Prometheus Review, Symbols and Themes

Prometheus, directed and produced by Ridley Scott, had quite a bit of hype, especially from me. It was great, and had a few plot holes in the second half that didn't quite ruin it, but were unpleasant. Many viewers will not "get it" if they have not seen and remember the original Alien movie. It's not just another shoot-em-up sci-fi movie, it's a pretty big deal for fans of the series. If you plan on seeing Prometheus and don't remember the 1979 Alien film or haven't seen it, I think it's essential that you watch Alien first.

The characters were good. Not phenomenal, but good. And the acting was excellent, for the most part. I felt sorry for the archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, and I just wanted to give her a hug the whole second half of the movie. The android, David, was also a memorable character. Elements of Blade Runner were present in this character, specifically the idea of the "tears in the rain" monologue. In fact, the actor for the android avoided watching the original Alien movies, and instead got the inspiration for his character from Blade Runner.

The two screen writers, John Spaihts and Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost), did a decent job. Spaihts is somewhat new to the writing scene, but has experience writing sci-fi. He wrote the original script, but then Lindelof rewrote it, probably fixing some things while creating more plot holes. I think it was the script that took away the most from the film. I don't know which writer is more responsible. But I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say Lindelof, considering he's been writing about being stranded on a tropical island for years, and then suddenly jumps into the sci-fi genre. Seriously, someone who once wrote for a MTV show called Undressed--clearly a sign of writing just for money--has no business messing with the Alien universe. I just had to let that out.

The cinematography was amazing. Just as expected from a Ridley Scott movie. The intro shots were especially good, and the imagery provided in the opening scene let me know that Scott had not forgotten that important part of Alien. Most of Scott's movies are deep and full of thematic elements. He did not disappoint with this one.

SPOILERS BELOW

The movie opens with a humanoid, pale alien standing on top of a waterfall on Earth, probably tens of thousands of years ago. He drinks a black liquid (which seems to be alive) and we witness rapid changes in his DNA, as the strands are twisted apart. His skin starts to deteriorate and he falls into the waterfall, with his limbs falling apart. He dies and supposedly plants his DNA in Earth, so it can have life. I think the purpose of this scene is to show that the humanoid aliens are responsible for life on Earth.

The first half of the movie is the best. I appreciate buildup. The two main scientists are trying to discover these "Engineers" on an alien planet, indicated by star maps found across Earth. The Engineers are assumed to be the creators of human life; the humanoid at the beginning scene was an Engineer. I find it funny that Meredith, the Weyland Corporation employee, is so controlling of their expedition. It's allegorical to PhD researchers who have to deal with being controlled all the time.

Throughout the first half especially, it was surprisingly philosophical and spiritual. I know that Ridley Scott wanted to take it this way; he believes that most science fiction films don't cover these topics, when they should. During their transit to the alien planet, which takes two years in cryosleep, David (the android) observes Shaw's (the female archaeologist) dreams. In the dream she is a little girl with her dad on what seems to be a digging expedition. A cross necklace appears over the image in the dream a few times; this symbol becomes important later on. She and her dad discuss what happens after death, and her dad says it's something like paradise. She asks why he says so, and he replies "because that's what I choose to believe."

David, being an android who is troubled by his existence, is the main cause of all the trouble that ensues. At one point he asks Charlie Holloway (Shaw's love interest) why they created him. Holloway replies "because we could." David goes on to ask if Holloway would be satisfied if he asked his creator that question, and got the same answer. There are many points like this in the movie, which help propagate the existential dilemma that exists in the human mind. The whole philosophical part of the movie is based around the "greatest question," regarding who/what created us and why, who created the creator and why, and so on. I think the important conclusion in the movie to this question, is that there is no answer, and never will be. It's about living with existence and enjoying it best you can.

It's not exactly known why David infects Holloway with the black fluid. It's either due to his immense curiosity or receiving orders from Peter Weyland, who is secretly hiding on the ship. After Holloway is infected by taking the drink offered to him by David, he visits Shaw in her room. She's found that the Engineer's DNA is a match to human DNA. Holloway says they've found their creators, and tells her she can take her father's cross off now. She refuses to, saying that they don't know who created their creators.

We learn that Shaw is unable to bear children, and she's quite upset about it. The two proceed to sleep together that night. And it's easy to see it coming that whatever was in Holloway's system would be in her system now. On their next expedition outside, Holloway becomes too sick and ends up volunteering to be immolated, to avoid spreading the infection. The event was traumatic for Shaw, but Holloway's death didn't have much of an impact on the plot.

After Holloway's death, David is checking Shaw for infections in the medical bay. David insists that she takes off her cross necklace for the body scan. She complies and David takes the cross. She learns that she is three months pregnant. It's also revealed that it is "not a traditional fetus." Almost immediately after learning this, she says "I want it out" and screams "get it out of me."Â Just ten hours ago, she was desperate to have a child, and now she wants an abortion. She doesn't know whether or not it's dangerous, but she assumes it is. David reflects on the circumstances and says "it must feel like your God abandoned you." The symbolism here is obvious.

The next scene is one of the most disturbing I've seen in a movie, not just because of the graphic aspect, but the emotion as well. Shaw escapes from the medical bay and finds the emergency surgery pod, in hopes to remove the developing fetus. She finds out that the pod is meant for male patients only, after requesting a caesarean section. I find it odd that it would be calibrated for male patients only. There's a symbolic importance in this, I haven't quite figured it out yet. She proceeds to have a "foreign body" removal surgery instead, and injects herself with painkillers and enters the pod. The painkillers are not enough for anesthesia, and the process is painful. Her lower stomach is slit open and a mechanical arm reaches in and pulls out the alien fetus, which begins squirming violently, trying to get back inside her stomach.

She's now trapped inside the surgery pod with the partially developed alien baby being held above her, as her stomach is stitched back up. She manages to get out of the pod and contain the alien inside. Since it was moving around in her stomach, it was probably gestated enough to survive on its own outside. I think Ridley Scott was referring to this scene and a few others when he was asked about the rating and said "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference... essentially it's kinda R... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful."

What happened next really threw me off. She re-enters the medical bay and it is revealed that Peter Weyland, the founder of the Weyland company, is alive and aboard the ship. The main reason this threw me off is because the mood set from the last scene was completely lost and forgotten. There is no mention ever made by anyone of the alien fetus that was inside Shaw. But her pain is still clearly presented.

So Peter Weyland is much too old to be alive (obviously being kept alive by technology--transhumanism) and wishes to ask the Engineers to extend his life. His character is someone who has not accepted death, and is desperately clinging to life. In order for him to walk into the buried ship with the Engineers, he must have mechanical assistance from a suit he wears. He doesn't even get to ask his question to the awakened Engineer before being pummeled to death by it. I guess he got his answer.

The Engineer that was awakened doesn't appear that intelligent, even though they are presented as super-intelligent beings. He refuses trying to communicate with the humans and just resorts to killing them. He then readies the ship in order to go to Earth and spread the black liquid among the population, which appears to be a biological weapon at this point, which mutates humans into overpowered monsters. This is the part of the plot that's annoying, it feels like it was just kind of thrown in there.

The captain back on the human ship decides to sacrifice himself to bring down the ship by suicide bombing it, to prevent Earth from being destroyed. The two other crew members on the bridge agree to sacrifice themselves as well. They had previously made a bet, and one agrees to pay up "on the other side." The cinematography at work here is clearly stating the importance of their belief in the afterlife. They raise their hands, as if riding a roller coaster, before they collide with the alien ship. It's noticeable that the daughter of Peter Weyland is also desperately clinging to life. We see her struggling to make it to an escape pod and put on a space suit in time. She makes it out, but is still crushed by the crashing alien ship, revealing that her struggle was meaningless.

Shaw manages to survive the crash and makes it back to the surgery pod room where the alien that she carried is contained. It has grown to be huge and resembles an octopus (which was actually Dan O'Bannon's original idea of the facehugger). David, who has been decapitated but is still functioning, radios her and warns her of the Engineer who is approaching the ship. I'm not sure why the Engineer found it necessary to try and kill her. Maybe he was just angry after his ship crashed, or trying to eliminate all the humans that were left. When the Engineer enters, she opens the containment area and the octopus alien is released. I'm going to call it the Master Facehugger, since it's basically a very large facehugger and starts the whole process of the queen alien, except it resembles a sea monster more than a crab or a spider. So the Master Facehugger grabs hold of the Engineer while Shaw escapes, and latches onto him to begin the process of alien gestation.

After Shaw finds David, she asks him where her cross necklace is. It seems that after finding David and putting the necklace on, she has regained her strength to keep going. Just before this, she was lying on the ground, telling David "I can't do this anymore." After that, she puts David's head in a duffel bag and gets out of the ship (this generated many laughs in the theatre). Most of the ending dialogue between Shaw and David was weak and not well thought out.

Death acceptance and death denial are huge thematic elements. During the dream early in the film, Shaw as a little girl saw a man being carried in a funeral and asked her dad why he died. Her dad says, "sooner or later, everyone dies." It sometimes seems, that part of the crew is clinging to their current life, and the other part may be clinging to the afterlife. It proposes the question--what does it mean to accept death? It's symbolic to the never-ending struggle to find peace with existence.

The theme regarding motherhood and abortion is also important. A friend of mine pointed out an interesting fact in the Aliens film. When Ripley finds the queen alien, it's kind of a horrifying scene, and she has all of her eggs around her and is violent, in a less-than-happy situation. That particular movie was released during a time when feminism was starting to become successful. The Alien franchise has always carried a subliminal message.

For those who don't believe Alien movies have an underlying message, read what the screenwriter for the 1979 movie, Dan O'Bannon, said: "One thing that people are all disturbed about is sex... I said 'That's how I'm going to attack the audience; I'm going to attack them sexually. And I'm not going to go after the women in the audience, I'm going to attack the men. I am going to put in every image I can think of to make the men in the audience cross their legs. Homosexual oral rape, birth. The thing lays its eggs down your throat, the whole number.'"

So, in reality, there's much more going on in movies than most people are aware of. Only certain people will see it, and some will interpret it differently. That's alright, that's what art is meant for.

Another thing worth mentioning are the snake-like monsters they found. Before those appeared, an earthworm was shown in the soil around the area. So after the black liquid was released, the earthworm must have been infected and morphed into the monster.

Also, the ending sequence of the Xenomorph (black colored alien) leaves more questions. It would seem that it is the queen alien, and it proceeds to lay eggs in the crashed ship, which they find in the original movie. If it's not the queen alien, then there's still the possibility of using the other live Engineers that are sleeping for gestation. Either way, it makes enough sense to proceed to the original movie. Although, the Space Jockey scene is not exactly explained. Note: these were my original thoughts on the Xenomorph at the end, right after viewing. It's been confirmed that they are actually on a different planetoid.

There has been some speculation that the pale-skinned humanoid aliens are not the Engineers. I'd consider this a definite possibility, which opens up another great batch of questions. Looks like we'll have to wait for a sequel to Prometheus to know for sure.

Overall, it's a very thought provoking and stunning film. The visual effects and sound were incredible, and the use of CGI didn't take anything away from the movie. In the end, however, the original 1979 Alien will always be the most memorable one.

youtube.com/watch?v=iIJeQNyZ6VE. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

It's a Knockout

Its's a Knockout TV Series

The iconic television series It's a Knockout had an illustrious innings. Beginning in the UK in 1966, it transmitted its last show in 2001. In one special programme, it even had members of the British royal family, Princes Andrew and Edward, Princess Anne and Fergie, as team leaders.

Despite its British team character and typically Anglo-saxon slapstick humour, the series was the brainchild of French Premier Charles de Gaulle, who mooted the European version of the series, Jeux San Frontieres, as a way of uniting European nations in friendship and fun. It even provided the inspiration for Peter Gabriel's song Games without Frontiers, a eulogy to the TV phenomenon.

In the UK, the show hosted 3 teams each week, for example Bristol, Bath and Minehead, all hotly competing for the much sought after 'Tip Top Town Trophy'. The programme billed itself as 'an inter-town contest of skill and strength' and the population of Britain collectively tuned in to watch. In its heyday, in the 70s and 80s, the show boasted audiences of up to 16 million.

As the theme tune 'Bean bag' by Herb Alpert and Tijuanna Brass started playing, people knew that they were in for madness, mayhem and a right good laugh. The teams competed against each other in obstacle races and silly versions of games lifted from the Olympics, school sports days and the producer's fertile imagination.

The competitors always had to wear costumes and these were usually enormous. The huge feet and giant bodies and heads made the racers cumbersome and clumsy and hilariously liable to fall over.

There were relay races, massive rubber inflatables and vast quantities of foam and water, for slipping, sliding and generally getting dunked in. Part of the show's appeal was its jolly, colourful, slapstick and custard pie nature, but perhaps the main factor in its success was the eccentric presenter Stuart Hall, whose infectious laugh sent audiences, and himself, into peals of uncontrollable laughter. If teams did well, they could compete for Great Britain in Jeux Sans Frontieres.

With a bigger budget, and an even bigger audience, the show featured ever more outlandish costumes and fancier props. One game featured giant Frankenstein chasing a flower-planting damsel in a mini-dress and the immortal line "just a friendly tap and he's fractured her skull, but never mind". With penguin suits, revolving platforms, plenty of competitors getting utterly soaked and a punchline of "here come the Belgians", it was a runaway Saturday night success.

For the Brits, as with all great British endeavours, it was the taking part that counted. Love it or loathe it, it was ground breaking TV and it epitomised the best of British spirit in a nutshell. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Small Towns Without Movie Theaters Show Movies Outdoors

Outdoor movie events bring the movie theater experience outside to create a fun and unique cinema experience. Modern equipment allow outdoor movie viewers to enjoy the same high quality experience enjoyed by traditional movie house patrons. For towns without movie theaters, outdoor movies are a great alternative.

Currently, there are small towns all over the country without cinema complexes. By 2013, more small movie-picture theaters could be closing their doors when the movie industry switches to all-digital technology. Films will no longer be released in traditional 35 millimeter film prints, and theaters without the technology to show digital films will be forced to shut down. The cost of converting to digital in a movie house is around $65,000, leaving this conversion out of reach for many small, older movie theaters.

There are already many towns without a motion picture theater, and this change will lead to more. Residents of towns like this are left with the options of missing out on these movies or traveling to a town with a movie theater. Portable inflatable cinema technology gives these communities another option: outdoor cinema.

Inflatable movie screens are available in a variety of sizes to fit into many different locations, and accommodate small or large crowds. High quality theatrical screens and HD projectors, along with clear sound, bring the movie theater experience to any location. An outdoor movie can be held almost anywhere; holding it at a historic site or downtown can enhance the experience and make it more special for the community.

Going out to see a new movie with friends or family is a completely different experience than watching it at home. Small towns without theaters and those that stand to lose a theater with the digital conversion will be missing out. Outdoor cinema technology can provide a replacement that sometimes proves to be even better than a traditional movie theater.

Movies under the stars provide entertainment and can bring a community together. Event organizers can take their pick of locations, maybe a popular community park, or another location that is special to the community. An outdoor cinema also allows community members to come together and watch a movie all at the same time, rather than being limited by the size of a movie theater. Outdoor movies are being shown in communities all over, to provide a unique cinema experience. For towns without traditional movie theaters, outdoor cinema is even more special. In these towns, outdoor movies replace the movie theater experience by providing another cinema option. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Locations

When the show hit our screens in the early 1980's, it was the time before the internet, so finding out information like where the show was filmed was not easy. In modern times, you simply have to type in what you are looking for, and within seconds you have your answer.

Filming for the first 2 series of the show was mostly done in the UK, with London, Newcastle and Nottingham being used for outdoor locations. In series 1, many locations around London doubled on screen for areas of Newcastle, with only keen eyed viewers in 1983 knowing the difference.

In 1986, the show returned to our screens for a second series, and locations such as Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Spain being used on screen. Nottinghamshire was used for almost all of the UK filming, with the exception of a few scenes being filmed in Newcastle. Wolverhampton on screen was actually Beeston, Nottinghamshire and even an indoor scene in a Spanish pub was actually filmed also on location in Beeston.

It does take a very keen eyed viewer to notice that it is not where it says it is on screen, but many die hard fans of the show, will know exact spots where the cast such as Jimmy Nail and Kevin Whately stood and said there lines.

In 2002, the show was revived by the BBC, and places such as Middlesbrough were used. Newcastle was used also this time, and the show spread it's wings wide and filming was also done on location in Page, Arizona, USA.

2004, saw the 4th and also last 2 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet being shown on UK screens. This time the location on screen was Cuba, but as they could not acquire a license to film their, the Dominican Republic was used instead. At the end of 2004 2 episodes were shown over the Christmas period, and this brought an end to almost 25 years of the show being on our screens. Thailand was used on screen for these 2 final episodes, featuring 5 of the original cast. Sadly in 1986, Gary Holton died whilst filming the second series of the show, and then in 2004 Pat Roach died of cancer, and did not appear in the final episodes.

If you are going to travel around the UK or even the world looking for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet locations, then please remember that many of these places are private property. I have always been welcomed to the places I have visited, and most love the fast that their property or land was used on such an iconic tv show. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Watch Movies Online, How to Protect Yourself

Movies are the excellent stress busters that never let you fall prey to boredom. You can enjoy them wherever you want, in a cinema hall, at home on DVD player or online. Whereas these ways accompany varied benefits, they also have certain associated pitfalls. For example, visiting a theater and making all those expenditures on tickets, popcorn and soft drinks could take a heavy toll on your pocket. Likewise, the quality of DVD you play at home may or may not be up to the mark. Interestingly, the freedom to watch movies online without paying single penny sets you free from adopting the first two options. But whether this method is safe or not, let us find out.

Security concerns while watching flicks online:

Like all the other activities you perform online, enjoying online movies as well demands sedate security measures. Unfortunately if you lag behind at any step, you are likely to get trapped in the network of hackers and consequently your computer data could be at grave risk of being stolen. In addition, copyright owners could file lawsuits against you on the offense of copyright infringement. You would definitely not like the idea to get caught amid such hassles, would you?

Suitable protective measures:

With so many demerits of accessing movie websites, and downloading one to enjoy in your free time, you can easily decide to avoid this activity. But if you can bear a little bit patience and follow certain essential tips, protecting yourself from online hassles during your stint with online movies won't be that hard affair. Below are some important tips in this context:

• Keep distance from unsolicited links that ask you to download your preferred movie, they can trick you to open doors for the malware to enter into your system

• Utilizing a Virtual private network could let you add an additional security layer towards your endeavor of relishing a movie over the internet. It will hide your real IP address with a different IP and hence will keep you anonymous online.

• Browse through websites that allow you to watch or download movies legally. Prominently two types of films fall under this category, viz a viz, public domain flicks and movies that are licensed for online viewing.

Insight into safe film categories:

Public Domain Films: These types of motion pictures are copyrighted but have their links over the web for a very short span of time. You are free to enjoy them through live streaming or by downloading them, to watch later on. These films mostly belong to classic genre and hence could be of interest for a selected category of movie buffs. You may be asked to register with the concerned websites before moving ahead.

Licensed Films: This second category of legal films is duly licensed to be watched online. Compared to the first type, movies falling under this class are latest, laced with superseding sound feature and own high quality graphics. These flicks are often accompanied by short duration commercial ads, which could be termed as one the downsides to this film type. You would not be asked to register while accessing any such site, offering licensed films. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

HBO's Game of Thrones, As Good As The Book?

Game of Thrones is the title of the first book in a yet to be finished fantasy series by George R.R. Martin, entitled A Song Of Fire And Ice. Game Of Thrones is also a recently released game on 360 and PS3, a board game, a card game, a tabletop role playing game, a graphic novel, the subject of several iOS and Google Play apps, and an upcoming Facebook game. It's also one of the hottest IP's around right now, thanks largely in part to the wildly popular HBO program currently airing its second season, as well as the DVD/Blu-ray release of the Emmy and Golden Globe winning first season, available now.

I'll be honest. I'm a proponent of the tenet that the book is always better than the movie. Only in the cases where the book was written first, that is. If it says "The novelization based on the film" on the cover, then it's kindling. I'm snooty that way. Even when I know that the book is better, because it's always better, I'm still occasionally drawn to see a film adaptation. Maybe it's because a friend, or naive critic, says something like, "every bit as good as the book." Sometimes it's because I'm such a fan of the source material that I have to see how they butcher it with my own eyes.

Either way, whenever I see a film based on a book I've read, I always have one of three reactions: 1) Pleasantly surprised (i.e. Fight Club, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). 2) Decidedly indifferent (Trainspotting, Stephen King's It,). 3) Desporrified, a made-up word combining despair and horrified (Breakfast of Champions, everything else Stephen King's let become a movie that's not already listed here). In every case, whether surprised, indifferent or desporrified, I still come away thinking the book is superior to the film in every way. Until Game of Thrones that is. Now my worldview has been shattered.

To HBO's credit, the show remains very true to the source material, differing on only the very slightest of details. Much of the dialogue is straight from the novel, and in retrospect the pacing of the book is almost ideal for screenwriting. This may be due to Martin's previous work as a television writer, most notably for the mid-80's revival of The Twilight Zone. From the outset, the show seems to focus on Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

Early on in the series, he's tapped by his old friend Robert Baratheon, who has become King of the Seven Kingdoms, to help him rule as the king's top advisor, the Hand. Over the course of 10 episodes we're introduced to a myriad of nobles, charlatans, rogues and scoundrels, but at the close of season one it is apparent that the only real stars of the show are intrigue, the machinations of the court, and the things people will do while chasing power. Of course while people play their game, the shadow of a larger threat looms. Winter is coming.

It's hard to deny that the show is outstanding, as evidenced by the aforementioned Emmy and Golden Globe wins in Outstanding Drama Series and Best Television Series-Drama respectively. The casting is superb, and includes Peter Dinklage, who also won an Emmy for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister, and Sean Bean as Eddard 'Ned' Stark. Bean is probably best known for his portrayal of Boromir in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (Pleasantly surprised on that one, if you're keeping track).

The cinematography is excellent as well, and adds a visual element somewhat lacking in the books. Martin's writing is focused primarily on the characters, and flowery descriptions of the environments are few and far between. Largely shot in Northern Ireland and Malta, the sets and supporting shots are beautiful, and bring to life the keeps and castles in a way that Martin himself doesn't.

Although jokingly described as "The Sopranos in Middle-earth" by series co-creator David Benioff, the description is quite apt. Like Tolkien's trilogy, Game of Thrones would have to be considered "high fantasy" due to the presence of creatures of myth and mystical/magical elements. However these things play more in the background of Martin's books, as well as the show, with Game of Thrones leaning more towards the Middle Ages than Middle-earth. The Sopranos comparison is a little more apt. Like it, and many other HBO shows, Game of Thrones is decidedly adult. Nudity and gratuitous violence abound throughout the series, and are the only real source of complaint voiced by critics of the show.

However, if you're looking for a show that has all the backstabbing and violence of The Sopranos, all of the sex of Californication, and as many people covered in dirt as Deadwood, you should probably come down to Slackers and order the first season of Game of Thrones on Blu-ray or DVD today. Even if you're not looking for a new show to watch, you still need to check this one out. I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but it really is as good as the book. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Small Towns Without Movie Theaters Show Movies Outdoors

Outdoor movie events bring the movie theater experience outside to create a fun and unique cinema experience. Modern equipment allow outdoor movie viewers to enjoy the same high quality experience enjoyed by traditional movie house patrons. For towns without movie theaters, outdoor movies are a great alternative.

Currently, there are small towns all over the country without cinema complexes. By 2013, more small movie-picture theaters could be closing their doors when the movie industry switches to all-digital technology. Films will no longer be released in traditional 35 millimeter film prints, and theaters without the technology to show digital films will be forced to shut down. The cost of converting to digital in a movie house is around $65,000, leaving this conversion out of reach for many small, older movie theaters.

There are already many towns without a motion picture theater, and this change will lead to more. Residents of towns like this are left with the options of missing out on these movies or traveling to a town with a movie theater. Portable inflatable cinema technology gives these communities another option: outdoor cinema.

Inflatable movie screens are available in a variety of sizes to fit into many different locations, and accommodate small or large crowds. High quality theatrical screens and HD projectors, along with clear sound, bring the movie theater experience to any location. An outdoor movie can be held almost anywhere; holding it at a historic site or downtown can enhance the experience and make it more special for the community.

Going out to see a new movie with friends or family is a completely different experience than watching it at home. Small towns without theaters and those that stand to lose a theater with the digital conversion will be missing out. Outdoor cinema technology can provide a replacement that sometimes proves to be even better than a traditional movie theater.

Movies under the stars provide entertainment and can bring a community together. Event organizers can take their pick of locations, maybe a popular community park, or another location that is special to the community. An outdoor cinema also allows community members to come together and watch a movie all at the same time, rather than being limited by the size of a movie theater. Outdoor movies are being shown in communities all over, to provide a unique cinema experience. For towns without traditional movie theaters, outdoor cinema is even more special. In these towns, outdoor movies replace the movie theater experience by providing another cinema option. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Locations

When the show hit our screens in the early 1980's, it was the time before the internet, so finding out information like where the show was filmed was not easy. In modern times, you simply have to type in what you are looking for, and within seconds you have your answer.

Filming for the first 2 series of the show was mostly done in the UK, with London, Newcastle and Nottingham being used for outdoor locations. In series 1, many locations around London doubled on screen for areas of Newcastle, with only keen eyed viewers in 1983 knowing the difference.

In 1986, the show returned to our screens for a second series, and locations such as Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Spain being used on screen. Nottinghamshire was used for almost all of the UK filming, with the exception of a few scenes being filmed in Newcastle. Wolverhampton on screen was actually Beeston, Nottinghamshire and even an indoor scene in a Spanish pub was actually filmed also on location in Beeston.

It does take a very keen eyed viewer to notice that it is not where it says it is on screen, but many die hard fans of the show, will know exact spots where the cast such as Jimmy Nail and Kevin Whately stood and said there lines.

In 2002, the show was revived by the BBC, and places such as Middlesbrough were used. Newcastle was used also this time, and the show spread it's wings wide and filming was also done on location in Page, Arizona, USA.

2004, saw the 4th and also last 2 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet being shown on UK screens. This time the location on screen was Cuba, but as they could not acquire a license to film their, the Dominican Republic was used instead. At the end of 2004 2 episodes were shown over the Christmas period, and this brought an end to almost 25 years of the show being on our screens. Thailand was used on screen for these 2 final episodes, featuring 5 of the original cast. Sadly in 1986, Gary Holton died whilst filming the second series of the show, and then in 2004 Pat Roach died of cancer, and did not appear in the final episodes.

If you are going to travel around the UK or even the world looking for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet locations, then please remember that many of these places are private property. I have always been welcomed to the places I have visited, and most love the fast that their property or land was used on such an iconic tv show. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

HBO's Game of Thrones, As Good As The Book?

Game of Thrones is the title of the first book in a yet to be finished fantasy series by George R.R. Martin, entitled A Song Of Fire And Ice. Game Of Thrones is also a recently released game on 360 and PS3, a board game, a card game, a tabletop role playing game, a graphic novel, the subject of several iOS and Google Play apps, and an upcoming Facebook game. It's also one of the hottest IP's around right now, thanks largely in part to the wildly popular HBO program currently airing its second season, as well as the DVD/Blu-ray release of the Emmy and Golden Globe winning first season, available now.

I'll be honest. I'm a proponent of the tenet that the book is always better than the movie. Only in the cases where the book was written first, that is. If it says "The novelization based on the film" on the cover, then it's kindling. I'm snooty that way. Even when I know that the book is better, because it's always better, I'm still occasionally drawn to see a film adaptation. Maybe it's because a friend, or naive critic, says something like, "every bit as good as the book." Sometimes it's because I'm such a fan of the source material that I have to see how they butcher it with my own eyes.

Either way, whenever I see a film based on a book I've read, I always have one of three reactions: 1) Pleasantly surprised (i.e. Fight Club, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). 2) Decidedly indifferent (Trainspotting, Stephen King's It,). 3) Desporrified, a made-up word combining despair and horrified (Breakfast of Champions, everything else Stephen King's let become a movie that's not already listed here). In every case, whether surprised, indifferent or desporrified, I still come away thinking the book is superior to the film in every way. Until Game of Thrones that is. Now my worldview has been shattered.

To HBO's credit, the show remains very true to the source material, differing on only the very slightest of details. Much of the dialogue is straight from the novel, and in retrospect the pacing of the book is almost ideal for screenwriting. This may be due to Martin's previous work as a television writer, most notably for the mid-80's revival of The Twilight Zone. From the outset, the show seems to focus on Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

Early on in the series, he's tapped by his old friend Robert Baratheon, who has become King of the Seven Kingdoms, to help him rule as the king's top advisor, the Hand. Over the course of 10 episodes we're introduced to a myriad of nobles, charlatans, rogues and scoundrels, but at the close of season one it is apparent that the only real stars of the show are intrigue, the machinations of the court, and the things people will do while chasing power. Of course while people play their game, the shadow of a larger threat looms. Winter is coming.

It's hard to deny that the show is outstanding, as evidenced by the aforementioned Emmy and Golden Globe wins in Outstanding Drama Series and Best Television Series-Drama respectively. The casting is superb, and includes Peter Dinklage, who also won an Emmy for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister, and Sean Bean as Eddard 'Ned' Stark. Bean is probably best known for his portrayal of Boromir in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (Pleasantly surprised on that one, if you're keeping track).

The cinematography is excellent as well, and adds a visual element somewhat lacking in the books. Martin's writing is focused primarily on the characters, and flowery descriptions of the environments are few and far between. Largely shot in Northern Ireland and Malta, the sets and supporting shots are beautiful, and bring to life the keeps and castles in a way that Martin himself doesn't.

Although jokingly described as "The Sopranos in Middle-earth" by series co-creator David Benioff, the description is quite apt. Like Tolkien's trilogy, Game of Thrones would have to be considered "high fantasy" due to the presence of creatures of myth and mystical/magical elements. However these things play more in the background of Martin's books, as well as the show, with Game of Thrones leaning more towards the Middle Ages than Middle-earth. The Sopranos comparison is a little more apt. Like it, and many other HBO shows, Game of Thrones is decidedly adult. Nudity and gratuitous violence abound throughout the series, and are the only real source of complaint voiced by critics of the show.

However, if you're looking for a show that has all the backstabbing and violence of The Sopranos, all of the sex of Californication, and as many people covered in dirt as Deadwood, you should probably come down to Slackers and order the first season of Game of Thrones on Blu-ray or DVD today. Even if you're not looking for a new show to watch, you still need to check this one out. I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but it really is as good as the book. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Prometheus Review, Symbols and Themes

Prometheus, directed and produced by Ridley Scott, had quite a bit of hype, especially from me. It was great, and had a few plot holes in the second half that didn't quite ruin it, but were unpleasant. Many viewers will not "get it" if they have not seen and remember the original Alien movie. It's not just another shoot-em-up sci-fi movie, it's a pretty big deal for fans of the series. If you plan on seeing Prometheus and don't remember the 1979 Alien film or haven't seen it, I think it's essential that you watch Alien first.

The characters were good. Not phenomenal, but good. And the acting was excellent, for the most part. I felt sorry for the archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, and I just wanted to give her a hug the whole second half of the movie. The android, David, was also a memorable character. Elements of Blade Runner were present in this character, specifically the idea of the "tears in the rain" monologue. In fact, the actor for the android avoided watching the original Alien movies, and instead got the inspiration for his character from Blade Runner.

The two screen writers, John Spaihts and Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost), did a decent job. Spaihts is somewhat new to the writing scene, but has experience writing sci-fi. He wrote the original script, but then Lindelof rewrote it, probably fixing some things while creating more plot holes. I think it was the script that took away the most from the film. I don't know which writer is more responsible. But I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say Lindelof, considering he's been writing about being stranded on a tropical island for years, and then suddenly jumps into the sci-fi genre. Seriously, someone who once wrote for a MTV show called Undressed--clearly a sign of writing just for money--has no business messing with the Alien universe. I just had to let that out.

The cinematography was amazing. Just as expected from a Ridley Scott movie. The intro shots were especially good, and the imagery provided in the opening scene let me know that Scott had not forgotten that important part of Alien. Most of Scott's movies are deep and full of thematic elements. He did not disappoint with this one.

SPOILERS BELOW

The movie opens with a humanoid, pale alien standing on top of a waterfall on Earth, probably tens of thousands of years ago. He drinks a black liquid (which seems to be alive) and we witness rapid changes in his DNA, as the strands are twisted apart. His skin starts to deteriorate and he falls into the waterfall, with his limbs falling apart. He dies and supposedly plants his DNA in Earth, so it can have life. I think the purpose of this scene is to show that the humanoid aliens are responsible for life on Earth.

The first half of the movie is the best. I appreciate buildup. The two main scientists are trying to discover these "Engineers" on an alien planet, indicated by star maps found across Earth. The Engineers are assumed to be the creators of human life; the humanoid at the beginning scene was an Engineer. I find it funny that Meredith, the Weyland Corporation employee, is so controlling of their expedition. It's allegorical to PhD researchers who have to deal with being controlled all the time.

Throughout the first half especially, it was surprisingly philosophical and spiritual. I know that Ridley Scott wanted to take it this way; he believes that most science fiction films don't cover these topics, when they should. During their transit to the alien planet, which takes two years in cryosleep, David (the android) observes Shaw's (the female archaeologist) dreams. In the dream she is a little girl with her dad on what seems to be a digging expedition. A cross necklace appears over the image in the dream a few times; this symbol becomes important later on. She and her dad discuss what happens after death, and her dad says it's something like paradise. She asks why he says so, and he replies "because that's what I choose to believe."

David, being an android who is troubled by his existence, is the main cause of all the trouble that ensues. At one point he asks Charlie Holloway (Shaw's love interest) why they created him. Holloway replies "because we could." David goes on to ask if Holloway would be satisfied if he asked his creator that question, and got the same answer. There are many points like this in the movie, which help propagate the existential dilemma that exists in the human mind. The whole philosophical part of the movie is based around the "greatest question," regarding who/what created us and why, who created the creator and why, and so on. I think the important conclusion in the movie to this question, is that there is no answer, and never will be. It's about living with existence and enjoying it best you can.

It's not exactly known why David infects Holloway with the black fluid. It's either due to his immense curiosity or receiving orders from Peter Weyland, who is secretly hiding on the ship. After Holloway is infected by taking the drink offered to him by David, he visits Shaw in her room. She's found that the Engineer's DNA is a match to human DNA. Holloway says they've found their creators, and tells her she can take her father's cross off now. She refuses to, saying that they don't know who created their creators.

We learn that Shaw is unable to bear children, and she's quite upset about it. The two proceed to sleep together that night. And it's easy to see it coming that whatever was in Holloway's system would be in her system now. On their next expedition outside, Holloway becomes too sick and ends up volunteering to be immolated, to avoid spreading the infection. The event was traumatic for Shaw, but Holloway's death didn't have much of an impact on the plot.

After Holloway's death, David is checking Shaw for infections in the medical bay. David insists that she takes off her cross necklace for the body scan. She complies and David takes the cross. She learns that she is three months pregnant. It's also revealed that it is "not a traditional fetus." Almost immediately after learning this, she says "I want it out" and screams "get it out of me."Â Just ten hours ago, she was desperate to have a child, and now she wants an abortion. She doesn't know whether or not it's dangerous, but she assumes it is. David reflects on the circumstances and says "it must feel like your God abandoned you." The symbolism here is obvious.

The next scene is one of the most disturbing I've seen in a movie, not just because of the graphic aspect, but the emotion as well. Shaw escapes from the medical bay and finds the emergency surgery pod, in hopes to remove the developing fetus. She finds out that the pod is meant for male patients only, after requesting a caesarean section. I find it odd that it would be calibrated for male patients only. There's a symbolic importance in this, I haven't quite figured it out yet. She proceeds to have a "foreign body" removal surgery instead, and injects herself with painkillers and enters the pod. The painkillers are not enough for anesthesia, and the process is painful. Her lower stomach is slit open and a mechanical arm reaches in and pulls out the alien fetus, which begins squirming violently, trying to get back inside her stomach.

She's now trapped inside the surgery pod with the partially developed alien baby being held above her, as her stomach is stitched back up. She manages to get out of the pod and contain the alien inside. Since it was moving around in her stomach, it was probably gestated enough to survive on its own outside. I think Ridley Scott was referring to this scene and a few others when he was asked about the rating and said "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference... essentially it's kinda R... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful."

What happened next really threw me off. She re-enters the medical bay and it is revealed that Peter Weyland, the founder of the Weyland company, is alive and aboard the ship. The main reason this threw me off is because the mood set from the last scene was completely lost and forgotten. There is no mention ever made by anyone of the alien fetus that was inside Shaw. But her pain is still clearly presented.

So Peter Weyland is much too old to be alive (obviously being kept alive by technology--transhumanism) and wishes to ask the Engineers to extend his life. His character is someone who has not accepted death, and is desperately clinging to life. In order for him to walk into the buried ship with the Engineers, he must have mechanical assistance from a suit he wears. He doesn't even get to ask his question to the awakened Engineer before being pummeled to death by it. I guess he got his answer.

The Engineer that was awakened doesn't appear that intelligent, even though they are presented as super-intelligent beings. He refuses trying to communicate with the humans and just resorts to killing them. He then readies the ship in order to go to Earth and spread the black liquid among the population, which appears to be a biological weapon at this point, which mutates humans into overpowered monsters. This is the part of the plot that's annoying, it feels like it was just kind of thrown in there.

The captain back on the human ship decides to sacrifice himself to bring down the ship by suicide bombing it, to prevent Earth from being destroyed. The two other crew members on the bridge agree to sacrifice themselves as well. They had previously made a bet, and one agrees to pay up "on the other side." The cinematography at work here is clearly stating the importance of their belief in the afterlife. They raise their hands, as if riding a roller coaster, before they collide with the alien ship. It's noticeable that the daughter of Peter Weyland is also desperately clinging to life. We see her struggling to make it to an escape pod and put on a space suit in time. She makes it out, but is still crushed by the crashing alien ship, revealing that her struggle was meaningless.

Shaw manages to survive the crash and makes it back to the surgery pod room where the alien that she carried is contained. It has grown to be huge and resembles an octopus (which was actually Dan O'Bannon's original idea of the facehugger). David, who has been decapitated but is still functioning, radios her and warns her of the Engineer who is approaching the ship. I'm not sure why the Engineer found it necessary to try and kill her. Maybe he was just angry after his ship crashed, or trying to eliminate all the humans that were left. When the Engineer enters, she opens the containment area and the octopus alien is released. I'm going to call it the Master Facehugger, since it's basically a very large facehugger and starts the whole process of the queen alien, except it resembles a sea monster more than a crab or a spider. So the Master Facehugger grabs hold of the Engineer while Shaw escapes, and latches onto him to begin the process of alien gestation.

After Shaw finds David, she asks him where her cross necklace is. It seems that after finding David and putting the necklace on, she has regained her strength to keep going. Just before this, she was lying on the ground, telling David "I can't do this anymore." After that, she puts David's head in a duffel bag and gets out of the ship (this generated many laughs in the theatre). Most of the ending dialogue between Shaw and David was weak and not well thought out.

Death acceptance and death denial are huge thematic elements. During the dream early in the film, Shaw as a little girl saw a man being carried in a funeral and asked her dad why he died. Her dad says, "sooner or later, everyone dies." It sometimes seems, that part of the crew is clinging to their current life, and the other part may be clinging to the afterlife. It proposes the question--what does it mean to accept death? It's symbolic to the never-ending struggle to find peace with existence.

The theme regarding motherhood and abortion is also important. A friend of mine pointed out an interesting fact in the Aliens film. When Ripley finds the queen alien, it's kind of a horrifying scene, and she has all of her eggs around her and is violent, in a less-than-happy situation. That particular movie was released during a time when feminism was starting to become successful. The Alien franchise has always carried a subliminal message.

For those who don't believe Alien movies have an underlying message, read what the screenwriter for the 1979 movie, Dan O'Bannon, said: "One thing that people are all disturbed about is sex... I said 'That's how I'm going to attack the audience; I'm going to attack them sexually. And I'm not going to go after the women in the audience, I'm going to attack the men. I am going to put in every image I can think of to make the men in the audience cross their legs. Homosexual oral rape, birth. The thing lays its eggs down your throat, the whole number.'"

So, in reality, there's much more going on in movies than most people are aware of. Only certain people will see it, and some will interpret it differently. That's alright, that's what art is meant for.

Another thing worth mentioning are the snake-like monsters they found. Before those appeared, an earthworm was shown in the soil around the area. So after the black liquid was released, the earthworm must have been infected and morphed into the monster.

Also, the ending sequence of the Xenomorph (black colored alien) leaves more questions. It would seem that it is the queen alien, and it proceeds to lay eggs in the crashed ship, which they find in the original movie. If it's not the queen alien, then there's still the possibility of using the other live Engineers that are sleeping for gestation. Either way, it makes enough sense to proceed to the original movie. Although, the Space Jockey scene is not exactly explained. Note: these were my original thoughts on the Xenomorph at the end, right after viewing. It's been confirmed that they are actually on a different planetoid.

There has been some speculation that the pale-skinned humanoid aliens are not the Engineers. I'd consider this a definite possibility, which opens up another great batch of questions. Looks like we'll have to wait for a sequel to Prometheus to know for sure.

Overall, it's a very thought provoking and stunning film. The visual effects and sound were incredible, and the use of CGI didn't take anything away from the movie. In the end, however, the original 1979 Alien will always be the most memorable one.

youtube.com/watch?v=iIJeQNyZ6VE. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Watch Movies Online, How to Protect Yourself

Movies are the excellent stress busters that never let you fall prey to boredom. You can enjoy them wherever you want, in a cinema hall, at home on DVD player or online. Whereas these ways accompany varied benefits, they also have certain associated pitfalls. For example, visiting a theater and making all those expenditures on tickets, popcorn and soft drinks could take a heavy toll on your pocket. Likewise, the quality of DVD you play at home may or may not be up to the mark. Interestingly, the freedom to watch movies online without paying single penny sets you free from adopting the first two options. But whether this method is safe or not, let us find out.

Security concerns while watching flicks online:

Like all the other activities you perform online, enjoying online movies as well demands sedate security measures. Unfortunately if you lag behind at any step, you are likely to get trapped in the network of hackers and consequently your computer data could be at grave risk of being stolen. In addition, copyright owners could file lawsuits against you on the offense of copyright infringement. You would definitely not like the idea to get caught amid such hassles, would you?

Suitable protective measures:

With so many demerits of accessing movie websites, and downloading one to enjoy in your free time, you can easily decide to avoid this activity. But if you can bear a little bit patience and follow certain essential tips, protecting yourself from online hassles during your stint with online movies won't be that hard affair. Below are some important tips in this context:

• Keep distance from unsolicited links that ask you to download your preferred movie, they can trick you to open doors for the malware to enter into your system

• Utilizing a Virtual private network could let you add an additional security layer towards your endeavor of relishing a movie over the internet. It will hide your real IP address with a different IP and hence will keep you anonymous online.

• Browse through websites that allow you to watch or download movies legally. Prominently two types of films fall under this category, viz a viz, public domain flicks and movies that are licensed for online viewing.

Insight into safe film categories:

Public Domain Films: These types of motion pictures are copyrighted but have their links over the web for a very short span of time. You are free to enjoy them through live streaming or by downloading them, to watch later on. These films mostly belong to classic genre and hence could be of interest for a selected category of movie buffs. You may be asked to register with the concerned websites before moving ahead.

Licensed Films: This second category of legal films is duly licensed to be watched online. Compared to the first type, movies falling under this class are latest, laced with superseding sound feature and own high quality graphics. These flicks are often accompanied by short duration commercial ads, which could be termed as one the downsides to this film type. You would not be asked to register while accessing any such site, offering licensed films. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

It's a Knockout

Its's a Knockout TV Series

The iconic television series It's a Knockout had an illustrious innings. Beginning in the UK in 1966, it transmitted its last show in 2001. In one special programme, it even had members of the British royal family, Princes Andrew and Edward, Princess Anne and Fergie, as team leaders.

Despite its British team character and typically Anglo-saxon slapstick humour, the series was the brainchild of French Premier Charles de Gaulle, who mooted the European version of the series, Jeux San Frontieres, as a way of uniting European nations in friendship and fun. It even provided the inspiration for Peter Gabriel's song Games without Frontiers, a eulogy to the TV phenomenon.

In the UK, the show hosted 3 teams each week, for example Bristol, Bath and Minehead, all hotly competing for the much sought after 'Tip Top Town Trophy'. The programme billed itself as 'an inter-town contest of skill and strength' and the population of Britain collectively tuned in to watch. In its heyday, in the 70s and 80s, the show boasted audiences of up to 16 million.

As the theme tune 'Bean bag' by Herb Alpert and Tijuanna Brass started playing, people knew that they were in for madness, mayhem and a right good laugh. The teams competed against each other in obstacle races and silly versions of games lifted from the Olympics, school sports days and the producer's fertile imagination.

The competitors always had to wear costumes and these were usually enormous. The huge feet and giant bodies and heads made the racers cumbersome and clumsy and hilariously liable to fall over.

There were relay races, massive rubber inflatables and vast quantities of foam and water, for slipping, sliding and generally getting dunked in. Part of the show's appeal was its jolly, colourful, slapstick and custard pie nature, but perhaps the main factor in its success was the eccentric presenter Stuart Hall, whose infectious laugh sent audiences, and himself, into peals of uncontrollable laughter. If teams did well, they could compete for Great Britain in Jeux Sans Frontieres.

With a bigger budget, and an even bigger audience, the show featured ever more outlandish costumes and fancier props. One game featured giant Frankenstein chasing a flower-planting damsel in a mini-dress and the immortal line "just a friendly tap and he's fractured her skull, but never mind". With penguin suits, revolving platforms, plenty of competitors getting utterly soaked and a punchline of "here come the Belgians", it was a runaway Saturday night success.

For the Brits, as with all great British endeavours, it was the taking part that counted. Love it or loathe it, it was ground breaking TV and it epitomised the best of British spirit in a nutshell. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.