Desert of Zin

This afternoon I had the great (mis)fortune to watch a film called Rawhead Rex, based on an original story by Clive Barker.  The script was written by Clive Barker, which was the only good thing going for it.  (That is, it was written by Barker, I’m not saying that the film is in fact any good…)

The story is about an American family travelling across Ireland for some reason I’m barely interested in while an ancient evil – Rawhead Rex – is awoken leaving the traditional trail of dead behind him.

The production values are astonishingly poor, and although the film was made in 1986 the effects are sub-Doctor Who from ten years previous.

There is something vaguely appealing about this film and I can’t really pinpoint what that might be.   Perhaps it’s the very British 80′s horror style or that it reminds me of To The Devil A Daughter somehow.  Hmm, I’d need to think about that one some more.

Anyway, it is poor and should be avoided.  If you really must watch it, perhaps because you’re a die hard Clive Barker fan or you just hate yourself, don’t spend money on it.  Either borrow it or steal it.

Oh.  My.  God.

Yep, Russell T Davies, executive producer of Doctor Who, is stepping down. But not until after the proposed two hour specials planned for next year instead of a full season.

And will David Tennant go at the same time? I would think so. Actually I’d expect him to go at the end of this season but it makes more sense his leaving with Davies. That gives the new guy a fresh start.

And who is this new guy? Why none other than Steven Moffat, writer of Press Gang, Jekyll, Coupling and several really good Doctor Who stories. I’m hoping he’ll bring a fresh feel to the series.

Not that it needs it, but it would be good for the series to be a bit, well, tougher. Sometimes it feels like the current stuff although good, doesn’t really go anywhere particularly quickly, or it is just me?

Anyway, interesting times with Davies and Tennant going with Moffat and a potential new Doctor on the horizon.

I was feeling a bit on the dubious side when faced with the prospect of watching the new series of Doctor Who.

To explain, it was the majority of series three that spoiled it for me, with the Christmas special (the Kylie episode) being the final nail in that particular coffin. But more on that train wreck some other time…

So it came to Saturday evening and I was, at best, ambivalent in the face of watching more New Who. But after talking about it with Ruthy, the voice of reason, it was then decided I’d give it a go.

I have to admit it was better than I was expecting. But then, to be honest, it couldn’t be much worse.

The story was fair for an series opener, a diet company drawing the fat off people to create new bodies for a new race.

The typical chase wasn’t as pointless as usual, the Tate woman was reasonable and the Doctor was his usual effervescent self.

That’s the thing. Perhaps by series four it should be trying harder? Not that it was a particularly bad job of the first episode. As I said, Tate was good. Well, not good, but not bad. She was just, well, she was there. She fulfilled the basic requirements of a companion. She was there, she got in the way and she gave the Doctor someone more immediate to save.

The Doctor was played with the usual gusto by David Tennant. He had some quality moments, any of the scenes in the company building and the scene with him and Tate through the windows on either side of Miss Foster’s office. Quality stuff.

And the supporting cast were good, Sarah Lancashire was excellent as Miss Foster and Bernard Cribbins was a star as the grandfather.

So, final words: good, a mild return to form but must try harder.

It seems that the classic television show The Prisoner is heading for a remake.

The remake will be 6 (aye, very good) episodes for SkyOne.

And ex-Doctor Who Christoper Eccleston has been linked with the lead role.

I have to admit I’m in two minds about this one. The original series of The Prisoner has always been amongst my favourite tv shows. And it is usually expected that remakes are little more than shadows of their former selves.

But then the new Battlestar Galactica series is a remake (well, it’s a re-imaging apparently) and there was a Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) remake a few year back with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer which I really enjoyed.

Even the new series of Doctor Who is kind of a remake. Well, it’s not really. It’s more of a re-styling.

I’m hopeful that it’ll be good. A bit hopeful. A wee bit hopeful. Not very hopeful at all.

Hmmm, better wait and see.

BBC has stuff about it here and here.