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Chief writer and editor at Cinema, Etc.
by hutchwp

The Beatles – The 1996 album that could have been

I previously wrote about what might have happened in 1971 if The Beatles had squeezed one more album out. It’s an interesting topic that many fans of the band have pondered over the years.

With the recent release of ‘Now & Then’, a song dubbed as the final Beatles song, I started to think about the Anthology era of the band and whether things could have taken a different path. What if the trio decided that including some reworked John Lennon songs in an LP warranted enough of a representation to not tarnish his (or the band’s) legacy? Could they really have put out a full album? What other songs would have made the cut?

In this alternative reality, nothing changes up to the point they start working on the Anthology series, with Jeff Lynne joining the group as a full member to complete the sessions. With a backdrop of Britpop, will the Fab Three And A Bit hold their own and avoid tarnishing their legacy?

I’ve included all the “new” Beatles songs from the era, then filled the album with prominent collaborations from the time between the trio. I have made some omissions, mainly ditching collaborations from Ringo’s album ‘Vertical Man’, preferring to keep the album under 50 minutes in length.

1. The Song We Were Singing

Paul opened his Flaming Pie album with this beautifully reminiscent song. In the liner notes, he noted: “I was remembering the sixties, sitting around late at night, dossing, smoking pipes, drinking wine… jawing, talking about the cosmic solution… It’s that time in your life when you’ve got a chance to do all that.”

It’s reflective and a perfect opener for a Fab Four reunion album.

2. Free As A Bird

The first single from the Anthology project obviously has to be included here. It was criticised on its original release but it’s perhaps the truest collaboration of all the songs on this album. The soaring line “Whatever happened to the life that we once knew?” sung by Paul is the perfect partner for John’s slightly fragile verse lyric.

If you want to hear the best mix, you’ll need to pick up the deluxe re-release of 1, which came out in 2015. This mix, which accompanies the video, cleans up Lennon’s vocals and thus makes for a much easier listen.

3. Young Boy

Recorded by Paul McCartney and Steve Miller in the immediate aftermath of the completion of the song ‘Real Love’, there’s an excitement and urgency to ‘Young Boy’. It reflects McCartney’s ability to tap into his youthful innocence and create a fun pop-rock song in a way few mature musicians can. A belter of a tune.

4. Any Road

No Beatles record would be complete without a George Harrison track and this one, the lead single from his posthumous album Brainwashed, sits nicely amongst the other songs. George had been working on this song from its inception in 1988 and throughout the 1990s, so it’s perfectly reasonable to think he’d have brought it to the table if there was a Beatles album being created.

5. Calico Skies

A simple and beautiful song that features just Paul on vocals and guitar, supplemented by a subtle orchestration from George Martin.

6. Really Love You

‘The day after Ringo and Paul recorded Beautiful Night, the pair returned to the studio and began a jam session, Paul plucking his Hofner violin bass, Ringo beating the drums and Jeff Lynne playing guitar.’ – Flaming Pie liner notes.

This has the same feel as the ‘Looking For You’, featured later in the album. It isn’t particularly inspiring, with a generic drum beat paired with a groovy bass line and some underbaked guitar licks from Lynne. But, it’s playfully fun and easy on the ears. It may not have made the cut if the trio were given more time to develop their ideas into an album.

7. Real Love

Arguably the only John Lennon song here that stands up to the best of his solo output. The first time you hear Lennon singing “I need to be alone” over the delicate minor chord will send shivers down your spine, no matter what version of the song you hear. Simply stunning.

8. What In The World

Ringo collaborated with both Paul and George on his album Vertical Man, released in 1998. Upon hearing a playback of ‘What In The World’, McCartney remarked “Whoo Rich! Sounds kinda Beatle-ish!” There are other songs on that album that feature George and Paul, which probably never would have happened if the Anthology sessions hadn’t existed, but this is the standout.

9. Looking For You

This was a b-side for Paul McCartney’s single Young Boy. Featuring pounding drums from Ringo and an off-beat guitar riff from Jeff Lynne, this track has a blues rock feel that is a bit of a departure for the band. It’s missing any input from George Harrison and thus falls a little flat, not really going anywhere in its 4 minutes and 42 seconds of meandering around, never really going beyond what we hear in the first 20 seconds.

10. Beautiful Night

“A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold.”Paul McCartney’s saccharine lyric combines with a power pop chord progression to create a true highlight of this reunion album. The big guns are all here: Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne and George Martin feature on the original recording, with Linda McCartney also involved. This is absolutely sumptuous.

11. Now & Then

The version released in 2023 was recorded with a 45 year gap between its first and last contributions, which tells the story of its unique path to coming into fruition. “Now and then I miss you” is a perfect line for Paul and John to sing to each other from across the life-death divide, and certainly resonates with fans around the world who rejoiced at this final Beatles track.

12. Grow Old With Me

The John Lennon demo for this was recorded in 1980 and orchestrated for the posthumous album Milk & Honey, released in 1984. If you want to imagine what the reunion version would have sounded like, you might have to do some mental gymnastics and merge two versions together.

The orchestrated version with Lennon’s vocals – the most superior version being released on his Gimme Some Truth compilation in 2020 – is a stunning take on a beautiful song.

Ringo Starr also recorded a version of the song for his album What’s My Name in 2019, which featured vocals and bass from Paul McCartney. This is a lovely interpretation that is probably a fairer reflection of what The Beatles would have done with the track. I’m sure the AI technology available now could merge the two versions, but who am I to say what someone should do with their free time?

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. A fan’s best guess at what might have happened if they’d opted to pull an album together. It’s a product of its time and of circumstance, lacking in coherence and with a few songs that wouldn’t stand up to the best of the band in their prime. It wouldn’t have tarnished their legacy, but probably would have been a misstep – hence why it never saw the light of day.

by hutchwp

Film review: LOLA (Andrew Legge, 2023)

The Hanbury sisters in the film LOLA

LOLA is a beautifully constructed science fiction tale that is as innovative as it is chilling.

Directed by Andrew Legge in his directorial debut, it tells the story of sisters Thomasina (Emma Appleton) and Martha (Stefanie Martini), who together invent a machine that transmits television broadcasts from the future. Initially using it to discover cultural touchpoints 30 years ahead of time, they then switch it to the war effort. After they use it to help prevent a German attack on British soldiers, they are enlisted by the Allied Forces and begin coordinating defence strategies with Lieutenant Sebastien Holloway (Rory Fleck-Byrne).

In LOLA, Legge has created a deeply rich alternative world that plays out with a good pace to great effect. The storytelling technique utilised is innovative and delivered with great aplomb by the two leads, each bringing humour and realism to their respective roles. Neither steals the show, instead complimenting each other with natural comradery.

With a 79-minute running time, there isn’t scope to slow down and the length and pace feels perfect. It’s an exciting debut and one that rightly has those that discover it wondering what Legge will come up with next.

by hutchwp

Film review – Medusa Deluxe (Thomas Hardiman, 2022)

Medusa Deluxe – A gritty debut

Thomas Hardiman’s stylishly gritty debut finds a new setting for a well-worn path. The story unfolds around a murder that takes place during a hairdressing competition, meshing together neatly with some strong performances from the entire cast, creating a powerful piece of cinema.

Murder mysteries have come back into fashion in recent times. Two ensemble blockbuster franchises have helped bring this wave of popularity to people’s attention – Rian Johnson’s Knives Out and Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot – but the genre doesn’t need a host of A-listers to succeed.

In a way Medusa Deluxe operates in exactly the same way. It is an ensemble piece, with none of the all-British cast standing out as significantly more established than the next, although a few are certainly recognisable. Their interactions and interplay are the real star.

It’s impossible to watch the film without the awareness that this is a one-shot labour if love. Admittedly, there are a few points where there is an obvious cut in the action, but even in the handful of long shots this represents a mammoth undertaking that almost gives Boiling Point a run for its money.

There is a verve to the performances that really disconcerted me as a viewer. Clare Perkins starts the film overflowing with anger as hardened hairdresser Cleve, and only ramps up further as her colleagues and models shrink with nervousness. Harriet Webb brings an element of sympathy to her prickly take on Kendra, which is an important part of the story.

Despite a few moments of heavy-handedness, the really shocking moments of Medusa Deluxe will stick with you for a while after watching. The one-shot approach is an interesting element that brings urgency but the real draw here is an intriguing story and some top-drawer performances from a strong cast.

by hutchwp

Halloween Quiz 2023 – Just for fun – ANSWERS

Here are the answers to the quiz we posted last week.

Picture Round

1. Get Out

2. Hotel Transylvania

3. It

4. What Lies Beneath

5. Cocaine Bear

6. Nightmare On Elm Street

7. Raw

8. Us

9. Arachnophobia

10. Psycho

11. Scary Movie

12. Shaun of the Dead

Questions

1. 1979

2. Bernard Herrmann

3. Jaws 2

4. Freddy Krüger

5. Mary Shelley

6. Inside No. 9

7. Night of the Living Dead

8. Gizmo

9. Stephen King

10. Ghostbusters

by hutchwp

What’s the deal with the Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl Netflix collaboration?

You may have noticed on Netflix recently a handful of sepia-tinged thumbnails popping up in your Trending Now or Recommends lists. Based on the lack of advertising generally, all you are left with is the titles alone: Poison, The Rat Catcher, The Swan and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

These curiosities make up a series of four adaptations of Roald Dahl short stories by the distinctive director Wes Anderson. Bringing together a wonderful ensemble cast – including Rupert Friend, Richard Ayoade, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel and Ralph Fiennes – the four shorts really are quite special. Marrying the distinctive styles of two great storytellers from very different eras, there is a high-art uniqueness that lands in a place that feels fresh and intriguing.

As I finished watching my favourite of the bunch – the sharp-scripted Poison, about a man struggling under the threat of an imminent deadly poisonous snake bite – I wondered whether these could have been made twenty years ago. Or even ten years ago? I could only think of one outlet for them, which would be as part of the festive programming of a terrestrial channel, probably on Boxing Day, when the rigidities of multi-part series and familiarities are relaxed as the nation forgoes its own schedules to Quality Street and sherry.

I’m thrilled these four short films have seen the light of day, although I also wonder whether they’ve been done a disservice in the manner of release. With little fanfare, they’ve just appeared in the faces of the casual scroller, with more than a little whiff of that U2 x iPhone collab we all loved so much. I know someone who accidentally watched the longest of the bunch – The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar – and wondered what on Earth was going on. With no explanation, it’s easy to see why the unfinished stylings of Wes Anderson could confuse. Actors look at the camera, the prop department hand items to the scenes apologetically, the elaborate sets are shifted as if they were part of an experimental theatre piece. These quirks that elevate the experience for fans of Anderson risk perturbing casual viewers, or indeed fans of Roald Dahl’s more popular output.

With results this good, perhaps Netflix decided that was a risk they were willing to take.

by hutchwp

Dad Gaming – We need to talk about loading

We need to talk about loading.

I’ve got a huge problem with my gaming habits, which means I’m almost never playing games.

I recently bought Street Fighter 6. After three nights of ‘gaming’, I can confirm that the training mode is quite enjoyable. I can also confirm I’m losing interest.

Back in 1993, when I was happily playing the original Street Fighter II Turbo on the SNES, my life was admittedly much simpler than it is now. I’d imagine that working out how far away Dhalsim could be from Ryu before his punches landed was fairly high on my priority list. I was a master of those 12 characters, and I had to be. My brother was a machine with Ryu and I had to be on my game to avoid embarrassment on a daily basis.

Let me talk about my experience not as an 8 year old, but as a 38 year old.

First night. I open the case up, turn on the Xbox Series X and insert the disc. Pretty excited. Will they have any knowing references to that original loading sequence from back in the day? Will the characters all be there? Will I be able to 100-hand slap like the old days?

Oh. I need to download an update. A big update. But it’s 10:30pm and I’ve only got 45 minutes. Okay, no worries. I’ll install and get some time in before bed time. I’ll watch that Beckham doc in the meantime.

11:15pm comes and goes and the game update still isn’t complete. I’ll need to come back tomorrow.

Tomorrow becomes today. A remarkable second free night in a row is here and I’m still very excited about playing Street Fighter 6, one of the best-reviewed games of the year. I load the game and the updates are fully downloaded. Good sign.

After a few intro sequences (no harking back to the glory days sadly), I’m told I need to login to Capcom using my Capcom ID. Strange requirement but I’m informed I can’t proceed with the game unless I agree. Sure. So I try to create an account, but apparently I already created an account at some point. So, I reset my password, but after 5 attempts it won’t link to my Microsoft account, which means I can’t access all of the game modes. It’s quite a fun experience so far – boy do I love entering email addresses using a gaming controller. Maybe this is the game? Turning grown men green with rage and seeing if they can spontaneously produce electricity.

So, I opt for the workaround and manage to get through to a reduced version of the game. However, instead of being able to jump in, I first have to complete a training exercise. My muscle memory is great, and I find it all a breeze. It’s good to know the grey matter is working.

And then, 15 minutes later, it’s bed time.

In 1993, after 2 hours of gaming I’d already kicked Bison’s ass so hard that the next Bison wannabee was gonna feel it. In 2023 I’m getting my ass kicked by loading screens, password resets and lethargy.

Current score: 3/10. Maybe if I get to play it sometime soon I’ll bump that up. Or maybe there will be another software update.

by hutchwp

How dads play video games

Even the title of this is ambitious. For context, I’m almost 39 and I have two daughters.

In the last year I’ve bought six new video games. They were: Street Fighter 6, Starfield, Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection, Cyberpunk 2077 and Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania.

In the last year, I have played two video games. One of these was one game from the Cowabunga Collection, a Turtles game from the NES era that I never managed to complete as a child, which gave me an instant nostalgia hit and supreme levels of joy and frustration. The second was Mario Kart 8 at the arcade in the local bowling alley. My entire involvement was to hold the pedal down for my daughter as she over-steered Peach around the first course in the Mushroom Cup.

Am I bitter about this? Absolutely not. I love that I’m so busy with my daughters that I don’t have time to indulge this most selfish of hobbies. They are literally my world and I’d do anything for them. That my gaming interests have fallen by the wayside is just a tiny problem.

So why am I writing a blog post about it? Well, it’s fairly obvious isn’t it? I knew I was never going to play any of those games. So why on earth did I buy them? I guarantee that I will never reach the 5% point of Starfield. I may never even start Cyberpunk 2077. I’m a disgrace to planning, to the gaming industry and to my bank account.

Will I still buy the Turtles DLC for Street Fighter 6? Absolutely.

by hutchwp

Halloween Quiz 2023 – Just for fun

Round 1 – Picture Round
Round 2 – Questions

Just for fun, here’s a free Halloween film quiz for you to use in your office, with your friends, or with your family!

Just print them off or share them on your screen and hey presto – instant fun!

I’ll publish the answers in a separate post.

UPDATE

Here are the answers

by hutchwp

Film review – Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

It has been twenty-three years since we first saw the original Chicken Run on the big screen. A lot has happened since then. Upon its release in Britain, Tony Blair was the Prime Minister, the country was congratulating itself on avoiding the millennium bug, but we were still wondering what to do with the big dome we’d built in London. The biggest film at the box office was Gladiator, Kylie Minogue hadn’t made her golden-hot panted comeback yet and we were hotly awaiting the release of PlayStation 2. Oh, and Erling Haaland was about to be born.

Basically, it was a while ago.

So how does bringing back such an old film feel, after all this time? Honestly… like a huge big warm hug.

This is not a departure in style. Indeed, it picks up right where we left the clucky gang of misfits – on the idyllic island they’d found at the end of the first film. The opening act is something of a scene setter, introducing us to the new lead character in the film. Molly, played by Bella Ramsey, longs for everything her mum and dad ran away from in the first film. From her island, the outside world is full of wonder, delight and mystery. Frustrated by a feeling of suffocation, she escapes the island and looks for a new adventure with the first chicken she finds, a zesty Liverpudlian called Frizzle (played playfully by Josie Sedgwick-Davies).

Much speculation has been made about the refreshed voice acting cast. Only a few of the original cast have maintained their spots in the cast, with high profile names such as Phil Daniels, Timothy Spall and Julia Sawalha being recast. In their case, it was a simple move to ensure the voices sounded as youthful as the characters they were playing. It’s a distraction when the voice doesn’t match what you’re seeing, and you only need to see the first 20 minutes of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to know how skin-crawlingly dreadful it is for your brain to have to work overtime to live with it. There may be more reasons at play for some of the cast, but there’s a whole additional essay that could be written about that…

I loved the film, and the small screening I was lucky enough to attend with all agreed. The audience was a mix of older fans revisiting a childhood memory, and younger people who were being introduced to the chickens for the first time. My four-year-old daughter, well-versed in Aardman, had a fantastic time and was annoyed she couldn’t watch it again any time soon. She was restless during the first 10 minutes but a swift bribe with a Curly-Wurly and she was golden. My only concern is how many sheltered children will be asking questions about their chicken nuggets next time they eat them.

This isn’t groundbreaking material, but nor does it need to be. As the film plays out, it does feel familiar. There’s an evil plot, the protagonists need to club together to stop them. But that’s children’s animation. It’s a formula that might feel tired to some, but sometimes what you need is exactly this. A big huge warm hug. And when hugs are this good, I don’t think you need much more.