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Post by angra on Apr 13, 2013 21:09:49 GMT 10
To do a good Holmes you have to be frantic, obsessive, brilliant and a bit weird. In fact you have to out-do the great Jeremy Brett which is pretty tough.
I think both Jonny-Lee and Benedict manage this, but alas Robert Downey doesn't quite make it.
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Post by angra on Jun 4, 2013 17:45:10 GMT 10
Interesting to compare Elementary with Sherlock.
Both are brilliant. Both translate the icons of the canon to modern times. But Elementary is a bit too formulaic. Sherlock breaks some boundaries, and Benedict has a psychotic-edge which isn't quite there with Johnny-Lee. He looks too 'nice.' And Aidan Quinn just doesn't cut the mustard as Lestrade.
Elementary is great entertainment, and Johnny Lee equals Benedict in acting as sociopathic geniuses - and Lucy as Watson and a female Moriarty are great; but can you beat Sherlock's Reichenbach fall? And Andrew Scott as a truly deranged Moriarty? He's really scary.
But neither quite live up to Jeremy Brett.
But both are some of the best latest tele experiences of recent years, and miles better than Robert Downey Jr.
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Post by chookmustard on Jun 8, 2013 21:57:06 GMT 10
Django Unchained, watched last night. Pretty awesome. Christophe Waltz is super talented, and DimCaprio staying in character after cutting his hand open in one intense scene was pretty cool too
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Post by Matthew Of Canberra on Jun 9, 2013 12:51:58 GMT 10
This arguably fits here ... Found this yesterday: www.youtube.com/user/mavireckx2Not sure who that guy is or how he's getting away with it, but he's uploaded a HUGE collection of nerdy content, about science, the universe, stuff mode made by NOVA, lots of stuff with neil degrasse tyson (who is awesome) and a lot of it is (nominally) HD. I was trying to find episodes of Cosmos and found his collection: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp27qn0T4fs&list=PL-Tvdt_KDZjzxVPpEPObZfyUwLT8x_nn5Use something like flashgot and you can nab them at up to 1080 resolution. I doubt if the original video justifies that, so I'm downloading the first few at 720. I've watched a chunk of of the first episode, and it's good. It takes a little while to get going, but are some real "wow" moments. I'm planning to buy it on some sort of physical media once I've done a bit of research. I think I managed to grow up without ever seeing Cosmos. I'm pretty sure it was broadcast here in the 70's, but I don't remember it.
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zoot
Junior Member
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Post by zoot on Jun 9, 2013 14:37:37 GMT 10
It's a bit dated in parts, but Cosmos (in my not so humble opinion) is one of the greatest shows evah! Well worth a look. And if you haven't yet seen it, The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowski is even greater.
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Post by angra on Jun 9, 2013 14:52:52 GMT 10
Agree with the above. Civilization wasn't too bad either - but notable for it's European bias. In the TV spy/thriller genre it's hard to beat Callan with Edward Woodward - low production values, but great acting and plots. First episodes b&w, later switched to colour. Here's a taste. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahcjlnl3ek0And the original Smiley series with Alec Guiness. Starts here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dh4tnvx2b8I haven't seen last year's film re-make yet (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). Anyone seen it?
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zoot
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by zoot on Jun 9, 2013 17:18:59 GMT 10
Anyone seen it? Yes, and it's worth the look. It's an "adaptation" of the book, and they've taken a couple of liberties, but not many. The main problem for me was that Gary Oldman is physically nothing like the Smiley that Le Carre describes. Psychologically he does a good job. But if you want the definitive George Smiley you can't go past Alec Guinness. I bought Tinker, Tailor etc and Smiley's People from the BBC shop and it cost me (inc postage) about $30. Best investment I ever made (of course, the dollar was higher then )
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Post by Matthew Of Canberra on Jun 9, 2013 18:30:52 GMT 10
"The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowski is even greater"
I read the book back in the 90's. I recall that it was fascinating, and I wouldn't be surprised if guns, germs and steel was ... inspired by it.
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Post by chookmustard on Jun 14, 2013 13:40:38 GMT 10
The Hobbit part 2 trailer is out. So excited !
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Post by angra on Jun 14, 2013 15:17:55 GMT 10
Hands up all who thought Westfield was a shopping-centre development company? Me for one. But no, it's a sports car! Seems to be based on the Lotus 7. And 7 Mate have a great programme about some thickhead building one from scratch. www.westfield-sportscars.com.au/
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Post by angra on Jun 14, 2013 15:41:54 GMT 10
They even use a torque ratchet spanner!
(Think about it)
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Post by Matthew Of Canberra on Jun 14, 2013 15:48:25 GMT 10
"But no, it's a sports car!"
It is. A had to jump out at the lights and go congratulate a man driving a green westfield in adelaide a few years ago. I've seen a couple of 7s around, but not many.
Caterham has, I believe, the "rights" to the Lotus 7 "design", but they're not the only manufacturer. At a shannons show&shine in canberra I discovered that australia has a car shape called the "clubman" which is basically the same size and layout. People had flippin' rice-rocket 6 cyl engines in these things, too.
The 7 is awesome. The epitome of the "simplicate and add lightness" lotus philosophy. The originals had something like a 1.2 ford engine with about 50 or 60 hp (I could look this up, but I'll wing it). The kit-car marketing was to avoid tax. Because they weren't shipping a finished car, they avoided some sales taxes on cars. After all, they were just shipping an engine ... and some wheels ... tubing, bolts ... some lights ....
One of my fave youtube videos is a dad taking his very young son for a drive in his new caterham supersport - the kid's so small he's holding his helmet and glasses on with his hands and shouting "woooaah - I like the noise!"
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Post by angra on Jun 14, 2013 21:14:34 GMT 10
MoC - when I get depressed with the Boltists I resort to the 'mannish' channels (so does my wife). Otherwise watching a weepie (there was a great one on today with Meryl Streep and a kid with epilepsy). But catching big fish, fighting crocs and building sports cars. Can't beat it.
And anything with dogs. Inspector Rex is still our favourite show.
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Post by angra on Jun 14, 2013 21:28:34 GMT 10
The dear old poms fucked their car industry. But they did manage some great things (the Riley RMB for one - the most beautiful car ever made iMHO). At the science museum in Knightsbridge you can still see a Lotus Elan x-frame chassis. Brilliant! And at Brooklands you can see Barnes-Wallis's original geodetic aircraft monococque frame. You could shoot the fuck outta these planes but they would still fly. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodetic_airframe
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Post by angra on Aug 1, 2013 14:32:20 GMT 10
Bugger. Luke Gamble's Vet Adventures has just become my favourite programme.
Just shown - "Luke travels to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand to assist at a dog shelter that is overwhelmed with animals and is absolutely desperate for veterinary help. Luke also goes to see if he can help some elephants that have trodden on some exploding landmines and meets some very inspiring people who are dedicating their lives to care for these magnificent animals."
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