Nick's Blog
Bush Tucker Blog
31/1/2010 @ 18:25
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I was watching TV the other day...it might have been the Dave channel...and I decided to watch Ray Mears' Extreme World of Survival. I quite like this show; I get to live vicariously through Ray and his subjugation of the wilderness.
He's an English, mild mannered version of the original TV survival expert, Les Hiddins The Bush Tucker Man. Les is a tough as boot leather Australian fond of saying things such as "looks like a melon, smells like a melon...kill you in 10 minutes" and drinking lemon juice out of an aphid's ass. His show was fantastic and the precursor to Ray Mears.
Well imagine my surprise when I saw the two of them team up for an episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56YBZzEz3fk
Wow! This is like Batman meeting Superman or when two Doctor Whos appear together. The only thing missing is where they grab shotguns, load up and say "let's go kick some jungle ass!"
Sorry for the interruption of your blog
26/1/2010 @ 14:28
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Oops, hit the wrong button just now and posted the blog entry without finishing it. Anyway, where were we?
USA 3. FRANCE 3.
So it's down to extra time and both sides are eager for the win. But France just don't have the stamina. After Bobbed Hair Girl and the criss crossing, they've got little left in the gas tank...they're coasting. The USA, with Nancy in the vanguard, launch their final assault. The Starship Enterprise crew have returned and they skip and go-go like no one has ever skipped and go-goed, with a smile and defiant looks all around. "Are you ready boots? Start walking!" Can anyone resist such a merciless onslaught?
Certainly not the French, who play us out with one of the girls going cross eyed. Oh dear, what seemed like a certain victory, they have fallen to Nancy's jackbooted lovelies. And as Dominque and his crew lick their wounds from the touchlines, Nancy and her girls do a victory dance...stomping into our consciousnesses for ever more proving that America is the last great go-go dancing superpower.
Next time...Elvis battles himself as the 1968 Comeback version fights the 1972 Viva Las Vegas incarnation in "The Two Elvi".
These Blogs Were Made For Walking
26/1/2010 @ 14:20
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CLASH OF THE TITANS: GO-GO DANCING WARS
The Sixties...they were great, weren't they? The music, the fashion, the scene, the drugs, erm, maybe not so much that last one. But in an era where Beyonce thinks that thrusting her fanny at the camera counts as attractive dancing, it's easy to forget a time where girls dancing to pop music was all together more fun and silly. I give you Go-Go Dancing.
Now normally I wouldn't have a comment to make on go-go dancing except that recently I came across two music videos from the Sixties that not only exemplify the style, but when viewed side by side came across like a dance-off between two competing teams. So, let's view these songs purely as a dance to the death competition to see which one is better.
In the Blue corner, representing the 5th Republic of France, Monsieur Dominique Walter (yes, he is a man) and "Les Petits Boudins". A song written by Serge Gainsbourg, who seems to have held a monopoly on writing French pop songs for 20 years. But we're not so much focussing on Dominique, but on his backing dancers and how well they do.
In the Red corner, representing the power and industrial might of the United States of America, Miss Nancy "don't fuck with my dad" Sinatra and "These Boots Were Made for Walking"...surely the anthem of go-go dancing.
It's old world versus new: Will it be the USA! USA! USA! in all their beer-can-crushed-on-the-forehead glory or will the cheese eating surrender chansons have their day?
Let battle commence!
To watch "LES PETIT BOUDINS" watch here: http://video.mail.ru/mail/lenka-lv/1/3.html
To watch "THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING" watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVBh8PLP_Lc
First out of the gate is Dominique and his girls...he looks like the Scott Tracy puppet from Thunderbirds and moves like it as well but it's the girls who will have to carry the fight. And here they come, skipping like little girls. It's....cute. No really, they skip, do little bunny hops and have that panda bear eye sixties look going. And then...WHOA! A bit of hip wiggle there, very nice.
Nancy and her girls counter with that famous detuned twangy bass intro as they saunter into shot. And I can't tell if those were originally dresses that shrunk in the wash or not. I'm sure it's illegal in many countries. And the clip is in colour so they score the extra point. The brightly coloured microdresses, boots and black tights make it feel like we're grooving with the crew of the Starship Enterprise here. USA 1. France 0.
Dominique is still sticking with the girly bunny hop strategy but those flapping hands aren't helping much. These plucky French are going to have to dig deeper if they're to get even with the Americans. The hip shakes are just about keeping them in the match.
Meanwhile Nancy is playing the sex kitten card and while she isn't dancing she is kind of oozing. The lyrics stand as a stark warning to all no good lying men out there and even I'm feeling the harsh rebuke of her gaze and tone and I haven't even done anything wrong! I also realise her dad had Mafia connections...allegedly. Nancy strokes her thigh and GOAL! USA double their score. USA 2. France 0.
The Enterprise crew return in shot and it looks like a USA walkover...ironic considering the song. France is hanging on by the fingertips purely through their song being so damned catchy. They're going to have to dig really deep to salvage some dignity here...and this is France we're talking about.
Nancy and the girls have set phasers to "kill" but then....disaster! She sings "you've been lyin' when you oughta been truthin'" Oooh, lyric disaster! Made up words and in front of the French and their lyrical language. Own goal and France have one back. USA 2. France 1.
France then bring on a substitute. In every memorable dance routine there's one person who steals the show from the rest of the chorus line. One person who demands attention and France play her now. Watch that girl with the bobbed hair run into shot on the left. She might look cute, but she's a brute! She puts some much needed oomph into the French attack by bunny hopping higher and shaking more...she's like that girl at high school who really threw herself onto the dance floor without sticking to a rehearsed routine. And she breaks ranks by doing the monkey-using-a-potato-masher all on her own with pigeon feet. This is like watching your 7 year old little sister causing havoc at a wedding reception. The Americans keep making up words but some energy's gone out of their performance. They've slipped up and France equalise! USA 2. France 2.
America, sensing victory slipping from their grasp, shake some shoulders and hips and do their own version of the mashed potato to keep up but France know a winning formula and stick with following bobbed hair girl. She's in The Zone now, but there's a danger of burn out if Dominique doesn't keep her under control. It's a stalemate.
But...France take a risk and take off Bobbed Hair girl and focus on Dominique. Nancy scents blood and cuts to a different group of dancers who ditched the microdresses and are lying on the ground in lingerie. If you can't win by fair means, try foul. Some overhead bicycle peddling and calisthenics gives America another goal. USA 3. France 2.
France counter back immediately with some clever camera work and girls criss cross in front of Dominique producing a pleasing but slightly disorienting effect. You just know they're planning something big for a finale. France win a free kick and equalise again. USA 3. France 3.
These Blogs Were Made For Walking
26/1/2010 @ 14:20
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CLASH OF THE TITANS: GO-GO DANCING WARS
The Sixties...they were great, weren't they? The music, the fashion, the scene, the drugs, erm, maybe not so much that last one. But in an era where Beyonce thinks that thrusting her fanny at the camera counts as attractive dancing, it's easy to forget a time where girls dancing to pop music was all together more fun and silly. I give you Go-Go Dancing.
Now normally I wouldn't have a comment to make on go-go dancing except that recently I came across two music videos from the Sixties that not only exemplify the style, but when viewed side by side came across like a dance-off between two competing teams. So, let's view these songs purely as a dance to the death competition to see which one is better.
In the Blue corner, representing the 5th Republic of France, Monsieur Dominique Walter (yes, he is a man) and "Les Petits Boudins". A song written by Serge Gainsbourg, who seems to have held a monopoly on writing French pop songs for 20 years. But we're not so much focussing on Dominique, but on his backing dancers and how well they do.
In the Red corner, representing the power and industrial might of the United States of America, Miss Nancy "don't fuck with my dad" Sinatra and "These Boots Were Made for Walking"...surely the anthem of go-go dancing.
It's old world versus new: Will it be the USA! USA! USA! in all their beer-can-crushed-on-the-forehead glory or will the cheese eating surrender chansons have their day?
Let battle commence!
To watch "LES PETIT BOUDINS" watch here: http://video.mail.ru/mail/lenka-lv/1/3.html
To watch "THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING" watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVBh8PLP_Lc
First out of the gate is Dominique and his girls...he looks like the Scott Tracy puppet from Thunderbirds and moves like it as well but it's the girls who will have to carry the fight. And here they come, skipping like little girls. It's....cute. No really, they skip, do little bunny hops and have that panda bear eye sixties look going. And then...WHOA! A bit of hip wiggle there, very nice.
Nancy and her girls counter with that famous detuned twangy bass intro as they saunter into shot. And I can't tell if those were originally dresses that shrunk in the wash or not. I'm sure it's illegal in many countries. And the clip is in colour so they score the extra point. The brightly coloured microdresses, boots and black tights make it feel like we're grooving with the crew of the Starship Enterprise here. USA 1. France 0.
Dominique is still sticking with the girly bunny hop strategy but those flapping hands aren't helping much. These plucky French are going to have to dig deeper if they're to get even with the Americans. The hip shakes are just about keeping them in the match.
Meanwhile Nancy is playing the sex kitten card and while she isn't dancing she is kind of oozing. The lyrics stand as a stark warning to all no good lying men out there and even I'm feeling the harsh rebuke of her gaze and tone and I haven't even done anything wrong! I also realise her dad had Mafia connections...allegedly. Nancy strokes her thigh and GOAL! USA double their score. USA 2. France 0.
The Enterprise crew return in shot and it looks like a USA walkover...ironic considering the song. France is hanging on by the fingertips purely through their song being so damned catchy. They're going to have to dig really deep to salvage some dignity here...and this is France we're talking about.
Nancy and the girls have set phasers to "kill" but then....disaster! She sings "you've been lyin' when you oughta been truthin'" Oooh, lyric disaster! Made up words and in front of the French and their lyrical language. Own goal and France have one back. USA 2. France 1.
France then bring on a substitute. In every memorable dance routine there's one person who steals the show from the rest of the chorus line. One person who demands attention and France play her now. Watch that girl with the bobbed hair run into shot on the left. She might look cute, but she's a brute! She puts some much needed oomph into the French attack by bunny hopping higher and shaking more...she's like that girl at high school who really threw herself onto the dance floor without sticking to a rehearsed routine. And she breaks ranks by doing the monkey-using-a-potato-masher all on her own with pigeon feet. This is like watching your 7 year old little sister causing havoc at a wedding reception. The Americans keep making up words but some energy's gone out of their performance. They've slipped up and France equalise! USA 2. France 2.
America, sensing victory slipping from their grasp, shake some shoulders and hips and do their own version of the mashed potato to keep up but France know a winning formula and stick with following bobbed hair girl. She's in The Zone now, but there's a danger of burn out if Dominique doesn't keep her under control. It's a stalemate.
But...France take a risk and take off Bobbed Hair girl and focus on Dominique. Nancy scents blood and cuts to a different group of dancers who ditched the microdresses and are lying on the ground in lingerie. If you can't win by fair means, try foul. Some overhead bicycle peddling and calisthenics gives America another goal. USA 3. France 2.
France counter back immediately with some clever camera work and girls criss cross in front of Dominique producing a pleasing but slightly disorienting effect. You just know they're planning something big for a finale. France win a free kick and equalise again. USA 3. France 3.
The Confederate Blogs of America
14/1/2010 @ 17:33
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It's the New Year and what better way to celebrate it than to come down with Swine 'flu. Whilst hacking up all manner of mucoid matter in various shades of green and grey, I did manage to watch a heck of a lot of DVDs...and here's a review of one of them:
I recently aquired the North and South miniseries on DVD and I was greatly relieved that I was given the 1980s American version and not the plodding and depressing BBC adaptation of the Elizabeth Gaitskell novel.
Back in the 80s, I remember North and South being one of the top 5 TV events of my teenage years...along with V, Moonlighting, It's Your Move and Revelation of the Daleks. I loved the show and wondered if, 20 years later, I would still enjoy it or would I find it to be mawkish cornbull.
For the uninitiated, North and South was an epic miniseries that went for 18 hours and covered the period of American history from 1842 to 1865. It had an all star cast, over 3,000 costumes, 1,000 extras for the war scenes and starred James Read and a pre-Dirty Dancing Patrick Swayze.
Looking at it again after 2 decades my verdict is that it is still breathtaking to watch. I was prepared for all the Civil War cliches, the "ah dew decla-ah", "what this country needs is industry!" and "Ahm gonna give y'all negras ah-whuppin'" you could cram in but it transcends all of that to give the viewer an engaging story.
Two things are remarkable about it, and it really brought home how TV has changed over the years. First, the story is always being propelled forwards: There are no flashbacks and no clunky exposition scenes. Characters act and the consequences are felt, often immediately. Second, the characters all grow and develop in a way that is believeable (in the setting of a historical melodrama) and consistent to them. The central friendships and emnities are believeable as well and well developed (they should be with an 18 hour running time). It's not "dark and edgy", although it does have some dark scenes (especially Book 2 which covers the Civil War), but instead of using that as an excuse to have underdeveloped and moody characters, the characters are shaped by the events that happen. It's been a while since I've seen a TV show where I genuinely care for the characters. Ahhh, tight scriptwriting...whatever happened to that?
Even though there are big stars in supporting roles (Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, Gene Kelly, Hal Holbrook, Lloyd Bridges and David Carradine), the whole thing is carried by James Read and Patrick Swayze; both of them display genuine leading men qualities and I don't think Swayze was ever better than in this show. Lesley Ann Down is obviously hot but I had forgotten just how lovely Wendy Kilbourne was back then...I stopped watching Midnight Caller when she left the show.
The action and set pieces are all well done for a TV audience and the locations are fantastic, and for the most part genuine. All in all this isn't the cheese-fest I was fearing, but a thoroughly entertaining full blown glossy epic....and that damn theme tune won't leave my head (it's in the same catchy league as The Vikings).
