in their place. Very sad views to hear expressed by people who themselves probably come from working class backgrounds. Recently thinking about these things I started reading the sections on the founding of the Labour party from Roy Hattersley's book the Edwardians, so much I didn't know. It seems sad somehow that it took two Scottish men, both illegitimate and one a former miner to give all the U.K's workers a proper voice in Parliament. Still if one man shows the way more must have the courage to follow in his path. I've always been very proud as a fan of David Tennant's that he is a proud Labour voter even prepared to appear in adverts for the Scottish branch of his party. At the same time I'm always shocked by people who think either that celebrities should not indulge in politics or that what they believe does not matter. It does, we express or feelings and sympathies not just to ourselves but to our fellow man in our politics. That should never be de-valued.

In these very serious times running up to the American presidential elections....

I thought that I should lighten the mood by showing you all how Mrs Nito will be voting see blog Musings of a moron at http://cuttingsprout.blogspot.com
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On a serious note Barak Obama for President please Mr God particle!!!! (Why call it the God particle when it isn't God, just a particle? And when you can't even prove God exists no matter how many useless breakydown things you build under the Swiss alps?)

Handmade trinket boxes...

These little boxes were hand painted by me, I keep little pieces of jewellery in them, earrings and a favourite charm bracelet. The boxes themselves come from a store called John Lewis, big as my hand, made of papier -mache. I had been looking up lots of French Rococo at the time I made these two. Pre-revolution swags on hand painted wallpaper inspired the blue one and painted ceilings and Victorian valentines the yellow one. I've made others, and they'll appear soon.... Does anyone remember an American magazine of the late 80's and early 90's called "Victoria". My mother collected quite a few and I love trawling through them for ideas. I always loved Christmas and they made a big deal of it the way it should be. sugar cookies, etc. Goodness even E.R always had beautiful big Christmas episodes. Later I became a big fan of The West Wing and love those Christmas episodes... Umm I guess you can tell that I am planning some festive boxes. Maybe on a bigger scale with bigger boxes.