SCI FI FILM STORY ARCS

I'm excited about the new Planet of the Apes installment out this week here in UK cinemas.

Like Planet of the Apes, some sci fi and fantasy concepts just run and run in the movies. I suppose the first one I ever really became aware of was the Hammer series of Dracula and Frankenstein films and the Toho Godzilla sequels. 

The recent Godzilla is, for me, one of those keystone films, a remake which re-defined an old story in a modern way, whist adding new elements too. Prometheus, a prequel, was the same for the Alien franchise and Tron Legacy, the Tron sequel, 'self-aware' of the original. Phantom Menace did the same for Star Wars.

Some franchises are easier than others to put in story order with Star Wars films, being conveniently numbered, the easiest. I suppose the Aliens series is easy too if I discount those pesky Predators.

But some are not so easy and two that spring to mind are Planet of the Apes and Superman:

Planet of the Apes: There were, I think, three original films, a remake about ten years ago and two modern movies. But how should they be ordered in terms of the story arc?

Superman: what, three original films, two recent ones and a modern re-make I think? But what's the story order?

Any ideas readers? Any other difficult series?

PS. if anyone can attempt the Godzilla franchise too then much kudos!

MY RED PLASTIC MOTORBIKE

Thought I recognised the motorbike toy in this British Pathe still from the Sixties. I have the very same toy in my display case. Here it is in all its glorious red. Anyone know anything about this plastic toy bike?

THE DAYS AND YEARS OF PLANETS

I've embarked on a DIY course of private study about our Solar System. It's totally engrossing and I'm really enjoying finding out stuff I never knew.

This is the first of several occasional posts I plan to do about what I'm discovering about our System. I can only absorb new info in bitesize chunks [ must be my age!] so that's how I'll post it once I think its sunk in! Maybe its of interest to readers. I hope so.

First up is the fascinating 'world' of Planets' days and years. Here's my own table of our solar community, which includes three amazing dwarf planets; our close neighbour Ceres, faraway Eris and my personal favourite, the unfathomably distant Sedna. Mistakes are unintentional, I'm still learning!

                 DAY LENGTH*  YEAR LENGTH*

* in Earth hours, days and years

Looking at this table, I few things jump out. The first is that a day on Venus lasts 244 years! That's a long time to wait for sleep! It's the only planet in our system that has a day, which is longer than its year. Takes some getting your head round!

Secondly, Mars has an almost identical day length to us but the Martian year lasts two Earth years. Does that mean we would all be half our age on Mars?

Last but not least, the year lengths become vast once you get past Uranus [no giggling please, we're meant to be adults!]. The Neptunian year lasts a respectable 165 Earth years, Pluto's a sobering 249 years and Eris an eye-watering half-Millennium. 

The King of Years though is unquestionably my number one dwarf planet, Sedna, at 11,400 Earth years! The furthest object Man has yet discovered in our own solar neighbourhood, Sedna boasts only superlatives; the most distant, the coldest, the longest year and much more. Ludicrously far yet tantalisingly close, I will return to Sedna soon.

TOY HUNTER ANYONE?

Is anyone watching the new series of Toy Hunter? I think its series 2. I really love it and reckon it's made for Moonbase readers or anyone into vintage toys like most of us. OK, there's an emphasis on the value of toys but it's made for the telly and most people want to know.

This week Jordan was searching for a Kenner Bigfoot from the Six Million Dollar Man line. I had no idea it was that rare and I'm struggling to recall what he traded for it, some sort of rare GI Joe set I think.

Cool stuff indeed!

CLIFFORD RACING TEAM CAR TRANSPORTER

Cream Transporter version with Century 21 Toys Sam's Car and Joe 90 Car

Ferryman Collection

above

Green Transporter version with original cars

Ebay

Cream Transporter with one original car

Woodsy Collection

Anyone else got the Clifford Car Transporter?

NEW TRICKS

Seeing Kitten Kong rampage across Glenn Field, reminded me of my own furry friends fondness for fotos!

Murphy and Noah, my black and chocolate labradors, are very fond of the camera and Murph im particular, is not averse to a little dressing up for the occasion.

Heres his interpretation of his favourite films: Yoda from Revenge of the Sith, The Fly, Catwoman, The Mummy and finally  The Thing! After a little session, he likes nothing better than recreating the trench scene in Warhorse!

Noah on the other hand, is much more reserved and despairs of such antics..

SPLISHING AND SPLOSHING

During those warm Sixties Summers the only thing that would cool down us overheating children was water. We weren't bothered which form it took. Ice was great for eating, especially flavoured and covered in sprinkles with neat names like FAB and SkyRay. When ice didn't do it then there was nothing for it but to leap into the nearest pool of liquid water like a gaggle of ducks!

Butlins, the quintessential British baby boomer holiday resort, was festooned with all manner of water features for leaping into: fountains, paddling areas and full-on swimming pools with that most terrifying of childhood haunts, the Deep End!

Here are a few snaps my family took of me dabbling in Butlins' many wonderful watery playgrounds. Did you enjoy a good paddle when you were Kids readers?

OK Mum, I'll take it from here!

Wow, I'm the King of the Fountain!

Damn, Stuart's here! There's no peace!

And now my Big Brother Steve's here!

Where's Steve gone?

I'm here! C'mon Paul, the Deep End's great!

That's easy Bro! Hmm, on second thoughts!

Sci Fi On UK TV

Besides my fave TV programme Toy Hunter, which I'm currently watching, there are two more series I aim to check out. One is called The 100 about 100 teenagers who return to a devastated Earth. Sounds a little like project SWORDen so I'll have a look. The other is Falling or Fallen Skies, which I know nothing about. I once watched a series called Dark Skies, which I enjoyed years ago. The names similar so I'll give it a whirl.

Anyone seen either of them?