November | 2004 | chez dafyd 2004 November

November, 2004

Another night, another Mozart

November 19, 2004 by dafyd

So, once again I’m back late after Amadeus. Tonight, the show was an hour later than usual because of Formal before hand, which doesn’t finish until 8 o’clock. Oh well – the play itself finished at five to midnight, and we were all packed away and ready to go by half past. Not bad… in fact, a positively early night compared to some this week!

I wasn’t on a lighting desk tonight, just setting up and packing away at the beginning and end, so I got quite a lot done in the meantime. There was an interesting moment at about 10.45 when a police helicopter appeared literally above Palace Green (next door to Castle), and remained there, hovering loudly, for about 15 minutes. Naturally, I hid under the bed so they couldn’t find me shouted out of the window for it to go away, because I could just imagine Rob (the producer)’s face… suffice to say, the pilot took no notice of me. I can’t imagine why!

I know people have been taking photographs of the play, so I’ll try to get copies and put them in the Gallery – it’s really quite impressive, and I’d hate for you to miss out.

Category 1 | Tags: thecastlesaga | 1 Comment
Studios sue Pixar, demand bad movie

November 18, 2004 by dafyd

Heh – a very good spoof article on Dateline: Hollywood…

Hollywood — The eight major Hollywood studios have filed suit against CGI animation company Pixar for its consistent record of quality movies. The complaint alleges that with its sixth consecutive profitable and critically acclaimed film in “The Incredibles,” Pixar is overturning a decades-long public relations campaign waged by Hollywood studios to convince the public that it’s impossible to consistently make high quality films. “If Pixar doesn’t get with the program, we’re going to have to fundamentally change the way we do business,” groused Paramount chairwoman Sherry Lansing, whose studio hasn’t produced a hit film in several years. “I repeat my recommendation to Steve Jobs that he pay John Travolta and Halle Berry $20 million each to provide voices for an effects-laden remake of ‘The Fox and the Hound.’” Plaintiffs in the suit are Paramount, Universal, MGM, Fox, Disney, Warner Bros., Dreamworks, and Sony Pictures. All eight studios have worked together since 1980 in a sophisticated PR effort to make all Americans believe that it’s inevitable most films will be poor to mediocre. The campaign has included payoffs to critics, training for film school professors, and talking points distributed to corporate spokespeople. Because of the successful campaign, executives have successfully built a system in which they spend tens of millions of dollars each year on development and end up producing as many critically and commercially successful films as a monkey throwing darts at a board would, according to scientific studies. Asked for comment, a Pixar spokesperson said he believes the suit was motivated by studio executives’ indignation that Pixar and Apple CEO Steve Jobs refused to send them each a free iPod Photo. According to the studios’ talking points, it’s impossible to consistently make more than 50% of films be high quality, with an average hit to miss ratio of 1:2. But with its six profitable and acclaimed films, Pixar is beginning to make many Americans question why it actually seems possible to consistently make successful films. “Those guys are ruining it for everybody,” said Warner Bros. president Alan Horn. “We can’t possibly be expected to stay in business when we’re up against a studio that doesn’t have dozens of unqualified young executives with little or no background or interest in film meddling in the creative process of all their movies.” “It just goes to show what I’ve always said,” added Universal Chairwoman Stacy Snider. “It should be illegal for companies outside of Los Angeles to produce motion pictures.” The complaint asks that a court award the eight studios $1 billion in damages or compel Pixar to hire 118 unqualified development executives, option the rights to 38 scripts and books it has no intention of turning into films, and immediately greenlight sequels to “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo” with $100 million-plus budgets and hire directors whose only experience is in music videos to oversee them.

The Incredibles opens in the UK on Friday… so I’ll have to find a chance to go into Newcastle to see it over the next couple of weeks.

Category 1 | Tags: rave | 1 Comment
So tired…

November 17, 2004 by dafyd

I am absolutely shattered. Knackered. Cream-crackered. Whatever. I’m literally falling asleep on the keyboard here. So I’m going to bed in a minute.

As I said earlier, I’m operating the lighting for the Castle production of Amadeus – which, incidentally, is fantastic! If you get a chance between now and Saturday 20th do go and see it. You won’t be disappointed.

Anyway, on Saturday and Sunday rigging in the Great Hall kept going until midnight-ish. Monday evening’s Tech Rehearsal went on until 2.30am (starting at 5.30), and after last night’s Dress Rehearsal we didn’t leave until half-past four this morning, because of some serious problems with getting the lighting ready and the Hall dressed. Yes, that’s right: 4.30am. The only time I’ve not been in bed at the ungodly hour was when Dieter was leading us on a trip to the fatherland, and even then I was probably asleep on the coach. The final rehearsal was this afternoon, and then the opening night this evening. Everything went smoothly (ish), so here I am, everything tidied away, at only quarter-to-midnight. Woohoo. An early night!

So I’m going now – I’d quite like to be in bed before midnight!

Category 1 | Tags: thecastlesaga | 3 Comments
Google Juice

November 16, 2004 by dafyd

Go to Google. Search for ‘opportunist‘. Click “I’m Feeling Lucky!” That is all.

(Tip-of-the-hat to Boriswatch and Bloggerheads!)

Category 1 | Tags: rantandrave | 1 Comment
The Da Vinci Code: The Film

November 16, 2004 by dafyd

I like this article from the IMDb news pages:

Tom Hanks is leading the way to star in the big screen adaptation of bestselling drama novel The Da Vinci Code. According to trade paper Hollywood Reporter, Hanks is the favorite to land the lead role of art historian Professor Robert Langdon in the big screen take of Dan Brown’s book. The Oscar-winning actor is reportedly already in talks with Columbia Pictures studio bosses and director Ron Howard about the coveted role. In Brown’s book, Langdon is the man who cracks the mystery of the renowned Holy Grail. The film is expected to begin shooting next year.

If you haven’t heard of the Da Vinci Code, where have you been for the last year? The book is the Harry Potter of 2004, the publishing success of the year. It’s not high-brow literature, but it’s a well-written old-fashioned adventure story, in the style of Indiana Jones or James Bond.

It’s no surprise, then, that there are plans to make a film of the book. It’s written in such a way that it really won’t take much to adapt it for the screen.

I must say that while I was reading the book, I pictured Dennis Quaid as the symbologist Robert Langdon, probably because I’d just seen him play a similar role (academic turned reluctant action hero) in the Day After Tomorrow. Tom Hanks, though, really would be good in the role. I’ve never seen him in a real action role, and he would really get across the required whatever (aargh… complete mental blank there).

By the way, sorry if I post irregularly over the next few days – I’m involved in the Castle Theatre Company production of Amadeus, which is taking up a lot of time…!

Category 1 | Tags: rave | Comments Off
Bring Back Boris

November 14, 2004 by dafyd

Sign the petition to “Bring Back Boris” at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/boris.

If enough people sign it, we can send it off to Mr Howard and see what sort of reaction we get…

Category 1 | Tags: rant | Comments Off
Waterstone’s

November 14, 2004 by dafyd

Back when I worked for Waterstone’s, there were several concerted efforts to get the company lots of coverage in the press – after all, all publicity is good publicity. For example, almost every newspaper article or TV report about the launch of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix featured Waterstone’s, and a store in Edinburgh was chosen by JK Rowling for a book signing.

Just recently, though, I think the Media Team in Brentford has gone one better than even Harry Potter:

Yes, that’s right – the George W Bush victory speech, sponsored by Waterstone’s! In fact, if you really want, you can buy ‘W’ t-shirts at the George W Bush online store – they again look ridiculously like the Waterstone’s t-shirts that some staff have to wear (but not our store, thank God).

Sorry I’ve posted this so late, but it took me for ever to actually find the image…!

Category 1 | Tags: hmm | 2 Comments
Nooooooooooooooooo… The Return

November 13, 2004 by dafyd

How thick can Michael Howard get? According to BBC News:

Boris Johnson has been sacked as Tory shadow arts minister amid allegations about his private life, a spokesman for party leader Michael Howard has said. The spokesman said Mr Johnson was sacked for lying about the claims, not because of the claims themselves. Mr Howard sacked Mr Johnson by telephone on Saturday afternoon. The Henley MP, who edits the Spectator magazine and is married with four children, has also been sacked from his post of party vice-chairman. Mr Johnson last week dismissed reports in a Sunday newspaper that he had an affair with Spectator columnist Petronella Wyatt. He called the allegations “an inverted pyramid of piffle”. There are understood to be fresh revelations in at least two Sunday newspapers this week.

How stupid can the Tories get? Do they really not realise that Boris is the world’s most popular Conservative? And does this seem a little strange to anyone else? Like possibly that these allegations have been used as an excuse to get rid of Boris because of other reasons – like the chat show Boris image and the Liverpool/Bigley article in the Spectator.

I have no doubt that he’ll be back soon. Either that, or he’ll retire from politics completely and concentrate on his “other projects” (as actors say). In fact, I’d say that the second would be better for him… he has more freedom in terms of his own views (à la Liverpool), which means we get more Boris and less Howard. Just so long as he doesn’t join UKIP, I’ll be happy!

Keep up with the discussion at Boriswatch…

Update: I just wanted to post here something that I wrote on Boriswatch:

The back-stabbing that has been around in the Conservative party since 1990 really caused this – Michael Howard, having himself succesfully challenged for the leadership of the party, started to get worried about Boris’ popularity. So he sacked him. Great move. Now Boris will go down in the eyes of Daily Mail readers (the ones who didn’t like him anyway), and go up in the eyes of the Sun and so on – those who normally wouldn’t care. As I’ve said several times this evening, I doubt very much that Boris will stay down for long, and when he does he will have more support than ever before. (Hmm… Star Wars – “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine”)

Boris – we need you back!

Category 1 | Tags: rant | 2 Comments
What a turkey!

November 13, 2004 by dafyd

This is my 100th post! Woohoo – 100 in six months – not bad…

Anyway, it’s Thanksgiving Day in the US in a fortnight’s time. Traditionally the President ‘pardons’ a turkey, so it doesn’t get eaten and instead lives a life of luxury at Frying Pan Park’s Kidwell Farm. (So the other way round to “out of the frying pan, into the fire” then…)

Two turkeys are sent up to the White House, but only one (the more photogenic) get pardoned. The other doesn’t actually get eaten, but he doesn’t get the formal pardon either. On the White House website at the moment they are running a poll to name the two birds – last year they were imaginatively name Stars and Stripes. This year I think Gobble and Peck would be good names…!

There is a very good episode of The West Wing (they’re all good episodes, but this one is particularly good) where CJ, the Press Secretary, has to look after the two turkeys to be pardoned. She gets very attached to the birds and can’t decide which one should get the actual pardon, so Bartlet ends up pardoning both for her. There’s also a subplot about Charlie trying to buy the president a carving knife for his turkey, which is good fun, and a very minor storyline about a boatload of illegal Chinese immigrants, but who want’s to dwell on the unsavoury stories like those?

And as a special treat, to celebrate this 100th post (and also ‘cos I feel like it), here is a president-related picture that I like:

Category 1 | Tags: rave | Comments Off
The next James Bond?

November 11, 2004 by dafyd

OK, so Pierce Brosnan isn’t going to do any more Bond films. (Except maybe Casino Royale with Quentin Tarantino – now that’s a film I’d like to see…!) Pity, but that’s life. So who’s next?

Well… while perusing various sites on the World Wide InterWebNet™, I came across the following article on ReadABet.com:

Massive interest in Ewan McGregor to become the next James Bond has led bookmakers William Hill to slash his price from 12/1 to 9/4 favourite. Rumours began to circulate on the internet on Saturday that Ewan Mc Gregor was in advanced negotiations to take over from Brosnan as the sixth James Bond and the bets started to come in. Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams said: “The evidence is not conclusive at present and we do not think this is a betting sting from insiders – that said if Ewan does get the nod it’s going to be a painful experience.” Latest William Hill odds: 9/4 Ewan McGregor, 9/2 Dougray Scott, 6/1 Clive Owen, 7/1 Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrell, 8/1 Jude Law, Ioan Gruffudd, 9/1 James Purefoy, Eric Bana, 10/1 Orlando Bloom, Chris Feeney, 16/1 Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, 20/1 Rupert Everett, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Michael Ball, 25/1 Russell Crowe, Julian McMahon, Jeremy Northam, Geraint Owen 100/1 Robbie Williams, Eminem, 500/1 Boris Johnson.

OK, Ewan McGregor – I like that idea. Dougray Scott or Clive Owen might in fact be even better – they’re not as well known, and if you’ve seen Owen in The Bourne Identity I think you’ll agree that he can play the role well. But there’s one name on the list that I think would be brilliant. Can you guess which? I’ll give you a hand, and repeat the list:

Latest William Hill odds: 9/4 Ewan McGregor, 9/2 Dougray Scott, 6/1 Clive Owen, 7/1 Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrell, 8/1 Jude Law, Ioan Gruffudd, 9/1 James Purefoy, Eric Bana, 10/1 Orlando Bloom, Chris Feeney, 16/1 Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, 20/1 Rupert Everett, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Michael Ball, 25/1 Russell Crowe, Julian McMahon, Jeremy Northam, Geraint Owen 100/1 Robbie Williams, Eminem, 500/1 Boris Johnson.

Oh yes!

Category 1 | Tags: hmm | 1 Comment

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