"You've never seen a miracle"

I'm often asked, "What's your fave sci fi film?" and invariably, it will be either Aliens, Alien or one of the Star Wars films. There is a huge genre to choose from and Ridley Scott will be always top of the charts for me. But lately, its really become a one horse race by more than a length.

Blade Runner is consistantly right up there in the top two, but now it must be relegated to a definite close second to its own sequel; Blade Runner 2049.

I watched it with some trepidation and not inconsiderable nervousness, as Scott has seemingly dropped the ball with the last two films in the Alien franchise and even Star Wars has begun its mutation into something other than Lucas would have produced.

However, I was more than pleasantly surprised, more like mesmerised, especially on the second viewing. Villaneuves slow pacing and hypnotic visuals, tying into the established look of 2019 L.A and the expanded replicant universe which grew from the 1982 original, serves to enthrall and engage the viewer.

Without giving anything away for those who have yet to witness the cinematic spectacle, it is visually stunning and aurally entrancing. The film shows a wonderful stylistic evolution from the first film, without moving away from the dystopian multi-cultural society shown in Blade Runner, but now adds the expanded replicant strand to civilisation. Whereas Nexus 6 were more prominently used off-world, thirty years later, new model replicants have become part of the fabric of everyday life.

Its fascinating to see Ryan Goslings character's close relationship with an A.I, an earlier iteration of artificial conciousness to the much further evolved replicants.

Beautifully realised and managing to answer some of the mysteries alluded to in the first film, it also creates some of its own and leaves the way open for a final piece of a possible trilogy.

If a third film is planned, it really would have two tough acts to follow, as for me 2049 is far and away, my favourite science fiction film of all time. So far anyway..

SNOW WAY

My 4x4 made it up the crag OK

Then I was trapped in an avalanche!

The Beast from the East had got me!

STAR TREK'S SICK BAY'S READY: McCoy's Full Medikit from Scratch

Hi,

I have stitched together a pouch case from some vinyl and have thus completed the medikit! Quite pleased with it.

Take care,

Kevin

MUTE POINT

Well I finished watching Duncan Jones' MUTE last night and I must say that I enjoyed it. 

The comparisons with Blade Runner are unfair and unnecessary though. MUTE is nowhere near as tech-heavy. The defining feature of the lead character - he can't speak - percolates through the whole movie and shapes the film into something wholly different to Blade Runner.

OK, there's a search, a seeking but its more like the boy David's in AI in my opinion. MUTE is certainly not for kids though. Its fully-formed underworld is a dystopia infested with violent people.

Its a huge departure from MOON and is clearly that 'difficult second film'. MOON was just so good and Sam Rockwell's virtuoso performance - he's the only actor in the film -  so well conceived that its hard to follow.

Clearly Jones isn't aiming for a franchise with MOON. MUTE is totally different and in no way connected. Despite having slightly similar sounding names MOON II it ain't. 

I still think that one day Duncan Jones will create a lasting franchise in say the same vein as Scott's ALIEN. He just hasn't found the idea yet.

In the meantime I'm very happy to watch his individual worlds take shape.

I liked his final touch on MUTE, dedicating it to his parents, the Bowies. His dad was David Jones aka David Bowie.

Have you seen MOON or MUTE? What do you think?

There'll Be No Morning For Us: Peering into The Fog 1980

Been watching John Carpenter's The Fog from 1980.

You know the one. Antonio Bay and the Seagrass.

Besides the usual observations about John Carpenter's distinctive musical score and superb photography, here are a few other more tangential thoughts.

First up the name Loomis. Its important to Carpenter.  Loomis is the real surname of two members of John Carpenter's film crew. One of them, Nancy Loomis also plays Sandy Fadel in the Fog. Its relevant since in the film Halloween, the Professor, one Donald Pleasance, is also called Loomis. He was Michael Myers' shrink. Carpenter often used friends' names in his movies.

The late Debra Hill co-wrote the script for the Fog along with Carpenter. Hill had co-wrote Halloween and set the film in Haddonfield, New Jersey, where she was from! I'm starting to think that New Jersey is the centre of American horror and spooks!

Interestingly a character called Dan O'Bannon also pops up in the Fog, a reference to Carpenter's past collaboration with the real O'Bannon on Dark Star. The late O'Bannon went on to co-script ALIEN and the rest is history. Coincidentally O'Bannon's Dad was a carpenter! The actor who played O'Bannon in the Fog, Charles Cyphers, had once competed in a game show for a date with Yvonne Craig aka Batgirl!

Arguably the main character in the Fog is Stevie Wayne, the radio presenter played by Adrienne Barbeau. Barbeau was married to John Carpenter at the time and she went on to voice Catwoman in Batman The Animated Series!

The Mayor of Antonio Bay in the Fog is none other than that shower curtain queen herself, the late Janet Leigh, star of the iconic Psycho. Her daughter with Tony Curtis was Jamie Lee Curtis and both Mother and Daughter appeared in the Fog together!

The male lead in the Fog is the character Nick Castle played by Carpenter stalwart Tom Atkins. Atkins was married to Garn Stephens. They both appeared in Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Stephens played Marge Guttman the toy shop owner who has a bad evening sat in bed when she prods her hair clip into one of Silver Shamrock's witchcraft mask decals. Bad idea!

Interestingly Tom Atkins' lead-male characters in both The Fog and Halloween III: Season of the Witch meet up with a young woman visiting the towns in the films: Stacey Nelkin in Witch and Jamie Lee Curtis in the Fog. 

Both women can be seen as bad omens. After teaming up with them and investigating strange goings-on in both movies, his character beds both young women whilst all around them is carnage and skullduggery.

Interestingly Stacey Nelkin had once been cast as Pris in Blade Runner. As we know, the role eventually went to Daryl Hannah.

One other thing struck me, about the coastline of Antonio Bay in The Fog. It has a distinct curving shape.

I'd seen something very similar and thought maybe they were the same but no. Here's what I was thinking of, the colony retreat in The Howling.

I didn't see any old toys in the Fog but I did see a large blue plastic space-age radio in Stevie Wayne's bedroom I think. I've no idea of the make but it reminded me immediately of the central section [dials and clock face] of the Merit Dan Dare Radio Station. Anyone know the US radio?

Do you like The Fog?

MUTE MOON

The countdown is on for my free month of Netflix coming to an end in 5 days.

I've seen some cracking stuff like The Equaliser with Denzel. I tend to watch films as I seem to get bored with Netflix Series as I did with Altered carbon. Its just me.

Tonight I'll carry on watching MUTE, a Netflix movie about a man searching for his girlfriend in a future Berlin. The Missus will be watching the Voice.

MUTE hasn't set the critics on fire, who are comparing it unfavourably to Blade Runner, but I really liked the Director Duncan Jones' last flick MOON so I'm giving it a whirl.

What are you watching at the moment readers?

SNOW GO

Hiya Woody,

You asked about snowy action figures. Even Search and Rescue are struggling to take off in this weather :)

Stony K... out on ski patrol 

COLD STEEL: DIE-CAST PROJECT SWORD

 I've wanted to do this for ages.

To bring together the only two die-cast Project SWORD toys.

They are the Aoshima Zero-X and the Imai Scramble Bug. 

Luckily I've got both so lets introduce them.

The Aoshima Zero-X is well packaged in a polystyrene inner box

Inside a plastic cover, the Imai Scramble Bug comes in a nice card inner display

Under the card base is a colour leaflet

The rear of the box display has a colour diagram of the vehicle.

The leaflet showcases five of Imai's miniatures.

So, lets get them together.

My Zero-X lacks the MEV [it was donated to MC] but does have the silver nose cover.

With similar blue bodies I think they look great as a pair

The Zero-X comes with a small plastic stand

Even the Scramble Bug gets a lift!

I did find opening the landing gear on the undercarraige quite fiddley but all in all the OX is a beautiful die-cast toy.

I do wish I had the MEV but in the meantime my Bug carries the silver nose-cone quite well.

I also discovered that the Bug has a push-down dome, which raises the bonnet! I didn't know that!

One final shot as the OX takes off on a secret mission.

Have you got either of these die-casts readers?

*

Some Tri-ang SpaceX toys, which are miniatures of Project SWORD vehicles, also have some die-cast parts.