Entertainment

Is CGI what makes a Blockbuster?

The answers to the director's quiz are below this posting, but lets get on with the question in hand. Whilst coming back from Ecuador I managed to watch on the plane "Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End". Now I really enjoyed the film, but couldn't help thinking, strip away the special effects and what have you got?? A film that is thinly plotted, and overlong. So do the special effects make the film or does the story??



Have a look at this photo below;

Now would Davey Jones look as good with a mask of rubber like they used to have, with the tentacles only moving when the actor moved his head??? No of course not.

"Sky Captain and the World of Tommorrow" is a film that highlights just where films are going, it was shot almost entirely in front of a green/blue screen, with the only real action being a few of the air scenes. Yet when you see the film, you can't really tell that much, yes granted some of it is a bit ropey, but on the whole it knits together quite well. The storyline isn't too bad either, but the thing is the film didn't do that well. Doe's this mean that special effects aren't everything??

Now look at the new release of "Transformers", that is just one big special effects and CGI ride, and it is a blockbuster, so does this mean that special effects ARE everything?? Difficult to tell isn't it?

One of the all time classic films is "Psycho", and that had zero special effects in, it was good because it played on peoples fears and was one hell of a good storyline, if a little simple. Which may go to prove that special effects aren't everything, but then you take into account all the times you have said, wouldn't it be good if they remade that film with better effects?

Sometimes though that doesn't work, "Star Wars" was way ahead of it's time for special effects, but now they look a bit 'modelly', yet I think that the original trilogy is far in a way better than the new up to date films. So again we are questioning whether or not special effects are the most important thing in a film.

Just how many of the so-called blockbusters would have been blockbusters without special effects and CGI?? Not too many that is for sure! I though have to say that for low CGI related films that have been blockbusters, and that have had that adventure/action/comedy appeal, one comes top of the list in my view and that is "Raiders of the Lost Ark", a great film that relied more on story than effects.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Fun & games

Director Quiz Answers

Only two entries this time around, and Will only managed a couple of rounds, but still ended up with a very respectable 26. So once again the winner was Keith, who just happened to set the theme of the quiz! With an excellent 40! Please don't blame me if there is some dispute with Hitch's fav film, I got it from the official biography!
So here are those all important answers.

Round 1: The Movie Link

1) Stanley Kubrick – The Shining
2) Alfred Hitchcock – Rear Window
3) George Lucas – Star Wars
4) Ridley Scott – GI Jane
5) Spike Lee – Malcolm X

All nominated for but never received a best director oscar


Round 2: Directors cut

1) Clint Eastwood
2) Paul Haggis
3) Steven Soderbergh
4) Stephen Spielberg
5) Martin Scorsese
6) Peter Jackson
7) Robert Zemeckis
8) James Cameron
9) Oliver Stone
10) Sam Mendes

Who are all incidently Best Director Winners!

Round 3: My Direction Music

1) Kim Wilde/Cambodia
2) Ultravox/Vienna
3) J Geils Band/Centrefold
4) Cock Robin/The promise you made
5) Limhal/Never ending story
6) Pet Shop Boys/West End Girls
7) Baltimory/Tarzan Boy
8) Call Me/Blondie
9) Jonah Luis/Stop the Calvary
10) Kelly Marie/Feels like I’m in love

Round 4: Quizzicles – Hitch

1) The lodger
2) An extra in the news room
3) Saint Ignatius College
4) Alma Reville
5) 14th August 1899
6) She was 1 day older
7) Benji!
8) Gave him a letter to take to the local police station where upon reading it the desk sergeant would lock him up for ten minutes!
9) He never drove
10) 7
11) Bowel Movement
12) Eggs
13) Luis Bunuel
14) True
15) Der Mude Tod

Update

Travel and Other Things

Hi folks, haven't been able to get on for ages due to all the travel I have been doing, indeed I am writing this from an internet shop in Riobamba Ecuador!
A LOT has happend since my last post, apart from the travel of course, and I will be putting up the answers to the directors quiz next week I hope. The directors quiz can't be as hard as Will's Silver Screen Goddesses quiz, that's for sure. Go on check it out, using the Hilarity Ensues link.
Anyway where was I, Oh yes a lot has happened in the last week or so, for a start I have handed in my notice, so I now only have 3 weeks to find a job. But 2 of those weeks are taken up with Ecuador, and then my last week they want me to go to Saudi again! I feel a business class trip in the offing.
They are pretty desperate to keep me, even offering contractor rates if I will do some jobs for them should I not have a job to go to. But the firm is not the best to work for, and they do not really look after you, so I would have to think twice on that, unless of course they pay $50 an hour!!!
Funny thing is two guys who I work with told me to register with the same agency, which I did at around 9am in the morning before I left, at midday I had a phone call saying they had the perfect job for me....fast work or what!

So that is that, my next to last trip, and then I am more or less a free agent! Which means I should be able to post a bit more often, until next time then Adios Amigos

Fun & Games

Directors Quiz

Well fun and games pretty much describes what has been happening to me over the past few weeks. I have visited 5 sites in the States going from Phoenix to Iowa, to South Carolina and then Miami and then back to South Carolina! That last trip being tagged on with the view of "go or else". Worse still the last site, who my work INSISTED I went to, was not ready!!!!! Good theme then for this week - Directors, as my lot have only one sense of direction, and that is down!

Hey ho, on with the quiz

Round 1: Movie Link

OK quite simple I just want the name of the film, and it's Director, then tell me what links the directors.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Round 2: The Directors Cut

We all know how film companies like to release director's cuts of films, well I like to cut directors, so here are 10 that have a shredded look. Just name them.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

Round 3: A Musical interlude

OK do you know how hard it is to try and find music that relates to directors?? So I yes me, I am the director of music for this quiz, and my directorial debut centres around music of the 80's, simply name the song and artist.

80s clip 1
80s clip 2
80s clip 3
80s clip 4
80s clip 5
80s clip 6
80s clip 7
80s clip 8
80s clip 9
80s clip 10


Round 4: Quizzicals on Hitchcock
OK a few questions now based on probably the best director of the lot, The Hitch, The Master of Suspense, yes 15 questions on Alfred Hitchcock.
1) Apart from directing many great films Hitchcock also reportedly had a cameo in them all, but what was the 1st film he directed and ‘starred’ in?
2) In relation to question 1 what part did he play?
3) Which school did Hitchcock attend?
4) What was the name of Hitchcock’s wife?
5) When was she born?
6) What was their age gap?
7) One of Hitchcock’s two guilty pleasure films was Smokey and the Bandit, but what was the other?
8) As a child how would Hitchcock’s father punish him if he misbehaved?
9) How long did Alfred Hitchcock hold a driving licence for?
10) What was his favourite number?
11) He often used the initials BM in his films, what did BM stand for?
12) What was it he had a morbid fear of?
13) Who did HE consider as the best director ever?
14) He appeared on a US stamp, true or false?
15) What was his favourite film?

Fun & Games

Magic Quiz Answers

So by the looks of things you all know your Harry Potter stars, as all of you got 100% on that round! But who won the quiz this week??
Twice in a row that I know of now, the winner was Keith with a whopping 71 out of 75!!

Here are the scores on the doors;

Keith - 71
Mark - 69
Mum - 62
Will - 55

All very good scores, so I will have to try and tax you a bit more on the Directors Quiz, that I am preparing next.

Here then are the all important answers;

Round 1: Movie Link

1) Escape to Witch Mountain
2) Blair Witch Project
3) Narnia The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe
4) Witches
5) The Witches of Eastwick

Link all have a witch in the title

Round 2: Potty about Potter

1) Stanislav Lanevski – Victor Krum
2) Mirian Margolyes – Professor Sprout
3) Kenneth Branagh – Gilderoy Lockhart
4) Alan Rickman – Professor Snape
5) Warwick Davis – Professor Flitwick
6) Richard Griffiths – Vernon Dursley
7) Evanna Lynch – Luna Lovegood
8) Timothy Spall – Peter Pettigrew/Wormtail
9) Robert Pattinson – Cedric Diggory
10) Matthew Lewis – Neville Longbottom

Warwick Davis played more than one part.

Round 3: Musical Magic

1) Puff the Magic Dragon – Peter Paul & Mary
2) Every little thing she does is Magic – Ra (I accepted Police)
3) C’est la vie – Bewitched
4) Genie in a bottle – Christina Aguilera
5) The Power – Snap
6) Pinball Wizard – The Who
7) See my Baby Jive – Wizzard
8) Magical Mystery Tour – The Beatles
9) Magic Moments – Perry Como (Accepted Frank Sinatra)
10) I put a spell on You – nina Simone

Round 4: Quizzicles of magic Some fiction some fact, but all Magic.

1) Wand lengths for Harry, Ron and Hagrid
2) Roy Wood
3) Debbie Mcghee
4) 62442 (MAGIC on a telephone pad!)
5) Quidditch
6) Dumbledore
7) Never tickle a sleeping dragon
8) Mark Wilson
9) It is part Kneazel
10) Tommy Cooper
11) “You’re going to like this not a lot, but you’ll like it!”
12) Give away his/her secrets
13) Claudia Schiffer
14) Opens locked doors
15) Pug
16) David Blaine
17) 175417
18) Kenmore Kestrals or Ireland
19) Ernie
20) Polyjuice Potion