The Manilla Envelope
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Screenwriting (I would shoot the writer but there wasn't one working on this film)
Recently saw an item that said the reason for recent Hollywood summer big budget flops was the LACK of good writing. Does anyone know anyone who's actually seen The Island? Good writing takes time and costs money and the prevaling Hollywood attitude is why hire writers when you can re-make old sucessful franchies that guarantee sales and save manpower, e.g. Dukes of Hazard, Starsky and Hutch, Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Oliver Twist. Book adaptations are popular too and allegedly produce superior quality celluloid, Bored of the Rings, Hazz Potter and the convoluted title that gets sad adults trying to reclaim their sad childhoods again by brandishing novels on the tube.
Its important to have new and original films because they will contain new and original ideas that inform and entertain and not be mediocre because mediocrity is mediocre and that is bad which is just plain awful; now this has become as repetitive as a Hollywood comic book character adaptation (it's not a superpower it's a horrible mutation that needs attention).
Enough bitching. I bought some books on screenwriting in order to have a go myself and it is admittedly quite hard. You need a lot of dedication, motivation and concentration and not be in love with the idea of being a writer but rather actually be a writer and write, dammit! There are important elements to consider like structure, setting, characterisation and dialogue and little reward other than you are doing something you believe in and in control of. All achievable with the ability to type slowly and imagine things that may or may not be real.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Music, Humour, the Press and Mediocrity
There's a lot of humour in music. This humour can manifest itself in many ways, certain band dress like derrided eighties outfit and get props for being 'simply outrageous' or 'wow, they really pulled it off' No, they didn't. They are just half famous and can get on TV during Glastonbury essentailly their music is shit or at best a bad copy or a really bad idea. If you want to laugh at music why not watch X Factor.
The whole 'look at us being wacky and entertaining' with music is actaully playing it safe because if you really suck (and they usually do) then you can always say that was the point and avoid embarrassment by actually trying. For example, all this shit we are fed like the Darkness, Scissor Sisters, the student wankers, sorry I mean the Kaiser Chiefs, a lot of other bands that begin with THE. I have more respect for 2 Unlimited, now they were funny!
If people want to start a band after listening to these poseurs then they need to take a look at themselves because they've simply just read a few music magazines to fuel their careerist rock star aspirations. Have ambition sure, but don't abuse your position as 'media icons' by being 1.not clever
2.not funny
3.shit
PRESS
I can't help but think that, despite existing elsewhere, this a particularily British disease. Just like rampaging football hooligans and often worse. As much as it pains me laud Americans its hard to see them tolerating such crap. In this country the press seem content with promoting this dross with the usual weapons of hype and trend-making.
Here is a roll call of the many genres the Great British music press have concoted in order to make our sad lives better.
New Wave of New Wave, Romo, New Acoustic Movement, Electroclash, Skinny Jeaned Boys with the Converse and Matching Haircuts band, hardly timeless stuff.
Sometimes I don't know who annoys me more, the bands who regurgitate this lame-ass rubbish, the people who write it up or the people who lick it up like starved puppies.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Why do bands split-up?
In reply the answer is shit happens
In our case guitarist slices hand open and becomes unwilling frontman, new guitarist buys house and goes AWOL for practices, members argue, some better than others, shame, the music was good at times.
Murph told Lou Barlow (words never seemed to come to J. Mascis when he was around his bassist) that Dinosaur Jr. were disbanding. Needless to say Lou went home disillusioned. The next day J and Murph got together to play and it wasn't a new band neither!
FRATERISE
The Kemp brothers brought an end to Spandau Ballet because neither of them could decide who was thicker. A band meeting was called but Tony Hadley was unfortunately absent, still in his dressing room adding more brylcreem to his quiff. Without a casting vote the siblings decided that such a matter was the only thing that could end their dominance of Western music.
The Gallagher brothers finally called it a day when Liam twatted Noel's 'bird'. He accused her of trying to 'fookin' control him after he'd dropkicked their baby out of their private jet. (We can dream)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Muse Sick
Just played last gig with current band and it was a blast so to celebrate here's some soundings.
i) Shipping News
Don't watch the film it was self-important rubbish that a good cast couldn't steer away from the rocks. The band have delivered a treat, melodic guitar, precision rhythm and beautiful undulating vocals combined with production that fills your earholes to the brim with majesty and grace. Buy!
ii) Clouddead
Rediscovered after it initally came out on cd 5 years ago; it's album to fall in love with and then fall asleep to, as it serenades you with its gentles drones and intelligent raps. Dose One delivers dextrous stream of thought while the musos produce dreamscapes that coo like a post-coital pigeon. Check!
iii) Black Dog
Great old school ambient techno that isn't minimal to the point of catatonia. It remains interesting plus seems to be totally influenced by legendary German electronica pioneers Tangerine Dream. Dig!
Just played last gig with current band and it was a blast so to celebrate here's some soundings.
i) Shipping News
Don't watch the film it was self-important rubbish that a good cast couldn't steer away from the rocks. The band have delivered a treat, melodic guitar, precision rhythm and beautiful undulating vocals combined with production that fills your earholes to the brim with majesty and grace. Buy!
ii) Clouddead
Rediscovered after it initally came out on cd 5 years ago; it's album to fall in love with and then fall asleep to, as it serenades you with its gentles drones and intelligent raps. Dose One delivers dextrous stream of thought while the musos produce dreamscapes that coo like a post-coital pigeon. Check!
iii) Black Dog
Great old school ambient techno that isn't minimal to the point of catatonia. It remains interesting plus seems to be totally influenced by legendary German electronica pioneers Tangerine Dream. Dig!
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Hitchcock cont./
5 Best
1. Psycho (1960)
One of the scariest films I've ever seen. Tension, suprise and bloody violence mixed up by the master to create probably his most famous film. Based on the novel by Robert Bloch about Ed Gein who lived as a recluse and had a mother fixation. Gein did well in the movies as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre also took him as inspiration with Leatherface.
Psycho changed the way people went to the cinema as the director initiated refused entry after the film had started. Obvious now but before 1960 it was considered normal to turn up whenever.
2. Rebecca (1940)
Your parents will dig it. B/w classic also based on a novel, this time by Daphne Du Maurier. The genius of it is that Rebecca is the dead wife of Lawrence Olivier's character, Max De Winter. You never see her but she is omnipresent throughout the story, as new wife Joan Fontaine, finds out. They shack up together at Manderley, De Winter's Cornwall mansion; a great setting for the fear and trembling that follows. The female housekeeper is especially unnerving, cold towards the new occupant; she still faithfully mourns Rebecca. The new Mrs. De Winter soon cracks under the pressure, a twist is revealed and events converge into a climatic ending.
3. Vertigo (1958)
James Stewart falls dangerously in love with Kim Novak, a little short of stable herself. Often referred as his most personal film, and not for nothing. Hitchcock used a little known French book about a woman who believes she has been reincarnated and weaves the ultimate tale of obsession and tradegy. Bernard Hermann's music throughout the film is heartbreaking as Stewart and Novak share tender yet bleak moments together and apart. The film ebbs and flows to put you on the edge of sanity, hence following Stewart's character into anguish, despair towards a chilling conclusion. It is perhaps strange that a man who shared such a healthy relationship with a woman for so long could create a film that deals with the dysfunctional otherside.
4. Rope (1948)
Much has been made of unbroken 'takes' in this film. Hitchcock opted not to cut the film throughout the whole feature. However realising the maximum for one reel of film back then was ten minutes he had to make some necessary splices, they were timed to coincide with an extreme close up of someone's back or an object to create the illusion of one continuous shot for the whole length. More amazing for the technical aspect and for the actors hitting their marks. One scene (well, I suppose the whole film is a scene) has a character is putting the piece of rope into a kitchen draw. The audience sees the action take place in stilted form from the outside as a two way door swings open then back again. Another example of extracting the viewing potential of everyday things. The story is simple, two intellectuals murder a colleague (don't worry, its right at the start) and then throw a party for him and his friends to see if they can get away with it. Genius.
5. Frenzy (1972)
A return to form by all accounts. In his second to last feature, Hitchcock relocates his wrong man formula to his hometown, London. A neck-tie murderer is terrorising the city and the lives of many innocent women and the freedom of one man. It is clear that the film is in some ways a homage to Jack the Ripper with colourful characters and mini sagas surrounding the events. Hitchcock includes one of his most graphic and provocative murder scenes and also one of the most subtle, in which the murder is never shown but the viewer is left in no doubt as to what is happening. There are many moments of humour with focus on the police chief leading the investigation and his wife's cooking! The ending is not the strongest but by then there have been enough decent twists and turns to keep us guessing.
5 Best
1. Psycho (1960)
One of the scariest films I've ever seen. Tension, suprise and bloody violence mixed up by the master to create probably his most famous film. Based on the novel by Robert Bloch about Ed Gein who lived as a recluse and had a mother fixation. Gein did well in the movies as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre also took him as inspiration with Leatherface.
Psycho changed the way people went to the cinema as the director initiated refused entry after the film had started. Obvious now but before 1960 it was considered normal to turn up whenever.
2. Rebecca (1940)
Your parents will dig it. B/w classic also based on a novel, this time by Daphne Du Maurier. The genius of it is that Rebecca is the dead wife of Lawrence Olivier's character, Max De Winter. You never see her but she is omnipresent throughout the story, as new wife Joan Fontaine, finds out. They shack up together at Manderley, De Winter's Cornwall mansion; a great setting for the fear and trembling that follows. The female housekeeper is especially unnerving, cold towards the new occupant; she still faithfully mourns Rebecca. The new Mrs. De Winter soon cracks under the pressure, a twist is revealed and events converge into a climatic ending.
3. Vertigo (1958)
James Stewart falls dangerously in love with Kim Novak, a little short of stable herself. Often referred as his most personal film, and not for nothing. Hitchcock used a little known French book about a woman who believes she has been reincarnated and weaves the ultimate tale of obsession and tradegy. Bernard Hermann's music throughout the film is heartbreaking as Stewart and Novak share tender yet bleak moments together and apart. The film ebbs and flows to put you on the edge of sanity, hence following Stewart's character into anguish, despair towards a chilling conclusion. It is perhaps strange that a man who shared such a healthy relationship with a woman for so long could create a film that deals with the dysfunctional otherside.
4. Rope (1948)
Much has been made of unbroken 'takes' in this film. Hitchcock opted not to cut the film throughout the whole feature. However realising the maximum for one reel of film back then was ten minutes he had to make some necessary splices, they were timed to coincide with an extreme close up of someone's back or an object to create the illusion of one continuous shot for the whole length. More amazing for the technical aspect and for the actors hitting their marks. One scene (well, I suppose the whole film is a scene) has a character is putting the piece of rope into a kitchen draw. The audience sees the action take place in stilted form from the outside as a two way door swings open then back again. Another example of extracting the viewing potential of everyday things. The story is simple, two intellectuals murder a colleague (don't worry, its right at the start) and then throw a party for him and his friends to see if they can get away with it. Genius.
5. Frenzy (1972)
A return to form by all accounts. In his second to last feature, Hitchcock relocates his wrong man formula to his hometown, London. A neck-tie murderer is terrorising the city and the lives of many innocent women and the freedom of one man. It is clear that the film is in some ways a homage to Jack the Ripper with colourful characters and mini sagas surrounding the events. Hitchcock includes one of his most graphic and provocative murder scenes and also one of the most subtle, in which the murder is never shown but the viewer is left in no doubt as to what is happening. There are many moments of humour with focus on the police chief leading the investigation and his wife's cooking! The ending is not the strongest but by then there have been enough decent twists and turns to keep us guessing.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Playlist
Chariots
Travis from Songs of Zarathustra new outfit. They display a more mature approach than the desparate melodies of SOZ. This means not all the songs are played at 160bpm and feature screamed vocals. His keyboards and effects feature here and suprisingly they don't tame the carnage. They'll tear it up live. Go see.
Neil Young
Revistiting his huge body of work. After the Goldrush is great, its got Southern Man and Ohio, Zuma has Cortez the Killer and Through My Sails. Tonights the Night was written after two of his friends, a roadie and band member, died on tour from heroin overdoses. No-one makes tradegy sound better and no-one makes solos as credible.
A Frames
These Sub Pop guys will make you scratch your heads. They have something of the Devo about them and when the girl sings they morph into the B-52s. However, they write simple quirky songs about such things as the future, appliances and Eva Brau! They would get cute indie boys and girls into them except the music is quite robotic and the vocals are detached.
Kepler
Saw them support Godspeed once but they are best on record at home late at night or even around a campfire while mosquitoes feast on your flesh. The singer has a Nick Drake style delivery with more emphasis on the lyrics. The band are faultless, no mean feat when playing music as intimate as this.
Edan
Hip Hop wunderkind from Boston. If you like infectious, savvy beats and rhymes deliciously served in a pot-pourri of flavours, then check. Goes from childish innocence to smart-alec toughness. Loved his first lp Primitive Plus and number two sounds great too. Is he the first rap artist to release TWO great albums in a row for a while?
Floor
The first album is a funny old thing, really big on low end, de-tuned sludgy guitars yet the vocals soar above with harmonies would not be out of place on a Beach Boys album. A refreshing change from the typical stoner-riff bands with the singer in a bad mood. They have a song called Tales of Lolita. Kyuss fans will dig.
More? ... its about time.
Chariots
Travis from Songs of Zarathustra new outfit. They display a more mature approach than the desparate melodies of SOZ. This means not all the songs are played at 160bpm and feature screamed vocals. His keyboards and effects feature here and suprisingly they don't tame the carnage. They'll tear it up live. Go see.
Neil Young
Revistiting his huge body of work. After the Goldrush is great, its got Southern Man and Ohio, Zuma has Cortez the Killer and Through My Sails. Tonights the Night was written after two of his friends, a roadie and band member, died on tour from heroin overdoses. No-one makes tradegy sound better and no-one makes solos as credible.
A Frames
These Sub Pop guys will make you scratch your heads. They have something of the Devo about them and when the girl sings they morph into the B-52s. However, they write simple quirky songs about such things as the future, appliances and Eva Brau! They would get cute indie boys and girls into them except the music is quite robotic and the vocals are detached.
Kepler
Saw them support Godspeed once but they are best on record at home late at night or even around a campfire while mosquitoes feast on your flesh. The singer has a Nick Drake style delivery with more emphasis on the lyrics. The band are faultless, no mean feat when playing music as intimate as this.
Edan
Hip Hop wunderkind from Boston. If you like infectious, savvy beats and rhymes deliciously served in a pot-pourri of flavours, then check. Goes from childish innocence to smart-alec toughness. Loved his first lp Primitive Plus and number two sounds great too. Is he the first rap artist to release TWO great albums in a row for a while?
Floor
The first album is a funny old thing, really big on low end, de-tuned sludgy guitars yet the vocals soar above with harmonies would not be out of place on a Beach Boys album. A refreshing change from the typical stoner-riff bands with the singer in a bad mood. They have a song called Tales of Lolita. Kyuss fans will dig.
More? ... its about time.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Sport and Media
First rant of the year otherwise the football will be over soon.
This could run and run (no pun intended). Anyone familiar with the Premiership will know that Chelsea have had the title sewn up for months. This is according to everyone from your opioniated mate down the pub to the top pundits in TV studios, but mostly it is the media and by this I generally mean the 'papers' and 'journalists'.
But wait, suddenly they get investigated by the authorities for an illegal approach towards Arsenal player, Ashley Cole and then draw with Man City. All in the space of about two weeks! Now they are never gonna win diddly squat, Mourinho has the managerial skills of Graham Taylor, Robben is revealed to actually be the age he looks and Abramovich's discovers that all that sticky black stuff he's been making money out of is really marmite. Sensation! Exaggeration! Back Page! Bold Headline! Real News A Bit Slow This Week!
I understand why they do this. If you're going to try and predict and weild your publishing power on the masses then at least be consistent. Bad Day at Bridge: Chelsea stumble at home as Premier League opens inquiry into Ashley Cole affair the Guardian no less. Months before said journos were extolling the team and their march to the top. To suggest, as many publications have, that Chelsea will not be champions because of possible backroom irregularities happening within two weeks of a draw is a bit beyond the pale. Linking the two factors together and making it the headlines proves that there can never be a quiet week in which football teams play each other, some of whom win, some of whom lose while others draw, based on how many times they kick the ball into the opposing teams goal, or not.
Most players don't give a damn whether his club is being investigated. Would it affect his performance? Do you think he even gives a damn about the club, full stop? As long as he gets paid, laid and praised he will tootle along as normal. If aliens came down from Mars, they would laugh like overpaid sports columnists at the rubbish these hacks write. People who have never played football. Ironically how soon is it before it filters down to the street. Mate down the pub reckons they'll have to wait another year for the trophy, second-rate late night TV pundit saw this coming all along but wanted to wait until it happened before piping up.
Its because the only language these laptop-abusers know is that of then power of information and how to manipulate people with it, and again with such matters of manipulation, its hard to know whether its the perpetrators or the willing victims that displease me the most.
One day I'd like to pick up the paper and read something that is based on football, you know that game played on the pitch.
Also get that Righteous Paula Radcliffe out of my face, you parasites!
First rant of the year otherwise the football will be over soon.
This could run and run (no pun intended). Anyone familiar with the Premiership will know that Chelsea have had the title sewn up for months. This is according to everyone from your opioniated mate down the pub to the top pundits in TV studios, but mostly it is the media and by this I generally mean the 'papers' and 'journalists'.
But wait, suddenly they get investigated by the authorities for an illegal approach towards Arsenal player, Ashley Cole and then draw with Man City. All in the space of about two weeks! Now they are never gonna win diddly squat, Mourinho has the managerial skills of Graham Taylor, Robben is revealed to actually be the age he looks and Abramovich's discovers that all that sticky black stuff he's been making money out of is really marmite. Sensation! Exaggeration! Back Page! Bold Headline! Real News A Bit Slow This Week!
I understand why they do this. If you're going to try and predict and weild your publishing power on the masses then at least be consistent. Bad Day at Bridge: Chelsea stumble at home as Premier League opens inquiry into Ashley Cole affair the Guardian no less. Months before said journos were extolling the team and their march to the top. To suggest, as many publications have, that Chelsea will not be champions because of possible backroom irregularities happening within two weeks of a draw is a bit beyond the pale. Linking the two factors together and making it the headlines proves that there can never be a quiet week in which football teams play each other, some of whom win, some of whom lose while others draw, based on how many times they kick the ball into the opposing teams goal, or not.
Most players don't give a damn whether his club is being investigated. Would it affect his performance? Do you think he even gives a damn about the club, full stop? As long as he gets paid, laid and praised he will tootle along as normal. If aliens came down from Mars, they would laugh like overpaid sports columnists at the rubbish these hacks write. People who have never played football. Ironically how soon is it before it filters down to the street. Mate down the pub reckons they'll have to wait another year for the trophy, second-rate late night TV pundit saw this coming all along but wanted to wait until it happened before piping up.
Its because the only language these laptop-abusers know is that of then power of information and how to manipulate people with it, and again with such matters of manipulation, its hard to know whether its the perpetrators or the willing victims that displease me the most.
One day I'd like to pick up the paper and read something that is based on football, you know that game played on the pitch.
Also get that Righteous Paula Radcliffe out of my face, you parasites!
