The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Ship That Sank Twice (2013)

Tommy Taylor and the Ship That Sank Twice (2013)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 160

"You mustn't touch the box."

A standalone comic book prequel to The Unwritten that functions as a dual origin story for scheming fantasy author Wilson Taylor's two special projects: the Tommy Taylor™ novels and Wilson's actual son Tom Taylor.

The Tommy side of things makes up the bulk of the work and is like reading a standard fantasy comic book. The Tom side of things is slotted in-between the other. One of them is passable, but both have their problems.

Firstly, the 'boy-wizard at wizard school' story is as dull as it sounds. In the original The Unwritten series the Tommy character was as bland as Hollywood - it was solely the juxtaposition with Tom that gave him anything of value. That juxtaposition is in its infancy herein, which means Tommy has almost nothing interesting to say.

Let the Right One In (2004)

Let the Right One In (2004)

Author: John Ajvide Lindqvist | Translator: Ebba Segerberg | Page Count: 519

'They could give a number of reasons for why they had to torment him; he was too fat, too ugly, too disgusting. But the real problem was simply that he existed, and every reminder of his existence was a crime.'

Swedish author Lindqvist has been described as 'the new Stephen King' in the press. It quickly lets you know that you're getting a well-written horror novel, but it isn't just a lazy journo way of getting an idea across: he really does write like King. His character development, his plotting and his reliance on the reader to fully invest in the magic realism of the world are uncannily similar.

He also has almost identical failings as King: the awkward wording at the end that ruins an otherwise perfect paragraph (but to be fair, some of that may be in part due to the translation?), the over-indulgence, the pop culture references that date the work, etc.

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)

Dir. Fred Olen Ray

From the safety warning at the beginning to the very last cut, HCH is a lot of cheap fun.

What separates it from the bucket-load of 80s B-Movie crap is the addition of a private dick, unsubtly named Jack Chandler (Jay Richardson), who provides an occasionally clumsy but primarily enjoyable hard-boiled medium-boiled noir-esque v/o. His wit and male weaknesses make him a likeable loser.

The hookers play up to the scream-queen, comedy/horror stereotypes in a fully self-aware script. Despite the title, however, there's very few actual deaths by chainsaw, but having Gunnar Hansen oversee them adds an extra in-joke for fans of horror (although his passionless acting is far from memorable).

It's released in the UK as part of 88 Films' themed Slasher Classics Collection (it's #6), but it only marginally fits that description, I feel.

The Owl Service (1969-70)

The Owl Service (1969-70)

Dir. Peter Plummer | 8 episodes, approx 24 mins each.

Adapted from Alan Garner's 1967 novel of the same name, The Owl Service is a story that draws from Britain's pagan past in order to comment on present day social situations (c. late 1960s).

At its core are three youths in their late teens, not blood relations but through circumstance living in the same country house in a remote Welsh valley.

Firstly there's Alison (Gillian Hills), whose mother Margaret is newly married to a man named Clive.

The second youth is Roger (Francis Wallis), Clive's privileged son who over the course of the eight short episodes begins to lust after his step-sister.

The final corner of the triangle is Gwyn (Michael Holden), the son of cranky housekeeper Nancy and the only one of the trio that's working class.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: TV Movies (1987-94)

Star Trek: TNG: The Complete TV Movies

Dirs. Various / 10 feature-length TV Movies / 835 mins (approx total)

I've covered the individual seasons of The Next Generation elsewhere on The 7th and Last blog, but in order to keep those posts at an acceptable length I didn't dwell too much on the two-parters; aka the TV 'movies'. This post indulges my desire to give them a little more attention.

There are ten in all, and because there's some TNG moments in Deep Space 9's pilot episode I'll add it, too. Naturally, given the number, it'll be longer than my usual post length.

The Unwritten: Volume 11 (2015)

Apocalypse (2016)

Authors: Mike Carey / Bill Willingham | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 174

"You walk the path, and at the end the blessing comes."

After 71 issues The Unwritten came to an end; the numbering of the individual monthlies doesn't reflect that figure, but that's how many were published in total. Vol 11: Apocalypse collects the last of them.*

Even though I’ve been posting about the series for eleven months now, I read the volumes themselves in quick succession. It's been a while since I actually finished it all, so I may have forgotten a few things. For example, I don't know if everyone who mattered and/or had a direct influence on events got a worthy resolution, but I know the ones that I personally cared about did.

The ending isn't as monumental as I was hoping for, but it's extremely satisfying and in-keeping with the overall concept, exiting with a thoughtful and lingering aspect.

Acting on information provided by Madame Rausch in Vol 10, Tom and his friends search for what they believe will permanently end Pullman's plans.

The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

Dir. Makoto Shinkai / Yoshio Suzuki (asst)

Within their colourful world of fairy-tale blue and pink skies Shinkai's trio of yearning hopefuls exist to transmit thoughts and stir emotional responses in the viewer. On the ground, in a country divided, the threat of war looms, making the moments spent in each other's company even more precious.

Far in the distance stands a mystifying tower that seems as high as the heavens. More than just an unknown structure, it's a symbol upon which the characters pin their dreams. The shared desire to reach it, to lessen a physical distance in their own lives, is ultimately what brings them together.

The kind of wisdom that comes from knowing you were on the precipice of something beautiful but acutely aware that it could never be known fully until it passed is Shinkai's stock-in-trade.

Senn (2013)

Senn (2013)

Dir. Josh Feldman

Writer/Dir. Josh Feldman's first and only (at time of writing) directorial work is a low budget, socially-aware science fiction set on a world that's part industrial workhouse and part slum.

Senn (Zach Eulberg) is a small cog in a much larger, exploitative, corporate machine. He's so small that he doesn't even know what shape the machine is, but he's able to recognises his own insignificance within it. However, unlike his co-workers, Senn has a way out - even if he isn't yet fully aware of that fact himself.

There's some slow-mo padding that's at worst functional but mostly serves a dual-purpose that's powerful when it hits its mark, stirring heart and head in the process. Most of the cast are still learning their trade, but special mention must go to Lauren Taylor and Wylie Herman.

Scream! Presents The Thirteenth Floor: Home Sweet Home (2019)

Scream! Presents The Thirteenth Floor:

Home Sweet Home (2019)

Author: Guy Adams | Illustrators: John Stokes / Vince Locke / Henrik Sahlström / Jimmy Broxton / Tom Paterson / Kelley Jones / Frazer Irving / Andreas Butzbach | Page Count 48

++ I was dormant too long. Rusty. Dusty. Musty. But not now. Now I'm better than I ever was. Sharp, shining, like a knife blade! ++

There's no Misty strips included this time, but in order to get the most from the Scream! only special you'll need to have read both of the previous Hallowe'en specials (2017 and 2018) because Home Sweet Home continues The Thirteenth Floor story begun in the relaunch.

There's three individual tales but they're all The Thirteenth Floor. The first of them is the one that the collection is named for, Home Sweet Home, and is both the longest (38 pages) and the one that continues from last year. It really benefits from the extra page length, enabling writer Guy Adams to devote multiple pages to some proper characterisation of people other than Max.

The Bible: Miniseries (2013)

The Bible: Miniseries (2013)

Dirs. Crispin Reece (Eps 01, 02, 05, 06) / Tony Mitchell (Eps 03, 04, 10) / Christopher Spencer (Eps 07, 08, 09)  | 10 episodes, approx 45 mins each.

A ten-episode miniseries based on The Bible. A disclaimer at the beginning of each one states that 'it endeavours to stay true to the spirit of the book.' That's another way of saying that the series makers haven't always remained faithful to the accepted scriptures.

Personally, and without trying to offend anyone, I don't have a problem with things being that way because I perceive the work as a TV show that's taking dramatic licence with a text that itself took dramatic licence with historic events; the precedent for deviation was already set. If, on the other hand, you're deeply religious and take every word as it's written in The Bible as a literal truth, then you may have issues with both the series and my personal appreciation of it.

Rawhead Rex (1986)

Rawhead Rex (1986)

Dir. George Pavlou

Choosing to remove an ancient phallic standing stone that's on your land might be viewed as a good decision in some parts of the world, but in rural Ireland it might just be a powerful seal that was put in place to keep a savagely pissed-off and murderous part of the island's pagan past trapped beneath it. And if it's freed, not even the Christian God will be able to stop its thundering rampage.

Rawhead Rex is generally regarded as being pretty awful by many folks, but I don't feel it's as bad as all that. In fact, I would argue that it does a few things well. The elevated camera angles and tense music by Colin Towns are often excellent, and if not for the stupid rubber face and joke shop eyes then the creature would be a terrifying creation.

Unfortunately, the end result excised or downplayed most of the original story's subtext, keeping just the aggression, for the most part.

Star Trek: Countdown (2009)

Star Trek: Countdown (2009)

Authors: Mike Johnson / Tim Jones | Illustrator: David Messina | Page Count: 98

"It's worse than we thought."

A prequel comic to the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise. I consider such tie-ins to be mostly easy milk from the cash-cow, but ST:C is mostly water.

Set post-Nemesis (2002) it attempts to link The Next Generation cast with events from the film, acting as yet another passing of the torch, but it's ham-fisted. In most cases cameos from TNG's crew exist for no reason other than to have cameos from TNG crew.

Their actions and dialogue aren't properly tailored to fit how their TV show counterparts would act or speak in the same situation; change the facial likeness and it'd be difficult to guess who it's meant to be. Speaking of which, the artwork is generally good, with characters looking like the actors they represent, and both light and shadow are handled well by the colourist(s).

The Unwritten: Volume 10 (2014)

War Stories (2014)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 144

"Every dream is true, and every truth is broken. I tell the story, and I will not cease from telling it."

A relaunch of the series that underhandedly claimed to be a 'perfect jumping-on point' for new readers. But it's categorically not - it's a direct continuation of what came before (see Vol 09). To reinforce the chicanery the series got a slight name change (The Unwritten: Apocalypse) and had its numbering reset to 01. The collected editions continue the proper numbering, though, thankfully.

It's business as usual, which is to say that the journey towards repairing the damage done to the physical world after the fight with Leviathan continues down paths of strangeness and around corners of consequence. The Christ-like parallel in the 'fourteenth' Tommy Taylor™ novel (Vol 03) springs to mind, with fictional Tommy's real-world reflection, Tom Taylor, reborn and renewed.

Burzum: Dunkelheit (1996)

Burzum: Dunkelheit (1996)

Dir. David Palser

The only official video release (to date) by Burzum was quickly bought by fans, myself included, and just as quickly divided them. Sure, you could've made it yourself with a home video camera and a meagre knowledge of video editing, but wasn't that the point?

The shaky, conceptual imagery perfectly suited the underlying ethos, capturing and/or translating a resonance and mood that conveyed the dark duality of nature. It's just one song, Dunkelheit from the Filosofem (1995) album, but the chosen visuals complemented the audio, which was a mesmerising minimalism wedded to a harsh but pleasing experimentalism. The repetition, too, played into that.

I've noticed that an individual's feelings toward the work tend to reflect their feelings toward nature; whether or not that holds true with a larger sample size I can't say, but I'd be interested in finding out.

Rashomon (1950)

Rashomon (1950)

Dir. Akira Kurosawa

There's a saying that the camera never lies. But it doesn't hold true in Rashomon. Dir. Kurosawa turns the traditionally objective film lens into a wholly subjective tool, recording and replaying half-remembered half-truths from unreliable sources.

The story, which is told partly in flashback, is a simple one about an opportunist bandit (Toshirô Mifune), a samurai (Masayuki Mori) and his wife (Machiko Kyō), but the web of lies surrounding it is far from simple.

With minimal sets and very little dialogue to comfort us, it's the technique that makes Rashomon special, that makes it infinitely watchable, with striking fixed perspectives that put the onus on the viewer to decide what to believe and what to discount.

The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983)

The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983)

Dir. Diarmuid Lawrence | 6 episodes, approx 25 minutes each

A miniseries based on the children's book of the same name (1981) by Dorothy Edwards. I've not read the book, but I did watch the series back in the 80s when it was first screened on British TV. Once the titular Grinnygog appeared onscreen the memories of that time came flooding back to me - almost literally, I felt like I'd been hit by a driving wave of forgotten salad days.

The Grinnygog is a horned, cheeky-faced stone statue that's about the size of an average garden gnome. The little guy doesn't actually do very much besides look cool, but the majority of the important events that subsequently occur in the lives of the main protagonists happen as a result of his sudden appearance. Without seeming to do so directly, the Grinnygog influences and twists the threads of fate so that the correct people are in the correct place at the correct time.

Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis (2018)

Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis (2018)

Author: Yoshikazu Takeuchi | Translator: Nathan A. Collins | Page Count: 216

'I'm coming to meet you. I promise I'll come to you soon. I'll come to you, and I'll save you.'

Kirigoe Mima is a Japanese pop-idol. Three years in the business makes her a veteran, but her popularity, and therefore her career, is at something of an impasse. With so many hopeful idols (i.e. potential rivals) on the way up, Mima explores new avenues.

Her manager believes that moving away from her innocent image is the answer. He suggests that Mima explore paths that are more daring and seductive.

But not all members of the dedicated fan base that the pop-idol phenomenon attracts are accepting of their idols' life choices. For a small number of them, sometimes 'dedication' can cross a line and become 'obsession'. One fan in particular believes Mima ought to stay the same forever. He makes it his duty to ensure that she does just that; and if she refuses his selfless help, then it follows that it's his duty to punish her for her wicked betrayal, too.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Dir. Stephen Herek

B+TEA is special to me for a reason that may bore almost everyone, but I feel obliged to relate it because I love the film and owe it at least that much, for what I feel it gave to me.

I saw it first at a time in my life that was, let's say, pivotal in learning about who I was as a person and how my actions affected others.

I bought it back when VHS was the dominant home media format and watched it many, many times - I knew every scene by heart.

Alas, it happened that one evening a VHS tape was needed at VERY short notice in order to record from TV something that was even more beloved (i.e., Star Trek: TNG) and the B+TEA tape was the only one available...

Star Trek X: Nemesis (2002)

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Dir. Stuart Baird

TNG's final cinematic venture was directed by Stuart Baird, who admitted during a video interview that he hadn't bothered to watch even a single episode of The Next Generation television series, and, while viewing Nemesis, it shows.

Instead of constructing what could've been comparable to a TNG version of The Wrath of Khan (1982) he made a dark Star W_rsy film with characters that he clearly didn't understand.

It's saved mostly by the regular cast members, particularly Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner), who imbue their roles with their usual professionalism. And like Insurrection (1998) did, it creates a situation that allows crew members who would ordinarily be absent to be on board the Enterprise (E) when things kick off.

The Unwritten: Volume 09 (2014)

The Unwritten FABLES (2014)

Authors: Mike Carey / Bill Willingham | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 144

"Thank you, dear. We're all done with the exposition now. It's time to make a leap of faith."

The Unwritten celebrated its 50th issue by having a crossover with Fables, another Vertigo title. The story is credited to both Carey and Bill Willingham, the latter being the chief writer on Fables. It's a series that I've not read; I wanted to for a long time, but some of its many TPBs are expensive to buy, so rather than have half I prefer to have none. And if the full series is anything like what features herein, I feel I can live happily without it.

The basic premise of Fables is a standard 'what if...' scenario: what if the characters and creatures from folklore and fairy-tales, such as Rose Red, Pinocchio, Ozma, etc, were real and living together in a community. But the deeper concerns of the individuals and of the group is something that I've no prior knowledge of.

K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (1981)

K-9 and Company:
A Girl's Best Friend (1981)

Dir. John Black | 50 mins approx.

The fourth Doctor's (Tom Baker) robotic pooch K9 (Mark III) got itself a pilot episode for an offshoot TV series that didn't get green-lit. It's similar to the parent show, but there are no aliens or reckless jaunts through time. That doesn't mean all is rosy and safe, however. Instead, it has a coven of Hecate worshippers that are planning something nefarious in the pastoral English countryside.

Despite not having her name in the title, the real star of the show is Elisabeth Sladen as the forthright, journalistic-minded Sarah Jane Smith.

The title implies that K-9 would've been constant, but would the 'company' have been changeable? Were more cameos planed for future episodes?

I don't know, but I know that it wasn't the final TV offshoot for either of the two main protagonists.

The Almighty: Studio Albums (1989-93)

Blood, Fire and Love (1989)

I discovered Blood, Fire and Love, the band's début album, when I was about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't that age when the record was released, just that age when I discovered it. But that's not important. What's important is that after half a dozen playthroughs I began to think it was great, believing it could be the sound that would ultimately destroy pop-tinged Hair Metal.

I thought it was a Rock album for the ages, the perfect soundtrack to a night of cheap cider and trying (mostly in vain) to get one's leg over.

Hearing it again after so many years have passed made me smile guiltily and a little shamefully.

Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Dir. Randal Kleiser

Second Sight Films' 2019 re-release of FotN offered the perfect opportunity for me to revisit the film yet again. Encoded from a new 4K scan, with a restoration supervised by its director Randal Kleiser, it's significantly better than their previous 2012 Blu-ray edition. The press release doesn't state if it's from the OCN or not, but judging by the astonishing level of detail in the picture, I'm guessing it is. There'll likely be a 4K edition at some point in the future, but until then the 2019 disc is, to my knowledge, the best that the film has looked on the home media format.

It holds a special place in my heart still, being only the second film that I ever saw at the cinema, as a child, and it likely contributed in no small part to the enduring love of science-fiction cinema that developed in me as I matured.

It's a family film about a twelve-year-old named David (Joey Cramer) who's forced to deal with a frightening and unexpected change in his life.

Twisted Sister: Live at Wacken: The Reunion (2005)

Twisted Sister:

Live at Wacken: The Reunion (2005)

Dir. Dave Streicher

Something about A.J. Pero's snare sound seems a little off at the beginning, at least it does to my ears, but thankfully his timing isn't and as the live show goes on everything gets progressively better.

Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda are both on point, while Mark Mendoza pounds the bass like the 'animal' he's named for. If you didn't know prior to watching how long Twisted Sister had been apart, you'd be hard-pushed to guess from the performance alone.

But best of all, frontman Dee Snider hasn't lost any of his passion. And it's uncanny how much of his lyrics, penned decades ago, are fitting to a reunion occasion.

♪ You thought it was gone / But the fire goes on. ♪

The filmed version of the Wacken gig isn't just music; it's intercut by each member separately discussing the breakup and eventual road to reformation. As a fan of both the band and the documentary format I found it interesting, but I'd prefer that kind of thing be on a separate disc and have the live performance presented in full and uninterrupted.

Clone (2010)

Clone (2010)

Dir. Benedek Fliegauf

Films that elicit powerful emotions without the use of words often linger in my mind longer than films that use dialogue for the same. It's mostly because dialogue is a mechanical process that can be as alienating as it is beautiful, whereas silence can break a heart more effectively than a callous word.

The language of Clone (aka Womb) is the language of loss. It’s the story of Rebecca and Thomas (Eva Green and Matt Smith, respectively). When left alone, the emptiness in which Rebecca exists isn't a void - it’s a birthplace waiting for life to happen.

Until then, the heavy silences and recurring symbolism that drive the narrative forward will require a viewer's complete attention.

As is often the case with challenging and controversial works, it holds a lower than deserved rating on movie sites that use aggregate scoring. Personally, I'd score it a perfect 10.

Star Trek IX: Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Dir. Jonathan Frakes

The usually dependable Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) goes ape-shit whilst on an alien planet, during an undercover mission for Starfleet. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew make it their business to find out why.

Insurrection is a mixed bag. The good bits are exciting and even sometimes funny, but for long-time fans it's obvious that it's treading old ground.

However, if you can somehow ignore that you've seen the same kind of thing multiple times already in the weekly TV series, then the story itself is entertaining enough. It's less action-filled than the previous TNG feature film, but on the flip side it contains more quiet, reflective moments, focussing on family and environmental concerns.

The many rewrites are obvious, but production values are high, and aside from one face-palm moment involving Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and a joystick, it's worth watching.

The Unwritten: Volume 08 (2014)

Orpheus in the Underworld  (2014)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 176

"He writes the words that he was written by."

The idiom 'nature abhors a vacuum' is attributed to Aristotle (as 'horror vacui'). I can understand the feeling, to a degree, because when confronted with a blank wall in someone's house, I feel that it needs a canvas. But, unfortunately for the world of The Unwritten, nature is less choosy about what it fills its vacuum with, including the space left after Tom's encounter with Leviathan.

Aristotle also taught — in his Poetics (c. 335 BC), a philosophical work looking at dramatic theory and its applications — that acts of creation, in its many guises, including storytelling, are fundamentally acts of mimesis, with each act varying by its medium and its manner.

It may seem like I've gone off on a tangent, but I see every part of what's written above as having relevance to the multi-faceted approach that Carey took with the series. Poetics is a short work, but an understanding of the basic principles that Aristotle was postulating will enrich a reading of Orpheus in the Underworld; and, if it's not already apparent, familiarity with the Orpheus myth will help also.

The Magnificent Seven: The Complete Series (1998–2000)

The Magnificent Seven (1998–2000)

22 episodes, approx 60 mins each.

It doesn't take place before or after the films. It's its own thing in terms of both tone and continuity. And the characters are new, with the possible exception of Chris Larabee (Michael Biehn), who's clearly a small screen version of Chris Adams, the leader of the Seven as first portrayed by Yul Brynner in the films; although the TV version of Chris is rightfully his own man, too, not a carbon copy of movie Chris.

With it being an ongoing series it made sense to localise the group, to give them a single, identifiable town from which to operate, with the added benefit that it would provide a place that we as viewers can also form an attachment to. Although not always operating within the parameters of established law, the seven men nevertheless become the town's unofficial protectors. The unique traits and skills that each one has is put to good use for its betterment; e.g. one is a healer, one is an ex-preacher, etc.

Lou Ferrigno: Hercules Films (1983-85)

Hercules (1983)

Dir. Luigi Cozzi

Lou Ferrigno is Zeus' chosen one, a hero of the people who's granted incredible strength.

In his quest to save his love, Cassiopea (Ingrid Anderson), from the evil King Minos (William Berger) the champion must overcome trials, battle mechanical titans (really) and face off against evil sorcery.

After an extended creation myth opening that's strangely reminiscent of Richard Donner's Superman (1978), the film goes all out to impress with its manly beards, shiny armour and sexy females. And even though its aspirations are much greater than its achievements, as a fan of 1980s special effects I enjoyed a significant amount of it.

Judge Dredd: America (2008)

Judge Dredd: America (2008)

Author: John Wagner | Illustrator: Colin MacNeil | Page Count: 144

'Somewhere along the way childhood ended. Ami and I were drifting apart. I watched it happening, hating it. Powerless to prevent it.'

America is regarded by many Judge Dredd fans as one of the best Big Meg stories ever written, and with good reason. It's a mature telling of a small but significant event in the Megacity's history.

If you join the dots over a longer period of time it can even be seen as a precursor to an eventual re-evaluation of the Judaical system itself.

From the story's first panelled page it's clear that what we're getting is a deeply personal confession suffused with tragedy and a sharp, painful remorse that even time hasn't dulled. It puts us on the alert and reminds us that notions of hope and change are a dangerous combination when paired.

Star Trek VIII: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Dir. Jonathan Frakes

The Borg, having had a rather dramatic redesign to make them look a lot more menacing than they did in the weekly TNG series, attempt to bring the entire Federation to its knees once and for all.

Naturally, the Federation take up arms and fight back. The majority of the fleet is deployed to stop the aggressors, but the Borg have a Plan B.

First Contact is Picard (Patrick Stewart) and  Data's (Brent Spiner) story, everyone else is just along for the ride. That suits me; those two stalwart characters are my all time favourites.

More than just duty, for Picard it's personal. They invaded his ship in Season 02 (episode 16), and they invaded him in Season 03 (episode 26); so he'll fight to the bitter end to protect what's his.

Following in the footsteps of Leonard Nimoy and The Shat, actor Jonathan Frakes is a Trek actor turned Trek director; it was his first feature film, although he'd directed episodes of TNG, DS9, and VOY previously, so he wasn't new to the gig.

The Unwritten: Volume 07 (2013)

The Wound (2013)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 144

'There were no winds. It came on them in complete silence. The perfect whiteness of an unwritten page.'

The opening chapter / issue of Volume 07 is another of those secondary character asides that Mike Carey is damn good at. It doesn't even have Tom Taylor in it, but it's great and was my favourite part of the book.

It's followed by a four-part story, the one for which the collection is named. Tom features in it, but he's in the background often, allowing a few more of the supporting cast to have time in the spotlight, including an Australian police officer who's investigating The Church of Tommy.

The Church is a religious cult whose doctrine is based upon the Tommy Taylor™ books. The boy-wizard's most recent novel had some Christ-like parallels, which is the kind of happening that can cause such fanatics to crawl into the light, believing they have something to prove.

Ring: Kanzenban (1995)

Ring: Kanzenban (1995)

Dir. Chisui Takigawa

Japan's first filmed adaptation of author Koji Suzuki's Ring (1991) novel, about a cursed video tape that heralds the death one week later of anyone that watches it, was made for TV. As such, it didn't have the kind of money or resources to play around with that Dir. Hideo Nakata would subsequently have for his more famous version.

Still, it does an admirable job with the story and packs quite a lot in. It's not a horror, per se, so don't expect to be hiding behind the sofa at any time. Interestingly, it's the only one of the film versions to keep the protagonist male. In fact, at time of writing, it's the most faithful to the book.

Unfortunately, neither the supporting cast nor the music is much good, which lessens its impact. But with that in mind, if you're a fan of any part of the Ring franchise, then it's an interesting addition.

Charmed: Season 1 (1998-99)

Charmed: Season 1 (1998-99)

22 episodes, approx 42 mins each.

Three sisters, the Halliwells, are reunited when they inherit their grandmother's house.

The middle child, Piper (Holly Marie Combs), tries hard to keep the eldest, Prue (Shannen Doherty), and the youngest, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), from constantly butting heads, but with underlying abandonment issues needing to be worked through, it proves difficult.

The trio soon discover that their ancestors, stretching back for many years, were good witches and that they've inherited the gift.

Known collectively as The Charmed Ones, the revelation brings the bickering sisters together, and as they explore their newfound powers they begin to bond like never before.

Classics Illustrated: The War of the Worlds (2008)

Classics Illustrated: The War of the Worlds (2008)

Author: H.G. Wells | Adaptation: Harry Miller | Illustrator: Lou Cameron | Page Count: 49

'There being no further movements from the pit, horror gave way to an uncontrollable curiosity and I began moving closer.'

For thirty years (1941-71) the Classics Illustrated comic books adapted literary classics into the comic book medium for a younger audience to enjoy. (It can be more accurately thought of as 'Classics Adapted, Illustrated and Abridged', but that's not a catchy title.)

Originally issue #124, H.G. Wells' science fiction novel The War of the Worlds (1897) was chosen to be the first issue in a digitally recoloured reprint for a modern audience. I'm not an advocate of recolouring artists' works, but if it helps younger readers discover the stories of yesteryear, then I'll roll with it as best I can.

I won't be attempting a traditional story synopsis, but will share some thoughts on the book, in general.

Yojimbo (1961)

Yojimbo (1961)

Dir. Akira Kurosawa

Toshirô Mifune stars as the titular yojimbo (bodyguard), a rōnin (masterless samurai) who's feeling the economic pinch of the era in Akira Kurosawa's much-imitated jidaigeki.

The character positions himself between two rival bosses, one at each end of a small town, and cautiously but skilfully outmanoeuvres them both. He knows that being in the middle is a dangerous place to be, but it offers him the best possible view of both sides.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its straightforward delivery. For both director and actor actions are more important than words, while the old man that shelters the rōnin (Eijirō Tōno) provides backstory for the viewer, followed by the yojimbo advancing the plot as and when the story needs it.

In contrast, Mifune's role is multifaceted, and yet he somehow makes it seem as effortless as his character's manipulation of the antagonists.

Doctor Sleep (2013)

Doctor Sleep (2013)

Author: Stephen King  |  Page Count: 485

"When you couldn’t sleep, when you were afraid to look around because of what you might see, time elongated and grew sharp teeth."

A very belated sequel to King's The Shining (1977) novel. While many of the author's current fans probably weren't born when the first book came out, it's assumed that anyone reading Doctor Sleep will have read the previous book, and I'll be proceeding under the same assumption, so there will be at least one major SPOILER for The Shining hereafter.

For anyone that actually wanted a sequel, thirty-six years is a long time to wait. A similar amount of time has passed for the book's main protagonist, Danny Torrance. Despite his experience as a boy, Danny has taken on some of the more vile traits of his father, including his self-destructive alcoholism.

But for much of the novel Danny is a hospice worker in a small town in New Hampshire, attending to the terminally ill. It's a role in which his peculiar ability, his 'shining', can play a productive part.

Star Trek VII: Generations (1994)

Star Trek: Generations (1994)

Dir. David Carson

There's a feeling in Trek fandom that when it comes to the movies the odd numbered entries generally aren't as good as the even numbered ones – at least, up to a point. I don't know if it's a majority feeling or merely a more published one, but for me it rings true. Generations, being film number VII, is an odd numbered entry.

Even though it has Captains James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard in the same film (Oh my!), it's simply not as good as the even numbered features that came immediately before and after it.

It begins in the TOS era (2293), with three of the original cast members doing a kind of royal visit - followed by a news crew, they watch the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B. Kirk is antsy that he's not in the big chair, but deep down he knows change is inevitable: the torch must be passed.

The Unwritten: Volume 06 (2012)

Tommy Taylor and the War of Words (2012)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrators: Peter Gross / Michael William Kaluta / Rick Geary / Bryan Talbot / Gary Erskine / Gabriel Hernandez Walta | Page Count: 240

'The snows came. Closing the roads, and deadening all sounds. Pushing us back on each other's company. And that was when the horrors began.'

Tired of running and hiding, Tom uses what he's learned thus far to take the fight to the enemy on his terms.

Containing ten issues, War of Words is the largest volume in the entire collected series. The numbering of each is a little odd, though. After each natural number (31-35) is a half number (31∙5-35∙5). The former continues the Tom Taylor story. Whereas the latter reveals the origins of some key members of the Cabal.

The half-numbered issues were my favourite part of the work; a few of them felt like they could've taken place in the Lucifer universe, which is a previous Vertigo title by the same creative duo. Personally, I much prefer Lucifer to The Unwritten, so that was a real treat for me.

The Prisoner (2009)

The Prisoner (2009)

Dir. Nick Hurran / 6 episodes, approx 45 minutes each.

The original The Prisoner (1967–68) is a classic example of British counterculture television. And even though it's a product of its time, its underlying commentaries and critiques of such things as politics and community are still arguably relevant. It didn't need a remake and it didn't need an update. But it got one. Mostly, it sucks.

For the benefit of anyone reading who didn't watch the original 1960s series, and therefore may not know what the title refers to, I'll give a brief synopsis of what you're in for with the 2009 version.

An unidentified man wakes in an unfamiliar location with no knowledge of how he got there. His travels take him to a nearby village that's filled with people, but none of the people have names. Instead, they have numbers. The new arrival is told that he's Number 6. Over the course of the miniseries Number 6 attempts to find out where The Village really is, why he was taken there and ultimately how he can escape from it.

Stargate (1994)

Stargate (1994)

Dir. Roland Emmerich

If you go through life without ever seeing a Roland Emmerich film, you'll not be missing out on much. His CV is filled with big-budget garbage that typically deserves little more than immediate bargain-bin residency. But having said that, I really do like Stargate.

It's not a Kubrick beater, but the leap from 8000 BC to 1928 AD, and then again to present day (i.e. 1994), is a pretty substantial one. It sets the stage for an adventure that spans millennia, inspired by existing Egyptian iconography that anyone who's ever visited a museum will probably be able to recognise.

It stars James Spader as allergy-suffering Egyptologist Daniel Jackson, who's slowly pissing away his remaining credibility with radical theories about the pyramids at Giza.

Kinvig (1981)

Kinvig (1981)

Dir. Les Chatfield | 7 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

I expected more from Kinvig, given that it's written by Nigel Kneale, the creator and author of the Quatermass films, but, sadly, it's a weak sci-fi comedy with mostly forgettable characters.

The titular Kinvig (Tony Haygarth) is owner of a corner repair shop in a typical British town. A man with a self-proclaimed "flair" for fixing things, he is in fact a lazy and largely useless sod who wings it most of the time. His life is unstimulating and routine, and because his shop doesn't generate much income he struggles to pay the rates.

Kinvig's best friend is Jim Piper (Colin Jeavons), a man with an unhealthy interest in aliens and unexplained phenomena. If Jim dropped his toast and it landed butter side up, he'd probably think it was the work of extra-terrestrials. But in Kinvig's life Jim is the foremost authority on such things.

The HAMMER Collection: Part 3 of 3 (1970-76)

The HAMMER Collection:

DVD Box Set - Part 3 of 3 (1970-76) 

A twenty-one disc DVD box set containing some of the best and worst films that the legendary HAMMER studio made before it succumbed to financial trouble and was forced to put away the costumes and close its doors.

I'm splitting the collection into three parts with seven films apiece and in chronological order.

That's not the order they're arranged in the box, but it makes sense to me, more so than the unusual order they're presented in the actual collection, and means that the post for each of the three parts will be roughly equal in size.

Part 1 can be found HERE, while Part 2 is HERE. Click on the text below for thoughts on the final seven films in the collection, including individual entries in three famous franchises:

The Shining (1977)

The Shining (1977)

Author: Stephen King |  Page Count: 512

'A shaft of light coming from another room, the bathroom, harsh white light and a word flickering on and off in the medicine cabinet mirror like a red eye, REDRUM, REDRUM, REDRUM— '

The Overlook Hotel, aptly named in more ways than one, has an attic filled with memories and a basement filled with recorded history, printed and imprinted, patiently waiting to be rediscovered.

Sandwiched between the two catalysts are the guest rooms, impersonal spaces haunted by deeds more permanent than the people that temporarily occupied them. They say every hotel has its ghosts, but the Overlook's are more active than most other places.

As struggling writer Jack Torrance receives the details of his winter assignment at the Overlook, the reader gets a detailed rundown of the building, albeit from a biased perspective. It's an efficient device that also gives us our first insight into Jack's thought process. He's a quick-tempered, ex-alcoholic who's seriously lacking in paternal skills.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Dir. Nicholas Meyer

While TNG was kicking ass on TV, TOS returned to the big screen for one last old-crew hurrah.

And it went out in style. From the dramatic opening to the bitter-sweet ending it rarely puts a booted-foot wrong. I don't understand why it so often gets overlooked by many people.

Writer/Director Nicholas Meyer, having co-worked on the screenplays of II and IV, did the same for VI but took the helm as director, too.

Thematically, the end product is darker than Star Trek often dared to go. The optimism is still evident but it's bullied by heavy political issues, prejudices and ingrained racism, all of which are dissected and put under a microscope.

The Unwritten: Volume 05 (2012)

On to Genesis (2012)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 144

"There was a woman I loved, once. And she died. I have no idea when that happened. If it ever did."

Tom Taylor has uncovered a small part of his past and is beginning to understand the nature and power of 'the source'. But there's a second, more personal question still unanswered: who or what actually is Tom Taylor?

The concatenation of mysterious events that have led him to where he is now, in NY, hunted by the Cabal, stretches back further than he ever thought (or feared).

In order to progress further, Tom, with help from his two travelling companions, must learn more about his father, the author Wilson Taylor, a man for whom Tom has very mixed feelings. They say the best way to truly understand a man is to walk in his shoes, an action that for Wilson's son isn't an impossible thing to do literally.

Track 29 (1988)

Track 29 (1988)

Dir. Nicolas Roeg

A remake of Dennis Potter's Schmoedipus (1974) episode of Play for Today (S4, Ep 20) that falls under a weight of clashing styles; i.e. besides a few successful explosive moments Roeg's dramatic beat clashes with Potter's lyrical approach to the same subject matter.

The film is nicely assembled, but the moments that should be deeply felt are staged more as moments to be viewed when put through Roeg's lens. The emotional strain just isn't presented well enough to make the overplayed characters fully engage our sympathies, even though at least one of them is fully deserving.

Personally, I feel that Potter's 'visitation dramas' work best when made on a smaller scale with a more stage-like presence.

Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics (2016)

Playing With Power:

Nintendo NES Classics (2016)

Authors: Garitt Rocha / Nick von Esmarch | Page Count: 320

'If you imagine the Game Pak as a cook book, the CPU would be the cook who follows the instructions — for every dish in the book at the same time.'

The best thing about Playing With Power is its presentation, specifically the hardcover edition (214 x 291 mm) that fits snugly inside a sturdy embossed slipcase that is itself designed to look like an oversized classic NES Game Pak. It's clever and it's beautiful. The paperback is much less interesting.

The editorial content of both, on the other hand, is as flimsy as the cardboard box that an original NES Game Pak would've been housed in when bought.

Some of it is reprint from old issues of Nintendo Power magazine. I know a lot of video game fans in America have a great nostalgia for NP, but it's not a publication that I ever even saw as a kid living in the UK. Therefore, I don't have the rose-tinted glasses that would be needed to fully enjoy it. From an objective PoV, the writing isn’t very good, even when taking into consideration that it seems to be tailored primarily for a teenage audience.

ICO: Melody in the Mist (2002)

ICO: Melody in the Mist (2002)

Composed by Michiru Ōshima and Pentagon

The ICO score is just over twenty-five minutes in length, but during that time it encapsulates almost as many different emotional states as the game itself gives rise to while playing.

Some of the incidental music is so brief that it seems as if the lingering aspect you'd normally expect to have actually becomes the whole, but it's never cursory or perfunctory.

Other parts of it are so perfect, so refined, that making them longer couldn't increase their beauty, it would merely increase the duration.

As a whole, it's a gathering of musical moments ranging from serene, ethereal, forebodingly eerie and haunting to ultimately peaceful, filled with hope. That's a lot of ground for something that's only as long as my bus journey into town.

The HAMMER Collection: Part 2 of 3 (1966-68)

The HAMMER Collection:
DVD Box Set - Part 2 of 3 (1966-68)

A twenty-one disc DVD box set containing some of the best and worst films that the legendary HAMMER studio made before it succumbed to financial trouble and was forced to put away the costumes and close its doors.

I'm splitting the collection into three parts with seven films apiece and in chronological order.

That's not the order they're arranged in the box, but it makes sense to me, more so than the unusual order they're presented in the actual collection, and means that the post for each of the three parts will be roughly equal in size.

Thoughts on the second lot of seven films can be found below the cut. Part 1 of the collection can be found HERE, while Part 3 is HERE.