Guest post- me!

The Amityville Horror was another book group pick (nominated by me as well). It's always interested me as it is supposed to be based on real events from the mid 1970's. There have been numerous films, sequels, magazines articles and books written on the subject but this is the original one that started it all, written from transcripts of conversations had with the protagonists. If you want to delve into the history and what not of it all, there is a good Wikipedia article on the matter here.

This is proper 1970's horror fare, setting a lot of what are now clichés in the horror genre including that good old built on an Indian burial ground that seemed to be trotted out in every B movie for a decade. But to be brutally honest, unless you're interested in the background and the surrounding events, this probably isn't the book for you. It was written about 6 years after Blatty wrote the Exorcist, probably the seminal 1970's horror story (ignoring Stephen King for a moment) and couldn't be further away from it if Anston had tried. Put simply, the man cannot write. Any one that uses exclamation marks in general prose should be given a good kicking in my book and he does this frequently from early on.

One of the group did say he was scared by the book but I can't help thinking this was despite the way it was written rather than because of it. Some of the aspects contained within the book are unsettling, the basic premise is fundamentally scary in itself but it is let down by the writing that veers from novel to commentary page by page, with comments like "later on when they discussed it the Lutz's felt..." peppering the text. When a book is neither an intelligent written selection of transcripts (lets not forget Dracula was written as a variety of journal entries and letters) or a novel in its own right, it's difficult to get fully immersed in the story. This is a shame really as the main protagonists, George and Kathy Lutz, do have some decidedly odd things happen to them. Phantom embraces, odd behaviour, flies infesting rooms in the dead of winter, it's all there really.

It is a fairly short read, which is why the book group went for it. I can't help but think if we could have looked past the page count, then The Exorcist or The Shining would have been a profoundly more rewarding read, despite not being based on alleged true events.

Is it worth as read? As I've mentioned earlier, if the actual story itself is of interest to you, if you like reading about real life hauntings and so on, it probably is but if you're actually after reading a well crafted book, in my humble opinion, you're better off looking elsewhere.

Does it count as a guest post if you take a post from another blog you write? This is from I am currently reading, my book blog.

The Tooth Fairy Film Review

A few weeks ago M'laddo and I were lucky enough to go an early screening of The Tooth Fairy. The last time I saw a film with Dwayne Johnson in, he was still using his wrestling alter ego the Rock, and it had Mummys in it. I must say I was impressed with Mr "The Rock" in the Tooth Fairy, it was actually possible to ignore his huge biceps since he can act. It was pretty well cast overall really, Ashley Judd was a much more believable single mum than the usual suspects of Cameron Diaz etc and your man from the Office was a bit of a scene stealer.

What was interesting though was the Boys response to it. At three he was just about old enough for it. He can watch feature films all the way through but usually they're animated. Disney or Dreamworks films mostly and I swear if Toy Story 3 isn't the best film in history I will seriously have to kill someone because he's made me watch the first two all the way through until I know the scripts off by heart. As a result I can't remember the entirety of Monty Python and the Holy Grail any more either. With the exception of Nanny McPhee 2, this is the first full length "proper" films he wanted to watch all the way through. The ice hockey probably helped, nothing like a bit of violence to assist things as far as he's concerned.

What was nice to see where a load of jokes that worked on two levels, something slapstick for the kids but a pun or play on words for the adults. That's the usual milieu of Pixar, so it was a pleasant surprise. With two small children, realistically it's going to be kids films at the cinema for me for the next few years (a shame as I am a bit of a film buff), so it is nice to see a "watch with the kids" live action film that isn't entirely redundant for adults. 

Writing workshop- Escape!

Thought I'd have a stab at Josies writing workshop this week. A bit of fiction based on the trigger word "Escape". Since it was International Towel Day earlier this week, the last line is a Douglas Adams tribute in case you were wondering. Comments welcome please.

The echo of feet slapping on stone cannoned ahead of the hapless runner, creating an eerie doppler effect. This of course was lost on Boris as he ran hell for leather down the decaying tunnels, unmindful of the uneven flagstones under his feet.

"...down in the tunnel where the deadly are rising, something something, like a bat out of hell..." ran endlessly through his head, proving if nothing else, impending death is intimately linked to Meat Loaf.

As Boris rounded a corner, all too fast, a sharp stabbing pain in his foot was quickly followed by the floor rearing up for an intimate but in no way gentle caress with his forehead. His rapid progress thus halted, Boris heaved huge lungfuls of air in and out, feeling as woozy from the running as he did from the tumble.

Gradually the whole world started to pull into something resembling focus. The asymmetical line of flagstones was interrupted by a pair of well polished patent leather shoes. Boris unsteadilly looked up; the shoes were connected to a pair of smart pinstripe trousers, which in turn lead to a smart jacket, with a head containing a fullsome moustache lurking above a wry smile topping things off.

"You, young man, have seen things you ought not have seen." The voice was exactly the sort of clipped upper class British accent you would expect a moustachioed pinstripe suit wearing gent to have. The large service revolver however was definitely not the sort of thing you would expect a moustachioed pinstripe suit wearing gent to have. And it was pointing at Boris.

"Bugger", thought Boris, humming aimlessly to himself.

"I'm sad to say old chap, even playing on my love of Meat Loaf isn't going to get you out of this one. In fact your humming is actually quite insulting to me. I am of a mind to shoot you in the stomach and let you die from bile poisoning rather than pop one in your noggin." said Moustache.

 "It's because its a Wednesday," thought Boris, "I never could get the hang of Wednesdays"

Practising for responsibility

Before we had children I had to prove I was a responsible adult. We did this via the medium of hamsters. I had 6 in total. They all died. Fortunately they all (bar one) died of old age, so I passed the test.

Obi was my first and he was lovely but it was Vader that was my favourite. He was a middle aged rescue hamster, already a little grey around the chops, when he came to us. Once he escaped from his ball and instead of going to ground, he waddled into the sitting room and sat in the middle of the floor until I picked him up.

I never had a pet when I was little, so this was really the first time I held a little life in my hands, all dependent on me and completely vulnerable (albeit with the ability to bite down to the bone with wicked sharp razor teeth). I'll never forget the moment in the vets when I had to have Lando put down because he'd grown a huge tumour whilst we were on holiday. I blubbed and the vet understood where I was coming from. I loved my hamsters.

Vader made his way on to Youtube and you can see the video below. Marvellously, it looks like the WMG record label complained about me using a minute of audio for my clip from a band called Dream Theater, so the audio track is dead. I'm flattered!

Wordless Wednesday- St Albans dog owners; not outside a school!

Chuggington

There must be something about trains. When I was a nipper I used to love watching Ivor the Engine and a few years later my little brother was on the first wave of Thomas the Tank Engine adaptations.

I personally don't remember wanting to be a train driver myself, I was more interested in being an astronaut but there are plenty of little boys around that still hold the dream. The boy isn't one of them but if there was a queue for being a robot, he'd probably head it. Maybe some sort of robot train driver then.

Chuggington is a new train show on Cbeebies. A new generation and another show then. It's a million miles away from the other two train filled kiddy entertainment shows I mentioned, it's colourful, fast and brash. It's also CGI, which is gradually replacing the old model based shows. Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Noddy and Rupert Bear are all now computer generated. Have they lost some of their charm? Well that's a discussion for another day really, but with Chuggington its not really an issue, its been computer generated since day one. It looks sufficiently different to everything else to give it its own clear identity. The tracks for starters will be instantly familiar to any toddler with a toy train track as its modelled on the very same. Interestingly (for me anyway), most of the engines are based on real world trains, like the British Rail Class 55 diesel or the EMD F3. Two ticks in my little book then!

The story itself is based around 3 trainee engines (pun intended), Wilson, Brewster and Koko, as they learn about being proper grown up and responsible engines. There is plenty of scope for action and adventure but there is always a strong moral story at the heart of things.

The moral story is a bit beyond Fifi our one year old but she loves the bright primary colours and the cheerful faces the engines have. It also helps that the theme tune is so hummable- I've found myself singing it to her at the crack of dawn when she's decided 5am is a good time to get up. My work colleagues aren't so impressed when I wander round the office humming "Chugger-chugger-chugger-chugger-chuggington!" but they've learnt to live with it.

I have to admit being a bit sceptical when Chuggington first started but it has grown on me and it is obviously well loved by both our children. And since it's aimed at them, I think I have to go along with it! They have a rather swish website too at chuggington.com which is well worth checking out.

Beach Head

The weather was a bit more awesome yesterday so we spent it on a couple of beaches (without 3 jumpers on).

The wee lass passionately hates pebbly beaches now after giving herself a shiner on Charmouth beach but M'laddo loves them.

We spent over two hours on the steep banked pebbly beach in the awesomely named village of Beer (yes I did have my traditional pint at the pub there). Most of it was spent aiding Coastal erosion by hurling stones into the sea. If anyone can expain why lads find this so ace, please let me know- wifey and the wee lass sat there looking disinterested in the stone throwing.

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More holiday

The wee lass isn't sleeping well. She doesn't sleep well normally anyway but we were hoping that a mixture of sea air and exercise would wear her out a bit.

Unfortunately a mixture of a new travel cot and being at the foot of our bed has induced some sort of insomniac sleep deprived rage. This morning was the nadir, she was up at 5am.

The boy has his own line in rage too- mostly around being put in the pushchair or not being bought stuff. I don't want to spoil him but at the same time I don't want to spoil his holiday. Oh the perils of parenthood!

Hopefully wifey is having a nice, if cold, holiday. She really needs one and after a few days of these two I can see why ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone on the move!

Holiday!

I'm lurking in dampest Dorset at the moment. It's our first holiday since last July, so it's well overdue and much anticipated.

The weather has take a turn for the colder and wetter, it was under a week okay I walked to work at 7am in a short sleeved shirt. Still, there are always jumpers and waterproofs.

The wee lass has given us a few night time troubles so far- there's been rage with her travel cot and unspent energy from a 5 hour car journey made worse by her being in our room. M'laddo at least has his own room!

Having said that, this week has been so far a week of hero worshipping of his uncle ben, a couple of full on tantrums have ensued when we've separated the two.

I'm looking forward to our house sitter auto-magically cleaning everything whilst we're gone- I can dream :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone on the move!