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eatomson
Reviews
King Charles III (2017)
Don't mind the 'Shakespearian' language.
Previous reviews have mentioned the odd 'iambic' Shakespearian language, suggesting that it might discourage people. I thought it was effective, in showing the distance between the Royals' lives and 'reality'. And if you listen, it makes sense even to those who 'doth daily go, back and forth, upon the Clapham omnibus', as the Prime Minister describes the regular people who have always backed the Royals. If it were spoken in normal 'posh' English, it would sound like some soap opera, 'Real Housewives of Windsor' perhaps. Or some show about the doings at a big family-run firm. My down-votes were for the dim lighting in too many scenes, and the depiction of Kate Middleton, which, I suppose in an effort to give her something to do, made her a scheming political creature.
I would like to see the playwright do Edward VII and Edward VIII. The first also waited most of his life to take the throne, and the second gave up his throne 'for the woman he loved'.
The Egyptian Job (2011)
NOT a movie, but an interesting idea
A documentary on Egyptian tomb-robbing, done as deconstruction/re-enactment of a theoretical robbery, with analysis and conjecture by 'experts' (persons labeled with areas of expertise, no idea if they're real or actors). I kept thinking this would make an interesting actual movie, ie 'Ocean's Eleven' set in ancient Egypt. Possibly as a comedy, although I'm perhaps overly influenced by the 'mastermind' having quite a resemblance to Rowan Atkinson. I kept expecting Baldrick to turn up as one of the 'gang'.
Interesting enough, although somewhat choppy, due to the premise: they keep cutting from the re-enactment to the commenters.
Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994)
How to fix the two Doves.
First, I have no idea what is a spoiler for a canceled TV series that has fan-fic, an episode guide and is available on DVD, but for the sake of those who haven't seen the First Season all the way through, I will try to avoid mentioning the MAJOR EVENT IN THE LAST EPISODE. Also, I know that this comment is pointless, the show is over, but I make it for the benefit of future Westerns (no, not 'Firefly'). Lonesome Dove was changed into Outlaw Years because of low ratings caused by being too rough for the 'Little House on the Prairie' crowd, and too gentle for the contemporary taste in filmed Westerns. So they dirtied up the town, darkened the tone and lost all the viewers. The 'violence' crowd didn't give it a second chance and the fans of young love were horrified. Either approach would have worked with a little tweaking but I think the flip-flop did it in. The show should have started with the two protagonists riding into town. Young eager undomesticated Newt, hardened, power-hungry Mosby. The series then proceeds through a blend of darkened season one and Outlaw Years. End of the first season, when everyone is established, Hannah and her father come to town to start a paper. Both men fall in love, the courtship is longer, at least all season, rivalries of the two men mixed with the usual adventures, town-building etc. The idea is that gradually you would see change as the railway comes, the town develops and the men grow and mature. Over time the tone could lighten or you could have the young-love scenes set in a bright lighter-toned contrast to the darker adventures in town.