LA MACHINE

It first appeared on the side of a derelict office block early on a wet n’windy Wednesday attracting gawps, gasps and upheld mobile phones. By lunchtime it was the talk of the city; “did you see the giant spider” was all you could hear people talking about. A remarkable part of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture programme, the spider is the most striking work yet from the company responsible for the Sultan’s Elephant in London in 2006. Its best described as a Victorian style machine made of metal with the appearance of a spider. This is no abstract creation either but a creature that demands to be brought to life like some fugitive from a Tim Burton movie. It’s huge as well; even semi curled across several floors of the building in a shape that suggests it will crawl down any moment. Called La Princess, it may be metal but thanks to a combination of fluid movement, striking musical accompaniment and the sense of spectacle that surrounds it, the spider quickly becomes real.

It soon develops a sort of relationship with the place; the production utilises the varied city centre locales and a bond develops between the population and the machine. Moving about, its eight legs nearly scraping the sides of buildings as thousands of people jostle for a look, La Princess is awe inspiring towering some fifty feet of more above the crowds. For five days it seemed to take over, making regal progress through historic streets, while spitting water, sleeping when covered in snow and in a dramatic finale trying to escape and being beaten back by flames fireworks and water in an elemental coup de grace. If you get the opportunity to catch one of La Machine’s projects you really must because they are beyond the traditional confines of entertainment, straddling some hitherto rarely explored place and, for all the workmanship and technology they utilise, there is a beating heart at the centre of everything they do.

GO SUPERLAMBANANAS!

It’s funny how things change. When the original Superlambanana was unveiled it attracted only negative comments and so much graffiti that it was slowly moved out of the city centre. Now in 2008, over a hundred smaller versions appeared across the city each decorated by local artists, organisations or schools and became the must-see attraction of the summer. People travelled from all over to see them, have their photo taken or track down all of them. It just goes to show a simple idea can work wonders.

VISITING THE CITY OF CULTURE

by CLINTON MORGAN

As I type this Liverpool is already half-way through its year of being 2008’s Capital of Culture and I have been fortunate enough to spend a weekend there celebrating my annual birthday. What I experienced was only the tip of the tip of the iceberg but as tips go it was definitely most tipper most. At the Royal Court Theatre, which is a tables and chairs cabaret venue, you could be entertained by a musical play by Jim Cartwright (he of ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ and the devastatingly hard hitting ‘Road’ fame) entitled ‘Eight Miles High’. Based on an imaginary rock festival around about the late sixties and early seventies set in the North West of England it is an amusing play about the different characters associated with that period. With groupies, a Hell’s Angel (of the ‘Scouse’ chapter), a red-top reporter (remember those pigs on ‘Spitting Image’?), a farmer, a cider drinking traveller from the West Country and a nervous stereotyped librarian looking young woman whose first time it was at a festival amongst a few others the play incorporated iconic songs like ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, ‘I’m The Urban Spaceman’, ‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘California Dreaming’. As the audience sang along to ‘She’s Leaving Home’ you come to realise that in Liverpool the songs of the Beatles aren’t just pop songs they’re hymns. Jim Cartwright’s play is what you could call bittersweet concluding on a sad note about how commercialism and capitalism can swallow whole people’s best intentions but it does sign off on a high with a double dose of ‘A Day In The Life’ and ‘Honky Tonk Women’. The band even played throughout intermission. There is an entertaining option in terms of seating and that is on the stage with a picnic. I don’t know what the food is like so you’ll have to ask the hen party Amanda’s Chicks who were incorporated into the story by crawling out of a tent one by one on the afternoon’s performance on August the ninth.

The Albert Docks are full of things to see and one of the things to see was the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Liverpool Tate. Book ended by a photograph of Mr. Klimt holding up a cat and a collection of private sketches of women explicitly pleasuring themselves the exhibition focuses on his role as leader and founder of the Viennese Secession which is a group of progressive artists and artisans. Amongst his paintings and drawings there are other works by the likes of Josef Hoffman but best of all is the discovery that Mr. Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze contains possibly the very first appearance of King Kong long before the RKO produced film. Also within the area of the Albert Docks is the multi-floored and exhausting Maritime Museum which also contains the Slavery Museum which is well worth a look, an exhibit called ‘Hello Sailor’ about gay life within Liverpool’s naval workers with references to porlari which was utilised on the excellent BBC Radio series ‘Round The Horne’ and a section about the early history of Liverpool called ‘Magical History Tour’. I didn’t stop there long but I learnt that Liverpool means “muddy pool” which is interesting when you consider that on his first trip to the U.S.A. John Lennon said he wanted to meet the bluesman Muddy Waters.

Opposite the magnificent Walker Art Gallery (containing Ben Johnson’s ‘Liverpool Cityscape 2008’ and some interesting Victorian narrative painting which paved the way to the successful art form of the twentieth century) there was a free temporary mini-museum-come-digital-cinema called The Nutkhut Movieplex. Within the confines of a nicely decorated elongated metallic cube we were given a brief lecture about a lost Indian filmmaker called Shanta Rao Dutt. Amongst many other things he filmed the famous Hindenburg disaster, rescued passengers from the airship and also two collie dogs one of whom became known as Lassie named after the yoghurt based drink that revived him. Mr. Dutt was written out of film history due to the colour of his skin and also for having Soviet sympathies during the McCarthy era. He utilised quick-cutting and deep focus photography. After an enlightening film education we were treated to a nine minute short from 1920 called ‘The Docker and The Rose’ which was filmed around the docks in Liverpool and contains a beautiful dance number. Realism and fantasy, a combination that is very appropriate for British cinema. However I am having my doubts about the authenticity of all this, call it a hunch, but I hope to be proved two hundred percent wrong.

Dotted around the city are some delightfully unusual sculptures called Super Lamb Bananas designed by the Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. What could be described as a lamb with a banana type tail is decorated accordingly. In the Walker Art Gallery there is one that represents the current fad for five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, outside the Beatles museum there is a ‘Yellow Submarine’ inspired lamb banana with moustache and ‘Sergeant Pepper’ clobber and there is also a green one with holes presumably for plants to grow out of. Another example of Liverpudlian street art that I viewed from the confines of a National Express coach can be seen on boarded up houses. By using two simple colours (yellow and orange for example) the wooden boards are painted with elegant picture based graffiti.

As I have written, what I saw was the tip of the tip of the iceberg and I would have loved to have seen more. I would love to have seen readings by Brian Patten, Roger McGough and Willy Russell, a screening of the comedy film ‘Letter To Brezhnev’ with original cast and crew for a Q&A session afterwards, a super-long gig by the legendary Ken Dodd, a hands on exhibition dedicated to Maurice Cole a.k.a. Kenny Everett with fashion dummies wearing the clothes made famous by his onscreen characters and I would love to have seen Terence Davies’s ‘Of Time and The City’ but sadly you cannot have everything. Liverpool has a rich cultural heritage and hopefully 2008 will inspire the next generation to come up with something even more astonishing.

Film: The Dark Knight

It says something about our perception of different kinds of popular culture that I’d put off seeing this film till it came out on dvd, so convinced was I that it would be your usual superhero stuff. Yet word of mouth buzz and phenomenal box office made me realise I had to see what all the fuss was about – and it seems I’m not the only one. Its success seems at least partly to do with the way our view of the world has altered. Whereas previous decades were always haunted by superpower tensions nowadays, (Russia’s current behaviour notwithstanding) today’s enemy is shadowier and less easy to define meaning that our response to it has changed. This film asks how far we could- and should – go to deal with a hazier menace. Let’s make it clear- the Joker is a terrorist and if he has vague aims, his weapon of choice is self professed chaos and that’s not an easy thing to deal with. The film examines how far Batman and the Joker are alike and how far the former should go to defeat the latter. It’s a cut above the usual shallow pyrotechnics of the summer blockbuster even if it doesn’t really answer the questions it asks. The theme of double values pervades each character leading us to the conclusion- as others have commented- that for our hero, Bruce Wayne is the `mask` and the masked Batman is who he really is.

Yet Christopher Nolan’s’ stylish film makes things difficult for itself in that it’s the Joker who has all the fun. We revel in actor Heath Ledger’s undoubted tour de force but do we really know or care what the dour Batman thinks? The film veers close to falling into that narrative trap beloved of fantasy fare in making the villain so unequivocally evil that we never really find out what they are doing it for. Also there are his methods; the Joker’s cruelty and tools of his trade are very real guns and knives- exactly the sort of things whose presence on our streets today worries people. It doesn’t take a psychologist to know how cool a lot of kids will think this Joker is; his use of webcam taunting echoes some of the nastier videos that have been posted on You Tube. And what of Batman; he has a moral compass but is nearly blown off course; in the film’s best scene he comes that close to Jokeresque behaviour in his desperation to get information and it would have been more rewarding to take this to a logical conclusion, even if it wasn’t the one that a film maker might prefer. Instead there is a contrived and poorly written series of dilemmas involving two sets of passengers on ships, each with the power to blow the other up and culminating in a silly scene were squeaky clean Harvey Dent falls into some acid and becomes Two Faced for a prolonged finale. For a film that already has a hero with duality issues, this unlikely development drags the film and only restates literally what’s already been done more subtly.

It is undoubtedly a classy, often gripping film with some near the knuckle sequences for a 12A rating and a raft of excellent performances; Ledger has reaped the credit but for me Gary Oldman is superb as the quietly spoken Gordon. Yet you get the feeling that while Nolan has laudably touched on an interesting issue, he has merely skirted around the edges and it would take a more realistic film to deliver something deeper about a subject that should concern us all.

DVD: Doctor Who; The Brain of Morbius

I know a scientist whose vocation was sparked by a childhood love of Doctor Who but I hope never to need the services of a surgeon inspired to practice by watching `Brain of Morbius`! This is one gruesome story; the first scene involves a decapitation, there are body parts all over the place and the monster is made up of bits of different aliens roughly sewn together. Not only that but at various points, a brain falls on the floor, the companion is temporarily blinded, the Doctor nearly burned at the stake and someone is shot in one of the series’ rare uses of blood pellets. Plus the whole thing revolves around a talking brain in a jar. Which was pretty much par for the course in mid 70s Who, the series’ closest flirtation with horror, darkness and all things grim. Watched today, the craftsmanship is evident and the sets seem deliberately theatrical to match the extravagance of the performances. If they’d all come back at the end for a curtain call, it wouldn’t have seemed out of place.

Of course you do have to overlook the obvious flaw- pointed out by original writer Terrance Dicks in the extras- that if Solon is the best surgeon in the cosmos, why doesn’t he just stick the brain inside an already complete body? Why faff about for what we’re told is years with such a dog’s dinner of a creation? Yet Solon is far richer in dramatic terms than Dicks’ original idea of a robot would have been and Philip Madoc makes the character proud and ambitious enough to burst. He’s matched by Tom Baker giving one of his best performances as the Doctor slipping from one mood to another during the 4 episodes. Yet it’s Lis Sladen who provides the most assured acting, reacting and indulging in the material with total belief at all times. Her and Tom’s chemistry is a delightful counterpoint to the dark hearted adventure and her subsequent terror is just so involving. Look at this story and you’ll see the template for Rose, Martha and Donna right here. The Morbius monster is a zillion times better than anything CGI that would be done today while Michael Spice’s fruity, distant voice distracts us from wondering how come a disembodied brain can actually speak.

Full blooded and packed with incident `Brain of Morbius` is top drawer Doctor Who when measured against any era past or present.

Film Shorts; Wanted / The Forbidden Kingdom

Wanted:

A feisty James McAvoy is taught by an alarmingly thin Angelina Jolie how to kill people for a Fraternity of Assassins which is run by avuncular Morgan Freeman. See it if you like lots of violence, blood, kinetic action sequences and cars being mangled.

The Forbidden Kingdom:

First ever on screen dust up between Jackie Chan and Jet Li is the centrepiece of a fantasy adventure in which a present day teenage king fu fanatic, courtesy of a magic staff, finds himself battling demonic forces who have imprisoned a Monkey God. See it if you like king fu, whizzy special effects and Monkey Kings.

Music Shorts: Black Kids / Beck

Black Kids: Partie Traumatic

Oh yes, this is fabulous. 80s tinged pop (listen to that percussion and the deadpan backing vox) sprinkled with fun and those call and response lyrics you thought had disappeared with The Human League. Get this whoever you are – you’ll love it!

Beck: Modern Guilt

Courtesy of the ubiquitous Danger Mouse, Beck is back on form after a couple of less than focussed records. Sly beats mixed up with Beck’s trademark mashed up vocal and some musical tricks. Get this if you like a new spin on an old groove.

Film: Prince Caspian NB SPOILER INCLUDED!!!

The first Narnia film was pitched at kids who could enjoy something not dissimilar (in their eyes) to Harry Potter and adults with nostalgic memories of the book from their childhood. Prince Caspian is a tougher ask because there are fewer adults who have read it (and even fewer recall any details) and the story has limited appeal to those who didn’t like the first one. To his credit returning director Andrew Adamson has shifted the focus adding more splashes of pseudo realism to the fantasy world and a large chunk of the action takes place amidst a grainy blue-grey palette giving the impression of a more mature enterprise. The battles are longer and fiercer – no blood perhaps but plenty of deaths. Adamson proves a master at marshalling resources for these set pieces, his camera busy enough to capture the close quarters chaos but also encompassing the overall picture with lots of swooping shots and, during the finale, a moment that will make you punch the air. He also knows how to exploit the natural beauty of the New Zealand and European locations providing a sense of scale often missing from FX laden fare. The effects themselves really are special- perfectly photo realistic creatures mingle seamlessly with actors so you never feel bludgeoned into submission unlike a certain recently released Indiana Jones film.

With such strong foundations it’s a shame to report that the acting and dialogue haven’t improved from the last film, in fact if anything both come across as worse. What’s missing is a really effective villain, a fact made even more obvious when Tilda Swinton appears in a brief cameo in what turns out to be the best scene in the film. Her very presence ups everyone’s game showing what could have been. For the most part though, these heights are never reached; Sergio Castellito’s Miraz is a glowering but never truly frightening presence and his henchmen, despite a promising early sub plot soon fade into the background. You’d have expected the Pevensie kids to have improved but partly due to limp dialogue and lack of empathy they haven’t. In particular William Moseley singularly fails to rise to Peter’s conflicting emotions when his plans go awry and his rivalry with Caspian. You never feel like much is at stake when they bicker; the much vaunted Ben Barnes disappoints with a one note performance hampered further by a Russian accent. You have to smile at enormous centaurs and minotaurs taking orders from such weaklings.

It is a pity too because there are more plot possibilities here than in the first film but neither the lines nor the people speaking them convince you. Prince Caspian is a good enough film and never looks less than fabulous but I’d trade some of those evocative visuals for more heart and soul.

TV: The Inbetweeners

OK, so tv is currently awash with prospective comedy pilots and whatnot but this one is worth your attention. Very much a boys series, it looks at the not so serious situations facing the average 17 year old such as house parties, trips to the pub, driving your first car, spotting the girl of your dreams and so on. It sounds pretty much your standard stash but is written – by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris- with a painfully accurate wit and genuine observation to the point where it’s almost certain you’ll cringe in embarrassment as you remember – “yes, I did that too”. The script is wordy and pulls no punches but essentially playfully good natured and any girls might like to watch this to see just how the chaotic minds of boys actually work (or don’t half the time). Female viewers may feel short changed though even if the girls are portrayed as aloof, unattainable and clever but will hopefully join in laughing at some of the awkward scenarios.

There’s a solid bedrock to the scripts as they show something about friendship and aspiration in a down to earth way. The cast breathe extra life into characters that may seem pat but gradually reveal a reality many comedies struggle to attain. Simon Bird’s Will and James Buckley’s Jay manage to be both un likeable yet oddly compelling characters while Joe Thomas’ Simon is perhaps the most identifiable and often seems to be the victim of desperate situations. Unfussily filmed (no wobblecam thank goodness) and as sure of itself as its characters, The Inbetweeners is naggingly good and very watchable.

DVD: Dr Who: The Invasion of Time

Modern day Doctor Who has eliminated a story type favoured by the classic series wherein an ostensibly alien planet was based on something from Earth. Without the budget or means to create something truly alien, old production teams would dress up familiar iconography and call it Peladon or Gallifrey, pretending it had nothing to do with Earth at all. It’s ironic that now they probably could create something truly alien, any planets we do visit are deliberately full of humans. `The Invasion of Time` then is set on a Gallifrey packed with patrician types who barely seem capable of running a small office and it is this very old fashioned quality that makes it work- if you think of it as a witty period drama, you’ll be fine.

The script may have been written in a hurry but it’s stronger than average often having its characters talking in concepts and being vague, which probably baffled an original audience used to linear plotting and step by step exposition. Tom spends the first couple of episodes seemingly on the side of the enemy – the telepathic Vardans- and is probably the only Doctor who could pull this off (except perhaps Eccleston). Even when shielded inside a lead lined office he and Borusa have the most absorbing elliptical conversations. There’s also Milton Johns’ 70s telly’s slippery curmudgeon for hire who hovers somewhere between Rigsby and Victor Meldrew while bowing and scraping to everyone. The way the Doctor treats him is a delight. Equally impressive is John Arnatt’s cucumber cool Borusa, a detached influence on events who plays the whole thing with tongue in cheek.

The story falters when it leaves these higher circles. The story of Leela’s departure from and return to the citadel is drawn out and the outlaw Time Lords she recruits look about as hard done by as someone whose waited ten minutes for a bus. The Vardans are ciphers for the most part though if you watch with the new CGI option you’ll see a shimmering static look which is rather impressive, their former bacofoil countenance forgotten. There is a sense that writers Anthony Read and Graham Williams didn’t really put much thought into them though the idea is sound enough. They are then replaced in the well known part 4 cliff hanger by the Sontarans. This is roughly the 70s equivalent of that bit in `Utopia` where the Master is revealed and even though the surprise is long gone, it remains a tingly bit of Doctor Who magic. Unfortunately it also heralds the point at which the hitherto interesting story fizzles out. The Sontarans- who nowadays even have a dance for us – just shuffle about and talk in Cockney whispers and not a lot happens. It’s all a bit Sontar- huh?

We do have some fun with the TARDIS interiors depicted as an old factory, livened by some Tom quips which make the last 2 episode bearable - modern fans will probably have no problem with it but it caused a furore at the time. As a Sontaran story, which it is being promoted as, it doesn’t really work and it would have been far more interesting for the Vardans to have been developed. However as a lively and often amusing tale of pompous people ill equipped to cope with a threat to their order, it is frequently successful, especially during the first four episodes, and well worth getting.

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