The View from the Hill on Saturday 23rd January
Yes, of course the Police should prosecute the parents of the boys who tortured and almost killed the other two lads. In fact, prosecution seems the very least we should do to the parents. I'd like to see them in the stocks or in a cage in Doncaster town centre so people can look at the sort of creature that produces such offspring.
One of the downsides of living in a free and democratic society is that even those that should have been smothered at birth are allowed the freedom to breed and then abandon their litters to the street, that's why these ferrel children exist and perhaps the time has come that we reversed the benefits system and the more children you have the less benefits you are entitled too.
I know, I've gone all Daily Mail again but we pussy foot around these idiots, the kids become who they become because the parenting is so lacking, but becoming a parent is so easy and there is no way that the already overstretched Social Services can keep up. You do have to say that Doncaster Social Services have been useless though, 30 odd chances to intervene and all passed by - but they have apologised now so that makes it all better doesn't it!
I give in - I was on the Juvenile Panel for a while and I saw some of these cases at first hand, the majority of the young people who came before us had never been given a chance, no structure in their lives, no guidance just abuse, a good slapping or being shouted at - I was never surprised that they reacted as they did by turning to thuggery and crime. But even the panel was restricted in what we could do by the bureaucracy and by the ineffectual management by people scared of making a mistake, so it was easier to do nothing rather than take a risk.
I know there will be people saying, 'what they needed was a good hiding, if the parents and teachers could use the cane, these kids would grow up differently' - let me tell you, these kids have been beaten probably every day, and what it produced was far from a well adjusted child.
Change of subject because I'm depressed now - sad to hear of the death of Jean Simmons aged 80. One of the best actresses we ever produced and she is dismissed on the Breakfast News with a 15 second piece. Amazing.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Today is Bounty Day. Usually only celebrated in Pitcairn Island and to mark the anniversary of this date in 1790 when the mutineers burnt the Bounty after their mutiny.
But I think I might celebrate Bounty Day today, not least because of the death of Jean Simmons who starred with Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls and Marlon Brando was in Mutiny on the Bounty - you see it all makes sense.
Yes, I will celebrate Bounty Day and tomorrow I will celebrate Snickers Day and then Twix Week and KitKat month...
I do like four fingers
And that's a fact!
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Saturday, 23 January 2010
Friday, 22 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Friday 22nd January
First of all, Mrs B wants to apply for a job with this Italian TV show, where they go around checking David Beckham's package - there are others she would like to investigate! She already has some yellow gloves.
I have a Post Office credit card, it doesn't have the best interest rates but the one thing I like about it is that you can walk into any Post Office and pay whatever you feel like paying off the balance - it's easy and I like easy.
I had to pay some of the balance yesterday so I took the payment slip and my cheque into the local Post Office in the village of Cherry Willingham near Lincoln.
It is a small Post Office plastered with signs saying 'Support Your Local Post Office' and 'If you want to keep us, use us!' When I walked inside there were more signs urging the local population to 'use it or lose it'. There was a queue,so the campaign was obviously working.
The queue was actually three quite old ladies and an equally wrinkly old man and in hindsight it is a good job that I had loads of time because I had to wait quite a while to get to the front of the queue.
The problem is that to withdraw their pensions, they have to use a card and type a pin number. Not easy when you are 127 years old and deaf and your false teeth are too big for your mouth.
About 10 or 12 times one old dear insisted on ripping the card out of the card reader because "nothing's happening", eventually the man behind the counter said "nothing can happen unless you leave the card alone!".
She withdrew her £400.00 ( I know - must have ben going to bingo ) and anyway, eventually there I was at the head of the queue. Now, when I use my local Post Office, I slide the cheque and paying in slip through through the little security dooberry, the lady stamps it, it whizzes through the whatchamacallit, and then she smiles and I walk out, it takes about 30 seconds.
The man in Cherry Willingham looked at the cheque, then the paying in slip, then the cheque and then he slid them back saying "sorry".
Sorry! And there was no moving him - he had set his hat against the Post Office credit card. (He didn't actually wear a hat).
I left, a little shocked and as I walked away I looked back over my shoulder at all the little posters plastered on the building about saving this valuable local resource. I hope the bloody place closes and the miserable bastard behind the counter has to spend the rest of his life helping pensioners use chip and pin machines!
Audrey will be turning in her grave.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1879 something happens which to this very day makes Mrs B go - "Oh NO!"
The Zulu attack on the garrison at Rorke's Drift began and Michael Caine, Stanley Baker and some other lesser known British actors defeated millions of members of the Zulu National Choir.
In reality, 139 soldiers fought bravely whilst being totally outnumbered against the Zulu who had already rampaged through the British troops at Isandlwana. They earned 11 Victoria Crosses for their efforts.
The film depicts events in a cinematic way but contains quite a lot of facts, but the portrayal of Colour Sgt Bourne is not quite right - although he did go on to be the last survivor, he died in 1945.
The character played by Michael Caine, Lt Gonville Bromhead has a stain glassed window dedicated to him in the church at Thurlby just outside Lincoln as his grandfather, who fought at Waterloo is buried in the church yard there. The family home was at Thurlby Hall near Bassingham.
A little bit of local colour there - but did you know that Zulu was Michael Caine's first starring role and if you watch the film you will hear that he does not have a cockney accent. This is his real voice, but he decided that being a cockney might get him more work so for the last 46 years he has pretended to be cockney. Now, not a lot of people know that....
And that's a fact!
First of all, Mrs B wants to apply for a job with this Italian TV show, where they go around checking David Beckham's package - there are others she would like to investigate! She already has some yellow gloves.
I have a Post Office credit card, it doesn't have the best interest rates but the one thing I like about it is that you can walk into any Post Office and pay whatever you feel like paying off the balance - it's easy and I like easy.
I had to pay some of the balance yesterday so I took the payment slip and my cheque into the local Post Office in the village of Cherry Willingham near Lincoln.
It is a small Post Office plastered with signs saying 'Support Your Local Post Office' and 'If you want to keep us, use us!' When I walked inside there were more signs urging the local population to 'use it or lose it'. There was a queue,so the campaign was obviously working.
The queue was actually three quite old ladies and an equally wrinkly old man and in hindsight it is a good job that I had loads of time because I had to wait quite a while to get to the front of the queue.
The problem is that to withdraw their pensions, they have to use a card and type a pin number. Not easy when you are 127 years old and deaf and your false teeth are too big for your mouth.
About 10 or 12 times one old dear insisted on ripping the card out of the card reader because "nothing's happening", eventually the man behind the counter said "nothing can happen unless you leave the card alone!".
She withdrew her £400.00 ( I know - must have ben going to bingo ) and anyway, eventually there I was at the head of the queue. Now, when I use my local Post Office, I slide the cheque and paying in slip through through the little security dooberry, the lady stamps it, it whizzes through the whatchamacallit, and then she smiles and I walk out, it takes about 30 seconds.
The man in Cherry Willingham looked at the cheque, then the paying in slip, then the cheque and then he slid them back saying "sorry".
Sorry! And there was no moving him - he had set his hat against the Post Office credit card. (He didn't actually wear a hat).
I left, a little shocked and as I walked away I looked back over my shoulder at all the little posters plastered on the building about saving this valuable local resource. I hope the bloody place closes and the miserable bastard behind the counter has to spend the rest of his life helping pensioners use chip and pin machines!
Audrey will be turning in her grave.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1879 something happens which to this very day makes Mrs B go - "Oh NO!"
The Zulu attack on the garrison at Rorke's Drift began and Michael Caine, Stanley Baker and some other lesser known British actors defeated millions of members of the Zulu National Choir.
In reality, 139 soldiers fought bravely whilst being totally outnumbered against the Zulu who had already rampaged through the British troops at Isandlwana. They earned 11 Victoria Crosses for their efforts.
The film depicts events in a cinematic way but contains quite a lot of facts, but the portrayal of Colour Sgt Bourne is not quite right - although he did go on to be the last survivor, he died in 1945.
The character played by Michael Caine, Lt Gonville Bromhead has a stain glassed window dedicated to him in the church at Thurlby just outside Lincoln as his grandfather, who fought at Waterloo is buried in the church yard there. The family home was at Thurlby Hall near Bassingham.
A little bit of local colour there - but did you know that Zulu was Michael Caine's first starring role and if you watch the film you will hear that he does not have a cockney accent. This is his real voice, but he decided that being a cockney might get him more work so for the last 46 years he has pretended to be cockney. Now, not a lot of people know that....
And that's a fact!
Thursday, 21 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Thursday 21st January
I am very pleased to say that I didn't watch the National TV Awards last evening - I caught just a short snippet of it and seeing and hearing that baying mob of screaming mongrels convinced me I had made the right choice.
The only down side was missing my dear friend Stephen Fry win his utterly deserving Special Recognition Award - he has indeed added to the nations artistic output, just by being himself.
Stephen and I have been dear friend ever since he started following me on Twitter, yes I know I am not alone, but I like to think there is a special bond between us. I mean we have so much in common, he is in Bones and I watch Bones, he is in QI and I watch QI, he made a rather wonderful documentary about his trip to America and I watched it. Could we be any closer?
I like to think of him reading my tweets or this blog and using it as a spring board for his own search for new and exciting ideas, and I am very proud to have played this important role in his life.
Of course, unlike Stephen I don't court the fame and fortune, I need no rewards, all I need to know is that HE knows.
It was actually a good night for me at the Awards, Doctor Who won best drama and I once passed a cloth to Bernard Cribbins, X-Factor won best talent show and I bought the single and Ant and Hand won two awards - let's be honest, without me those two would be nothing!
Oh well, must get on with the day, President Obama wants some help with his Health Plan and Gordon Brown wants to have me over for Horlicks and a hobnob - I have to make it myself though, Mrs Brown has run off to be the new assistant on Doctor Who!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It's National Hug Day, so don't be shy, go and give someone a hug. If you get arrested for sexual assault you can use National Hug Day as your excuse!
On this day in 1956, the US actor Robby Benson was born. Not the most famous actor, he provided the voice of the Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast but I loved him in a film called Ode to Billy Joe (1976) which was based on the Bobby Gentry song of the same name - you know Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.
It was not a great film but as a fan of the song I watched it and then looked at the reviews - let me show you a picture of Robby as I tell you the review of him which read : cute as Bambi - and twice as smarmy!
Poor Robby really never made the big time - no wonder he jumped off that bridge!
And that's a fact!
I am very pleased to say that I didn't watch the National TV Awards last evening - I caught just a short snippet of it and seeing and hearing that baying mob of screaming mongrels convinced me I had made the right choice.
The only down side was missing my dear friend Stephen Fry win his utterly deserving Special Recognition Award - he has indeed added to the nations artistic output, just by being himself.
Stephen and I have been dear friend ever since he started following me on Twitter, yes I know I am not alone, but I like to think there is a special bond between us. I mean we have so much in common, he is in Bones and I watch Bones, he is in QI and I watch QI, he made a rather wonderful documentary about his trip to America and I watched it. Could we be any closer?
I like to think of him reading my tweets or this blog and using it as a spring board for his own search for new and exciting ideas, and I am very proud to have played this important role in his life.
Of course, unlike Stephen I don't court the fame and fortune, I need no rewards, all I need to know is that HE knows.
It was actually a good night for me at the Awards, Doctor Who won best drama and I once passed a cloth to Bernard Cribbins, X-Factor won best talent show and I bought the single and Ant and Hand won two awards - let's be honest, without me those two would be nothing!
Oh well, must get on with the day, President Obama wants some help with his Health Plan and Gordon Brown wants to have me over for Horlicks and a hobnob - I have to make it myself though, Mrs Brown has run off to be the new assistant on Doctor Who!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It's National Hug Day, so don't be shy, go and give someone a hug. If you get arrested for sexual assault you can use National Hug Day as your excuse!
On this day in 1956, the US actor Robby Benson was born. Not the most famous actor, he provided the voice of the Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast but I loved him in a film called Ode to Billy Joe (1976) which was based on the Bobby Gentry song of the same name - you know Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.
It was not a great film but as a fan of the song I watched it and then looked at the reviews - let me show you a picture of Robby as I tell you the review of him which read : cute as Bambi - and twice as smarmy!
Poor Robby really never made the big time - no wonder he jumped off that bridge!
And that's a fact!
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Wednesday 20th January
Let me first of all suggest you don't read this if you want to see the Book of Eli as I may spoil the ending, in fact the whole film.
But first, I want to touch on the death of Kate McGarrigle. Since I saw on the news she had died I must have played Talk to Me of Mendocino about 30 times - it is a lovely song. It reminds me of being in San Francisco and a what happy memory that is and how, if I was told that I could only ever visit one place before I died, it would be San Francisco. The views over the bay, the bridge, Alcatraz, the culture, the whole package.
Now, I hope if I was heading to San Francisco it wouldn't take me thirty years of walking - but poor old Denzel in Book of Eli, well that's what happened to him. Luckily we only see the final few days of his journey and thank goodness for that!
What a strange film it is. In hindsight there are clues in the title about the 'shock twist' ending and the fact that he has wandered in the desolate wastes of a post apocalyptic America is no doubt supposed to focus us on thinking he could be the new messiah - guided by voices to do Gods bidding, taking the word with him.
There are some questions which still bother me about the film, like why did I think it would be any good - oh yes, Gary Oldman was in it. He didn't save it.
Nice cameos from Michael Gambon, Frances De La Tour and Malcolm McDowell but overall, the film is too long and the twist, although good, is not enough to hang a whole film on.
I suppose there will be some who will now, Sixth Sense like, go back and watch it scene by scene watching Denzel's every move to prove or disprove the twist, I suggest you wait for it on FreeView rather than pay another £5.20
Denzel's crucifixion and his resurrection in the shape of a pretty young thing is totally lame and the film ends with her heading back into the wilderness - will there be a sequel, Book of Eli 2 - The Menopause Years, where we catch up with the girl in 30 years time?
Just a couple of little things no one else seems to have noticed - Book of Eli is an anagram of Book of Lie, and the events are set 30 years post "flash", and one of the actors in the film is Jennifer Beals and it is almost 30 years since the "flashdance"!
Wonder what the film geek conspiracy theorists will read into that?
Oh and the twist - he's blind (or is he?)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1920 DeForest Kelley was born. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy in Star Trek, DeForest was part of the magic that made that show last as long as it did.
One thing I must tell you about DeForest Kelley and that is.... he's dead Jim!
And that's a fact!
Let me first of all suggest you don't read this if you want to see the Book of Eli as I may spoil the ending, in fact the whole film.
But first, I want to touch on the death of Kate McGarrigle. Since I saw on the news she had died I must have played Talk to Me of Mendocino about 30 times - it is a lovely song. It reminds me of being in San Francisco and a what happy memory that is and how, if I was told that I could only ever visit one place before I died, it would be San Francisco. The views over the bay, the bridge, Alcatraz, the culture, the whole package.
Now, I hope if I was heading to San Francisco it wouldn't take me thirty years of walking - but poor old Denzel in Book of Eli, well that's what happened to him. Luckily we only see the final few days of his journey and thank goodness for that!
What a strange film it is. In hindsight there are clues in the title about the 'shock twist' ending and the fact that he has wandered in the desolate wastes of a post apocalyptic America is no doubt supposed to focus us on thinking he could be the new messiah - guided by voices to do Gods bidding, taking the word with him.
There are some questions which still bother me about the film, like why did I think it would be any good - oh yes, Gary Oldman was in it. He didn't save it.
Nice cameos from Michael Gambon, Frances De La Tour and Malcolm McDowell but overall, the film is too long and the twist, although good, is not enough to hang a whole film on.
I suppose there will be some who will now, Sixth Sense like, go back and watch it scene by scene watching Denzel's every move to prove or disprove the twist, I suggest you wait for it on FreeView rather than pay another £5.20
Denzel's crucifixion and his resurrection in the shape of a pretty young thing is totally lame and the film ends with her heading back into the wilderness - will there be a sequel, Book of Eli 2 - The Menopause Years, where we catch up with the girl in 30 years time?
Just a couple of little things no one else seems to have noticed - Book of Eli is an anagram of Book of Lie, and the events are set 30 years post "flash", and one of the actors in the film is Jennifer Beals and it is almost 30 years since the "flashdance"!
Wonder what the film geek conspiracy theorists will read into that?
Oh and the twist - he's blind (or is he?)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1920 DeForest Kelley was born. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy in Star Trek, DeForest was part of the magic that made that show last as long as it did.
One thing I must tell you about DeForest Kelley and that is.... he's dead Jim!
And that's a fact!
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Tuesday 19th January
The politicisation of alcohol seems ridiculous to me, political parties arguing about the best way to proceed, hoping to score points from their opponents. Why don't they just follow the advice of those people they pay to advise on these matters?
For the same reason they don't follow the drugs advice - it's more about winning an election than doing the right thing.
Alcohol is a really dangerous and damaging presence in so many lives, it should not be cheap nor should it be assumed that there is some inalienable right to buy it easily.
Minimum pricing seems to be sensible especially if the only argument against it is that law abiding drinkers who are poor might not be able to afford it anymore.
Well, they can save up for it, like all of us have to save up for things we want - and if they can't wait for it, if they can't take the time and save for it and then savour it as a special treat, then they are obviously alcoholic and it is a good thing they can't afford it!
I hear the pub owners bleating on about putting responsible owners out of business - but where do all the drunks come from at 11pm, not from supermarkets. They come from pubs, where they have been sold too much alcohol by so called 'responsible' pub owners.
There should be no right to drink and get drunk, it's ridiculous - in an effort to cut down smoking related deaths we are gradually trying to sideline cigarettes, the prices increase, availability is restricted, no advertising allowed and yet there are still an increasing number of deaths caused by alcohol but the government pussy foot around the issue - because they don't want to lose the election.
Let's get real and get tough on alcohol, let's try and break the cycle - price alcohol sensibly and make retailers really take responsibility for their actions.
When you buy a drink in a pub you should be given a token of some sort identifying the point of sale, if you are found to be drunk, you go back to the source of the alcohol and they get fined £1000. And if you are drunk with no tokens then you go to prison for 16 months - no arguments, no second chances. We can build some nice new prisons and keep all the drunks out of mischief and all the pubs will go out of business. In fact, they should be able, with modern technology, to put some sort of marker in the alcohol, specific to each pub, so a blood test can be done making it undeniable where the alcohol was purchased - make it a £2000 fine to cover the cost of the testing.
OK - enough Daily Mail....can you see where the real me and the Daily Mail me merged? Is it me or is it the drink talking?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1953, 71.7% of all the televisions in America were tuned to the same show - to see the birth of a baby. Can you guess which show? I'll tell you in a moment.
Viewing figures in the millions are a thing of the past for most shows, over 80% of the British viewing public watched the funeral of Princess Di - I don't think a series of Royal Funerals is on the cards though.
The final episode of MASH had 126 million viewers, the most watched TV programme in history, and I once played in a theatre to 8 people - they must have all been watching MASH.
With so many stations and so many programmes now, it will have to be a major worldwide event that gets such huge figures, I can't think of a single TV series that would draw the sort of attention programmes from the past managed...which reminds me, the biggest show on TV in 1950's America was... I Love Lucy with Lucille Ball and the baby was Desi Arnaz Junior.
And that's a fact!
The politicisation of alcohol seems ridiculous to me, political parties arguing about the best way to proceed, hoping to score points from their opponents. Why don't they just follow the advice of those people they pay to advise on these matters?
For the same reason they don't follow the drugs advice - it's more about winning an election than doing the right thing.
Alcohol is a really dangerous and damaging presence in so many lives, it should not be cheap nor should it be assumed that there is some inalienable right to buy it easily.
Minimum pricing seems to be sensible especially if the only argument against it is that law abiding drinkers who are poor might not be able to afford it anymore.
Well, they can save up for it, like all of us have to save up for things we want - and if they can't wait for it, if they can't take the time and save for it and then savour it as a special treat, then they are obviously alcoholic and it is a good thing they can't afford it!
I hear the pub owners bleating on about putting responsible owners out of business - but where do all the drunks come from at 11pm, not from supermarkets. They come from pubs, where they have been sold too much alcohol by so called 'responsible' pub owners.
There should be no right to drink and get drunk, it's ridiculous - in an effort to cut down smoking related deaths we are gradually trying to sideline cigarettes, the prices increase, availability is restricted, no advertising allowed and yet there are still an increasing number of deaths caused by alcohol but the government pussy foot around the issue - because they don't want to lose the election.
Let's get real and get tough on alcohol, let's try and break the cycle - price alcohol sensibly and make retailers really take responsibility for their actions.
When you buy a drink in a pub you should be given a token of some sort identifying the point of sale, if you are found to be drunk, you go back to the source of the alcohol and they get fined £1000. And if you are drunk with no tokens then you go to prison for 16 months - no arguments, no second chances. We can build some nice new prisons and keep all the drunks out of mischief and all the pubs will go out of business. In fact, they should be able, with modern technology, to put some sort of marker in the alcohol, specific to each pub, so a blood test can be done making it undeniable where the alcohol was purchased - make it a £2000 fine to cover the cost of the testing.
OK - enough Daily Mail....can you see where the real me and the Daily Mail me merged? Is it me or is it the drink talking?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1953, 71.7% of all the televisions in America were tuned to the same show - to see the birth of a baby. Can you guess which show? I'll tell you in a moment.
Viewing figures in the millions are a thing of the past for most shows, over 80% of the British viewing public watched the funeral of Princess Di - I don't think a series of Royal Funerals is on the cards though.
The final episode of MASH had 126 million viewers, the most watched TV programme in history, and I once played in a theatre to 8 people - they must have all been watching MASH.
With so many stations and so many programmes now, it will have to be a major worldwide event that gets such huge figures, I can't think of a single TV series that would draw the sort of attention programmes from the past managed...which reminds me, the biggest show on TV in 1950's America was... I Love Lucy with Lucille Ball and the baby was Desi Arnaz Junior.
And that's a fact!
Monday, 18 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Monday 18th January
Just fast forwarded through the Golden Globes to check on my premonitions and I didn't do bad did I?
Avatar and Cameron (glad even he acknowledged his ex wife should have won) Sandra Bullock and Meryl and where I was wrong well then the ones I thought should have won - won! Robert Downey Junior, very well deserved.
So pleased they stood up for Jeff Bridges, he is a brilliant actor.
Now let me be honest I didn't expect Michael C Hall to win but I suspect the fact he has cancer may have influenced the decision making by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Glad that Glee won, we sat and watched the first episode last night and I'm pretty sure we are going to stick the whole series.
Now the downside - Ricky Gervais, nothing new, just a rude little man spreading his meagre talent so thin you can see his ego through it.
And the acceptance speeches - thank the team, thank God, thank the team, thank my dead relative, thank the team oh and did I mention God?
Anyway, any suspicions about where the Oscars might go? No. Where they won't go - yes!
Robert Downey Junior.
He must be one of the busiest and popular of actors and so that will count him out of contention for Best Actor, probably not even a nomination - but I will be OK with that if Jeff Bridges gets the nod - although as he hinted at himself in his acceptance speech, it undermines his 'most underrated actor' status.
Just watch any film he is in, in fact watch The Contender (2000) with him, Joan Allen and Gary Oldman - three standout performances.
OK - bacon butties or granola?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1892, Oliver Hardy was born - a great clown and a man, who with Stan Laurel, filled many of my childhood hours with laughter. Not on film - they used to visit me and we would spend hours playing secretly in my bedroom - no I'm joking. I can still watch Laurel and Hardy and laugh out loud, The Music Box, Laughing Gravy (who calls a dog Laughing Gravy?) Oliver The Eight etc etc.
On this day in 1913 Danny Kaye was born, another man who always made me laugh, "The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!"
The Court Jester, clever writing, great physical comedy and another movie to be watched and enjoyed as often as possible.
Look, I'm not going any further, I need to decide will it be the bacon in the butty or the cereal in the bowl? Shall I have my tea in the flagon with the dragon? Or is the poison in it? I can't recall!
And that's a fact!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS75NtlH3gI
Go on have a look.
Just fast forwarded through the Golden Globes to check on my premonitions and I didn't do bad did I?
Avatar and Cameron (glad even he acknowledged his ex wife should have won) Sandra Bullock and Meryl and where I was wrong well then the ones I thought should have won - won! Robert Downey Junior, very well deserved.
So pleased they stood up for Jeff Bridges, he is a brilliant actor.
Now let me be honest I didn't expect Michael C Hall to win but I suspect the fact he has cancer may have influenced the decision making by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Glad that Glee won, we sat and watched the first episode last night and I'm pretty sure we are going to stick the whole series.
Now the downside - Ricky Gervais, nothing new, just a rude little man spreading his meagre talent so thin you can see his ego through it.
And the acceptance speeches - thank the team, thank God, thank the team, thank my dead relative, thank the team oh and did I mention God?
Anyway, any suspicions about where the Oscars might go? No. Where they won't go - yes!
Robert Downey Junior.
He must be one of the busiest and popular of actors and so that will count him out of contention for Best Actor, probably not even a nomination - but I will be OK with that if Jeff Bridges gets the nod - although as he hinted at himself in his acceptance speech, it undermines his 'most underrated actor' status.
Just watch any film he is in, in fact watch The Contender (2000) with him, Joan Allen and Gary Oldman - three standout performances.
OK - bacon butties or granola?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1892, Oliver Hardy was born - a great clown and a man, who with Stan Laurel, filled many of my childhood hours with laughter. Not on film - they used to visit me and we would spend hours playing secretly in my bedroom - no I'm joking. I can still watch Laurel and Hardy and laugh out loud, The Music Box, Laughing Gravy (who calls a dog Laughing Gravy?) Oliver The Eight etc etc.
On this day in 1913 Danny Kaye was born, another man who always made me laugh, "The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!"
The Court Jester, clever writing, great physical comedy and another movie to be watched and enjoyed as often as possible.
Look, I'm not going any further, I need to decide will it be the bacon in the butty or the cereal in the bowl? Shall I have my tea in the flagon with the dragon? Or is the poison in it? I can't recall!
And that's a fact!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS75NtlH3gI
Go on have a look.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
The View from the Hill on Sunday 17th January
We are entering the awards season good and proper, with the Golden Globes being presented tonight by Ricky Gervais - I shall be setting the Sky+ to see how the knob head does. (Yes, I dislike Ricky Gervais).
Let's see if I can predicts some winners -
Best Film - Avatar (but it should be Hurt Locker)
Best Director - James Cameron (but it should be Kathryn Bigelow)
Best Actor Drama - George Clooney (but it should be Jeff Bridges)
Best Actress Drama - Sandra Bullock (but it should be anyone except Sandra Bullock)
Best Actor Comedy - Matt Damon (but it should be Robert Downey Junior)
Best Actress Comedy - oh hell if Meryl doesn't win they might as well call the whole thing off!
I'm not going to list the other categories but watch out for Hugh Laurie, Glenn Close, Mad Men, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey and 30 Rock etc etc. The usual suspects - that's what I predict, the usual suspects will walk away with the prizes.
I love awards shows, I used to sit up and watch the Oscars live, making sure I wasn't at work the next day, but as I get older and more in need of beauty sleep I resist temptation.
The one thing you always get at award shows is a chance to see just how good an actor someone is, when they lose and you see them smile and clap or when they win and make some awful speech. That's the best, when it's obvious they can't string a sentence together without someone scripting it for them, then you know they are a good actor!
I wonder if I might tread the boards again this year, I have plans but at the moment work is so time consuming - ah well, blogging and podcasting will be my artistic release I suppose - do they have awards for best View?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1931 James Earl Jones was born. In a matter of weeks I am off to see him in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in London, well to hear him really as much as see him - what a voice.
JEJ, made the right choice to be an actor when the other obvious choice was to become a serial killer or presidential assassin. Have you noticed how people in those fields always have three names, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray, John Wayne Gacy, Hayley Joel Osment, Farrah Fawcett Majors and the worst of the lot Sarah Jessica Parker!
Of course there are some good three namers who fight the bad three namers, Sarah Michelle Gellar or Buffy the Three Name Killer Slayer as she's known to her friends.
We also have to remember poor Daniel Day Lewis who was a good three namer but spent so long pretending to be a bad three namer that now it's hard to tell what he is.
Some people like to keep three namers as pets, Michael Douglas got himself a very nice Catherine Zeta Jones and Tim Burton has a very useful Helena Bonham Carter, he does let her play with Johnny Depp an awful lot though.
Some bad three namers get their just rewards - remember John Wayne Bobbitt?
He had a tip off - pity he didn't pay attention...
And that's a fact!
We are entering the awards season good and proper, with the Golden Globes being presented tonight by Ricky Gervais - I shall be setting the Sky+ to see how the knob head does. (Yes, I dislike Ricky Gervais).
Let's see if I can predicts some winners -
Best Film - Avatar (but it should be Hurt Locker)
Best Director - James Cameron (but it should be Kathryn Bigelow)
Best Actor Drama - George Clooney (but it should be Jeff Bridges)
Best Actress Drama - Sandra Bullock (but it should be anyone except Sandra Bullock)
Best Actor Comedy - Matt Damon (but it should be Robert Downey Junior)
Best Actress Comedy - oh hell if Meryl doesn't win they might as well call the whole thing off!
I'm not going to list the other categories but watch out for Hugh Laurie, Glenn Close, Mad Men, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey and 30 Rock etc etc. The usual suspects - that's what I predict, the usual suspects will walk away with the prizes.
I love awards shows, I used to sit up and watch the Oscars live, making sure I wasn't at work the next day, but as I get older and more in need of beauty sleep I resist temptation.
The one thing you always get at award shows is a chance to see just how good an actor someone is, when they lose and you see them smile and clap or when they win and make some awful speech. That's the best, when it's obvious they can't string a sentence together without someone scripting it for them, then you know they are a good actor!
I wonder if I might tread the boards again this year, I have plans but at the moment work is so time consuming - ah well, blogging and podcasting will be my artistic release I suppose - do they have awards for best View?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On this day in 1931 James Earl Jones was born. In a matter of weeks I am off to see him in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in London, well to hear him really as much as see him - what a voice.
JEJ, made the right choice to be an actor when the other obvious choice was to become a serial killer or presidential assassin. Have you noticed how people in those fields always have three names, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray, John Wayne Gacy, Hayley Joel Osment, Farrah Fawcett Majors and the worst of the lot Sarah Jessica Parker!
Of course there are some good three namers who fight the bad three namers, Sarah Michelle Gellar or Buffy the Three Name Killer Slayer as she's known to her friends.
We also have to remember poor Daniel Day Lewis who was a good three namer but spent so long pretending to be a bad three namer that now it's hard to tell what he is.
Some people like to keep three namers as pets, Michael Douglas got himself a very nice Catherine Zeta Jones and Tim Burton has a very useful Helena Bonham Carter, he does let her play with Johnny Depp an awful lot though.
Some bad three namers get their just rewards - remember John Wayne Bobbitt?
He had a tip off - pity he didn't pay attention...
And that's a fact!
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