April 30, 2004

Bully of the Park Pt. II or revenge o' the divil Dug...



What a wee cutie. The defence rest's M'lud - or is it the prosecution?


April 29, 2004

But one thing's sure. Inspector Clay is dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible...




I used to be a big Ed Wood jr fan - still am really. I love his movie's.
They're a bit like watching pantomime; disregard the sets & concentrate
on the players. Undoubtedly, his most popular movie is Plan 9 from outer space,
as well as being the most ridiculed (anyone who has seen Night of the Ghouls will find that
hard to believe.) I thought Jailbait was just as good/bad as many other B Noir movie's &
Bride of the Monster wasn't too bad - using Lugosi was a stroke of genius. I found a site
that lists the faults in Plan 9 - hilarious! Check it out at Plan 9 Bloopers. Favourite Plan 9 quote :

Jeff Trent - 'Modern women. They've been like that all down through the ages.'


April 28, 2004

The Bully of the Park - AAAAAWWW, surely not...



I've inherited a Dug - well kindae, it's a long story. Anyway, he's a wee cracker!
Unfortunately it has the name 'Mason' - dont ask me - ah mean, they should have
just called him Ian paisley and got it all oot o their system in the one go.
I take him for a walk every night & although he is friendly enough with people, he HATES
other dugs. There is a big park just round the corner from the house & we walk
round trying to avoid all the other dugs, especially the wee bits o fluff on a string
which he seems to have a penchant for attacking - he's on a lead but he goes ballistic
every time a dug goes past. Sometimes I let him have a wee sniff because if I pull him
away too quickly, it makes him worse. Only thing is he can turn nasty in mid sniff so I have
to keep a good grip on him. Socially, in the dug walkers world of oor park, he has become a
bit of a pariah; people mutter to each other as he approaches or move off the path onto the
grass with their wee precious pups. Do we care? do we fuck! we have a great time being
social outcasts. I don't think they understand the Scottish brogue either - they all think I'm
fi Eastern Europe. Ah mean - C,maawn!!!

I'm booking him in next week for his YLT tattoo...




April 27, 2004

I was surfing the web when I found an interesting yahoo group...



It is called ScarsAuthor and is moderated by the lead singer of the 70's Edinburgh
Punk/Glam band Scars. Rab - the singer - comes fi Leith maaaan!!!!
Scars were the only band from Edinburgh at the time that were doing anything worthwhile;
all the others were just pale copies of the London bands. I remember they used to get a
hard time from the local crowds but I used to enjoy their gigs. They made a few records but
never made the mainstream scene - thank god! I bet there's a few 40+ punters in Leith/Edinburgh
that still remember wee Rab & the Scars. Check out the yahoo group.


April 19, 2004

Back at the pictures - last orders...



I lived in the country for a year in 2002 - 300km south of Perth in a
town called Bridgetown, population 3000. The local video shop's latest
releases were circa 1997 so now I'm back in the big city (?) I catch up with
all the movies I missed on DVD. I really enjoyed this film. What a great cast.
David Hemmings looks a bit rough - remember him? - but played a good part.
Michael Caine, Tom Courtney, Helen Mirren, Bob Hoskins & Ray Winstone. Triffic.
I watched the BBC production about Henry VIII with ray Winstone but I kept
expecting him to burst out with 'Shut it you ponce or I'll cut ya' so it didn't really
work for me. Last orders was a different story, he plays the part so well. Typecast?
perhaps - but if you've got it flaunt it. Even the kids that played the younger
versions of the main characters were good. Good stuff!

A lot of it is set in a local pub so get yirself a carry oot to keep them company...


April 18, 2004

Let's get this straight - I've NEVER been a fan of Folk music...



But I seen this girl on a New year's tape my mother sent me; me old Ma tapes
all the shortbready Sh*te thats on the telly at New Year & sends it to me in australia - Bless her!
I usually watch Chewin' the fat, I'ts only an excuse & Rickie Fulton & flick through the rest
On such a flicking episode I quickly rewound when I saw Kate Rusby - it was her looks that got
me in, but she sings like an Angel, plays guitar & writes most of her own songs. She does all this
with a charming Northern accent - I love a Northern accent, don't you? Anyway, I managed to pick
up a couple of her CD's & I am a born again folkie. This from a man who thought if there are 4 chords
in a song it's one to many. The title song Underneath the Stars is a beautiful melancholy love song...

Underneath the stars I'll meet you
Underneath the stars I'll greet you
And there beneath the stars I'll leave you
Before you go of your own free will - Go gently.

Underneath the stars you met me
Underneath the stars you left me
I wonder if the stars regret me
At least you'll go of your own free will - Go gently.

Here beneath the stars I'm mending
I'm here beneath the stars not ending
Why on earth am I pretending
I'm here again, the stars befriending
They come and go of their own free will - Go gently

Underneath the stars you met me
Underneath the stars you left me
I wonder if the stars regret me
I'm sure they'd like me if they only met me
They come and go of their own free will - Go gently

Ok - who's going to send me an arran jumper & a beard?


April 09, 2004

It's hard to believe this is based on a true story



I watched this on dvd & I was sure it had said in the opening credits
based on a true story. Further inspection of the cover
confirmed this. If you haven't seen this - give it a try - I quite liked
it but found myself doubting the validity of the 'true story' claim. after
partaking in a bit of detective work avec le internet - don't you just
love google? - I discovered that there is a town called Point Pleasant
where in the late 60's there were sightings of what was described
as the Mothman coupled with strange goings on & culminating in
the accident with the bridge. They didn't necessarily happen in the
condensed time frame portrayed in the film but DID happen. A few
facts tapestried into an edgy suspense filled story.

The mothman cometh

The following two paragraphs are taken directly from the back cover
of John A. Keel's book "The Mothman Prophecies".

For thirteen month the entire town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia
was gripped by a dark terror that culminated in a tragedy that made
headlines all over the world. This is a story that contains all the elements
of a modern science fiction movie but every single word is true and fully
documented by famed journalist John A. Keel.

Homes throughout the little towns were plagued with unearthly noises
and ghostly manifestations while mysterious aerial lights traveled silently
overhead seemingly on a regular schedule. Winged monsters and frightening
apparitions terrified the population as automobiles stalled and telephones
and TV sets ran amok. A Red Cross Bloodmobile filled with fresh blood was
pursued along a darkened highway by a weird flying machine. Domestic
animals were found slaughtered and mutilated in pastoral farm fields.
Innocent people lived in surrealistic horror, haunted by the fearsome demonic
"Bird" and besieged by legions of strange beings
(some of which arrived in ordinary-looking automobiles).


Look out Barry Norman, I'm after your job...
(someone better explain to the under 40's who Barry Norman is)


April 07, 2004

I have never seen the original SOLARIS but I enjoyed this



I don't know what I was expecting when I watched this. I knew there had been
a Soviet version in the 70's which was lauded by the critics. Now although it's
usually a mistake to watch a US remake of a non US film, I enjoyed this. I guess
the fact I haven't seen the original helps immensely. George Clooney is quite good,
Natascha McElhone is rather lovely & the whole thing, though confusing at times, has
the eerie loneliness that worked so well in 2001; a space odyssey.

A lovely way to while away a quiet afternoon - pass the quality Street...



April 06, 2004

Fir Christ's sake - somebody take the laddie's camera oaf um...



Moonlight becomes you, it goes with your hair
You certainly know the right thing to wear
Moonlight becomes you, I'm thrilled at the sight
And I could get so romantic tonight

You're all dressed up to go dreaming
Now don't tell me I'm wrong
And what a night to go dreaming
Mind if I tag along

If I say I love you
I want you to know
It's not just because there's moonlight
Although, moonlight becomes you so


I think this was originally sung by Bing Crosby & is from one
of the 'On the Road' movies. I remember it from being used in
an ad when I was growing up; It is sung in the background as
Josephine makes her way to Napoleon's tent. By the time she
reaches him her hair is like a dogs dinner having been caught
on branches & twigs on her journey. As she arrives in the tent
door the song is at the 'goes with her hair' stage only to stop
short at 'Ha...' - Napoleon looks up and says 'Not tonight Josephine'.
They don't make them like they used to... oh! btw it was an ad
for Hairspray.

Illustrated & informative - this will probably be used in schools...


April 05, 2004

As soon as the sun goes down - It's bloody freezing...



Not Really - but it is getting colder at night. I'm photie daft at the minute.
I liked this one even though it's kind of blurry; reminds me of looking out
the window of the bus on a rainy night in Edinburgh. How times change -
I couldn't tell you the last time I was on a bus...


April 04, 2004

Took a drive down to Scarborough Beach...



This is my favourite time to go to the beach - just before sunset.
It was lovely & breezy and there were only one or two people about.
The cloud formations & the colours of the sunset make it feel like
another world. I don't know what it is about walking along the beach,
but I always feel like the sky is just sitting a few feet above my head.

I love a sunset - you might have noticed...




April 03, 2004

Sunset on Lake Monger - Perth, Western Australia









Oh yes, and a Goose photo just to re-affirm my waterbirds fetish...


April 02, 2004

I had forgotten how pretty Winona Ryder is...



Not a bad actor either; has the grace & poise of a classic 30's/40's
actress actor - no dammit - they were Actresses back then!
I must admit I have watched a few well below average movies
in the past just because Ms Ryder was involded.
Ok - I admit it, I'm shallow; ain't we all?

Good looks and she's a chore - what more do you want?



Come on in - you'll have had your tea?

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