Restoring Ken Russell's The Devils

Well here we are with the take two, which is very good. takeake one as obviously the joy of take one has just happened. We had a hydration break inspired by the World Cup and likeike forty degrees outside u and As a result, I'm going to be spending the entire day either on the radio or in the toilet Not something you have to trouble yourself with by the way in Croatia. No, no. hereere in Croatia, it's absolutely lovely, particularly in the air conditioned hotel room. Can I just ask you a question? Yes. I haven't been involved in the World Cup thing in any way, It logic because I don't know anything about football and I hate Dilat tantism. Was there any part of you that your heart sank even further when it turned out that Trump is going to be there at the final and is going to present the trophy. Yeah. I mean, u Well I mean, on the one hand, yes, obviously, sitting next to Infantino you know, almost not equally odious, but you know, just as pretty pretty odious all round. Yeah, pretty odious all round. But it is the tradition that the head of state presents the cup. So It's it's understandable that it you know, he'll try and keep it He may well try and keep it. He might not hand it over, but the head of state does that. pllus, I also remember the World Cup in nineteen seventy eight. which was in Argentina, right? wasas it seventy four I don't know, no point in asking me. seventy eight in Argentina, where the head of state was the head of the military junter who made this incredibly long speech before he presented the cup. And I remember Brian Clough, who was part of the ITV panel incandescent with rage that this man had been allowed to be on our televisions. So I will channel some of the Cuff Fury Argentina and just bottle it up and yeah, but it is the head of state. the head of state does the thing. Okay. All right as long as he doesn't take a fancy to the What he will do. He will absolutely take a fancy of the cup because he did that thing before, didn't he when he was handing out some medals to somebody, I don't know, Chelsea or somebody and he didn't leave the pitch Well, who knows what will happen? I should I think they should play the final in the reflecting pond because that is now green You know That'll be a great celebration of the algae. That would be water polo, Mark. I think you got the wrong you got the wrong sport. Yeah Anw polo. just the horses kept drowning. so we had to stop What are you up to in this particular thing? I mean, you're in Croatia. I mean, that's what you're up to. Y you've got some work to do here Yeah I'm going to be reviewing at the Last Viking with I'm going let you say it again. I'm going to say Mass Michkelson, you're going to say Mass Michlson. fine withither to be hon and very appropriately How to Live on Earth, which is a documentary about How to live on Earth presented by Benedict Kumberbatch And Pct Benedict Cumberbatch as we referred to him Is that right? Okay. Yeahah. Well bri me. I know. I But in a very in a very gentle teasing way And u that then years later got reported by the independent as well, reportedly, Benedict Cumberbatch punched a critic had to go Yeah, not reportedly. It happened live on air. It was on video and on the radio and a lot of people heard it Why are you reporting this is a news story Here we are in the overflow car park, because the main car park is full, please follow the sounds to that field. Simon Mark says Paul. I saw Toy Story fiveive with my wife at a film club where I work in a cinema And I fully agree with Mark, it feels unnecessary with a messy overly fast first half weighed down by heavy exposition. My main issue though is the lack of magic in two key areas. First, the absence of the ensemble that we love. As in Toy Story four, most of those characters are sidelined in favour of newer, less engaging ones A fork. eyes Leaving only Buzz and Jessie with any real agency, it feels like the originals have been boxed up and forgotten. Second, while the animation is technically stunning, It is almost too good Woody no longer looks like plastic and fabric. he looks oddly human. and the toys move more like real animals or people than toys. they've lost their toyess, which strips away some of the franchise's charm. All of this undermines the simple, joyful premise in favor of themes that now feel dated and und exxplored leaving a muddled, unnecessary addition with little coherence or consequence Up with human creativity and down with the coming AI hellscape, says Paul cheerily Well, I agree with the thing about the absence of magic. I mean, that was why I was making the point that that the biggest change between Toy Story, the original, and this is that in the original, there's the joke about that's not flying, that's falling with style. And in this, it's Oh no, that's flying That's literal flying And so the whole thing about in a film in which the film is making an argument about We need to have imagination. And we need to not let tech you know, be the distraction But buzz lightear can actually fly, or at least the other Buzz lightightyears can actually fly. And that was really kind of like, okay, fine. So you've just taken the magic out of it. You've just made it into a thing. And I if you listen to Take one, I hope you've listened to Take one already was listening to this, there are emails from people who similarly found it annoying, found themselves getting cross, found themselves losing patience with it. could never imagine losing patients with Toy Story. An email from someone whose name is not on this particular sheet, but will be provided imminently by our top production team. Right. Dear Dr. Kermod and Simon Mayo I mean You're horary doctor aren't you Yeah, just dooc. I think oway, not matter Thank you for your takedown of Toy Story five. You articulated exactly how I feel and I refuse to see it To me, it feels like a violation of childhood nostalgia, much like lightightear, which I also avoided clelear cash grab Toy Story remains my all time favorite film. Born in nineteen ninety three It's one of my earliest cinema memories and it still carries huge emotional weight tied up with my childhood, my mum and the music and the films of that era. It's so powerful I can barely watch it now That's why hearing Simon mention gorillas as in this is as in the band Oddlely Lifted me, another formative favorite whose early work felt genuinely boundary pushing even if recent albums haven't quite hit the same heights. PS. thanks again for the photo at Favisham Literary Festival. You're welcome. Yep. I don't know who it's from. I'm just going to wait because I can see there's a message coming. The reactor is leaping into action and the answer is Mark S, it says at the bottom. Oh yeah, but't. It actually says it on the email, but when it said, my does it say it Simon At the end No whereere' it say? It literally says it on the email Maddie says it feels more like a bit bit of an oxymoron for me to email you about a film I will not be going to see. Okay, But the Toy Story trilogy was so perfect for the rest of my life I will regret watching Toy Story four, so I cannot bring myself to watch five. I don't know if it's nostalgia or maybe a German compound word I'm feeling, but like Mark I mostly feel. unnutterably sad Toy Story four served no purpose for the overarching story but was complete with hand which was complete with the handover of the toys from Andy to Bonnie. Back in nineteen ninety six, I took myself to watch Toy Story as none of my friends wanted to watch it with me But I was determined not to miss seeing this new technology on the big screen I went with friends to watch TS two and was pregnant with our son when the husband and I watched a special tririple Bill with the release of Toys Dory three in twenty ten It's like finding a band you love, then the rest of the world catching on and their music doesn't feel the way it used to. Now you're sharing it with everyone else I can't enjoy Toy Story one, two, and three in the same way because of the directionesss a four Sometimes I seethe with resentment and I As I watched it against my better judgment and I wish I'd left it alone. Thank you for reading, says Madie Well you if I can summarize, you didn't feel that four detracted from the first three, but now you feel as though five Yes, Well what I said was that four added nothing, but it also didn't take anything away. But I think that five does. that here was an email from Kiran Omara in St. Andrews. A couple of this is not your average email. And at a couple of points, I will break off to put in words of explanation. Okay because I'm slightly moreore thick Kin a mirror. Okay, But it's a very nice eo, Thankk you Karein. Dear ET and phone homeome. H hope you're both well, lister of many is, First time'm writing in Listening to your discussion of Disclosure Day, I was struck by Mark's observation that the film feels old fashioned. post arrival cinematic landscape, the movie, not the AbA album, where interpretive ambiguity and human I put that in. where interpretive ambiguity and human limitation dominating encounters with the other Disclosure day can feel oddly displaced But perhaps that displacement reflects a collision between two intellectual regimes. Here we go What recurs throughout the film is a particular conception of knowledge, not information, but a transformative mode of knowing Josh O'Connor's mathematical insight and Emily Blunt's empathetic understanding both point toward forms of knowledge that exceed institutional comprehension As you suggested, Simon, empathy itself becomes a kind of superpower In this sense, the film operates on a recognizably gnostic register possession of knowledge of spiritual matters Knowledge is revelatory, access for the layman, the underdog to a deeper truth hidden from authority and collective reason that fundamentally and irreversibly changes the subject, the knowower of that knowledge This pattern runs through throughout Spielberg's work from jaws and close encouters to Schindler's list and the post. Truth is singular. discoverable and ultimately real Contemporary films such as The sububstance, Titan, and everything everywhere all at once feel different rather than converging on Revelation They proliferate perspectives, truths and realities. Truth is plural interterpretive and multiplicitous a word I've never said before Disclosure Day remains committed to an older structure. Indeed, Spielberg's cematic form was largely forged before many of the key post modern texts had even been translated into English in the late seventies and eighties. This is the milar in which Spielberg still moves. . e. beneath noise and ideology lies a humanistic truth. empathy waiting to be disclosed. That may be why it feels old fashioned or odd. shonky CGI animals aside, not because of Spielberg's aesthetics but his dated relationship with epistemology theory of knowledge, the branch of philosophy examines the nature, origins and the limits of knowledge. Te the Tonkon up with blue hai feminists and always, always down with the fascists here in a mirror in St. Andrews Well, I feel like Kiran very much took the words out of my mouth Yes, to use epistemology and thenostic register in one email means you have just passed your PhD here in with payment Your vivor was very well done. Yes. L like to join us outside in the readers's room for a little glass of something fizzy Maybe a cheese stick But I like I like I can of get I I do get the heart of it, which is that truth can there is a singular truth. Yeah which Spielberg says is discoverable. Y you can find it and it is this. And this is the truth. Yes, as opposed to now where it's o well I've got my own truth I love the voice that you did for that, Simon. We all have our own truths. Nothing is true It also rem It also reminds me of my favorite scene from Ken Russell's altered state when William Heurt does that incredibly babbling monologue about the search for the single human soul. and he says the thing about and he ends up with saying I believe the single human soul is a real thing, a singular thing, tangible and incarnate and I'm going to find the effort. And it's There is something about that yet, the singular absolute thing And then now the As you just did, I'll ask you to say it again. The modern opinion is. We all have our own truths. You have yours, I have mine, you can't discover mine You sound like a vicar. We all have our own truths And in a way We do Well maybe it's because absolutely it's the age I am, butfer I prefer the Spielberg. I know I feel the same. I know callall me old fashioned, but I actually quite like the fact that facts are facts And there are demonstrable things, tangible and incarnate Yes Doesn't Jesus say what is truth when he's on trial with Pilate? I think he probably does But anyay, Jesus didn't turn the pilot and go fake news Fake news, you're a terrible, you're a terrible pilot. You're a terrible. Who do you represent? Yeah no, they're very Fake news. Yeah, failing, failing pontchous pilot. Anyway, weve veered off course. Let's talk about the Vikings because you won't have seen this, but U the Norwegian fans are winning lot, I mean, the Scottish fans are winning lots of people, but the Norwegians spectacularly are turning up all over America and sitting down and rowing in hundred in their hundreds and they go Even in the Norwegian Parliament, they've been doing it. Yes. I've seen I've seen I didn't know what it was. I've seen videos of it on Instagram. Hang about a minute. I think it's inspired by the Icelandic supporters who did fantastic clapping thing they used to I think they turned their back and they did the clap anyway So just before you actually review the last Viking What is truth? This is John eighteen thirty eight. Oh yeah. Rorted Pilate. With this, he went out again to the Jews, gathered there and said, I find no basis for a charge against him. So there go that is I did remember correctly so. I find no basis for a charge against him, but I have set my Department of Jice looking for something that they will find and prosecute. Yes. And there's also the most recent translation, What is truth, said Pilate? I have my truth? All my friends have their own truths Can you tell us about those? No, you can't Anyway, Vikings And weirdly enough for a film called The Last Viking, there's not many Vikings in it. So this is this is a Danish absurdist black comedy crime drama from And this is Thomas Jenson, who's writer director. stars Nkola Lacas and Mess Magelson It is the sixth collaboration between these three after And tell me how many of these you've seen, Riders of Justice, Adams Apples, Fickering lights, the Green butchers and men and Chicken. O three I haven't seen any of them. There we go. So this was originally entitled backack to reality It comes on like a cross between. Do you remember I reviewed that absurdist Belgian nudist tragy comedy Patrick? The way you set it up does ring a few bells. Okay. so it's did Patrick. It's like a cross between very good. well done. It's a cross between Patrick The Oscar winning Rain Man The absolutely bonkers but I absolutely love it, ninth configuration and the Richard Curtis Danny Boyle non Beatles Beatles pick yesterday, although it is not in the same league as any of those centers around two brothers, one Anchor, who is a violent convict who's just coming out of prison for armed robbery. the other, Manfred. Manfred, what are the chances that the name Manfred, which of course, is the original name of Billy Cutsaw in the novel of the ninth conffiguration when it twwinkled twinkle Kill Ke I mentioned it only in passing, but accidental I'm not sure Manfred is a recluse with a dissociative personality disorder played by Meglson, who will now only answer to the name of John because he believes himself to be John Lennon, hence the yesterday thing before going inside Anker got Manfrred. Now John to bury his stashe Now he wants it. But Manfred is concerned only about not being called Manfred, but being called John. and every time Anchor calls him Manfred, he throws himself out of the nearest window. Yes, really. One drunken night Annga meets this psychiatrist Lothar who also has a very big nes configuration, you know, you're the psychiatrist? Yeah, right. who says that Manfried can only be cured by realigning his vision of the world with the actual vual. He believes he's John Lennon. so how do we make him better? Well, we surround him by other people who think that they are the rest of the Beatles, which again is very nine configuration. which they do The problem is But the one who thinks he's Ringo won't speak, so he's the quiet one, which should be George. and the one who thinks he's George also thinks he's Paul and more importantly, will only play songs by Abber. Yes, really. So The title The Vikings, which is where we started with all of this comes from a wrap around story which is a children's story about a Viking ruler who wants his entire clan to be equal. And so when his youngest son loses an arm gets everyone else in the Kan to cut their arm off so that they are all equal And that then sort of provides the wrapar in which this psychod drama is happening, in which in a very rainman like way O brother on a journey with another brother and ends up in a number of encounters in which the other brother's inability to communicate with the world in a normal fashion creates in inverted commas strangely comedic circumstances. Here is a clip What happens in this clip is that they they go to visit an old the old house, which is now an Airbnb and Manfid AK A John says looks at the couple and says How come you two are a couple because you're so beautiful and he's so ugly And she says, And he says, Yeahah, well how's that the case? And she says what What kind of an idiot are you?yway, here's the clip Wid you have to gas s us off thisellphone with anger kind of he you from now I Nasa clim with dou of pain Just if you can Han would he another crim?. F ifose perm And full company Yort I'd like to dedicate that clip to childild one. That's probably the first clip in Danish that he's understood, I think. And everyone got the idiot at the end. Yes exactly. That's why I said it because it was a long walk up the garden path to that. So anyway, amidst that whole thing about the Viking story, there is a backstory about the fact that when he was younger, Manfrered was bullied because he dressed as a Viking. And this all leads into this kind of dark history of paternal aggression, which gradually reveals itself to be the kind of core underlying psychological thread. So for all its sort of slapstick zaniness and people pretending to be the Beatles, but only playing Abbber songs. it is a very Danish comedy about child abuse, loneliness, delusion, and disappointment which You mam standandard Danish fair? prerecisely so So From the outside, it looks like a kind of you know, strange project for Mass Michical Centers where he is in his career now, although, you know, he's playing against tyype as this sort of holy fool I mean actually, I think you could almost watch a little bit of it without knowing it was him and not realizing it was him. Obviously it's happened because of this long standing relationship between the central three players and certainly the on screen chemistry between the two brothers is kind of is the film's major selling point. although I think that can get lost amidst all the kind of outlandish plot machinations. There are times that it's kind of blackly comic There's a sort of sense of violent absurdity underneath it all Honestly, I found it a bit of a slog I thought it was occasionally entertaining I thought it was often unexpected, but increasingly I sort of found myself a bit frustrated by it. Now I should say This may be a national temperament thing because You know, it's like the joke Danish comedy, no laughing matter. This was a major box office success in Denmark. Okay? Apparently, Andas Thomas Jenson's best selling film in his home country would more than get this seven hundred thousand tickets sold. Okay So I think it's very unlikely that it will repeat anything like that success here. does say something about You know, obviously anything that tragedy comedy, Black com, Sata, all that sort of stuff is very it can be very, very region specific. And it may well be that I'm just not quite attuned to its particular tenor. And obviously there is this very sort of strong tragic element going on underneath it. I found it quite a frustrating watch. I found it was pulling in too many different directions at once. I mean, it's, you know, it's it's an extraordinary cast. you know, Soophie Glubbleles in there and it's you had in the cl So it's an awful lot of talent An awful lot of backstory and an awful lot of stuff going on. and in its home territory, it played absolute gangbusters I found it quite hard work She was the woman who swore Yes on my radio two show. And that was because you said something like how I said Yeah, how did it feel what because she had a walk on part in the American remake That's really. TV the kind of scandy Noir drama that she'd done Yes. And I said, how did it feel when you saw someone else wearing your jumper? And she said, give me back my Fing j jumper to a live crowd at the Edinburgh Festival But wasn't the point that she didn't understand. She said in Denmark, you can say anything. Yes, and I Here's the key. Over here, you can't You're in Scotland. So anyay, but it was one of those kind of seven hundred and fifty people in the crowd went The audience at home would because she emphasiz she emphasized. it wasn't just the throwaway reallyally, really heavily emphasized. Yes Anyway, I think if I was going to go see the last viking. I need to take maybe a Danish snack in Yes. what would you take Well, probably not a pastry, I might take a smur bll one of their open sandwiches with cucumber and Hearing Or I'll just take some cp Sur bowl Smidl. is Danish for An email from I shouldn't really thanks for clearing that up. Yeah Longtime listener, Steve King in Eugene in Oregon This year marks ten years of a weirdly iconic LGBTQ plus moment Back in twenty sixteen, Netflix supposedly stuck thezussie horror the Babaduck about a mother and son dealing with grief that turn out turns into a top hatted monster into its LGBTQ plus category Whether it was real or just a very convincing fake screenshot It went viral and suddenly This creepy dapper figure became a pride parade regular. well all over the world. Fantastic. No one is totally sure how it started, but queer audiences embraced the Babadook the way they often do with odd little outsiders wholeheartedly. Would you describe the Babadook as an odd little outsider? anyway And international or not, it's now basically canon that the Babadook is non binary. Take it tongue down with fascism long timee listener, Steve King, usually I had Did you know that the Babadook was I did staple? I didn't, but I do know that there is an awful lot of LGBTQ horror enthusiasm because it is that thing about outsiders. I told you there was some There was a documentary series that we reviewed A couple of years ago on this show when we did the live show When we did the live show, I think it was queer for Far and it was a documentary about how that whole thing about outsiderness, otherness very much speaks to a certain audience. And I mean, anybody who's ever been to Frightfest or any of that stuff knows that it attracts a really, I mean, horror is horror is great horror is the great open church. It is, you know, it's the It's the It's the, you know It is a really, really welcoming area. and I just like the fact that no one knows how this started. It was But that sounds Netflix made a mistake. They just did it. Absol absolutely brilliant. That's probably the best mistake Netflix has made in a long time because usually their algorithms are just, you enjoyed Star Trek? Well, in that case, why not watch this other thing which is in no way connected to it It's flash Gordon This first goes right. You saw Flesh Gordon, didn't you? Yeah was aiversity it was a Warwick University Film sock special Jenna says, Dear Chet and Pete, my name is Jenna F firstirst timem email her from Sunny Dawking With summer here and blockbusters out, I thought I'd share a truly ridiculous idea. Okay I'm writing for my garden shed where I escape to scribble wildly improbable sci fi that will never see the light of day. Okay. After a minor domestic standoff, I wouldn't drive to a chemist at four AM for A level skincare essentials I retreated there last night with tea, gadgets, and far too many cheese sandwiches While listening to your podcast across multiple devices, I fell asleep. thanks and had the most vivid dream, a future machine that lets you blend films by inserting multiple discks at once So imagine Titanic meets a night at the opera Rose freeing Jack while Harpo skates through chaos and Groucho trades lines mid disaster or Citizen canane with Bob Mortimer Okay. What were his last words? Nosebag possibilities are endless and it's worrying I'm back in the shed tonight planning a triple bill, Spartacus with Norman Wisdom, a quiet place with Laurel and Hardy, and Angel Heart with Larry Grayson Wish me luck, thanks for the brilliant pods, May the force be with you. from Jenna. I do like the little sidebar of refusing to drive to a chemist at four AM for A level skincare essentials Very good. But Jenna, than you very much. didid it make me wonder about cheese Cause you like cheese, do you I loveved it. Yeahah, I do, yeah But she's always associated with crazy dreams as indeed Jenna seems to su guess how I did. I was looking it up and Apparently the science behind it is obviously there's nothing in cheese that gives you nightmares But it is about digestive disruption and lactose sensitivity if you have undigested dairy in your system, it causes overnight gas and bloating whichich obviously then leads to disturbed sleep, which then means you dream a lot Overnight gas and bloating, Mark. you just need to be wary of that. Okay, yeah, we've all got to be careful for that. Can I just say you mentioned that thing before. there was a citizen Kane reference in that email. Of course, there's a citizen Kane joke in minions and versus monsters, isn't there There's there's a minions Joseph almost every film that's ever been made But it is a good joke. anyway. to be reviewed next week. Yes. One frameback as we heard in Take one, Jackass Beston Last is out this week, and we've been asking you for your films that feature the most painful injuries that you've ever seen Now I like this is good. Very good. Dan Pearson Ben Stiller's zipper malfunction and there's something about Mary brings a tear to the eye. Buzz Steve on Blue Sky, it can only be misery Yeah, yeah. that's canan't remember if you see anything or whether it cuts away and it lets your imagination fill in the dots, probably because I cover my eyes every single time. As we've said many times, not as bad as in the book Yes, which is worse, isn't it? A whole lot worse. Ben they obviously just thought, we can't go that bleak Ben Bradford, does James Franco getting his arm caught in a rock for one hundred and twenty seven hours in one hundred and twenty seven hours count? I think it does Cartoon Beardy says Die Hard has one of the worst for me. As Bruce Willis runs barefoot across broken glass. The bathroom scene as Bruce deals with the gory and painful aftermath always causes me to make that sucking teeth noise. That is like a mechanic making an estimate to fix your car. Yeah The mechanic making estimate that noise that Tim Polkat always said it means he's going to flee you and it's going to be Wednesday or in girl by the Beatles. Go I always wonder whether that sound was meant to be them inhaling something You know, whether it was meant to be a toke Do you think? I don't know. I've never quite known what I think it's more of a expression of profound emotional disruption Do you think? AJW twenty one, come on DiCaprio cutting his hand for real in Jjango Unchained Yes, genuinely for real. D did genuinely cut his hand very badly Justin Shepherd, the arm wrestling scene from Kronenberg's The Fly was the first thing that came to mind Th then Margin Toaster says Kiri, Kiri, Kiri K four Kies. Yeah. I know I don' know what is that reference to? It's audition Japanese film audition, which is you know, and now the left foot Oh Thats what we need to know Thank you, correspondents of Kodoma. com. What else is out? What else can we go and see? So there is a documentary called How to Live on Earth, which is a documentary exploring how humanity can thrive alongside nature rather than against it. and celebrating the value of biodiversity. It's directed and produced by Freddy Devas, who worked on the Planet Earth sereries. And it is presented by Benedict Cumberbat, who was the presenter and the narrator who we meet walking the corridors of a museum and laying out the thesis of the film. Here is a clip from very early at the beginning of the film. But some have said if it doesn't work out on planet Earth, we can live on Mars This is horrible his eind How about first we try Figure out How to live on Earth. And of course, if you know the rules of this game, when he says how to live on Earth, everyone applauds and then leaves. I do think it is funny when he says that thing about that'll be fun. Mars is horrible I wonder who he's getting at there. I know. Who on earth could that possibly mean? So We the documentary also features now my pronunciations would be bad. Z Bastida who is a Mexican climate justice activist Sam Cass, former White House chehef senior policy advisor on Nutrition, Dan O'Neil. biologist, wildlife filmmaker and explorer. So it premiereers in cinemas apparently in conjunction with London Climate Week and then will be globally released on YouTube Esentially it is described by itself as the ultimate how to guide, asking, you how do we respect nature? How do we feel human? How can we make the future thrive? How can we make protein and feed ourselves without destroying the planet? How can we change the world to become global gardeners, how can we reshape the economy so that rewards biodiversity rather than the destruction of biodiversity. And then Documentary that goes around the world takes us various txes to China. We see pesticides have killed bees now, people having to use drones to pollinate plants, South Korea. where We learn about a diagnosis of cancer that turns somebody from the business faste into the creator of a forest healing program to Ecuador where gold mining is creating deep rage, deep sadness toic destruction of forests. We see rivers in which the fish are gasping for air huge swathes of natural plantation being laid waste and replaced by acres of crops, tree crops. The phrase being we are replacing the wild with the tame and agriculture is by far the biggest driver of nature loss And then we also hear from Prisoners talking about prisons being the most nature deprived places to live, but that changes if they have programming in which they can interact with turtles. And they found that with these programs, they found a significant reduction in prison violence. Questions about the difference between living nature as in you know living trees, wild elephants, whales, as opposed to dead nature, you know, the oil that we can get from the gold that is dug up. only then to be buried again in vaults. The visuals are, I mean, we've now come to expect this, I think, from this kind of documentary, you, sweeping, globe trotting, actual sort of nature footage and then some CGI recreations that delve deep into the sort of cellular world. The thing about the dock is this, it is very keen to foreground the positives. It is very keen to say that there is the possibility of a new age ahead that we might be on the cusp of thinking how to reshape the world and that there is this big shift from from where we are now to linking the economy to biodiversity, learning how to feed ourselves without devouring the planet And as I said, the dooc is very, very much here are examples of people doing this. H are examples of change. Here is what now particularly in the middle of everything that's going on at the moment, I think of any voice of positivity is no bad thing I have the usual reservations. The music is ladled on to make sure every point comes crashing home. There is a sort of sweeping nature to the vigils, which we're kind of used to. I do think that Benedict Cumberach' walking around the museum corridors sort of, you know, as if these ideas are coming to him just spontaneously, but he's obviouslyen a rating. it always reminds me of graround designs You know, u whatever he's called Monte Don You know, who'd walk out of the house and go Mony Don's the gardener. No, I don't mean Monteon, then who do I mean? what's the guy's name? Anyway, him, the guy that used to do grand designs. Yeahah and Monte Don's the gardener. theer Kevy Mclode. Kevin McCleod. Kevy McCLeod and he'd walk out of the house and'd like he looked like he was going The thing with this house to me is that it has a certain ricity and we'd pretend like he was making up on the spot, but obviously it was all kinds It's just it's a presentational style. the illusion of thought. Okay, when what you're actually doing is reading an auto cube But that said, that's just, you know,' so as a piece of cinema, it's hardly world changing. But as a piece of propaganda and as a piece and I don't mean propaganda in a bad way, incidentally. I mean as a piece of kind of, look, come on guys, we have to do something. you know, you were saying before when you were talking about an unfortunate truth The thing is it was one of those films that was, look, we have to do something now because if we don't, we'll be where we are now. And yet the problem was always how do you get people to watch it because even in the Cann premiere of that film, people were falling asleep And what this is doing is very definitely saying, lookook, look, there's positives. This is things' good. and Benendedict comeumber back. you like Benedict comeber back. She's great. H here is on screen doing all this stuff. So I understand all of that. And I think that honestly anythingy at the moment that is a little glimmer of hope in the you know, it might actually be better not to just set fire to the world needs to be celebrated I remember years ago when we were talking about Philadelphia, the Jonathan Demi film. Yes. Tom Hackaxon Denz, Washingon Yes. And we had a conversation about that film and I seem to remember part of it being the fact that I was One of the reasons why I was impressed with the film because Tom Hanks plays a gay man with eightses is precisely because people would go and see this film who wouldn't go and see a campaigning film about AIDS? Yes, exactly. But they would because it was a legal thriller with Tom Hanganks and Denzel Washington So I guess what I'm wait to and As I said before, I haven't seen how to live on Earth But I bet most of the people who go and see it kind of agree with everything that Benedict Kber I think that that is the issue. It's really interesting that you raise the question of Philadelphia because it's not only that Philadelphia is a film that people might go and see because it's got you know, big stars it's a drama. If you remember, the other thing about Philadelphia is that Denzel Washington's character at the beginning of it is profoundly homophobic and agrees to take on the case despite his sort of disgust at Tom Hanks's character And what that does dramatically Is it offers an audience who might have any of those feelings a way in because you might go and see it because Well, I don't want to go and see, you know, Tom Hanks playing a gay character, but I like Denzel Washington. you know, it' it was very deliberately constructed to not assume for one minute that anyone in the audience was sympathetic to this. Anyway, if you see this, please let us know what you think Crespondents to Kay dot com. I have a spam of the week. excellent here Just I'll give you the brief highlights, Mark. Okay, goo ahead brought to you by me, not AI summary Ali Khan, someone called Ali Khan says this, sir, hope this email finds you well I'm writing to introduce I Trade ImpeEx, a premier exporter of fresh produce based in Pakistan. We specialize in sourcing and delivering the highest quality Pakistani mangoes Universally acclaimed for their rich arom of velvety texture and unmatched sweetness. Are you interested in is this for you? I don't know if you've been whether your preferred mode of transport is air freight for maximum freshness or sea freight for larger volumes, we guarantee seamless logistics and timely delivery. A Do you want some mangos from Pakistan Um No They also we can also help you with fresh mandarin, oranges, guavas, bananas, and dates, potatoes, onions, garlic, green chillies and seasonal goods Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to the possibility of working together. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can meet your seasonal produce requirements.. What are your seasonal produce requirements, Mark? I just want an ice cream. Thank you. Is that awesome S just say on the subject of, you know, things delivered to you. after last week's show and I was talking about the thing about the other film festival, I was at in France and theetl the petrol blue limited edition baracuta that my friend Lee was wearing y. Yes. a lot of people got in touch with me saying, well, I found one And they were sending me a link and I said, No, that's petrol Navy That's everyone's got one of those. That's fine. It's not petrol. Well The greatreat Redactor got in touch with Barracuta, to say You know I don't suppose you know it. And their answer was noope Limited edition Nope. notot happening. So I think That' a thank you to everybody who sent me links to those, but no, that's not the right one. Believe me, the right one is the one that Lee Sheran was wearing and is the coolest thing you've ever seen and it is not available. That's all very good. But what are your seasonal produce requirements? My seasonal produce requirements is a petrel Harrington. Thank you very much Time now for the Five Question Film Club. Three questions, your majesty. Last week, Mark introduced Lost in Translation. I did U This from Lee. Lost in Translation has been a favorite since my teens. Its imagery in soundtrack had a huge impact and sparked my early love of Japanese culture For years I wanted to experience that same sense of sensory overload, the film captures Twenty years later, I finally did visiting Seoul, obviously in South Korea, Tokyo and Kyoto this Eastern The night before flying, I rewatched the film, wondering how it would wondering how it would feel to arrive. After a brutal journey, delays, no sleep, thirty plus hours awake, we landed in Seoul completely frazzled. In the taxi, trying to navigate a new language and taking in neon lit streets and an unfamiliar rhythm of life, I felt exactly like Bill Murray in those opening scenes, disorientated but fascinated The film's mood completely took over a few days later in Tokyo Standing in the rain. in Shibuya, surrounded by umbrellas and glowing signage It shifted from Lost in translation to something closer to Blade Runner. oververwhelmingly, but exactly as I'd imagined, if not more so. What struck me most though, was the warmth of the people. Despite my clumsy attempts at Korean and Japanese, everyone was kind, patient and generous To me lost in translation isn't a film about nothing, it's about dislocation, connection and finding your place in the unfamiliar. Sophia Copolas captures that feeling perfectly. The only difference now is that got we've got maps and translation apps, so we're not quite as lost anymore It's good That's a phrase. I like that. Sarah and Barry, thank you Mark for accepting the result of the only vote that mattered last week. I've got bad news for you, Sarah. Lost in Tanslation is one of my all time favorites and I consider it a perfect film. Beyond the obvious language, Barry' of two Americans in Japan, our main characters are Lost in translation to their partners. with Charlotte's new husband preoccupied with work and Bobs stilted phone calls about domestic life with his family across time zones. Yet they understand each other perfectly. these two jet laged creatures of the night The strength of this film is the nuance of their relationship. The first time I watched it when they returned to the hotel after the iconic karaoke scene, I think I shouted out loud at the screen, Do not kiss her. Their relationship is so much deeper than a sexual attraction and the way that this is maintained to the end as a masterclass Bill Murray doesn't fall into creepy older guy and she is never flirty fan girl. The grief at their parting at the end is palpable, I wonder if they kept in touch Gorgeous five stars says Sarah and Barry. Very good. Now Sarah was impressed that you accepted the result, so You can watch all our introros to every five Qion Film club on our Patreon. Free questions,our Majesty. This week's choices are the Lavender Hill moob on channel four Children of men on the Payer. For Gregory' girl, which is on MubBI, the result is as follows The lavender Hill moob Channel four thirty one percent Sorry, twenty one percent. twenty one percent. Gregory is girl, twenty six percent. Children of men fifty three percent Convincing win Stephen Blair says, I'd love to choose Gregory as Gl. however I think childildren of Men is more prevalent at the moment as it was referred to in last week's show in relation to backrooms. Also it's still not seen as the modern classic that it should be There's a PD James story, isn't it? In origin? It is ye. And John Lamont says Gregory is girl, tiny budget, so many novices to filmmaking about characters at an age and in a place we can relate to and it oozes charm and innocence. All three your classics. So Mark, are you going to stick or tourist. I'm going to twist, although I think those emails actually demonstrate exactly why. For the last couple of weeks, I've done films that I haven't been crazy about and I think it is important to be positive. And so I'm going to overturn that ruling and I'm going to go for Gregory's girl which came in a convincing second place because in this case, of those films, that's the one that I'm most enthusiastic about talking about. And like I said, this is now week three. And I think if we do a week three of this in which I'm slightly lukewarm about something, it will be a bit of a downer. However however I think that's fine. so we' do Greg How about if a film has an If the vote is an overwhelm is like an overall majority. So fifty three percent So a bit like Andy Burnham. he got an overall majority. So no one all the other votes put together would not touch his That you have to you have to abide by that. you can twist if it's like under fifty, but if it's over fifty. Okay. I will accept that as long as it's not starting from this week because I' prepped Gregory's gir. No no, absolutely no, absolutely. And I want I'm more interested in hearing about Gregory's g. Okay fine. But yes, I will I will absolutely abide by that So Gregory is Girl. nineteen eighty one Scottish Coming of Age Comany written and directed by Bill Forsythe set in a comprehensive school in Companyal. The film became a sleeper hit and is often credited with helping define a wave of understated character driven British comedy in the nineteen eighties It is widely remembered for launching the career of Claire Groogan and for its naturalistic style, using non professional actors and real loccations to capture teenage life Five questions, three questions Number one, what is the film? actually about Despite the title, And despite the poster It is not about Gregory's girl who nominally is the young upcoming footballing star with whom he is infatuated But who it turns out may not actually be the girl of the title, but it isn't about that anyway. It's about Gregory It is absolutely. it's a coming of age in a weird strangely you know, clinically clean cuman old And it it's a coming of age story about Gregory, not Gregory's girl. Question number two, what made it groundbreaking It's the it was the breakout hit for Bill Forssyth. The really interesting thing about it was Bill wanted to make Gregory's girl first And he couldn't get the financing for it So instead, he ended up making that sinking feeling and that sinking feeling went into the Guinness Book of Records. It's a real thing as the cheapest movie ever to be properly theatrically released in the UK That film costs so little. You can find this on if you go ono YouTube You can Google Bill for size markarker modode sinking feeling. And Bill came to the Shetland Film Festival and he brought with him a plastic bag plastic shopping bag that had in it the receipts for that sinking feeling And it was things like you know, electricity five p using the lift getting the lights in. And then there was one, which is just an item for meat. that's how l lit costs And synking feeling then did much better than people had expected and proved that Bill Forssythe was a voice that people wanted to listen to. And as a result of that, Gregory's girl got off the ground and then Gregory's girl became this huge breakthrough. So the thing that makes it groundbreaking is it's the thing that introduces the world to Bill for Scyth Question number three, what should we be paying particular attention to? Well, there's two things. One thing that Fororssythe is genius at is location. I mean all his stories are rooted in the area that they are taking place in. And that's true all the way through from sinking feeling to this to local hero, I mean, they're all about place and he has an amazing sense of place. and I think that's really important. The second thing is I think he's got one of the best Dead pan comic sensibilities There is there is something about Bill for Sythes humor that is profoundly melancholy. but really, really touching an innocent even though there is an awareness that the world is a strange and often unsettling place. And I think that's absolutely right there. E I mean, I remember when Gregory's girl came out and a school friend of mine going to see it at the ABC Harow on the Hill and coming in school the next day and saying, I've just seen the best movie ever made and you have to see it Question number three, what scene explains the film's power I think the scene when they're dancing on the grass, you know and trying not to fall off the earth is just genius And I think that because it's funny and whimsical, but it's also profound And that is what all of Bill Fsyth stuff is like when it's at its best. You know, it's it appears it appears simultaneously to be about nothing and everything. That kind of relates back to what the what the emailer was saying previously about lost in translation And I and it's just, it's just charming in a way that really shouldn't be And finally, question number three. Why does this film still matter? Because it is The breakthrough classic by one of Scotland's greatest ever filmmakers who In later life, veryery much like Ken Russell before him found it really hard to get films financed. desespite the fact that he had pretty much single handedly changed the face O homegrown cinema and I think it's one of those movies that reminds us that Somebody with a good idea and an empathetic ear and an enthusiasm for cinema and an ability to listen to their cast and to know how. I mean peopleople talk a lot about the fact that this is it was the breakthrough movie for Claire Grogan It's everything about it is made by a filmmaker who you know with Sincking fiting because obviously he'd work with theatre, he knows what he's doing And u yeah, like he's One of onene of Scotland's and one of the UK's probably one of the world's greatest directors. That's why it still matters You can see it on MubBI And then we'll regroup next week to see what you thought of Gregory's girl. Check out our Patreon page for next week's poll on our next film Choice. Okay, that's very good. That's very nice, very light and lovely And now We come to the part of the show which has its own music, T it away ions An email from Tudor who says long term listener, first first time emailer and so on. I'm sure I once saw an interview or behind the scenes clip about American psycho where it was claimed that Christian Bale would start sweating Q during each take of the famous Paul Allen's card scene. Wow. Probably an urban legend or a falsemory, but hey, I thought I'd share it. More tenuously, I have in my head that Phillip S Mor Hoffman blushes after he kisses Marky Mark in the driveway So this is what possible this is the kind of is it possible to blush when asked, but so that's part of it. but being able to sweat On demand. I mean, I'm doing it now, but it's not because you're demanded, you're just sweating. it's in the And I realize that obviously wearing a black t shirt like you are makes more sense than wearing a blue and white stripey shirt because you can see when it changes color Be that's damp. Anyway, being able to sweat on c. Can you sweat on cQ? I don't think so Well, I don't know. I'll never believe that Christher Bell can but. Christian Bell might be able to Phip Semar Hoffman, we've already established absolutely C could blush on Q. So you know Dodsy Boy from East London. Dodsy Boy. A long time ago, I purchased Epic movie for ten P Knowing full well, it was a terrible film and I'm sorry to say it wasn't even worth that. Hey. After watching it, I noticed on the menu, it' obviously a DVD It had a commentary track and was baffled as to how this was even possible So I subjected myself to watch the worst movie I've ever seen Again As the directors were talking, they were commenting on the role David Carradine played in a Da Vinci code skkit and kept on getting his name wrong several times Please don't make me watch this again to check how they referred to him. but they got it wrong And then when they finally realized their error after noting that this was one of his last roles and he had since passed Directors were horrified that they got his name wrong. They cursed a few times and then just carried on This movie is so terrible they couldn't even be bothered to edit or correct the error I assume on the basis that no one by the movie was ever going to listen to the commentary But I did Just curious if anyone else has listened to a rather bad commentary track on a movie regardless of its quality. I mean, M has been responsible for a number of them Can you imagine a very good, very good commentary trivel on movies that were worth watching, Sim? Can you imagine though doing it You're a director. You you're doing the director's code, you realize you've been mispronouncing one of the stars's names and you can't be bothered to check. Well. I don't know whether you remember when the Tinto brass box set came out, which was it was like the films of Tinto and I said, you said does it have any extras on it? And I said, like what You said, we're like a director commentary. and I said a director commentary in a Tintob Brass movie would consist of war, e Wh Also from Perly. Yeah, also well I on the subject of David Carradine David Carradine, who did lot a lot of very, very bad movies towards in the later part of his career, was in a number of of straight to video erotic thrillers. And when the good ladyfess H her in Dors was doing the book the erotic thriller in contontemporary cinema, interviewed two of the producers who had worked with David Caradine, who described a circumstance in which they had him for a day And they wanted to use him in two different movies. So they would do like shots of him arriving at a house, driving up to a house and then driving off from a house, but they could use them across two movies. But the problem was he couldn't drive the car and he couldn't stop outside the house. He kept overshooting, which was wasting time. So they had to put a sandbag in the road so that David Carran could pull up in the car. And then the sandbag would literally stop the car going any further forward he couldn't be relied on to stop the car himself We haven't know Davry Caradine stories for a while. Chris in London, on the question last week, on not great films with great end title tracks. Oh yeah, I'd like to fly the flag for Bill and Ted's bogus journey. That's a great film. While the film had its flaws, all is forgiven for an end credit sequence that shows a montage of how Bill and Ted use rock and roll to save humanity. kisses God gave rock and roll to roll A brilliantly uplifting finale and a tonic in these troubled times. shouldould have used the original obviously Yeah, but by Argent, which is much better. All the Bill and Ted films are good. All three of them are good. So yeah, I mean, the problem is it's a thing about the bad movie I don't think Bill and Ted Bog is you, I thought it was Jamie in Oxfordshire, Simon. An apologies to Mark. this one doesn't involve him. Okay a rare question. It has to be said. Okay. How did you find the Gorillas show last weekend? The highlights for me were Sylo up on the Mlancholy Hill, two appearances by Johnny Mah J about, Jab about and delirium honorouring the late great Marquee Smith. although I thought the whole show was an absolute triumph, it was the hottest concert I've ever been to in the open air, obviously because it was at the top of the stadium The other thing is it's nice to go to the Totham Stadium and not be enraged by the quality of the entertainment that you' being paraded with. But it was a fantastic spectacle, quite as I mean, I didn't know most of the songs as opposed to everybody else around me But they had like, so they paid for two and half hours, Mark Big band on stage orchestra, everything Every single track had a guest musician or a guest vocalist or guest grrime artist, a guest rapper. The cast all come back at the end, including Sparks who was sing on one of the tracks and they did at a half hour support And they lined up across the stage and they filmed it. There was like forty plus people Wow, H state My particular favorite was a guy who I have since discovered is called Omar Suleimman from Syria who comes on and perhaps in Arabic as far as I'm aware and that was fantastic. And I thought I was saying afterfterwards, who's that who's that old guy in the head gear and the stuff. And I found it he was Seven years younger than me. so there you go So being up to Omar, but the whole thing was amazing also and you won't get this, but if people wonder Why my football club But I say my, you know are currently buying loads of players and where can they get the money from? I will refer them to the gig on Saturday where it was absolutely rammed and there are many, many, many, many, many, many very big concerts turning up at the stadium and that's why just saying No, that's not of interest to any. No but I would love to be been at the Gorillas gig though. sounds great Yeah, yeah it was. And here's the thing in this heat, right? Damon Alban wore a red woolly hat for the entire concert How is that possible? How can people do that? I mean, it looked cool But anyway Simon and Mark having recently watched the brilliant obsession. Yeah In addition to a previous topic on tropes uh that you uh, you take obsession. in addition to a previous topic on tropes take you out of film. All right, the bit in the film where you go, oh, hang on, I'm watching a film. Yeah Excluding animations and children's films, why is it dog in a movie will undoubtedly encounter peril mild or otherwise, but ultimately survive At least this is true of films Cirkca Dante's peak to the present day. Whereas a cat is definitely going to find themselves dead before the end of the credits, usually at the hands of the budding psychopath or lurking evil spirit working up to the human big game. Why is it still okay to kill a cat? obviously not really But all dogs are sacred on film. Given I'm vegan and a veterinary physiotherapist I'd prefer all animals to survive, but at least couldould have some could we have some equality between the species Up with blluehead feminists and Brighton telling fascists where to go nicely and down with most of the other stuff these days, says Kim. Yeah Okay. Is that true? Well, it's an interesting point. I mean the it's a slight twist like the point that that that is more regularly said is the thing about you can't kill the dog, okay? And there is I did a thing about this weirdly enough in a previous century for radio four, it was a piece about about why it was that you couldn't do that in a movie. And we'd interviewed Danny DeVito about War of the Roses. And there is a bit in War of the Ros Do you remember War of the Roses? There was a remake of War of the Roses recently, but the original in which it's Michael Douglas and Kathine Turner and they are a couple who were splitting up and falling apart and they are the Rses and they are having this big battle. And at one point Kathleen Turner feeds Michael Douglas his beloved dog in a pie. Okaykay? And it's it's a, you know, it's a sort of Shakespearean there of blood thing that's going on And then A little bit later, you randomly see a shot of the dog running around in the garden. She didn't. She just told him that that's what she'd done Well, of course, that's not what happened in the original version of the film. she did indeed feed the dog to her husband The preview audience was so outraged that they had to go back and put the shot in to show that it was a thing. And Danny DeVito did you see that is the rule and there is the rule about you can't kill the dog And then the program actually ended up. with a very funny thing with Dany's me to go, All, fine, nextxt time I'll kill the dog. Youre happy Those rules, for some reason don't apply to cats. It is true. I mean, I hadn't thought about it until I just heard you read that email, but it is true that I can think of numerous cases in which somebody is terrorized by the fact that the Redactor has just written, Tyrannosaur the notable exception. Yeah, Simon, but Tyrannosaur is a not Tyrannosaur is not a mainstream movie following mainstream rules. That is a tough film and incidentally No dinosaurs. Back to the main thread. There are many films I can think of in which someone is terrorized by something happening to their cat. That is absolutely true. And there is a weird thing isn't there in British law that Dog ownership and cat ownership has got different legal status. I also remember that when I was doing my driving test, back in the previous century, back in the previous life, the rule was emmergency stop for dogs, but only light breraaking for cats A the good lady professor her indoors just from the side just said no more. How almost like it there? She's there She's in the room. She's right here here. Wow Is that it is no more. Okay, the law is either change or it's about to change. Anyway, that's a little glance behind the curtain,? Is' someone else in you? Wow, that's incredible. Also there's does the doog die. com. Do. com there we Well you can look up the film you're going to see to find out because I just looked it up and in obsession That is the first thing. Does the dog die? No dogs die in the film There are different animals that die, but the dog doesn't. So I don't think does the cat die But anyway, that's maybe proof of the point which Kim was trying to trying to make So we'll finish with this probably, yes I think so. Dam M Okay Anywwaysay,sar Mark for a reason. All. I am Ken Russell's son Alex Russell, now Alexander Verne Elliott We met some years ago That's why it's DMar. Yeah yeah yeah. with the forthcoming four K Restoration and Director's Cut of the Devils I wanted to ask you about the heavily cut Grandier torture sequence. Yeah. My father often spoke about the extensive cut imposed on the bone shattering hammer blows and leg crushing sequences and always wish that he could be presented it could be presented as he originally intended Whilst that censored footage no longer survives, I wondered whether modern digital editing techniques could allow the surviving material to be expanded. through repeated imagery so that the sequence could effectively Become the longer version my father originally. invisoned. envisaged even. Has anything like this ever been considered or discussed as part of the new restestoration? It seems that modern technology might even make possible what could not be achieved when the film was originally cut. I'd be interested to know. mean the answer to that is no, and the reason is simple because in order to do a director's cut, which is the thing that's coming out is the director's cut, you really have to have the director overseeing it. And obviously Ken is very sadly no longer with us However, Ken did do the Director's Cut restestoration in two thousand four with the material that we had available. Now, what happened with the Grandier Nis, I'll do this quite quickly was the BBFC kept chipping away and chipping, chipping way, chipping way. So it's there, but it's there very, very fleetingly. There is one reallyally sort of fleeting shot. And when we were going through the stuff that we had when we had found the missing sequences Ken decided then there was two things that he wanted to put back in that central ROC sequence and then the sequence at the end with Sister Janne and the FEMA He then that back together again and then we as you'll know, we premiered that in two thousand four Because that is the template of Ken and because I don't think anybody would feel feel happy about going in and making decisions in Ken's absence. That is the version that is the director's cut, the one that he did. And I actually having now seen it, I think it's in pretty good shape. And obviously over the years I too had conversations with Ken about that. And one of the things that in a conversation that he had with me, he conceded, although as you know, Ken sort of changed his mind quite a lot was Um, in the version that it's in at the moment There is almost a virtue in the fact that you barely see it because it's so wince inducingly horrible There is a possibility that seeing more than you do might actually lessen the impact. But that is entirely just my feeling about it. As I said, the director's cut before the director's cut it was, we have the template of what Ken did in two thousand four. And for it to be a director's cut, it has to be that version He also says thank you for all your work and time getting the devil's resurrected. Thank you. Thank. Correspondents at Cobodame. comot Thank you very much, indeed for listening. There'll be a live show, well, we've already done the live show, so there's no point in plugging that. There'll be another take along very shortly