Memorable scene: the four main characters, played by John Mills, Sylvia Syms, Anthony Quayle
and Harry Andrews, enjoy a drink in Ice Cold in Alex.
Sylvia Syms, the last living star of Ice Cold in Alex, has died.
The 1958 movie is in my top ten films of all time, and has been since I first watched the black and white classic on television sometime in the 1980s. I was a teenager then and, across four decades, I’ve returned to the movie through repeat screenings on TV and DVD viewings.
Set during the Second World War, it is mesmorising from start to finish. The scene with the four main characters at the bar in Alexandria, Egypt, is impossible to forget. It captures the end of an adventure, and a bond between four people who shared a gruelling, testing journey and the sacrifices it entailed - an experience that would be a defining moment in anyone's life.
The photograph of the quartet at the bar also embodies standards, morals, dignity and service to oneself and others, displayed at a level and in ways that now seem heartbreakingly distant. When I last watched Ice Cold in Alex I wondered if any of the four in that memorable bar scene was still alive. At the time, Syms was the lone surviving link to the classic.
Now they are all gone. However, the beauty of the film they made and the story they told lives on. I highly recommend a viewing of this film.
Busy movie: JJ Abrams managed to fashion a
mostly believable conclusion to the Star Wars saga
The Skywalker saga is over. The 42-year cinematic odyssey that had some soaringly high points and a few equally low moments, has ended in an acceptable fashion with Star Wars: Episode IX -The Rise of Skywalker.
But it will leave some fans of the original films lamenting what might have been had this sequel trilogy been thoughtfully planned out.
In places, The Rise of Skywalker has sparks of emotional connection that were lacking in the previous film in the trilogy. Interestingly, director JJ Abrams has made this film mostly leap over the divisive The Last Jedi, and act as a sequel to his episode 7, The Force Awakens.
For the most part you can watch this without having even seen The Last Jedi, which will be a bonus for many people.
What else did we learn from this film? Well, it seems tossing the lightsabre is now a thing, and possibly a future Olympic sport.
The humour is more in line with the classic Star Wars films, although in some places is misplaced. For instance, a jolting moment comes when Poe and Rey engage in a conversational joust that is annoyingly out of place and petty. It comes after the Millennium Falcon returns to base and, given the gravity of the story at that point, would they really be arguing about who got the spaceship or droid damaged the most?
At its core, The Rise of Skywalker is a return to the simplistic, formulaic Saturday morning science fiction shorts of the 1930s, think Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, that lent much to the genesis of the original Star Wars trilogy. And there is a charm in that.
If you go into the theatre with lowered expectations, you'll likely to be pleasantly surprised. That's hardly a ringing endorsement, but after the train wreck of The Last Jedi it says much.
Following the story-telling void of its predecessor, Abrams somehow manages to concoct a believable, if at times contrived, story arc within the film's 2 hours and 25 minutes' running time. It's cluttered and moves at such breakneck speed it is impossible to take in everything, or savour moments that deserve more.
This lack of finesse highlights the folly of Disney's handling of such a premier intellectual property. The studio allowed the concluding trilogy to be made without first having a mapped out, overarching storyline for the three movies. As such, there are plot points in The Rise of Skywalker that would have been bettered served in the previous film, rather than shoehorned into this finale.
However, back to the good things about The Rise of Skywalker. The actors appear more natural, comfortable and real, although for the newer generation there is still very little buy-in that would make audiences overly concerned about their stories or fates.
The character of Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, shows a touch more believability and emotion. Adam Driver, as Kylo, is the strongest main character, as he has been for the trilogy.
The late Carrie Fisher returns as Leia. Her part is adequately done considering the constrains of having to rely solely on footage and outtakes from previous movies. We are left to imagine how much more satisfying it would have been had she still been with us.
Mark Hamill's portrayal of Luke, while marginal in the film, does provide the most emotionally satisfying moments. His character is one of the film industry's greatest heroes, and he receives the redemption and explanation needed in the wake of The Last Jedi.
There is still a sense of mystery about his lost years from Return of the Jedi to The Last Jedi - and in the hands of a skilled writer and director a spin-off "latter days" Skywalker movie could fill the gaps and ultimately add important background context to this final trilogy. Disney, feel free to call.
In conclusion, 3.5 out of 5 for the movie, but full marks to Abrams for the ending scene.
VIDEO: The final trailer for The Rise of Skywalker.
What lies ahead? an intriguing glimpse of Death Star wreckage in the trailer for The Rise of Skywalker
The first trailer for Star Wars 9, now revealed as The Rise of Skywalker, has a restrained feel. It is as though the director, JJ Abrams, is reluctant to show or giveaway anything about the plot ahead of its December release.
In a counterintuitive way that could be for the best, given the strongly divided reaction the previous installment of the saga generated (I gave Star Wars Episode VIII:The Last Jedia reluctant 50% score). A bolder strategy would be a total pre-release blackout, letting the film take audiences by surprise and succeeding or failing through "old school" word-of-mouth recommendations.
However, such a slow burn approach, given the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the production, is unlikely to fly with Disney executives.
Abrams has a tough task to pull the sequel trilogy back from the brink after the storytelling dumpster fire that was The Last Jedi. He appeared to diplomatically acknowledge this last week at the Star Wars Celebration event in Chicago, telling an interviewer: "We've taken to heart everything that has come before, and while it's obviously been significantly challenging, it's been a greater opportunity than a challenge."
Mystery with menace: Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver,
is the most interesting new character in the sequel trilogy
There is no compelling narrative to carry the story on from The Last Jedi, and it features a cast of new characters that - two films into the trilogy - have yet to establish anywhere near the commanding presence achieved by the protagonists of the original films. As for the bad guys, they have been left to look ridiculously ineffective, save for the one beacon of possibility - Kylo Ren.
It may be that Abrams has found a way to retrofit a story into the void left by The Last Jedi - or to somehow create a bridge from his own Episode VII: A Force Awakens to this concluding part of the Skywalker saga. As I have previously noted, the core problem with this trilogy stems from the ad-hoc way it has taken shape, in a "pass the parcel" fashion with the story handed over from one writer/director to another, leaving each to mould their own tale "on the hoof" rather than revolving around a pre-planned story arc.
George Lucas, who created the Star Wars universe, was shunted out of the way when Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012. He had drafted his own vision of how the sequel trilogy might play out, but this was discarded by the decision-makers who took charge of the current trilogy.
Interestingly, in light of the polarising effect The Last Jedi has hadon the franchise's fan base, Lucas was consulted before work began on The Rise of Skywalker; as was revealed by Abrams during last week's interview.
As for the new trailer, the most interesting moment is the scene showing what appears to be wreckage of a Death Star - and my guess it it is the second Death Star, which was destroyed in 1983's Return of The Jedi. There is a belief among some that lead protagonist Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, will swim to the wreckage and uncover a crucial part of the story. The trailer features the menacing laughter of Emporer Palpatine, hitherto believed vanquished at the hands of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, and adds a tantalising possibility to where this final segment of the Skywalker saga might go.
One thing is for sure, for many fans only an appearance by Luke Skywalker will erase the bitter taste of The Last Jedi. Abrams' skillful insertion of Skywalker at the conclusion of The Force Awakens, created one of the series' greatest emotional jolts. Can he do it again?
The jury is out on whether the sequel trilogy can be salvaged. The Rise of Skywalker trailer gives no indication as to what the answer will be.
Mystical place: An Lochan Uaine has an unusually green appearance
that some say is caused by faeries washing their clothes in its water.
Thirty-three years after first stumbling across a book that mentioned a mysterious faery loch in a remote part of Scotland, I finally had the chance to visit it this year.
It is almost impossible to locate 'An Lochan Uaine' on a map, because it is so small and inconsequential relative to the mountainous splendor of its surroundings.
Tucked away in the vast wilderness of the Cairngorms, it is about seven miles due east of Aviemore - but don't think about driving there, because you can't. To reach it you must leave the road behind and take to quiet trails that lead into the mountains and an area known as Ryvoan Pass.
I'd read about An Lochan Uaine. I'd written a poem about it, which had became a song, a play and a short movie. Yet I'd never been to this place that had sparked my imagination in so many ways for more than three decades. Now, as I stood at the edge of the lochan, it felt like the closure of a personal journey that I'd carried since my teenage years.
The story began in 1985 as I read what was then a 30-year-old book about remote locations in Scotland. Each place described was accompanied by a single, page-sized black-and-white photograph. There were no people on the images, just the raw beauty of unspoiled wilderness.
On one page there was a photograph of An Lochan Uaine - a small body of water in the mountains. I recall the monochrome picture had a wintery feel. The words that accompanied it described the green water of the lochan and mentioned a folk tale that claimed faeries washed their clothes there and, as they did so, the dye would run and give the water its green tinge.
I wrote a poem in 1985 based on the tale. Faeries of Green Lochan was included in the 1987 paperback Inspired, a collection of young writers' stories and poems. I turned it into a song to perform at open mic events. In 2003, in a two-person play, I expanded on the theme of the mystical faeries and the lochan, and performed one of the roles at an amateur dramatics show at Bournemouth Centre for Community Arts. The screenplay was included in Eating Clouds in 2008. That led to the animation and live-action short film Faeries of Green Lochan of 2011. I had ambitions of filming it on location, but practicalities meant the live-action scene was filmed at a lake in Dorset, England.
This autumn I finally made it to the Cairngorms and sought out the lochan and its mystical green water. Heather, who was also the 'Woman in the Cloak' in the film version of Faeries of Green Lochan, and I set out on the tricky hillside trail that led to the lochan. The views were breathtaking as we followed a narrow path through fir trees and pines that hugged the steep edge of Ryvoan Pass. There was a magical feel to the place, and I was struck by the number of fly agaric mushrooms visible in the undergrowth. These distinctive bright red with white spot mushrooms had featured in animation sequences of the Faeries film, although at the time I had not known whether they were to be found near the lochan. They were - and in abundance.
Water's edge: with Heather beside An Lochan Uaine.
And then we were there at the edge of the lochan and its green water. A connection that spanned 33 years had been fulfilled. In the remote surroundings of the Cairngorms I wondered if this peaceful place guarded a precious secret. Were they out there - the faeries, hiding in the undergrowth and waiting until all folks had departed before coming to dance and sing at the water's edge and scrub their clothes clean?
Who can say? All I know is the place has a magical feel, and that is enough.
Mark Hamill and Martin Landau spoke out when their iconic characters were
made to act incongruously to the manner they had previously established
Two leading actors in science-fiction franchises, separately and decades apart, expressed instinctive and eerily similar warnings about how their iconic characters were being altered in ways incongruent to their established identities, and that were likely to upset multitudes of loyal fans.
Their misgivings and concerns were flagged up before and during filming to those with influential production roles, but were mostly dismissed. However, they turned out to be prophetically accurate.
In interviews that took place 18 years apart, Martin Landau and Mark Hamill voiced almost identical thoughts on the process they saw unfolding for the well-loved characters they helped create.
Oscar winner Landau spoke about this when interviewed for a French documentary in 1999, as he reflected on his time as Commander John Koenig, the male lead of Space:1999 - a TV series filmed and broadcast during the mid-1970s. Meanwhile Hamill, in a number of interviews last year during the build up to the release of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, aired concerns about the direction of his character Luke Skywalker.
Landau had deep misgivings about changes in the the second series of Space:1999 that were mostly introduced and forced through by new producer and script editor Fred Frieberger. He spoke of “battles” with Freiberger about the changes, which included characters behaving incongruously to the manner they had established in the first series. There was also unexplained changes of personnel, outfits, and main sets.
Speaking of the second series, Landau said: “I’m not a big fan. I thought he (Frieberger) hurt the show. I thought he hurt Star Trek; the year he did it it went downhill. He certainly didn’t help us. I fought with him all the time. You see, I think an episode should enhance the character and serve the character. Many times in the second year my character had to serve the script and do things that he shouldn’t do. I knew Commander Koenig. I understood him. And in the second year he did things he should never have done to accommodate a story point in the script - I used to fight over that, I would say ‘this is wrong.’”
It was not only his character who was made to act inconsistently to their established identity. Landau said Freiberger “would bring up a script and I would say ‘this is terrible. Helena wouldn’t do this, Koenig wouldn’t do this, Alan wouldn’t do this. These characters would not do this. The only reason they are doing this is to serve this script, and it’s wrong.’ Sometimes I would win these battles, and sometimes I’d lose them. Sometimes there was a re-write, sometimes there wasn’t. I wasn’t happy the second year; I thought we were turning the show into a cartoon - into a Mister Magoo.”
Landau had misgivings about changes to characters and story lines in the
second series of Space:1999. He had "battles" with producer Frieberger
When broadcast, series two was widely-regarded by critics and many fans as a dumbed-down “monster of the week” follow-up to the often thought-provoking episodes of the first year. Many people continue to view the second year as a pale shadow of the first. There was no third series. Years later, when Freiberger made a rare appearance at a Space:1999 fan convention to explain why he made so many changes, he faced robust criticism from the most dedicated supporters of the show.
Landau’s words about “knowing and understanding” Commander Koenig and taking issue with the character being made to do things he would not have done based on his established identity, were mirrored by Hamill when he spoke about his misgivings regarding the character direction for Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi.
In an interview on Nightline ABC in April 2017, Hamill said when he read the script he told writer and director Rian Johnson: “I fundamentally disagree with everything you’ve decided about my character.” He continued: “It was as shocking to me to read what Rian had written as I’m sure it will be for the audience.”
Later in the year he returned to the topic. “I said to Rian, ‘Jedi don’t give up. Even if he (Luke) had a problem he’d maybe take a year to re-group, but if he made a mistake he’d try to right that wrong.’ So right there we had a fundamental difference. But, it’s not my story anymore, it’s someone else’s story and Rian needed me to be a certain way to make the ending effective,” said Hamill.
Expanding on his concerns during the same interview, he said: “That’s the crux of my problem - Luke would never say that. I almost had to think of Luke as another character, maybe he’s Jake Skywalker, he’s not my Luke Skywalker. But I had to do what Rian wanted me to do because it serves the story well. But listen, I still haven’t accepted it completely. But it’s only a movie, I hope people like it, I hope people don’t get upset.”
As the marketing machine went into overdrive for the film’s release, Hamill said he regretted voicing some of his doubts in public. “Creative differences are a common element of any project but usually remain private,” he said, adding that he ultimately appreciated the decisions that had been made.
However, The Last Jedi caused damaging polarization among fans - more so than has been experienced by any blockbuster movie franchise - to the extent that many who had followed the Star Wars saga for 40 years turned away from the series and vowed to avoid future installments. A variety of reasons were given, but head-and-shoulders above all was dismay at how Luke Skywalker, one of the greatest movie heroes of all time, had been portrayed in a way far removed from what had been established in previous films.
On social media and film review sites across the internet the backlash was substantial. I have read and listened to hundreds of options lambasting in particular the framing of Luke. We are now nine months on from the film’s release and the reaction shows no signs of abating. To pick one mild example, posted as a comment on a YouTube video in the past 48 hours, a fan wrote: “I still cannot believe Rian Johnson's script made it to the screen. Surely someone at Disney or Lucasfilm (other than Mark Hamill) pointed out how upset Star Wars fans were going to get."
While innovation in storytelling is always to be welcomed, there are certain boundaries where red warnings flash - as Landau and Hamill flagged up during the production of their respective franchises. For the directors and producers who ignored or overrode the warnings and concerns of their foremost stars, the subsequent fan fallout has been haunting.
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Video: Martin Landau talks about concerns for his Space:1999 character.
Video: Mark Hamill speaks about changes to the character of Luke Skywalker.
On a mission: Wendy has to reach Los Angeles
before the screenwriting competition deadline
It's always a pleasure to come across a movie out of the blue that entertains, tugs on emotions and is enjoyable to the last. Please Stand By tells the story of a young woman with autism, played by Dakota Fanning, who runs away from her caregiver in order to submit a screenplay she has written to a Star Trek contest.
This new film has been released simultaneously at theatres and through iTunes and Amazon.
Fanning plays the role of Wendy, who has some remarkable yet under-appreciated talents. Even as her erratic mission to deliver her Star Trek screenplay falls apart, she overcomes her fears. At one point she does this by following the wisdom of Spock - in the words that she wrote - where the only logical direction to go is "forward".
Toni Collette, in the role of caregiver Scottie, was the reason I took a chance on this new release. Collete has given a string of great performances over the years, including her breakthrough hit Muriel's Wedding, and she is masterful in this outing, as is Alice Eve, another newcomer to me, who plays Wendy's sister Audrey.
Perfect casting: Dakota Fanning's performance as Wendy is memorable
While the strong and clear plot revolves around Wendy's attempt to deliver her screenplay before the competition deadline, the theme of Please Stand By is very much one of relationships, empathy and family. The upsets are believable, and even in the seemingly most hopeless moments there is an underlying positivity, a flickering flame that refuses to go out. We never want to give up on Wendy.
All together, Please Stand By handles an interesting topic in a sensitive and uplifting way. Fanning is a star on the rise, and Collette and Eve are on point in their supporting roles. My emotions were tugged repeatedly by this film, which in moments reminded me of David Lynch's wonderful Straight Story.
The scripting is tight and believable; the cinematography and accompanying music are a delight. The soundtrack features the melodic Au Revoir Simone and also the relatively obscure group Lavender Diamond, whose play out tune Open Your Heart perfectly captures the mood.
At a time when Hollywood seems to be losing the plot with soulless blockbuster franchises, it is good to know that little films such as Please Stand By are also being made and seeing the light of day.
If you are looking for a 'soft and cuddly' Star Wars movie, then Rogue One is not the one you're looking for.
Expect hard edges and the grim realities of life under the Imperial boot in this tale about a group of unvarnished misfits willing to sacrifice everything to strike at the Galactic overlords.
With Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards takes the Star Wars story deep into the dim and dark territory that paid dividends for The Empire Strikes Back and made it the standout episode of the original trilogy.
Rogue One’s realism and its portrayal of the grey areas that exist between the light and dark of good and evil, give it a grown-up feel. There are enough nods in the direction of the main series to firmly anchor it within the Star Wars universe, but its self-contained story arc is not subservient to the Skywalker/Jedi/Force narrative of the main saga.
Felicity Jones, who plays the lead role, has tagged it as Star Wars 3.5, referring to the episodic nature of the film franchise, in which the original Star Wars is now known as Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
Chronologically, the events depicted in the film occur in the run-up to the original 1977 blockbuster, with Rogue One ending 10 minutes before the opening scene of A New Hope.
However, don't be put off if you are unfamiliar with the Star Wars saga, because a new viewer should be able to enjoy and follow this film without prior knowledge of either what came before or after, although they will miss out on a lot of symbolism and foreshadowing.
This is a standalone from the main series and is the first such departure. A further two standalones are planned, along with two more episodes in the main series.
Rogue One is a welcome return to gritty realism. It is self-contained with no obvious follow-on (aside from 1977's A New Hope). The characters are introduced, have their adventure and the tale concludes. Rogue One is decidedly dark and far from Disney-fied.
Bleak realism dominates. We see the struggle of the rebel alliance, and the wayward, raggle-taggle elements that are involved. Many of the locations are strikingly dimmer than we have come to expect in the Star Wars realm, including the opening scenes on a tundra-like world (filmed in Iceland). Darkly lit scenes add to a feeling of oppression, as does the nondescript clothing of the Rogue One team, which is a mass of blacks and grey. However, this compounds the already frustrating task of differentiating one character from another, as many lack distinguishing attributes and blend in as much of a muchness.
Jones stands out in her role as Jyn Erso, a plucky misfit. Sadly, her backstory is never divulged to the extent that it should have been, and consequently Erso lacks a truly engaging presence. This is not the fault of Jones, whose character portrayal lifts Erso above the band of rebellious cohorts.
There are other exceptions; droid K-2SO (played by Alan Tudyk) is a Star Wars classic, and the Jedi-like follower Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) stands out, but the stronger sense of individuality and identity so masterfully achieved in the original trilogy is missing from Rogue One. Forest Whitaker is wasted in his small role. His character, Saw Gerrera, had scope to be a far more fascinating addition to the story.
As seems obligatory in movies today, the story rushes headlong towards the next development at the expense of allowing time for characters to grow and express themselves, or to reveal inner conflicts satisfactorily.
The grand battle in the final quarter of the movie will have its fans, but Star Wars cheapens itself by plumping for hefty war film stylistics. The original trilogy was all the better for relying on character development and interaction and less on half-an-hour runarounds with all guns blazing.
The fleeting return of three strong characters from the original movie (two through the wonders of digital technology), nicely ties Rogue One to the epic storyline to follow, and Edwards skillfully guides the film’s finale to the point where the 1977 classic lifts off.
Rogue One is a grown-up Star Wars adventure that entertains and delights. It succeeds in demonstrating the reality of a rebellion against evil overlords - the squalor and unglamorous realities of half-victories and sacrifices. A little more character focus, a little less wham-bam, and this could well have been a classic. As it is, Rogue One is a solid entry in the top four best Star Wars films.
It was a strange experience - going to see two films, on separate occasions and at different cinemas, with one of the theatres empty and the other a sell out.
To add to the bizarreness, the film at the empty theatre was the brand new release, Chappie, while the movie with the packed audience was the 30 years old The Breakfast Club.
It was a case of "pick a seat, any seat" at the afternoon matinee showing of science-fiction movie Chappie, the latest offering from director Neill Blomkamp, who also made the acclaimed District 9 and Elysium (blog post here). Despite the popular location of the theatre in downtown Santa Monica, there was not another sole in the auditorium to see this entertaining, action-packed adventure featuring an armour-plated police robot with artificial intelligence.
The film had some roughness around the edges, but it was enjoyable and certainly deserving of more than an empty theatre. As Heather and I departed the cinema I did wonder if having the film poster accidentally back-to-front outside of the theatre might have harmed its audience-pulling potential.
And so to The Breakfast Club, which didn't even get to have a poster outside the shopping mall cinema where it was being shown.
So how did anyone know it was on? The trailer above helped to spread the word, as did a number of newspaper articles that tied in with the 30th anniversary of the film's release in 1985.
For two nights only the restored film was shown at 430 theatres across the US. I discovered there was a one-off 30th anniversary showing nearby when I read the newspaper that morning. The theatre was all but sold out for the re-run of John Hughes' classic teen film.
On entering the auditorium the affection that many people hold for TheBreakfast Club was clear. The audience consisted of a wide cross section of people, some of whom had obviously returned to see a film they remembered watching first time around, when they too had been teenagers. And then there were audience members much younger who had probably not even been born when the film first hit the silver screen. They appeared to be the same age as the characters in the film, but a generation removed from the music and sensibilities of the 1980s.
Not that that mattered one jot, because The Breakfast Club has a timelessness, and it is graced with universal themes that resonate across the ages. It is the story of five very different high school students - the punk, the princess, the brain, the jock and the basketcase - who are thrown together to serve a Saturday detention in the school library.
I've long admired the films of the late writer-director John Hughes. He was gifted in his ability to make teen movies and coming-of-age films that showed empathy with the lives of young people, capturing truths through memorable moments.
Two of the film's stars, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, attended a re-showing of the film last month at the South by Southwest Film Festival, in Austin, Texas. Ringwald told USA Today that the Millenials generation "totally get it". She said: "It hits on universal themes that resonate for each generation. Now The Breakfast Club is a touchstone, in the way JD Salinger books were for me growing up."
Watching the film on the big screen I was taken back to my younger days and recollections of seeing the film long ago, and also memories of being at school and recognising in others the archetypal character-types from the film. In truth, we probably all carry a portion of each within our identities.
It was wonderful to be in a full house watching such a touching classic. As the Simple Minds' song Don't You Forget About Me played out at the climatic end of the film it was time to go, but in the knowledge that I'll revisit this memorable film again as the years roll by.
