My Forum

Just why do Americans need household arsenals of assault weaponry? - I mean the 'well regulated militia' just isn't needed anymore, as us redcoats went home in 1815.

History, or what we understand as 'popular history' is quite often a reflection of the here and now.  

I'll give you an example.  Academic researchers researching dusty archives are all after one thing; and that is funding to enable them to do academic research in dusty archives.  Where does the money come from? - well a variety of sources but in times of recession it is really hard to come by, believe me.   As a researcher you will encounter gatekeepers to this funding and they will quite often narrow the parameters of your research to reflect their own interests... so, do you see where we are going with this?

If you're thinking 'He (and it usually is a 'he') who pays the piper calls the tune' - you're not too far from the truth.

I'll give you an example

In 2014 Mr Cameron in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression, in his wisdom is spending £50 million of your cash on events to commemorate the 'Great War' or WW1 as it's now called.  From a personal perspective I'm of the opinion that this is a war that should never be forgotten and it could be money well spent - but it should be spent for the right reasons.  I'm quite sure that this money will be spent in evoking a 'we were all in this together' type national unity version of the history of the first world war - there certainly will be little, if any, discussion of crtical narrative of the history of WW1.  

So, in general, you get the popular version of history the powerful pay for - real history is often done by learned amateurs with little money but lots of love for the subject. 

Avoid 'Savages' - bloody awful.

Keeping in touch with someone I've been meaning to have a coffee with for 5 years but never quite got around to it...

Prometheus

Oh dear Ridley- where did it all go wrong? *Sigh* 

Probably about the time that this script for 'Alien- the Wonder Years' was pitched at you and you agreed to adapt it and give it your inimitable touch.

I can see where the $200 million was spent and it's quite beautiful to look at, but so is a Ducati 1098.  However, it's only when the thing moves that you appreciate that it's not just its looks that matter - it's the substance; it's the narrative and it's the feeling you get of actually going somewhere effortlessly and in some sort of style.

I blame the whole premis the film is based upon - it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever, in fact the whole screenplay is beyond painful... the dialogue laughable and lumpen - I really felt for the actors have to deliver those lines and attempt to keep a straight face.  One example from memory:

Vickers: A king reigns and then he dies - it's inevitable

Right... and people actually talk this way - okay...

It's a pretty bad film - though it's a very good looking film, but considering its theme is concerned with the most exciting thing that could ever happen to humanity - it's very lame stuff and so, so cliched, with unbelievable characters speaking lines that people wouldn't speak and in a way they wouldn't say it.

4/10 - a good looking film ruined by a poor screenplay and duff ideas - Ridley... please, please, please don't do a sequel or prequel to Bladerunner - you'll kill it.