the innocents foreign film posters

For no other reason than l like artwork and foreign film posters, here are some of the alternate artworks for 'The Innocents'.

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the innocents (1961) - jack clayton

Based on 'The Turn Of The Screw' by Henry James, 'The Innocents' is a proper, good old fashioned ghost story that pretty much sticks to the original story.  Sure, as usual with the old black and white films, the acting and speech can be too over the top and affected, but there were still plenty of scary moments (which have become standards in horror) to keep you interested.  Deborah Kerr plays a governess who thinks the children in her charge are being possessed.  That's about all the storyline you need (although there's more, including implied sexual abuse),  and the film gets better and better as it goes along.   I don't want to make it sound as though it is one of the best films ever, as it certainly isn't that, and l thought the ending was a bit sudden and poor, but if you like your entertainment to include ghoulies (and who doesn't), this is well worth checking out.

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writing home - alan bennett

The second collection of his that l have just read, but unfortunately, this one was not as good as the other (Untold Stories).  Alan Bennett sure knows how to spin a yarn, and there is some top notch stuff in this book, especially the story of the Lady in the Van (Miss Shepherd), so l would recommend both collections, but if only one was to be read, l'd go for the later book, as it has more poignant recollections. However, both of them make you want to delve into more of his work, so he has obviously been tickling my fancy recently (OOEer).  The only man from Leeds it's OK to like.

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chest update

Ah it's fantastic being off work.  I can potter about, drink and eat what l want, read, watch TV and go on the computer, but l can't do anything like stretching to change the cat tray or clean out the rabbit.  What a great result!!  The footie has just about started again, and with a bit of luck, we may even get some sunshine.   This is what the wound is looking like at the moment, still sore, and it is preventing me sleeping properly, but that's a price worth paying.  Hurrah! to modern medicine.

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co co the clever rabbit

Also amongst the old pictures....This is Co Co, one of our old rabbits, now sadly dead.   He was easily the cleverest one we've had, and the only one to go up the stairs by himself in our house.  He used to come trotting (if rabbits can trot) over and leap onto your knee for a stroke, and even fetched stuff if you threw it.  Now we are stuck with Tubbs the idiot rabbit we have at the moment, stinking the place out with his stupidity (but he'll also be missed when he's gone).

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russell brand and peter hitchens on newsnight

While we were at the caravan at the weekend, Robbo mentioned to me about Russell Brand arguing drugs policy on Newsnight with Peter Hitchens, so l thought l'd have a look, as l like Russell Brands humour (most of the time) and am interested in the different views on drugs policy.  Although Russell did deflect some of the questions with humour, l would still rather that, than Hitchen's unswayable belief in his own self worth and righteousness.  With Brand being an ex addict, actor, author and articulate, of course he has a right to have his views heard, despite Hitchen's not thinking he should be.   I assume that Hitchen's thinks his own opinions are more important, because he is an author and columnist for the Daily Mail.  They already have history (see the second clip) and were never likely to agree to anything.  His brother Christopher was so much better, also opinionated, but you didn't want to slap him.

My own view is a mixture of theirs (or what l could gather theirs were).  I don't think locking people up will  deter people trying drugs or prevent  them becoming addicts, and if they become addicted, they should be treated with compassion, as they are ill, with a disease, and require help and assistance.  Saying that, l don't think methadone is a great solution either, as it's swapping one addiction for another, and is equally as (if not more) difficult to get off.  People will only quit when they are ready, but for me, it has to be through detoxing and support.   There can be all sorts of reasons for the initial taking of drugs (of any kind), and just because some are illegal, doesn't mean the takers do not deserve help.

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elvis is alive!

Looking through some old photographs on the computer, l came across this one.  What a classic - it's as if Elvis Presley himself is still alive.  This is the Elvis impersonator that we hired when we renewed our wedding vows in Las Vegas.  He was excellent, off his head giggling crazy, and getting stuck into the ceremony like he was full of beans, probably because he was also doing lines of cocaine in his office, so he had energy to spare (although the photograph catches him looking as though he is asleep).  The thing is, because The King himself was so nutty at the end, it was better for us to have somebody like this, as it added to the Vegas Sin City and Elvis madness, which was certainly the vibe we were going for.  It's not like we were angels ourselves at the time, and all of our (touring) party went out and got wrecked pretty much every day we were there.  Happy times indeed.   I wonder if this version of Elvis is still alive?   I'll have to dig out his website and check.

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giant 3d art in china

The Chinese twins Wan Yiju and Wan Yiheng have created the worlds largest piece of 3D art in Guangzhou,  Guangdong, which is 148,63 meters long. It only took them three months, painting for 10 hours a day.  More of their artwork is above, with thanxs to China Underground.  Those crazy kids - whatever next?

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at the caravan with the babies

What happens to the decking area when there are kids around

The crazy mother in law with Lauren and Cairan

Called in at the caravan at the weekend, and Robbo and Kerry bought Cairan along, to join Louise, Dazzer  and Lauren, so it was baby madness all the way.  Luckily there were also hotdogs, crisps, cheesecake and lager, so it wasn't that bad, plus l got to go to The Wine Bar for a while afterwards (unlike Robbo), so l could show off my chest wound.  Result!!

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london necropolis / brookwood cemetery

When l was last in that there London and waiting for a train back oop north, l was trying to remember where the old station was for the London Necropolis Railway, which used to be at Waterloo station, and took the dead of London out to Brookwood Cemetery in special trains.  I looked for it (and asked) around Victoria station, but no one had heard of it, and l later found it was actually at Westminster Bridge Road.  I forgot about this on my return, until l came across the book above, and the Brookwood Cemetery website.  Maybe l'm just morbid (or strange), but l would have been interested in seeing those trains in the past (but even l'm not that old).

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battle royale (2000) - kinji fukasaku

I didn't know what to expect from Battle Royale as a film.  I knew the story, but on settling down to watch it, myself and the FPO agreed we would give it half and hour or so, and if it turns out to be crap, we'd switch it off and watch something else instead.  There was no need to do that though, as this was funny, fast paced, easy to follow, and very (very) violent.
Japan is going to the dogs, and children don't respect their elders (amongst other things), so a school class is selected (without their knowledge) to go onto an  island that has been cleared of it's population, and fight each other to the death until there is only one survivor, who is then returned home.  They are drugged and taken there, given random weapons and provisions, and they have necklaces that explode if there is more than one person left after three days on the island.  Loyalties are tested, grievances are aired, and mayhem ensures.  Excellent stuff.

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untold stories - alan bennett

I was reading 'Untold Stories' by Alan Bennett a couple of weeks ago, but when l was steaming through it in the bath one evening after work (see what l did there), l fell asleep and dropped it in (obviously been working too hard).  The pages then became wet and enlarged (CALM DOWN) and l had to wait to dry them out before l could finish it.  This l  managed to do, and a fine read it was (l'm glad it wasn't my kindle).  There's a moving and interesting part at the beginning about his mother (and other family members) battle with severe depression, and about how he and his family dealt with it, plus an account later in the book about how he was attacked with his partner while strolling to the sea in Italy, and the way that was handled by the authorities.  The book also includes diaries, reproduced speeches, details of his cancer, plus lots, lots more.  Bennett is droll, and easy to caricature, but ultimately, an informative and funny writer.  I'm reading another one of his collections (Writing Home) at the moment, but so far, l prefer this book.  Top notch stuff, and if anybody wants a free waterlogged copy off it, they can have mine.

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civil war gunshot wounds (with mirrors!)

All of these poor sods were shot in the American Civil War, and had the gunshot go straight through their bodies and out the other side.  How can this be captured in a photograph?  With a mirror of course!  Now smile and say cheese, there's a good soldier.  OK then, don't smile, look pissed off.  That's it - ACTION!
More photos and information is at The Sterile Eye.

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