The Fox Inn
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Craig 7 years, 6 months ago.
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14 December 2015 at 14:02 #49419
This image has gone spectacularly viral from my FB feed. Earth, viewed from Mars. Perspective, or what? Right up there with Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot.
14 December 2015 at 18:24 #4942522 December 2015 at 23:45 #49585As Christmas approaches, the question of a suitable Christmas movie looms. There are many, including the wonderful acerbic comedy “The Man Who Came To Dinner” (but only the 1942 version!)
But, on reflection, the Blenkinsop choice (both Mr and Mrs) would have to be “Night of the Hunter”(1957) directed by Charles Laughton. Given its theme it might seem a strange choice, but it has to be one of the most perfect movies ever made, and…a Christmas movie.
The following clip, isn’t really a direct clip, but is built around the music, and was chosen, for that reason, and in part, for @puroandson.
If you have the chance to see the movie, either at Christmas or anytime, do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwlSrpMK3VA
23 December 2015 at 01:27 #49588Anonymous @
thank you for that -we all appreciated it!
From the hybrid, we wish both you and Mrs Blenkinsop a peaceful and reflective Christmas.
Kindest always,
Puro and Son x0
26 December 2015 at 00:43 #49670@jphamlore I mentioned I was visiting the Pub.
Also, I thought, as I watch this ep at Christmas along with a few other TWW eps (ahem, Lethal Weapon, Die Hards, 1-4 -the ratio of telly to brain IQ is fast dropping with the barometer around here) I would post this lovely intro: 4 mins and it tells you everything you need to know. No dumbing down, no silly hovering cameras. Just pure genius and also pure Christmas; as it’s about wonder and joy, and other good stuff 🙂
27 December 2015 at 04:33 #49716@jphamlore did you get the reference above?
Happy Christmas!
Anyway, I wanted to mention that in The Forest of the Dead the Doctor surrounded by both Daves says he always babbles but stands near the “door” and drops thru the floor which is exactly what River did in The Husband’s of River Song -and the Doctor joins her.
Wonderful little shout outs or shout backs….
30 December 2015 at 07:49 #49857tis the season to watch Buffy and on youtube I’ve seen a bloke do some nice reviews of various episodes of S1-3. His name is Passion of the Nerd.
Funny, mostly clever, mostly agreeable, American (Canadian?). Loaded up earlier this year.
Seen?
Puro and Son
30 December 2015 at 12:42 #49867@puroandson
Nope. Shall investigate.
31 December 2015 at 01:37 #49875there’s a link to Passion of the Nerd in the S2 Blog of @jimthefish ‘s comment section
Having watched over a dozen of the reviews I don’t agree with everything the guy says but a lot is really interesting. Intriguingly, he starts making the occasional po-mo interpretative comment. He commented: “hey guys leave a comment about my opinion on this reading” etc etc/ -it wasn’t quite like that, but anyway….Still, discussing Objects in Space from F’fly and referring to Buffy and other telly shows was quite good. He’s doing it for a particular market and is attempting not to make it too “learn-ed” -god forbid that anyone should be too intelligent on the innernet.
At the mo, we’re doing a Buffy re-watch -S1-3 and now we’re on The Wish of Season 3 -which I recall was good.
Cheers
1 January 2016 at 19:00 #49918Having done the New Year’s Eve prosecco (also eggnog and Bailey’s, which proved to be fairly ambrosial), I’m now on to a New Year’s Day cranberry mimosa. Happy New Year, everyone! May your 2016 be liberally spiked with joy, success, and bonkers theorizing (possibly but not necessarily in that order).
8 January 2016 at 22:08 #50052Douglas Adams fans ! Btw, we are also getting the new “Class” series . Still I wish we also got a lot more
of the BBC series shown in the UK over here in the States!! They get some truly excellent treats over there.
14 January 2016 at 01:20 #50115@pedant @jimthefish @lisa @blenkinsopthebrave @tardisblue @arbutus and others.
I’m off to see a film, The Big Short -88% on Rotten T at the mo.
I’d be interested to see if anyone else has been. I figure I can mention it as it has Christian Bale -a slight foot in the door to this Forum via the Batman angle.
Well, very slight. 🙂
Ann’s review in Washington Post basically said it was fatuous .
Everyone is now asleep. Are any Americans/Canadians up and about to offer opinions?
PuroSolo (I want to take Son who likes unusual films but I expect nudity and profanity etc.. and yet it’s barely an M rating in Oz)
14 January 2016 at 02:50 #50118@Puroandson I am afraid I can’t help but hope you enjoy the film.
@lisa by “Classic” do you mean the 2010-2012 series starring Stephen Mangan? We really enjoyed it but then have not read the books, yet.
Cheers
Janette
14 January 2016 at 03:00 #50119@puroandson
Hello puro solo!
I have yet to see the movie, although I have seen the trailer, and as such I have great hopes for it. I am not sure you need to worry about the nudity aspect, but any movie that highlights the venality of American capitalism (well, just capitalism come to think of it) sounds mighty fine to me.
And if I think back to when I was 14 (like “son”) then nudity would be the icing on the cake!
14 January 2016 at 03:16 #50120@puroandson
You’ve probably already seen The Big Short by now, but I quite enjoyed it. Are you sure the Washington Post review said it was fatuous? Not fabulous??? Perhaps the reviewer assumed her paper’s readers were more familiar with the complicated financial shenanigans and near total collapse of the world financial system than average viewers. Personally, I thought the way the movie explained things was cleaver, entertaining, and clear.
There are a couple of scenes which would have made my parents very uncomfortable if I’d been your son’s age and we saw it together.
So glad you’re back among us again. Hope you enjoyed the movie.
TardisBlue
14 January 2016 at 03:43 #50121No I meant the new series “Class’ being developed . The new spin off from Dr. Who.
( I didn’t write that very clearly 🙁 ) We are also going to get the “Holistic Detective’ on
BBC America but no idea exactly when that happens.
@puroandson
That is the flick about the housing bubble and the hedge fund guy that made the prediction
I think to short that market. Looks to me like all the shorts are having a party in the
stock markets again right now! I think it got reasonable reviews.
Also, the stuff about Clara’s grandmother, that was just a hopeful notion. Although
I feel that River’s comment about being connected to Clara is still basically unresolved.
I understand the ‘dream’ connection but I’ve never been comfortable with that idea.
I watched the movie “The Man Who Fell to Earth’ again last night. Really great!
I read somewhere someone pointing out that in the “Waters of Mars’ episode
the base was called the “Bowie’ station. A nice tribute!
14 January 2016 at 04:12 #50124@blenkinsopthebrave and Puro mere,
From what little I know of Puro mere and Puro fils, it’d probably be best if Puro fils saw it in a couple of years. There are a number of deadly sins on display in the scene with partial nudity, and … SPOILERS OMITTED… I think the moral implications are somewhat more troubling than the amount of skin exposed for someone from a somewhat conservative background. (I’m *totally* assuming that, and could be *totally* wrong about what Puro fils’ parents would be comfortable about him being exposed to.)
TardisBlue
14 January 2016 at 06:58 #50125ah thank you -I appreciate it. @tardisblue. Indeed it seemed she felt it fatuous -I know her rather well. On the other matter:
“Puro mere and Puro fils..” Je comprends tout a fait et ainsi la jeune fils si par consequent i’la pris la decision de l’eriter sans nous suggere. Au final, je suis trop malade.. Ironique.
I have obviously very bad French -I think you do have French Tardis? No doubt Mr Blenkinsop also?
So yep, Son said “nudity? Oh no, please..” Then I became ill. The two were not related.
🙂
I shall try tomorrow with a mate. Gosh, that sounds worse! I shall try again to see the film with a friend. Even English is a lost cause 🙂
14 January 2016 at 14:27 #50134@puroandson
On reflection, the more I think about my 14 year-old self viewing nudity with my mother sitting next to me the more I realise what a profoundly uncomfortable experience that would have been!
16 January 2016 at 13:07 #5018116 January 2016 at 20:00 #50182@puroandson
I got the Pants thing!
I believe it was Buffy The Vampire Slayer herself who put it best when she said: “Hamnoo?”
16 January 2016 at 22:14 #50183Oh dear God
There was an internet disruption. I meant to edit that to the Buffy thing at which point “this page cannot be displayed”.
Thank the Lord you picked up on it?
I was checking the red, the black, the orange pants and the white skirt (the last a terrible choice I might add) ….
*sigh*
Now, up to ep 4 of Series 4 and had initially missed the fact that the young & naughty Oz had sniffed a werewolf but kept on walking: that was in the first episode!
Hah. Awesome. Watched Graduation Day part 1 and 2 and did the same thing to a friend you and @jimthefish said: ” little miss muffet …7.30″ (big clue…oh and “fire bad, tree pretty”)
One thing: Buffy, in response to Zander says “Renaissance?” when he says “reconnaissance”
I know she did very well on her SATs -North Western ‘invited her in” for instance. But not without recognising the difference between the Renaissance and reconnaissance surely?
Wrong thread: bummer.
*sigh*
16 January 2016 at 23:02 #50184@puroandson
Ah! The red pants of moral ambiguity. Context is your friend!
(730 days until Buffy self-sacrifies to save Dawn – which is why the clock is wrong during Restless, at the end of S4, since it should be 3-6-5, which is impossible). The pants of sacrifice are non-leather.
(Its Xander (short for Alexander) – and it seems reasonable to Buffy’s excuse word confusion on grounds of apocalypse)
‘Sniffed werewolf’ sounds obscene. Just sayin’
On a different topic: When feeling a little blue, On The Beach (1959, Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner) is not cheer-me-up viewing, most set in Oz. Obvious with hindsight, really.
According to po-mo there are no wrong threads.
16 January 2016 at 23:37 #50185Ah yes: Xander. Funnily enough, it self-corrects!
Annoying (see, I’m going back now to change it)
Love On the Beach -a fav.
“sniffed werewolf”: Okaaay. It does? Right. I’ll not write that again. Hopefully.
According to po-mo you don’t need context.
16 January 2016 at 23:56 #50186Heck, Restless was absolutely hated by Son: half way thru he said “I’m out of here. I don’t get it and I don’t want to.” He was 12 then, so I’m hoping we might try it once more with feeling.
I, however, loved it.
But the Renaissance thing comes in the first episode of S4 -yep I can put it down to post apocalyptic confusion or the fact Sunday ( a great performance) has burst any confidence she had arriving at college.
The clues I’m picking up which dictate or provide a hint of “destination” (Yep, I know, Giles says “predestination” at the end of S3) are wonderfully clever and lead to me to loud exclamation and wacky screen pointing, which forces the other members of family to say “do you want to mash me in the ribs every time there’s something you understand and I don’t or could you permit me to JUST WATCH IT?”
<sits back down patiently>
Still, I’ve watched a lot of telly in the past year: a lot of it Whedon based, sure, as well Who and a bit of Sherlock but something about Buffy makes me feel very differently about life and art.
There’s a certain thing we used to discuss as students about John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Both fantastic writers and lyricists. I’m not a “Paul’s an idiot and can’t sing or write” person by the way. But in the end there was a tinge of something above and beyond “music” which Lennon just had. I guess it could be “pure genius” or “magnificent simplicity which is deeply complex.”
It’s hard to describe: Buffy creates that bubble and it’s difficult to watch other TV because of that.
A synergy where everyone and everything comes together to create something perfect. The perfection isn’t about outstanding CGI or finely calibrated camera work but something else entirely. And it’s in that gap, that tiny little pulse of steady energy where the perfection lies. It’s a complex thing to just “gather”. It cannot be made. I suppose it just “is”.
17 January 2016 at 00:07 #50187@pedant and @puroandson The great reviews and positive remarks you have both made about Buffy have convinced me to give it a try. Now I just have to find it and start with the first episode. When I have found it and watched some, I look forward to joining in the conversation. It looks like a fun show.
17 January 2016 at 01:11 #50188It is on Netflix in the UK. Not sure about elsewhere.
17 January 2016 at 01:39 #50189@puroandson
The Freshman was filmed at SMG’s teeny-weeny height to emphasise how overwhelmed she felt.
Buffy was one of a handful of shows that defined how stories would be told for a generation (The West Wing is another obvious one and maybe ER): fast paced, fast talking and totally confident in its stance and the metaphors being deployed.
In an earlier generation it was Moonlighting, Hill Street Blues and St Elsewhere.
And even with its slightly chaotic early period, it oozed that confidence for anyone attentive enough to see it. That’s why it sticks and bears such repeat viewing (and, Puricle, seriously – get a grip lad. Restless is genius). That’s my theory anyway. When an apparently throwaway episode like The Witch turns out to be crucial to a show’s directions years later, you know there is something cool occurring.
If you have Netflix you might want to check out Sens8(1). It is very bold and takes a full 3 episodes to get fully rolling, but totally worth it. The episode that features the 4 Non Blond’s song is a corker. I hope that the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime bring a bit more such risk taking.
If you never watched Dead Like Me, I recommend that too. Think it is on Netflix.
(1) Contains some hot lesbo action involving a former Who companion.
17 January 2016 at 02:54 #50190@winston Netflix Canada has Buffy. I have been meaning to have a look, like you based on the enthusiasm of others on this Forum. Maybe these rainy winter days will provide me the backdrop to get started!
17 January 2016 at 13:08 #50192@winston– Buffy’s is well worth checking out. You won’t regret it. No one ever does. It’s on Netflix in most territories. If not in yours, then Zenmate is your friend. At least for the time being.
17 January 2016 at 21:20 #50195@jimthefish @arbutus @pedant Thanks all! I don’t have Netflix but I am going to my sons for a few days and he does. I will marathon watch a few episodes and let you all know what I think. Years ago I saw the movie and it was ok if I remember correctly. We are very snowy and cold (-4 C) here so lots of reasons to stay inside by my fire and watch The Doctor and Buffy.
17 January 2016 at 21:25 #50196@pedant Dead Like Me is a family favourite and I own all the episodes and the movie that follows. It is worth a watch. In fact it is worth a rewatch too. Thanks for reminding me about it. I have my winters worth of viewing ahead of me.
18 January 2016 at 09:10 #5019719 January 2016 at 21:54 #5026119 January 2016 at 23:46 #50266That and “Stop, Luke and listen”.
(Is it me or does Luke/ Darth sound disconcertingly like Tennant?
20 January 2016 at 00:42 #5027420 January 2016 at 02:20 #50276@winston Hallo miss
This is Son of Puro flying solo now.
Mum thinks and I also do that you should watch Buffy if you can.
If I or Mum talks about this -I’ll/we’ll do it on the thread of the Blogs. But. We won’t tag you unless you’re up to that part because you can be spoiled with spoilers. Very important that. It’s very unpredictable you see and that’s what I love about it.
Really hope you enjoy the watch. It changed my life.
From Son.
22 January 2016 at 22:48 #50332@puroandson Thanks for the heads up on spoilers , Son of Puro . Have not had a chance to watch yet but my son is getting me the first season soon. I can hardly wait to watch after such positive comments.
22 January 2016 at 23:27 #50335I am in favour of your choice
Now, there’s a guy out there doing reviews of Buffy -but you must promise not to go internet searching -spoilers. The reason I mention him is that he tries to convince his friends that watching Buffy “is good”.
Thing is, they say “I think the first season is pretty ‘meh’ and also the production values aren’t like today”.
True-the first season had a few ‘interesting episodes’ and yet I still loved it. The story isn’t so much a monster of the week rather a metaphorical exploration of the demons Buffy herself faces.
So: monsters may look ‘wacky’ and that’s OK. But I won’t say another word. 🙂
(Errm: just bear in mind it was ’97 and things were quite new).
PuroSolo (I’m pretty sure Son would agree but he’s still asleep as of now)
23 January 2016 at 00:27 #50340Buffy is a show that really rewards being a spoiler-phobe. There are several absolutely stunning episodes that are a real treat when seen for the first time, and some plot twists that will leave your jaw not so much on the floor as in the basement. Don’t listen to commentaries until you have seen the lot, ‘cos in those days writers didn’t know better than to avoid them.
But I’ll bet it grabs you from the very first cold opening. That, and the first time I heard the theme immediately after, made me the show’s bitch.
23 January 2016 at 00:53 #5034323 January 2016 at 03:27 #50344@puroandson and @pedant No worries from this end about spoilers. I have not even read anything here except at the Fox Inn. I will stay away from the commentaries or other special features until I am finished the series.. Although not a spoiler-phobe I would rather be surprised by each new episode.
Don’t worry Puro , I am always willing to give a show time to find it’s way. Being made in 1997 will just add to the fashion fun as I either blush or squirm when I see something I wore back then. I am one of the few who liked the episodes with the Slitheen so …….I am easy to please.
23 January 2016 at 05:07 #50347Gosh, I feel I came across “pointy fingered” -“now listen, don’t you do this and don’t do that”.
Apologies for being “all in the nutty.” 🙂
I liked the Slitheen too. I know it wasn’t favoured but that was the first ep of the AG series I saw: and I adored it. So I’m outed now!
Kindest,
Puro flying solo.
25 January 2016 at 01:55 #50429@puroandson You know, reading other posts here, I felt a bit guilty in liking the Slitheen. I guess fart jokes still crack me up, sophomoric humour and all. But I felt there was a balance there between the humour and the seriousness of what the Doctor is all about. He is about protecting Earth and human civilization, yet he is not without sensitivity when it comes to the “sins” of his foes. I appreciated this deft exploration of the vulnerabilities of Margaret Blaine, and what she might or might not use to manipulate the Doctor.
27 January 2016 at 19:32 #50602A little something pertinent to today, of all days.
28 January 2016 at 00:29 #50606I listened to this. Thank you.
It’s difficult not to cry. Sometimes it’s necessary to stand and listen to every word for tears can be about the ‘me’ or the ‘I’. Tears remove one from the awful truth of their own suffering.
Interesting that the BBC didn’t want to broadcast it until RD threatened to resign because they wouldn’t believe it.
The clarity of his description stuns.
Puro
28 January 2016 at 00:33 #50607I don’t like any plastic or rubber aliens, whether it’s Doctot Who, Star Trek or Alien (I’m a sci-fi lover and I’ve never seen that movie, not because it was my decision not to watch it, but I’ve never been curious) unless they’re treat with humour. And that applies to both Slitheen and Clom (and the alien from the Cartaker). The guy from Clom was hilarious.
28 January 2016 at 00:57 #50609@mersey
“The guy from Clom” -in Under The Lake (the 2-parter) and also The God Complex, did you mean the guy from Tivoli? Otherwise known as the Rat Race? 🙂28 January 2016 at 07:21 #50620@puroandson
No, I meant this guy, from the twin planet of Raxacoricofallapatorius (ep. Love & Monsters).
31 January 2016 at 06:31 #50694indeed thank you -we have had some provocation and I think I handled it well? Did I ichi?
Hope so.
I don’t want anger or silliness but some aggression was getting to me and to young Son who didn’t understand why his voice was compared to chalk on b’board! But that person is quiet which is good.
And it’s OK -these things happen and we learn from them. Son, me and the world out there. There’s a rule book here and we mostly stick to it. As we should but sometimes, just sometimes, we need to stick up for ourselves without reverting to the same aggression that aggressors use. And that requires balance. I for one find it difficult to cope with sexism, for instance, or the misuse of generally held socio-literary concepts and devices! 🙂
But “patience outs itself, Mum” says Son (he has a new pastoral care teacher in Year 9 and is very happy with him -the only male teacher he now has which is a shame for many reasons – I think a balance is necessary for younger men).
Kindest, Puro Solo
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