As Cold As Ice

A big shout out for the BBC for showing the fantastic supernatural horror series 'The Terror' this Wednesday. A pseudo-historical drama based on the 2007 book by Dan Simmons about the Royal Navy attempt to find the North West Passage in 1845. The two ships 'Terror' and 'Erebus' were reported lost with all hands and the AMC production, overseen by Ridley Scott, attempts to unravel the mystery.

Besides being a great story from the first opening, it is visually and historically exacting and is played beautifully by a largely British troupe of actors. Not for the faint hearted or the weak stomach, it is grisly and unflinching in its depiction of both the privations and the accidents that the beleagured crew must endure, but also of surgical procedures and elemental savagery in an alien land.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p096q6b5

The series went on to a second season, 'The Terror: Infamy' which documents the struggles of japanese residents in wartime America, again based on historical data combined with a sinister supernatural threat. For me though, the first series set in the Arctic is head and shoulders above most recent historical dramas.
 

G R E E N L A N D

Not seen a new blockbuster for, well a year, so I thought I'd check out Gerard Butler's new apocalypse Greenland on Prime last night.

Unlike my Missus, I like disaster movies and the bigger the disaster the better, so an extinction level event is a no brainer. The Butler usually delivers big on the no need to think much stakes too so I was sold when I saw it advertised. The title Greenland was intriguing too.

It's a comet movie pure and simple, but I won't give anything away, although you can guess what happens if you watch the trailer. I'm not sure Greenland tells us much more than we already knew about the end of the world. OK, maybe having a 'full tank of gas' might help somehow.

Imagine Deep Impact and 2012 spliced together and you have Greenland. I don't think it deals with the whole comet thing as well as Deep Impact or older entries like Meteor or When Worlds Collide for that matter, but you'll make your own mind up as it approaches.

I often ponder if this kind of movie can still be classed as Sci-Fi or is it something else? Interestingly 'disaster' means evil-starred event.

Anyways, I wonder if you'll be taking a trip to Greenland?

KEVIN'S CRAGSTAN MARVEL

Hi, here is my anti-futuristic Cragstan car!

Vroom, vroom

Kevin

UK

WILL OSBORNE'S CRAGSTAN WONDERS

Here's a couple of Cragstan tinplate toys. I believe someone once told me that supercar was based on the Ford Gyron . It does look a little bit similar. The other photos are of the Cragstan Moon Mobile.

Will O.

UK

Have you got anything like this?

SHELLEY HACK'S CHARLIE SCENT

Further to my comment that my Mum wore Charlie, blog reader Paul has dug deeper into the scent!

Hi Woodsy

   Charlie perfume!

     Prior to appearing on the TV series Charlie's Angels as Tiffany Welles in Season 4, model turned actress Shelley Hack appeared in a series of television and print ads for a perfume called Charlie, made by Revlon.

Above is a photo of a print ad that I found on line.

Then there is a compilation of five old TV ads, featuring Shelley Hack. In all these she only wears trousers, never a dress. Each features a different singer - the only one I recognise is Mel Torme in the fourth ad. It looks as though these ads had a sizable budget.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie! - YouTube

Everything in the Universe is connected to everything else - somehow.

Yours Sincerely,

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Did your Mum or Sisters wear Charlie back in the day readers?

Did you like Charlie's Angels?

WILL OSBORNE'S MARVELLOUS DAN DARE AND SUPERSONIC BUILDER SETS

Hi All. A couple of space construction boxed sets. The Supersonic is a Moko product, as in Moko Lesney. The Dan Dare Space Ship Builder was made by Bartrams. Both are from the 1950's.

Enjoy,

Will O.

UK

JON DAVIS TV21 ARTIST: RIP

Jon Davis's son has been in touch to pass on the sad news that his Dad, Jon, passed away on the 29th November last year.

Among many other accolades and achievements, Jon illustrated many Project SWORD stories for Century TV21 comic, some of which have featured here.

His family have a tribute website for Jon, which includes many personal photographs and original artwork. 

https://ethanejd7.wixsite.com/jondavistv21

Our sincere condolences to the Davis family.

DON'T FAWCETT AGAIN! THE BIONIC ANGEL!

A few years ago in 2017 we visited a local car boot sale and I wrote about it at the time. As we've mentioned Charlie's Angels recently and as I liked the post so much here it is again!

I came away with a very tall loose action doll.

The seller told me it was a Farah Fawcett figure of Charlie's Angels fame. 

I didn't know the name of it myself but thought it might have been a Mego or similar. She was 18 inches tall and very unusual.

Once I got Farah home I googled her.

I couldn't find anything when searching for Farah Fawcett 18 inch doll.

I changed tack and added Bionic Woman as Farah was the late wife of Lee Majors, the Six Million Dollar Man.

It worked!

It isn't a Farah Fawcett doll at all!

Its a Jaime Sommers doll, the real Bionic Woman of the TV show [pic: Vectis]

The 18 inch action doll was called 18" Super Size Jaime Fashion Doll and made by Denys Fisher in 1977.

My Jaime is unboxed and missing all of her accessories like her ring, earrings, shawl and shoes but she does still have her gold evening dress for bionic nights out.

It is one of the more exciting finds I've made at a boot sale. For some reason they are often dolls, a Sindy dress being top dog of my finds. Or is that top doll?

I'm unsure if there were different releases of this Jaime figure in the US and UK though.

Does anyone know?