Babylon 5
1x12 By Any Means Necessary
Doctor Who [classic]
22x13 Revelation of the Daleks Part Two [2nd watch; season finale]
See here for my thoughts on this story.
Gilmore Girls
4x15 Scene in a Mall
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Film
Leon: Version Integrale (1994)
[#42 in 100 Films in a Year 2008]
While I have seen the theatrical cut of Leon twice before, this is the first time I've seen this notably-longer extended cut.
[#42 in 100 Films in a Year 2008]
While I have seen the theatrical cut of Leon twice before, this is the first time I've seen this notably-longer extended cut.
Fiction
Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: The Haunted Wagon Train by Colin Brake
See here for my thoughts on this book.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Graphic Novel, Section 4 (pages 158-175)
Graphic Novel, Section 5 (3D) (pages 176-192) [the end]
See here for my thoughts on the final sections of Black Dossier.
See here for my thoughts on this book.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Graphic Novel, Section 4 (pages 158-175)
Graphic Novel, Section 5 (3D) (pages 176-192) [the end]
See here for my thoughts on the final sections of Black Dossier.
Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks
In the '80s, Doctor Who was in trouble. The massive popularity of Tom Baker's era gave way to a well-liked Doctor (played, of course, by Peter Davison), but also to a damaging new weeknight schedule and an obsession with referencing the past that soon led to a show only fans could understand. When Davison was replaced with Colin Baker, things got worse still. The new Doctor was initially violent and garish, a total contrast to the previous meek incarnation. In spite of the dad-friendly sight of Peri's cleavage, viewing figures plummeted (I should rewrite that with a different gag...) For its 22nd season, the show was reshaped from twenty-six 25-minute episodes to thirteen 45-minute ones -- surely that could never work?! Obviously, it does if you handle it correctly, but 1985 was not the right time for Doctor Who, and it was put on an 18-month suspension... You can catch the next part of this story when I come to review my next serial, but for now let's stick with this one -- Revelation of the Daleks, the last story broadcast before the hiatus.
Colin Baker's era is generally looked down upon (not without reason), but Revelation is a brilliant story for all sorts of reasons. The subject matter is wonderfully grim. Consequently the story is packed with violence and gore, all of it effectively achieved, especially considering the programme's budget. This is underscored by a set of great guest performances, both from recognisable faces like Eleanor Bron and Clive Swift, and lesser-known (to me, at least) actors such as William Gaunt. Even Alexei Sayle's DJ character, while incredibly irritating, provides a change of pace and style that is almost entertaining -- plus, whoever thought you'd get to see a Dalek killed by rock 'n' roll! Speaking of pace and style, both hold up incredibly well 23 years on -- with a few modifications, this might even fit quite comfortably into the new series. Graeme Harper's direction especially is as accomplished as ever, some of the best you're likely to see in classic Who -- or, I'd wager, in much drama from the same period.
There are flaws, of course. The Doctor and Peri take too long to actually get involved, meandering across Necros for the whole of Part One, while inside there's some actual plot going on. In the same vein the Daleks and Davros do next to nothing for the whole of the first episode -- their return is so underplayed, and then they're so underused, that one has to wonder if the story would be even better with an original enemy. Part Two does something to address these faults, but simultaneously discards much of what was going on in the first episode. Perhaps it goes without saying that the story might've been stronger if it could have mixed the two halves together, especially as the first half has quite a slow pace while the second rattles through events in a rush to get everything done.
The DVD of Revelation has the option for both new CGI effects and 5.1 Surround Sound. I'm a purist only as far as the original at least being an option, so I merrily turned both of these on for my viewing. The surround mix is great, making good use of the rear speakers for both effects and music (one of the things that most often annoys me about surround mixes is when they don't put the music across all the speakers. Why not?! It's not occurring either on screen or in the off-screen space (to get mildly technical!), so it should come from everywhere, not specifically the front!) Mark Ayres, the Restoration Team's audio expert, seems quite happy to add new effects, recreate dialogue, etc, for these surround mixes, so that they work as well as possible. As I said, this is fine as far as I'm concerned, as the originals are always included and are the default setting, but semi-purists may have different feelings. (For more information on the work Ayres did here, check out the Restoration Team's article.)
The new CGI effects, meanwhile, are so well integrated that most, if not all, would go unnoticed to an unaware first time viewer. I didn't compare them to the originals, which may of course be flatly bad -- I sometimes find classic Who's video effects, such as laser beams, are even worse than I remember -- but these new versions don't jump out as totally incongruous. In this respect I suppose the story benefits from not having any big model sequences, or dodgy aliens that could do with replacing, so doesn't have entirely CG-model sequences that would stand out like a sore thumb. It lessens the importance of any debate over whether to turn the new effects on, whereas on other, more heavily CGI'd stories I'm still not sure which version I'd plump for (especially for a first viewing).
Before he was unceremoniously booted off the show, C. Baker only managed to make eight stories -- less even than Chris Eccleston! (Though, this is because I count The Trial of a Time Lord as one story; if you listen to those who count it as more, Baker managed twelve tales.) Whilst I haven't seen them all (in fact, I've thus far missed out on the two widely considered to be among the programme's worst ever), I think it's safe to say Revelation is among his best. That might not be saying much, so I'll add that there are probably a sizable number of the stories from all the other Doctors I would rank lower than it too. Maybe, just maybe, I might even place it somewhere in my personal favourites... but then, as I've only seen 42% of classic Who, I'm always wary of making such sweeping statements.
Colin Baker's era is generally looked down upon (not without reason), but Revelation is a brilliant story for all sorts of reasons. The subject matter is wonderfully grim. Consequently the story is packed with violence and gore, all of it effectively achieved, especially considering the programme's budget. This is underscored by a set of great guest performances, both from recognisable faces like Eleanor Bron and Clive Swift, and lesser-known (to me, at least) actors such as William Gaunt. Even Alexei Sayle's DJ character, while incredibly irritating, provides a change of pace and style that is almost entertaining -- plus, whoever thought you'd get to see a Dalek killed by rock 'n' roll! Speaking of pace and style, both hold up incredibly well 23 years on -- with a few modifications, this might even fit quite comfortably into the new series. Graeme Harper's direction especially is as accomplished as ever, some of the best you're likely to see in classic Who -- or, I'd wager, in much drama from the same period.
There are flaws, of course. The Doctor and Peri take too long to actually get involved, meandering across Necros for the whole of Part One, while inside there's some actual plot going on. In the same vein the Daleks and Davros do next to nothing for the whole of the first episode -- their return is so underplayed, and then they're so underused, that one has to wonder if the story would be even better with an original enemy. Part Two does something to address these faults, but simultaneously discards much of what was going on in the first episode. Perhaps it goes without saying that the story might've been stronger if it could have mixed the two halves together, especially as the first half has quite a slow pace while the second rattles through events in a rush to get everything done.
The DVD of Revelation has the option for both new CGI effects and 5.1 Surround Sound. I'm a purist only as far as the original at least being an option, so I merrily turned both of these on for my viewing. The surround mix is great, making good use of the rear speakers for both effects and music (one of the things that most often annoys me about surround mixes is when they don't put the music across all the speakers. Why not?! It's not occurring either on screen or in the off-screen space (to get mildly technical!), so it should come from everywhere, not specifically the front!) Mark Ayres, the Restoration Team's audio expert, seems quite happy to add new effects, recreate dialogue, etc, for these surround mixes, so that they work as well as possible. As I said, this is fine as far as I'm concerned, as the originals are always included and are the default setting, but semi-purists may have different feelings. (For more information on the work Ayres did here, check out the Restoration Team's article.)
The new CGI effects, meanwhile, are so well integrated that most, if not all, would go unnoticed to an unaware first time viewer. I didn't compare them to the originals, which may of course be flatly bad -- I sometimes find classic Who's video effects, such as laser beams, are even worse than I remember -- but these new versions don't jump out as totally incongruous. In this respect I suppose the story benefits from not having any big model sequences, or dodgy aliens that could do with replacing, so doesn't have entirely CG-model sequences that would stand out like a sore thumb. It lessens the importance of any debate over whether to turn the new effects on, whereas on other, more heavily CGI'd stories I'm still not sure which version I'd plump for (especially for a first viewing).
Before he was unceremoniously booted off the show, C. Baker only managed to make eight stories -- less even than Chris Eccleston! (Though, this is because I count The Trial of a Time Lord as one story; if you listen to those who count it as more, Baker managed twelve tales.) Whilst I haven't seen them all (in fact, I've thus far missed out on the two widely considered to be among the programme's worst ever), I think it's safe to say Revelation is among his best. That might not be saying much, so I'll add that there are probably a sizable number of the stories from all the other Doctors I would rank lower than it too. Maybe, just maybe, I might even place it somewhere in my personal favourites... but then, as I've only seen 42% of classic Who, I'm always wary of making such sweeping statements.
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier" by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill - Running Commentary, Part 6
And so I reach the end of Black Dossier, the latest entry in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series. With the Dossier itself finished last time, it's full steam ahead to the plot's conclusion.
The remaining 35 pages of the novel can be split into two sections of roughly equal length (one's 18 pages, the other 17). The first is more chase, as Allan and Mina crash land in Scotland and head to meet... the Golliwogg! Considering the general shortage of ethnic minority characters in the League -- and that most of those who do turn up are villains -- this could be seen as quite a brave choice, given its consistent controversy, but then Moore's hardly one to shy away from such things. Besides, he's a good guy, saving Mina and Allan from their dastardly pursuers, so it's all good. Moore's witty re-appropriation of existing creations is also evident here, though attentive readers will have noticed signs of it earlier. For example, the XL spaceship series, in which each model is named after how the previous one was destroyed; so when Mina and Allen jet off in the Pancake XL4, some readers will surely know how things will end (and, of course, they do). Or The Third Man's Harry Lime, who was previously (and is again) known as Robert Cherry -- "poisonous fruit", as Mina puts it.
The eventual escape of Mina, Allan and the Golliwogg is a great couple of pages: rather than a big battle, Mina simply explains what's been going on to Drummond -- including several revelations for readers, too, with a clever use of Dr No -- which turns the 'new League' in on itself, while the good guys head off for their finale. There's a couple of nice splash panels in this section. I'm often wary of splash pages/panels in League books, as O'Neill's style doesn't always lend itself to them. Sometimes they work nonetheless though, and these occasions manage that. As 'Jimmy' and Emma Night walk out of the book, one can but hope they'll return. Moore clearly has a very low opinion of Bond, having him do all sorts of despicable things and delighting in just about everyone taking a swing at him throughout Black Dossier. He leaves Em with the notion that Mina or Allan killed her godfather, so let's hope that's reason enough for them to track down our heroes in a future volume.
Finally free of their pursuers, the final section sees our heroes fly into the Blazing World, which is where the 3D glasses finally come into play (as hinted at earlier). There's little that one can say about this final section because it really has to be seen. It's utter madness, with literally dozens of things going on over ever page -- no wonder the work on it delayed the book by months! And, thankfully, it works brilliantly. There may be very little plot in this section -- essentially, Mina and Allan arrive (after a long absence, fans will note) and are reunited with old friends-- but the point is more the spectacle, and on this level it's undoubtedly a success. There are even points which use the two-tone style cunningly -- close one eye and you see one thing, close the other and you see something else. It's the sort of trick that seems obvious once you see it done, but is pretty (if not wholly original). The 3D section makes for a fantastic ending to the book, and is surely one of the most visually impressive sections in any graphic medium ever. Magnificent.
The book ends with a monologue from Prospero, which, in Shakespearean language, expounds on the purpose of the League's universe, the joys of fiction, and its vital importance to us all -- "the fantasies thou've fashioned fashion thee." In itself, it's a great speech, and a perfect way to end a book that concentrates its efforts on merging so many disparate creations from so much of human history into one universe and narrative.
The remaining 35 pages of the novel can be split into two sections of roughly equal length (one's 18 pages, the other 17). The first is more chase, as Allan and Mina crash land in Scotland and head to meet... the Golliwogg! Considering the general shortage of ethnic minority characters in the League -- and that most of those who do turn up are villains -- this could be seen as quite a brave choice, given its consistent controversy, but then Moore's hardly one to shy away from such things. Besides, he's a good guy, saving Mina and Allan from their dastardly pursuers, so it's all good. Moore's witty re-appropriation of existing creations is also evident here, though attentive readers will have noticed signs of it earlier. For example, the XL spaceship series, in which each model is named after how the previous one was destroyed; so when Mina and Allen jet off in the Pancake XL4, some readers will surely know how things will end (and, of course, they do). Or The Third Man's Harry Lime, who was previously (and is again) known as Robert Cherry -- "poisonous fruit", as Mina puts it.
The eventual escape of Mina, Allan and the Golliwogg is a great couple of pages: rather than a big battle, Mina simply explains what's been going on to Drummond -- including several revelations for readers, too, with a clever use of Dr No -- which turns the 'new League' in on itself, while the good guys head off for their finale. There's a couple of nice splash panels in this section. I'm often wary of splash pages/panels in League books, as O'Neill's style doesn't always lend itself to them. Sometimes they work nonetheless though, and these occasions manage that. As 'Jimmy' and Emma Night walk out of the book, one can but hope they'll return. Moore clearly has a very low opinion of Bond, having him do all sorts of despicable things and delighting in just about everyone taking a swing at him throughout Black Dossier. He leaves Em with the notion that Mina or Allan killed her godfather, so let's hope that's reason enough for them to track down our heroes in a future volume.
Finally free of their pursuers, the final section sees our heroes fly into the Blazing World, which is where the 3D glasses finally come into play (as hinted at earlier). There's little that one can say about this final section because it really has to be seen. It's utter madness, with literally dozens of things going on over ever page -- no wonder the work on it delayed the book by months! And, thankfully, it works brilliantly. There may be very little plot in this section -- essentially, Mina and Allan arrive (after a long absence, fans will note) and are reunited with old friends-- but the point is more the spectacle, and on this level it's undoubtedly a success. There are even points which use the two-tone style cunningly -- close one eye and you see one thing, close the other and you see something else. It's the sort of trick that seems obvious once you see it done, but is pretty (if not wholly original). The 3D section makes for a fantastic ending to the book, and is surely one of the most visually impressive sections in any graphic medium ever. Magnificent.
The book ends with a monologue from Prospero, which, in Shakespearean language, expounds on the purpose of the League's universe, the joys of fiction, and its vital importance to us all -- "the fantasies thou've fashioned fashion thee." In itself, it's a great speech, and a perfect way to end a book that concentrates its efforts on merging so many disparate creations from so much of human history into one universe and narrative.
"Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: The Haunted Wagon Train" by Colin Brake
The consistently disappointing Colin Brake is back for his third crack at a Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny book, this one being the final volume in the second batch of books and the eighth in the series as a whole. On the bright side, The Haunted Wagon Train is a welcome second trip to the past for the range. "Pioneers travelling across the American Midwest report ghost sightings, but you, the Doctor and Martha believe it's extraterrestrial activity. Can you track down the aliens before it's too late?" Ooh, spooky.
Right from the off Brake's old problems are evident, as your very first choice is between two problems the TARDIS could be reporting -- because all such faults are the decision of pre-teen boys the Doctor's randomly picked up! (Well, now, that sounds bad...) I almost gave up on the book right then. But, determined reader that I am (plus the fact that I bloody paid for this... and they don't take too long to get through), I ploughed on. Delving further, you'll find that, once again, many choices lead to new sections that both end with the same choice once again, making a number of your decisions mostly irrelevant. It would be less bad if the paths were similar but not identical, as your decisions could always have future repercussions -- for example, if you choose to meet a Western scout early on, he asks you the name of the current President. Whether you get it wrong or right, you'll go onto the same section after, so it's a pointless choice, but it really shouldn't be -- if you get it wrong he really should turn against you! Or at least be able to 'remember' it for later. But the limited scope of the book doesn't allow this, of course.
Despite these weakness, I pushed through to the book's end, one of a whopping eleven possibilities. Such variety in that respect is good at least, though as I haven't read them all there may be several almost identical ones for all I know. The plot itself -- about ghosts haunting a wagon train (as you may have guessed from the title), which, of course, turn out to be aliens -- is OK, though not exceptional. Most of the solutions seem to be of the "help the alien find a new home" variety. Compared to the range's only other historical, The Crystal Snare, the amount of detail -- or "educational worth", if you will -- is negligible, and the setting isn't exceptionally well evoked.
Another weak effort from Mr Brake, then. Luckily there's only one more book to go from him... and it's up next...
Right from the off Brake's old problems are evident, as your very first choice is between two problems the TARDIS could be reporting -- because all such faults are the decision of pre-teen boys the Doctor's randomly picked up! (Well, now, that sounds bad...) I almost gave up on the book right then. But, determined reader that I am (plus the fact that I bloody paid for this... and they don't take too long to get through), I ploughed on. Delving further, you'll find that, once again, many choices lead to new sections that both end with the same choice once again, making a number of your decisions mostly irrelevant. It would be less bad if the paths were similar but not identical, as your decisions could always have future repercussions -- for example, if you choose to meet a Western scout early on, he asks you the name of the current President. Whether you get it wrong or right, you'll go onto the same section after, so it's a pointless choice, but it really shouldn't be -- if you get it wrong he really should turn against you! Or at least be able to 'remember' it for later. But the limited scope of the book doesn't allow this, of course.
Despite these weakness, I pushed through to the book's end, one of a whopping eleven possibilities. Such variety in that respect is good at least, though as I haven't read them all there may be several almost identical ones for all I know. The plot itself -- about ghosts haunting a wagon train (as you may have guessed from the title), which, of course, turn out to be aliens -- is OK, though not exceptional. Most of the solutions seem to be of the "help the alien find a new home" variety. Compared to the range's only other historical, The Crystal Snare, the amount of detail -- or "educational worth", if you will -- is negligible, and the setting isn't exceptionally well evoked.
Another weak effort from Mr Brake, then. Luckily there's only one more book to go from him... and it's up next...
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
TV
Doctor Who [classic]
22x12 Revelation of the Daleks Part One [2nd watch]
I'll post a review of this story after Part Two, tomorrow.
Spaced
1x01 Beginnings [2nd watch]
Spooks
4x08 The Russian (aka Traitor in a Friend)
Spooks fairly runs down the 'unfeasible plots' route now, with an episode in which there's an MI5 conspiracy against the Government... instigated by Harry! Meanwhile, Adam has to deal with Psychological Issues, in what's in some respects just a rehash of Tom's storyline in season three.
22x12 Revelation of the Daleks Part One [2nd watch]
I'll post a review of this story after Part Two, tomorrow.
Spaced
1x01 Beginnings [2nd watch]
Spooks
4x08 The Russian (aka Traitor in a Friend)
Spooks fairly runs down the 'unfeasible plots' route now, with an episode in which there's an MI5 conspiracy against the Government... instigated by Harry! Meanwhile, Adam has to deal with Psychological Issues, in what's in some respects just a rehash of Tom's storyline in season three.
Fiction
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
The Sincerest Form of Flattery (pages 113-115)
What Ho, Gods of the Abyss by Bertram Wooster (pages 116-119)
Graphic Novel, Section 3 (pages 120-145)
When They Sound the Last All Clear (pages 146-147)
The Warralson Team, 1946-1947 (pages 148-149)
The Crazy Wide Forever by Sal Paradyse (pages 150-155)
SexJane (Tijuana bible insert)
Director's Summary (pages 156-157)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
The Sincerest Form of Flattery (pages 113-115)
What Ho, Gods of the Abyss by Bertram Wooster (pages 116-119)
Graphic Novel, Section 3 (pages 120-145)
When They Sound the Last All Clear (pages 146-147)
The Warralson Team, 1946-1947 (pages 148-149)
The Crazy Wide Forever by Sal Paradyse (pages 150-155)
SexJane (Tijuana bible insert)
Director's Summary (pages 156-157)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier" by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill - Running Commentary, Part 5
A bumper-bonus lot of sections commented on today, as I raced through several sections of both the Dossier and interwoven action, helped along by the more modern, easier-to-read style of these documents, and the comic's addictively speedy plot.
First up are a couple of pages that detail the League's German and French counterparts. The German ones are given fairly short shrift, as if Moore either doesn't care about them or couldn't find enough decent German characters to make them worthwhile. Consequently the French ones are more interesting, and here Moore sets about detailing the battle that I mentioned before. It's great to know what happened, but disappointing that it's told here as it surely lessens the chances of a proper visual version of it appearing later. It reads a bit like a plot description for a comic, however, suggesting either that's how it originated, is where it's headed (fingers crossed), or that Moore still thinks like a comics writer (of course, many of the other prose pieces in the dossier would belie this, but then in those instances he's specifically imitating another style).
After this, Moore plunges into an amusing Jeeves & Wooster parody, called What Ho, Gods of the Abyss. It's wittily written and gives readers a brief chance to see the post-WWI second Murray Group in action, and whacks in a bit more of the Lovecraft stuff (fast becoming overdone, if you ask me -- and there's more of it yet). It's unsurprising that the Murray groups would get such emphasis -- speaking in-universe, it would be easiest for the Dossier's compilers to find notes and works that refer to them; out of it, they're the group most familiar to readers, and so the one many will be most interested in hearing new adventures of.
After this, it's back to the story of Mina and Allan in 1958. They're on their way to the Birmingham Spaceport, but they've been betrayed... One of the advantages of a graphic novel (rather than episodic issue) format comes out here, as Moore isn't limited to 22 pages for any of these segments. So earlier, for example, he could pack in a load of exposition without worrying that it would basically dominate an issue, and now he can run to 26 pages for a chunk of plot. It's a good section too, as the 'new League' catch up with our heroes at the fantastically realised Spaceport and a battle ensues. At one point Moore even pulls off a neat trick, which isn't uncommon on TV/film but I've personally not seen applied in print, where -- unannounced -- the story jumps back in time to follow another character, for four pages, before they hit the same point as we left. (It's one of those things that works fine when read but sounds awkward when abstractly explained.) I'm sure it's spoiling nothing to say Allan and Mina escape (their most dramatic yet), and it's back into the final section of documents from the Dossier...
The final set of documents round off the story of the Murray Groups, up to the early 1950s. The first is a simple factual report outlining the activities of the surviving members of the second group during World War II. A bit like some sections, especially in the Almanac, it's mostly timeline-filling for those who are interested. The following section is more amusing, detailing a League formed in 1946 that was in every respect an imitation of the first Murray Group, apart from that it only had one mission that failed miserably. Most of the characters Moore chooses for this line-up are even more obscure than those in the other Leagues, it seems to me, but they serve their purpose.
The penultimate piece is a parody of a beat novel, using characters from the works of Jack Kerouac. It's an appalling style if you ask me, hellish to read -- or, rather, battle through -- and with minimal discernible artistic merit. The story is just another adventure for Allan and Mina while they were AWOL in America (during the Big Brother years for the UK -- and who wouldn't want to escape the dominance of British Big Brother?), which offers little even if you can fight your way through it. I found the trick to understanding was just to keep reading and not try to understand everything that's being said, after which I managed to glean enough information to more or less follow what was going on. As I said, it's a small, inconsequential side adventure.
Finally, there's a summing up from the director of MI5 (the same one who's in place when Black Dossier's set). It doesn't sum up the whole Dossier, but again focuses on the exploits of the remnants of the final Murray Group, as far as they're known by MI5, up until the time of its writing in 1956. Maybe some of this will have some relevance in the coming sections (a bit of research I did to explain one reference suggests it might), but otherwise there's little new/exciting/relevant info.
And that concludes the Dossier section of Black Dossier! Next time, it's back to the plot as it races towards its climax...
First up are a couple of pages that detail the League's German and French counterparts. The German ones are given fairly short shrift, as if Moore either doesn't care about them or couldn't find enough decent German characters to make them worthwhile. Consequently the French ones are more interesting, and here Moore sets about detailing the battle that I mentioned before. It's great to know what happened, but disappointing that it's told here as it surely lessens the chances of a proper visual version of it appearing later. It reads a bit like a plot description for a comic, however, suggesting either that's how it originated, is where it's headed (fingers crossed), or that Moore still thinks like a comics writer (of course, many of the other prose pieces in the dossier would belie this, but then in those instances he's specifically imitating another style).
After this, Moore plunges into an amusing Jeeves & Wooster parody, called What Ho, Gods of the Abyss. It's wittily written and gives readers a brief chance to see the post-WWI second Murray Group in action, and whacks in a bit more of the Lovecraft stuff (fast becoming overdone, if you ask me -- and there's more of it yet). It's unsurprising that the Murray groups would get such emphasis -- speaking in-universe, it would be easiest for the Dossier's compilers to find notes and works that refer to them; out of it, they're the group most familiar to readers, and so the one many will be most interested in hearing new adventures of.
After this, it's back to the story of Mina and Allan in 1958. They're on their way to the Birmingham Spaceport, but they've been betrayed... One of the advantages of a graphic novel (rather than episodic issue) format comes out here, as Moore isn't limited to 22 pages for any of these segments. So earlier, for example, he could pack in a load of exposition without worrying that it would basically dominate an issue, and now he can run to 26 pages for a chunk of plot. It's a good section too, as the 'new League' catch up with our heroes at the fantastically realised Spaceport and a battle ensues. At one point Moore even pulls off a neat trick, which isn't uncommon on TV/film but I've personally not seen applied in print, where -- unannounced -- the story jumps back in time to follow another character, for four pages, before they hit the same point as we left. (It's one of those things that works fine when read but sounds awkward when abstractly explained.) I'm sure it's spoiling nothing to say Allan and Mina escape (their most dramatic yet), and it's back into the final section of documents from the Dossier...
The final set of documents round off the story of the Murray Groups, up to the early 1950s. The first is a simple factual report outlining the activities of the surviving members of the second group during World War II. A bit like some sections, especially in the Almanac, it's mostly timeline-filling for those who are interested. The following section is more amusing, detailing a League formed in 1946 that was in every respect an imitation of the first Murray Group, apart from that it only had one mission that failed miserably. Most of the characters Moore chooses for this line-up are even more obscure than those in the other Leagues, it seems to me, but they serve their purpose.
The penultimate piece is a parody of a beat novel, using characters from the works of Jack Kerouac. It's an appalling style if you ask me, hellish to read -- or, rather, battle through -- and with minimal discernible artistic merit. The story is just another adventure for Allan and Mina while they were AWOL in America (during the Big Brother years for the UK -- and who wouldn't want to escape the dominance of British Big Brother?), which offers little even if you can fight your way through it. I found the trick to understanding was just to keep reading and not try to understand everything that's being said, after which I managed to glean enough information to more or less follow what was going on. As I said, it's a small, inconsequential side adventure.
Finally, there's a summing up from the director of MI5 (the same one who's in place when Black Dossier's set). It doesn't sum up the whole Dossier, but again focuses on the exploits of the remnants of the final Murray Group, as far as they're known by MI5, up until the time of its writing in 1956. Maybe some of this will have some relevance in the coming sections (a bit of research I did to explain one reference suggests it might), but otherwise there's little new/exciting/relevant info.
And that concludes the Dossier section of Black Dossier! Next time, it's back to the plot as it races towards its climax...
Monday, 16 June 2008
TV
8 Out of 10 Cats
6x01 (13/6/08 edition)
Commercial Breakdown With Jimmy Carr
11x01 (15/6/08 edition)
"old fridges can KILL"
Gilmore Girls
4x14 The Incredible Sinking Lorelais
Despite the DVD menus clearly naming this episode as The Incredible Sinking Lorelais, every online guide seems to call it The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais. Who couldn't read something?
James Bond: The True Story
Documentary, shown last month on five, about the real-life people and events that inspired the James Bond novels.
Spooks
4x07 Syria (aka Where Trouble Lies)
Spooks reasserts its ability to pull off surprising deaths. I knew the character in question was doomed (this season aired three years ago, there's been plenty of time for spoilers), but I presumed it was in the season finale. How cunning.
6x01 (13/6/08 edition)
Commercial Breakdown With Jimmy Carr
11x01 (15/6/08 edition)
"old fridges can KILL"
Gilmore Girls
4x14 The Incredible Sinking Lorelais
Despite the DVD menus clearly naming this episode as The Incredible Sinking Lorelais, every online guide seems to call it The Incredible Shrinking Lorelais. Who couldn't read something?
James Bond: The True Story
Documentary, shown last month on five, about the real-life people and events that inspired the James Bond novels.
Spooks
4x07 Syria (aka Where Trouble Lies)
Spooks reasserts its ability to pull off surprising deaths. I knew the character in question was doomed (this season aired three years ago, there's been plenty of time for spoilers), but I presumed it was in the season finale. How cunning.
Fiction
Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming
Chapter 14
More unwieldy exposition, as Gorner tells Bond the history of his henchman, Chagrin. The explanation for Chagrin's ruthlessness is pleasingly Bond-style (essentially, an operation removed his ability to empathise), though Faulks takes it a step too far by also adding the clichéd "he can't feel pain" to the mix. The chapter also includes what I take to be an amusing dig at Rupert Murdoch, before Bond is hauled off on a suicidal errand -- could it be the death of 007? (With six chapters to go -- and, of course, the money-making potential of future sequels -- I don't think the answer will surprise anyone.)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Graphic Novel, Section 2 (pages 74-95)
Being a True and Faithful Mappe of Ye Blazing Worlde (page 96)
Shadows in the Steam by Campion Bond (pages 97-103)
The Nautilus, a Cutaway Schematic (pages 104-105)
Prospectus of London, 1901 (pages 106-107)
The Murray Group, Correspondence, 1899-1913 (pages 108-112)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
Chapter 14
More unwieldy exposition, as Gorner tells Bond the history of his henchman, Chagrin. The explanation for Chagrin's ruthlessness is pleasingly Bond-style (essentially, an operation removed his ability to empathise), though Faulks takes it a step too far by also adding the clichéd "he can't feel pain" to the mix. The chapter also includes what I take to be an amusing dig at Rupert Murdoch, before Bond is hauled off on a suicidal errand -- could it be the death of 007? (With six chapters to go -- and, of course, the money-making potential of future sequels -- I don't think the answer will surprise anyone.)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Graphic Novel, Section 2 (pages 74-95)
Being a True and Faithful Mappe of Ye Blazing Worlde (page 96)
Shadows in the Steam by Campion Bond (pages 97-103)
The Nautilus, a Cutaway Schematic (pages 104-105)
Prospectus of London, 1901 (pages 106-107)
The Murray Group, Correspondence, 1899-1913 (pages 108-112)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier" by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill - Running Commentary, Part 4
Today's reading takes me past the halfway point of the latest volume in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series.
Following the first round of documents from the Dossier itself, it's back to the continuing adventures of Mina and Allan. The amount of plot in these sections is pleasing, as I was rather expecting near-pointless little vignettes designed to intersperse the pages of the Dossier; happily, it's almost the other way round, as the Dossier's documents are inserted at the points when the characters are reading them, and so in between there's an actual plot. Mina and Allan head to Kent, to the derelict Greyfriars public school, to investigate the mysterious initials mentioned in handwritten notes that cover the Dossier. Like the documents from the Dossier itself, this sequence is wordy and exposition-packed, in which Moore basically connects up various fictional characters of the '40s and '50s (and earlier) to bring his world together. There are a few twists and surprises in amongst this, but it's occasionally hard to escape the feeling that, like the Dossier, it's as much an academic exercise in world-building as it is a proper story. Perhaps this is why Black Dossier isn't counted as Volume III.
Also in this section, in London the current incarnation of 'M' pairs Bond... er, sorry, Jimmy... up with two other agents to hunt down Mina and Allan. What success will this new almost-League have? I suppose we'll find out in about 25 pages as, following a bout of rumpy-pumpy (Moore reigns himself in and doesn't show the act, instead treating readers to a three-panel silent page showing events elsewhere), it's back to the Dossier...
It doesn't feel like just 25 pages when making one's way through the Dossier's documents; not because they're dull, but they're frequently text-only pages, which unsurprisingly take longer to read than comic pages, however wordy they may get. First is a single-page map of the Blazing World, which both Prospero's and Gulliver's Leagues visited. There's little to note here, beyond hints at how the included 3D glasses might come into play, and a small picture of what looks to be a Police Box...
After this the documents move on to cover Murray's League, beginning with a chapter from Campion Bond's autobiography that describes the formation of it. While most of this was covered in Volume I, one part we never got to see was how Nemo was recruited, and that's what's covered here. It's a shame it hasn't been covered 'on screen', as the descriptions of the locations made me long to see them. (Incidentally, Bond's memoirs are first mentioned in a quote at the start of Volume I, which comes from this very chapter. I have to wonder if Moore has just managed to integrate this, or if he had already planned so far ahead -- that might sound unlikely, but I find it plausible, all things considered.)
The account of Nemo's recruitment are followed by a couple of brief sections: first, a cross-section of the Nautilus, which is like those ones magazines and annuals used to publish of craft from Gerry Anderson series (if anyone remembers those...) I always liked them when I was little, so this is quite nice. Secondly, a Prospectus of London, 1901 shows a selection of buildings and monuments related to the adventures of the Murray Group. Beyond being slight reference to the first two volumes, and showing what happened to some things they left behind (such as a Martian war machine becoming a children's play area), there's little to this brief segment.
As with the Prospectus, the next set of documents continues to explore the actions of some characters after the disbandment of the Murray Group (at the end of Volume II). Dramatically referred to as "Bulletins From Beyond" on the contents page, this collection of postcards is more factually called "The Murray Group, Correspondence, 1899-1913" on its title page. As well as a summary of their activities in this period, it includes eight postcards sent by Mina, Allan and Orlando, many from places mentioned in the Almanac. As I mentioned in a previous commentary, this once again as the advantage of re-presenting things we already know in a different context, with the odd sliver of new information. As the events of Volume III will be set during this period, such frames of reference may prove fruitful.
One thing: having read so much -- yet all of it vague -- about the battle between the League and their French counterparts, Les Hommes Mystérieux, in both the Almanac and various entries in the Dossier (and, no doubt, more to come in the next document, which I'll get to tomorrow), I hope Moore decides to properly tell the story of their encounter at some point -- as Volume IV would be nice.
Following the first round of documents from the Dossier itself, it's back to the continuing adventures of Mina and Allan. The amount of plot in these sections is pleasing, as I was rather expecting near-pointless little vignettes designed to intersperse the pages of the Dossier; happily, it's almost the other way round, as the Dossier's documents are inserted at the points when the characters are reading them, and so in between there's an actual plot. Mina and Allan head to Kent, to the derelict Greyfriars public school, to investigate the mysterious initials mentioned in handwritten notes that cover the Dossier. Like the documents from the Dossier itself, this sequence is wordy and exposition-packed, in which Moore basically connects up various fictional characters of the '40s and '50s (and earlier) to bring his world together. There are a few twists and surprises in amongst this, but it's occasionally hard to escape the feeling that, like the Dossier, it's as much an academic exercise in world-building as it is a proper story. Perhaps this is why Black Dossier isn't counted as Volume III.
Also in this section, in London the current incarnation of 'M' pairs Bond... er, sorry, Jimmy... up with two other agents to hunt down Mina and Allan. What success will this new almost-League have? I suppose we'll find out in about 25 pages as, following a bout of rumpy-pumpy (Moore reigns himself in and doesn't show the act, instead treating readers to a three-panel silent page showing events elsewhere), it's back to the Dossier...
It doesn't feel like just 25 pages when making one's way through the Dossier's documents; not because they're dull, but they're frequently text-only pages, which unsurprisingly take longer to read than comic pages, however wordy they may get. First is a single-page map of the Blazing World, which both Prospero's and Gulliver's Leagues visited. There's little to note here, beyond hints at how the included 3D glasses might come into play, and a small picture of what looks to be a Police Box...
After this the documents move on to cover Murray's League, beginning with a chapter from Campion Bond's autobiography that describes the formation of it. While most of this was covered in Volume I, one part we never got to see was how Nemo was recruited, and that's what's covered here. It's a shame it hasn't been covered 'on screen', as the descriptions of the locations made me long to see them. (Incidentally, Bond's memoirs are first mentioned in a quote at the start of Volume I, which comes from this very chapter. I have to wonder if Moore has just managed to integrate this, or if he had already planned so far ahead -- that might sound unlikely, but I find it plausible, all things considered.)
The account of Nemo's recruitment are followed by a couple of brief sections: first, a cross-section of the Nautilus, which is like those ones magazines and annuals used to publish of craft from Gerry Anderson series (if anyone remembers those...) I always liked them when I was little, so this is quite nice. Secondly, a Prospectus of London, 1901 shows a selection of buildings and monuments related to the adventures of the Murray Group. Beyond being slight reference to the first two volumes, and showing what happened to some things they left behind (such as a Martian war machine becoming a children's play area), there's little to this brief segment.
As with the Prospectus, the next set of documents continues to explore the actions of some characters after the disbandment of the Murray Group (at the end of Volume II). Dramatically referred to as "Bulletins From Beyond" on the contents page, this collection of postcards is more factually called "The Murray Group, Correspondence, 1899-1913" on its title page. As well as a summary of their activities in this period, it includes eight postcards sent by Mina, Allan and Orlando, many from places mentioned in the Almanac. As I mentioned in a previous commentary, this once again as the advantage of re-presenting things we already know in a different context, with the odd sliver of new information. As the events of Volume III will be set during this period, such frames of reference may prove fruitful.
One thing: having read so much -- yet all of it vague -- about the battle between the League and their French counterparts, Les Hommes Mystérieux, in both the Almanac and various entries in the Dossier (and, no doubt, more to come in the next document, which I'll get to tomorrow), I hope Moore decides to properly tell the story of their encounter at some point -- as Volume IV would be nice.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
TV
Dirt
2x07 In Lieu of Flowers... [season finale]
Red Dwarf
2x06 Parallel Universe [season finale]
Shark
2x09 Burning Sensation
"What they just did was illegal, that evidence can never be admitted!"
"But it needs to be otherwise the whole case, and therefore the episode's plot, completely falls apart!"
"I know, let's make up a fictional law that one of our characters can have created while she was the DA a while back!"
"Ooh, great idea! Let's hope no one notices..."
Spooks
4x06 The Innocent (aka Beyond the Cell)
Ordering to shoot without question? Paying a near-assassin a Government wage for the rest of his life? Seems this is where Spooks pushes credibility. Shame, because it undermines an otherwise fairly thoughtful episode.
Wild China
Part 6 Tides of Change [series finale]
2x07 In Lieu of Flowers... [season finale]
Red Dwarf
2x06 Parallel Universe [season finale]
Shark
2x09 Burning Sensation
"What they just did was illegal, that evidence can never be admitted!"
"But it needs to be otherwise the whole case, and therefore the episode's plot, completely falls apart!"
"I know, let's make up a fictional law that one of our characters can have created while she was the DA a while back!"
"Ooh, great idea! Let's hope no one notices..."
Spooks
4x06 The Innocent (aka Beyond the Cell)
Ordering to shoot without question? Paying a near-assassin a Government wage for the rest of his life? Seems this is where Spooks pushes credibility. Shame, because it undermines an otherwise fairly thoughtful episode.
Wild China
Part 6 Tides of Change [series finale]
Fiction
Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: Dark Planet by Davey Moore
See here for my thoughts on this book.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
The New Adventures of Fanny Hill by John Cleland (pages 57-72)
The Most Popular Tall-Tale Teller in the Tavern (page 73)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
See here for my thoughts on this book.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
The New Adventures of Fanny Hill by John Cleland (pages 57-72)
The Most Popular Tall-Tale Teller in the Tavern (page 73)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier" by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill - Running Commentary, Part 3
Moving on to the next two sections of Black Dossier...
First up (ho ho) is The New Adventures of Fanny Hill, a sequel to John Cleland's infamous novel that tells the story of the second League, led by Lemuel Gulliver. Moore seems to have an obsession with erotica/pornography that comes more and more to the fore -- there are elements in the first volume that hint at it, full on sex scenes in the second (as well as much reference to it in the accompanying documents), and between penning volumes of the League he worked on Lost Girls (until recently 'banned' in the UK due to licensing issues with some characters). That said, this segment is cleverly written -- the text is apparently tame, but the accompanying illustrations explicitly depict what's actually meant, and consequently together they make for an amusing read. All of this League's adventures seem to have some basis in sex, however, and having related their stories at least twice over already I wouldn't expect Moore to tell them any more thoroughly in future (though you never know). This is also the first section on different paper stock -- a rougher, early-novel style -- which adds some pleasing variety and, for want of a better expression, reality to the book's style. Perhaps the forthcoming Absolute Edition will make even greater use of such tricks?
Following this is a single-page political cartoon, something to do with King George III and Prime Minister William Pitt wasting money on a band of fictional characters (that being Gulliver's League). It adds a small amount of detail to the reasons for this League's genesis, but little more.
Next time, a return to normal 'sequential art'...
First up (ho ho) is The New Adventures of Fanny Hill, a sequel to John Cleland's infamous novel that tells the story of the second League, led by Lemuel Gulliver. Moore seems to have an obsession with erotica/pornography that comes more and more to the fore -- there are elements in the first volume that hint at it, full on sex scenes in the second (as well as much reference to it in the accompanying documents), and between penning volumes of the League he worked on Lost Girls (until recently 'banned' in the UK due to licensing issues with some characters). That said, this segment is cleverly written -- the text is apparently tame, but the accompanying illustrations explicitly depict what's actually meant, and consequently together they make for an amusing read. All of this League's adventures seem to have some basis in sex, however, and having related their stories at least twice over already I wouldn't expect Moore to tell them any more thoroughly in future (though you never know). This is also the first section on different paper stock -- a rougher, early-novel style -- which adds some pleasing variety and, for want of a better expression, reality to the book's style. Perhaps the forthcoming Absolute Edition will make even greater use of such tricks?
Following this is a single-page political cartoon, something to do with King George III and Prime Minister William Pitt wasting money on a band of fictional characters (that being Gulliver's League). It adds a small amount of detail to the reasons for this League's genesis, but little more.
Next time, a return to normal 'sequential art'...
"Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: Dark Planet" by Davey Moore
The seventh book in the Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny series, Dark Planet sees the return of Davey Moore, author of the somewhat disappointing Corinthian Project. One of the problems in that book was the obsessive creation of a future world to the detriment of a plot. From the blurb, it sounds like Dark Planet may suffer the same fate. In the future, "Earth is divided. The Upsiders live in luxury while the Downsiders scavenge in the dark world below. Can you help the Doctor and Martha bring the two conflicting sides back together?" Ooh, dystopian.
Luckily, despite my fears, Dark Planet isn't over-created. The 'society split in two' concept of the Up Side and Down Side may be far from original, but it's also quite a universal idea so that hardly matters. Moore doesn't waste time describing the intricacies of how it works, but reveals enough of how it came about and how it's sustained to satiate curiosity. The plot itself is engaging too, with a couple of decent incidents and a fair backstory. In the book's first entry (one of the strongest of the entire series) you're offered a choice between three random buttons, and a quick scan through the results of the two I didn't choose suggests that each provides a vastly different version of events. It would seem there are three notably different adventures to be had from this book -- good value for money -- and, for once, a nice clear way to see how to access each one.
There's a downside to this variety though, which I shall longwindedly explain. The story I followed seemed to present two notably different strands, as at a couple of points you can choose to follow either an Upsider or a Downsider; I chose to go towards the Downsider every time, but still wound up following the Upsider. There were other, even more specific instances where my choice made no difference -- in one, either option led to the same bit of exposition, just given by different characters, and both then led on to the same concluding segment. The book also too often succumbs to the disappointing trick of shuttling you from entry to entry with no choices at all. I would imagine this is the price one pays for squeezing three totally different stories into 101 segments -- there's very little room to have many choices within each. Arguably the illusion of choice, as in the exposition example, is better than shuttling on throughout, but your choices actually making a difference is what should happen.
Moore's previous entry in this range, The Corinthian Project, probably wasn't as bad as my review suggested. Nonetheless, Dark Planet has a better plot, and it's pleasing to see the same author adopt a different style of creating varied adventures -- in his first book it's by offering various routes of exploration around the same location, while in this there's a selection of totally different strands. In spite of the flaws, then, the fact that Dark Planet offers three different adventures -- and that I enjoyed the one I read -- marks it out as one of the series' better efforts.
Luckily, despite my fears, Dark Planet isn't over-created. The 'society split in two' concept of the Up Side and Down Side may be far from original, but it's also quite a universal idea so that hardly matters. Moore doesn't waste time describing the intricacies of how it works, but reveals enough of how it came about and how it's sustained to satiate curiosity. The plot itself is engaging too, with a couple of decent incidents and a fair backstory. In the book's first entry (one of the strongest of the entire series) you're offered a choice between three random buttons, and a quick scan through the results of the two I didn't choose suggests that each provides a vastly different version of events. It would seem there are three notably different adventures to be had from this book -- good value for money -- and, for once, a nice clear way to see how to access each one.
There's a downside to this variety though, which I shall longwindedly explain. The story I followed seemed to present two notably different strands, as at a couple of points you can choose to follow either an Upsider or a Downsider; I chose to go towards the Downsider every time, but still wound up following the Upsider. There were other, even more specific instances where my choice made no difference -- in one, either option led to the same bit of exposition, just given by different characters, and both then led on to the same concluding segment. The book also too often succumbs to the disappointing trick of shuttling you from entry to entry with no choices at all. I would imagine this is the price one pays for squeezing three totally different stories into 101 segments -- there's very little room to have many choices within each. Arguably the illusion of choice, as in the exposition example, is better than shuttling on throughout, but your choices actually making a difference is what should happen.
Moore's previous entry in this range, The Corinthian Project, probably wasn't as bad as my review suggested. Nonetheless, Dark Planet has a better plot, and it's pleasing to see the same author adopt a different style of creating varied adventures -- in his first book it's by offering various routes of exploration around the same location, while in this there's a selection of totally different strands. In spite of the flaws, then, the fact that Dark Planet offers three different adventures -- and that I enjoyed the one I read -- marks it out as one of the series' better efforts.
Saturday, 14 June 2008
TV
Babylon 5
1x10 Believers
1x11 Survivors
My slow progression through the first season of Babylon 5 (if I were watching weekly I'd be at episode 14 by now) finally reaches halfway.
Doctor Who [new]
4x10 Midnight
See here for my thoughts on this story.
Gilmore Girls
4x13 Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
The bizarre title merely explains a throwaway joke in the episode.
House
4x16 Wilson's Heart [season finale]
A surprising, moving episode to round off House's fourth season. As with previous House season finales, there's no direct cliffhanger, but they leave the ongoing plotlines in such a position that I'm desperate for season five to find out what happens next. All in, one of the best ever episodes.
The Kids Are All Right
1x08 (14/6/08 edition)
The kids aren't alright, they're bloody annoying little brats. But in this final episode, the four adults facing them could possibly win the largest amount of cash yet... (They didn't.)
Red Dwarf
2x05 Queeg [2nd watch]
The Weakest Link
Blue Peter Special
Never mind the programme, the website hasn't been updated for two years!
1x10 Believers
1x11 Survivors
My slow progression through the first season of Babylon 5 (if I were watching weekly I'd be at episode 14 by now) finally reaches halfway.
Doctor Who [new]
4x10 Midnight
See here for my thoughts on this story.
Gilmore Girls
4x13 Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
The bizarre title merely explains a throwaway joke in the episode.
House
4x16 Wilson's Heart [season finale]
A surprising, moving episode to round off House's fourth season. As with previous House season finales, there's no direct cliffhanger, but they leave the ongoing plotlines in such a position that I'm desperate for season five to find out what happens next. All in, one of the best ever episodes.
The Kids Are All Right
1x08 (14/6/08 edition)
The kids aren't alright, they're bloody annoying little brats. But in this final episode, the four adults facing them could possibly win the largest amount of cash yet... (They didn't.)
Red Dwarf
2x05 Queeg [2nd watch]
The Weakest Link
Blue Peter Special
Never mind the programme, the website hasn't been updated for two years!
Fiction
Autumn Story by Jill Barklem
Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming
Chapter 13
Faulks cleverly protracts the tension of Bond's capture by taking us away from him for a whole chapter. He were get a chance to see the present actions of some of Bond's allies -- Mathis, Leiter, 'M' and Darius Alizadeh -- all of whom, it seems, will have a greater part to play yet...
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
On the Descent of Gods by Oliver Haddo (pages 26-28)
The Life of Orlando from The Trump (pages 29-48)
Faerie's Fortunes Founded by William Shakespeare (pages 49-56)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming
Chapter 13
Faulks cleverly protracts the tension of Bond's capture by taking us away from him for a whole chapter. He were get a chance to see the present actions of some of Bond's allies -- Mathis, Leiter, 'M' and Darius Alizadeh -- all of whom, it seems, will have a greater part to play yet...
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
On the Descent of Gods by Oliver Haddo (pages 26-28)
The Life of Orlando from The Trump (pages 29-48)
Faerie's Fortunes Founded by William Shakespeare (pages 49-56)
See here for my thoughts on these sections of Black Dossier.
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