Not sure what the press embargo stuff is on V for Vendetta, and don't want to steal the thunder of Boss Joe's forthcoming review on Film Focus, but that was not nearly as bad as it might have been.
As a general rule, any time they stray from the comic the logic starts to unravel. Yeah, the effort to update it, to make it about political shit now, kind of works - and they get some good gags out of it. But John Hurt being a Tory is 10 years out of date, and wish they'd asked if we still do the 11+, or checked a map to see where the tube runs. Natalie's accent wobbles a bit, bless her, and they'd lost some of my favourite stuff.
Of course, I'm hugely protective of the comic 'cos it really blew my head off as a kid. A friend at school - St Mary's, as it happens - leant me the DC run. Wrote GCSE and MA coursework about it, trying to understand why. Will look out the latter as a bonus-post here sometime.
But basically, it works. It's the first good adaptation of an Alan Moore comic, which is something of a feat in itself. (Though he's foregone a credit, so its oddly described as "Based on the comic illustrated by David Lloyd".) The Dr, who won points the first time I met her for saying she too loved the comic, was also very pleased.
Odd to watch work exploding, too. Right, back to the Terroism Bill.
Er, in some parts of the country we still do do the 11+
ReplyDeleteDo you really? Show's what I know.
ReplyDeleteWhich parts of the country, out of interest? The parts that still burn witches?
It'll be Kent, I expect. That's where I did mine. They still have dem grandma schools.
ReplyDeleteAFAIK they still have it in Reading. I took the test but elected NOT to go to Reading School as they did sports on Saturday mornings :-p
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Essex where they did, and still do have the 11+.
ReplyDeleteDammit, looks like I wuz talking bollocks, then.
ReplyDeleteOops.