Editorial
Issue #324 12 Apr
In what is perhaps a stunning coincidence, whilst sitting on an over-packed train traveling to this year’s #Spanc16 I found myself reading an article from our friends at the Norwich Radical: ‘Five Reasons Travel Doesn’t Make You a Better Person’. While usually a fan of the Radical’s work, this time I have to strongly disagree with the writer, and their views on the motives and benefits of individual travel. Unfortunately, to do proper justice to the writer and their argument would take more space than I have here. Perhaps that is for a longer piece in the future. Here, I want to respond to one particular comment that grabbed my attention and is, I think, indicative of a much wider held, yet destructive opinion: the idea that ‘[the] tendency to live in the future perfect tense... the phenomenon of tourists photographing landmarks instead of looking at them, is troubling’.
Venue Editors: concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Ana Dukakis Joe Fitzsimmons Arts: concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk Niamh Jones Creative Writing: concretre.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk Jay Stonestreet Fashion: concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk Lizz Gowens Leah Omonya Film: concrete.film@uea.ac.uk George Barker Melissa Haggar Gaming & Technology: concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk Tom Bedford Music: concrete.music@uea.ac.uk Freya Gibson Daniel Jeakins Televison: concrete.television@uea.ac.uk Hannah Ford
Whilst by no stretch a recent emerging argument, the proliferation of digital cameras and the rise of social media platforms in the past decade has amplified the argument of a faction of killjoys who seem hell-bent on ensuring that those that fill their camera roll with holiday snaps are chastised for spending too much time looking at the world through a screen, or not living in the moment. This stance, more often than not, hints at terrible arrogance. Everytime I read that over quoted sentiment to ‘live in the moment, not [take] pictures to save it’ I ask, how entitled must one feel to police how others choose to enjoy something they are taking part in? Experience of a moment is defined by how you contextualise it yourself. Whilst you may not feel that the single picture, terrible in comparison to the terabytes of images of the exact same landmark to be found on the internet is of any worth compared to a first hand viewing, to the photographer, that image is bound up in the same emotional attachment as your memory. More so than ever, we as humans rely on our ability to document and attach a frame of reference to an experience in order to make sense of it in an already image saturated world. The photograph, therefore, becomes a point of reference to the moment, with all the implicated emotional attachments of place, company, and interpretation. Those in the anti-photographer camp are quick to argue that the image of an experience can never adequately recreate the experience of being there. This may be true, but consider how fallible and easily manipulated human memory is anyway. A memory of being there is no more permanent or genuine. Now of course, there are many instances in which I would agree that poorly intentioned photographs can do inexcusable damage. The well publicised incident of the Argentinian dolphin, possibly killed as it was crowded by beachgoers eager to glimpse the endangered animal and record a picture of it shows that great care must be taken not to disturb habitats or ecosystems in search of recording your time there. Of course, any photograph with humans as a subject matter, particularly if they are not consented, can also throw up all kinds of ethical problems to do with the ethnographic gaze. This however, does not excuse casting the sweeping generalisation of the ametuer photographer, or even the excited tourist as a ‘troubling’ symptom of touristic entitlement as they pull another cliched pose in front of the Torre di Pisa. Largely, these actions are as harmless as they are frivolous, and shaming them is at best mean spirited. I respect the Radical, and the work they do. I believe that the writers’ attempts to highlight some of the more problematic aspects of globe-trotting, such as the large carbon cost of flights, and the economically damaging effects of short-term, unskilled volunteering are right to be bought to attention. I do not believe however, that the demonisation of casual photographers deserves to be held to the same standard. There is a difference between holding people to account for the negative consequences of their leisure, and telling them how to enjoy themselves. Please don’t stoop to the latter. You’re better than that.
Art and Design: concrete.artdesign@uea.ac.uk Dougie Dodds Cover Art : Dougie Dodds
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Music The Music Industry's Mystery Man Exploring the Diverse Musical Talent of Danger Mouse Olivia Campbell As a multi Grammy award winning producer, Danger Mouse manages to be both enigmatic and a world renowned musician, weaving his talented web throughout the music industry. Preferring anonymity over worldwide fame, Danger Mouse is largely responsible for producing and creating many of the greatest songs of the 21st century, yet remains largely unknown to the majority. Collaborating under the guise of ‘Gnarls Barkley’ alongside CeeLo Green, as well as ‘Broken Bells’ alongside The Shins frontman James Mercer, names that are well known have been cultivated by this particular figure. Collaborations include and are not limited to Jack White, Norah Jones, Adele, U2, and Damon Albarn, revealing the far-reaching resume of Danger Mouse.
produce Demon Days for the virtual band, Gorillaz. One of the most distinctive features of the album is the sheer range of genres used, creating a distinct sound no album has been able to recapture. The artistic union of Damon Albarn and Danger Mouse allowed both to indulge in absolute creativity, creating the unique sound that Gorillaz embodies. Whilst it would be inaccurate to say Danger Mouse did this by himself, he must still be largely credited with the subsequent success Demon Days went on to receive. The music industry reflected this, with NME ranking Demon Days as 98 out of 100 top albums of the decade and praising the melodic talents of Danger Mouse. Furthermore, Spin magazine included it on their list of 300 Best Albums of 1985-2014.
Danger Mouse, the alias of native New Yorker Brian Burton, first entered the music scene with a highly controversial mashup of Jay Z’s The Black Album with the Beatles’ White Album, titled The Grey Album. Demonstrating his talent for experimental music, Danger Mouse blended the heavy R& B vocals of Jay Z over the lush rock ‘n’ roll overtones of the Beatles. It’s safe to say that this experiment launched him into the music industry and established his reputation as one of the greatest producers and musicians of all time. Receiving mentions from names such as Rolling Stones and Entertainment Weekly, it became clear that Burton was something incredibly special, rising from a vast sea of musicians and producers.
The most dynamic project of Danger Mouse, however must still be awarded to the creation of Gnarls Barkley. In collaboration with CeeLo Green, the duo embarked on a musical journey that incorporated soul and alternative rock which would bring huge commercial success in both the United States and United Kingdom. The centrepiece of St Elsewhere, the enigmatic “Crazy”, remains a defining song since 2006. With its catchy guitar riffs and floating backing choir, both Danger Mouse and CeeLo Green
The success of The Grey Album pushed Danger Mouse into the arms of Blur frontman and fellow experimental musician Damon Albarn, who commissioned him to
manage to create an enigmatic piece of art that is both highly emotional and iconic. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance in 2007 and was nominated for Record of the Year, indicating the melodic success of Danger Mouse’s material. The album also earned Burton Best Alternative Album of the Year and further nominations for Best Producer, Non Classical, and Best Album of the Year. The later noughties brought Danger Mouse more projects and with it, more collaborations. As well as another album under his Gnarls Barkley alias, Italian composer Daniele Luppi worked with him to create the “Spaghetti Western” inspired album titled Rome. Released in 2011, both composers drew on the talents of Jack White and Norah Jones to create a lush album incorporating both bluegrass rock and heavy orchestral elements. The album itself was heavily inspired by Spaghetti Western icon Ennio Morricone’s work and is incredibly effective, allowing a story to be reflected through the instrumentals. More Grammy wins and nominations fell into Danger Mouse’s hands for his production work on the Black Keys 2010 album Brothers and 2011 album El Camino which have both been certified platinum in the US, as well
as in France, Ireland and the UK. Perhaps what makes Danger Mouse so unique is his ability to create emotion both lyrically and instrumentally. Personally, this is most evident on through the song ‘Black ft. Norah Jones’ which portrays the lament of an unknown figure as he reflects on all his past sins. Supported by a mellow bassline and acoustic strumming, Burton essentially builds a track that evokes deep feelings in the listener - a feat he has been able to carry out throughout his career. It’s no coincidence this particular track was used in the season four finale of Breaking Bad, in which the evolution of Walter White into Meth overlord is revealed in a shocking ending. A truly iconic episode, the talent of Danger Mouse manages to emphasise Walt’s transformation despite having not been written specifically for the scene. In an interview with New York Magazine (2006), Burton expresses a desire to ‘create different kinds of worlds’ through his music, very much in a similar way that directors create worlds through film. Indeed, every single one of Burton’s track reads like a work of art. With many projects coming up, the world is bright for Danger Mouse and his musical talent. His next project sees him as sole producer of the next highly anticipated Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ album. Which, at the time of printing, has yet to surface, but has been guaranteed to be ‘something new’. Under the guidance of Burton it will no doubt be melodic and expressive. With no signs of stopping, Danger Mouse will continue to be the hidden foundation for many artists and albums our generation will come to know and love.
Image: Wikimedia, musicisentropy
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Music
The Last Shadow Puppets: Everything You've Come to Expect
Alice Mortimer
Sexy and symphonic with 60s-nostalgia; the suitably titled sophomore Everything You’ve Come to Expect is all fans loved about indie-rock supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets, eight years on from their debut. Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner and britpop soloist Miles Kane have again joined forces to create something worthy of soundtracking a 60s action film, and most definitely its sex sub-plot. The follow-up record is exactly what we came to expect from the duo; a matured sound, as to be assumed after such a lengthy absence, but still one that maintains the egocentric chaos and sickly sweet narcissism the band have always been notorious for; Nashville heartbreaker ‘Sweet Dreams, TN’ couldn’t be more ‘Alex Turner’ if it tried. Lyrically provocative and with swooning romance, Turner channels shaky 60s vinyl in 2016;
Freddie Wells In one of the most exciting musical collaborations this year, or ever, for that matter, veteran of rock ‘n’ roll Iggy Pop joined forces with goliath of the modern rock world Joshua Homme, leader of Queens of the Stone Age, in tow with Homme’s Queens band-mate and Dead Weather member Dean Fertita, as well as Matt Helders of the Arctic Monkeys. This does not even cover the additions for the live line up, which will include Queens member Troy Van Leeuwen and Matt Sweeney, collaborator and producer for various projects. The immediate thought would be that this might sound like a Queens of the Stone Age record featuring the vocals of Iggy Pop. However, the result is quite different, Post Pop Depression sounds like an Iggy Pop record entwined with tinges of Homme’s desert rock fusion. The Queens chief has been the
“you’re the first day of spring with a septum piercing”, before crescendoing into cinematic strings. It’s the somewhat tedious yet distinct use of such string arrangements that give the record its soundtrack-style. The short string interludes, along with the electric guitar riffs in ‘Dracula Teeth’ are undoubtedly Bondesque, with the orchestral arrangement in ‘Pattern’ and twangy guitar in ‘Aviation’ sounding as though they should be soundtracking the spy’s speedy motorcycle rides along city coasts. Whether the drama of it all is too much for one album is debateable, but I can’t say the band have ever been committed to solely easy-listening. Saying this, as with their debut, the string arrangements aren’t always so erratic. Everything You’ve Come to Expect also delivers those slower, sweeter songs as began with
soulful single ‘My Mistakes Were Made For You’, which we can compare to the musically romantic ‘Miracle’ Aligner’, and equally enchanting ‘Everything You’ve Come To Expect’. Recording the album at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La studios in Malibu, California, the Northern boys’ time spent in the States is evident, with explicit references in piano ballad ‘The Dream Synopsis’. Turner refers to a storm “howling through Sheffield city centre”, his hometown, before seemingly referencing LA with “there was palm tree debris everywhere”. This nostalgia perhaps suggests the local lad hasn’t quite disappeared, although tracks like ‘The Element Of Surprise’ and ‘She Does The Woods’ sound significantly more like cruising top-down along Route 66, probably to a martini bar, than rolling up in a Ford Escort
for a couple of pints in a Yorkshire local. Despite this, the record is still unmistakingly The Last Shadow Puppets – full of ego, sex, and 60s psychedelica; we can hear late-Beatles in the minor guitar riffs of ‘Used To Be My Girl’, although perhaps we can attribute this simply to Kane’s strong Liverpudlian tone. Turner no longer seems to be as lyrically poetic as he used to be, many of the tracks arguably bringing with them the sexism of the 60s in addition the music - so whilst their music has matured, lyrically, it seems like they have perhaps back-tracked. The record maintains similar cinematic soundtrack vibes as their first, but for fans waiting eight years for the day of a follow-up release, it’s not surprising that the duo have stuck to the style their supporters have been so eagerly anticipating.
Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression biggest champion for Pop in the build up to the release of the record, speaking of how ‘he’s the last of the one and onlys’, and how he deserves some final recognition. Creating a fittingly theatrical and dramatic backdrop for one of the most enthralling performers of all time, Homme and Co take a back seat to let the musical icon take rightful centre stage. With notes of influence of Pop’s late friend David Bowie throughout, it’s clear the ambition levels were set high when making what could potentially be his last record. There’s no doubt this album is a work of art, each track tastefully and delicately composed, winding around the aggression and grit of Pop’s never withheld lyrics. ‘American Valhalla’ sees Pop address his own mortality; discussing his life and the legacy he has created, before fading in to a chilling
repetition of the words “I’ve nothing but my name”. The up-tempo ‘Sunday’ features some of the funkiest and most infectious guitar and bass lines of the whole record, weaving through the long and winding track before transitioning into an enchanting orchestral outro. Helders remains disciplined throughout the record, providing thumping rhythms and drive when called upon, most notably in the almost battle-like charge he pounds in the Western laced ‘Vulture’, which fittingly sores to match its name. ‘German Days’ guitar licks echo the warped and wonderful sound Homme offered on the Them Crooked Vultures album, with an utterly irresistible tone and feel. Album closer ‘Paraguay’ opens with the entire band forcefully chanting, before rolling into
a gentle plod that gives the track a cinematic feel, as though it were the start of an epic journey in a Hollywood blockbuster. The chant returns just over halfway through the track with the musical backdrop becoming all the more fierce whilst Pop intently snarls, addressing his disagreements with the modern world, and his longing for freedom, before delivering the most venomous lines of the entire record: ‘You take your motherfucking laptop/shove it in to your god damn foul mouth/ you fucking phoney/ you three timing piece of turd/ I hope you shit it out with all the words in it…’ And if that’s the note that Iggy Pop leaves this world on, it couldn’t be any truer; one last piece of pure, no bullshit, majesty from the most animalistic force in rock ‘n’ roll. Illustration: Ana Dukakis
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Music
Music to My Ears: Favourite Lyrics
Is this a conventional music playlist? No, not really. But sometimes you have to expand your boundaries, mix things up a bit - as one very wise singer once said (or rather, sang), you should never say never. Is that wise musician Justin Bieber? Why yes, it is! Is this introduction too full of rhetorical questions? I suppose so - is it too late to say sorry now? Yeah, it probably is. Enjoy this selection of UEA students’ favourite lyrics!
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Music
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Fashion Fashion Cash-In
How to Turn Your Warbrobe Junk Into Spending Money Lizz Gowens We’ve hit that time of year where the temperatures start teasing us with ever so slightly warmer rays and the sun begins peeking through the clouds just a little more often. So, of course, like true Brits, the time has come for us to start thinking about the summer. You may not be planning outfits by the BBQ just yet (although I salute you if you are), but you almost certainly will have been browsing the Spring/Summer’16 collections online, and perhaps even adding a few more T-shirts to your current gloomy array of autumnal jumpers and sweaters. But, low and behold, even T-shirts come at a cost. I don’t know about you, but at the first sight of sun I instantly become more sociable – I want to go out more, I want to organise day trips, and I’m desperately trying to convince myself that there is a hope in hell of me being able to afford a group holiday. Basically, this time of year is great, the fashion gets lighter and the days become longer, but, as always, we’re all gradually getting poorer. Fear not though, I come bearing a solution to your monetary woes! Despite what everyone says there are ways of making money (legally) without having a
job, and yes it is possible during term time even when you’ve got exams and deadlines. Online selling is the answer. Accounts on sites like eBay and Depop are absolutely essential if you’re looking to shift some old stuff and you’re keen on making a few extra quid, whether it’s to replace your old clothes or to put into your summer fund. I absolutely guarantee that you have a whole bunch of clothes in your wardrobe that you’ll never wear again, so why not cash in? As a general rule I say that if it isn’t occasion or weather dependent and you’ve failed to get any wear out of it in the last few months – get rid. Sometimes we just need to face the facts and let go. Do you really need that old two-sizes-too-small, horrible green coloured jumper, even if it does remind you of a festival you went to three years ago? No. No you absolutely do not. Sell it, bin it, or donate it, right now. Ok so putting your old festival gear up for sale may be a bit of a no-go if it’s really worn down, the clothes you put up still need to be a decent quality. Anything with rips, stretches, loose threads or big stains needs to just be donated unfortunately. This is less
depressing than it sounds. Donating clothes can be increidbly beneficial to charities in your area. As for the stuff you now have in your ‘sell’ pile, you just need to get pricing. Be aware that a cheaper initial price will attract more bidders, which will hopefully push the final price up over the week or so that your item is up. If you’re looking to do a quick sell then most sites will have a ‘Buy Now’ option for you to select – although be warned that you can be charged for this. Equally, however, be careful not to underprice things that have had little to no wear and that were fairly expensive for you to purchase in the first place! I always find that asking a friend how much they would pay for an item always helps. Next, take some decent pictures of the item, both laid flat and of you/someone wearing it, come up with an item description and get it online! Now all you’ve got to do is sit back and wait till something needs posting. Talk about easy money! Now, if you’re like me and you’d rather put up a whole stack of items at once rather than a T-shirt here and there, then one of my best tips is to leave the money you receive
from buyers in your PayPal account until you’ve sold everything. Most selling sites use PayPal as the sort of money middle-man, and it works as a holding ground for your transactions. When you sell something, the money will go to your PayPal, not to your general bank account. I don’t know about you but when I’ve got 20 or so items up for sale, I would much rather be able to transfer up to a couple hundred quid over in one go, even if I do have to wait potentially a few months, than just get a measly tenner here and there which will most definitely get spent instantly on a night out. Money wasting at its finest. Believe me, being able to transfer a big chunk of money, knowing you’ve done almost nothing to get it, is absolutely delightful – an experience I’d recommend to everybody. So, if the mere sight of sun is sending you into excitement overdrive, but you’re feeling a little let down buy your lack of funds, get into online selling. Not only will you discover space in your warbrobe you never knew you had, but you’ll be helping someone discover a completely new garnment to fall in love with. I promise you won’t regret it.
Photo Credit: Pixabay sdnet01
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Fashion Summer Skin
Abbie-Leigh Smith Finally! We are starting to bid the cold weather a welcomed goodbye, and sun is starting to rear its beautiful head over UEA. Of course, as we welcome the sun onto campus that means we are also so very close to Derby Day, Pimp My Barrow, barbecues by the lake, and snakebites in the square. What’s not to be excited about? That is until we mention the dreaded… sunburn! While Norwich may be nowhere near as hot and sunny as say, Hawaii, even in England the suns rays are still dangerous. So here are some helpful tips to protect your skin, whilst you’re topping up that tan. The first bit of summer skin jargon that you’re probably sick of hearing, is the dreaded, SPF. All we know is UV rays: bad. SPF: good. Right? Wrong! It is much more complicated than that. SPF, or sun protection factor, is the factor by which the UVA rays from the sun are prevented from reaching the skin. A higher SPF factor means that a smaller percentage of these potentially harmful rays are not filtered out. SPF is essential to protecting your skin during the summer months, and there are
Get That Holiday Look...Safely many ways to ensure you get your SPF protection outside of the usual sunscreen products. If you want SPF protection in your foundation, I would highly recommend the Bare Minerals SPF Make Up SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen (£19.99, Amazon). This, whilst it is a bit pricey, not only has the SPF 30 to protect your skin, but also protects from UVA and UVB rays. (UVA rays are what cause ageing, and UVB rays are what cause skin damage, and potentially, skin cancer.) Alternatively, if you are looking for a lower coverage foundation, and don’t mind sacrificing the SPF (if this is the case please keep topped up with sun cream, I beg you and your skin will thank you!) then I would recommend a product such as Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream (£9.99, Boots) as not only does it have SPF 15, it is also very hydrating, which is so important in the summer to stop your skin getting too dry. Don’t forget however, if you are using any make up with SPF, you really should double cleanse when you take it off, just to be sure you’ve removed it all properly. SPF clings to the skin and does not like coming off! The last thing you need is to spend all your time working on your already sensitive skin trying to remove
the last remnants of residual makeup when you should be prepping it for another round of safe tanning. Despite the myths, SPF is not accumulative. Applying an SPF 15 foundation on top of SPF 30 sun cream does not give you SPF 45 coverage; this is summer skincare, not maths class! Also, it is so important that you repurchase sun cream every year, as it degrades in the bottle over time, making it considerably less effective! It has also recently been proven that while SPF 50 coverage may seem much safer, it actually provides a false sense of security so it is applied less often, and voilà, less coverage more sunburn! SPF 30 is the right amount of coverage, whilst also giving you a perfectly reasonable sense of security! Just remember, sun cream should be applied 15 to 20 minutes before going out into the sun and every 2 hours or so after that! This may seem like needless caution, but the risks far outweigh the potential benefits of ignoring proper safety. Over exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays can be incredibly damaging to your skin, and leave lasting and damaging skin conditions, which should not be treated lightly.
Finally, have fun protecting from the sun! Proper protection techniques can easily be transofrmed into fashion opportunties. Try out a big floppy sun hat, a pretty sarong over your bikini, and of course sunglasses! Sunglasses are essential summer fashion accesories, not only for the eyesight protection they offer, but also for the smooth and casual look they offer. Sunglasses are an all purpose summer fashion accesory, and can be combined with a bikini or swimshorts, as well as buissness atire. Try and stick to 100% UV protected glasses, the brand I recommend is Hawkers, their glasses are protective and fashionable. This makes their retail price well worth swallowing. With these precautions, you are set for the summer, nothing can stop you now. You are completely sun preppared. Summer is the season meant to be spent outside and enjoying nature. That is, after all, the reason for the existence of daylight savings. So now, go to the sun, drink your snakebites and pimp your barrow in the knowledge that your skin is protected, and remember a little bit of sun is good for you!
Photo Credit: Pixabay stux
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Gaming & Technology Tom Clancy: The Man Behind The Name Who Is This Man On Our Game Boxes?
Chris Jones For the last eighteen years, Ubisoft has been releasing games bearing the Tom Clancy name. Just this month Ubisoft released Tom Clancy’s The Division. This is only three months after they released Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege back in December. Although we may have become accustomed to seeing Tom Clancy printed before the game titles of Ubisoft, few people may realise the story behind it. Who is Tom Clancy? Tom Clancy is perhaps best known as the author of the Jack Ryan series and the many film adaptations from them. You may have heard of The Hunt for Red October or Patriot Games - both novels by the man which were
adapted into successful films. He was born in 1947 in a world still shaking from the Second World War, and tried to join the Army Reserves after university but was rejected due to sight problems. This fuelled his interest in the world of espionage and war. Back in 1996, Tom Clancy co-founded Red Storm Entertainment, a video game developer which was later bought by Ubisoft. Prior to the takeover by Ubisoft, Red Storm Entertainment produced several game versions of Tom Clancy’s popular novels. But once Ubisoft took over the company, game development switched to using the Tom
Clancy name in its own titles. Despite the name on the box, the actual involvement of Tom Clancy in the development of the various games is unknown. It is unlikely that Tom Clancy had any involvement in the production of the game titles except perhaps being asked for the use of his name. Ubisoft published the popular Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell series since taking over Red Storm Entertainment, along with a few other games such as EndWar and H.A.W.X. The video game development company is still used today to produce Tom Clancy titles such as Tom Clancy’s The Division but is now also
known as Ubisoft Red Storm. Despite Tom Clancy passing away in 2013, Ubisoft has continued to honour the author in their game titles, perhaps a form of acknowledgement for his work in both literature and video game development. Without Tom Clancy, not only would we never have any of his novels, but by extension we would have none of the game titles developed from them. Red Storm Entertainment would also not have existed. Maintaining the Tom Clancy name is therefore perhaps a way for Ubisoft to show respect to the co-founder of the video game development company that they acquired.
Remembering The Phones Of Our Childhood What Do We Miss From Our Old Phones? Matt Harcombe
Fun Fact The classic indestructible Nokia mobile phone, the Nokia 3310, has sold over 126 million units since its release in September 2000.
8-Bit Ringtones The ringtones on an old phone will still divide people- those who had that old phone, and
Flip Screen If there is one thing from our childhood that should return, it isn’t Friends, it isn’t VHS tapes and it definitely isn’t S Club 7- it’s fliptop phones. The sound that they made when you opened or closed them; the feeling of whipping it out of your pocket and opening it with one hand; the way you felt like an FBI Agent from the movies- these are all what it meant to live with a flip-top phone.
Back in the old days, we could go weeks between charges. Forget your charger when you go abroad. Going camping for a week? It’d work fine throughout. That’s probably the reward for only having one game and five songs.
re ur sQ m on m Co
Lasting Batteries Most of these reminisces aren’t serious about their lament at the change in phone functionality- but this one is. Do you remember the last time your mobile phone lasted for more than a day without needing charging? When did losing a charger not spell the end of your social life until you could next pop into town? Due to the hundreds of apps we have running every second on our smartphones, our mobiles drink power like Homer Simpson drinks beer.
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Now, when everyone’s ringtone is their favourite song, there almost feels like less choice- how can you choose one pop song to identify you? To let people know that you were a ‘Tick Tick’ kind of person, as opposed to a ‘Lamb’? And let’s face it, no Rhianna song is quite as catchy as the tunes held on that tiny device.
ia
But despite how weird they were to use, we got used to their logic, their way of thinking. Nowadays texting is just pressing a tiny keyboard, and some of the magic of pressing the same buttons hundreds of times to write is lost in that.
Back when the only game we owned was Snake, we owned Snake. We played it constantly on four-hour car journeys, we slowly worked our scores up until they were untouchable. We’d never get bored of it, playing it in lessons in school or lying in the garden after a long day of Snake. Having only one game made us love that game, regardless of quality. Now most of us couldn’t name all the games on our phone.
have a sense of Stockholm Syndrome to the polyphonic beeping- and those who had a different old phone, and have a sense of Stockholm Syndrome to a different sequence of polyphonic beeping. You used to define yourself by which of the small selection of melodies you chose as your ringtone. Strangers would hear your mother calling and recognise ‘The Buffoon’ or ‘Frog’ and instantly know you.
W iki m ed
An Actual Dial-pad. Touch-screens are the norm now, and that’s probably because people got sick of hitting five buttons at once when trying to type. As you’ll remember, each button had around three letters assigned to it, so if you wanted to, for example, meet someone at ‘noon’, you’d need to press the ‘6’ button ten times.
Only One Game The App Store gives us access to thousands of games and apps, with more being added constantly. The Orange Store gave us access to one game, or maybe a second if you were really lucky- and it was always solitaire. Yet in an age of endless choice we often skim over most games, playing them once and forgetting about them. That wasn’t the case before.
Wikimedia Commons- Discostu
Our use of phones has changed since we were kids. No longer are we scraping together pennies for our first device; no longer are we waiting eight years between upgrades; no longer are we begging parents for a top-up. Maybe we’ve changed - or maybe it is the phones that have changed, now that they are as powerful as a computer and as small as a chocolate bar. So think back to your first phone and your current phone- let’s play spot-the-difference.
But more than that, the functionality really benefitted us. Due to the fact the phone only turned on when the screen was flipped open, it meant that it didn’t turn on and off randomly in our pocket like touchscreen phones do. Having half of its body in the way of the screen when it was closed meant that it was much harder to damage than a smartphone. And the curve shape of it meant the mouthpiece and speaker could be closer to your mouth and ear respectively. It was a much better design than the rectangles we have today.
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Gaming & Technology On The Edge Of The Ledge Looking At Why Platformers Are Struggling To Stay Afloat
Kirsty Mcalpine Ten years ago, platformers stood at the forefront of gaming innovation. With titles such as Castlevania, Super Mario Bros., and Super Metroid amongst the most popular of the decade, the genre was firmly rooted in popular culture. Nowadays, such games dedicated to platforming are few and far between. Platformers seem to be dying out- but why? As the industry takes great leaps every year, games come layered with more themes, mechanics, and genres. Platforming is no longer enough to hold a game up to scrutiny. It’s no longer a genre in and of itself anymore, but rather a mechanic; a manner of getting around in the hugely intricate gaming experiences of today. Side-scrollers are a thing of the past. 3D, first-person gaming is becoming a mainstream mechanic, with the intention of immersing the player in a realistic and interactive world through the eyes of the protagonist. It is not difficult to see why platforming and first person gameplay do not sit together well, proven by otherwise fantastic
titles such as Mirror’s Edge and Dying Light. Through the eyes of the protagonist, the player experiences greater realism. However, realism only goes so far. In return for better graphics and a deeper sense of immersion, the player sacrifices the crux of platforming: spatial awareness. How can one leap from platform to platform when they don’t even know the location of their own feet? Their proximity in the wider perspective? Tilting the camera down before every jump is bothersome and, in some cases, impossible. When sprinting away from all manner of lethal enemies, leaping from roof to roof, how can one be expected to glance down at their feet before every jump? In many cases, the player finds themselves performing a leap of faith, the outcome relying on chance, not skill. Platforming elements are still easily included in games and can be extremely successful in facilitating the exploration of worlds. Take Dante’s Inferno, for example, with a fantastic level design wherein our hero springs from
platform to platform in his journey through hell. Look to the Uncharted series, where Nathan Drake clambers over ruins and grapples between dilapidated temples. The reason is that it provides such a fantastic sense of exploration. Platforming is still a mechanic to aid and improve gameplay, but it is hardly the crux of the play as it once was for side-scrolling experiences. We have moved on so far from side-scrolling, where side-scrolling was introduced in order to cater to low-resolution graphics, smaller consoles and screens, and clunky game engines. We live in a decade of extremely advanced gaming, and side-scrollers are no longer the only way to tell our story, to experience our games. That is not to say they are no longer valid – I mean, look to the future rebirth of Crash Bandicoot and see that these platformers are still popular – but they can in no way be considered capable of delivering some of the stories and experiences that developers wish to convey today. Platforming is no longer a necessity, but a choice.
Youtube- M. Fair
The Pets That Grew Up With Us Celebrating 20 Years of Pokémon Kirsty Mcalpine On the 27th of February, Pokémon fans everywhere celebrated the 20th anniversary of the franchise. Since 1996 we have had six generations and an impending seventh, 25 main series instalments, over 45 spinoff games;, and 721 individual creatures to battle and trade with. Many non-players question the success of the franchise: “it’s all the same!” they say, “it’s for kids!” they claim. But how could a so-called repetitive, simple idea hold such prestige in the world of gaming? Pokémon’s success lies in the use of the same formula. The structure is always the same, but the mechanics and details around that formula change, which is the key to a successful gaming series. It is well-acknowledged that people hate change, and Game Freak, the developers, recognise this fact. They also recognise that the common failure of sequels is that they often drift too far from the original premise and lose their original audience, or fail to break from the grain at all and arouse new interest. Therefore, the skeleton of the game remains familiar enough so that it does not alienate existing players, but the details are constantly renovated in order to keep up with the
rising standards of the game industry and its audience, and therefore stays appealing to potential players. Though the bones of the game are the same, the combination of detail around them is always different. These gradual innovations keep every instalment fresh and interesting, adding greater dimensions of gameplay to every single experience.
Fun Fact The latest Pokemon game is Pokemon Go, an iOS and Android game in which you can collect Pokemon by exploring the real world. It's expected to lead to many people walking into lamp posts. Each new generation thus far has introduced a variety of mechanics that have maintained the appeal of Pokémon. Each generation has introduced improved graphics, whole new regions to explore, new game mechanics and, of course, a huge range of new and fascinating Pokémon species. Generation two introduced day and night cycles
and breeding, generation three introduced the battle tower and the concept of competitive play, as well as weather. Generation four, the first on the DS, introduced the Pokétch, the touch screen mechanic that was improved upon continuously in later generations for greater depth of play. Generation five introduced the first 3D graphics of the series, and began to take advantage of competitive play, and seasons also made their first appearance. Generation six, our most recent generation, took full advantage of 3D graphics, creating fantastic Pokémon models instead of the original 2D sprites. They improved the ease of using WiFi in order to connect all over the world, and added mechanics to make competitive play easier and more welcoming to new players. In an industry that tends to swing towards building gritty and edgy ‘grey’ games, Pokémon
has maintained its innocent premise, its colourful graphics, and light-hearted designs, whilst still managing to appeal to the wider adult audience. Competitive battling, breeding, and expansive stories with deeper meaning prove that Pokémon has shown to be extremely effective in both retaining the older audience whilst captivating anew, and with the announcement of Pokémon Sun and Moon made to celebrate their 20th anniversary, we can only wait excitedly for the future of Pokémon.
Youtube- Piotrek 2
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Creative Writing
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Wow ‘Does Kim Wilde really suck that badly?’ ‘Yeah, Danny Boy, she really does! And so does Gabrielle Aplin! You really shouldn’t be listening to that stuff. I’m telling you, you walk into that LCR, and you are gonna hear some proper shit!’ ‘Such as?’ ‘MIS-TER BRIIIIIIGGHHTTTSIIIIIDDDEE! The Killers! Bon Jovi! Livin on a Pray-YAAAAA!!!’ Max swings his arms round, and the brown Kopparberg bottle in his right hand spews out onto the cream coloured pavement. ‘I mean, Gabrielle Aplin!’ he cries. ‘I mean, seriously? Fine, alright, so you keep saying she was actually quite loud when you heard her, but I mean, have you even heard what loud even sounds like??’ I shake my head, but my mind’s not having it; she really got to me actually. That thrumming bass guitar, plucking the strings like it was picking the aorta right above my heart. And while the strings were feeding my heart, her voice was feeding my eyes with water. And then those drums in ‘Sweet Nothing’... I love the sound of drums. They can be so relentless, like in the bridge to Bloc Party’s ‘This Modern Love’, when it’s accompanied by those shimmering, glistening chords of the guitar segueing back and forth through the octaves, giving you hope that though this life never stops, there can be beauty found in it. ‘You’re thinking about her, aren’t you, Danny Boy!’ ‘Shut up.’ ‘You are, aren’t you! You and your bloody brunettes. Doe eyes and pale skin, that’s all you care about, isn’t it!’ ‘Pretty much, yeah,’ I mutter. I don’t even know why I hang
out with him. Maybe cos he just sticks to me the moment he notices me, and takes up about two thirds of my personal space with relentless swearing and nothing but talk talk talk. I’m all for this karaoke stuff, but it just stops people from feeling. Like when those three repeated notes shimmering into each other start ‘Together in Electric Dreams’, and it’s like those three synthesiser notes are the electric charges shivering down the hairs on your arms. Music is there to make you feel, but I think it’s there to make you feel on the inside; for you to bottle it all up, and wait for the explosion later.
stomach, and I dash over to the side of the room, three seats away from the olive-skinned couple snogging and groping each other like they are each other’s life support machine. Two seats the other side of me, there is a girl with eye-bags like Mackenzie Crook, wearing a white billowing sheet of a dress, like she’s either a ghost, or someone who only had a silken duvet cover in coming up with a fancy dress idea. We sit there for five minutes, unable to drown out the wet moaning and groaning and sucking of the couple whose world must now consist of just them two and nothing else.
In the LCR, my purple Converse keep sticking to the floor, which looks and feels like the golden syrup remains you get around the edge of the lid, and Blondie laments in the background about her ex-boyfriend’s heart of glass. Max makes a grimace. ‘That’s oldddd!’ he screams in my ear. ‘Are you even liking this stuff?’ I make a slight movement with my mouth in reply. He grabs me by the arm, and he weaves me through the crowd of sweaty men waving their arms about like baby Groots, and women wearing crop tops exposing soft stomachs that produce a quiver within the pit of my stomach, which is already trembling from all the thrumming vibrations in the air.
Then the girl who looks like Gareth from The Office has leant over, and she taps on the chair between us, and the ends of her long black hair brush against my arm like either I’m made of static or she is, and she directs her eyes a few seats further away. So we move, and we keep the same seat distance apart, and we continue not saying a word to each other. I rest my hand on the seat between us, knowing she’s not going to notice, or make a similar move.
Would it be too much to ask if they played Kate Bush? Just ‘Running Up The Hill’, and then I would be satisfied. These people really don’t know what they’re missing.
She points a finger at the mosh pit. ‘Mr Brightside’ is playing, the DJ muting the music at certain points so that everyone gets to hear themselves roar along to ‘The Killers’, despite their ears being almost deafened.
The barman looks very peeved at having to make his voice heard in this roaring environment, and he seems even more vexed at having to deal with someone like me asking him to repeat everything he shouts at me. Eventually I get my Tropical VK, and I look round, and I see a group of three girls bathed in blue light, and their blonde leader flashes me a glare, and I panic inside as I can’t find Max anywhere, and I don’t know anyone else here. I think of everybody’s breaths mixing like smoke in water, filled with germs, and I hold my own breath as my whole brain bursts into flames and plummets down into my
‘God, every time!’ I think I hear her mutter. ‘Huh?’
‘Yeah, I know,’ I say. ‘Would it maybe kill them to play something like Kate Bush?’ What the hell, Danny Boy?? I think. But Ms. Mackenzie Crook looks at me like she’s found out I’m from the planet Pluto. ‘That’s who I was going as!’ she exclaims. Her eye bags disappear. And so does the wall of sound between us.
Tom Cascarini
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Creative Writing
Splitter It is not long now Until they split me open Yank my spine about get me all straight again. I worry that just as those who elected to be subject to the spark which jerked them into consciousness eventually Or did it? yeah there was the one writer I am making a big mistake and I could end up stuck in a chair a big glass cup dropped over me. Much is being split, not only my plates, or my decision, or my decision-making skills, or my fun for the summer. Hopefully the knife is sharp, and strikes where it needs to I don’t mind if it breaks the glass.
Hugo-Douglas Deane
Henry Becomes Alive Inside There he sits, chin to chest, Trying his very best To maintain solid eye contact With the interlocked hands in his lap.
Daily visits from faces and names That no longer sit in his worn-out brain. Torn between a desire for much-needed company And the knowledge of his treacherous memory. Face and mind weathered by time, Gone is the smile which used to shine. But mistake not his aggressive tone For wanting to be left alone. Lo! Approacheth headphones this way, Blaring some old Cab Calloway, Placed onto his wizened ears The anthem of his younger years. Eyes widen in sudden realisation At the nostalgia and rumination. Opens his mouth, breath sucked in, Grimace gives way to child-like grin.
All's Quiet Now All you can hear is chatter: the gasps of women, the cries of ruddy-faced children and the uncanny squawks of crows. The harsh noises reverberate around the courtyard, clattering off the walls and rebounding over people’s heads. The screeches of babies and wails of children may be undesirable to some, but to you they are music, the rumble of life a sweet melody in your ears. Their rich tones excite your pulse. This moment seems more real to you than any in your life so far. You say ‘so far’ as if you have years to further consider the fruitfulness of crowd chitter, but in reality you have so few moments left. These are the last sounds you will ever hear; how could they not be the sounds of music? You step onto the wooden block with heavy boots and it creaks a little under your weight. As you breathe in deeply the crowd falls silent. It is as if you have swallowed their sounds with your intake of breath. Carefully you put your head through the noose. All’s quite now.
Mary Blatchford
Body sways like a gospel chorist As sunlight pours into his mind’s forest. Lyrics roll – no, bounce! – off his tongue, Launched from the base of his lungs. The sound of music wasn’t just casual noise, But the gift of a long lost, glorious voice. As melody lets forth youthful zeal, Never doubt music’s ability to heal.
Rahul Mehta
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Television Who Will Win the Game of Thrones? ‘When You Play the Game of Thrones, You Win or You Die’: But Who Will Triumph in the End?
Sansa Stark Hannah Ford OK, I’ll be the first to admit that Sansa annoyed the hell out of me for at least the first season of Game of Thrones. She didn’t seem capable of anything (other than being naïve), and made incredibly poor life choices. But then the real Sansa was born. Suddenly, all her struggles made sense and she became incredibly knowledgeable and it struck me. This girl could actually do this. She could actually sit on the coveted throne (at least for a brief period). While I’m sure they’ll be plenty of #TeamDaenerys supporters lying in wait, sharpening their swords, I’m going to go out and say it anyway: Sansa Stark will win the
Melissa Haggar Tyrion Lannister will win the game of thrones. Why am I so sure? Because Tyrion is one of a select few characters (and certainly the only male character) who has the three qualities which create a successful ruler. First of all, he is an outsider: no one expects the much-bullied, tormented youngest son of the late Tywin Lannister (best. death. ever.) to actually sit on the throne, but, due to his family, he is still able to be a part of the court whilst simultaneously being outside of it, so he is able to observe and learn from within the court itself. Secondly, he is incredibly knowledgeable and wise, having spent the time which many other male characters spent learning how to fight like a ‘proper man’ (yeah that ended well for you didn’t it Robb Stark? What? … too soon?), studying books and historical accounts of the Seven Kingdoms, so he knows its history inside out, and what approaches have failed. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, from this knowledge of the court and its workings, and of the history of Westeros, Tyrion understands the game of thrones itself. He understands how power is really
game of thrones, and you better get used to it. Now, I know it seems like quite a leap from the humble position Sansa came from, but after her horrific marriage to the worst person ever (who died the best way ever), she definitely deserves it. Despite all the utterly abhorrent things Sansa has seen and endured, she has never given up, and still managed to live to fight another day – something that can’t be said about other individuals in this bloody wasteland that George R. R. Martin has created. What’s key throughout the series is how much of a survivor Sansa is, despite all that
has tried to kill her. I mean, she was almost pushed through the infamous moon door, for god’s sake. But she’s still here. And she’s laughing at all of you. Despite the hardships, Sansa is not a foolish character. She knows what people wants even if they don’t admit it, and it’s this that she chose when she kept Littlefinger around, knowing full well that he is pretty much infatuated with her due to her resemblance to her mother. But she chooses this over uncertainty, and uses it to her advantage. This is when we see a change in Sansa’s appearance – gone are the pretty, ethereal outfits of Kings Landing – now the outfit of choice is a feathered black dress, evocative of her soaring future and reminiscent
of her darker nature now. Of course, Sansa still endured many more terrible events, such as her marriage to Ramsay Bolton, but she still managed to hold onto the parts of herself that make her, her, despite it all, eventually managing to escape. Throughout, Sansa has demonstrated that she is a survivor, and one who still holds onto her compassion and sense of self despite this. She has also grown intensely as a person throughout her ordeals, and has managed to learn how to utilise knowledge to her best advantage, all of which would be useful in her position as the future (and rightful) winner of the game of thrones. All hail Queen Sansa.
Tyrion Lannister won in The Seven Kingdoms, and has no illusions over the power which the King actually holds, being well aware of its precarious nature. As he declared back in season two in another eloquent speech, ‘power resides where men believe it resides. It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall, and a very small man can cast a very large shadow.’ He knows, unlike Joffrey, that a King is not invincible, and must not create too many enemies. Or else you might die a horrible death on your wedding day. If you look at a list of the best GoT quotes, half of those are going to be from Tyrion. Whilst that doesn’t necessarily mean he will ultimately win, it is clear that the character is a favourite of George R.R. Martin’s, often being compared to the writer himself. Whether giving strong advice to bastards such as Jon Snow (‘never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour, and it can never be used to hurt you’), musing on the destructive power of total authority (‘It’s hard to put a leash on a dog once you’ve put a crown on its head’), or merely thinking out loud about the nature of his favourite hobby, drinking (‘it’s not easy being drunk all the time’),
Tyrion has the best, and most memorable lines in the show. He is #quotable. A recent study analysing the series mathematically in order to determine the ‘main character’ of this ensemble show through mentions of their name in relation to other characters, found that Tyrion is the main character, and therefore the one who is the most connected with many characters. This may be due to his movement during the several seasons: his trip up to The Wall, not-so-planned trip to The Eyrie, and escape to Pentos and journey to Meereen to join Daenerys, rather than remaining mainly in King’s Landing. This connection to many characters in many houses all over the Seven Kingdoms and beyond will surely be of benefit to him. And let’s not forget the rumours that Tyrion may actually be a Targaryen, the son of the ‘Mad King’ Aerys Targaryen, rather than Tywin. Many former Targaryen supporters would wish to put a Targaryen back on the throne, replacing Cersei’s bastard child Tommen, and, if the rumours are true, Tyrion would be an obvious choice. Because as much as I love Daenerys, and
would love to see her sitting like a goddamn fierce feminist icon on the iron throne, surrounded by her dragons, she has never lived in Westeros, and therefore does not understand the way in which it works. And ruling a place she did not understand didn’t work so well in Meereen, after all. After everything Tyrion has been through – bullied by his entire family, forced into marriage, imprisoned and almost executed several times, put through a farcical trial (the scene in which he gave his incredible speech about the cruelty in which he has been treated all his life and the real reason he is accused of murder, powerfully declaring “I’m guilty of a far more monstrous crime: I’m guilty of being a dwarf!” being not only the best scene in the entire series, but showing just how incredible an actor Peter Dinklage is, winning him an Emmy), he is still standing. Which, in the dangerous world of Game of Thrones, surely is deserving of that uncomfortable looking throne on its own? Tyrion could very well be the last man standing. And let’s not forget: a very small man can cast a very large shadow. Image: Wikipedia Commons
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Television Character Profiles Need a Reminder About Two Key Characters in the Series? We’ve Got You Covered
Arya Stark Melissa Haggar Arya has had quite the ride throughout the definitive Game of Thrones saga. Starting off as just a simple but feisty daughter of the House of Stark, she’s seen and been through some serious shit. Poor Arya has had a hard life and it’s fair to say she’s seen a lot of death in her short existence: her friend Mycah, her
Hannah Ford If you’re looking for strong, independent, and all-round amazing female characters, Game of Thrones is usually a great place to start. This might seem surprising to many, as yes, it’s had much criticism over its portrayal of women, particularly after the harrowing scene involving Sansa and actual-monster Ramsey Bolton last season, but, for a show set during a medieval-esque period, many of its key characters, who have real impacts on the direction of the series, are women: and Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen is certainly no exception. Although side-lined from many of the plots and characters in Westeros due to her physical distance across the Narrow Sea, those in King’s Landing are aware of Daenerys, and the rumours of her incredible rise to power. She started season one as the abused, bullied younger sister of blonde tyrant Viserys, forced into a marriage with Khal Drogo. However, their relationship grew and the new Khaleesi fell in love with
sword trainer Syrio, her unfortunate dad Ned Stark killed by mini-tyrant Joffrey, her mum and her brother (in one of the show’s most infamous scenes, the ‘Red Wedding’ bloodbath), and her half-brother Jon Snow as well (or not maybe?). But Arya, though a young girl, does not sit idly by watching
all that blood being spilt. She also gets on in there and uses her favourite sword, ‘Needle’ to dish out some much deserved punishment, slowly striking off people on her hit list (insert ‘you ain’t nothing but a Hound-dog reference’). But then at the end of last season, she was blinded as a
punishment after stealing from the ManyFace god. Yep, that happened. She is literally blind. Oops. Portrayed by the brilliant Maisie Williams on the show, Arya is the bad-ass, gender defying assassin you not-so-secretly want to be.
Daenerys Targaryen her husband. But then tragedy struck and not only did the Khal die, but, due to the dark magic used to try to save him, Daenerys lost her unborn child too. Still, showing her strength and remaining undefeated, she literally rose from the ashes: with three baby dragons. She has steadily become one of the series’ biggest and most loved characters, proving she really is not a woman not to be messed with. She is no longer Viserys’ little sister (really, who even remembers him anymore?) and instead a ruler with titles coming out of her ears, including being the ‘Mother of Dragons’: yes, she has three actual dragons – I don’t see anyone else riding away from their opponents on a goddamn dragon, do you? Dany has certainly fought hard over the past five seasons to get to where she is, but not in your typical, bloody battles with armies of thousands way in which the male characters
and contenders for the Iron Throne have done. Daenerys began to gain power through negotiation, before she is in a better position. She even uses men’s own sexism against them, such as her amazing triumph over the Good Masters in Astapor. In one of the series’ most memorable scenes, Daenerys revealed her trick: after apparently exchanging Drogon for an army of Unsullied slaves and thereby becoming their new master, she revealed that Valyrian is her mother tongue. She had therefore understood the repeated insults of the Masters, and ordered the Unsullied then to kill their former masters and free any slaves they find. But whilst certainly badass, she also has great compassion, which many other characters lack: as master of the Unsullied, she granted them their freedom, for them all to declare her as their leader and to follow her as free men (owning a dragon which had just killed their former master probably helped persuade them too). And,
as Daenerys clearly knows, free men make much better soldiers and supporters than those in slavery. This compassion for those kept in slavery enabled her to take over several other cities, freeing the slaves and inspiring uprisings which allowed her to take over and gain thousands more loyal followers as their ‘Mhysa’ (and for me to wish she was my Mhysa too). As season six begins, however, Dany finds herself in danger for the first time in several seasons, having been kidnapped by the Dothraki, and brought right back to where she began. However, given the incredible character transformation we have seen across the series, I doubt we’ll see her return to the person she was at the beginning. No one messes with the new and improved Daenerys Stormborn, the Mother of Dragons. And if that still doesn’t work, then she can always get Drogo to ‘Dracarys’ their arses. Illustration Credit: Kirsty McAlpine
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Television A Song of Ice and Fire vs Game of Thrones It’s the original book series versus the TV adaptation Dan Struthers Usually upon the approach of a new series of everyone’s favourite dragon and boob drama, readers of A Song of Ice and Fire would greet viewers of Game of Thrones with a smug smile and a glint of mischief in their eyes, knowing in advance which character will die and when. Come 24th April however, those once superior book readers (of which I was one) will be brought back to reality as series six will be the first not based entirely on a book. Gone are the days when book fans had the upper hand, having memorised the content of all five books and brushed up on all the fan theories floating around, from who will rule the Iron Throne to “R + L = J.” Having said this however, even in recent series of Game of Thrones, long time readers of George R. R. Martin’s bestselling books have been left guessing what will happen next as the series have gradually began to tail away from the books. Series one was the most loyal to Martin’s first book, with small changes such as shortening the TV title to just Game of Thrones from the book title A Game of Thrones (an inspired change) and slight altercations to a few
characters. Even series two remained close to its written counterpart A Clash of Kings with one inspired change which involved pairing Arya Stark and Tywin Lannister together in a story arc to give Charles Dance more screen time, while also providing one of the most interesting and tense on screen duos not in the book. By the time series three came around, book purists became a bit hot under the collar due to the weight of some changes which had slowly built up over the years. This peaked with the added death of Robb Stark’s unborn child and wife, who’d had her name and personality needlessly changed too for some reason. By the time series four and five came around, Sansa had gone down a completely different path, Arya was still roaming around with the Hound, and Jaime was having a jolly old time in Dorne, all massive deviations from the novels. The problem with some of these changes from book to TV series (like changing the name Jeyne to Talisa, Asha to Yara, and Robert to Robin) is that they appear pointless and are often more confusing than anything. Instead of trying to inject life into Bran’s snail paced
narrative or attempting to make Daenerys a likeable character in the slightest, the TV writers seem to be focusing on these trivial details. Pacing in the TV series seems to be an issue with some character’s stories, primarily the aforementioned Bran wondering pointlessly through the woods, Jon Snow talking to others at the Night’s Watch and as of late Arya training for the whole of series five. Whilst it is true A Feast for Crows will induce many a yawn for even the most die-hard book fans, George R. R. Martin created such a vivid world it does become hard to criticise his occasional habit of describing every blade of grass as it all builds to the bigger picture, but the TV series should learn to be more concise with certain characters and plots. This whole TV/book debate has sparked to life again around the time when many expected the arrival of The Winds of Winter, from which George R. R. Martin is under massive pressure to deliver soon. Many fans wanted to be able to read the sixth instalment before the upcoming series came out. But with even the author to this day not knowing when he’ll finish it begging the question: will we see this
book released before Game of Thrones ends in a couple of years? I for one would much rather wait these few years for a decent story than have one tomorrow that feels rushed under the pressure of fan expectation with many sending him aggressive messages demanding it be released ASAP. If Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire were characterised, the TV series would be the more boisterous, super energetic, and excitable cousin of the books with a slightly shorter attention span. Sometimes the cousin can be a bit disrespectable, but never knowingly cruel, just hoping to please the whole family (the family being the viewers in this long winded and slightly stretched metaphor). A Song of Ice and Fire may be the older and more mature cousin but even it needs to recognise that some change is good and it should allow interference when appropriate. Of course while I do tend to lean more towards the books it does ultimately come down to personal opinion and the age old question: what’s better the book or the screen adaptation?
Image: flickr Robert Logo: Wikipedia Commons
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Arts
Shakespeare 400 Years Extravaganza! That’s Right, 400 Years Since the Birth of the World Famous Playwrite
Alec Mann Born in the beautiful Warwickshire town of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 (I am not just saying that: I lived there for two years and even the horrible parts are gorgeous), William Shakespeare was born into a middle-class family of relative success. His father made gloves and his mother was the daughter of an affluent landowner. He went to school (this meant a lot back then - he could even read and write!), but interestingly the next piece of solid information about him was his marriage. At eighteen, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was twenty-six and three months pregnant with his child, Susanna. They went on to have two more children, Hamnet and Judith. Yes, Hamnet. Not much is known about Shakespeare’s life until he hit the London theatre scene in 1592. Not being terribly successful at first,
but gaining popularity until, when James I came to power, he was the leader of the King’s Men, a theatre company with the King as their patron. Most people know the stories of at least one or two plays by Shakespeare, but the man’s own life was just as entertaining. While in the pub, Shakespeare was supposedly challenged by Richard Burbage, his lead actor, who said that he could play any part Shakespeare could write. Shakespeare then went off and wrote Othello, a play famous for it’s emotional intensity and the fact that the main character is black - clearly Burbage was not. During 1593 and 1594 the theatres were closed due to the plague, and so Shakspspeare took to writing sonnets, some of which are dedicated
to people he admired. There is a certain amount of subtext in certain sonnets, and a great many scholars claim that Shakespeare was bisexual. Seriously: read Sonnet 20. Actually, just read all of them. They’re brilliant.
been spelled, my personal favourite being the textspeak-esque ‘Wm Shakspe’. He introduced over 3000 new words to the english language, he became a successful grain merchant and property developer in his home town but hardly anyone knows this! Shakespeare died on his birthday - 23rd April 1616, and the only thing he left his wife, infamously, was his “second best bed”.
Due to Elizabethan english not having standardised spelling, there are more than eighty ways Shakespeare’s name has
Worst/Best Shakesepare Adaptation Ever? Sam Webber The very first film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet premiered in 1900, and since then there have been hundreds of versions of the same story played out on film. Most recently, and very importantly, we have been treated to the delights of Gnomeo and Juliet, Camp R o c k 2: The Final Jam (A personal favourite) and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride being a follow up from the immensely popular Hamlet-based original (which leads to the question: does this make The Lion King 1 ½ a cartoonified version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead?). Of course, all of these pale in comparison to Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet, the film which, now celebrating its 20th anniversary,
probably defines Shakespeare’s classic for most of us. This said, there was to be another film just a few months on in February 1997, which does everything Luhrmann’s films does but better. Updated, urban setting? Tick. Manic 90s cinematography? Tick. Guns? Lots, and lots, of guns? Extra tick. That film is, of course, Lloyd Kaufman’s Tromeo and Juliet. If you haven’t heard of it (that’s fine, we can’t all be in the know) then here’s a few heads up on what to expect: The two clans (Capulets and Ques) are porn barons, the deadly elixir turns Juliet into a troll, Romeo (sorry, I meant Tromeo) works in a tattoo parlour. Instead of a nurse Juliet has a lesbian lover, the famous balcony scene opens with the phrase ‘what light through yonder Plexiglas breaks?’ and every other scene seems to feature either mutilation, sex or both. You can guess for yourself what fair cheek Juliet’s gloved hand was touching. Penned by the same writer who wrote
Guardians of the Galaxy, this film remains surprisingly faithful to the original plot up until act five comes around, and it’s these changes which lead me to believe that this is a must watch adaptation for any fan of Shakespeare. In one of the biggest twists in film history, Tromeo and Juliet discover that through a bizarre trick of fate, they are in fact cousins. ‘Oh no!’ you cry, ‘surely this was a reason for a double suicide if ever there was one!’ No. The star crossed lovers, in an inspired moment of cinema if ever there was one, look at each other, shout ‘f**k it, we’ve come this far’ and drive wildly into the distance. Six years later they are a happy couple, with their families (reformed) and their three kids (deformed) gathered around them, because, as Lemmy tells us, ‘All of our hearts free to let base things go/ As taught by Juliet and her Tromeo.’ Oh, did I mention that Lemmy from Motorhead is the narrator? Because Lemmy from Motorhead is the narrator. Illustrations: Niamh Jones
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Arts Saraswathi Menon
When the Bard Met Bollywood
We’ve all seen Baz Lurhman’s Romeo+ Juliet and Kenneth Brannagh’s Hamlet amongst many other infamous adaptations. Beyond these direct and radical
western adaptations, there is a world of Indian cinema that has interpreted Shakespeare in its own unique voice. These films not only grasp the quintessense of Shakespeare’s plays but they also culturally and socially situate the film within an Indian ethos, sentiment and aesthetic. Romeo and Juliet inspired the romantic drama Goliyon ki Ras leela RamLeela directed by India’s baroque auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This film unfolds in a 21st century Gujrati village in India and instead of the Capulets and Montagues, we have Rajadi’s and Sanera’s with their age old rivalry. Aside from the skeletal narrative of warring families and visceral characters, the dialogues are in colloquial hindi, and unlike the typical Shakespearean Petrarchan diction in Romeo and Juliet, here the language is unabashedly and unapologetically lustful. Adaptations not only carry the burden of expectations of the original source but also have to infuse new
elements so that it is engraved in the minds of viewers for years to come. Ram-Leela’s greatest achievement is questioning the violence between both their families and the repurcussions of this bloodshed as it affects their dynamics. Ram is perturbed by the death of his mother, and Leela is equally angered by the attack on her mother and there is a brief moment of spite and disdain between them. This scene, crafted by the screenwriting duo Garima and Siddarth is a unique achievement because it adds a raw, human and realistic interaction between two larger-than-life characters who for once aren’t in love but are in suspiscion. The introduction of their flawed naivteve and misplaced anger are indications that this adaptation has incorporated elements of post-modern thought whilst retaining the Shakespearean glorification of eternal love. Haider (inspired by Hamlet) is directed by Vishal Baradwaj who is also famous for his other Shakespearan adaptations such as Maqbool (Macbeth) and Omkara (Othello). Set during the insurgency in Kashmir, Haider evokes an eerie atmosphere of mistrust and betrayal amongst characters just like in Hamlet. The desolate white landscapes and dramatic skies filmed with only natural light functioned as an allegory for the turbulent psyche of Haider.
The lead actor Shahid Kapoor was lauded for his depiction of Haider as he physically (he shaved his head) and mentally adopted the persona of someone who is borderline insane. Haider’s Oedipal relationship with his mother is not only an element of Hamlet but is a core emotion of the Indian ethos as mother-son relationships are strong and affectionate at times. The Western world at times, perceives Bollywood as this aesthetically and narratively skewed amusement park of colours and music, but there is so much more. Romeo- Juliet may transform into Ram-Leela as they dance and play Holi but nonetheless they have the acumen to question their love and irrational actions. Haider tastefully reinvents Hamlet not just as a character with internal battles but it also acts as a metaphor for a conflict stricken Kashmir that is constantly fighting the most challenging battles between anti-nationals and the Indian army. Who is right? Who is wrong? To be or not to be. These existential questions are moral dilemmas raised by Shakespeare haunt our minds even to this day. Even a seemingly musical film sheds contours of complexity when they invoke Shakespeare. There’s a world of India cinema waiting to be watched. Start now.
Illustration: Niamh Jones
Your Shakespearian Dirty Secrets Reviews of Your Favourite Shakepeare Plays
Alec Mann So if Disney turns your play into a movie starring lions, hyenas and a baboon who can do martial arts, it’s got to be good, right? The first mistake people always make with Shakespeare plays is thinking they’re unapproachable. This is one of the failings of the modern education system - you are not taught how exciting the plays actually are. The plays seem unapproachable, dense and seem to use a level of language incomprehensible to most millennials. Thought this be madness, though there’s method in’t.
"To Be Or Not To Be, That Is The Question. Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer..."
Hamlet Shakespeare was writing plays that sell. Plays that will get paying audiences into the theatre, and so the plays contain what people want. Sex jokes, swordfights, awkward situations where someone pretends to be mad so everyone gets killed. Especially the last one. This is why Hamlet is my favourite play. On the surface it has everything you could want from a show to entertain, but in the same way, every single thing can be read into. When I say ‘read into’, I do not mean academically. Shakespeare was not academic, he was a practical actor, he never went to university (Yes, I’m looking at you, Julian Fellowes). The brilliant thing about Shakespeare is that even after 400 years, it is still incredibly relatable, we can understand and empathise
with the characters even now. Hamlet, the angsty teenager who is raging about his mother marrying a new husband. Ophelia, the tragic figure who fancies a guy who will never like her back. Laertes, the big brother just trying to protect his little sister. Even Polonius, the doddery grumpy old man. Who didn’t see at least a little of their grandfather in Polonius? These are all very recognisable characters, not in terms of tropes and archetypes, but in terms of real life, we understand these characters. On a separate note, Shakespeare pre-empts the Oedipus Complex by about 300 years. Look at the scene with Gertrude and Hamlet in the bedroom. Yes, because that’s not hinting at anything. One of the marvellous things about the character of Hamlet is that he is remarkably
intelligent as a protagonist. Too often playwrights and film-writers dumb down their protagonists, making them a blank slate in order to maximise their appeal. Hamlet has none of this. He is a philosopher, a trained actor, a master with rapier and dagger, a sailor, a strategist. He is melancholic, energetic, depressed, anxious (two in particular which I believe resonate strongly with the current generation) and terrible at talking to women. Word of advice: never tell a girl to run away to a convent, then when you next see her start making vagina jokes. It’s just not nice. I love Hamlet, it’s one of the most emotional, ridiculous and intelligent plays ever written. I’ve tried to stay away from lots of plot points in this, so please, if you haven’t: go and read it. Or watch the 4 1/2hr Kenneth Branagh version. It’s rather good.
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Arts Dan Struthers One challenge with Shakespeare for our generation of theatre viewers is making it accessible, understandable and enjoyable simultaneously. Where Bottled Spider’s production of Richard III differs is placing the action in a contemporary setting, complete with politician like speeches to the audience, “Now is the Winter of our Discontent”, and equipping the cast with smart phones, which can seem a tad random for a Shakespeare play, separates it from the musty, archaic scene which many associate with these plays. Another helpful device that helped remember many of the characters was a chart which was updated with a cross through those rendered dead, and as you’d expect in a Shakespeare historical play there are a fair few deaths. In regards to the plot the first scene alone involves the brutal killing of the current King by Richard’s hand, alienating the audience from the physically deformed man who has a hand in a sling and a cane to support himself, without a word of dialogue. Making
Hannah Armstrong I have a confession, and it is a dark and terrible one indeed. As a literature student who has been exposed to the full breadth of the Bard’s work, I feel that when asked which my favourite is, that there is a small but clear few from which to choose. Hamlet perhaps? Or maybe King Lear just pips the great dane? Or if you’re not too fond of tragedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an honourable answer. However, despite the many merits of the aforementioned plays, none of them are my favourite. Alas, dear reader, I have the misfortune of being eternally devoted to that play whose lovers are constantly subjected to derision. Yes, my favourite play is Romeo and Juliet.
Richard III our main character as despicable as possible is a bold move and the production makes no bones about doing so by also making Richard attempt to seduce his brother’s widow, Anne, in a truly electrifying scene which shows the battle of wit between these two intelligent characters. After she spits at him, Anne is given the opportunity to end the life of the man who “kill’d her husband and her father” but she refuses, ultimately marrying him instead which is obviously the alternative. As other events unfold including an assassination, a little prince jumping on Richard’s back causing him great pain and the crowning of Richard, the play manages to engage the audience, and whilst some moments feel more understated than others, the pacing was ultimately well done. Although the play is called Richard III it is very much an ensemble piece with the small cast doubling up for some roles, which is at times a tad confusing, however every one of them pulled their weight, even if the part required lying on
a table at the back of the stage for the whole play as a dead body. Having said that, a large chunk of the play demands we be invested in Richard, as he’s on stage pretty much throughout and this is expertly done by Bottled Spider and the brilliantly cast Richard who we ultimately love to hate. The play explores how far Richard will go to secure his crown as he orders Tyrell to cold bloodily kill the little princes in their bed, which in turn really pushes the audience when asking if we still sympathise to any extent with Richard. The climax, ending with a seemingly effortlessly choreographed battle sequence also provides the famous “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” line finishing a great historical with a memorable ending as Richard has his throat slit in what many may
Illustration: Niamh Jones agree is his comeuppance. Bottled Spider manages to make one of the less familiar Shakespeare plays accessible, thanks to good direction and a tight knit ensemble, with themes of corruption and power which are as relevant now as they were 400 years ago.
Romeo and Juliet Judge me not, gentle audience. I have heard more times than I care to mention that Romeo and Juliet is too frivolous a play, so undeserving of the epithet ‘the greatest love story ever told’ that none of the script is worthy of note. It is true that the eponymous lovers are too rash and too hasty in their dealings with love, that they are so young that what they feel may be termed lust rather than any deeper affection. However, I am firmly of the belief that not only was Shakespeare sympathetic to their plight but that he expected us to be too. At the outset of the play we are faced with an exceedingly conventional romance. Audiences of the day would not have been blown away by either the concept of the story nor the highly florid love language. Romeo’s first lines are a
16th century shout out to the works of other Elizabethan poets such as Sir Philip Sydney and Edmund Spenser. Shakespeare shows us, and his contemporary audience, that he was not only familiar with but could also partake in the conventional love poetry of the day. But of course, we don’t remember Shakespeare just for being good. In my opinion, the first act is merely the set up for what is to follow. It is the 16th century equivalent of, ‘You’ve seen what those other poets are up to, but you ain’t seen nothing yet’. What follows next is some of the most spectacular love poetry ever written. As we approach the play’s tragic finale the characters become ever more eloquent and innovative in their use of language, so that by the time
we hear, ‘Never was there a tale of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo’, not even the cynics in the audience can snigger. Romeo and Juliet is my favourite play not because I believe that it is Shakespeare’s greatest, but because it takes the most overused and hackneyed story available and turns it into a piece of art that never fails to move its audience. If it had just been another clichéd love story then we wouldn’t still be reading and staging it today. All of that aside, a far shorter argument for why Romeo and Juliet is my favourite Shakespeare is Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo+Juliet (1996). If young Leonardo Di Caprio’s performance can’t convince you then nothing I say ever will.
Photo Credit: Flickr
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Charlie Levenson For years the comic-book genre has been completely dominated by Marvel. However, in 2013, after the release of Man of Steel, DC finally felt confident enough to declare to the world that they would change this – revealing a plan to release a wave of DC comic-book movies, with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice being the first of them. With an impressive cast including Ben Affleck as Batman, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Jessie Eisenberg as the manipulative Lex Luthor, and Henry Cavill reprising his role as Superman it look set to be big. Finally, three years later here we are, director Zack Snyder’s Batman vs Superman has hit the big screens after uncanny amounts of hype surpassed only by Star Wars…yet the hype was too much for this film, which is arguably one of the greatest misfires in comic-book film history. With a two-hour and a half running-time you could already tell going into this that it would be quite a ride, it just turns out that it is a horribly messy and painful one. Perhaps ‘painful’ is too harsh of a word, but from the start you can tell this film is trying to appease both the mainstream audiences as well as the hard-core DC fans out there – and often fails at doing either. It will be painful for the hard-core fans to sit through at times, due to the blatant misuse of characters and source material. This in turn makes it painful for everyone else, due to the very intricate and subtle references that only hard-core fans would appreciate – largely alienating both audiences.
Andreas Hadjivassiliou Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, HighRise is set entirely inside the titular building, a kind of societal microcosm where your social status is mirrored by the floor on which you live. Two events: a power cut and a disagreement involving a children’s party and a swimming pool, are the catalysts for a complete breakdown of the social order and a descent into violence. It’s a similar premise to that of Snowpiercer (2014), which does the same thing but horizontally and slightly better. While Snowpiercer had a narrative momentum that matched its setting, the approach taken by High-Rise is a little more... sprawling. The narrative itself is messy: Hiddleston’s Laing is put forward as the protagonist but he is a passive presence, admired and ogled by those on the lower floors and ridiculed by those on the higher. He is, essentially, a functional character. As seemingly the one socially mobile occupant of the high rise he facilitates the film’s movement throughout this micro-
Batman vs Superman However, you can’t ignore the film’s two largest faults, the weaknesses that completely destroyed the film: the editing and directing. Each scene seems as if it smashes into the next harder than before, and there is no grace or elegant fluidity here. It is relatively amateur stuff from Warner Bros’ editing studio, where the cuts are so harsh it makes you cringe and grimace more than Bruce Wayne himself. Leading on from this, Snyder once again makes sure you know that this is a ‘Zack Snyder film’, with his trademark desaturation of colours, bizarre choice of filters, ensemble action scenes, and substance over plot. This film suffers oh-so terribly from the latter, with overzealous religious symbolism that you often see across any super-hero medium there is (whether it’s in comics, T.V., or the big screen) – subtlety Mr. Snyder, have you heard of it? Although the editing and directing are largely to blame, one must not let lead writer Chris Terrio off the hook. Constantly touted in the build-up to this film as an ‘Oscaraward winning’ writer, this was admittedly something to get excited about, especially since he was David S. Goyer’s replacement. Yet, Terrio ultimately fails on the writing front, giving a hugely talented cast little to work on, with perhaps only Jeremy Irons’ lines (for the character of Alfred) being without fault. Ultimately, you can’t help but feel Terrio drags Snyder down with him to a certain degree if the writing were good, would Snyder have
been let off the hook? Possibly. Now you must be thinking ‘God, this film sounds absolutely awful’, well you’re not completely right, as believe it or not this film does have some saving graces. Ben Affleck was cast as Batman a few years ago, causing a deep split in the hard-core DC fan-base, many thinking he would not do justice to perhaps the greatest comic-book character of all time. But, it is safe to say that Ben Affleck was without a doubt a diamond in the rough in this film. Yes, you have consistent performers in Jeremy Irons and Amy Adams, who give it their all, but it is the perhaps more controversial Ben Affleck who trumps his fellow cast-mates for the stand-out performance. Delivering every line with incredible conviction, you absolutely believe he is a dishevelled Batman who has many skeletons in the closest, one who is done with being ‘Mr. Nice-Guy’. Whether he is flirting with Gal Gadot’s character of Diana Prince (a.k.a Wonder Woman) or desperately trying to justify his irrational choices to Alfred, Affleck delivers on all fronts. Much to the contrast of the insufferable performance of Eisenberg as the cringe-worthy, twodimensional evil genius of a villain. Ultimately, the film does not deliver. It has the two greatest super-heroes in the palm of its hands, and it wastes the chance to do something truly special with them. The film never seems to strap down and focus on what it wants to be - leading to its demise and any
potential redemption to be a quality film. That being said, the last forty-five minutes of the film showcases mesmerizing action that is spectacular and everything you want from a comic-book film. With the film smashing box-office records and already grossing sixhundred billion dollars, you can be sure that studios behind this film are not fazed by how much of a misfire it was. Yet, one can’t help but feel this much of a public backlash will serve to improve coming films, ironically creating a tint of optimism for the upcoming 2018 Justice League movie.
No
- Messy - Wasteful + Explosive
A chance to rival Marvel's winning formula gone wrong, however the spectacular ensemble action scenes and Affleck's performance make for high-hopes for future DC movies.
High Rise society, attending parties on the lower floors with Luke Evans’ and Elizabeth Moss’ Richard and Helen Wilder and playing squash with Jeremy Irons’ architect at the very top. Once he has helped set up the various players, both top and bottom, his ‘function’ is pretty much complete. He then spends a significant chunk of the runtime looking upset in his apartment with a bucket of paint, seemingly traumatised by the recent death of his sister, a not-quitesubplot that doesn’t manage to provide the character background it intends. The actual plot, meanwhile, is happening right outside his door, and though he is called upon by it again later on to make an awful moral decision, he makes it very quickly. Nevertheless, this is less of a criticism than it sounds. For one, Hiddleston is brilliant and for another, this messiness actually works in the film’s favour, the narrative spiralling out of control in much the same way as the society it depicts. If we find ourselves struggling to comprehend the specifics of the erupting
class war, or the motivations of each key player, it only serves to better place us in that setting, in the high rise, where no-one seems to know what’s happening. Characters who were in one situation or place a moment ago suddenly appear under completely different circumstances and in a completely separate location. It’s disorientating, but that’s why it
Yes
works. We catch everything in glimpses, never quite knowing how much time has passed or how far into chaos the tenants have fallen. All of this is complemented brilliantly by the film’s visual style. Striking, surreal, and sometimes clinical, it sets the uneasy tone in which the narrative unfolds.
+ Distinctive Narrative Style
High-Rise's flaws oddly work in its favour. With strong performances and + Visual Style a distinct style, it's worth overlooking its occasional - Characters narrative clunkiness. Purely Functional
Photo Credit: Warner Bros
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Alice Tougher Four-time Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen return to our screens with Hail, Caesar!, a comedy set back in the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Coen brothers have brought together a powerhouse cast to bring their script to life, starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, and many more famous faces. The plot centres on Brolin’s character, Eddie Mannix, based on the real-life “fixer” of MGM, whose job it is to protect the colourful, private lives of the stars from the press. Mannix is caught between career paths, and his uncertainty is often demonstrated in his confessions to his priest. After the studio’s main star, Baird Whitlock, played by Clooney, is kidnapped, it falls on Mannix to rescue the drunken star from ‘The Future’, a communist group. The plot itself is relatively simplistic, but with the addition of the other stars, their individual back-stories and the non-stop drama that Mannix has to deal with, the
Rick Ansell 10 Cloverfield Lane is the second instalment in the Cloverfield anthology film series, which began with 2008’s Cloverfield, featuring unconnected characters and events, with a small cast caught up in a bizarre, unexplained situation – like a big screen Twilight Zone. Billed by producer JJ Abrams as a “blood relative” to the first movie, set in the “Cloververse”, Lane is a tense, engaging, thumb-picking thriller that will leave audiences guessing, whilst perhaps leaving others dumbfounded and frustrated. The movie is at its best when you let it take you for the ride. Just don’t expect a sequel here. Viewers with hopes for a Cloverfield 2 are in for disappointment. The simple set up goes: a woman is involved in a car accident and finds herself held captive in a fallout shelter with her jailor Howard (John Goodman), who informs her that some kind of attack has occurred, leaving the outside air toxic. The movie explores an interesting question: what’s worse, the terror inside or outside? JJ Abrams produces yet
Hail, Caesar! pace of the film feels very frantic at times, which only contributes positively to the comedic effect. From the unmarried DeeAnna Moran’s (Johannson) pregnancy, to the flailing career of cowboy actor Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), to upholding the happiness of Laurence Laurentz, played hilariously by Ralph Fiennes, as an audience member you feel like you’re being dragged down every rabbit hole - and that’s not a bad thing. A brilliant performance in particular comes from Tilda Swinton who plays both Thora Thacker and Thessaly Thacker, rival sisters who both write gossip columns that attempt to unveil the lives of the Hollywood celebrities, whilst constantly trying to outdo the other sister. Channing Tatum’s character equally deserves a mention - his musical number (who knew he could sing?) offers a really funny moment part-way through the film that’ll undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
The film also beautifully takes us back into the Golden Age of Hollywood, with references to so many of the period’s big hits. While the time period was always going to be a winner for wardrobe to recreate, but even the set’s aesthetics, down to the behind-the-scenes of the film-making, really draws the audience in to the classic age of Hollywood. In terms of what this film brings to the table, there are musical numbers, romance, and mystery, which are all complimented wonderfully by the Coen brothers’ signature deadpan, satirical humour. The film itself has been one of the Coen brothers’ weakest box office successes, but this is more than likely attributable to the trailer, which doesn’t accurately depict what to expect from the film. With such a brilliant cast and the talent of the Coen brothers, it’s impossible to be disappointed.
Yes
+ Brilliant Cast
+ Hilarious +Channing Tatum's musical number
A brilliant cast deliver musical numbers, romance, and mystery, all with classic Coen Brothers humour.
10 Cloverfield Lane another strong female lead in Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle. Winstead portrays her with a combination of vulnerability and underestimated strength, which coupled with her appearance, strongly evokes essences of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley in Alien. John Goodman is highly entertaining as the human ‘monster’ and impresses with a multifaceted performance, eliciting sympathy and fear in equal measure from the audience. He also provides the humour in small doses that always feel in good taste. The movie’s humour is subtle but effective, hitting on the right beats in the narrative at appropriate moments. Lane features a superb score and terrific sound effects, with a memorable main theme. The visual effects are convincing and are used sparingly. Technically, the film is brilliantly shot, with great moments of stillness – up close to the characters and observing them in times of quietness and thoughtful reflection. There is no unnecessary shaky cam, only during kinetic action sequences, which is highly refreshing. The film is tight and polished in
a way that is rarely seen, with smooth editing throughout and excellent transitions and camera angles. This is a very impressive debut feature from director Dan Trachtenberg, with a tight and concise script, injecting sharp dialogue exchanges between characters that create genuine relationships on the screen.
Yes
It is advisable to go see 10 Cloverfield Lane without knowing what to expect and to have avoided the second trailer and poster, spoiling the ending, and thus the movie, thoroughly. The film’s foundation is built on anticipation and surprise, and when this is lost, the movie is lacking its bold and unexpected punch.
+ Gripping
This is a movie that will certainly divide audiences, Tension especially in regards to + Lead Performances the direction the narrative ultimately takes. The ending is either going to annoy +Film's Unique the heck out of people, or Identity they will simply run with it
Photo Credit top to bottom: Universal, Paramount
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Film William May Anomalisa is about a man, in a hotel, who meets a woman. It’s mundane, uneventful, and fundamentally unsatisfying, and that’s exactly what makes it so great. Yet again, Charlie Kaufman somehow tricks the viewer with a false normality, whilst secretly tearing your reality apart. In the end, when the lights come up, you find yourself sobbing on your knees while you frantically try to put all the pieces back together. Anomalisa is a shatteringly humorous, grounded, and beautiful examination of what it is to be human - and it’s all done with puppets.
Anomalisa
Michael Stone (played by David Thewlis), is a husband, father, and an emotionally tortured customer service expert who desperately struggles with the oppressive mundanity of
his life. On a business trip to a comically bleak Cincinnati, whose inhabitants (voiced entirely by Tom Noonan) pride themselves on their zoo being “zoo-sized”, Michael checks in at The Fregoli Hotel. It is here where he meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh). In a film which stars puppets, Lisa becomes to Michael, in very real terms, “the only other person in the world”. It really is a triumph in animation, successfully managing to present something so familiar and worthy of empathy, through a medium which couldn’t be more artificial. There’s even a sex sequence (Team America?) which is somehow so honest and real, that it takes a step back to realise how ridiculous it is, but it works. Stop motion by its nature is something which is viewed and used as something simple, but is actually very complex in the detail required in
Rick Ansell
The Other Side of the Door
The Other Side of the Door is a rather unique and genuinely creepy horror flick, utilising the setting of India to great visual and narrative effect. It’s interesting to see India depicted in a way that contrasts the colour and vibrancy so commonly associated with the country, with the dark side of its ancient mythology and folklore. This is not The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by any means. However, the film’s scares are largely conventional, and the movie is at its best when diverting from these familiar genre tropes that have been witnessed so often as to tire audiences. Lead actress Sarah Wayne Callies, of The Walking Dead and Prison Break fame, makes for a sympathetic protagonist in the form of Maria. Her character arc is highly intriguing and far more intelligent and tender than most characters in recent horror. She plays a mother searching for redemption after the
death of her son. But she seeks closure in all the wrong places, leading her and her family to a very dark and sinister place. The movie starts peacefully, as Maria and her husband start a new life in India with their children, but the tone quickly turns dark as the tragic fate of the family is revealed. The darkness increases as the film progresses, with the family being plunged deeper into the underworld of the dead, a place where dark spirits lurk, after Maria crosses the boundary between the world of the living and the dead. The child actors do a particularly good job at convincing the audience of the creeping fear and impending doom. Those who find children scary will surely be freaked out by the antics of these demonic cherubs. Think The Grudge and The Ring in terms of visual reference for the ghoulish child spectres, but riffing on the Indian visual style rather than the
production. Maybe that’s what life is; puppet existentialism. It’s definitely not a film for everyone. Even fans of Charlie Kaufman may hold expectations which Anomalisa does not attempt to fulfil, and some may be disappointed. With the exception of a brief, characteristically Kaufman dream sequence which matches Being John Malkovich to its surreal extremes, Anomalisa does not function on the large scale, surreal narrative concepts which one may have come to expect of the filmmaker. It operates less on intense narrative complexity, presenting a much more real simplicity. It does however tell the same story he often tells, and it’s very moving if you allow it to be. This film is not for everyone, but it’s about everyone. It shows us
Japanese influence of the early 2000s. The movie makes use of traditional jump scares and loud sounds accompanied by music to frighten the audience, but as with so many horror movies watched in the theatre, one wonders whether these moments are truly frightening, or whether the surround sound is simply working to great effect, with diminishing results when viewed at home. However, it’s the pervasive atmosphere, which grows increasingly dark, that makes the film’s scare factor stand out as being memorable when compared to other paranormal horrors like The Conjuring. The dramatic tension and moments of silence keep the viewer’s butt firmly glued to the seat in anticipation.
our lives, so in a way, you can’t really blame the film if you don’t like what you see.
Yes
+Humourous + Beautiful animation
- Not for
everyone A painful masterpiece in existential puppetry.
dealing with loss in a family, whilst being culturally isolated.
Yes
+ Setting + Effective Scares
- Lacklustre
Climax Benefiting from its sublime setting, the film is a unique and welcome addition to the horror genre.
The Other Side of the Door intrigues with its setting, solid character development, and narrative focus on the disturbing study of Image credits from left to right: Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures
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Film Nina: Another Wasted Opportunity for Equality Willa Hope
What Does Zoe Saldana’s Latest Casting Reveal About Hollywood’s Racial Bias?
In Chris Rock’s opening speech at the Oscars this year, he stated ‘We want opportunity – give black actors the same opportunities as white actors.’ We are all aware of discrimination in Hollywood; the boycotting of awards ceremonies earlier this year and the #OscarsSoWhite movement targeting the disparity of recognition in talent between white actors and black actors. However, the recent casting of Zoe Saldana in Nina (the upcoming biopic of singer and civil rights advocate, Nina Simone) highlights the issue that we’re not just neglecting equal opportunity, we’re denying that there is enough talent to provide it. Images released from the film show Saldana, an American of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, sporting a prosthetic nose and make
up to make her skin darker, which begs the question: why was she the chosen talent? Criticism is in no way targeted at Saldana’s acting, with even Nina Simone’s daughter, Simone Kelly, stating in an interview with Ebony, ‘I love Zoe Saldana’s work. I’ve seen some of her movies more than once and really enjoy what she brings to the screen.’ Many argue, however, that the casting is once again representative of the industry’s embedded racism – why is Hollywood still allowing actors to ‘black up’ when there is no shortage of talented black actors? Director Judd Apatow sardonically tweeted in response to the casting criticism, ‘I think all actors should only be allowed to play themselves. It is offence to pretend to be other people.’
Perhaps Apatow has a point. Isn’t pretending to be someone else what acting is all about? We are content to allow Eddie Redmayne to play a transgender woman, but not for Saldana to play someone of darker skin. Yet in both cases the actor is just doing their job - so what’s the problem? The issue is that it is now 2016, and this is yet another clear example of reluctance to provide equal opportunities in Hollywood. This film would’ve been an amazing opportunity to showcase African-American talent, especially in keeping with the principles and civil rights activism of the title character. It is impossible to accept that Saldana could be the only candidate for this role, or that her talent trumps an array of gifted black actresses who are completely fitting to the
part, without the need of physical editing. This, of course, is not the first time this has happened. Gods of Egypt and Exodus: Gods and Kings both boasted predominantly white casts, despite being set in Northern Africa and the Middle East. Director Ridley Scott excused himself, stating ‘I can’t mount a film of this budget […] and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from suchand-such’. The need for Hollywood to celebrate our beautifully multicultural world is already belated. It’s not just about equal opportunity; it’s about equal (and correct) representation, and this is what is severely lacking. Hiding it under box offices and budgets doesn’t excuse the institutional racism that people, like Nina Simone, fought against.
London Has Fallen Alec Mann Die Hard in the White House. That was the first film in the series, where Gerard Butler (his character name isn’t important - you know the type: Secret Service, butch, shoots people) has to rescue the President of the United States from terrorists. This second film, has exactly the same plot, but this time takes place across the whole of London. However, the big change is that instead of being a rescue mission, this is an escort mission. So which country can we demonize this year? This seems to be the question at the heart of the budding franchise: “Somewhere Has Fallen”. Last time it was Korea, this time it is Pakistan. All while praising how wonderful America is. On the one hand we could see this film as
a satire, since the tone and style feels about ten years out of date. This is the kind of film which plays on post-9/11 paranoia to the most ludicrous extents. The type of terrorist attacks featured in these films are huge, but completely unfeasible. Some of the most heavily guarded buildings on the planet are taken down by a few people with machine guns and explosives, and yet the people ingenious enough to pull this off are defeated by one Scottish bloke with a terrible American accent? Really? When we have wonderful blockbusters like Captain America: The Winter Soldier promoting freedom and unity over fear mongering and xenophobia, it should depress all of us that films like this are still being produced. The film makes a joke out of the fact that the main character wants to put six security cameras in his newborn’s bedroom. That level of paranoia is terrifying. But what is the action like? Well, it’s boring. There are enough explosions in the first half to keep action fans vaguely interested, but the film spends far too much time attempting to show us how heroic the American characters are, and how much the rest of the world needs their help. Well done nationalist filmmakers. Have a cookie. This is especially disconcerting because it is a missed opportunity to examine how the rest of the world views America, contrasting with how it views itself. However, the film
is not incisive enough for that. Take, for example, the fact that the film opens with a terrorist leader having his family killed by an American drone strike. This is the perfect opportunity to examine issues at the heart of American (and western in general) foreign policy - are the civilian costs of military intervention in the middle-east breeding a new generation of people who hate the west for killing their families and destroying their homes? But that would require thinking! Look, Terrorists! Boom! Shooty, shoot, blame, blam, Americaaaaaaaaaa! What a waste of a film.
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- Explosions - Xenophobia + London
Landmarks This film is like watching exploding paint dry. The paint is racist.
Image credits: All Star/ Millenium Films
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