Bond Legends – Game Review

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‘Do you expect me to be a great game Mr Goldfinger…?’

‘No Mr Bond, I expect you to be a crap Movie tie in and destroy your own fanbase…hahaha!’

If everyone was to be completely honest James Bond’s history in video games is a bit of a mixed bunch, on one hand you have got gaming classics like GoldenEye, a decent enough gaming experience with Everything or Nothing, average entries like Agent Under Fire, then you have crap titles like GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. Where would I put 007 Legends? Hmmm – the bottom. Sorry to say it fans but it’s true.

It’s a game I really looked forward to and wanted to enjoy. Hand on my heart I am an avid bond fan and I’ve been enjoying every single one of the films since I was a child. So seeing the trailers for this game, having been told it was the best bits of all the Bond movies I was eager with anticipation on how they were going to do it. Receiving the game early for review ahead of the forthcoming Skyfall film made all of those child-like instincts come out. Yes, Christmas was going to arrive early for me. There it was, sealed in front of me and even though it was 12pm at night I just had to play it. I soon wished I hadn’t. It soon dawned on me that it was one mess of a title that felt untested, incomplete, and well, boring. What happens to children’s dreams eh? Where’s Father Christmas or even Ms Christmas when you need them?

The concept is pretty sound, and one that even I could get my head around. At the beginning of 007 Legends there is a scene showcased from the trailer for the film Skyfall. Daniel Craig as 007 is mistakenly shot by a sniper and falls off a speeding train. Hitting the river below, (in this game at least) causes Bond’s life to flash before his eyes. We can make a fair assumption that he is perhaps thinking or seeing key moments from his life. Next thing you know you are walking into a room where a deceased young girl is sprawled out over a bed covered in gold. A mobile phone rings, the camera turns, you see Daniel Craig answer it and then it cuts to the intro sequence. You get the idea, this is going to be the best missions of Bond but what would have happened if it was Daniel Craig’s iteration. Fair enough I thought – great. The intro sequence was typical Bond style with elements of Goldfinger’s soundtrack, sexy saxaphones, and building orchestral crescendos. Alas, introductions alone do not make a game and once the game actually started I soon realised I was in a poor iteration of Modern Warfare.

Each section plays out in the game’s five missions each based on a different Bond classic Goldfinger, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Die Another Day, License to Kill, and Moonraker. Skyfall we are assured will be downloadable after the movie release. 007 is a straight faced FPS (First Person Shooter) and like Modern Warfare there are sections where you will be driving and shooting either trying to catch up with someone or trying to escape. There are times where the shooter element in Legends works – some fire fights are genuinely intense and when you first start playing you don’t realise the lack of attention to game structure or even gameplay. But when this game doesn’t work, it really doesn’t; that’s when you realise that despite the change in levels, each game within the game is essentially the same.

To be fair the graphics are of high quality and the rendering of beloved Bond enemies such as Goldfinger, Odd Job and Pussy Galore is gorgeous to see. It’s just a shame that the attention to detail couldn’t be extended to the voice acting. Fine – the actors might not have wanted to put their voices to their onscreen counterparts but they should have at least got people that sounded like them. At one point Pussy Galore asks Bond his name and he just says casual as you like ‘James Bond’; no build up, no nothing, he might as well have been Soap Mactavish. It gets to a point where even the major set-piece battles end up remarkably dull. It really annoys me that the developers failed to capitalise more on the films they sought to use, after all, the film franchise has so many memorable moments and villains, they should have had the pick of the bunch. It’s such a shame that they did not lavish greater attention on them instead of just coating them over.

At some points Bond needs to do little more than follow onscreen indicators that make even taking on Odd Job a walk in the park and every Bond villain receives the same terrible fate. I’ve heard some people talk about stealth sections being a major selling point, but even this was not thought through properly. You see, enemies become alerted when they see dead bodies however as Bond you cannot carry or hide bodies. This means that although you can incapacitate an enemy and get passed them the alarm will nearly always be raised and you end up having a shoot-out anyway. What is the point? On other stages the difficulty level becomes impeccably ramped up causing you to die and restart the entire stage again because the game has failed to save. One would think that problems like these would have been raised and ironed out at the play-testing stage, surely?

My Verdict

Im not going to go on about this game any further because I think you get the picture. Everything about my experience of this game points towards a rushed development, one that was focused on releasing the game as close as possible to Skyfall’s cinematic release which is a shame because they could have developed a higher quality game based on Skyfall instead and released it later and no one would have blinked a golden eye. As it is, this game is below par. Its such a shame because the world of James Bond is almost custom-built for an awesome gaming experience, but Activision deserves a slap on the wrist and should be sent to their room early for putting out this poor excuse for gaming in 007 Legends.

4.5/10

Dishonoured – Game Review

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I begin this review with an apology – it is to my own regret that it took me so long to sufficiently play this game before I was capable of writing this review. I have always prided myself on never writing a review until I have at least completed the game a satisfactory number of times. I feel that only then can I put a reasonable perspective and objective view to a title. The only exception to this is when a game is crap and a second or third play through is unwarranted. However, with Dishonoured I felt like it was too much of a good thing, like going into a sweet shop as a child, being told that I could have everything I wanted and then being perplexed by nothing other than abundance of choice.

Choice in itself is one of the main appealing factors of Dishonoured; a game which isn’t afraid to demand that you think for yourself, that you make choices and reap either the rewards or consequences. In a world of FPS (First Person Shooters), Open world sandbox games, linear game plays, and storylines that essentially make choices for you it is refreshingly different. But this is not entirely not to be expected, its creative team includes alumni from PC favourites System Shock, Deus Ex, Half-Life 2 and Arx Fatalis; games that prided themselves on open world exploration.

For those unaware of the concept behind Dishonored, it’s a first-person stealth and/or action title. But to merit the game solely on this premise takes away from Dishonoured’s real pleasure which is providing the player with a dynamic open world experience. Taking place in the noir-esque plague ridden city of Dunwall, you take on the role of Corvo Attano, a former bodyguard of the Empress – a woman who is desperately trying to save a ruined city from further destruction. Finding yourself wrongly framed for her murder, Corvo is given to opportunity to take revenge on the corrupt officials who were behind her death.

The game kicks off with a short level swiftly introducing you to the basic controls as Corvo is accused of the Empress’ murder and linked with the disappearance of her daughter Emily. Jailed, tortured and with an execution on the horizon, it’s at this point that an ally offers you the chance to make an escape. From here on in Dishonoured is all about thinking on your feet, choice, variety and surviving. To give you an example of what this means in actual play there are no maps, no objective markers and to pick up food or items you have to actually look at it with your reticule and press the ‘take’ button. For some this might be a tad bit overwhelming; after all for many of us we are used to simply ‘stepping on’ food to pick it up and replenish our health – not so here; in a fight scenario you will have to consistently turn to face your enemy even if there is more than one of them. What’s more you will be required to both block and defend before attacking if you want to survive.

Cast as part-assassin, part supernatural superhero, Dishonored’s levels sets up an undesirable target of wealth of power before allowing you to go about executing them in whatever way you are able or your health and / or supernatural abilities will allow. Even though you are blessed with special abilities the enemies are powerful and numerous enough to warrant the need for stealth for most situations. The AI (artificial intelligence) used in the game is clever; Dunwall’s guards are far from stupid and can be ruthless – they will find bodies, call for reinforcements, send in dogs to sniff you out and once they have you in their sights they have no hesitation in taking you on. This means that you will have to resort to tactics such as creeping across the rooftops, squeezing underneath dilapidated constructions or rewiring security mechanisms.

Corvo’s abilities are split between his left and right hand, allowing you to either dual-wield a sword and crossbow or pistol, or to use a supernatural ability. This is all accessed via a radial menu, and your skills are upgraded by finding runes found in secret places dotted around each level.

Weaponry is a crucial part of Dishonored and is once again, all about choice. There’s a range of weapons that suit your playing style. Sleep darts are great if you want a non-lethal approach as is ‘Blink’ a nifty teleporting ability. But hey, if you’re not too fussed use your gun, sword or grenades; just be ready to take on the enemies as they come to investigate the ensuing noise. It has to be said that the voice acting in this game is truly superb and helps bring the game to life.

When it comes to supernatural abilities, Corvo has a basic arsenal for which more can be accessed in exchange for artefacts known as Runes which are scattered throughout the city. Each have their uses for example ‘Dark Vision’ shows enemies and their fields of vision through walls. ‘Devouring Swarm’ summons a pack of rats to devour enemies whereas ‘Possession’ allows you to take control of animals and people for a short duration; useful for getting into hidden areas or sneaking into rooms unseen.

At the end of each mission an overview will reveal your ‘Chaos Level’ which ranks you on the amount of times you were spotted, amount of times alarms raised and amount of dead bodies found. A ‘High’ level will result not only in fewer points but in raised defences by that city, more advanced level security systems implemented, a higher number of rats and plagues and an overall darker ending for the city. I’m not going to lie, the first time I played Dishonored I was like ‘whatever’ as I brutally took on guards left and right, however it was just a matter of time before that attitude faded as I realised my actions always had consequences especially towards the end of the game.

There are some areas Dishonoured falls short. The difficulty seems to jump from low to high and back again very quickly. Saving also seems to be sporadic when left to its own devices so I wholeheartedly recommend players to save whenever they can. Graphically Dishonoured does not disappoint but is far from what I was expecting. When you hear some reviewers saying that ‘it looks like a painting…only it moves’ and ‘Graphics that will make your eyes cry…’ one cannot help but build up expectations which lead to let down. I came away thinking these are reviews written by individuals that have been locked under the stairs for far too long. I’m sorry but no, the graphics are nothing special. Granted, they may look nice and moody and there is little in terms of gaudy shading that you tend to see in open world titles but no, my eyes did not cry and no, it did not look like any piece of artwork I have ever seen. I would say that graphically the game is both great and functional but not of a higher finesse than say Uncharted 3. Finally my last gripe is that there is no online multiplayer options which would have taken this game to the next level, it would have been incredible to play with or against friends in teams or even as part of the story – it is a huge shame that this is missing from the game.

The Verdict
Dishonored has one of those rare things in a game and that is choice, repercussions and consequences. Developer Arkane Studios had a tough order but they delivered with a game that is great fun and that rightfully deserves all the awards it has merited. Whilst the game is not without issues, it is a title I definitely think of as one of the best of the year – an enjoyable free roam experience that players can visit and revisit over and over again.

9.3 /10

BEAR CAVALRY AND CRUSHING BLOWS GIVE AWAY SPLIT TRACK TASTER PRIOR TO LIVERPOOL & LONDON SHOWS

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BEAR CAVALRY and CRUSHING BLOWS are giving away a split free download single as a taster for their free entry shows together on Sat 20th October at The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool and Tues 23rd October at The Old Blue Last, London.

 

Download, host and share the taster

 

CRUSHING BLOWS

RELEASE SELF TITLED EP Out 12 November  available as pay what you want here via Super Heavy Weight Records


John Robb, Louder Than War –  Kind of punky, kind of electro, a little bit thrash, a little bit pop. Crushing Blows may not be easy to describe but they are definitely worth your time to catch live.”

Artrocker – “Combining jaunty math rock with grungey 80s references and Battles-esque electro noise, they’ve managed to win over a host of radio fans, and it’s not surprising. This EP contains enough variation to keep the busiest of ears occupied.”

The noise pop band from Derbyshire have drawn comparisons to Battles, Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire and have been championed by Tom Robinson, Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens.

 

Said track, ‘The People Who You Will Never Meet’ was made ‘Track of the Week’ by Simon Raymonde (Bella Union) on his Amazing Radio show.


CB’s tour starts on Friday (19th) so they’ve decided to make their new EP available digitally on their bandcamp page –http://crushingblows.bandcamp.com. You can pay what you like for it. Pre orders of the CD still come with a free vinyl.

 

BEAR CAVARLY

NEW EP ‘Puryss’ on November 5th through Alcopop! Records

 

 

Rocksound – “Bear Cavalry’s music is an optimistic racket, merging math-rock rhythms with danceable sunshine pop.”

 

Musical Mathematics – “A bold statement of a band simultaneously having and eating their cake – a collection of sun-drenched hits in the making, filled to the brim with both angular guitar lines and unpredictable song structures.”

 

Previously championed by the likes of Rocksound who branded them ‘cheery summery math-rock akin to Foals and Tall Ships’,Edith Bowman and Steve Lamacq… Even Skrillex has got in on the act, loving their off-kilter cover of his hit ‘Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites’ so much that he used it to in his live sets.

 

Meanwhile, Nick Grimshaw, Annie Mac, Kissy Sell Out, John Kennedy and Tom Robinson have all pledged their allegiance too – not bad for a band only a couple of years in the making.

COLDPLAY No.1 Album Painting for Sale in London for Kids Company

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COLDPLAY AND PARIS FOR KIDS COMPANY29th November – 2nd December 2012

 

COLDPLAY AND PARIS ARE TO HOST AN EXCLUSIVE EXHIBITION OF ORIGINAL COLDPLAY ARTWORK AT PROUD GALLERIES, CAMDEN FROM 29 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER. 100% OF PROCEEDS FROM ARTWORK SALES WILL GO TO KIDS COMPANY, A CHILDREN’S CHARITY WHICH PROVIDES EMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TO VULNERABLE CHILDREN.

COLDPLAY posted this about it yesterday:  www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=1106

 

Coldplay have arranged an exclusive exhibition in conjunction with Kids Company, a charity that the group have supported for the last four years. The show, to open at Proud Galleries, Camden on 29 November, will feature three original paintings on canvas by Coldplay and their ‘Mylo Xyloto’ artwork collaborator Paris, as well as the original 7m X 2.5m graffiti wall that became the album artwork. A second wall painted by young children from Kids Company and Paris will be displayed alongside Coldplay’s larger wall.
Also available to purchase: three high-quality prints of the ‘Mylo Xyloto’ album artwork (each a limited edition of 8 and signed by the band); three high-quality album artwork prints (each a limited edition of 650 and signed by Paris); and unseen photographs from Coldplay’s ‘Mylo Xyloto’ world tour taken by Miller (aka Roadie #42), the band’s official tour photographer.

All work is for sale, with 100% of proceeds going to Kids Company, a children’s charity which reaches out to over 17,000 vulnerable young people in the most deprived areas of London. Coldplay’s last public benefit for the charity was in December 2011 when the group were joined by guest artists including Tinie Tempah and Emeli Sande in a benefit show at the 02 in London.


Chris Martin said; “Kids Company is a phenomenal organization that is very close to our hearts. While we were making the last album we did quite a lot of painting with our friend Paris. We built a special wall in our studio and sprayed it, wrote on it and threw things at it until it eventually became the artwork for ‘Mylo Xyloto’. This exhibition will be the first time that the wall has appeared in public”.

Will Champion added; “The big wall and the three paintings are all one-off Coldplay/Paris originals. The money raised will make a big difference to some of London’s most vulnerable children”.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder and Kids Company CEO, said; “The support Coldplay have given us over the years has been amazing. Art plays a major role in Kids Company’s work with vulnerable children: kids who have experienced trauma often find it easier to express themselves using art materials rather than words. Our recent award-winning exhibition in partnership with the Royal Academy demonstrated this very powerfully and poignantly”.

FRANKEL’S FAMOUS FANS OUT IN FORCE

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An array of stars from the world of television, sport and media have come out in force to heap praise on wonderhorse Frankel, in advance of his final appearance at Ascot for QIPCO British Champions Day on Saturday 20th October.

Amongst them is Michael Owen, a racehorse owner himself who said, “Like all athletic greats, Frankel has a knack of making exceptional opposition look inferior,” whilst fellow Premiership footballer Tom Cleverley said, “In football terms, Frankel reminds me of Ronaldo – big, strong, tall, imposing and most of all very fast. He’s an incredible horse.”

And the comparisons don’t stop there with TV presenter Clare Balding comparing him to Usain Bolt and the football pundit Robbie Savage likening Frankel’s domination of the sport to the record-breaking exploits of Arsenal’s Invicibles team of 2003-04.

And, according to super-middle weight boxing champion, Carl Froch, Frankel’s had to take more hits that his rivals in order to stay at the top of his game: “When you are the best, it’s harder to stay on top as rivals go at you that extra bit harder so they can be the one to say they beat you. So when you measure Frankel’s success and consider that, like a boxer, he’s had to take the hardest shots any of his rivals could muster, he’s a true sporting great.”

“Every sport needs a jaw-dropper. The kind of athlete who makes you stop and stare. Frankel is racing’s Usain Bolt. He makes it look so easy, it’s almost ridiculous. I feel privileged to have seen him race and I have certainly never seen a better horse in my lifetime.” Clare Balding, Presenter

“Like all athletic greats, Frankel has a knack of making exceptional opposition look inferior, or in his case, proper Group 1 horses shape like mere handicappers. His talent transcends our sport, like no other horse I can remember during my lifetime.” Michael Owen, Footballer

“It’s not often you get a sporting legend that’s not human, and even less often for something or someone to be unbeaten throughout a career. In football terms, Frankel reminds me of Ronaldo – big, strong, tall, imposing and most of all very fast. An incredible horse.” Tom Cleverley, Footballer

“It’s amazing to have such an incredible horse as Frankel. He’s better than anything else out there, so we’ve all been really lucky to have the chance to see him. It’s also been absolutely brilliant for Sir Henry Cecil – he’s not been in the best of health lately, so I’m really pleased he’s had Frankel to keep his spirits up.” Harry Redknapp, Football Manager

“Frankel’s achievements are the equivalent of Arsenal’s 2003-04 Invincibles side when they won every single one of their matches. Even people with no interest in the sport know all about Frankel as he is a total one off – and a great tribute to his trainer Sir Henry Cecil.” Robbie Savage, BBC football pundit

“The world’s best racehorse trained by the greatest trainer I’ve seen, Frankel and Sir Henry Cecil really are the perfect combination, and in what has been the most remarkable sporting year, their achievements will live long in the memory of all race fans.

“I was fortunate enough to be at Royal Ascot this summer to witness his extraordinary Queen Anne Stakes win, and incredibly he looked even better when stepping up in trip in the Juddmonte International at York. It is entirely fitting that Frankel is the headline act at the second QIPCO Champions Day, as he is without doubt the ultimate equine champion.” Jeremy Kyle, Presenter

“When you are the best, it’s harder to stay on top as rivals go at you that extra bit harder so they can be the one to say they beat you. So when you measure Frankel’s success and consider that, like a boxer, he’s had to take the hardest shots any of his rivals could muster, he’s a true sporting great.” Carl Froch, Champion Boxer

“I think Frankel is a freak; he has to be the best flat horse of all time.” Nick Skelton, Olympic Gold Medallist

“Frankel is a phenomenon, a once in a lifetime horse who has made the difficult leap from a star of our sport to a superstar that has transcended racing.” Alex Hammond, Sky Sports

“Henry and his team have handled Frankel impeccably. When he accelerates, he destroys the opposition in about 100yds. He is a magnificent racing machine.” Sir Michael Stoute, Racehorse Trainer

“Quite simply the best horse I’ve ever seen in the flesh. Truly magnificent and I’m delighted for Sir Henry Cecil. We pray he wins.” Alan Brazil, Radio Presenter

 


QIPCO British Champions Series – the world’s finest Flat racing

www.britishchampionsseries.com

Boris voted as UK’s favourite political buddy

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The Prime Minister is left at the airport, as Boris Johnson is voted preferred getaway companion for UK holidaymakers

We all dream about the perfect holiday destination, but when it comes to choosing a holiday companion who would you pick? When asked about which politician they’d most like to go away with, more than half of Brits elected Boris Johnson as their ideal beach buddy.

The findings emerged in a study carried out by social travel website Gogobot. 58.6% of the 1,400 people polled voted for the Mayor of London, with David Cameron coming in second place (14.5%), followed by Ed Milliband (9.9%) and Nick Clegg (9.1%) in fourth place. Despite coming in third, Ed can console himself with the fact that he beaten his brother yet again, with David coming in at fifth place.

What’s more, it seems that Boris’ charm spans the generations; he topped the polls across all age groups surveyed. He was most popular amongst 18-24 year olds, getting 65% of their vote. Young people also put Nick Clegg in second place putting David Cameron in third, perhaps suggesting that Nick would make a better drinking buddy? For holidaymakers aged over 65 David Cameron also slips into third place, behind Ed Milliband.

Men were more likely than women to choose Boris. He took 58% of the male vote, followed by David Cameron in second place with 15% of the male vote. Boris managed to pick up 54% of the female vote, followed by Ed Milliband (at 26%).

Across the pond the presidential election race is hotting up, but Obama is edging ahead in the holiday stakes. In a separate survey, Americans said they would prefer to go away with Barack Obama (54.6%) to Mitt Romney (45.4%). American women to dream of having Obama as their beach buddy; he collected nearly two thirds of their votes, whilst the male vote was split evenly.

Brits preferred the idea of a holiday with Barack Obama, with over 70% of people booking flights with the current President, instead of Romney.

Travis Katz, CEO of Gogobot said: “The survey shows just how important it is that your holiday companion has the full package; brains and the personality to match. This week Arnold Schwarzenegger backed Boris, clambering on board a Boris Bike to show his support for Boris as a Prime Ministerial candidate. Arnie seems to think it’s his intelligence and charm which make him a good political candidate, and It seems that it’s Boris’ sense of fun that makes him a popular great candidate for a holiday too!

Travis Katz continued: “There is so much choice when it comes to planning a holiday, whether it’s trekking in the Andes, shopping in New York or Skiing in the Alp’s, we all need someone there to make it memorable. Maybe Boris has a more relaxed travelling style than David, hopefully he’s got some travel recommendations he can share with us!”

Top five UK politicians to go on holiday with:

1. Boris Johnson (58.6%)

2. David Cameron (14.5%)

3. Ed Milliband (9.9%)

4. Nick Clegg (9.1%)

5. David Milliband (7.9%)


Top five UK politicians for men

1. Boris Johnson (63.3%)

2. David Cameron (13.2%)

3. Ed Milliband (9.2%)

4. Nick Clegg (7.3%)

5. David Milliband (6.9%)

Top five UK politicians for women

1. Boris Johnson (54.5%)

2. David Cameron (16%)

3. Ed Milliband (11.3%)

4. Nick Clegg (10.1%)

5. David Milliband (8.1%)

US presidential candidates

UK response:

Barack Obama (70.8%)

Mitt Romney (28.2%)

Men

Barack Obama (66.3%)

Mitt Romney (33.7%)

Women

Barack Obama (76.8%)

Mitt Romney (23.2%)

US response:

Barack Obama (54.6%)

Mitt Romney (45.4%)

Men

Barack Obama (51%)

Mitt Romney (49%)

Women

Barack Obama (58.1%)

Mitt Romney (41.9%)

Dark Hearts Director Rudolf Buitendach On Film & Inspiration

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Frost went along to the world premier of Dark Hearts at the 2012 Raindance Film Festival. We had lots of fun and really enjoyed the film. Here is our interview with the film’s director, Rudolf.

Tell us about Dark Hearts

Dark Hearts is on one level a neo-noir, a film that gives a voice to the dark side – on another it is a film about passion and obsession and the thin line in-between. How some of us will give anything for our art,

Dark Hearts is an impressive first film. Are you happy with the finished film?

I find it very hard to watch anything I’ve done objectively, but thanks.


Dark Hearts reminded me of a film noir. Can you tell us about the general look and feel you were going for?

Yes, as mentioned above I consider it a neo-noir. I based the film’s palette on the rust and decay of Downtown LA’s art district. With the help of Travis Zariwny, a great production designer, Kees Van Oostrum a great DP and Suzanne Barnes, a great costume designer we wanted the ‘mise en scene’ to be portraits in themselves. I think we succeeded quite well in places, despite our modest budget.

Dark Hearts is your first feature film. Was it scary making the leap?

It wasn’t scary at all as I had done quite a few shorts at this point, I just wished I had a bit more time to enjoy losing my ‘feature virginity’

Tells us a bit about you. How did you get into film?

I was studying law when I saw a film that changed my life, Wim Wenders’ Wings Of Desire. I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life and enrolled in film school, I was hooked for life.

What is the hardest thing about directing films?

Everyone with a TV and a Facebook account fancies themselves a critic and no matter how hard you try to be original, someone will always try and rain on your parade

How was the process of financing?

It was very tough and in true indie style we didn’t have an official green light even days before the filming was about to commence. But I was very lucky that I had a brave producer Jack Bowyer who believed in me when push came to shove.

How did you choose the actors?

I had wonderful casting agents Lisa Essary and Heidi Levitt who brought most of the actors to audition and I picked them from there, apart from Lucas Till who came through a brilliant agent Larry Shapiro.

You had quite a short shooting schedule. Do you think that was a help or a hindrance?

It was neither, just a whirlwind.

Who is your inspiration?

I have many, starting with Luis Bunuel, the surrealist painters, the symbolists up to modern filmmakers like Park Chan Wook, Lynch, Gilliam, Cronenberg, Greenaway and Roy Andersson.

The film has an amazing score. Who chose the music?

I did, I’m lucky in that a lot of the artists were my friends. I also had help from a musical supervisor extraordinaire Bruce Lampcov.

What is next for you?

I am in post on my second feature ‘Where The Road Runs Out’ starring Isaach De Bankole, with another 2 scripts ready to roll, any financiers out there?

The Comic Strip Presents ‘Five Go To Rehab’

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Three decades after the renowned Five Go Mad in Dorset, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Peter Richardson and Ade Edmondson return to celebrate 30 years of the series, with The Comic Strip Presents ‘Five Go To Rehab’, which premieres on 7th November on GOLD at 9pm.

The famous children’s characters have been brought back from the past to confront today’s modern world, but this time they must account for their outmoded racist and sexist views. But the quintet seem blissfully unrepentant as they gather for a reunion on Dick’s birthday in leafy Dorset – still a magical land of rolling hills, woods, ruined castles and dodgy villains in big black cars.

Dick (Ade Edmondson) has changed little since those early years and is now Assistant Manager for Plasmold, a plastic guttering company in Dorking. Eager to rekindle the joys of their Famous Five youth, he has engineered a few surprises for their reunion. However the others are not as keen to revisit their past. George (Dawn French) is a struggling alcoholic with a string of ex-husbands behind her and only faithful Timmy by her side. Julian (Peter Richardson) having disappeared to Equatorial Guinea for many years, apparently working for a dubious ‘charity’, is now also in need of a stint in rehab. Anne (Jennifer Saunders) the pretty shy one never did become the ‘perfect housewife’. Now a militant feminist / animal rights campaigner, she lives life on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

The famous five are met along the way by a number of familiar faces. Robbie Coltrane returns as a guest house landlady and lecherous Gypsy. Stephen Mangan plays a sexually charged actor, eager to impress Anne and Nigel Planer returns as a police inspector and sinister barmaid. Rik Mayal plays an evil villain who is determined to decapitate a terrified Julian and Daniel Peacock also makes an appearance as snubbed Toby Thurlow who has had 30 years to plan his revenge on the famous five.

Five Go To Rehab was created by the award winnings writers Peter Richardson and Pete Richens who wrote the original Five Go Mad in Dorset film and have since collaborated on many of the Comic Strip films including The Strike, A Fistful Of Travellers Cheques, Four Men In A Car and more recently the highly acclaimed The Hunt for Tony Blair. Five Go to Rehab was directed by Peter Richardson and produced by Nick Smith who also produced The Hunt for Tony Blair.

‘The Comic Strip Presents ‘Five Go To Rehab’, 7th November on GOLD 9pm.