Ms. Marvel- TV Series Review (and Some Personal Reflections)

Ms. Marvel has become a pop culture icon and a voice for hope since her debut in 2013. Her status as the first Muslim character to headline a Marvel series was shared enthusiastically by some whilst others thought it tokenistic and ‘woke’. Irrespective of these divergent views, the comic series quickly became one of the industry’s bestselling titles because it was, quite simply, an excellent superhero comic book which was written with wit, pathos and heart.

I have all the graphic novels from the first series as well as the next.

Superhero stories featuring teenage characters are notoriously difficult to write for but to create a monthly comic with a teenage girl of faith was something nearly unheard of in mainstream comics, let alone the religion in focus being Islam. Islam features quite prominently in the comic series as Ms. Marvel, Kamala, is Muslim and as such it forms a major part of her narrative; it greatly influences her behavior and decision-making, adding tension to her life that doesn’t come from the more traditional sources like romantic interests or the masked super villain of the current story arc.

In a medium that has been pretty hegemonic in portraying powerful white heroes, the wave of real world representation in mainstream comics was exciting. The concept was explained well in the very first Ms. Marvel comic when Kamala first meets Captain America, Iron Man and Captain Marvel. She is surprised to hear them speak Urdu, but Captain Marvel replies,

"We are faith. We speak all languages of beauty and hardship."

This really struck me as powerful when I first read it.

This is a real nice touch that speaks to the universal humanity in us all, with the underrepresented now being represented in a medium supported by the diverse community invested in these characters.

And so, it was with quiet nervousness that I approached the Ms. Marvel television series shown on Disney+. I was excited but also had some trepidation about the series as there was media speculation that they had changed her origin story and altered her powers somewhat. Usually, when that happens you end up with a diluted dud product that pleases neither old fans or newbies. However, I needn't have worried; the 6 part series was excellent. The writing throughout the series felt grounded and relatable and there were very few moments that felt written by committee or by olds trying to sound hip and young. The cinematography was kinetic without being obnoxious and the Scott Pilgrim style animation flourished brought an energy and vibrancy to the show.

The actors were all clearly relishing their roles and brought their A-game to the party. Special mention must go to Iman Vellani who embodies the nerdy-goof-with-heart well. The rest of the cast are solid but Kamala's parents are worthy of special mention in their roles- bringing warmth and empathy into their respective roles.

The way the show handled the cultural aspects of the show was superb; some scenes were reminiscent of conversations that I had had with friends and family in my life. Integrating themes such as the Partition, Jinn, the "Illumin-"Aunties and life around the Mosque; these are things I've personally grown up around and something my parents and grandparents were heavily shaped by. Reading this you might think the show is grim-dark but it's a positive show which rails against the current media obsession with violence done in Islam's name. In much of Hollywood and mainstream Western media, the portrayal of Muslims is not usually positive; usually people in the faith are reduced to crazed terrorists, clownish thugs or menacing threats with no redeeming qualities. This is the first popular mainstream Western show that shows a Muslim family with integrity, respect and, most importantly, nuance. They're not angry, militant or suspicious but merely... people, with all the flaws and foibles entails with being part of the human race.

Living in South Devon, I am in the minority here and, on occasion I feel like the standard bearer for Muslims. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a role-model Muslim but I do my best to represent my religion and beliefs in the best possible light. This is my personal jihad, my struggle, which I hope to improve and get better each day and this is what Ms. Marvel television show encapsulates so well, being respectful of your cultural heritage but also living in the environment and society you were born into. Kamala has these struggles to balance her duties and her desires and the series shows this quite honestly. I feel a connection to the character of Ms. Marvel in the same way that Miles Morales speaks for another, often underrepresented or unfairly represented demographic.

Ms. Marvel and me.

Ms. Marvel and me.

The show deals with the suspicion Muslims are often treated with and the fact that the authorities are often monitoring them. The Department of Damage Control are antagonistic and seem to be wary of these new superheroes, not because they have great power but because they're the 'wrong’ type of people. It reminds me of a scene in the Ms. Marvel graphic novel 'Mecca' where Kamala's brother, Aamir, placed in detention after being accused of not conforming to 'societal norms'. It's a powerful scene as he explains how, just because he is brown and wears traditional dress, he isn't to blame for all the ills in the world but because he stands out, it’s easy to target people like him. This storyline was in direct response to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency's policy of separating children form their parents at the border, an extremely controversial policy.

I'm thankful that Marvel Studios have creating a comic character that speaks truth to power, something I'd normally have to go to indie comics to find. The fact that such subjects have been broached by the biggest comic company and in one of the most popular series in the world is heartening. The fact that they translated this emotive topic onto a mainstream show is astonishing and brave; there is a sea change in the representation of people of colour and that has been long overdue.

Art is of its time but it can have a long-lasting cultural and societal impact on the world. By encouraging a sense of community and a forum for discussion change can occur. The Ms. Marvel television series and comics are an excellent medium for showing or even introducing that change. The show is aimed at tweens and teens but hey, as a man in my early 40s, I enjoyed the show and I think many of you will too. Don't sleep on this show guys, it's marvellous!

Anyways, below are the thoughts I noted down as I watched the shows weekly. Be aware, there are spoilers henceforth:

Episode 1

When Kamala wants to go to Avengercon and her mum says "There'll be a lot of haraam there" it reminded me of when I wanted to go clubbing in my late teens, because I truly loved trance and dance music, and knew this would be the response I'd get. Also, when Kamala brought up the unfairness between the ways her Muslim brother is given more freedom than her and she questions it I remember conversations with my family about the rights of my sister to choose her own destiny.
The shopping scene was hilarious as I remember from my youth, travelling to numerous shops to get the groceries and getting a Mr. Juicy carton of drink if we were good at the end of it from a shop.

Episode 2
When Kamala is trying out her powers and she is eating out at a halal van with the sign outside it rang true from experiences I've had.
The rush with Nakia to get to the mosque, hurriedly do wudu and pray hit hard as I remember doing that for Friday Jummah prayers during the holidays.
When the prayer starts and the Imam starts the recitation I had tingles down my spine as this is the Islam I know and love, not the one most commonly shown in media with violence and atrocities with shouts of 'Allahuakhbar' that tarnish that beautiful word.
When Kamala is in the car with Kamran and they name drop Baazigar, DDLJ and SRK I knew they weren't simplifying the series for the mass audience, if you knew you knew and if you didn't you could always Google it.
The dinner conversation about Partition rang true as I know it affected my family who live in the Pakistani Punjab, an area near the Indian border.
The Eid Mela celebrations were cool and even though I didn't go to many at all, I know they were a huge part of many of my Muslim friends' celebrations, which usually happened in Barking Park.
I loved the 'Illumin-aunties' gag and died at the idea that they gossip and know everything.

Episode 3
When the djinn are mentioned I had shivers down my spine as they are known as tricksters and spirits with often unknowable intent.
The self-seveil of the Islamic community by law enforcement rang true and brought up some anger as it led to toxic conversations online when it became a discussed thing years ago.
The bit where Sheikh Abdullah drops the "Good is not a thing you are. It's a thing you do' line I just about lost it. It's so powerful yet so true.
When Kamala's mum discusses the dream she and her husband have of coming to America and then the hardships they faced, it was so honest. I know my dad spoke of the hardships he and his father faced when they came to England in the 70s to start a life and bring their family over.
The choreographed Bollywood dance was cute and, whilst my family weddings were usually a lot more staid, I know a couple of friends who had attended more raucous ones (including mine which was a bit rave-y with old school 90s trance and dance).
The Kamala vs. Djinn battle scene in the kitchen reminded me of the Jurassic Park kitchen scene and was proper tense.
When 'Allahu Akhbar' is said in praise at the end of a wedding it was heartening as the phrase most often been associated with terrible acts of terrorism and criminality in much of the news here in England recently.

Episode 4
The passengers on the plane ignoring the stewardesses appeals to sit back down as the plane lands is exactly what I've experienced travelling into Asian hubs.
The way they portrayed the modern and past history of Pakistan was fascinating as you saw the posh eateries and the busy streets of Karachi, it really showed the juxtaposition of the country.
The 'Come with me if you want to love' quote was hilarious.
The Partition train station scene was heartbreaking as you see the chaos sewn by the Mountbatten Plan.

Episode 5
The vintage Marvel opening was mwah *Chef's kiss*
The opening news footage from the time showing the bloody consequences of the Partition are shocking to watch as it really humanises what is usually glossed over on the history books her in England.
The love story between the great grandmother and great grandfather was sweet and had the usual Bollywood tropes; beautiful cinematography, poems, roses and wah oh wah, kya dialogue!
The drama at the train station was intense and proper emotional.
The wibbly wobbly time wimey stuff was great but the lost kid part gave me palpitations; as a father of two young girls it's one of my worst nightmares.
The three generations of the Khan women bonding after the truth is out is amazing. It warmed the heart and got a big whoop of joy from me.

Episode 6
The 'classic Khan gossip train' bit was awesome as we know that the Pakistani community gossip spreads faster than the Internet.
The part where the family join together to tell Kamala how proud they are of her having powers and doing good is awesome-really heartwarming.
I love that her mum made the Ms. Marvel costume, it reminds me of the old ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ clip where the granny states 'I can make it cheaper.'
Speaking of the costume, I know some hate it but I thought it was cool as it speaks to Kamala's heritage and the deepening of her bond with her mum. Also the logo is from the broken necklace from the episode before... Tres cool.
Nakia's (probably correct perception) that every mosque in America was under surveillance from every security agency (as well as the sanitation department) rang oh so true.
The 'halal' and 'haram' hats were funny as heck.
I love the A-Team style plan to escape from the Feds as it means a team-up with all of Kamala's friends and family.
The Home Alone-ing of the feds was fun.
Embiggen- that is all.
The X-men 97 theme song was amazing and opens up a whole new would.... Potentially.

The Midnight Library and the Idea That You Can't Go Home Again.

This Easter I went back to Barking, my hometown, to spend some time with my parents, siblings, family and friends. It was a long old drive from South Devon to East London so I thought I'd listen to an audio book using my Audible subscription. I listened to The Midnight Library by Mike Haig, a modern version of It’s a Wonderful Life or, to be a little more modern, Sliding Doors (That was over 20 years ago and hardly constitutes 'modern'. Also, with was before Paltrow went all 'Earth mother' and Goop eggs on us so quite a while ago- Ed.)

Anyways, The Midnight Library is all about the various choices and opportunities we face and the paths we take. It seemed apt as I was staying with my family in the family home for the first time in 11 years. I've changed a lot in that time; married, learned to drive, had 2 kids, travelled and worked across the world and come back to Britain again. I've also gained a few pounds around the belly, lost a little more off top but I’m content really.

Arriving in Barking and parking up outside the family house, things didn't seem to have changed that much; the house had had a recent lick of paint but the streets seemed same old, same old. After seeing my parents briefly, I went into town with my dad and saw the scale of change; Barking had really become developed. So much of the old local council estate (the infamous Gascoigne Estate) was now low rise apartments and building sites of riverside abodes. The shops mainly constituted barbers, hairdressers, fast food places and mobile phone shops but also there was a Costa and Starbucks so obviously this town was changing with some city types moving in.

Barking has changed a lot over the past 10 years or so.

The library, which had been a formative part of my childhood and teenage years, was nearly unrecognisable to me as it had turned into one of those hybrid book lending/ study areas mixed with council functions such as PIP processing and police station mixes... A weird combo to be sure. It was busy but had the soulless strip lighting and jagged brightly coloured furniture of an office block. I had been living in Barking when it had changed but over the past 10 years the library seemed to have shrunk and the building seemed to be a veritable Swiss-Army knife of functions and rooms.

I then walked down Barking Road, past East Ham and Upton Park and, again, the sheer number of flats and apartments that had been knocked down with new ones going up was astonishing. So much was being built but the town itself had changed little with Queen’s Market given a coat of paint but looking generally the same as usual.

Walking back to Barking, I was reflecting on my walk and the Midnight Library about how we have life choices and chances and whether we would change anything if given the opportunity. Thinking about this multiverse of possibilities I'd say that, even though things haven't always worked out, I don't think I'd change anything as our journey leads us to where we are now and with that comes challenges but also the realisation that personal growth and life choices and chances gave us the potential ability to alter our future path.

I walked past the ghosts of my youth- shops, streets and houses- and thought of my old friends. I hadn't thought about some of them for so long because, well, life gets in the way. I speak to some but many others, well, we drifted away. I think this walk underlined a deep truth; relationships that run their course are not necessarily failures, another person can change your life without remaining a permanent part of it. People can leave an imprint on us, acting as a catalyst for (re) discovering something about ourselves. That's what makes life so interesting and powerful; our evolution as people.

Rise of the Videogame Zinesters : How Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives Are Taking Back an Art Form by Anna Anthropy- Book Review

I started this website in 2013 for a couple of reason; to show my passion for video games and share my thought but also to move the conversation forward on gaming culture. I found that often there was a culture of insularity among many gaming sites, often only covering the big AAA titles. I wanted to cover the weird, quirky, strange and fringe games from the point of view of an educationalist, a teacher, as well as an enthusiast and gamer. I thought, and still think, that some games can be used as a contextual hub for learning. There were a few sites and books that I have found along the way that I feel move the conversation forward and allow the marginalised and non-mainstream to share their views but for the most part these were under-represented. Now it is much easier to find diverse, personal and insightful writing about video games from the perspective of an often underrepresented audience. I have found many articles that have spoken to me and pieces that have made me think about games and gaming culture at a higher level.

Books about videogames

I love reading about videogames.

Games can deliver sophisticated social and political commentary and many game makers are acutely aware of this, creating forums, website and safe spaces for these conversations and flow of ideas to occur.

I recently read the much lauded ‘Rise of the Videogame Zinesters : How Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives Are Taking Back an Art Form’ by Anna Anthropy and even though it is nearly a decade old, some of the topics and issues it covers are still relevant.

Even though it is over a decade old, this book still covers quite a lot of still relevant themes and ideas.

It's book is a quick journey through the videogame timeline as well as a manifesto for inspiring DIY game-making. The main thrust of the book is that videogames are easier to make than ever and that they are great way to share your ideas in a dynamic way. Through her own personal journey, she recounts the issues she’s had along the way and the barriers often put up by the bigger companies who often play it safe with the iterative games they often make.

The book was a great read, highlighting issues that still persist nearly 10 years after the book was made; lack of positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community, lack of diversity in appointments in the upper echelons of the big AAA companies and generally the abundance of violence in the most popular franchises. She also presciently discusses toxic workplace environments with abuse and mismanagement, crunch and the lack of security within the industry. All this was before the #Gamergate and #MeToo movement and Anthropy called it before it reached mainstream.

I’m glad that much of what she discusses has moved on with the Indie boom allowing more exciting and innovative games with a wider voice being carried but some of the more toxic elements covered still remains.

Overall, the book is well worth a read and might inspire you to make that one great game you always dreamed of. Also, it might inspire you to try new games and genres and engage with things you don’t know about or understand. Videogames have the power to open our minds to new experiences and change the way we see the world.

LINK- The Offworld Collection

LINK- Nintendo: My One True Gaming Constant

LINK- The Unofficial NES/ Famicom Compendium

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

Disrupting the Game: From the Bronx to the Top of Nintendo by Reggie Fils-Aimé- Book Review

When I heard that Reggie Fils-Aimé, former COO of Nintendo of America, was writing a book I was really excited. Nintendo is quite a secretive company and we don't get much from them which isn't slickly PR-ed, produced or designed by committee. I thought with Reggie's book we might get more of an insight into their creative process and some stories behind its successes (Wii, DS and Switch) as well as its relative failures (Wii U And Game Cube). I wasn't expecting a 'tell all' or scandalous book but some candour and insight into Nintendo's approach. Instead, what we get is a book that is a "business memoir" and not an autobiography per se. We get a distillation of key moments in Reggie's career and life and the lessons learned along the way. Reggie ends each section with some takeaways and business lessons but, again, they are pretty broad and commonsensical as "learn from your mentors" to "formulate your goals clearly." Not terribly insightful but very business 101, if that's your thing. We get a little Nintendo but not that much so if that was what you were looking for, this isn't the book for you.

The books starts off on a very heavy note with Reggie attending Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata's funeral. It's deeply personal and pulls the reader in. We learn about how the two butted heads initially but over time grew to appreciate each others skill sets and opinions.

It then tracks Reggie’s educational record and the various businesses he turned his hand to including Proctor and Gamble and Pizza Hut. The common thread is of disrupting the norms and being innovative and inclusive.

The section when he joins Nintendo is interesting as Reggie discusses how his constant questioning of his potential superiors in the Nintendo role could have led to him being removed at the interview stage but they liked his unorthodox, humanistic approach and how this would change the paradigm at the company, which was traditionally hierarchical and old fashioned in its approach. They liked it so much that they hired him.

There are highlight such as behind the scenes at the legendary 2004 E3 where Reggie was ready to kick butt and take names, the story behind packing in Wii Sports with the Wii and the success of the DS and also, after an initial hiccup, the 3DS. However, the Wii U is not shown much love and is glossed over. This is not a breakdown of what went well and what didn't but cherry picked analogies and examples which show Reggie in the best possible light. Obviously, Reggie wants to show his best side but some more real insight would have been useful. The Switch plan is discussed and the resurrection of Nintendo as the leader of disruption is interesting to hear.

It ends of Reggie's, at time of writing, work with toy company Spin Master and Gamestop. He also talked about giving back to the community and the lectures he give at university. His 5 life principles are light touched upon:
1. What happens to you is up to you,
2. Life is hard but dig deep,
3. Be open to alternatives,
4. Embrace your fear, and
5 live in the moment and have some fun along the way.

The book is a good read but not groundbreaking as it is very corporate. However, the good stuff, the more anecdotal tales comes at the bonus Interview section when Reggie talks to Geoff Keighley. Here we learn about the legendary 2004 E3, Mother 3, the Regginator and the Muppet stuff. It has the feel of a podcast with all its fly-on-the-wall chatting and this is what I was looking for. Reggie is more candid and we get a much deeper view behind the curtain at his work at Nintendo.

Overall, this is an interesting and enjoyable book which is very readable; it is very business focused and the biography part of Reggie's life fits around this. Reggie ends on a positive note with a push for enjoying life and living for the moment.

LINK- Nintendo: My One True Gaming Constant

LINK- The Unofficial NES/ Famicom Compendium

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

The Prophet by Khalil Gibran- Book Review

Whilst browsing through Audible I saw that the book ‘The Prophet’ by Khalil Gibran was available. The title intrigued me and reading the blurb my interest was piqued further. Add in the fact that it was read by Riz Ahmed, an actor and activist I really admire, and it was a no-brainer. I plumped for it, listening to it in one go which is no big deal as it clocked in at just under 2 hours.

The book is made up of 26 prose poems, delivered as sermons by a wise man called Al Mustapha. He is about to set sail for his homeland after 12 years in exile on a fictional island when the people of the island ask him to share his wisdom on the big questions of life: love, family, work and death. And so, in the course of the runtime, we get earnest and heartfelt universal truths about the human condition. The book speaks to people at different stages of their lives. It has this magical quality in the more you read it the more you come to understand the words and relate them to yourself and your own experiences.

I very much enjoyed the book as it wasn't as trite as ‘The Alchemist ‘or as psycho-babblish as many other books that try to achieve that ‘spiritual’ vibe without being too cheesy. In fact, the author I found it most similar to was Sandor Marai, whose work ‘Embers’ remains one of the most beautifully written works I’ve ever had the pleasure to read.

I loved the fact that Gibran's work is not filled with any mainstream faith dogma but is open to everyone, irrespective of their background; the writing is not moralistic but rather universally spiritual. It can help us consider our own view of the world and for those who choose to interpret it as such, it reaches for the light of truth and God.

This book is an immersive and engaging read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a philosophical read.

How to be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Mike Schur- Book Review

How to be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question is a book by acclaimed sitcom writer Mike Schur. I loved Schur's work on Parks and Rec and The Good Place, the show that really got me switched back on to philosophy. I had studied Anthropology at university but have always had an interest in the human condition, the reason why we are here and all the other light fluffy stuff that makes me such a great conversationalist at parties. However, the idea of reading thousands of years of philosophy and ethics is daunting so, as well as reading some books recently by Ernest Becker, Rumi and Noam Chomsky to get myself caught up, it's wonderful to have a distillation of thousands of years of moral philosophy and ethics in one handy tome. What made it more appealing was the idea that with Schur you knew it was going to be funny but also inherently humanist, like his sitcom work and indeed it proved to be so.

Schur uses his wordplay and storytelling skills to entertain all the while explaining the complex world of philosophy and the thoughts of great thinkers including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mills and T. M. Scanlon, as well as the not so great thinkers like Ayn Rand and right wing Libertarians. He also explains, in approachable layman's terms, concepts like Utilitarianism, Deontology, Existentialism, Humanism and Contractualism.

All through the book, Schur presents us with moral quandaries and then uses each philosophical school to explain how they would deal with the issue. Some of these issues are absolutely real world and important such as 'Should I consume the media produced by a terrible person?' whilst others are more more ethical questions which won't rock the world but are probably questions you've asked yourself like 'Should I return my shopping trolley when I've used it? (Even though I'm in the car park and the trolley park is wayyy over there).

Schur also looks at several concepts and methods which some people utilise to help justify their actions in the world such as the idea of moral credit, whereby doing good builds up points to offset the bad deeds. I’ve recently learned that Jimmy Saville believed in, which is why he did so much charity work whilst abusing children, so it’s probably not a concept you want to stick with. Schur also examines the way people apologise and how it has now become seen as a sign of weakness to apologise sincerely without the 'I'm sorry if you're offended' non-apology. He believes that an apology should be sincere and honest rather than forced and performative and I agree. What use is a false apology?

Overall, I really enjoyed the book as Schur doesn't judge and he also considers his privilege. He discusses how people's life choices, chances and just plain dumb luck affect our philosophical bent. As he says, he has been dealt the 'easy' mode with his life as regards his race, gender, upbringing and education so its refreshing to hear someone is such a privileged position speak about this-often many present it as 'Hard work' and 'effort' which it is to an extent but a nod to the privileges should be noted. He gives the example of Michael Jordan who is rightly so a legend, but also he is 6 foot 5, was born in America to supportive parents and didn't have to worry about food, floods, famine etc. affecting his life whereas someone in another country might.

Schur ends the book with a coda to his own two children where he briefly talks about how life is challenging but the best we can do is our, well best. By using the moral philosophy tools available to us and looking at scenarios through various ways we can make an informed decision about what type of person we want to be in a society made up of nearly 8 billion people. The Greeks said it best with "Know thyself" and "Nothing in excess" and it's pretty spot on.

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- Mario Odyssey- Video Games As Art

LINK- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice- Video Games As Art

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

Chocky- Cult TV Series Review

I have a penchant for cult TV series from the 70s and 80s and, having watched quite a few of these serials, what I find holds up the most are the shows with an economy of design. Often, it is the simple production designs, sparing use of music and often the silences that create the moments of tension that bring many of these classic productions much acclaim. Even though I never watched them at the time, programmes like 'The Stone Tapes' and 'Children of the Stones' had stood the test of time and I found them incredibly watchable today with no nostalgia attached. The excellent writing and characterisation brought these works to life and it is no wonder that many of these series have left a lasting impression on the generations that watched them as a result.

The works of British sci-fi author John Wyndham have often been turned into movies and television series. I was aware of his work due to my father having read ‘Day of the Triffids’ back in the 70s when he was in school but I never had read any of his works. I watched the 1980s BBC Triffids series and found it enjoyable as his kitchen sink drama mixed with a sense of dread made his work instantly engaging. Wyndham also authored 'The Midwich Cuckoo' (which the ‘Village of the Damned’ series of movies is based on) and 'The Chrysalids,' which I read recently. I was less aware of his final written work, Chocky, but had heard that the Thames Television 6 part TV series was worth a watch and so, after liking his previous work, I watched the show. Was it worth my time?

Chocky, follows the tales of a young boy named Matthew (excellently played by Andrew Ellams) who develops a friendship with Chocky, however this friend is imaginary... or is it? Eager to find out if this imaginary friend may not be a figment of his imagination but rather an intergalactic intruder, the fraught parents seek advice in whether the presence is benign or malign and it turns their world upside down.

It's an interesting premise as it sounds very much like the demonic possession story trope that was popular in the 80s but actually it is much more nuanced than that; it is a tale about relationships. It could have been overacted and the drama could have escalated to ridiculous proportions but generally it is the growing bond between Chocky and Matthew as well as the familial bonds between Matthew and his father (ably and sympathetically played by James Hazeldine). Rather than panic, like the mother (again, wonderfully played by Carol Drinkwater), the father seeks to understand Chocky and seeks advice. This isn't to say that the mother figure is presented as a harridan or scold but rather she is concerned as even friendly possession is possession and so, frightening to witness in your child.

I thoroughly enjoyed the programme and loved the way the family dealt with this existential threat to their unit in a plausible and sympathetic way rather than descending into histrionics and melodrama. Wyndham is a quintessential British sci-fi storyteller, with his less is more and subtle approach. Chocky is wonderful stuff which brings back waves of 80s nostalgia; the hair, the fashion, the transport and the shops. Make no mistake, this is a Cold War inspired film about an alien host but this is one about mutual respect and understanding rather than blowing each other to oblivion. With a heartfelt message like that Wyndham’s final tale is one of hope and reconciliation. One we could heed in these interesting times.

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- Mario 3D World- Videogames As Art

LINK- The Last Guardian- Video Games As Art

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

Kirby and the Forgotten Land- Videogames As Art

I'm a big fan of Nintendo and this is mostly due to a mix of nostalgia but also its craftmanship in creating wonderful family games. After completing Super Mario 3D World and Yoshi’s Crafted World, my daughters and I were looking for our next game and Kirby and the Forgotten Land seemed to fit the bill. It is cute and 2 players so we could do the old life or level controller swaparoo!

We loved the game and completed it, taking about 15 or so hours to get through the main missions and many of the mini-games. My daughters got very trigger happy on photo-mode so I went through the game in parallel to take the screenshots. It’s gorgeous and well worth a play.

It Was The Time of the Seasons/Series

Back in the day, before satellite telly and streaming services, there were only 4 channels on British television; BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV and Channel 4. There were films available on VHS for rental and this was important as films often took a few years to reach terrestrial TV. You'd know films would be arriving soon on the channel as they'd advertise the blooming heck out of it, often several months before it would be shown. The sense of collective excitement was palpable in the playground when a big movie had been shown the previous night and everyone would role play or act out their favourite scenes from the movie. A hugely formative film was The Goonies as, when that was shown on telly on a school night, it was all anyone would talk about the next day. The showings of these formative movies were few and far between though and so we'd savour these shining moments between repeats of old variety shows and stuffy documentaries.

However, there were magical times when someone at the channels would clock on that by running special seasons of themed movies or shows they'd have a repeat viewership.

As a child of the 80s, there'd always be the Summer block of cartoons with The Raccoons, Mysterious Cities of Gold, Belle and Sebastian and Around the World in 80 Days with Willie Fogg. These were halcyon days when the Summer seemed to stretch on forever and there seemed to be a world of endless possibilities, after the 4 hours of early morning cartoons, of course!

However, away from the 6 weeks holiday animation bliss, the most memorable staple of my childhood would be the Bond Season. For most of my childhood, without fail, ITV would show the movies in a weekly run on Wednesday evenings. Other seasons would be the Carry On films on ITV, The Laurel and Hardy seasons on BBC 2, the Ray Harryhausen collection on BBC1 and the swords and sandals epics of Ben Hur, The 10 Commandments, The Greatest Story Ever Told on Channel 4 around Easter time. Then, in the mid-90s, the manga and anime season on late night Channel 4 really upped the ante on edgy late night entertainment. With the prevalence of Sky TV I remember late night Bravo having an amazing season of Hammer Horror in the late 90s/ early 2000s with classics like The Witch Finder General, Masque of the Red Death and other classic Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee films showing.

I have a lot of affection for this time as it was very formative for me. It introduced a lot of new actors, films and genres that I had never experienced before and broadened my horizons on what entertainment could mean. This was very much the epitome of appointment television as VHS recorders were a fickle and arcane piece of technology, one where I could watch films just fine but getting it to record at a scheduled time was a matter of luck. In this day of convenience and streaming, there is something to be said for the collective watching at an appointed time for media, something that only really exists in the world of sport. Don’t get me wrong, we have been going through a golden age of television and I wouldn’t want to go back to past televisual practices but it’s interesting to see the evolution of television, films and how there is channel drift.

LINK- Stonehenge Exhibition at the British Museum Website

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Inspector Gadget Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

The World of Stonehenge at the British Museum- Exhibition Review

Being British, Stonehenge has always been a huge part of our collective consciousness. When I studied Anthropology at university over 20 years ago, I did a semester on Stonehenge and dove deep into its various symbolism and meanings with one of the leading lecturers from the time, Lionel Sims. I had never seen the stone circle until I drove past it for the first time in 2009, off to meet the prospective in-laws. It didn't look that awe inspiring from the A303 on the grey winters day but I knew that there was power in those stones and this exhibition wanted to show this. The achievement of these Neolithic ancients is often overlooked in favour of the Egyptian pyramids or Mesopotamian state building and mathematics but Stonehenge and other such monuments in the British vista were cleverly conceived and executed. Stonehenge aligns to sunrise on the winter solstice, showcasing the mathematical prowess of these peoples but that seems to be forgotten in light of other achievements across the world.

The exhibition, which runs at the British Museum from 17 Feb 2022 - 17 Jul 2022, seeks to rehabilitate the opinion of these 'primitive' people but that is quite the achievement without the stones of the hour being present. The megalithic structures are obviously still in residence in Wiltshire but what we get instead is a smorgasbord of 430 artefacts in their stead. The items are not just from Britain but cover Neolithic life across Europe as there is evidence of trade and cooperation. Through a chronological process we learn of the hunter-gatherer communities in Europe using hewn stone hand axes to chop down trees and start to gain a mastery over the land. The communal meals and collaboration feeding their spiritual need to connect with each other and nature. This commune created a solid and strong sense of belonging and connection.

Stonehenge Exhibition at the British Museum

The sunstone is a stunning piece of carved artwork from Italy and is thought to be around 4500 years old!

We see the elaborate carvings and grave goods that shaped their spiritual outlook of the world and the belief in spirits in nature, and, of course, their deep veneration of the Sun and Moon. The 2500 BC carved sunstone from Italy is a true highlight showing the people and animals having a procession around the sun. Having it near the beginning of the exhibition shows the true value the peoples placed upon community and kinship. In fact, the whole first part of the exhibition showed the power of kinship and the power of shamanism connected this to the natural world.

The 4000 year old remnants of a meal, which showed the cooperation between hunter-gatherer communities and the first farmers, is a powerful touch that showed shifting communities. It was also at this time that we saw more ornate burials as individualism and power of the individual came to the fore.

The most impressive moment for me was Seahenge, a monument made of wood that had to be removed from its Norfolk seashore home to preserve it. It was discovered in 1998 and returns here like a phoenix, the aged wooden columns standing in the perfectly lit twilight be-lying its 4000 year vintage. This curious creation brings the outside in in a stroke of powerful liminality.

The next part of the exhibition looks at the origin of metal working in Britain and the profound change it brought about, from creating tools to jewelry. There was a profound shift in developing a more complex model of the cosmos and the new artistic flourishes, patterns and designs shows this. In this part of the exhibition we have one of the most beautiful artefacts of note, the controversial Nebra Disc from Germany. It was found by illegal treasure hunters and was taken by the authorities and examined. Its provenance is questioned, with some stating it to be Iron Age but others claiming it is older, but the piece itself is stunning. It offers a map of the night sky with the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) twinkling between the sun and a crescent moon. The turquoise green background is vividly set against the golden embellishments. It is stunning and shows the sheer craftsmanship at work and appreciation and understanding of the solar cycle.

The final section looks at how the influence of Europe affected the culture in England as the Beaker People from the Netherlands brought along their own values, such as burials with goods and burials within Stonehenge. The trading of goods and the exchanging of ideas and values led to conflict and the beginning of empires in Europe but the shared legacy remained.

I walked away from the exhibition profoundly moved and touched by the humanity in what I had seen. The sense of connection of people making their way in the hostile world through community, understanding and love was inspiring and still resonated over the millennia.

The World of Stonehenge at the British Museum

As the sun set at the end of the exhibition I felt enlightened and heightened.

Disenchantment Part 3- Series Review

And so we get to part 3 of Disenchantment, a series with promise that hasn’t quite hit its stride yet… despite nearly 20 episodes. After 2 seasons/ parts, I was not invested in the characters as they hadn't been developed enough and the stories, while fine, were just not interesting enough overall. Would part 3 be able to change my mind?

Well, at the end of the previous season Bean was apparently burned at the stake for being a witch. However, she was actually saved by Queen Dagmar and holed her up in an underground cavern system populated by strange and horny elf like creatures called Trøgs. We see Bean, Elfo and Luci try to adapt to life in this strange new world.

Meanwhile, above ground the nefarious Odval is planning his Machiavellian scheme to replace King Zøg with his more incompetent and malleable son Derek. This is the main thrust of the season as we see Derek growing from a naive Ralf Wiggum-like character into a more confident teen by adventuring into the woods and going on a Walkabout to 'find himself'.

Derek's journey of self-discovery is well handled, as is Bean's adventure in Steamland but it feels like the show is treading water. There are a few moments of growth and plot development but the show feels flabby. At times it reminded me of Lost in that there were some episodes where nothing of consequence happened at all and the moments of emotion just felt tacked on. Elfo falls in love with a boat, Bean falls for a mermaid, Zog is relieved to find that Bean is alive again yet these don't resonate as they feel clunky and inconsequential to the plot and characters as a whole. This is a shame as this season has really started to develop the characters further but again, it just feels flat. Luci is barely there and says little of consequence whilst Elfo is the emotional punch bag.

I feel the show has a kind of identity crisis as it want to be edgy with a sense of insouciance but it falls flat. I'll watch the whole run of the show as I don't think it'll go for much longer but I do feel it's been given more than a fair chance but hasn't taken the opportunity to shine. It's a shame as we are living in a real golden age of animation and many better series have been cancelled yet this frustrating one remains.

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Carmen Sandiego- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom- Cult TV Series Review

I was ill a couple of weeks ago, nothing serious mind you, but I was having some strange fever dreams. Suddenly, a few images came to mind; some pearls, a tea pot, some theatre style backgrounds and a weird witch with a strange cadence to her voice. Waking up I tried to make sense of it all and realised that I'd been dreaming about a television programme from my youth. Yup, I'd been dreaming about T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom.

I loved the show as a kid and it was an enjoyable watch even now

I hadn't thought about the show for many years and, looking back with hindsight, it's a strange show now and was weirder even in my youth. The tale of a magic teapot, a tea plant that grants powers, a boy names T.Shirt who works in an old junk shop and is her tea caddy and a little girl seeking various macguffins over a myriad of Mario World locations is a strange story but it was all so... enjoyable.

Researching it, I found that there were 9 series and 4 specials but Pearls of Wisdom (series 5 I think) was the one I remembered the most as it had the girl I remembered and saw years later in sitcom The Upper Hand, Kellie Bright. However there were a few beforehand with a different protagonist and antagonist but the story was much the same, just a different macguffin to collect.

I looked for it online and saw that some kind soul had put the entire series on YouTube. Watching it over the course of the day, I have to say that I found the whole thing wonderfully nostalgic but also highly entertaining in a pantomime kind of way. The jokes about the flea circus, 'mind the cat', broken mirror curses, 'hopping mad', are all very cheesy and sweet in just the right way. The show is cheaply made but the matt art paintings are beautiful and the theatre style broad acting was immediately intriguing. The new setting each week kept the show fresh and interesting and watching in one go I loved the set dressing and costumes.

Over the several episodes we see Sally travel to the Wild West, Scotland, Victorian England, 1800s century British navy ship, Ancient Egypt, Merry England and Beau Geste era Morocco. It's pretty much a fetch quest in that she wants the pearls but has to jump through some hoops to get them in a fair and ethical manner.

It's a very British show as I don't think any other country would get away with so many tea based puns but it's wholesome, gentle and very 80s/ early 90s . Finding out about the actors I could see that they hailed from my part of the woods with T-shirt coming from Barking (my neck of the woods) , T-bag from Ilford and Sally from Brentwood... all very local.

I'm much better now and back at work but if I tried to explain to someone who hadn't seen the show or heard of it the premise, I think they'd still think I was unwell and fevered.

Yoshi's Crafted World- Videogames As Art

I'm a big fan of Nintendo and a huge part is due to their creativity and uniqueness in creating wonderful gaming experiences that you can play with your family. After completing Super Mario 3D World, my daughters and I were looking for our next game and Yoshi's Crafted World appealed to them due to its cute aesthetic. The art style takes a leaf out of the Kirby's Epic Yarn game in that everything in the game is made from craft materials such as bottles, cups, straws, cardboard and cans.

The sheer creativity and wealth of ideas on show is crazy. The little mini-game stages, where you are in a plane, piloting a giant robo-Yoshi or riding Poochie, pop up every now and then and add to the variety of gameplay. It's a gorgeous game and its soft fluffy look belies a challenging collectathon for those who like that kind of thing. I'm a platform fan and this game definitely scratched that itch, even if I wasn’t bothered in collecting the 600+ smily flowers. Check out the screenshots from my playthrough!

House of Ashes- Videogames As Art

Supermassive Games has its oeuvre in narrative driven horror tropes games, the studio being most know for fan-favourite Until Dawn. They continued this style of work on in the Dark Pictures Anthology series and the first part, Man of Medan came out to mixed reviews, some liking the story but not the characters and visa versa. I enjoyed the game enough but it didn’t blow me away, although the central mystery was pretty interesting. I played the second game, Little Hope, and thought that it was an okay experience but not as good as their previous work.

So, it was with some sense of trepidation that I approached the third game in the series 'House of Ashes.' The reviews had been more favourable to this game with some claiming that it was the studio's best game since Until Dawn.

Over the course of a couple of days, I have to say that I enjoyed my 6 or so hour playtime. The story was intriguing and I like how they didn't shy away from the horrors of the invasion of Iraq. The characters were more nuanced and the Iraqi backdrop was beautifully realised with the Sumerian ruins being gorgeously portrayed. In terms of gameplay its the usual QTE stuff and dialogue tree choices but it's all pretty typical of Supermassive Games. Below are screenshots of my playthrough.

The Green Knight- Film Review

I have fond memories of the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I vividly recall a teacher, Mr. Mathias, reading a version to my year 6 class back in the 80s as we were studying Arthurian legends.

The tale itself is an intriguing one, set in Arthurian legend times. On Christmas Day, the Green Knight, a creature made of wood, plants and nature, arrives and sets a challenge, for one of the knights to lay a blow and to receive the same blow a year later. Gawain, foolish in his youth, lops off the creatures head and finds to his astonishment that the creature lives, retrieves his head and restates the challenge to be complete one year hence. And so Gawain must travel far and wide to find his way to the Green Chapel to receive a reciprocal blow.

Wow, what a tale! At the time I remember being enthralled and the art in the book was stunning, as was the Loathely Lady follow up book by the same author, Selina Hastings and artist, Juan Wijingaard.

This book is one of my favourites and is an excellent interpretation of the legend.

When I heard there was a film adaptation I was excited as it’s the quintessential Heroes Journey. However, I'd heard that this version was a deeply meditative film rather than a swords and sandals epic like the Harryhausen films of old or the scale and grandeur of Lord of the Rings. Due to this I think some people were disappointed as they were expecting more action but when I heard that it starred Dev Patel in the main role as Gawain I was intrigued as he is a brilliant actor who is very nuanced and powerful in the roles he plays. Also, being a fan of a lot of art house and European cinema I went in knowing that it would be a slower paced film and so it proved. Patel portrays a deeply flawed yet human Gawain who feels the pressure to achieve as he is the nephew of the great King Arthur. The problem is he doesn’t act or speak in a knightly way, foregoing the Code of Chivalry each of King Arthur's Knights swore which included lofty ideals such as: protecting the weak and defenseless, obeying those placed in authority, and always speaking the truth, bravery, courtesy, honour and great gallantry toward women.

After watching the film I had a strange sense of nostalgia, even though it was a brand new film. After a few days ruminating upon it I think I have an idea of what the feeling was; it reminded me of late 90s/ early 2000s Bravo Channel. Please, bare with me on this aside. The channel would air some curious cult film that had deeply ethereal feels and long moments of quiet where the gorgeous scenery and silence would wash over you, often they were the more salacious films of 60s and 70s European cinema, often in the horror genre but not always. Don't get me wrong, this is not a cheaply made or looking film, or salacious at all, but it feels so experimental yet deliberate. This film looks absolutely beautiful and is well watching on that basis alone, however the story is intriguing and the ending is something special. I just can't describe the feeling but the film is kind of Lynchian in the feeling of unease it create.

The Green Knight

The film is sumptuously shot.

Anyways, I loved the film and I think its one of the finest pieces of cinema I've seen for many years. It's not for everyone but then it doesn’t need to be; it fills that niche arthouse cinema so well without trying. I do hope people will give it a chance and it finds it’s rightful place as an all-time classic

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- Twin Peaks Retrospective

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK- The Rise of Retro Gaming During Covid

LINK- Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson- Book Review

I have a deep love for the Moomins as many of you may know. I've discussed the Moomins multiple times before, either when talking about the creepy 80s stop motion animation, the retro vinyl soundtrack release or my visit to Moomin World in Finland. I knew that author and the original Moomin artist Tove Jansson was an accomplished journalist and writer but I’d only read her Moomin comics and books. So, when I’d heard that The Summer Book was considered a classic and was much revered I thought I’d give it a whirl.

The Summer Book is a short series of vignettes about a summer life lived on an island. In its opening chapter, an old woman, her son and his small daughter come to a small, craggy island as they do every summer. Whilst there they talk about all manner of things, such as nature, death and swimming. Over the course of the dozen or so tales, the narrative is, by turn, hilarious and deeply moving without ever being mawkish.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

There are lots of lovely short tales but a few stuck out to me including :

The Magic Forest: This is a vividly descriptive story about the strange majesty of the forest that exists on the island. I love the language Jansson uses;
'There was a stand of dead forest... All together they formed a tangle of stubborn resignation.... To open a clearing or separate the collapsing trunks might lead to the ruin of the magic forest.'

Berenice: When Sophia invites a new friend to the island she realises that the girl, who is grandly nicknamed Berenice due to her impressive and appearance, is unsuitable for island life as she goes on many adventures in incorrect footwear, clothing and attitude. It's a cute story about how we idolise people and project images onto them that aren't always fair or accurate;
'Her name was Herdice Evelyn, but everyone called her Pipsan. When Pipsan arrived, she was dressed wrong and had shoes with leather soles. She was too well bred and terribly quiet, and her hair was so beautiful it took your breath away.... Pipsan didn't sound aristocratic enough... so we called the child Berenice.'

The Pasture: Grandma and Sophie have a theological debate about God's omnipotence a d Heaven and hell. It's a great exchange as I can see the same questions coming from my daughters too.
' "You can see for yourself that life is hard enough without being punished for it afterwards. We get comfort when we die, that's the whole idea... With the best will in the world I cannot start believing in the Devil at my age. You can believe what you like but you must be tolerant-respecting other people's convictions." '

The Tent- Grandma reflects about her early life as a Scout leader and realises that she has forgotten a lot of the details. It a beautiful and heartfelt ode to growing older and memories half remembered.
'"That's strange. I can't describe things any more. I can't find the words, or maybe it's just that I'm not trying hard enough... Some days I can't remember very well"' 

I very much enjoyed the book and felt that it was a deeply humanist and heartfelt piece of work that still resonates today, especially post-Covid. The existential dread and the feeling of isolation many of us suffered may have had a profound impact on our outlook on life’s priorities and this book is perfect to encapsulate what is important in life; appreciating the small moment and being present.

This book is a gift and well worth a read.

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- The Rise of Retro Gaming During Covid

LINK- Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

Spider-Man: Miles Morale- Videogames As Art

About a year and a half ago, during one of the lockdowns, I played and completed Spiderman on the PlayStation 4. At about 20 or so hours, the game was not crazy long if you critical pathed it but there are lots of side missions a la Assassins Creed, where icons splooged all over the screen, and the annoying ‘stealth’ missions where you played as Mary Jane and Miles felt like padding in an otherwise impeccable game.

Miles Morales is a more streamlined experience and has you enjoy the best bits of the game without the extraneous ‘pipe dream’ or stealth rubbish. Instead what you get is a gorgeous 12 to 15 hour experience that is streamlined and all the better for it. Check out the screenshots from my playthrough.

Astro's Playroom- Videogames As Art

I’ve been a big advocate for VR and especially PSVR since its release. We used it in a school I taught at as a contextual hub for learning but also, after school, we’d play some awesome games including Resident Evil VII and Astro Bot Rescue Mission. Occasionally, a proof of concept comes out and shows people how amazing a new piece of kit can be and this is exactly what Astro Bot was. Much like how Mario 64 showed how 3D worlds could be realised, Astro Bot showed how VR can be used effectively to create an amazing game that couldn’t exist in any other way. So, to show how amazing and versatile the PS5 controller is PlayStation once again brought along the adorable mascot and it’s a revelation how the haptic feedback and nuanced rumble react to the onscreen gameplay.

Anyway, here are some screenshots of my playthrough of this free game!

Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema Virtual Exhibition Experience- Review

For a certain generation of people, the name Ray Harryhausen is synonymous with myths and legends with the mere mention of his name conjuring up images of wonderful and fantastical creatures. Harryhausen was a legend, a genius, an artist, a filmmaker, a magician, but- more than all of that- he was an inspiration. His work inspired many generations of filmmakers including such luminaries as James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. Harryhausen showed us that even as adults, we could play with monsters and get away with it through his use of 'Dynamation' (a process of stop motion using silicon figures, a process he helped create). It was this technique he used to create such matinee classics as 'Jason and the Argonauts,’ 'Clash of the Titans' and various Sinbad films.

I’d seen quite a bit of Harryhausen’s work at the Into The Unknown exhibition at the Barbican in 2017 where he had quite a large presence. A lot of his models were on show and, considering some are over 60 years old, were in remarkably good condition. The maquettes, original sketches and story boards provided a treasure trove of information and shone a light into his process, however the worry was that with no permanent exhibition space dedicated to his work the pieces would deteriorate or be sold off to individual collectors, lost forever into that often exclusive and secretive market.

So, it was with great surprise and joy that I saw that Harryhausen’s work was being exhibited at the National Galleries Scotland. Being unable to make my way to Scotland, I thought I’d support the gallery by purchasing a virtual exhibition ticket at £10. It wouldn’t be the same as being there in person of course but I thought it’d be better than not seeing the show at all. And so I dived in…

Well, the ticket buying process is easy as, once you order a ticket, you are sent an e-mail within the hour. The e-mail sends you a link to a page and, once you’ve typed in your e-mail and password, you’re in.

The virtual exhibition is broken down into 5 sections:

King Kong and the Early Years- This talks about the formative experiences of a young Harryhausen and his love of King Kong, which he watched 31 times in that year and noted in a shared diary page. The lobby cards and press release of the film are presented as collages of the actresses Fay Wray and Marie Wilson. The preparatory drawings and sketches, influenced by the artist Gustav Doré are shown and are stunningly dramatic and cinematic. A beautifully shot 7 minute short video talks about this period of his life. There is also a 6 minute montage of his early film-making experiments including Cave Bear, (1935) and Evolution of the World, (1938) which are excellent additions that must be seen by Harryhausen fans as it shows the evolution of this art form and artist.

Bringing Imagination to Life- This looks at the period where Harryhausen created a series of 5 fairy tales and experimented with his model-making process. There are 3 videos including a montage of these fairy tales and a clip from the 2011 documentary Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan. The fluidity of movement in these Mother Goose stories shows a true artist honing his craft. In this part of the exhibition, we also see the sketches, model and test footage for his unrealised project, an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds.

Dynamation: Making Movie Miracles- The 1940s were a time of great change in Hollywood and as the industry changed the creature feature boom began. This played to Harryhausen’s strength as he let his imagination fly with these ‘Monster on the rampage’ movies. What we see in this part of the exhibition is the evolution of these Harryhausen films. The first of these was The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), the success of which contributed to the wave of spectacle and destruction films, including It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955), Earth vs the Flying Saucers (1956), 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957), Mysterious Island (1961), First Men in the Moon (1964), One Million Years B.C. (1966) and The Valley of Gwangi (1969). This area of the exhibition presents his sketches, models, posters and trailers of these films as well as a short but informative explanation of the process of Dynamation.

Creatures of Legend- This looks at the later period of Harryhausen’s life where he focussed on mythological stories including the Sinbad trilogy; The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977). Also discussed and exhibited are artefacts from Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981).

A Life in Objects- This is a wonderful bookend to this exhibition as it features his daughter talking about her father away from film. It explains that, being a child of the Depression era, Harryhausen was a hoarder but we are lucky as most of his life’s work has survived.

This is the first time I’d ever experienced an online exhibition and I have to say that I loved it. I enjoyed the way the exhibition was curated and the accompanying notes were thoughtful, discussing the films but also some of the more problematic elements such as orientalism, ‘brownface’ and the legacy of colonialism. The films were of their time and are still wonderful to watch but I appreciate how it does re-contextualise what was considered the ‘norm’ for the time.

As for the technology- it works! Of course, it doesn’t beat the in-person live experience but this is a great alternative to ‘see’ exhibitions which may not be readily accessible due to location or cost. I hope this leads the way across the world as there are many more exhibitions that I’d love to experience but won’t be able to but this would make it feasible.

LINK- Into The Unknown Exhibition Review

LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- Uncharted 4- Video Games As Art

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

William Blake vs. the World- Book Review

I am a bit of a fan of John Higgs, having read two of his previous books The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned One Million Pounds and The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next.

I loved reading these books as his works often takes many turns that often bamboozle me but always had me interested in the topics he was covering. I find that Higgs seems to be a Humanist at heart and he gets to the heart of the matter and the core questions we all ask; what is our purpose and how does this affect the narrative we tell ourselves? In the case of the KLF biography, Higgs took us on the journey through the framing device of the burning of the £1 million. It was a strange and magical journey through philosophical ideas that influenced band mates Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty including quantum physics, religion, conspiracy theories, art, magic and Doctor Who.

With The Future Starts Here, Higgs looked at how dystopian futures are now the norm in science fiction and actually many 'real-world' stories now read like the Walking Dead, with self interest at the heart of a lot of what we do. The optimism of the 60s and early 70s, shown in Star Trek, Space 1999 and The Jetsons gave way to Blade Runner, Back to the Future 2 and Terminator. The default position is that the world is doomed and we are going to hell in a handcart merrily. He believed that we created a circumambient (self-fulfilling) narrative that we are all doomed but we can also change the narrative and by changing it, alter our destiny.

Using this same multi-disciplinary, tangential yet weirdly enjoyable rambling approach- looking at science, religion, history, philosophy and culture- Higgs sets about explaining the works and beliefs of poet, artist and general renaissance man, William Blake. Now, I didn’t know much about Blake except for the fact that he wrote the Prom’s flag-flapping fan-favourite Jerusalem and drew a couple of paintings I knew that were kinda creepy and unsettling (Newton and Neduchadnezzar). However, after reading this book I feel like I know Blake pretty well… well, as well as you can know a genius ahead of his time who had visions of angels in his childhood that affected him for the rest of his life!

Part-biography and part-philosophical/historical jazzy noodling, William Blake vs. the World is a fascinating look into a singular artist whose work still resonates with the country the creator so loved. Higg’s examines Blake’s Reality Tunnel; the idea that his perceptions of the world effected the narrative he told himself, and how this led him to be considered an eccentric in the 18th and 19th century. Higg’s also discusses how this reality tunnel had a profound and long-lasting effects on his work, including placing God at the centre of the world but also a periphery filled with different characters (including Albion) which have entered into our national mythology and identity. The main thrust of the book is in consideration of how his works may have had deeper and hidden meanings which have been misinterpreted or misunderstood by many over the years.

Higgs takes the multidisciplinary approach to show us how to interpret and appreciate the works of Blake, and unlike conspiracy theorists or pseudo-scientists, who manipulate information and cherry pick information to fit their Machiavellian narrative, Higgs seems to be on the side of good trying to help us view askew and gain a deeper understanding of something complex; appreciating an artist who was not appreciated in their time. It’s all very life affirming and positive and doesn’t gaze into the abyss at all but rather reaches for the light and grace of God.

This book is an immersive and engaging read and I would highly recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest in Blake or Higgs.


LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- Utopia for Realists- Book Review

LINK- Natives: Race and Class in the Ruin of Empire- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- Why I No Longer Talk To White People About Race

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.