Giger: Healing in Unusual Ways

"Birth Machine", by H.R. Giger. Photograph taken by Ojw of a sculpture on display outside the Museum H. R. Giger in Gruyères (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sudden death of H.R. Giger immediately prompted me to consider the value of legacy. Giger was a weaver of imaginative landscapes that sprawled out and overran into places even some of the boldest artists of today would not dare venture. He was the quintessential modern surrealist who emerged in the 1970s with a vision that would have a profound effect on art, entertainment and culture. His most obvious home in popular culture was science fiction and fantasy, where his work as a set designer has assured his legacy in film. 

His most enduring creation will always be the titular creature of Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, “Alien”. Touted as “Jaws in Space” to prospective producers, the film is probably Scott’s greatest achievement and Stephen King lists it as one of the greatest horrors ever made. Like Giger’s infectious influence, the film transcends genres and begs the attention of a wide range of audiences. This is in no small part down to Giger’s vision. King more than implied in his “Danse Macabre” that the very best horror built up suspense with the unseen – and in this respect 1963’s “The Haunting” was a truemasterpiece – but it must ultimately have the pay-off by revealing object of horror. This is often where cinema nearly always falls down, especially if the suspense element is done moderately well. Scott’s direction matches both Spielberg and even Hitchcock in the voyeuristic way he weaves camera angles through the twisted and claustrophobic corridors of Giger’s set designs and in the patient way he plays out some highly restrained drama. It is no small tribute to Giger that he delivers on Scott’s dark promise. 

Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part VI

We were on our way back from our little adventure in Southsea and Stu’s outburst went something like this “It’s 1999 and look how far we’ve all come over the past two decades: Abba in the charts and Star Wars on the fucking cinema!” It was a fair point. Nostalgia was a drug we all smoked socially, but the turn of century was showing serious signs of innovation-stifling addiction. It wasn’t just coming from the past either. Despite a new generation of British wrestlers arriving on the scene, many were using slogans and gestures stolen wholesale from their US heroes. I cringed every time we worked on a show and some dickhead worker started x-chopping. This wasn’t the New British Wrestling scene we wanted to promote. We weren’t denying our inspiration, but we certainly weren’t shackled to it either. Looking back I am sure Stu and I had certain fundamental differences in the way we wanted to the wrestling scene to go, but I think a key thing we did agree on was the desire to forge something unique.

Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part V

How did the premier highflying wrestler Jody Fleische get accused of being a female prostitute? Did EWW attempt to invade the fledgling New British Wrestling promotion, FWA (Frontier Wrestling Alliance)? And why did EWW get banned from Southsea? These questions are often prompted by the subtle teasing hints dropped by Chris (former “Mr Hardcore” and later “Extreme Enforcer”) O’Regan from time to time, but never really answered. As I write this next chapter of my recollections of my short stint as a pro wrestling promoter, I can’t help feel that it now time to make some confessions.

Remembering Extreme World Warfare Part IV

Lee Edwards had become a very enthusiastic part of our new venture. He was thrilled and flattered with being selected to become our first champion. There were probably only a handful of wrestlers who really got the whole idea that Stu, Josh and I were pursuing in the early days of our promotion. We were trying to re-define professional wrestling and create a uniquely British art-form. Lee completely understood what we were trying to do. In addition to designing our logo and posters he was eager with ideas to push "Extreme World Warfare: The Declaration".

When the Wailing Starts...

slash & myles kennedy live in rome (Photo credit: luigioss)

My ear-worm for the past few weeks: "You Could be Mine" by Guns 'N Roses. I am being very uncharitable it is just that it took a lot for me to admit that I liked some of Guns 'n Roses stuff. The same could be said about The Cure. Both bands were hugely influential for a lot of the right reasons in rock music, but there was something about their front men that pissed me off. There was also the huge adulation they both received that hit me at the wrong time in my developing music taste. I liked the edgier bands and both seemed to be too close to pop for my taste. Of course, as I grew up into adulthood I had to face up to the hypocrisy and put my hand up to really, really liking a few each band's songs. This particular song is a definite favourite that grew on me.


"You Could be Mine" was heavily wrapped up in the promotion of James Cameron's long awaited sequel to his low budget science fiction thriller classic, "The Terminator". Perhaps being mindful of the amazing genre-changing job he had pulled off with his sequel to Ridley Scott's horror, "Alien", the previous decade, Cameron had few qualms about taking his original bleak cyberpunk suspense film and creating a teen-targeted action adventure sequel. As observers have wryly noted, the 1980s was full of films that were rated for adult viewers and yet marketed to much younger audiences. Prime examples include the clever black satires on consumerism, "Gremlins" and "Robocop".

A Gentle Symphony - Review of "Quartet"

Plot:

Every year on Giuseppe Verdi's birthday Beacham House, a retirement home for musicians, holds a concert to raise funds. This year the house is in particular trouble and the residents are reliant on the success of the concert. Lifelong friends and house residents, Wilf (Billy Connolly) and Reggie (Tom Courtney), step forward with former colleague Cissy (Pauline Collins) to put on an especially important performance. They wish to end the show with a quartet. Reggie is a hugely respected singer, matched only by his ex-wife, the former grande dame of the opera house, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Jean joins the home wishing to respectfully leave her career behind, but Wilf and Cissy know her presence in the quartet alongside Reggie will create enough public interest to save Beacham House. Reggie is still heartbroken from Jean's admitted affair and Jean has no desire to sing long past her prime. Meanwhile Cissy's dementia becomes ever more evident. Can Wilf's energy and good humour prevail upon the true spirits of his friends?

Stick to the Path - A Reflection on "The Company of Wolves"

Plot:

Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) is a young girl asleep in her bedroom. As her angry older sister (Georgia Slowe) bangs on her locked door for stealing her make-up, Rosaleen dreams of living in a fairytale village where her sister is killed by wolves. Here she lives some of her time with Granny (Angela Lansbury) who tells her about werewolves and how to avoid life's dangers. Based on several of Angela Carter's short stories, contained in her "Bloody Chamber" compilation and her radio play, "The Company of Wolves", this is a hugely symbolic film dealing with various themes regarding a girl's journey into womanhood.