KIDS

I first watched the film Kids approx 13 years ago and must admit the film did disturb me a little. Directed by Larry Clark and written by Harmony Korine, the story is based around the lives of a group of teenagers gowing up in New York. I guess I wasn't expecting too much from the film initially as the reason my mates and I watched it was that it featured several skaters we knew of and could relate to this kind of lifestyle (so I thought).

Basically the film centres around a young guy Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick)who's aim in life is to sleep with as many virgins as possible. One of his ex's Jenny (Chloe Sevigny), whom has only slept with Telly is diagnosed as being HIV positive. The film follows Jenny attempting to contact Telly to make him aware only to eventually find him in bed with another "victim".

I found each scene quite dark and disturbing as it followed the lives of these teenagers hanging out, going to parties, but it does bring up controversial issues such as drugs, underage sex, HIV and in my eyes I think it was an eye opener and certainly a warning to parents out there that this could be happening to your very own child.

The film also features a very young Rosario Dawson and skaters Justin Pierce RIP and Harold Hunter RIP.

The Scarlet Harlots

Birmingham band The Scarlet Harlots have been supporting us lately. Cheers guys. For those of you unfamiliar with these boys, they hail from Birmingham and they recently reached the finals of Channel 4's 2009 Orange Unsigned Act competition.
Check more of them here.

Andy Warhol

Looking for a little inspiration for future designs and thought I'd put up a few images from Andy Warhol's prints of Mick Jagger. Originally done in 1975, these silk screenprints were done as a collection of 10 designs.

By the 1970s Warhol no longer relied on found imagery and had considerably expanded his range of subjects. He often took his own photographs and the ‘hand-made’ look became increasingly evident by additions of collage elements using torn cheap graphic Color Aid papers, which were produced in a seemingly endless array of colours.

What I like about these particular prints is they show the characteristic of this change in style and the artist used a selection of ten of his own photographs that he had taken of Jagger.

The Week Captured

Aint No Such Thing As Half Way

Happy St. George's Day

He Possess Great Skill..

Revenge Of The Ninja - 1983

Growing up in the 1980's, we were spoilt for choice with the ever popular martial arts flicks. Following on from Bruce Lee in the 70's we had a number of movies/actors to keep us entertained.

From the added comedy and entertaining movies starring Jackie Chan along with Samo Hung and Yeun Biao, to the ever popular Kung Fu series starring David Carradine and not forgetting The Karate Kid classics and The Last Dragon.

One actor which I loved back then who doesn't seem to get mentioned is Sho Kosugi. I loved his movies and I think I still have at least 5 of them gathering dust on VHS.
Sho was a japanese martial artist who trained in the art of Ninjutsu and was always labelled as "An Original Ninja".

His films usually always featured his two real life sons - Kane and Shane Kosugi, and Ninja 3 The Domination even starred Lucinda Dickey from The Breakdance movies as a possessed Ninja.

If you haven't checked him out, I'd recommend Revenge of the Ninja, Ninja 3 - The Domination and Pray for Death.

York City

Sunday Snaps

Shawn Mortensen 1965-2009

The Ultimate Underdog

Rocky- 1976

Now I'm not one for many big budget blockbuster movies, I've always preferred and supported the more independent films. Having said that there's always the ones which were made on a small budget which manage to appeal to the masses once released.
A good example of that is Rocky. An amazing film which I believe back in 1976 was made on a budget of just over $1 Million and only took 28 days to film.

If you haven't seen the film (where have you been),it is based on a struggling boxer named Rocky Balboa trying to make the big time and is given a once in a lifetime chance to fight The heavyweight champion as part of a xmas exhibition publicity stunt.
The match is supposed to be easily won by Apollo Creed (The champion)but Rocky sees this as his one and only chance at a shot at the title.

Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, he gives a solid and touching performance in my eyes as the uneducated but good hearted club boxer and what I didn't realise is that Stallone wrote the script in three days after attending a boxing match between the small-time underdog Chuck Wepner and Muhammad Ali. Inspired by this fight, Stallone created one of American film's most beloved characters - Rocky Balboa.

Wednesday Walkabout

Tu(n)esday Shuffle

Playlist has been updated. I will try to update the playlist shuffle on a more regular basis.

Vindolanda and Hadrian's Wall

Sunday Sorts

Good Friday Randoms

12 year deal / debt comes to an end...

...on the white trash tee. Ends up in Jonny Robbo's house!!

Spring/Summer designs

Steetley

The Donner Cut

Having been a fan of The original Superman movies, I was really excited to be able to see original director Richard Donner's cut of Superman 2. Originally hired to film the first two 'Superman' films concurrently, and having already completed 70% of filming on the sequel, Donner was fired, and replaced by Richard Lester.
I always wondered what Donner's version would have been like and how it would differ to Lester's.
After watching the cut approx 2 years ago I was a little disappointed to report that Superman 2 was not the lost masterpiece I and many others were hoping for. It was amazing to see the new unseen footage but I feel it is a cut and paste job which could have been put together so much better.
Basically it has been pieced together using previouly unseen twenty-six year-old footage that has been collecting dust in a vault ever since, plus the more familiar material previously used theatrically and then restored for the Superman 2 re-issue on standard DVD.
Sure, there are problems and rough patches, and a few of the new effects shots are obviously CGI, but 'The Richard Donner Cut' is always highly watchable, and if you are a fan who for some reason haven't watched it, I would recommend it.