The budget was a packet of crisps and half a pint of lager

15 May 2006


It’s a little on the wet side today. And after I opened up the library this morning I noticed a little kitten sheltering from the rain. One of the feral cats that live round the back. As young as it was it had already decided that people were bad, so I left it alone. And every few minutes I’d see the mother cat appear, try to pick up the kitten only to notice people moving about in the library and, agreeing with the kitten that people were bad, leg it. And then return to do the whole thing all over again a few minutes later. In the end I decided to close the door so mammy cat couldn’t see us, and when I reopened the door, mammy and kitten were nowhere to be be found.

But if anything the rain has gotten worse. Its like that scene in Braveheart where William Wallace turns up looking for whatsherface-what-gets-her-throat-slashed-later[1] and says to her father that it’s a grand soft day. Well, that wasn’t a soft rain, but never mind. That’s the sort of falling straight down rain we have at the moment, so it isn’t too bad. It means umbrellas are actually useful. Usually the rain falls at an angle, or doesn’t so much fall as move horizontally across the face of the earth rendering umbrellas useless.

Anywas, Braveheart, was on last night. I dinnae watch it. Mainly cause I’ve seen it umpteen times[2] and to be honest all of Mel Gibson’s anti-English propaganda is wearing a little thin at this stage. What I did watch was Dr. Bashir on an elephant. Also known as Hannibal. This was a made for tv film thing on BBC1 last night, and it wasn’t terrible. Wasn’t great either though. What I have noticed about these ancient war type films is that they can never really show proper cavalry battles, on account of their being no such thing as stunt hosses. And the beeb obviously didn’t have the sfx budget of a big action film. Still they did quite a good job, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Vin Diesel film compares, if that ever gets made. The writer, David Franzoni doesn’t inspire much confidence from me, as he was responsible for King Arthur which is a lot better without the sound and Amistad which was a crap film over-rated because of the subject material. I suppose he deserves credit for Gladiator, so we’ll reserve judgement till we see the film.

And seeing as there are only five days left till the rugby I’ll direct you over to The Limerick Blogger’s round-up of the weekend newspapers.

Linknotes:

  1. Murron, can you believe its been more than 10 years since this film was made?
  2. if not more

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13 Responses

  1. anne says:

    Wow, Vin Diesel director… I’m so prejudiced.

  2. Kelly says:

    Sometimes I think I’m the only person in the world who hates Braveheart, despite my woadlike tendencies. It’s just so.damn.manipulative – ALL of Gibson’s films are, have you noticed? If I’m going to feel sad, I want to feel sad on my own, not because I’m told to. Urgh.

    FIVE days ’til rugby? Be still my heart!

  3. Fence says:

    Can prejudice ever be justified Anne?

    Kelly, I don’t hate Braveheart, but I don’t think I like it anymore. Well apart from certain scenes that just look great. But the plot… I’m not so sure of.

    As for the rugby, I’m sure the lady doth protest too much

  4. Kelly says:

    Oh Fence, the lady couldn’t possibly protesteth enough.

    Have you seen The Patriot? Good God, I hate that movie, especially when ye Gib is talking to his ladylove and says something boneheaded (shock!), at which she replies: “It’s a free country.” This is a saying I believe became popular here sometime around 1970. I really couldn’t possibly protesteth enough about Mel Gibson movies, either.

  5. Fence says:

    Nope. I saw trailers which looked like Braveheard with eviler English baddies and guns instead of swords and decided to avoid.

    A good move?

    Bring back Lethal Weapon Mel, that’s what I say.

  6. kyknoord says:

    Wow. Only half a pint of lager? What would Splodgenessabounds do, I wonder?

  7. NineMoons says:

    But The Patriot wasn’t really a Mel movie – he only starred in it. It was that fella what done Independence Day who made it.

    I found it impossible to watch Braveheart for about a year after I came back from Scotland – the accents were too bad. Even the ones I hadn’t noticed the first million times!

    You really have to watch Braveheart as pure fantasy and forget the bogus historical shite. Too many great scenes to dismiss it entirely.

    It’s no Gladiator though.

  8. Fence says:

    And probably that cheap lager too Kyknoord.

    NM if Mel was in it, it was a Mel-movie. My blog, my definitions :)

    I’m going to sorta disagree on the Braveheart, its all a bit sickly innit? I’d probly watch the first half again, because it looks great. But all that “freedom” crap. I just dunno if I could sit through it all.

  9. banzai cat says:

    Er, I heard the extended King Arthur was good, not the one that was shown in theatres. Was that the same movie you were referring to?

    As for Braveheart, I haveta admit I never watched Rob Roy despite its slightly happier ending because the beginning depressed me. And on my irritation meter, Mel Gibson rates slightly lower than Tom Cruise. Argh.

  10. Fence says:

    Yeah, the extended version was slightly better than the cinema release. I bought in on dvd, mainly cause it looks cool. Plus Chicken from Rome was in it.
    Visually Knig Arthur is a great film. Script-wise/Dialogue-wise its all a bit pants.

    Tom is more irritating than Mel. But let us not forget that Mel inflicted The Passion… on us. Well, not literally, I mean we weren’t all flayed and crucified, but still. That film was inflicted upon people, not watched by them.
    I gotta admit I’m kinda intrigued by his South American film thing though. If only because that trailer was so freaky.

  11. NineMoons says:

    The Passion… gave me a migraine. Literally.

    I’ve decided I’m going to boycott the Da Vinci Code. Not because of Christianimajig – because I’m so annoyed by people going ON about it. It’s FICTION. Dan Brown is a BAD WRITER. I DON’T CARE!!!!

    Wanna go see summat tmro? I maybe might stay over?

  12. Fence says:

    I’m not sure it Wed suits. I’ve stuff to do. I’ll ring you later and let you know.

  13. NineMoons says:

    Stuff? STUFF?! How dare you…

    Well, maybe lunch? In the art gallery? Haven’t seen you in a while. I miss you (sap, sap)