The man who never grew up...

Are we ashamed of what we are? In adulthood, we all seemingly have to be serious. But there is seemingly something in the air at the moment, with the release of The Muppets at the cinema there is a grabbing of people's younger lives. For most people, they are reminded of the original television series shown in the UK between 1976 and 1981. As a very young child one of my first televisual memories is of watching The Muppets, everything else is hazy, but clearly I can see Miss Piggy doing a karate chop to some unfortunate person.

Though by the looks of it with the release of the new Muppet movie, people are going along to interested to see if that it is the same as they remember. False impressions are a difficult thing to take sometimes, but just the memories are so strong. 

I will admit I am the first to watch if there's a movie which is say a Disney movie or family movie on the television. Everyone finds different meaning in these movies and that they look at them from a adult perspective. The sense of make believe isn't suspended, now you may ask why I don't do this. I would ask some people the same about watching the news, but when living a such a life we shouldn't forget about that inner child at all. 

During half-term week the schedulers make room for family movies or something to keep the children amused. Some would say that is impossible with so many things for them to do nowadays, though it is surprising that they are still watched. Remarkable to think this, but they have a hold when they appear. One such is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, either the Gene Wilder version or Tim Burton version. Now you can say the Tim Burton version is darker, meaning to appeal to the adult audience as well, but its the genre itself which reveals a lot.

They make big money, now that isn't only the smart thing. Competing against the whizz-bang action blockbusters, they hold their own offering an alternative to the cinema going audience. In the past few years, a new Tron movie has been released and with the major studios looking at these types of movies. Its little wonder that more of titles of yesteryear would be remade, the Disney back catalogue is huge. Such is which, that movies have been remade twice. I was flicking through the channels and saw a 90's remake of That Darn Cat on Channel 5 and in a couple of days the original will be on BBC2. 

So wither Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World and Condorman... As they might be coming back to a cinema near you soon...

A slight Crick in the back...

This evening, I decided to plunge into BBC Four's 'Cricklewood Greats' as much of my twitter followers did as well. This mockumentry helmed by Peter Capaldi about a long forgotten British film studios played on the British film industry and what genres it has done well such as Horror and also Comedy as well. 

So much of what was spoofed was recognisable to the discerning lovers of both British movies and Pop Culture, as it might be too close what is fact. But in the suspension of this knowledge, it had so many laugh out moments in the programme. The actual quality of the material had so much owing to Armando Iannucci's style of programme, realistic but also humourous. Which explain's why Capaldi was chosen to lead the piece, with a great supporting cast playing the actors and actresses who worked for the studios.

But by seeing this, it becomes evident why these things are done so rarely just like Norbert Smith - A Life which could be the nearest comparable thing to it. There has has to be love for a subject to be able to spoof so accurately to make it believable, in which this does it spades with also a laugh every time you look either verbally or visually. If you do get chance to see on the BBC I-Player please do, because you'll not regret it...

Telly Selly Time...

So what do you know about where you live? In most cases, what you know yourself is kept to yourself. But sometimes there comes along an outsiders view, like most people would think about  Portsmouth as a naval city, which it is in a way. With the Baim films and the quotation quickies making films for other to see about different towns and cities. Now I'm not suggesting they were in anyway films to cheer up the masses away from the dreary lives they were used to at the time of their making during the 1970's and 80's, but they do have a feel of showing people that where they lived was OK.


Now I first saw Telly Savalas Looks Portsmouth on the now defunct Portsmouth Television and I was amazed this thing existed and they had got a copy to show to fill time of an afternoon.  When researching futher into the quotation quickies, I found out there had been several of these films voiced over by Telly Savalas, mainly to be shown alongside a main feature.  


First of all Telly talks about the streets being named about historical names, although most the streets themselves were modern streets in the Guildhall Square complex around the civic offices. It does seem that the irony in it, that he concentrates on a newer part which was only built after the war such as the Guildhall Walk. "The New Theatre Royal, well it was when it was built 130 years ago..." chirps Telly. Now over 30 years later, the development is changing again with brand new facilities being incorporated into the building. The Guildhall Walk is set against a background of clubs and pubs nowadays, meaning anyone wanting to go and see a big show there of an evening really can't because of the revellers there getting in everyone's way. Its a flaw which hasn't been resolved really, which bring me onto the next thing.


The Kings Theatre in Southsea, famous for it shows and performances of pantomimes each and every year. In different areas we see other places getting brand new state of the art theatres and here is a theatre from a Victorian age which still plods along gamely, now I am not saying get rid of it all together. But when the development of Gunwharf Quays was planned and built, surely it would have been wiser to build something there rather then struggle on. 


There is the building of the IBM complex which is in the North of the city, subsequently the new Lakeside 1000 development has sprung up with Port Solent in recent years. Like with other places, it has tried to tart the image up of the city. A main problem is Portsdown Hill always getting in the way, we can't build beyond it, it is like our very own Berlin Wall, that we are squeezed into the space we have. In other countries they would come up with a solution to solve this problem, short of blowing up the hill, this is a problem which will remain to fox most people. As a citizen, I am here for being here's sake. But I can see why people move away, say  
without any industry and a football club what are we? Another Detroit... 


I am not knocking the city as such, but it does make you think sometimes...