The Taboo Issue
FEATURES - FILM FASHION TRAVEL - ARTS MUSIC FOOD & DRINK BOOKS PHOTOS LGBT+
CONTENTS ISSUE 114
The Taboo Issue
FEATURES - FILM FASHION TRAVEL - ARTS MUSIC FOOD & DRINK BOOKS PHOTOS LGBT+
Ed.Note Do or Die Features Fashion Photos Travel Food & Drink Arts LGBT+ Books Music Film
4 5 6 12 18 21 24 28 32 36 38 46
Editor's Note The Taboo Issue When I set my editorial team the theme of ‘Taboo’ for this fortnight’s issue, I was met with a variety of reactions. Some of them didn’t really know what taboo meant, others went wild with thoughts of stories they could write about their own depraved activities, while some felt uncomfortable being asked to interrogate exactly what issues are still considered unmentionable by contemporary society. One thing that we could all agree on, however, is that taboos are constantly mutating; something that existed as yesterday’s taboo, is tomorrow’s norm; an ly absorbing. This issue of Quench delves into the world of taboos, and tackles them head-on. I hope you enjoy reading! Gavin Jewkes (Editor)
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Do or Die
Do or Die For your eyes only
Lucy Trevallion deconstructs the stripping taboo head down, hands in pockets, dripping with shame. Inside, drug-eyed women with bad extensions and orange tan grind on poles with bored blank faces. Sleazy balding businessmen stuff lusty sweat. The grimy bass plays on. Routine can too easily run our lives: we drink at certain bars and go to certain clubs, we know what to expect and feel secure. This Do or Die, I will be running away from routine, seeing if my preconceptions about of strip clubs (above) are true; are they really taboo?
They wander around sipping vodka coke, chatting to customers, making them feel like they actually give a shit where you grew up, or that However the strangest thing about this place ly normal to be a girl sitting in a black leather armchair, drinking a G & T, watching thonged ladies slide upside down on a pole. In fact, when my mum rang half-way through, it felt perfectly Then my friend noticed the sexy armchair was covered in black gaffa tape, and Jamie Foxx
the manager of FYEO for one night only.
the manager, a sharp Guy Richie lookalike, explains. The bouncers are sexy, the customers are diverse, and the girls are bubblier than the champagne at the bar. With the majority of the danc-
sobering up in every sense and it was time for a Live Lounge bottle of wine. By no means am I suggesting the University clubs, nor am I suggesting we live in fear of the sion is that sometimes we should say Fuck the taboo lets try something new.
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than needles in their bags.
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Features
The Age of the Modest and the Extroverted Do we really live in a world where we can freely explore the deep depths of sex, death, fetishes and social deviance, or do we still have a deep rooted shyness for the unknown? Alexi Gunner discusses the state of our sacred morality.
It’s not often people in the western world feel scared of discussing something. Ask any student and they’ll cockily respond that anything in the tially engaging discussion. Not only do we refuse -
lingerie shops hidden down dark alleys in Bahrain -
and indeed the only way for those who wish to go in these places. Our anger in the western world stems from the
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My Tehran for Sale -
they stay for all of eternity.
Features "you can scarsely make out the silhouette of secret gay parties in Beirut [...] and young men and women filling the squares of Saudi Arabia, flirting only through their blackberries." is the fear of these issues
-
large elephant in the room. wife Aisha.
certain is that whether or not we choose to dis-
“Whenever a taboo is broken, something good happens, something vitalizing. Taboos after all are only hangovers, the product of diseased minds, you might say, of fearsome people who hadn't the courage to live and who under the guise of morality and religion have imposed these things upon us.� Henry Miller
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Features
The Older Man Would age limit who you pull? Camilla Flint retells the story of one Cardiff student, who reveals tales of 'bootie calling' a man seven years her senior.
normally associates in an affectionate partner-
secret.
ing that I had hit a momentary wild streak of my
summoning me was more than exciting. face desires without hurting one another deeply.
that guy.
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Features
The Opium Den For one student, Rupert*, the opportunity to enter the realm of student drug-taking was a way of rebelling against the constraints of society. This is the story of the rise and fall of his very own dope 'haven', where everything was permitted.
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and do all this so openly and shamelessly. Of
the odd recreational use of weed. But as the year
and you could sense their immediate estrangeanyone used to society’s norms concerning how
house we could do all these recreational drugs -
-
weighed us down with. There are not many places
-
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and Ketamine. In second year we decided to all get a house together. The drug use wasn’t really affecting our daily -
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Features
Beauty Before Age - the Rise of the gap Halve your age, then add seven – that’s how low you're allowed to go can go, right? With a multitude of celebrity couples working the older woman / younger man trend, 2011 appears to be the year of the cougar. Ashton and Demi are the poster couple, but Madonna, Eva Longoria and Halle Berry have also been fond of the cradle-snatching fad. But where has this trend to indulge the toyboy taboo come from? And should us non-celebs follow their lead? Sally Taylor explores.
ly one of its attractions. Knowing you’re dating someone outside of ‘normal’ expectation can make
more serious relationships. Ashton got friendly
No Strings Attached . Both pairs meet without rules that allow them to get their platonic freakguy and girl start to want something more. Sex This isn’t to say you should only date people -
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the potential pitfalls are worth getting your head truly happy with someone who didn’t grow up
-
the same friends or the same needs’.
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-
someone’
Features Religous Rape: phenomenon?
a
cultural
Mati Maravanyika and Yasmine Canga-Valles DISCUSS SEX TOURISM IN THE ARABIC WORLD.
Temporary marriage has a history in Muslim cul-
crime under the disguise of religion. This practice was once a tradition only among
marriages that only last for a week or sometimes just for a night. -
to an ostracizing affect on those poor girls and
men who manipulate this old tradition to satisfy their lust for women and younger girls. Some artheir youth and their rights.
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adhere to Muslim Sharia Law: a religious code of
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Fashion
Don't judge me
We're always told the way you dress is an extension of your personality, so Quench Fashion took to the streets and shops of Cardiff in our fi rst undercover investigation. Taking on three stereotypes, we asked 'does the way you dress affect how you get treated, or is it just a taboo?'
The Geek
‘Oh. My. Days. What the fuck have you got on your feet?’ was the reaction I got from a 10 year old in school uniform. I don’t think anyone to my face has ever called me ‘a little bit gimpy’. As I picked ‘geek’ from the hat I tried to suppress a smug smile. Everyone has a little bit of dork in them , so surely I would get an easy ride. howled in the trees outside and I pulled on cosy mittens, socks, tights, and even an anorak. I don’t think I’ve been so prepared for the weather since my mum used to dress me as a baby. When my fellow goth was painting herself pale and my fellow chav was looking like her face had been to Magaluf without the rest of her body, my makeupfree face was grateful. The weirdest thing was that while I waited, I began to morph. I began slouching, walking a keen bounce, and was strangely excited. Now, I thought geeks were meant to be clever, but for some reason people kept treating me like I was really slow. Someone pushed in front of me in the queue for tickets at the New Theatre. When I asked the guy explained the brochure, cover to cover. ‘This is what tickets look like… This is how you order… This is a picture of where you can sit…’ After 7 minutes of this (yes I timed it I was that bored,) I had to politely retreat before I started banging my head on the desk out of sheer frustration.
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Next stop: Ann Summers. ‘What would you recommend for a sexy night in with the boyfriend?’ She took me over to what looked like a lace sock, aka the most covered up thing in the shop. ‘This is great when you’re feeling insecure and having a fat day,’ she looked down at me patronisingly in her killer heels. Now I wanted to bang her head against the desk. Refusing to let her get the best of me I carried on. ‘How about something wild to try?’ She took me to the vibrator section, ‘This is great to pleasure yourself, feel it.’ So there I stood, in an anomy G-spot. When we were kids we would judge freely and openly, but we had an excuse: we were kids. Is it OK when, as adults, one is pre-judged as a virgin purely because she is wearing glasses and a mac?
Fashion
The Chav
"I felt entirely uncomfortable most of the afternoon and couldn’t wait to take down the ‘Croydon face-lift’ ponyThe general reaction of the public to my chavinspired clothes seemed to be one of intimidation, especially, said the public, if you saw me in a “large group of similar looking people”. Some thought I looked so "dodgy" that they should "watch their wallets.” I noticed a lot of people actually swerved to avoid coming into contact with me, which made me feel out of place. However, there were a few more positive reactions; a group of teenage girls pointed out what they liked about attire (whether they were being entirely truthful is another matter!). I felt entirely uncomfortable most of the afternoon and couldn’t wait to take down the ‘Croydon face-lift’ ponytail. I felt exhausted after stressing to EVERYONE we came in contact with that I don’t in fact dress like this, and was emotionally drained from being stared at and commented on. However, it has taught me to appreciate different styles and I will be following the well-known saying: “don’t judge a book by its cover” because I know how it feels. As humans we do tend to judge each other on how we dress and this is probably why chavs develop their ‘I don’t care’ attitude. Strangely, I admire them for it. Hannah Davies
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Hearing the comment “you look like you belong on Jeremy Kyle”, being heckled from a lad on Queen Street was the point when I knew I’d pulled the short straw. Quirky Gothic? Clever Geek? No. My heart sunk as I picked out ‘chav’. My faded lilac trackie top, miss-matching black sport bottoms and fur gilet adorned with gold chains that resembles the Queen’s chandelier atsers by. I strolled carelessly (on the outside), into one of the most prestigious hotels in Cardiff: the Park Inn. As I approached the receptionist he quickly moved backwards in his seat as though I was about to punch him. Chewing my gum loudly and placing my hands casually in my pockets, I asked if he had any rooms left for me to book. He gave me the up-and-down stare like everyone else, and said he’d see what he could do. While he silently searched, I felt more exposed and grew anxious at the stares I knew I received from behind. Flustered, I told him that I would return to book the room, but he insisted that I book online as it was ‘much more convenient’ (for him or for me I wondered?), and so I said "thank you" and ran out of the hotel.
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Fashion
The Goth I’m not going to lie, after randomly picking a style out of a hat, I was actually excited about the prospect of transforming myself into a ‘goth’. They are after all known for looking quite unapproachable, and I also found reassurance in the fact that while wearing heavy make-up most people would probably not recognise me anyway. Furthermore, my new attire, which included a baggy Iron Maiden T-shirt and black lipstick, is a far cry from my usual Topshop apparel combined with a slight hint of make-up. Yet, I recould have been a lot worse; at least I did not have to walk around Cardiff city centre in my tracksuit bottoms with a scrunchie in my hair, nor did I have to combine a raincoat with some chunky trainers and thick woollen socks. After the transformation was complete, the Quench fashion team was ready to go and explore town. I was fairly enthusiastic compared to the other girls and felt a weird sense of consecond, but the moment I would catch their eye they would immediately look down, pretending
me an odd sense of power - I also felt a bit cool for looking ‘different’ (or, as my own boyfriend nicely put it: ‘like a deceased fourteen year-old wannabe emo’). But then reality set in: getting people to have a conversation with you when you are dressed in all black isn’t as easy as I had anticipated. People genuinely seemed scared but ‘intimidating’ was ting a few harsh NOs, a group of girls agreed to talk to us about our looks. Unsurprisingly, they hated my make up, and one girl tentatively asked ‘Do you dress like this normally?’ and gushed with the thankful response ‘Oh good’ after I quickly reassured her that I really don’t. They did, however, pick up on some things they liked
shops such as JD Sports was also a real test; as I casually strolled in two blonde shop assistants did not feel ashamed to stare and whisper the whole time as I browsed through their items. After this painfully long hour, I felt absolutely
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won’t hesitate to be rude if you look slightly different, and this has made me realise how people who do choose to dress differently have a lot of nitely there!
"This new kind of attention most definitely gave me an odd sense of power and I am not going to lie, I also felt a bit cool for looking ‘different’ (or, as my own boyfriend nicely put it: ‘like a deceased fourteen year old wannabe emo)"
Fashion
Terry Richardson: Creative Genius or Dirty Old Man?
predictable and very unoriginal; the girls all look the same in that they are thin, long legged and have gaunt, pale faces. An obvious and provocative sexual tone dominates his pictures, with the same vision of what sexy girls should look like; skinny and whorish. Therefore, the majority of his work is, arguaby, too sexually obvious and deliberate to appreciate as a female viewer. The photos primarily feature girls with their legs open, wearing revealing underwear, pushing their breasts together for the
camera and posing seductively. Girls here are portrayed as sexual objects, satisfying male sexual fantasies at the expense of degrading themselves. Richardson has been described as a man who gets his subjects to do anything he wishes, preying on girls who, as Rasmussen states, are "too afraid to say no because their agency has booked them for the job" and "too young to stand up for themselves". His photography also contain scenes of spanking, offensive. What’s more shocking is that Richardson’s photoshoots have resulted in the models actually performing sexual acts on him, to which he remarked "I don’t like to exploit anybody... Everyone has fun on my shoots." I think Richardson is tolerated because of his extraordinary power within the industry, which permits him free-reign to ecnourage models to pose in a manner that can be perceived as somewhat explicit and exploitative. Richardson can, in no way, be deemed a fashion genius; he comes across as a perverted man who has taken advantage of his role as fashion photographer. Needless to say, none of his work will be hanging on my wall in the foreseeable future. Victoria Gadsden
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Terry Richardson, a fashion photographer from America, has recently been criticised for taking the sexual nature of his photography to newer and increasingly degrading levels. The controversy has emerged around his 'soft-porn' take on fashion, seemingly wielding his power to produce exploitative images of young girls. This begs the question: Has Richardson taken fashion too far? There is much discussion over whether Richardson plays the role of fashion genius or dirty old man, encouraging young girls to take their clothes off for the camera in his quasi- pornographic, highly suggestive photographic style. Rie Rasmussen, a Danish model, expresses her view of his work as "completely degrading to women". She also states that Richardson’s ‘look’ features girls who appear "underage", "abused" and "look
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Fashion
Model of Innocence? It is a debate that has various interest-groups raging; on the one hand there's the fashion industry, claiming that girls as young as twelve are perfectly able to handle the pressures of modelling, whilst others argue that these demands are way too much to handle for these young adolescent girls. Magda Lusinska and Hanna Fillingham discuss.
FOR Would you like to be a model? In today’s world, it sounds like a rhetorical question. Who wouldn’t like to travel around the world, meet interesting people, have a glamorous life and wear brands that will inspire every high street brand? Sounds great, doesn’t it? Now imagine, someone offers you that great scenario but instead of 21 you are few years younger? Do you think you would accept that lottery ticket? The popular subject among fashonistas took a new turn, from an unrealistic (for commoners) size zero, to a shocking new face of 21st century iconic beauty. She is super skinny, has bambi- like legs, big blue eyes and tempting rosy lips. There is one more attribute that seems to choke many throats, she is only 13 years old. That beauty sets completely new criteria to the fashion industry and glossy magazines. Even though many may consider a teenage girl a child, the fashion industry couldn’t disagree more. Young models are eager to work extremely hard, combining their early careers with school duties. As for the industry, there is an obvious advantage in having very young models. “They can have a 14 hours long shift, yet their faces won’t show/ tell any sign of fatigue nor stress”, says the president of D’Vision, an agency which brought to the fashion world new beauty icons such as Anja Rubik. As the old proverb says, every coin has two sides, so there are two ways to consider this new trend: either as a disastrous exploitation of young blood, or as a true blessing for those who match the tough criteria. Anja would be a perfect example of those who took a leap of fate and, undoubtedly, made an astonishing success.
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“As for the industry, there is an obvious advantage in having very young models. They can have a 14 hours long shift, yet their faces won’t show/ tell any sign of fatigue nor stress”
Then there’s Zuzanna Bijoch, who started when she was only 13 years old. She admits that everything is easier when you have a great agent. “A great agent is also a great friend”. Moreover, it is a marvellous opportunity to reer path as one which allows a young person to learn how to become an independent person: “It is a great way to teach a teenager how to live on his/her own, how to cook or how not to get lost in a big city such as Tokyo.” Anja adds that it is a career that gives you a chance to learn a completely different sensibility to beauty; you see the way inspiring, dedicated people around you live and work. She says: “If you take it the right way, it is an amazing chance to grow as an individual”. Another advantage is that modeling work has an international attachment to it. While you travel around the world, you are exposed to different cultures and various languages. “Whenever I am in Paris, I always go to museums, restaurants or to see a movie,” says Anja. You cannot disregard the fact that for these young peomay say the pay is not relevant to the kind of job they do but, on the other hand, it is enough to save if they decide the fashion world is not for them. Magda Lusinska
Fashion AGAINST In between collecting their school dinners and attending piano lessons, school girls as young as ten are modelling for high end fashion designers, a trend that is slowly becoming more popular, despite the controversy and outcry. Hailee Steinfeld, aged 14 was the face of Miu Miu’s A/W 2011 collection. The logic of using such a young muse is something that I fail to understand. The target market of young women (emphasis on women) are likely to feel little desire to purchase a garment which has been modelled by a girl practically half their age. And what is the message being sent to us by the fashion industry? That we are past
“The target market of young women (emphasis on women) are likely to feel little desire to purchase a garment which has been modelled by a girl practically half their age”
are frequent taboos in fashion. Ten yearold Thylane Loubry Blondeau’s posed for Parisienne Vogue, and resembled little more than a small version of a fully grown size zero model, dressed up in her mother’s clothes. Except she was the real deal. By using a child, they have got somebody that has had to do little work to achieve mean they can eat more than a lettuce leaf to maintain such a size and therefore a glove. But what happens when other pre teens see somebody their age wearing high fashion? Are they expected to look like that too? Exchange their plimsouls for Prada platforms? The use of child models to advertise Womenswear is highly unnecessary. Sexualising young girls can be damaging. Making other young girls think they should look the same is just as. Making women strive to achieve the impossible is simply not fair and asking women to take such ads seriously is ludicrous. Now, bring an end to Hanna Fillingham
Underage Models and the Law
The Legalities:
the model holding a release form, so that it can be kept as proof with all the other images. - Since the photographer has copyright over the images, they techically have control over where they are used, and can ask for them to be removed from any website which they are featured on. - It's also advisable to have at least one assistant on set to act as a chaperone for the underage model.
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- If the model is someone under 18, you need to get their parents/guardian to sign a release form, as he/she can't sign for it themselves.
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Photos
femme too fatale?
Tom Armstrong raises some questions about the direction of fashion photography
“OK
, let’s go over the list one more time. Do we have a variety of violence? Check. Some sexual exploitation? Check. A confused blend of eral arsenal of in-your-face, bound-to-cause-a-stir, taboo busters? Check. Cool, well let’s go sell some clothes!" Granted, not a likely conversation to be heard
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dence that might leave you thinking twice about the possibility. The debate surrounding whether fashion photography has diverged too far from acceptable artistic licence into a realm of shock tactics and sinister undertones is by no means a new one. It does, however, continue to escalate as fashion labels and their photographers continue to push the boundaries, bringing to light a myriad of considerations of questionable ethics and taste. In such a huge industry (one which The Guardian reports as being worth £21bn a year in the UK alone) it comes as no surprise that labels feel the need to stand out against the competition, but this has always been the case for businesses. How and why has it become almost a standard amongst the large fashion houses to push risqué and downright controversial ad campaigns that victimise, trivialise and glamorise issues that, in other realms of society, are taken very seriously? How far are we
prepared to see it go? Is it even a problem or is it just a lot of hype over some harmless conceptual photography? As the freedom of expression ‘movement’, if you will, has rolled forth over the century, fashion has always been there paving the way. It has been the avant garde entwined within, in part, shaping the identities which have distinguished themselves both against and in honour of those of the past. The argument of free expression is a strong one and what comes with the liberalisation of society’s views is the increasing demand for excitement and innovation from the creative industries, fashion advertising included. But if you take a quick look at the works of some of the most controversial contemporary photographers such as Guy Bourdin, Steven Meisel and Terry Richardson, you can see how some question whether a few labels are exploiting not only this freedom to express but society’s sensitivities also. The wider effects of themes such as the death and violence used so frequently by Bourdin are almost impossible to measure. It might be naïve to think that they would incite aggressive behaviour and violent crime towards women. It does, however, pose the simple question of 'why is a dead woman being used to advertise the clothes we wear?'. If the commercial pressure on creative innovation where is it we go from here?
Photos
If looked at in another light, the provocative symbolism of some ad campaigns harbour the ability to highlight socio-political issues instead of becoming a factor in them. Oliverio Toscani’s works for United Colours of Benetton, and the reactions that they received, are very thought pro-
voking in terms of challenging some very real racial and sexual prejudices. Criticism came in thick and fast, denouncing him as cashing in on cause based marketing. It is worth considering how the images may have been received if they did not carry the corporate logo. The debate will continue to rage on and, chances are, the content of the ads will not change; there for artistic advancement. You could ask yourself, 'is it all just business or is it art? Fashion is a business, and businesses will do what they must to
and the parameters of acceptance. On the other hand, some of the photography is expression at its best, merging together the provocative and forward-thinking nature of contemporary art with the beauty of innovative design. Fashion photography seems to be caught in a strange balance between commercial pressures, issue address and conceptual art. In many cases, particularly those in which the abuse of sexuality is the driving force, we can see the effects of an imbalance towards the socially uncaring commercial factors. It would be a shame if fashion photography as a whole, a practice that is a great testament to human creativity, were to lean that way.
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If Bourdin has trivialised death, then what Meisel has arguably done is glamorise those who deal in it. His undeniably impressive ‘Make Love Not War’ series for Italian Vogue depicts models amongst US soldiers in distinctly Middle-East setting. The beauty of the images makes it easy to overlook the severity of the situation from which it draws. That said, the fashion industry can in no way, if it must at all, shoulder all the blame for the normalisation of cruelty. Its prevalence in the world, the widespread reportage, and popular culture’s incessant obsession with it are more than enough to numb even the most sensitive. Though what the industry surely cannot avoid taking responsibility for is the sexualisation of adolescence. Is this an appreciation of youthful beauty, a perverse distortion of people’s desires, or a manifestation of the commercial need to capture the most impressionable demographic? Terry Richardson’s famous ‘look’ has been described as “underage, abused heroin addicts”, he is an ex-
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Photos There were no entries submitted to this this issue's competition so, instead, here is an image that couldn't be more taboo if it tried. This was actually used as an advertising campaign for a clothing company in Sicily, the slogan was "Change your style. Don't follow your leader." A tip for anyone thinking of going into advertising: don't do this...
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Travel
into our more permissive atmosphere. Saudi Arabia bases its ban on the consumption, production and importation of alcohol and drugs on strict Islam religious beliefs; breaking these rules can result in lashings and imprisonment with drug smugglers facing the death penalty. However, from the royal family to the locals and expatriates living there, stories have emerged that perhaps this long enforced Prohibition has not left the country as dry as the surrounding desert. From the top echelon of the country, reports of circumvention of these rules have been revealed. WikiLeaks revealed that in 2010 a lavish, drug, alcohol and prostitute Arabian royal prince from the Al-Thunayan family, described as almost an underground nightclub. Other instances have been reported of the royal family breaking their own rules suggesting others in
Moonshine and underground parties in countries with a drinking ban
society can procure alcohol by certain means; the key is to understand the system. Normal alcohol brands, such as Smirnoff, are available at extortionate prices on the black market. More regularly, however, locals and royals alike, resort to brewing their own alcohol. It is usually in the form of an equivalent to moonshine, at almost 90% alcohol, ironifriend’; many reports of accidental alcohol poisoning have been a consequence of this home-brewed concoction. In addition, locals have become experts on distilling wine and brewing beer. Expatriates within their own local compounds, if discrete, are allowed to drink alcohol unpunished as authorities turn a blind eye. If caught outside these protective walls, however, they are subject to Saudi law and many Britons, Canadians, and Americans alike have received lashes, jail sentences or deportation. Unlike our own culture where pictures of drunken photos are sources of hilarity, and often cited as the cause of societal woes, all drinking in Saudi Arabia occurs behind closed doors. Our permissive European society lies in stark contrast to Saudi Arabia as often the only thing standing in our way of alcohol consumption is a fake I.D., and if caught, perhaps a slight reprimand. It shows that taboos around the world can be varied and be perceived so differently from country to country. Grace Hayne
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A normal supermarket trip inevitably features an alcoholic beverage (the onslaught of freshers is always coupled with a distinct lack of value vodka) or simple amenities such as pork. It is, therefore, almost unimaginable that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Quwait live with a ban on these products, and even experience interate’, ranging from abortion and sexual education to gay rights. In such a strict arena of rules and regulations one would think there would be no reports or accounts of drug or alcohol abuse. Yet stories of scandal creep
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Travel
Colombia: now safe to visit?
Alex Ulyet examines the effects of Colombia's prevailing drug problem.
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Lonely Planet’s web entry on Colombia begins by
of addicts in its wake. More troublingly, the increase in unchecked violent activity in an attempt
have conveniently forgotten the overwhelming problem of drug exportation in Colombia. For most people in the UK, dealing cocaine, or even knowing someone who did, would be taboo. For the citizens of Colombia, it is just part of life. The cocaine trade pervades every level of Colombian tels have over politics and this does not look set to change; the international drugs trade is vast and lucrative and in 2006 the US National Drug Intel-
has effectively paralyzed the judicial system in the last decades, driving many Colombians into selfexile or left dead as powerless casualties in a rag-
prominent produced of cocaine, producing an estimated 70% of the world’s supply. There are innumerable social problems that stem from this illicit trade. Despite having the fourth largest economy in Latin America, nearly half of Colombian citizens live below the poverty line. An emerging social issue in Colombian citaddictive, and damaging form of cocaine normally smoked with marijuana or tobacco. It is sold cheaply as it is not considered to be of export quality and has become more popular in many cities than marijuana, leaving hundreds of thousands
But the effects go even deeper than this, with ernment. Since the 1970s the cartels’ wealth has allowed them to fund and assist political paramilitary groups, make political executions and corrupt methods that in the mid-90s an investigation was held to look into accusations that the presidential candidate Ernesto Samper had funded his campaign with drug money supplied by these criminal conglomerates. Though the drugs trade has been hit hard by a combined effort of the US and Colombian government since 2000, Colombia still remains gridlocked on a national and local level. With high homicide and kidnapping rates, a corrupt political system and locals who would do anything to get away, it is an extremely dangerous place for tourists. Alex Ulyet
Travel
Travel taboos A look at ten travel taboos from around the world...
Taboos are universal, all cultures seem to draw the line at some point. But what is considered a taboo? Here is a quick trip around the world looking at what some countries accept and the things we do that disgust other cultures...
2.
The Ladyboys in Bangkok
the notion of cross-dressing to another level. Ladyboys have mixed-gender bodies and display female features. 3. No need to say ‘no’ in the Netherlands The Netherlands is home to the red light district easy to trade as talcum powder! 4. Hold back in Dubai In 2009 Dubai announced a ban on unmarried couples holding hands in public (also forbidden is kissing and dancing) with a possible threat of a prison sentence if you just can’t resist grabbing your lover's hand! 5. Cuts in Kenya Both male and female circumcision is a tribal act on young teenagers in Kenya. It is a rite of passage that symbolises entering the adult world and it's a great taboo for an uncircumcised person to bear a child.
6. United Kingdom uniting homosexuals Although civil partnerships have been legalised since 2005, same-sex marriages are yet to be common-place. The coalition government are due to start talks about improving this topic in March. 7. Guinea Pigs in Peru Although usually adorable and well-loved pet in the UK, in Peru Guinea Pig's are a big part of rope and the US, but in 2004, New York City took legal action to stop vendors selling the meat at an Ecuadorian festival. 8. The King in Thai The monarchy in Thailand are loved and well respected by their people and to speak ill of the King or his family will land you in alot of trouble! One US citizen faced 15 years in prison after insulting the King online. 9.
Night Fever in Uganda
for a good old time but are people thought to be possessed by a spirit which causes them to dance naked during the night. Taking part in such night time activities will get you cast out of the community with a few bruises and burns! 10.
Lady Lumps in London
human breast milk that went on sale this year. Heather Arnold
travel@gairrhydd.com
1. Japanese Tattoos In the early 1900s the Japanese government outlawed tattoos and though they were legalised in 1948 tattoos are still associated with criminals, particularly the Yakuza (Japans answer to the
23
ww
CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM
CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM CANNIBALISM
Food & Drink
Would You Eat Human Meat?
genuine cannibalistic suggestion (perhaps something along the lines of, ‘Honey, I’ve killed some passers-by, they’re just in the back yard bleeding out - would you like peppered forearm for supper?’) and instantly you’re weird. As it’s an issue that’s never talked about, it’s not even something recall being warned not to talk to strangers; not once was I told not to eat them. Not that this will come as a total surprise, but not being a cannibal is a pretty important aspect of leading a normal life. Generally, people tend to get a bit upset if you try and eat them, as suggested by the explosive backlash in Germany last a rather unusual marketing strategy, the website advertising the restaurant called on potential diners to donate any body parts they were no longer in great need of. These presumably would then be sautéed and served with semmelknödel and a nice joué. Despite it being an excellent opportunity for or hips they’d been hauling around, it was always going to be a controversial ask. It’s not the legality that’s the issue. Cannibalism is not technically illegal in many EU coun-
tries - perpetrators are usually charged with the relating criminal act and/or swiftly institutionalised – but it’s still, shall we say, rather frowned upon. I probably wouldn’t be reeling off this anecspired to be anything more than a publicity stunt organised by vegetarian campaigners. (I mean, there isn’t much frivolity to be found in real cannibalism. I know; I’ve looked for it.) This startling avenue in vegetarian campaigning more than touched a nerve in Germany; in fact, it as good as gave it acute sciatica, given the frankly dubious cannibalistic history of the Lederhosened land. Still fresh in the German consciousness is the case of Armin Meiwes, convicted in 2005 for some ill-judged snacking on a computhis case is that the victim was totally willing. He downed a couple of bottles of Night Nurse (totally true), surmised that the whole thing was a great idea and rubbed in the marinade himself (slightly case is that Meiwes’ victim was one of four hundred who’d responded to his online advert. Four hundred desperately warped souls pleading to be chosen to die. It sounds a bit like an extended episode – not to mention, better version - of Deal or No Deal. hole, if you’re thinking of cannibalism as a viable career option (the job market elsewhere is a little dry right now, so it could be a smart move): you can’t kill it, but you can cook it and eat it and not go to jail. That’s a handy motto to remember as you look for the perfect accessory to that nice, crisp Chianti. Danielle Harris
food@gairrhydd.com
You don’t admit to enjoying Cash in the Attic; you don’t ‘like’ your own Facebook status; and – an important one to remember – you certainly don’t eat people. Cannibalism is the ultimate taboo. It’s a subject only ever broached in ordinary conversation by making a joke about fava beans, accompanied seconds later by manic hissing and poking your tongue in and out a bit, in the style of a certain Mr. Lecter. Everyone who gets this cultural ref-
25
Food & Drink REVIEW
Lunch à
Le Monde the more high-brow (but perhaps no less laden with cash than myself - a largely indebted third year), PhD student’s lips, other than to say: ‘Don’t go there, it’s far too expensive’.
lunch time spot which won’t punish your purse too much, I urge you, just once, to stray away from the mainstream haunts like Zizi’s, Pizza Express more, well, je ne sais quoi. Le Monde has been a popular restaurant, serving Cardiff quality, French inspired cuisine for with its modest A-board and simple doorway framing a dark set of steps, one could never imagine the you step inside, you soon realise why Le Monde is such a commodity amongst Cardiff ’s eateries.
food@gairrhydd.com
one late luncheon, was the open kitchen in the centre of the room, a feature that is really quite unique compared to anywhere I’ve eaten in Cardiff, I found it added a pleasant atmosphere and exuberance to the place. Its plethoric wine list, written on big bistro chalk boards hovered beneath its high ceilings on smooth black walls and
in large, market-style glass counters. I began to realise, at the sight of the £79.99 cheval des andes chalked on the wall, why, as a student, I hadn’t heard of Le Monde before. It dawned on me that the words ‘Le Monde’ had probably never passed through an undergrad's, post-grad's or even
26
waiters placed a ‘two-courses for twelve pounds’ lunch menu on my table, I breathed a positively huge sigh of relief and ordered another glass of the house white - a beautiful dry wine priced at an even more attractive £4.00 per glass. I picked a starter of melon and seasonal fruit, from a choice of fried camembert, seafood spaghetti, marinated chicken wings and pate, which as the menu stated, was ‘splashed with malibu’ at my table. And for my main, I chose seabass from mussels, roasted vegetable lasagne, medallions of beef and chicken served with black pudding and bacon and mushroom sauce, which I watched being grilled by the chef from my seat. All of this, and not a pang of compunction for my purse; for I’d wined and dined like one of Cardiff ’s elite, and for only £12. Simone Miché
Food & Drink REVIEW
Peppermint Located on Mill Lane amongst the other bars and clubs, Peppermint jumps out due to its distinctive green exterior and brightly lit logo. It opened 2 Swansea), both are independently run. It has a large outdoor seating area and a spacious inteit manages to maintain an unpretentious, chilled out vibe, perfect for an evening out. If a relaxed ambience isn’t your cup of tea, then fear not as there’s plenty to appeal to the lively,
Scissors Student Night’ where you can literally try your hand at a game against the bar staff to win your second round for free. Pre-soda pre-drinks on a Thursday at Peppermints ‘Shooters Night’ should get you nicely merry with shooters £1.50, a
Food is served until 7pm. After enjoying predinner drinks on the outside terrace, which is a great spot for people watching, we were seated at a cosily lit table inside. The service was friendly
For budding musicians and fans of live music, starting in November Mondays are devoted to ‘Mindy’ indie night, with open mike and student bands on offer. Fridays also offer live music between 6-8pm. If you are after a drinking spot that’s central and located snuggled up beside some of Cardiff ’s best clubs that also offers yummy food, cheap drinks, and live music, Peppermint comes highly recommended.
say that it consists mainly of quick and easy light
Emma-Kate Marsden
in on the choice of vegetarian options. For starters, I would recommend the warm bread balls and dips £2 for 1 or £3 for a sharer. Choices for main course include tapas (5 for £10), wraps, burgers and, for the more health-conscious, 9 varieties of salad. You can even create your own wok from £5 and if you’re more of a carnivore there’s also steak on offer. VIP private function areas upstairs and treat your party to a bottle of Richard Hennessey cognac for
all in the line of duty, you understand, and it was perfectly mixed. If you don’t see your cocktail of choice on the menu, don’t sweat, the bar staff will sort you out with one made to measure. Tuesdays, or should I say ‘Two’s Day’ from 8pm, is 2-4 -1 bottled beer and 2-4 -1 pizza whether you order straight from the menu or create your own
food@gairrhydd.com
little hedonistic, then how about perusing the extensive cocktail menu which are 2-4-1 Sunday
27
What's your agenda?
Ar ts
Your guide to everything cultural in Cardiff this fortnight. Asking4It Productions
Life Drawing
Chapter Arts
Milgi's, Roath. Why? Indulge your creative side. Get inspired with Milgi's life Drawing classes. You provide the material, Milgi's provides the models.
17th
18th
Why? - For a compelling interplay between dance, live and electronic music, video and theatre. The Gate are continuing their exp[loration of contemporary dance by welcoming the Lonodn contemporary dance festival.
20th
The Dancer and the Devil
of midnight and midnight. Lose
21st
theatre by the Bay.
28
and other organs.
The Drowned World
The Difference Engine
19th
A precursor to their debut production Butcher at Chapter in December. hey are researching the contentious and sensitive area of the ‘cancer gene’ and are
Laughter Therapy,
dispositions are advised to avoid.
22nd
REVIEWS
Arts
LEE EVANS
Roadrunner
Alice Budden
MADE IN ROATH
OPEN HOUSE
Alex Ulyet
Hannah Embleton-Smith
arts@gairrhydd.com
The Perfect Painting
29
Ar ts
Age restrictions apply
focus on... Burlesque Dancer Foo Foo Labellle.
Quench Arts go in search of the so-called taboo in the Cardiff Arts scene and talk to the people behind the stereotypes.
can can to gothic numbers in corsets and Doc Martins. main stream!
arts@gairrhydd.com
30
forming into a character on stage. It’s anything ous.
Arts
from Taboo to mainstream?
arts@gairrhydd.com
tat
31
LGBT+ Gay.xxx sells for record amount
Alex Ulyet takes a look at the last fortnight's LGBT+ news from around the world. HBO Star "Experimented" While sexual experimentation might not be everybody’s cup of tea, it certainly isn’t the taboo it once was. There’s a massive difference, however, between safely determining your sexual preferences and sexually exploiting yourself. So while the revelation that HBO’s star of Hung, Thomas Jane, slept with both men and women in his youth is not troubling in itself, it is troubling to learn how rapidly notions of sexual experimentation are linked to prostitution. When he confessed to sleeping with both men and women for money during an early phase of his career, his comments casually linked bisexuality to prostitution: ‘I wasn’t averse to...letting a guy buy me a sandwich, if you know what I mean’. While there is nothing wrong with Jane’s expression of his sexuality, the association with prostitution give unfair and negative connotations to bisexual freedom.
lgbt@gairrhydd.com
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It seems that no matter how big a taboo pornography is, it certainly is a lucrative business. Corbin Fisher porn production companies knows this, having recently purchased the internet domain name ‘gay. xxx’ for half a million dollars. This price was for the domain alone, and though not yet in operation, Fisher clearly has high expectations for the site. This sale follows in the footsteps of similarly memorable sex.com, which sold for $13 million It’s clear that no matter what misgivings there are about porn, most people want it, and want it quickly and simply.
Out in Politics Recent weeks have seen the appointment of several LGBT+ people to senior political positions. First, in the same week that David Cameron urged his party to back same-sex marriage, he appointed a gay man as his chief speechwriter. On top of this, Angela Eagle, the only lesbian Labour MP has been given the role of shadow leader of the House of Commons. In spite of these triumphs, several Conservative MPs have publicly claimed gay marriage is a ‘step too far’. Junior defence minister Gerald Howarth told the Telegraph that ‘marriage can only be between a man and a woman. That is what Christian marriage is about.’ Clearly, the subject remains controversial for many backbench Conservatives.
LGBT+
LGBTaboo. For a long time, much of LGBT+ life was considered taboo. How much has really changed?
It's 2011 and the UK is pretty liberal, and ahead of many countries in terms of gay rights. So why can I not help but feel jealous when I see straight couples holding hands in the street? They don't seem to invite remark and nobody would call their affection offensive. But when I hold my girlfriend’s hand, it's a different story entirely. I've been stared at, pointed out and even verbally abused by perfect strangers (who, incidentally, always yell from the relative safety of their cars. It seems there is some confusion as to who should be afraid of whom...) Whether the bigots yelling ‘dyke’ from their Vauxhall Nova realise that actually constitutes harassment, I’m not sure, but the intent behind their words is pretty clear. Luckily, this is as bad as it’s ever got for me, but it is just that – luck. We still live in a world where two men walking
down a street holding hands may fear being queer bashed, knifed or attacked simply for this basic public display of affection. Homophobia is just another form of ignorance – and anyone who is ignorant enough to believe that a simple display of affection between two men or two women is tantamount to indecency needs to realise that they are wrong. The ‘A Day in Hand’ campaign seeks to change this by asking gay couples to hold hands and send in their photos in order to combat ignorance and homophobia to normalise two people of the same gender holding hands in public. So in order to make this world a place where I can hold my girlfriend’s hand, I hold her hand. People may stare, and people may heckle – but I just want her to know that I love her. Why should that be taboo? Kate Boddington
lgbt@gairrhydd.com
Can holding your girlfriends' hand in public be indecent?
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LGBT+
Does "fashionable" bisexuality damage bi-visibility?
lgbt@gairrhydd.com
bian kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears launched pop culture’s determination to inject a vision of glamorous bisexuality into the world. These days, to deny that you’ve experienced some same-sex action seems to raise a few eyebrows and, of course, leaves you as the prude in the room. But whilst acceptance for the LGBT+ community has advanced far beyond the likes of Jack McFarland and Christopher Biggins, it seems that dabbling in promiscuity with a member of the same team should be worn like a medal. Chances are you’ve thought about it too. But is this acceptance a double-edged sword? With Rihanna, Katy Perry and Gaga all promoting sexual exploration, this cool and edgy vision of bisexuality only degrades bisexual men and women with the image that bisexuals are driven by the next one-night stand. By making bisexuality look like a lifestyle choice, it becomes harder for many to take it seriously as a sexual orientation. It’s remarkable how relaxed we’ve become with the idea, but with many friends who have dated bisexual men, the question you often hear is ‘Don’t you get worried that he’s twice as likely to cheat?’ Suddenly this glittery, colourful image is jaded as being seedy. Having bisexual friends myself, it is not surprising to learn that some have settled into same
34
sex relationships and others in straight ones. Yet, it is all too common to mention bisexuality and be met with the usual comments, ‘That’s just greedy’ or more seriously, ‘He’s bisexual? Isn’t that just a stepping stone to coming out as gay?’ Whilst the view of the bisexual may seem less evocative than that surrounding gay, lesbian and transgendered people, the stereotypes being churned out by music videos, and glossy magazines fail to recognise that bisexuals are anything beyond keen sex-fuelled adventurers looking for a good time. But heterosexuals looking to broaden their kinky resume are not solely to blame for this image. Gay men and women have also been known to push the boundaries to see how far they can get with the opposite sex purely for a nice ego massage or for something to cross off the list. Sadly, this ‘bi-visibility’ may well be a fad like the short-lived ‘Try-sexual’, which encouraged seizing every sexual opportunity. In an age that increasingly embraces trends before throwing them aside once they’ve become unfashionable, it is concerning.What will happen to bisexual image once the next taboo rears its head? Will bisexuals be left in the ruins of a pop cultural phenomenon, struggling to reassert themselves as serious and equal. Jack Jenkins
LGBT+
Have we become obsessed by what's in our pants?
either of the gender categories that society has given you? Since approximately 1-5% of the UK population identify as transgender, or have some form of gender dysphoria, the chances are you have. But still people make assumptions – think about the fact that the majority of online forms make it mandatory to choose between two genders: “male” and “female”. There’s also a good chance you’ve stared, maybe
had a laugh with your mates or cracked a joke or two. Whether it’s in the wash room or even in the street, how would you like it if some total stranger stared at you just for, say, having blue eyes, having freckles, or being ginger. Similarly, how would you feel if you were asked to leave a toilet in a bar or club simply because of the way the staff had gendered you? When you think about it, it’s kind of strange to divide our entire society up based on one, nebulously chosen, biological characteristic. Even in toilets, there is no logical reason to have a little boys and little girls’ room. Lavatory signs saying “toilets with urinal” or “toilets without” are argufar less transphobic. Last year, Student Council lets gender neutral – one step closer to being trans friendly in our Students’ Union. Modern science is increasingly proving that gender is not simply a matter of apparatus. Gender is in your head, it’s about how you feel and choose to identify, not just what you happen to keep in your pants. Hector Roddan
lgbt@gairrhydd.com
As a society, we have become obsessed with what is in our pants. I don’t just mean the ridiculously sexualised way in which everything from sports cars to chocolate bars are marketed these days. The majority of societies in the modern world are run like the stereotypical infant class, with the boys and girls neatly separated into blue and pink boxes. Clearly, perceived gender is quite often one of al we encounter. For example, when you see someone in high-visibility clothing on a building site or digging up the road, how do you gender them? Chances are you don’t assume that they are female. Assumptions like this are made all the time. Here’s another, and far more serious, question for you. Have you ever met someone, or passed
35
Books
TAboo(ks) Easily shocked? Then look away now! Books take a look at one of the last remaining taboos in literature. ‘I’ve had very successful anal sex for many years…
the idea that this is a purely European phenom-
Quench literature Wetlands or ments the sexually explicit thoughts of 18-year-old ly cutting her haemorrhoids (the aforementioned
lands
Are Roche and her contemporaries’ explicit
WetFemale Eu-
nuch It forms part of a recent proliferation of ‘cum-
books@gairrhydd.com
36
Charlotte Roche's explicit debut novel caused a stir in the publishing world
Books
Book Reviews
This week we take on your favourite taboobusting tomes
-
Code
-
Women’s Room
Desperate
intellectuals Christopher Hitchens and Richard tractive European locations and conspiracy theo-
Alice Hughes -
destroys any notion that feminism is a dirty
Katie Bennett
books@gairrhydd.com
-
37
MUSIC Completley Gaga?
taboo surrounding these issues, most notably in her song Born This staggering six of the songs from her latest album being banned in
You and I ing to bore of the theatrics and realise she is really not Emma Wilford
LOCAL ARTIST OF THE WEEK Giving you an insight to the talent in and around Cardiff...
THREE PAIRS OF SHOES Originally formed in the corridors of Talybont
music@gairrhydd.com
38
For fans of: Kate Rusby, Fleet Foxes, Mumford & Sons Find more about them at: www.facebook.com/threepairsofshoes
Music press Radio.co uk Recommends...
Best new tracks Luke White Don't Be Worried (Light Will Find You) Sounds like: Owl City, The Feeling
Don’t Be
The Performing Man
Track of the week JS
Macus Foster I was Broken Sounds Like : Tom Waits, Johnny Flynn
Summer Camp Better Off Without You Sounds like: Tennis, Egyptian Hip Hop
the day, and the beginnings of a star in the mak
Robert Pattinson on the
soundtrack,
PK
High Contrast First Note is Silent (Ft. Tiesto & Underworld)
PK
PK
music@gairrhydd.com
Sounds Like: London Elektricity, Logistics
39
Music
INTERVIEWS
Emma Wilford and Jo Southerd cosy up to Bombay Bicycle Club's Jamie MacColl and Suren de Saram EW: What made you choose single from the new album?
JS: If you had gone to uni, what do you think you would have studied?
JS: So if Road To V hadn’t happened, what do you think you’d be doing now? Would you still have pursued the band thing? JS: Was it nice to go back to electric after taking the acoustic route for Flaws?
and the other
I
EW: Someone recently said that guitar music was dead. How would you respond to that?
EW: You mentioned that Jack wanted to do acoustic - is that what made you take such a
lot of the music that’s coming out isn’t soley based
music@gairrhydd.com
EW: You guys have had three hit albums and you’re still so young. Do you ever feel that you’ve missed out on the uni experience?
40
www.quenchmusic.wordpress.com
Music talks to Heidi Lenffer Cloud Jo Southerd (vocals/keyboards) ahead of Control their Buffalo Bar set You won the Australian Music Prize earlier this year. Did you ever expect that kind of suc-
but then for a band like Arcade Fire to do that –
Bliss Release is an incredible album. Talk me through the writing process, who brings what?
Aren’t you going on tour with The Drums?
What’s your favourite song off the record?
You’ve toured with the likes of Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, so many great bands. Who’s been your favourite to support?
So what are the plans for your next album?
music@gairrhydd.com
Q Magazine called you the “sound of the summer” this year, but do you have any plans for winter?
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Music
ALBUM REVIEWS See what we thought of some recent releases.
Cosmo Jarvis
Brothers of Brazil
Is the World strange or am I strange?
Punkanova
10/10
7/10
absurd mix of genres that tumble together seam lessly to create
Kicking off the album is
of the most original songs around by combining
, a folky
including Blame It On Me
dreamy melodies like
to a
music@gairrhydd.com
For me, the only thing that really lets the album some commitment to sit through the 9:46 minutes of Betty
42
their debut album S
, an essential listen, and
Take The or for the more ro Money and mantics, So Pretty only different styles of music but also Portuguese
Helena Lins
Music Noel Gallager's High Flying Birds
8/10
Kai Fish Life in Monochrome
8/10 to
no doubt, Oasis is ,
by The Death Of You And Me and – the album's
My Anima
er since
an incredible start for Kai Fish, and I’m excited Catherine Barker
music@gairrhydd.com
Phil Kenny
43
Music
LIVE REVIEW Bedlam THE GREAT HALL
Bedlam has been a sell out underground music
Annie Mac Presents ,
THE GREAT HALL
Sophie Falcon
music@gairrhydd.com
44
of Mac left Annie at a loss and I think, ironically,
Cat Worthington
Music Bombay Bicycle Club (support: Dry the river)
The Great Hall
lisitings Who's playing the city this fortnight:
Chris Browning
A Different Kind Of Fix, and
, really got the
Still Jo Southerd
- 29/10 Noah and The Whale The Great Hall £15 Adv -01/11 Arctic Monkeys Motor Point £40 -05/11 Hospitality The Great Hall £16 Adv
Michael Forever
-05/11 Incubus
Millenium Stadium
Motor Point £27.50+
XPRESSTIVAL Cardiff SU
Dirty Diana, in true
from the ethereal sounds of Three Pairs of Shoes
Thomas Rolls Sarah Fry
music@gairrhydd.com
older hits such as Morning and
,
-26/10 Puddle of Mudd Coal Exchange £15
45
FILM FILM FILM FILM FILM FILM FILM
Film news
Bruce Willis really is getting too old for this shit but apparently nobody has told him. It has been rumoured for quite some time, but now A Good Day to Die Hard hitting our screens and paying Willis’ bills in early 2013.
We’ve mentioned it a few times now, so it only seems right to tell you the end of the story. It was The Huhas been operated on, cutting 2min 37seconds, and is now legal.
anticipated, mainly to see if it lives up to the source material, World War Z was halted when live rather than prop guns were sent to the set and seized by police.
on sale on the 17th October, a month in advance of the festival. Highlights this year will include screenings of Shame debut and a special screening of A . Morten Wright
46
Follow
@QuenchFilm on Twitter for all our latest news, views & reviews!
Trailer Trash.
Having proven his acting abilities in The So-
few actors to successfully make the singer-actor transition. In Time see’s him joined by Amanda Seyfried in a high concept thriller in which, past
chases and your token kinapping, the trailer’s got a trilogy feel to it and looks sure to impress if you’re into big budgeted, Hollywood extravaganzas. Trailer aside, the concept itself seems reason enough check this movie out as well as interesting cast including Olivia
themselves more time; the rich live forever and
Fraser Isaac
Film Reviews Online is proud to introduce You Review you to keep us up to date with
Tune in to see what people have to say fresh from the latest Twitter.
Not sure what films to watch?
We're here to help.
www.youtube.com/MrYouReview
47
Sick or Slick?
Stuart Smith assesses whether genre-bending directors are pushing the limit too far
The Human Centipede, the sick feeling at witnessing the sight of three people being stitched “ass to mouth” will come as a harrowing memory that would most certainly be best forgotten. But sadly that memory may
threats and accusations due to copycat crimes,
banned
and, quite simply, a great work of art. So is it wrong to even draw a subjective line
:
,
ish soil. It wasn’t until some 27 years later, after
not too distant future. comes down to the changing times we live in? Or on the grounds of it being “sexually violent and their initial report that no number of cuts could
debate, because unlike certain explicit art house next to no artistic merit in the current torture
spite this, after 32 cuts, which removed around 2 sequel received an 18 rating, making it now legal throughout our nation. the debate further as to whether such media should ever be allowed to be screened, or on the other hand, should we always maintain in our democratic western culture the right to watch whatever we damn well please? It’s hard to imagine being a university student, with all the real world being fully open to you, and yet still apparently being incapable of the dangers are less relevant. But what must be remembered is that in this day and age of the internet, the younger, more vulnerable ages will have no problem accessing such adult horrors from the comfort of their own sleepovers. We and as a result spent many a night struggling to
a young age as threatening to our well-being as more recent works? Looking back, past cinema certainly supports the argument that our threshold has increased with time. One of the most famous examples of A Clockwork Orange. public outrage over its explicit sexual violence
48
simply be watched by fans, daring themselves to watch it for the sake of it, not by critics looking for meaningful cinematography. So perhaps in this light, the intellect of debate should just be removed from the equation and we should let them feel. And maybe we should just congratulate Tom Six on managing to make his own personal fortune all from exploiting our sickest inner perversions.
49 49
FILM Reviews johnny english reborn Dir: Oliver Parker Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike Eight years on from the original, Johnny English Reborn Rowan Atkinson’s Bond-by-profession, Bean-bybique mission leaves him training martial arts in out for a sequel, Reborn is an impressive and entertaining display of new characters and gadgets, containing enough plot twists combined with typical Atkinson humour to make it more than just a tired rehash.
"an impressive and entertaining display of new characters" Slightly more mature in its storyline than the original and with less of a dependence on ridiculous gadgets, there is still a similar sense of humour to its predecessor, with English letting off -
50
the hands of the Swiss’. Atkinson has lost none of the wit that made him
“You are not young, but age comes with wisdom”. Don’t expect Blackadder, but the wide variety of piece of cinema. Alec Evans
7/10
footloose Dir: Craig Brewer Cast: Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Andie MacDowell the era paling in comparison to their predecessors, I remained sceptical despite the hype surrounding the new Footloose Zadan returns to bring Bomont into the 21st cen-
into the small town of Bomont to stay with his post-party car crash that resulted in the deaths
tweet critique film reviews in 140 characters or less...
faces, modern covers of the original soundtrack and improved visual quality to guarantee a success. However, it was apparent from the start that, although loyal to the fundamental plot points, the script has been revised to add more depth, more humour, and of course more dancing! The characterisation has been drastically improved, along with added backstory detail and focus on heartfelt
Aniston-esque looks and likeability – far more enAriel of the previous portrayal.
good must see. Stephanie Evans
8/10
Got a twitter wit? Send your #tweetcritique to @QuenchFilm and get featured in the next issue!
ď€
make should provide: a plot that closely adheres to the strengths of the original, but injects new life in a way that expands the story and makes it accessible to new and old audiences alike. Whether
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Best Film For... Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) ...mindless ...mindless cinematic cinematic fun fun
loud mouth at a party... over-bearing, nonsensical, noisy, obnoxious and completedesign team for re-imagining cartoon robots as living, utterly absorbing, photorealistic characters. Skirmishes in forests and deserts between these mechani-
giant robots through, but individual scenes are visually arresting. Shia LaBeouf, for all his nervous mannerisms, injects some much needed charm, and of course
Max Eshraghi
Marley & me (2008) ...making grown men cry to a canine companion, you can’t help but fall in love with the couple and their newly
the heart strings of even the toughest among us. Whilst this isn’t the most original us truly heartbroken at his passing on. Sitting in a cinema, watching grown men sob
Tom Garrett
love actually (2003) ...premature christmas spirit Die Hard matches Love Actually for a sneaky helping of premature Yuletide joy. Though it The Parent Trap, there are more than enough genuinely funny jokes and characters you’d like to go for a drink with to justify watching it on any Saturday night of the year. The cast contains the best collection of British actors this side of Hogwarts, and
won’t leave you grinning, chuckling, welling up or some combination of the three. of it all, even if you do have to listen to Bill Nighy singing.
Sam Anderson
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Icono
grap
hy
"If you haven't seen a Spielberg film, you probably haven't seen a movie"
Steven Spielberg Billionaire, producer, philanthropist, studio execmost famous director! Steven Spielberg is a name
ing Jaws, E.T. and Jurassic Park, Spielberg has and counting. Beginning with early thrillers like Duel and The Sugarland Express Jaws that saw him create the summer blockbuster. After the Close Encounters of the Third Kind Indiana Jones trilogy and iconic famE.T. were cinematic highlights in a decade with The Color Purple and Empire of the Sun. After a rare critical failure with the now fondly remembered Hook, Spielberg simultaneously cemented his status as the premier blockbusting
List. War epic Saving Private Ryan saw his second Oscar around the same time he founded Dreamworks. His sequels have met lukewarm reception The Lost World and Indiana Jones 4 were box ofcritical highlights Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can whilst War of the Worlds showed he could still bust those blocks. As producer he helped craft Back to the Future, Men in Black and Transformers amongst countless others. With no sign of stopping, this year sees his take on Tintin and War Horse, followed by a Daniel impossible to imagine modern Hollywood cinema Max Eshraghi
Defining movies: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) E.T. (1982) Saving Private Ryan (1998)
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Jurassic Park and Schindler's
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The Taboo Issue
FEATURES - FILM FASHION TRAVEL - ARTS MUSIC FOOD & DRINK BOOKS PHOTOS LGBT+
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