tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post3718106445531481183..comments2024-03-18T10:29:46.055+00:00Comments on Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff: War Horse – From the Theatre, Through the Big Screen, and Back AgainKen Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07775956557261111127noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-81487625645163459412014-03-03T04:17:58.035+00:002014-03-03T04:17:58.035+00:00I’ve not read the book, seen the film adaptation n...I’ve not read the book, seen the film adaptation nor can I ever imagine myself seeing the play. I’ve nothing against Michael Morpurgo—I’ve seen him interviewed and he seems a decent enough guy—but nothing about this story has ever called out to me. The horse puppet appeared on breakfast TV a few weeks back and it was cleverly done but—and I feel this way about <i>Gravity</i>—there does need to be a story there. Trouble is, most stories have been told and it’s virtually impossible to watch anything without ticking off the tropes. Which can be fun in itself. What you want to see is something that subverts your expectations. Which brings me to last night’s <i>Castle</i>. Now <i>Castle</i> is a show I have often derided for being clichéd and formulaic but last night’s episode—it’s 100th—looked as if it was going to hit an all-time low, a… let’s just call it a homage to Hitchcock’s <i>Rear Window</i> (which aired on April 1st last year—yes, I know we’re behind)… and its climax completely pulled the rug from under me. This is a show that survives on its personality, not the quality of the storylines and yet, somehow, God alone knows how, they got their ducks in a row and I was delighted. So rare. I watched <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i> when it came out and I cannot pretend for a minute that I wasn’t thoroughly entertained for every single minute but I’m not daft; I realised that a lot of the stuff was being done purely for effect. For example, at the start of the film why is the Enterprise under water? Because it looks so <i>cool</i> coming out of the water. That’s why. I’m not sure what the last film I watched that I wasn’t disappointed by in some way. I guess I’m just a very fussy viewer. I try not to build up my expectations. That’s the best way. I remember when Tim Burton’s first <i>Batman</i> film came out. I had been reading about this film for <i>years</i> and there was no way it could possibly live up to a) the hype or b) my expectations. Which spoiled a great film for me. I subscribe to <i>SFX</i>--have done for years now--but I’m careful what I read. I tend just to look at the pictures if it’s something I’m keen on. One film where I think the balance works is <i>Robot & Frank</i>. Forget <i>I, Robot</i>. No fancy effects. Just a wee dumpy robot and an old guy who’s losing his memory. Wonderful!Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.com