FIRST SEEN MOVIES: 2020/1

Featuring the films Mr T and myself have watched for the first time whether they be at the cinema, on the telly, online, or on DVD. 

WHISKY GALORE ... 

The 2016 remake of the 1949 film of the same name which Mr T, a big fan, has on DVD. The original being a film I am familiar with but not to the degree that if they were to change anything I would necessarily notice. What felt more like a film you'd settle down to watch of a gloomy Sunday afternoon (which is what we did) rather than cinematic fare.  Inoffensive, gentle humour, I'm not too sure this had quite the charm of the original though.  FGT

2016 Remake of one of my favourite Ealing Comedies(1949)was thereby approached with some trepidation. Worries were not realised fortunately as this new version remained close enough to the original story-line and script to be almost indistinguishable. 

Gregor Fisher (aka Rab C. Nesbitt)takes on the role of Macroon, master of the island post office and telecoms, his daughters romantic interests being the sub-plot; the wartime ration of whisky preventing the necessary ritual of the quaich. 

Based on the historical events,the 1941 wreck of the SS Politician in 1941 off the isle of Eriskay, it is told that even to today, bottles of stashed whisky still occasionally wash up on the beaches of the island such was the ingenuity of the islanders in hiding the whisky they (ahem) liberated from the stricken vessel.  This film is a monument to that ingenuity, and the confounding of the authorities embodied in the person of Captain Wagget, Eddie Izzard, oddly, less manic than his 1949 counterpart Basil Radford. Yet both films maintain their essential humour and charm and I will happily watch either and or both at any time. NJT

BOY SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE ... 

A film I actually watched by myself which is unusual but hey-ho it was late; a school night so Mr T was fast asleep and I, well, I wasn't. Not too gory, not too crude, its humour, some of it puerile for sure but for the most part what I'd describe as stupidly funny; either way, full of laugh out loud moments (how Mr T slept through my chortling away is anyone's guess) including one of those of the type that not really all that funny, blink and you'd have missed it involving spoiler ahead >>> a zombie trundling past in their mobility scooter >>> end of spoiler. Do I think Mr T would enjoy? You bet I do. FGT

ROTTEN HISTORIES: THE MOVIE - ROTTEN ROMANS ...

Whilst familiar with the concept, I can't say I've ever read any of the books by Terry Deary nor watched any of the UK television series of the same name. The humour, Hmm! Not as funny as I'd expected though as always British comedian Lee Mack (in his first big screen role) was hugely entertaining. Much of the humour visual 'toilet humour' (the public toilet scene being particularly memorable ... sadly) which, if the film had been much longer, I'm sure would have worn thin very quickly (at least for me, I can't vouch for Mr T who tends to revert to his seven year old - or thereabout - self when it comes to bodily function jokes). The 'violence' essentially slapstick and, as with the humour, obviously written with the securing of a PG certificate in mind. It was however interesting how much actual history they'd woven into the script though once again this tended to be geared towards the gross factor. FGT

Always been a fan of the Horrible Histories, how I wish history had been taught to me with such humour whilst at school. Originally created by a local author Terry Deary (lovely man, met him a few times through work) he has inspired a whole generation of young people to think again about history by teaching from the bottom up, the everyday and largely mundane of the common people taken up in larger events and always with a direct reference to the lavatorial somewhere along the way. The Roman public toilet scene in this one is of note!) 

A feast of British comedic talent carries through the cast, a particular favourite from me Lee Mack in his first film as Centurion Decimus constantly longing to be released from Britannia to return to his beloved Rome 'ah... Rome...'. Derek Jacobi satirically revisits his far more serious TV Drama role of Claudius with great affection, albeit briefly. Nick Frost, Rupert Graves, Warwick Davies, Alexander Armstrong, Sanjeev Bhaskar... Here's the castlist. The historical is interpreted and honestly and sometimes very literally but is not taken liberties with and is quite simply a good fun romp with education on the side. NJT