Film and TV review.

boltonbonce wrote:In times of stress, or particular moments of sadness, I often revert to the books of my childhood. They're like a comfort blanket. I think this is true for many.
The Just William books have helped me through many a crisis. And, according to my mum, started a few as well!

I was an avid reader of W.E. Johns, Biggles books as a youngster.

I'm not sure if they are acceptable any more in this PC world but I never saw any harm in them at the time, nor even now looking back, they were just adventure story's to me and I enjoyed them.

My favourite ever book that I've read was Treasure Island and again I was still a child at primary school.

I've never reread it again, I don't want to lose the magic of how I enjoyed it so much at the time.

I somehow feel children these days have lost something by missing out on books because all they seem to do now is play on their phones from when they can walk through to being an adult - probably why they seem to accept what they see on social media to be the truth so easily - as they don't seem to have any depth and context of life away from the internet.

Que sara sara, I suppose?

Strangely enough, Sluffy, I've recently listened to Treasure Island on Audible (very well narrated by Timothy West) and thrilled to the piratical doings of old Long John and his shipmates all over again.
Can't beat a nice walk, and a talking book in your ear.
And you're right, too many kids are missing out, thanks to the lure of social media and the like, but I suppose if I were growing up now, I'd also fall prey to it.
To be honest, I'm glad I grew up when I did.

boltonbonce wrote:Strangely enough, Sluffy, I've recently listened to Treasure Island on Audible (very well narrated by Timothy West) and thrilled to the piratical doings of old Long John and his shipmates all over again.
Can't beat a nice walk, and a talking book in your ear.
And you're right, too many kids are missing out, thanks to the lure of social media and the like, but I suppose if I were growing up now, I'd also fall prey to it.
To be honest, I'm glad I grew up when I did.

I do think we are the lucky ones in many respects.

I know every generation will claim their time as the best but I've grown up when I've not had to go to war, had an excellent and free education allowing me, someone from a poor family, to excel in a professional career that simply would not have been possible just a generation previously (my dad had to leave school early to take a job to earn money, they were that poor back then).  

I've enjoyed the boom in technology, we had a black and white telly with just two channels and a old valved radio as our only technology and I even remember my mother getting her first automatic washing machine (with manglers)  and her first fridge (no freezer compartment back in those days either!).

Certainly no phone - we had to use a phone box - I don't think anyone in our street had a phone - mobile ones had yet yo be invented!

On the flip side, when I look ahead for my daughter and maybe one day her children, I see the effects of global warming getting worse for everyone, the spread of misinformation and fake news dominating and controlling how people think and behave, the growing entitlement and selfishness of people in general (look how millions behaved during Covid - shocking really), the lack of trust and respect in authority, the growing Muslim religious conflicts and activism, the growing colonialism and authoritarianism control of China, the social split of activism on both sides in American politics and their respective followers and no doubt another pandemic or two.  I fear for the environment and many of the animals that will be pushed to extinction.

I honestly don't see good times ahead.

Hope I'm wrong about that for my daughters sake.

Can't choose when you are born obviously but I reckon for me at least, my period was as good if not better than any before it and I think better than most that will be immediately following it too.

My favourite book for when I want a nostalgic trip back to my childhood is "The Once And Future King" by T H White. For me it remains the definitive telling of the legend of King Arthur and (in case you didn't know) is the basis of not one but TWO superb albeit very different films about Arthur.

The animated classic "Sword and the Stone" is in fact a very faithful adaptation of the first third of "Once and Future" and even at the age of 52 it brings a smile to my face when my nieces son watches it (he's 4 and loves it).

"Excalibur" is a live action film that briefly touches on the first part but largely concentrates on books 2 and 3 (by the way Once and Future King is a single volume split into three "books") and is a quite dark and very definitely adult version of the tale. I love this film but I don't recommend it for anyone under 15 at least.

Anyway my favourite memories of that book are reading it in bed when I was supposed to be asleep because I simply couldn't put it down. I have lost count of how many times I've read my now tatty and dog-eared copy over the last forty years and I doubt it will be long before I'm reading it again.

My escape mechanism is a few episodes of Catweazle of which I have both series on boxset. I also frequently visit my DVD of the dubbed French series of Robinson Crusoe that used to be on at tea times when I got in from school in the late sixties.

Hip Priest wrote:My escape mechanism is a few episodes of Catweazle of which I have both series on boxset. I also frequently visit my DVD of the dubbed French series of Robinson Crusoe that used to be on at tea times when I got in from school in the late sixties.

Love Catweazle. Geoffrey Bayldon was perfect for the part.

I used to love going to the library on Shepherd Cross St as a kid and loved to read the Jennings series of books, anyone else read them?

Norpig wrote:I used to love going to the library on Shepherd Cross St as a kid and loved to read the Jennings series of books, anyone else read them?

Yes. Farnworth library had a few copies that I thumbed to death. Unlike Sluffy, I wasn't a big fan of Biggles. His relationship with Ginger was a bit iffy, and ripe for parody.

boltonbonce wrote:

Frightening isn't it - but that's just scratching the surface. I rewatched The Social Dilemma on Netflix the other night - mainly short interviews with former executives of the big media giants - and Gawd it was scary.
I don't think they set out to trash personal freedoms and manipulate the way people think, but it got out of control so quickly and became the smartest way to monetise their products.

Channel 4's brilliant drama "Help" is a must-see. Should be compulsory for ministers to watch.

Just watched the first 3 episodes of the new series of Brassic. What a brilliant show. I laughed out loud at every episode. I can't recommend this show enough. Saving the rest of the series for the weekend.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Just watched the first 3 episodes of the new series of Brassic. What a brilliant show. I laughed out loud at every episode. I can't recommend this show enough. Saving the rest of the series for the weekend.

Watched the "you can finish on me tits" episode last year and then another one where they were in a field and thought it was meh so haven't bothered since.

Watched the Best of Only an Excuse Episode 4 last night.
Must watch the others. Here's the intro to Episode 2.
Boncey might like it 

Yes, these clips always give me a laugh. Takes me back to watching Sam Leitch on Grandstand.Sam was actually born in Great Yarmouth, and died way too young at 53.
Mind you, 53 is probably ancient in Scotland.

I’m rewatching The Sopranos (just about to start Season 3) and enjoying it way more than the first time around. It really is the greatest.

Well worth watching, even if you're not a racing fan. The legendary Barney Curley. I'm sure Cajun would enjoy it, if he hasn't already.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09y2zdh/barney-curley-the-man-who-beat-the-bookies

We watched The Repair Shop yesterday. A lady came on with a shoe box.

"What's in the box", asked repair man. "An elephant", said Lady B with perfect timing.

Doesn't forget much, Lady B.

Still makes me laugh. James Casey had a huge influence on some of the biggest names in British comedy.

Recently bought the first season of Night Court on Prime Video. It was hilarious back in the eighties, and still tops much of what passes for comedy today.