Chillin' Out, Rosewood Lane and Planet Terror

Good afternoon readers.Had a humongous lie-in this morning Decided that a day off to recharge the batteries was the best panacea i could take Not only that but as i watched two DVD's and all the extras late into the night meant that waking up at eleven was not a problem.

The two movies i watched both feature Rose McGowan as the main protagonist. The first was a psychological horror thriller called Rosewood Lane (2011),whist the latter was the other part of the double bill Grindhouse, produced by Robert Rodriguez called Planet Terror (2007),   starring Quentin Tarantino in a minor role, and what i would call a schlock horror spoof on the zombie apocalypse. The first film to see an leg amputee with a machine gun leg.





In fact Robert Rodriguez makes a very special kind of film - irreverent, gross, subversive, outrageous, packed with great music and full of truly enjoyable moments. Despite the content they're a genuine joy to watch, and Planet Terror is no exception. With tongue firmly in cheek, all the men are heroes, all the women are stunning, all the violence is indulgent and exaggerated, and heads explode all over the place.

I don't care how crass or silly or low-brow it is - Planet Terror is a film clearly made by someone who truly loves and really enjoys making films that are genuinely entertaining. Hence i have to see the other part of the doubleheader produced by Tarantino. And yes,Rose is in that too! All power to my fave Charmed lass!

I have also ordered the other part of Grindhouse, Death Proof, as it was only £3.47 for a brand new copy and i had a pound e-voucher discount as well which i used. It should arrive on Friday.

I have also finished a few books and started others during this downtime and when i have been travelling by bus.

Book 76 - Roland Barthes "Camera Lucida"

Roland Barthes "Camera Lucida : Reflections on Photography" (Vintage)



Personally, I found this book to be of uneven quality. It has flashes where it is very good indeed, and then there are sections where I thought that he was meandering.

The overall tone is sombre, and the parts that I liked are when he discusses a photograph, because this made me a lot more sensitive to what is in the photo, and what the story could possibly be. This is the singular most achievement of this set of writings.

I am not sure about that section on his mother, but the pain of her loss, and his love for her shine through. This part is deeply personal, and I must admire him for being able to share this.

".The Photograph belongs to that class of laminated objects whose two leaves cannot be separated without destroying them both: the windowpane and the landscape, and why not: Good and Evil, desire and its object: dualities we can conceive but not perceive..(p 6)"

Flash Supergirl and Legends

It was catch up time today with three of my TV series - Supergirl, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Enjoyed them all - All excellent series btw.

However , come episode ep. 6 pf F;ash , and Arrow ep 8 with ep, 8 of Supergirl will be a new crossover story - Crisis on Earth X. Id it is anything like the last one , Invasion, it should be good.

Book 77 - Stephen E. Ambrose "Ike's Spies"

Stephen E. Ambrose "Ike's Spies : Eisenhower and the Espionage Establishment" (Anchor)







This was a fascinating historical account of Ike's use of intelligence and espionage as General during WWII and as President. Focus is on WWII where Churchill introduces Ike to espionage, and on the Cold War where intelligence & espionage were used successfully and not so... as in attempted Castro assassinations and ultimately the Bay of Pigs.

Ike didn't invent espionage, but became a brilliant master -- a supreme commander -- at using intelligence and creating effective intelligence organisations. All the big successes and huge blundering miscalculations are discussed in this no holds barred exposition.

Just Wondering

If you had the opportunity now to travel back in time, would you attend Woodstock?

Would you like to visit a site, like say, Chernobyl, if it was declared radiation free?

Do you like to explore abandoned places or at least look at pictures of abandoned places?

Good Night

Into the mysterious night we go ....