travis_iii

To begin, I should confess to a prejudice against modern films shot in a dark palette. In part, it is because I always suspect them of using low light levels to make SFX easier to do, but mostly it's just that it makes for a dreary and tiring viewing experience, especially at home. I think it's in consequence of this that every Batman film I've ever started to watch I've given up on quite quickly. Because DK received so many plaudits I did try a lot harder with it but ultimately found it just too hard going.

It's: bloated (3 hours plus), pompous, hammily acted (plenty of dodgy American accents by Brits), humourless, repetitive, camp, silly, juvenile and shallow. It's just plain boring.

H Ledger, as psychopathic villain The Joker gives the only performance that rises above blandness. He is animated and imbued with lots of Method ticks, but fantasy films like DK lack so few points of real emotional reference that it comes across as high camp - he plays a pantomime villain. A special commendation for thespian woodenness should go to Mr Caine - his role in this is on a pair with his contributions to The Swarm and Jaws 4... but he won't care two figs - he will have laughed all the way to the bank, and who could blame him?

In summary, quite unpleasant but with very expensive special effects - which will keep adolescents, young and old, excited over the reputed rebirth of this weary, dreary franchise.

I thoroughly recommend watching the wonderful BFI restoration of this enthralling documentary. The picture quality (with some nice blue and lavender tints) and the specially commissioned score are superb. It benefits also from having no voice over but relying solely on the title cards to narrate the footage.

Some of the original anthropological observations smack a little of colonial condescension but considering the era in which the film was made they are quite mild, and all such negatives are outweighed by the very rare cinematic portraits of Tibetans.

And then there are the mountains - beautiful and terrible - and the mountaineers - heroic and tragic. I couldn't take my eyes from the screen.

The Book Tower was an evolution of the Jackanory style of children's TV - simple story telling based around actual books. It was more of a "magazine" program for children's fiction - each episode featured a number of books (new publications and old) that were introduced by the presenter, part of the story was either read or performed and then the story was left hanging, encouraging the viewer to go out and read the book for themselves. In effect it was an early book-club for children.

The series started in 1979 with Tom Baker as presenter, and the atmosphere was wonderfully Gothic and exciting - I have a feeling that Tom Baker only presented the first few series and as it moved into the 1980s that over-the-top, brooding, dangerous tone was replaced with a somewhat blander less threatening one.

I didn't see it from 1981 onwards but the list of presenters and actors pays testament to its quality (it won a BAFTA sometime in the 80s). It was graced by no less talents than: Stephen Moore, Alun Armstrong, Quentin Blake, Neil Innes, Roger McGough...

... Wincey Willis(?)... and errr!.... yes! the strange and irritating Timmy Mallet(!). My! how the 1980s saw a decline in kids TV! How producers ambitions decayed!

I don't know if todays generation have their own TV version of the Book Tower - I hope they do - they certainly should - though I doubt it will be as exciting or dangerous as those early episodes hosted by the mesmeric Tom Baker.

I'm slightly surprised and disappointed that more people haven't remembered it here.