The news that Ralph Fiennes was directing Coriolanus for the cinema was greeted by me with enthusiasm until I realised I had confused this Shakespearean tragedy with Titus Androdonicus which I had seen at Stratford as well as when the RSC visited Newcastle. Coriolanus the character is in fact a fascist soldier with aristocratic contempt for the people, the plebeians, and for the concept of democracy. He is a tragic figure because he is the product of an ambition warmongering dominating mother who is also in control of his wife and son,
Mr Fiennes is best known for his performances in the English Patient, the Constant Gardener and the Duke of Devonshire in the Duchess once more on BBC on Saturday evening. He is also to appear in a remake film of Great Expectations as Magwitch.
He is faithful to the story and to much of the Text and to the setting of the play in Rome and Italy, but here is where the liberty is taken because the period is not the Latin era of the Consuls but the twentieth century and filmed in a grim war torn Serbia. He also brings the fore the role of his mother and of his wife. An aspect where performances were understandably limited with boys playing female figures at the time the works were written.
As with the text and various examples throughout history there are food shortages to an extent that the people do not have sufficient grain to make bread and what exists is controlled with priority given to the military and the patricians. The mob has been stirred by political agitators with their personal as well as civic agenda, written in an era within fifty years of the British Civil War.
Their anger has been directed on the military hero and deputy commander Caius Marcius who has already made known his contempt for the masses while distinguishing him repeatedly in battles. The agitation is led by Senators Brutus and Scinius played by Paul Jesson as the behind the scenes manipulator and James Nesbitt as the front man.
His wife is anxious for his welfare but his mother chides her for being soft hearted declaring she would rather have a dozen sons killed in battle that one living who puts his wife and personal welfare before the honour of combat and the acquisition of the scars of battle which should then be shown to the people to maintain their adoration and continuing support. Her main ally and supporter of Caius is Menenius Agrippa a kind of Speaker in the House, who with the support of the present Consul, a combined state head and Prime Minister rolled into one, are keen for Caius to be appointed when circumstances are propitious. To become Consul one must have the voice of the Senate and of the people at the Forum. While Menenius controls the body of the Senate, Nesbitt and co know the minds and the emotions of the people, and more importantly how to press the right buttons to get the people worked up and taking their lead.
When news comes that the leader of the Volscians, Tullus Aufidius, has launched a new campaign to right the grievances against the Roman state Caius concentrates on what interests him best, the business of fighting and in the film we are treated to an exposition of contemporary warfare with high powered rapid firing weapons and hand delivered rockets. When ordered you advance whatever the personal cost is likely to be and I was remind of this continuing principle of military authority with a Blackadder episode in which the men were told to go over the top and die in combat rather than retreat in cowardly dishonour.
The Volscians are defeated but Tullus escapes after a direct confrontation with Caius who returns to the acclaim of the Senate and the honour of being renamed Coriolanus after the place of the victory. Menenius and the mother of Coriolanus determine this is the moment for the warrior to become the state leader. The appearance before the Senate goes according to although Coriolanus refuses to listen to the acclamation speech on his behalf and he is reluctant to respond other than to accept the honour.
He agrees to attend the Forum (market place in the film) with reluctance and refuses to show his war wounds which is the required custom. He returns to the senate for confirmation and inauguration but makes the mistake of wanting to first change his clothing. This provides the opportunity for the conspirators to psyche the crowd into changing their minds and demand the impeachment of Coriolanus.
Coriolanus then resists the counselling of Menenius, his mother and other supporters including the existing Consul, to moderate his approach and say what is needed to convince the people. The device which the film uses is a modern day Television appearance after he agrees to do what is necessary. The conspirators have a few placed supporters in the audience to respond to the signal of Nesbitt to demand the trial and sentencing of Coriolanus for his contempt of the people. He does his best to cooperate with the wishes of his supporters but is quickly goaded into exposing his real feelings. Nesbitt calls for banishment which is quickly taken up by the studio audience. The conspirators are elated and keep the political status quo.
Coriolanus is bitter and determines on revenge and makes his way to the Volscians capital and demands to be presented to Tullus where he offers his life as a means of humiliating Rome. However his aim is to offer his services to help Tullus and his countryman wage war again on Rome and they seize on this with enthusiasm. The problem is that Coriolanus is too successful and the men begin to support him rather than Tullus and his leadership. They begin to try and look like their idol, shaving their heads like him and Tullus and his advisers begin to worry about their position.
As the invaders advance on the capital there is growing panic among the leadership and the citizenry and against his better judgement Menenius is commissioned to go and seek a peaceful settlement. When the mission fails he is sent away with a flea in his ear and commits suicide.
This leaves the mother, wife and son who previously attempted to get the conspirators to reverse the banishment, to now plead for the city, humiliating themselves, prepared to say and do whatever he asks of them. When it appears he is so wedded to his need for revenge that he will yield nothing, he relents, consults Tullus who agrees that to a peace deal. In the play it is only when The Volscians returns to their capital that they turn of Coriolanus and kill him. In the film Tullus and his men wait outside of Rome for the Peace deal to be signed during which time he becomes concerned about the reaction of the Volscians given that they had Rome at their mercy and fearing the response make a scapegoat of Coriolanus.
Both play and film make the point that Generals should stick to their profession and not enter politics and that in a democracy the masses can be manipulated one way or their other by demagogues. It is also a statement about the power that some parents can exert over their children. It is also clear that the play will be used by those on the extreme right as a statement in favour of fascism and dictatorships.
I attend the performance at the Tyneside Film Theatre on Friday afternoon after first going into thee town centre for a four pack set of black ink cartridges for £8 and just under a pound of cherries for £2, 20 at the greengrocers under the Metro platform. I then made a hasty visit to Marks and Spencer’s to see if they had a second paid of the black track suit bottom which are warm and soft. I thought I had properly checked the label regarding waist and leg length but it was only when I checked about a third of the way to the film theatre than I realised I had the wrong waist size. I returned and fortunately they had one pair left which needed to be exchanged with a new receipt at the cash desk. I then made my way in haste to the cinema. In once sense I need not have rushed because although scheduled for a 3.05 pm start it was 3.15 when the programme commenced. However with the film being shown in the Roxy theatre where the seats are most uncomfortable the only seat in a midway position was to sit with someone on one side. This proved uncomfortable as the film progressed. I was home by 6.30 pm debating whether to take out a subscription to ESPN with a view to watching a cup game that evening and the Newcastle game at Brighton. I deferred the decision until to day and went ahead.
This is a speculative decision as yesterday Andy Murray lost a tremendous five set match in the semi final of the Australian open and where he had the opportunity break the service of his opponent when the game was 5 sets apiece and therefore he would have then been able to serve for the match. The games lasted close on ten minutes and when Djkovic held out it was almost inevitable that Murray would fail on his service. He had gone into a two sets to one lead and then went to pieces losing the fourth set 6.1. Many neutrals had said this is one of he great matches of all time because of the quality of tennis maintained throughout its five hours in length, The effort required to win this game means that even with a day’s rest it is unlikely the winner will go on to take the title from Nadal who beat Roger Federer and for once the greatest tennis players of the present era reached the last four. Murray will not play Federer for the third place prize money.
It also looked that England would win the second Test after they dismissed Pakistan in their second innings with a lead of only 146 runs. Only once in past 100 years have England not won a match with such a low total. They not only failed but were humiliated all out for 72 runs. It was awful. Earlier in the day I won £2.70 in the Euro lottery having invested £2 a net gain of 70 pence.
I do not understand why I had not previously added a review of the remake of True Grit alongside the original with John Wayne as I saw in theatre at the time it was released at the end of 2010 just before Christmas. The film was made by the splendid Coen brothers whose work is always interesting although not always enjoyable and satisfying.
The story is an engaging one with a fourteen year old girl taking it upon herself to arrange for the return of the body of her father who has been killed when intervening in a conflict involving one of his hired hands while in town Fort Smith Arkansas purchasing two animals. The man Tom Cheney has headed into Indian country with two of her fathers special gold coin pieces. She comes to town just for the day with another hired hand as escort although she sends him home with the body staying in town to undertake unfinished business. Her first task is to cancel the purchase and claim compensation for the loss of her father’s horse which she negotiates hard. She sees the local Justices who have no interest in pursuing the murderer so she seeks advice as to who might be willing to undertake the task offering to pay $50 over the state terms. This is then raised to an additional $50 on success of the mission. She is given three names and approaches the old timer Rooster Coburn played by Jeff Bridges in the remake. While John Wayne remained distinctly John Wayne in the original Mr Bridges has become famed for his characterisation where you would not know who the actor is without being informed. This is to his credit although both performances are outstanding.
Roster Cockburn is not anti social as such but prefers to follow his business without encumbrances so the idea of being accompanied let alone commissioned by a fourteen year girl is understandably not something he is prepared to countenance. She begins to have misgivings about him after finding him a drunken state and wishes she had first approached Texas Ranger LaBoeuf played by Matt Damon who is also after the same man for the murder a Texan senator, especially as he knows the territory involved. While she is staying at the same boarding house where her father lodged The Texan and Rooster make an early start without her, telling the ferry man that she is a runaway and not to let her cross. She crosses the river anyway with the horse swimming.
The two men first fall out over the treatment of the girl and allowing her to go with them. Mattie Ross is played by Oscar nominated Hailee Steinfield who had to compete with 15000 applicants for the role (She is to play Juliet in a remake film of Shakespeare’s play.
With the onset of winter and snow falling the two make for a an overnight lodge on the advice of a medicine man they encounter but find that outlaws have taken up residence. They smoke them out and plan to stay overnight after a fight before finding out that a well known gang is to arrive accompanied by the man they are after. The two wait in ambush on a hill overlooking the cabin. The plan misfires when the Texas Ranger arrives before the outlaw gang. Rooster is able to his aid at a distance although the man is injured. Some of the outlaws escape to join the rest of the gang.
Unfortunately the two men argue again this time over the Civil War and La Beuof again goes off and Mattie is then caught by the gang when she is getting water from the river and confronts Chaney. Fortunately La Boeuf comes to the rescue just before Chaney is about to the kill Mattie. who has been taken hostage. They devise a plan to take on the gang which involves Rooster taking on four men a kind of jousting conflict. After killing three, Rooster falls and is trapped by his horse. LaBoeuf makes an amazing shot of 400 yards to down the fourth man. Having also killed Chaney the mission is over. Unfortunately Mattie falls down into a cave full of snakes and is bitten and Rooster rides in desperation to where he knows she will get appropriate help. She recovers but loses an arm.
Twenty five years later Mattie gets a note from Rooster with a hand bill saying that he is performing in a Wild West Show nearby. She visits only to find that he died a few days before her arrival. She arranges for the coffin to be moved to the family plot on the family farm. She reflects on their adventure together.
Although the film was nominated for 10 awards at the Oscars and 8 at the Bafta’s it only won the Cinematic Bafta. This is one of the rare situations where both films can be enjoyed and stand alongside each other.
Now to a group of films in varying awfulness although I maintained interest in Killing Bono, because The film is based loosely on a true story against a background of the success of U.2, the best known rock band in the world. Neil McCormick went to school with Bono and the Edge from U2 but beyond this fact I have no idea how much of his autobiography memoir of the same title sub headed I was Bono‘s doppelganger bears resemblance to the truth. Apart from the US appearance at the original I was there Live Aid concert, the closest I have got to see the band performing live is a tribute band who played at the Custom’s House one evening and who I encountered in their van searching for their lodging house which I was able to show them the way after their Sat Nav went awry. They were and I assume are still the loudest band I have ever experienced, so much so that some of the audience could not cope and left at the interval.
The story is how McCormick decided to form a band which would rival U2 when working an entertainment journalist for a weekly a magazine. He was so determined his young brother from joining the group bit telling him of the offer. In order to gain experience he arranges a gig at a stripper drinks club run by a notorious criminal who he persuades to provide £10000 to sponsor the duo make it big in London. They take up accommodation in a large dilapidated factory office type of building run by the outstanding actor Pete Posltethwaite in his last film. He plays a gay landlord who is under the impression the brothers are a couple. There is a gay party at which they get know their neighbour who has been involved in the music industry but has become an actor.
They also appear to strike it lucky with a Tin Pan Alley entrepreneur who asks them to creates another demo as the one submitted is about rape and therefore not commercial. He is enthusiastic enough to promise a contract however when they return they find that he has left the firm and the man who has taken over rejects them because they were to be signed by the man he has replaced.
The core theme of the film is the way the writer keeps stuffing up. For example he arranges a concert coinciding with the visit of the Pope to Ireland. He returns to Ireland to persuade the backer to put up even more money to hold a concert as a promoter is interested but wants to see them perform. He arranges the concert on the same day as Live Aid. They arrange the concert which is a great success. The girl living in the next door loft agrees to become their manager. They meet up with the Music entrepreneur who had promised a contract. They eventually get a record contract and a tour however out hero stuffs up again by having sex with the wife of their sponsor although she had doing the leading and as a consequence the rest of the ban including his brother send him packing.
He returns to Ireland and reforms the original group less his brother. The film charts the world wide success of U2 and without knowing they have split up Bob contacts to offer them a gig opening their Irish concert dates. He fails to disclose this to his brother and as per the title in the film he seriously considers killing Bono in London when he arrives on the promotion of their latest Album the Joshua Tree. Fortunately the younger brother is also at the promotion and is able to intervene. They make up and plan to attend the gig however they end up being dumped in the country side by their sponsor and attempt to make a local bus which might get them in time to perform. They fail and the film explaining that he became a professional writer which I was able to check that he writes show business pieces for the Daily Telegraph. What made the film enjoyable is the musical background of U 2. Hits.
The opportunity is taken to mention an interesting and at times moving Sky Arts Channel programme on Big Brother and the Holding Company who provided a platform for Janice Joplin to begin her career. The band established themselves as the House band at the Avalon in San Francisco. They recruited Janice on the recommendation of one member and for a short period of time she was an integral part of the band participating in the making of their first album on which she features.
Before the record was released they were invited to perform at the Monterey Free Pop Festival in June 1967. The artists had to agree to be filmed and the organisers hoped to make money from a film of the production. The band less Janice refused to sign up for the film for free so when it came to be made there are only close up shots of her and not of the Band Members. This brought her instant international success with insiders referring her to the successor to legendary blue singer Bessie Smith. This aroused great interest in their forthcoming album. The problem was that while Janice understood the need for professionalism and commenced to be supported by background professional the others found it difficult to adjust. They would require scores of takes to get one number right while Janice would record her numbers in a couple of takes both capable of being used. There was also a problem that the band had not yet worked out its identity.
The original title of the album was to be Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills which for commercial reasons was changed to Cheap Thrills. The album became the biggest seller of 1969 earning more than £1 million and eventually had over one million sales. She played her last live concert with the band in December 1868 forming her own group as a solo artist, the Kosmic Blues Band.
The band continued without Janice for 3 years and then apart from one concert performance they came together again in 1987 with almost all the original members except for one who disagreed with the policy of recruiting a female singer to replace the role of Janice. The band continues to perform and make records to this day but does not use one female singer with a least a dozen having been involved to date.
The programme included interviews about their time with Janice and contained archive interviews and sessions. I have an original tape of Janice singing which I must cover one day. One could ask if it would have been if the career Janice had not been so short lived and she along with Billie Holiday became two of the great jazz/blues and her case female icons of my generation with sadly the latest brilliant and troubled singer dying last least year- Amy Winehouse I put her work higher than Janice because she was such a great song creator as well as singer and she could have gone on to rival Billie Holiday had she lived.
The Last Air Bender should have been a better film given the subject marrying ancient mysticism and folklore with the latest computer generated the use of 3 D. The concept is that of an earth populated by human beings with the capacity to bend (make use) of the air, water, fire and earth in superhuman magical ways. These uses can be for positive or negative purposes and in order to ensure the abilities are in balance there is a being called the Avatar who is able to command all four elements. Unfortunately the Avatar abandoned the world and those in command of Fire waged war in everyone else subjugating or destroying all those who stood in the way of world domination.
When an adolescent girl who is a secret water bender and her young brother are hunting food among the ice of the South Pole that come across a phenomenon which leads to the emergence of a young boy and a flying bison.
Immediately unbeknown to the adolescents 112 years before the boy had been identified within the people of who bend Air that this young man was destined to become the Avatar after training in all four arts. It is explained to him after the discovery that as the chosen one he must remain single and devote himself to the duties of the role. This frightens and devastates the young man who runs way rather than takes the oath of loyalty from and to the air bending subjects. He had become trapped by the water spirits and is unaware for how long.
Because he exhibits banned abilities by the people who can bend the earth his presence becomes known to the son of the Fire Nation who is on a quest to gain control over the Avatar and re-establish good relations with his father who regards him as a failure. His father’s senior Commander General Hao is also out to locate the Avatar which he hopes will end once and for all the relationship with the son who he is working at replacing in the affections and patronage of the Fire Lord Ozai.
The trio are captured when taking sanctuary with earth bending people are have been forbidden to use their arts and where anyone who shows abilities has been killed or imprisoned. They incite the people to use their latent powers to rebel from their conquerors.
They journey to the land where the Air benders used to reside and from the training centre from where he had run away.
He discovers that as a direct consequence of running away all the Air benders have been destroyed by the Fire Nation. He finds it even more difficult to live with himself than before. The problem is that apart from becoming a successful Air bender he was yet to learn the other three skills before he had run away.
He is taken to an isolated city of Water people able to teach and practice their art because they are protected by their isolation, their art and protecting spirits.
On their journey they experience various adventures and dangers including a betrayal, At one point they are rescued by the son of the Fire Lord and in return they save his life.
On arrival at the Water bending Kingdom they adjust to their new situation and the Avatar still appears unable to progress because of the continuing guilt he feels about his failure to accept his role as when boy and because of what has happened to the world since then. Here also the brother of Katara “ falls“ for the Water Princess and Katara and the Avatar bond closer in their commitment to the task of saving the world.
What they do not know is that the full army and fleet of the Fire Lord has set sail because they have learned of the whereabouts of the spirits protecting and giving to the water people The Aviator is able to enter a trance communicating with the spirit world for guidance and he does this as the fleet of the Fire Lord arrive and imperils the city with their fire machines and then with their destruction of the water spirits. The son of the Fire Lord has captured the Aviator when in a trance but Katara manages to rescue him by placing the son in\water freeze. However the people appear unable to use their power because of the killing of the Moon spirit when their powers are at their height. It is at his point that the Princes realises that her destiny is to pass from her mortal life to join the spirit world replacing the Moon and water spirits. She is afraid to make the transition but is helped through her friendship with Katara’s brother. Released from the control of the son of the Fire Lord, the Avatar has created a great wall of the sea protecting the fleet. The consequence is that the force for the Fire Lord within the walls of the city makes peace recognising the role of the Avatar as do the Water people. The rest of the fleet make tracks home.
Thus the Avatar and his companions are able to move onto the next stage of his question to gain master of the Earth bending and then of Fire. Learning of he Defeat the Fire Lord appoints his daughter to capture the Avatar.
There is some similarity with The Lion Witch and Wardrobe, Harry Potter etc where the main characters are children/teenagers.
Two graphic novels have been written The Last Airbender Zuko’s Story a Prequel and the Last Airbender drawn in the manga style. The film failed to impress the critics and audiences alike given that the production cost $150 million. It will be interesting to see if what appears to be trailed as at least one sequel, possibility two are made and released.
In some respects Pirates of the Carribbean On Stranger Tides is a similar kind of film also shown in 3D but again without helping to overcome the limitations of the basic formula. However whereas the Last Airbender was a moderate financial success grossing double its substantial expenditure the Pirates series had made fortunes in this instance taking over $1 billion at the box office costing between $150 million to £250 million. I think Johnny Depp is a fine actor but I cannot stand his approach as Captain Jack Sparrow.
The interest of young people in Treasure hunting and pirates was created by Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson, the Victorian author of Kidnapped, the Master of Ballantrae and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. There is also the story of Peter Pan J M Barrie with both books being made into the earliest of Pirate films in the 1920’s. Sea Hawk, Black Swan, The Spanish Main and Captain Kidd were released in the 1940’s and were part of my childhood. The genre came to the fore in the 1950’s with Treasure Island, The return to Treasure Island and Long John Silver, together with Hornblower, Moonfleet. The Crimson Pirate 1952 and Blackbeard the Pirate remembered.
1960’s saw the return of Blackbeard(Ghost) and the arrival of Captain Morgan and also of Captain Blood. Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island was made into a film and spawned various films and TV series. The Swiss Family Robinson was great hit and High Wind in Jamaica from one of the great books about the inner thoughts of child, There was another version of Treasure Island and with a major version again in the 1970’s when the genre seemed to go out of fashion. There were three versions of Treasure Island in the 1980’s and Yellow Beard. Peter Pan was Shipwrecked in the 90’s along with the Muppets who went too Treasure Island where there was also a made for TV series, Cuttroat Island was also notable.
The first three Pirates of the Carribbean appeared in the naughties along with Pirates 1 and Pirates 2 and Pirate Planet and as well Space Pirates although I cannot remember what year the film or the concept was born, There was also a contemporary version of Peter Pan and Master and Commander was a serious look at exploring the New worlds in the southern waters. So given this pedigree of adventuring the Carribbean series can be said to be high on visual trickery and with a 12 year certificate appears aimed at families who enjoy pantomimes where there is little genuine humour but shouting at the screen is to be commended.
The main story of the last epic which lasts 2 hours and 16 minutes is a search for the island location of the Fountain of Youth with three separate parties. The first is the Spanish with the aim of destroying the magical idolatry after a fisherman turns up in a net a man still alive carrying a notebook locating the Fountain. The second party is Captain Hector Barbossa Geoffrey Rush with the Kings Commission (Richard Griffiths) but whose aim is not the Fountain but his long term conflict with Blackbeared who on their last encounter took part of his leg. They have access to the shipmate of Captain Sparrow who steals his map in a complicated opening which follows the James Bond formula of a great action sequence to begin the proceedings. Hector is now a privateer and not a Pirate having lost the Black Peal. Jack’s beloved ship.
Jack is captured in London on behalf of the King after impersonating high court judge he has kidnapped to get his shipmate friend released. Judy Dench as a few seconds appearance in the opening. The King summons Jack on learning he is seeking a crew to go in search of the Fountain which the King does not want to fall into the hands of the Spanish,
In fact Jacks not attempting to get a crew which he discovers is someone impersonating him who is none other than the gorgeous Penélope Cruz as the daughter of Blackbeard played by Ian McShane. She has a love hate relationship with Jack after he seduced from a convent she was to enter. Jack learns of her activities and whereabouts from his father played by Keith Richards no less who provides him a map and warns of the perils in store.
The story is that to benefit from the Fountain you have to put the water into one of two chalices together with tear from a Mermaid. In the films there are always computer generated creatures. In this instance bare back Mermaids who are a kind of sea vampire seducing sailors to their deaths within the ocean depths when it is alleged they provide food.
Jack is press ganged into service on Blackbeard’s vessel where Cruz is the first Mate and her father practices a kind of voodoo black magic which enables him to counter a successful mutiny take over led by Jack by converting ship’s ropes into snake like capturers. He also has a dangerous sword with powers of its own. On board there is a religious zealot who has been strung up by the yard arm because of his preaching and it he who manages to capture a mermaid alive and it is she who provides a tear( of Joy) when she finds he is alive after a fake throat cut to achieve the desire outcome.
There are many adventures, the finding of the Fountain and its destruction with at the end Jack admitting he loves Crux as she admits she loves him but he still leaves her castaway on a tiny atoll while he goes off to further adventuring. The young bible quoting Christian appears to live happy ever after in the depth with the rescued mermaid. Blackbeard has sacrificed himself after being poisoned by Barbossa and Cruz is also life threatened by removing the sword from the body of her father. Jack uses one chalice to save the life of Crux while Blackbeard is freed from the curse of physical being and turned instantly into a skeleton drinking from the other. Barbossa abandons the Kings Commission after the Spanish destroy the Fountain of Youth site to become a privateer.
Bluebeard has a collection of special ship‘s in bottles in a kind of safe on his ship. One of these is the Black Pearl. These are minaturized originals which can be brought back to life with the whole fleet of ships taken into Jack‘s custody at one point, just as well as the ship nd its crew is destroyed by a bevy of mermaids.
The money making will continue until Mr Depp gets bored.
I can just about keep myself awake the early hours of Sunday with the briefest mentions of Romeo is Bleeding The plot can be summer as the story of another Jack, Jack Grimaldi a corrupt cop with a loving wife and mistress and steady extra income from the Mafia. He loses everything when coming across a sociopath Russian mob assassin called Mona Demarkov. Despite being found out and arrested he is commended and starts a new life running a road house in the middle of nowhere way out west with few customers where he remembers and imagines his wife will one day return to him.
The character is played by Garry Oldfield who ought to have known better. The film is said to have been made in the UK in 1993 for £10 million making less than a third of this at the box office. I am not surprised. What was he thinking!
I was tempted to say nothing about the worst film ever Jackass 3 D which I kept one eye on its entirety just to ensure that it was bad really bad. However given the huge financial success of film and series allegedly turning $20 million into $170 million I must comment on what it says about some of the present generation. The film comprises a crew of stunt men of various sizes and ages who engage in a series of happenings which they find extremely funny. They hit each other painfully hard, they jump or try to fly with various devices which fail and hurt and there is lots of farting, eating shit and making crude jokes about their genitalia finally ending the flilm with various forms of blowing themselves and each other up, The audience is warned not to try and imitate the stunts back home. The film is suitable for a squaddies night out without the girls.
Mr Fiennes is best known for his performances in the English Patient, the Constant Gardener and the Duke of Devonshire in the Duchess once more on BBC on Saturday evening. He is also to appear in a remake film of Great Expectations as Magwitch.
He is faithful to the story and to much of the Text and to the setting of the play in Rome and Italy, but here is where the liberty is taken because the period is not the Latin era of the Consuls but the twentieth century and filmed in a grim war torn Serbia. He also brings the fore the role of his mother and of his wife. An aspect where performances were understandably limited with boys playing female figures at the time the works were written.
As with the text and various examples throughout history there are food shortages to an extent that the people do not have sufficient grain to make bread and what exists is controlled with priority given to the military and the patricians. The mob has been stirred by political agitators with their personal as well as civic agenda, written in an era within fifty years of the British Civil War.
Their anger has been directed on the military hero and deputy commander Caius Marcius who has already made known his contempt for the masses while distinguishing him repeatedly in battles. The agitation is led by Senators Brutus and Scinius played by Paul Jesson as the behind the scenes manipulator and James Nesbitt as the front man.
His wife is anxious for his welfare but his mother chides her for being soft hearted declaring she would rather have a dozen sons killed in battle that one living who puts his wife and personal welfare before the honour of combat and the acquisition of the scars of battle which should then be shown to the people to maintain their adoration and continuing support. Her main ally and supporter of Caius is Menenius Agrippa a kind of Speaker in the House, who with the support of the present Consul, a combined state head and Prime Minister rolled into one, are keen for Caius to be appointed when circumstances are propitious. To become Consul one must have the voice of the Senate and of the people at the Forum. While Menenius controls the body of the Senate, Nesbitt and co know the minds and the emotions of the people, and more importantly how to press the right buttons to get the people worked up and taking their lead.
When news comes that the leader of the Volscians, Tullus Aufidius, has launched a new campaign to right the grievances against the Roman state Caius concentrates on what interests him best, the business of fighting and in the film we are treated to an exposition of contemporary warfare with high powered rapid firing weapons and hand delivered rockets. When ordered you advance whatever the personal cost is likely to be and I was remind of this continuing principle of military authority with a Blackadder episode in which the men were told to go over the top and die in combat rather than retreat in cowardly dishonour.
The Volscians are defeated but Tullus escapes after a direct confrontation with Caius who returns to the acclaim of the Senate and the honour of being renamed Coriolanus after the place of the victory. Menenius and the mother of Coriolanus determine this is the moment for the warrior to become the state leader. The appearance before the Senate goes according to although Coriolanus refuses to listen to the acclamation speech on his behalf and he is reluctant to respond other than to accept the honour.
He agrees to attend the Forum (market place in the film) with reluctance and refuses to show his war wounds which is the required custom. He returns to the senate for confirmation and inauguration but makes the mistake of wanting to first change his clothing. This provides the opportunity for the conspirators to psyche the crowd into changing their minds and demand the impeachment of Coriolanus.
Coriolanus then resists the counselling of Menenius, his mother and other supporters including the existing Consul, to moderate his approach and say what is needed to convince the people. The device which the film uses is a modern day Television appearance after he agrees to do what is necessary. The conspirators have a few placed supporters in the audience to respond to the signal of Nesbitt to demand the trial and sentencing of Coriolanus for his contempt of the people. He does his best to cooperate with the wishes of his supporters but is quickly goaded into exposing his real feelings. Nesbitt calls for banishment which is quickly taken up by the studio audience. The conspirators are elated and keep the political status quo.
Coriolanus is bitter and determines on revenge and makes his way to the Volscians capital and demands to be presented to Tullus where he offers his life as a means of humiliating Rome. However his aim is to offer his services to help Tullus and his countryman wage war again on Rome and they seize on this with enthusiasm. The problem is that Coriolanus is too successful and the men begin to support him rather than Tullus and his leadership. They begin to try and look like their idol, shaving their heads like him and Tullus and his advisers begin to worry about their position.
As the invaders advance on the capital there is growing panic among the leadership and the citizenry and against his better judgement Menenius is commissioned to go and seek a peaceful settlement. When the mission fails he is sent away with a flea in his ear and commits suicide.
This leaves the mother, wife and son who previously attempted to get the conspirators to reverse the banishment, to now plead for the city, humiliating themselves, prepared to say and do whatever he asks of them. When it appears he is so wedded to his need for revenge that he will yield nothing, he relents, consults Tullus who agrees that to a peace deal. In the play it is only when The Volscians returns to their capital that they turn of Coriolanus and kill him. In the film Tullus and his men wait outside of Rome for the Peace deal to be signed during which time he becomes concerned about the reaction of the Volscians given that they had Rome at their mercy and fearing the response make a scapegoat of Coriolanus.
Both play and film make the point that Generals should stick to their profession and not enter politics and that in a democracy the masses can be manipulated one way or their other by demagogues. It is also a statement about the power that some parents can exert over their children. It is also clear that the play will be used by those on the extreme right as a statement in favour of fascism and dictatorships.
I attend the performance at the Tyneside Film Theatre on Friday afternoon after first going into thee town centre for a four pack set of black ink cartridges for £8 and just under a pound of cherries for £2, 20 at the greengrocers under the Metro platform. I then made a hasty visit to Marks and Spencer’s to see if they had a second paid of the black track suit bottom which are warm and soft. I thought I had properly checked the label regarding waist and leg length but it was only when I checked about a third of the way to the film theatre than I realised I had the wrong waist size. I returned and fortunately they had one pair left which needed to be exchanged with a new receipt at the cash desk. I then made my way in haste to the cinema. In once sense I need not have rushed because although scheduled for a 3.05 pm start it was 3.15 when the programme commenced. However with the film being shown in the Roxy theatre where the seats are most uncomfortable the only seat in a midway position was to sit with someone on one side. This proved uncomfortable as the film progressed. I was home by 6.30 pm debating whether to take out a subscription to ESPN with a view to watching a cup game that evening and the Newcastle game at Brighton. I deferred the decision until to day and went ahead.
This is a speculative decision as yesterday Andy Murray lost a tremendous five set match in the semi final of the Australian open and where he had the opportunity break the service of his opponent when the game was 5 sets apiece and therefore he would have then been able to serve for the match. The games lasted close on ten minutes and when Djkovic held out it was almost inevitable that Murray would fail on his service. He had gone into a two sets to one lead and then went to pieces losing the fourth set 6.1. Many neutrals had said this is one of he great matches of all time because of the quality of tennis maintained throughout its five hours in length, The effort required to win this game means that even with a day’s rest it is unlikely the winner will go on to take the title from Nadal who beat Roger Federer and for once the greatest tennis players of the present era reached the last four. Murray will not play Federer for the third place prize money.
It also looked that England would win the second Test after they dismissed Pakistan in their second innings with a lead of only 146 runs. Only once in past 100 years have England not won a match with such a low total. They not only failed but were humiliated all out for 72 runs. It was awful. Earlier in the day I won £2.70 in the Euro lottery having invested £2 a net gain of 70 pence.
I do not understand why I had not previously added a review of the remake of True Grit alongside the original with John Wayne as I saw in theatre at the time it was released at the end of 2010 just before Christmas. The film was made by the splendid Coen brothers whose work is always interesting although not always enjoyable and satisfying.
The story is an engaging one with a fourteen year old girl taking it upon herself to arrange for the return of the body of her father who has been killed when intervening in a conflict involving one of his hired hands while in town Fort Smith Arkansas purchasing two animals. The man Tom Cheney has headed into Indian country with two of her fathers special gold coin pieces. She comes to town just for the day with another hired hand as escort although she sends him home with the body staying in town to undertake unfinished business. Her first task is to cancel the purchase and claim compensation for the loss of her father’s horse which she negotiates hard. She sees the local Justices who have no interest in pursuing the murderer so she seeks advice as to who might be willing to undertake the task offering to pay $50 over the state terms. This is then raised to an additional $50 on success of the mission. She is given three names and approaches the old timer Rooster Coburn played by Jeff Bridges in the remake. While John Wayne remained distinctly John Wayne in the original Mr Bridges has become famed for his characterisation where you would not know who the actor is without being informed. This is to his credit although both performances are outstanding.
Roster Cockburn is not anti social as such but prefers to follow his business without encumbrances so the idea of being accompanied let alone commissioned by a fourteen year girl is understandably not something he is prepared to countenance. She begins to have misgivings about him after finding him a drunken state and wishes she had first approached Texas Ranger LaBoeuf played by Matt Damon who is also after the same man for the murder a Texan senator, especially as he knows the territory involved. While she is staying at the same boarding house where her father lodged The Texan and Rooster make an early start without her, telling the ferry man that she is a runaway and not to let her cross. She crosses the river anyway with the horse swimming.
The two men first fall out over the treatment of the girl and allowing her to go with them. Mattie Ross is played by Oscar nominated Hailee Steinfield who had to compete with 15000 applicants for the role (She is to play Juliet in a remake film of Shakespeare’s play.
With the onset of winter and snow falling the two make for a an overnight lodge on the advice of a medicine man they encounter but find that outlaws have taken up residence. They smoke them out and plan to stay overnight after a fight before finding out that a well known gang is to arrive accompanied by the man they are after. The two wait in ambush on a hill overlooking the cabin. The plan misfires when the Texas Ranger arrives before the outlaw gang. Rooster is able to his aid at a distance although the man is injured. Some of the outlaws escape to join the rest of the gang.
Unfortunately the two men argue again this time over the Civil War and La Beuof again goes off and Mattie is then caught by the gang when she is getting water from the river and confronts Chaney. Fortunately La Boeuf comes to the rescue just before Chaney is about to the kill Mattie. who has been taken hostage. They devise a plan to take on the gang which involves Rooster taking on four men a kind of jousting conflict. After killing three, Rooster falls and is trapped by his horse. LaBoeuf makes an amazing shot of 400 yards to down the fourth man. Having also killed Chaney the mission is over. Unfortunately Mattie falls down into a cave full of snakes and is bitten and Rooster rides in desperation to where he knows she will get appropriate help. She recovers but loses an arm.
Twenty five years later Mattie gets a note from Rooster with a hand bill saying that he is performing in a Wild West Show nearby. She visits only to find that he died a few days before her arrival. She arranges for the coffin to be moved to the family plot on the family farm. She reflects on their adventure together.
Although the film was nominated for 10 awards at the Oscars and 8 at the Bafta’s it only won the Cinematic Bafta. This is one of the rare situations where both films can be enjoyed and stand alongside each other.
Now to a group of films in varying awfulness although I maintained interest in Killing Bono, because The film is based loosely on a true story against a background of the success of U.2, the best known rock band in the world. Neil McCormick went to school with Bono and the Edge from U2 but beyond this fact I have no idea how much of his autobiography memoir of the same title sub headed I was Bono‘s doppelganger bears resemblance to the truth. Apart from the US appearance at the original I was there Live Aid concert, the closest I have got to see the band performing live is a tribute band who played at the Custom’s House one evening and who I encountered in their van searching for their lodging house which I was able to show them the way after their Sat Nav went awry. They were and I assume are still the loudest band I have ever experienced, so much so that some of the audience could not cope and left at the interval.
The story is how McCormick decided to form a band which would rival U2 when working an entertainment journalist for a weekly a magazine. He was so determined his young brother from joining the group bit telling him of the offer. In order to gain experience he arranges a gig at a stripper drinks club run by a notorious criminal who he persuades to provide £10000 to sponsor the duo make it big in London. They take up accommodation in a large dilapidated factory office type of building run by the outstanding actor Pete Posltethwaite in his last film. He plays a gay landlord who is under the impression the brothers are a couple. There is a gay party at which they get know their neighbour who has been involved in the music industry but has become an actor.
They also appear to strike it lucky with a Tin Pan Alley entrepreneur who asks them to creates another demo as the one submitted is about rape and therefore not commercial. He is enthusiastic enough to promise a contract however when they return they find that he has left the firm and the man who has taken over rejects them because they were to be signed by the man he has replaced.
The core theme of the film is the way the writer keeps stuffing up. For example he arranges a concert coinciding with the visit of the Pope to Ireland. He returns to Ireland to persuade the backer to put up even more money to hold a concert as a promoter is interested but wants to see them perform. He arranges the concert on the same day as Live Aid. They arrange the concert which is a great success. The girl living in the next door loft agrees to become their manager. They meet up with the Music entrepreneur who had promised a contract. They eventually get a record contract and a tour however out hero stuffs up again by having sex with the wife of their sponsor although she had doing the leading and as a consequence the rest of the ban including his brother send him packing.
He returns to Ireland and reforms the original group less his brother. The film charts the world wide success of U2 and without knowing they have split up Bob contacts to offer them a gig opening their Irish concert dates. He fails to disclose this to his brother and as per the title in the film he seriously considers killing Bono in London when he arrives on the promotion of their latest Album the Joshua Tree. Fortunately the younger brother is also at the promotion and is able to intervene. They make up and plan to attend the gig however they end up being dumped in the country side by their sponsor and attempt to make a local bus which might get them in time to perform. They fail and the film explaining that he became a professional writer which I was able to check that he writes show business pieces for the Daily Telegraph. What made the film enjoyable is the musical background of U 2. Hits.
The opportunity is taken to mention an interesting and at times moving Sky Arts Channel programme on Big Brother and the Holding Company who provided a platform for Janice Joplin to begin her career. The band established themselves as the House band at the Avalon in San Francisco. They recruited Janice on the recommendation of one member and for a short period of time she was an integral part of the band participating in the making of their first album on which she features.
Before the record was released they were invited to perform at the Monterey Free Pop Festival in June 1967. The artists had to agree to be filmed and the organisers hoped to make money from a film of the production. The band less Janice refused to sign up for the film for free so when it came to be made there are only close up shots of her and not of the Band Members. This brought her instant international success with insiders referring her to the successor to legendary blue singer Bessie Smith. This aroused great interest in their forthcoming album. The problem was that while Janice understood the need for professionalism and commenced to be supported by background professional the others found it difficult to adjust. They would require scores of takes to get one number right while Janice would record her numbers in a couple of takes both capable of being used. There was also a problem that the band had not yet worked out its identity.
The original title of the album was to be Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills which for commercial reasons was changed to Cheap Thrills. The album became the biggest seller of 1969 earning more than £1 million and eventually had over one million sales. She played her last live concert with the band in December 1868 forming her own group as a solo artist, the Kosmic Blues Band.
The band continued without Janice for 3 years and then apart from one concert performance they came together again in 1987 with almost all the original members except for one who disagreed with the policy of recruiting a female singer to replace the role of Janice. The band continues to perform and make records to this day but does not use one female singer with a least a dozen having been involved to date.
The programme included interviews about their time with Janice and contained archive interviews and sessions. I have an original tape of Janice singing which I must cover one day. One could ask if it would have been if the career Janice had not been so short lived and she along with Billie Holiday became two of the great jazz/blues and her case female icons of my generation with sadly the latest brilliant and troubled singer dying last least year- Amy Winehouse I put her work higher than Janice because she was such a great song creator as well as singer and she could have gone on to rival Billie Holiday had she lived.
The Last Air Bender should have been a better film given the subject marrying ancient mysticism and folklore with the latest computer generated the use of 3 D. The concept is that of an earth populated by human beings with the capacity to bend (make use) of the air, water, fire and earth in superhuman magical ways. These uses can be for positive or negative purposes and in order to ensure the abilities are in balance there is a being called the Avatar who is able to command all four elements. Unfortunately the Avatar abandoned the world and those in command of Fire waged war in everyone else subjugating or destroying all those who stood in the way of world domination.
When an adolescent girl who is a secret water bender and her young brother are hunting food among the ice of the South Pole that come across a phenomenon which leads to the emergence of a young boy and a flying bison.
Immediately unbeknown to the adolescents 112 years before the boy had been identified within the people of who bend Air that this young man was destined to become the Avatar after training in all four arts. It is explained to him after the discovery that as the chosen one he must remain single and devote himself to the duties of the role. This frightens and devastates the young man who runs way rather than takes the oath of loyalty from and to the air bending subjects. He had become trapped by the water spirits and is unaware for how long.
Because he exhibits banned abilities by the people who can bend the earth his presence becomes known to the son of the Fire Nation who is on a quest to gain control over the Avatar and re-establish good relations with his father who regards him as a failure. His father’s senior Commander General Hao is also out to locate the Avatar which he hopes will end once and for all the relationship with the son who he is working at replacing in the affections and patronage of the Fire Lord Ozai.
The trio are captured when taking sanctuary with earth bending people are have been forbidden to use their arts and where anyone who shows abilities has been killed or imprisoned. They incite the people to use their latent powers to rebel from their conquerors.
They journey to the land where the Air benders used to reside and from the training centre from where he had run away.
He discovers that as a direct consequence of running away all the Air benders have been destroyed by the Fire Nation. He finds it even more difficult to live with himself than before. The problem is that apart from becoming a successful Air bender he was yet to learn the other three skills before he had run away.
He is taken to an isolated city of Water people able to teach and practice their art because they are protected by their isolation, their art and protecting spirits.
On their journey they experience various adventures and dangers including a betrayal, At one point they are rescued by the son of the Fire Lord and in return they save his life.
On arrival at the Water bending Kingdom they adjust to their new situation and the Avatar still appears unable to progress because of the continuing guilt he feels about his failure to accept his role as when boy and because of what has happened to the world since then. Here also the brother of Katara “ falls“ for the Water Princess and Katara and the Avatar bond closer in their commitment to the task of saving the world.
What they do not know is that the full army and fleet of the Fire Lord has set sail because they have learned of the whereabouts of the spirits protecting and giving to the water people The Aviator is able to enter a trance communicating with the spirit world for guidance and he does this as the fleet of the Fire Lord arrive and imperils the city with their fire machines and then with their destruction of the water spirits. The son of the Fire Lord has captured the Aviator when in a trance but Katara manages to rescue him by placing the son in\water freeze. However the people appear unable to use their power because of the killing of the Moon spirit when their powers are at their height. It is at his point that the Princes realises that her destiny is to pass from her mortal life to join the spirit world replacing the Moon and water spirits. She is afraid to make the transition but is helped through her friendship with Katara’s brother. Released from the control of the son of the Fire Lord, the Avatar has created a great wall of the sea protecting the fleet. The consequence is that the force for the Fire Lord within the walls of the city makes peace recognising the role of the Avatar as do the Water people. The rest of the fleet make tracks home.
Thus the Avatar and his companions are able to move onto the next stage of his question to gain master of the Earth bending and then of Fire. Learning of he Defeat the Fire Lord appoints his daughter to capture the Avatar.
There is some similarity with The Lion Witch and Wardrobe, Harry Potter etc where the main characters are children/teenagers.
Two graphic novels have been written The Last Airbender Zuko’s Story a Prequel and the Last Airbender drawn in the manga style. The film failed to impress the critics and audiences alike given that the production cost $150 million. It will be interesting to see if what appears to be trailed as at least one sequel, possibility two are made and released.
In some respects Pirates of the Carribbean On Stranger Tides is a similar kind of film also shown in 3D but again without helping to overcome the limitations of the basic formula. However whereas the Last Airbender was a moderate financial success grossing double its substantial expenditure the Pirates series had made fortunes in this instance taking over $1 billion at the box office costing between $150 million to £250 million. I think Johnny Depp is a fine actor but I cannot stand his approach as Captain Jack Sparrow.
The interest of young people in Treasure hunting and pirates was created by Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson, the Victorian author of Kidnapped, the Master of Ballantrae and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. There is also the story of Peter Pan J M Barrie with both books being made into the earliest of Pirate films in the 1920’s. Sea Hawk, Black Swan, The Spanish Main and Captain Kidd were released in the 1940’s and were part of my childhood. The genre came to the fore in the 1950’s with Treasure Island, The return to Treasure Island and Long John Silver, together with Hornblower, Moonfleet. The Crimson Pirate 1952 and Blackbeard the Pirate remembered.
1960’s saw the return of Blackbeard(Ghost) and the arrival of Captain Morgan and also of Captain Blood. Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island was made into a film and spawned various films and TV series. The Swiss Family Robinson was great hit and High Wind in Jamaica from one of the great books about the inner thoughts of child, There was another version of Treasure Island and with a major version again in the 1970’s when the genre seemed to go out of fashion. There were three versions of Treasure Island in the 1980’s and Yellow Beard. Peter Pan was Shipwrecked in the 90’s along with the Muppets who went too Treasure Island where there was also a made for TV series, Cuttroat Island was also notable.
The first three Pirates of the Carribbean appeared in the naughties along with Pirates 1 and Pirates 2 and Pirate Planet and as well Space Pirates although I cannot remember what year the film or the concept was born, There was also a contemporary version of Peter Pan and Master and Commander was a serious look at exploring the New worlds in the southern waters. So given this pedigree of adventuring the Carribbean series can be said to be high on visual trickery and with a 12 year certificate appears aimed at families who enjoy pantomimes where there is little genuine humour but shouting at the screen is to be commended.
The main story of the last epic which lasts 2 hours and 16 minutes is a search for the island location of the Fountain of Youth with three separate parties. The first is the Spanish with the aim of destroying the magical idolatry after a fisherman turns up in a net a man still alive carrying a notebook locating the Fountain. The second party is Captain Hector Barbossa Geoffrey Rush with the Kings Commission (Richard Griffiths) but whose aim is not the Fountain but his long term conflict with Blackbeared who on their last encounter took part of his leg. They have access to the shipmate of Captain Sparrow who steals his map in a complicated opening which follows the James Bond formula of a great action sequence to begin the proceedings. Hector is now a privateer and not a Pirate having lost the Black Peal. Jack’s beloved ship.
Jack is captured in London on behalf of the King after impersonating high court judge he has kidnapped to get his shipmate friend released. Judy Dench as a few seconds appearance in the opening. The King summons Jack on learning he is seeking a crew to go in search of the Fountain which the King does not want to fall into the hands of the Spanish,
In fact Jacks not attempting to get a crew which he discovers is someone impersonating him who is none other than the gorgeous Penélope Cruz as the daughter of Blackbeard played by Ian McShane. She has a love hate relationship with Jack after he seduced from a convent she was to enter. Jack learns of her activities and whereabouts from his father played by Keith Richards no less who provides him a map and warns of the perils in store.
The story is that to benefit from the Fountain you have to put the water into one of two chalices together with tear from a Mermaid. In the films there are always computer generated creatures. In this instance bare back Mermaids who are a kind of sea vampire seducing sailors to their deaths within the ocean depths when it is alleged they provide food.
Jack is press ganged into service on Blackbeard’s vessel where Cruz is the first Mate and her father practices a kind of voodoo black magic which enables him to counter a successful mutiny take over led by Jack by converting ship’s ropes into snake like capturers. He also has a dangerous sword with powers of its own. On board there is a religious zealot who has been strung up by the yard arm because of his preaching and it he who manages to capture a mermaid alive and it is she who provides a tear( of Joy) when she finds he is alive after a fake throat cut to achieve the desire outcome.
There are many adventures, the finding of the Fountain and its destruction with at the end Jack admitting he loves Crux as she admits she loves him but he still leaves her castaway on a tiny atoll while he goes off to further adventuring. The young bible quoting Christian appears to live happy ever after in the depth with the rescued mermaid. Blackbeard has sacrificed himself after being poisoned by Barbossa and Cruz is also life threatened by removing the sword from the body of her father. Jack uses one chalice to save the life of Crux while Blackbeard is freed from the curse of physical being and turned instantly into a skeleton drinking from the other. Barbossa abandons the Kings Commission after the Spanish destroy the Fountain of Youth site to become a privateer.
Bluebeard has a collection of special ship‘s in bottles in a kind of safe on his ship. One of these is the Black Pearl. These are minaturized originals which can be brought back to life with the whole fleet of ships taken into Jack‘s custody at one point, just as well as the ship nd its crew is destroyed by a bevy of mermaids.
The money making will continue until Mr Depp gets bored.
I can just about keep myself awake the early hours of Sunday with the briefest mentions of Romeo is Bleeding The plot can be summer as the story of another Jack, Jack Grimaldi a corrupt cop with a loving wife and mistress and steady extra income from the Mafia. He loses everything when coming across a sociopath Russian mob assassin called Mona Demarkov. Despite being found out and arrested he is commended and starts a new life running a road house in the middle of nowhere way out west with few customers where he remembers and imagines his wife will one day return to him.
The character is played by Garry Oldfield who ought to have known better. The film is said to have been made in the UK in 1993 for £10 million making less than a third of this at the box office. I am not surprised. What was he thinking!
I was tempted to say nothing about the worst film ever Jackass 3 D which I kept one eye on its entirety just to ensure that it was bad really bad. However given the huge financial success of film and series allegedly turning $20 million into $170 million I must comment on what it says about some of the present generation. The film comprises a crew of stunt men of various sizes and ages who engage in a series of happenings which they find extremely funny. They hit each other painfully hard, they jump or try to fly with various devices which fail and hurt and there is lots of farting, eating shit and making crude jokes about their genitalia finally ending the flilm with various forms of blowing themselves and each other up, The audience is warned not to try and imitate the stunts back home. The film is suitable for a squaddies night out without the girls.
