If thoust be...

[William_Shakespeare]

• ever a member of the drug scene;
  
• a fan of Philip K. Dick; or
  
• intrigued by creativity,
  
  

then gettest thou to see:

[SIZE="4"]A Scanner Darkly[/SIZE]

The Bard commands thee!

[Sweder]

I'll be sure to check it out, Will, though the presence of Kneau 'Woodentop' Reeves stopped me rushing straight round to my local UBC.

I commend another recent release from our friends in Korea.
The Host is a cracking monster movie in the mould of The Thing and Jaws.
I'll leave the hook-line to Ian Johns in today's Times2:

'. . . overall this is the most intriguing, lyrical and entertaining mutant-tadpole picture you're likely to see.'

In theatres November 10th . . .

[El Gordo]

Where did you see it?

[Sweder]

Where did you see it?

You mean The Host?
I haven't yet but I'll certainly be catching it on release (Nov 10th).
I've seen the trailers and read the reviews - it's a must-see for lovers of well-made-but-ultimately-cobblers monster movies. Tremors, Pirahna, Anaconda and a good deal of David Cronenberg's early works have a special place in my heart.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Hmm, haven't seen The Host but I have seen A Scanner Darkly... it's definitely weird. Not unsurprising, given it's a Philip K. Dick story. One for Trainspotting fans.

[Sweder]

Philip K Dick was a remarkable writer of Science Fiction, at least as far as successful conversion to celluloid is concerned.
Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and now Scanner Darkly were all directly inspired by the late writers' works. He managed forty novels and five marriages, but it's his uncanny ability to predict our future that gives his work an eerily familiar feel. The recent Director's Cut of Blade Runner, screened for Dick just before his death, apparently had the writer in tears at the 'uncanny proximity to his vision' achieved by Scott. It remains in my own top five films of all time; prophetic (I've seen the city scapes of 'San Angeles' taking shape in China) and eminently quotable:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams ... glitter in the dark near Tanhauser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost ... in time, like tears ... in rain.

An interesting contrast to, say, Stephen King, one of the most successful popular writers in modern times. With the exception of The Green Mile and Misery the essence of King's works are too often lost in translation, resulting in second-rate B-movie trash.

[El Gordo]

An interesting contrast to, say, Stephen King, one of the most successful popular writers in modern times. With the exception of The Green Mile and Misery the essence of King's works are too often lost in translation, resulting in second-rate B-movie trash.

I was snooty about King for years until I happened across his novella, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption on holiday one year. He's not a great writer in the traditional literary sense, but what a great storyteller he is, and what a versatile imagination.

Agree that The Green Mile and Misery are excellent films but there are others. Shawshank Redemption has to be the best of all, I'd have thought, but what about The Shining and Carrie? And the little known Dolores Claiborne, one of my favourite films, is another King story.

[Seafront Plodder]

Christine is another King book that has translated well to film. Whereas one of his best books (IMO) Needful Things was as a film, dire.

The problem I have with King, is that although he is undoubtedly a terrific storyteller he just doesn't seem to know how to end them...

The Dark Tower series are a classic example of this.

[Sweder]

Oops - can's open, worms all over the place . . .
I've been forced into a re-think over my sweeping 'King's films are crap' statement.

I agree that Shawshank, a film repeatedly appearing in 'all time' lists, is a meisterwerk; I got goosebumps when I read the short story (I think it was published in Four Seasons) and Freeman and Robbins were stunning in the lead roles on screen. I didn't originally count it as a King novel but its a fair cop; King was the author, despite sneakily writing as Richard Bachman.

'Stand By Me' was another short story from the book - blimey, two pretty decent films out of the same publication. Perhaps a more accurate appraisal would be there's a lot of cinematic and made-for-TV dross out there based on King's works.

I haven't seen Dolores Clairborne, though I enjoyed the book. I have sat through the following at various times in my life, and on each occasion felt that I've been robbed of my valuable time:

Salem's Lot; The Stand; Pet Cemetary; Carrie (sorry, apart from the heart-stopping shock ending it's pretty poor fare); Dreamcatcher; Firestarter; IT . . .

Another couple of exceptions though.
The Dead Zone starring Christopher Walken was chilling, and I loved The Shining when I saw it on first release.

OK, it's a mixed bag.
I'll get me anorak :o

[El Gordo]

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about Stand By Me. Another fave of mine.

As for Carrie, well OK, I'll come clean, and confess I've not actually seen it all the way through. I just remember it causing quite a stir when it appeared, probably because of THAT ending (which I have seen).

[glaconman]

Can I recommend a couple of decent British films I've watched recently:

My Summer Of Love
Dead Man's Shoes

Well worth getting out on dvd if you're due a feet-up-in-front-of-the-fire.

[El Gordo]

Can I recommend a couple of decent British films I've watched recently:

My Summer Of Love
Dead Man's Shoes

Well worth getting out on dvd if you're due a feet-up-in-front-of-the-fire.

Noted, thanks.

I saw Layer Cake on TV recently which I thought was an excellent British gangster film starring Daniel Craig (the new James Bond). Well worth catching up with.

[glaconman]

Agreed. I enjoyed Layer Cake. Not quite in the same league as Sexy Beast, but good nonetheless.

Bond is not to be taken too seriously, I know; but we might as well have a decent one. And DC has got to be a vast improvement on all the tarts that have been playing the role since Connery hung-up his holster.

There's an actor who features in both the films I recommended: Paddy Considine who I really rate. Like Gary Oldman, he plays an unnerving nutter. In fact I think they were in a Spanish film together recently, but it didn't get great reviews.

Anyhow, hope you get around to seeing them both.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Speaking of British drama, I must mention Torchwood, which I've been enjoying. I thought it might be too Hollywood style for me (esp with an American in one of the lead roles), but it's fab. Really well done. A bit like X-Files meets The Avengers...

But it certainly makes Cardiff out to be the bi-sexual capital of the world. True or not?

[Sweder]

I've avoided Torchwood - it seems to be billed as Dr Who for grown-ups which somehow put me off. I do agree with Andy about Daniel Craig - Layer Cake was a clever, well-made Brit gangster number; less stylised than Lock Stock, but less smug, too.

Took the family to catch Casino Royale on Sunday night - thumbs up all round. I agree with GM - this bloke is much more the Bond I used to read about as a lad. Gritty, tough yet vulnerable, this Bond bleeds. Not once did he straighten his tie in mid-punch-up or emerge from a massacre un-ruffled and ready for dinner. It's a shame that the plot (such as it is) had to doff its' cap to the Bond-lite of yesteryear; more grit please, Mr Producer. You can never have enough grit. Personally I can live without the gags, but the presence of Craig alone bodes well for the future of the franchise.

[El Gordo]

On the litotes theme, I'm sure you all know what Torchwood is an anagram of....

[Sweder]

On the litotes theme, I'm sure you all know what Torchwood is an anagram of....

Doctor How?
Sorry, I don't get it . . .

[Seafront Plodder]

On the litotes theme, I'm sure you all know what Torchwood is an anagram of....

err....woodtorch? Doctor Owh? Actually I've no idea.

How about an anagram of 'Newark'?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

How about an anagram of 'Newark'?

Well I think we can all work that one out, but what about an anagram of SEAFRONT PLODDER, of which there are heaps?

I like these ones:

• POOR STRANDED ELF
  
• DEAD, FORLORN PEST
  
• SET OF LARDED PORN
  and my favourite:
  
• OLD PERSON FARTED

[Sweder]

and my favourite:
[*]OLD PERSON FARTED [/LIST]

How apt