Doctor Who - Time Zone (Season 1)

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First Doctor (David Bradley) and Ace (Sophie Aldred)

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Exploring a familiar Universe...

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I have always been interested in possible spin-offs to the popular BBC television show Doctor Who and it got me thinking: what if, instead of one spin-off scenario, there was a series of multiple adventures to further explore the Who universe, all different and from various perspectives? It would certainly allow for free artistic development featuring an assortment of characters and monsters from the show. Imagine a single story featuring a lone Dalek encountering a colony of Humans, it needs their help to repair its spacecraft - but the creature inside the casing is injured and doesn't remember that it is supposed to hate.  So here goes my idea of Time Zone, Season 1...

Series 1.1. Doctor Who - Legion of Fire

(Features the First Doctor as played by David Bradley. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan land on a planet whose Humanoid inhabitants are sacrificed to fire beings. Mistaken for an escaped prisoner, Susan will be the next to be handed over for an offering)

I will admit, I wasn't a fan of Bradley in Twice Upon A Time, the 2017 Christmas special. However, that was more to do with the writing than anything else. I do believe the First Doctor as portrayed by Bradley does deserve a second bite at the apple on the small screen. The actor has already reprised the role for audio company Big Finish, whose catalogue of excellent full cast adventures continue to grow, so it wouldn't be an impossibility for Bradley to take the reigns of the TARDIS for a new televised story.

Maybe it could be filmed in black and white to give it that nostalgic feel?

Series 1.2. At Childhood's End - Ace of Hearts

(Starring Sophie Aldred. Ace last saw the 13th Doctor 5 months ago. Time to move on. That is, until a darkness engulfs a part of the city and residents begin seeing ghosts)

I've been a huge fan of the character of Ace ever since her first televised appearance in 7th Doctor story Dragonfire. She is most definitely a fan favourite. In a new fiction book published in 2020, Ace finally got to meet the 13th Doctor. But just imagine if Dorothy McShane (Ace) was given a television episode all to herself, no Doctor, just her charity and a chance to fight the monsters on her own terms... This could be the second episode in a possible spin-off series.

Maybe she'd get a chance to use a baseball bat.

Series 1.3. Jack Harkness - The Killing Tomb

(Archaeologists unearth something sinister in Scotland. As the dead rise, a mysterious man arrives to investigate. No Torchwood, just a Jack of all trades)

Okay, I'll admit now, I'm not a huge fan of Captain Jack or John Barrowman. But that doesn't mean I don't see the potential of involving both in an adventure. He's (Barrowman) very much loved in the Torchwood and Doctor Who community, and the prospect of someone directing a very dark story in keeping with Torchwood would be a missed opportunity. Like Ace, this episode would help to bring a balance to the overall feel of The Time Zone.

Davros (Julian Bleach)

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Series 1.4. Davros - The Thal Conspiracy

(The creator of the Daleks must be smuggled out of Thal space by a bounty hunter whose own motives aren't at all clear. No Daleks, just a singular story focusing on the Kaled scientist)

With this one I have 'The Davros Mission' and 'I, Davros' in mind, both produced by Big Finish. Doctor Who is generally obsessed with the Daleks, and it wasn't until 1975's Genesis of the Daleks that their creator was introduced. Even though he returned in four more times during the classic era, he's been pretty much neglected in New Who. Yes, he's made appearances but they've not been anything equal to the success of Genesis. It would be nice to finally understand the man, a story that delves into his psyche in a way only heard in 'I, Davros'. 

Series 1.5. Time Lords - Diary of a Gallifreyan

(From the perspective of an ordinary Gallifreyan and his family during unrest on the planet)

Doctor Who has rarely touched on the people of Gallifrey beyond Time Lord society, though The Invasion of Time (1978) comes to mind. I've also been inspired by Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series. I believe it would be interesting to see that world from the viewpoint of a Gallifreyan family whose lives are limited compared to a Time Lord. How do they live, is poverty and hunger commonplace on Gallifrey if you're not one of the elite? What happens to this family if there is civil unrest or a Time War? They can't just get into a TARDIS and be whisked away from it all. And they only have one life, no regeneration.

Series 1.6. Doctor Who - Arabella

(Featuring the Eighth Doctor as played by Paul McGann. The Doctor has been travelling alone for quite some time. He doesn't plan on having a new companion any time soon. However, the TARDIS makes a force landing on a world of ice where Humans are at war with venomous giant snake-like creatures)

It doesn't look as if Paul McGann will ever be given his own television series so what better way to celebrate his past appointment as the Doctor than by involving him in a complete episode? Not a short like The Night of the Doctor (2013) but a full 45 minute adventure perhaps not even linked to the Time War but set way before. This can be a Doctor who is yet to be affected by the stresses of the Daleks and Time Lords, a traveler in a blue box who just wants to explore, alone.

McGann has reprised the role for many Big Finish tales so it wouldn't be an impossibility to get the actor back on board. A one-off if need be, or a number of episodes over a few series, mixed in with other stories and various characters.

All the above is just an example of what could be achieved if the BBC decided to go down this route. It would be various, thought-provoking, and a glorious celebration of life beyond the current Doctor, whoever that may be. I also don't believe it would be confusing for fans, new or old, as many audiences these days are quite used to a multi Universe themed ride via both the small and big screen. Because each series is varied it'd give a chance for writers to explore different incarnations of the Who world without the need to blow budgets on lots of spin-offs - Time Zone would be the ultimate spin-off.

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The Near Witch - BookReview

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Originally released via Hyperion Books

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The Disappearance of a child leads to mystery and suspicion

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When a young boy, Edgar, vanishes from his home and a stranger who was seen the night before is blamed, locals start a search for them both. Sixteen year old Lexi Harris isn't so sure; for she has met the newcomer and, though he has secrets of his own, it doesn't seem likely that he is guilty of abduction. But what are the voices that speak to her young sister Wren? The fear felt in the village intensifies when a second child goes missing.

I enjoyed reading The Near Witch, the debut novel of author V.E. Schwab. It has a beauty all of its own, and a richness of characters. First up is Lexi, a confident young lady who is more comfortable wearing her father's hunting knife and actually getting involved in the search for missing children than living up to other people's expectations. She lives at home with her young sister and mother. Since the death of her father, she's clearly been "guided" by her Uncle Otto, though she prefers to follow her intuition than be told what to do. She is definitely her father's daughter.

Then there are witch sisters Magda and Dreska Thorne, who are clearly older than anyone else in the village with knowledge and memories that span more time than is possible. But they've lived, and seen things. They're also loners, which makes them suspects of concealing the stranger. If he's not found in the village then where else can he be?

And then there is the stranger himself, just a boy but one whose real name and motives are a mystery; to the villagers and Lexi, at least. But the disappearance of children began when he arrived, so what more evidence do people need to accuse him? If he is indeed being protected by the witches then perhaps they need to be dealt with, too?

I love the themes of isolation and fear, difference and suspicion.

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Returning To The Beginning...

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When it comes to books, I know what I like and rarely deviate - which isn't exactly a good thing because there is such richness out there in the publishing world. But from the moment I read the first few pages of The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney, I was hooked. It was the same with Harry Potter, and Burning Issy by Melvin Burgess. The Near Witch did exactly that, a page turner and an obsession, a wanting to solve the mystery and find out the identity of the stranger; I was Lexi's companion, accompanying her as she resolved to find clues and clear his name.

But what if he is responsible?

Interestingly, this book was first published in 2011. As the author says of its original existence, "...though I tried to shield the fragile candle of its life, it was only a matter of time before the wind of publishing blew through, and snuffed it out". Thankfully she persisted, writing a further fourteen novels in seven years, and the time of The Near Witch came about once more thanks to the team at Titan Books. In March 2019 it was republished, in hardback, with a short story 'The Ash-Born Boy' and an introduction from V.E. Schwab. Now it is available in paperback, and I am glad.

For existing fans of the author it's a real treat to get hands on a fresh copy of this remarkable story. And, like me, if you're new and eager to learn more about this talented writer, then it's certainly a good place to start. I've also been reading Victoria's official website at veschwab.com; and enjoying the blog, which I hope remains intact at wordpress.com and is never deleted - it is such a lovely place to wander and spend time exploring, reading up on the beginnings of The Near Witch's first publication and book signings etc.

I now have a favourite new book, and author.

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Empty World

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Hello, my name is Alwyn Ash, and Today I Am Facing An Unknown Future

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This is an article I never thought would be written in my lifetime. It's a reflection of life in 2020. It's been reported that the first official case of COVID-19 can be traced to 17 November 2019, though the outbreak was officially announced in December 2019, known to have originated in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Most astonishingly of all is that the Chinese government allegedly tried to cover up the outbreak in the early days. Over four months later and the whole planet is in lockdown. In March 2020, the virus was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

It's the most frightening time in my life so far. Though we've been told to remain indoors and isolate from this threat, it's become necessary to step outside and visit the local grocery store, or collect prescribed medication from a pharmacy. None of us were prepared for the situation we now find ourselves in. Which is weird, considering that novelists and movie directors have been warning us of such a scenario for decades. I'm immediately reminded of The Omega Man (1971), based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend. Of course, there is a huge difference right now between our world and the one Charlton Heston's character, Neville, lives in. But there is no denying that we've all taken so much for granted.

Call me naive, but I always believed world governments could handle something as significant as a pandemic, that there would be in place specialised teams with enough equipment and knowledge to fight such a problem. Perhaps, at some undisclosed location, there existed a facility that held isolation rooms, a laboratory, whole areas where those infected could be transferred to under strict quarantine. Yes, thousands if need be! Travel between countries would be banned and Martial Law would come into operation, military aiding police in implementing a lockdown throughout the country and distributing supplies to civilians to prevent stock-piling. Alas, we're a long way from being organised. I would rather be in safe hands and guided by leaders that had planned for such an outcome than where we are at present, with uncertainty regarding food shortages and social distancing. One voice, one plan.

Okay, the idea of Martial Law isn't everyone's cup of tea, I completely understand. And that's perfectly fine. We all have opinions on the best ways of handling any given situation.

The reality: a British government that has reacted slowly; a society that panic-buys, leaving supermarket shelves bare; individuals who refuse to self-isolate either because they fail to realise the full potential of this pandemic or they just don't care, believing they're too young and healthy to die from it; and people who are unable to stay in their homes as directed at no fault of their own. The homeless are an issue, too, the vulnerable who have no where safe to quarantine.

Everything is chaos.

While a minority of the rich are complaining about being locked in their mansions, key workers at ground level are risking their lives by being on the front line to help others: grocery staff, medics, delivery drivers, care assistants, and many more who cannot just switch off and stay at home.

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History Today - A Great Plague Is Upon Us

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I was always fascinated and saddened by The Great Plague, which lasted for the period of 1665 to 1666. The bubonic plague killed without discrimination. First reports were of isolated cases in London, first appearing in the dock areas of the city, and in St. Giles parish. These early deaths were not reported as plague related and so no official quarantine measures were set in place. Though weekly deaths had increased in their hundreds, only a handful were recorded as plague. Finally household quarantine was ordered, with suspected plague victims to be shut up in their homes. Astonishingly, people in St. Giles reacted violently to this and a riot ensued, resulting in the first house that had been sealed to be opened up and its inhabitants released. This led to the construction of isolation hospitals known as pest-houses. Over the months there were more cases, and deaths.

The plague was rampant in London by July 1665. Those rich enough fled, including sovereign of that time: King Charles II of England! But for most it was a terrifying time, unable to escape infection and the infected. Businesses shut down. Though some of the poor did manage to leave the city, on evidence of good health by producing a certificate signed by the Lord Mayor, it was not easy - many were turned back by outer villages and some died of thirst or hunger during the hot Summer. By this point it was believed that just over 2,000 residents had died from plague in London. Pits were dug for those that had died. Dead-carts were driven through streets carrying piles of bodies. At one point there were so many victims and so few cart drivers that corpses were stacking up in their homes.

Feels strange typing this as I look out of my own window to see an empty street. Today businesses are mostly closed also, only those classed as essential still open their doors, though the number of customers at any one time has been restricted. Like those stuck in London in 1665, my family is unable to go someplace safe - we have no access to a country retreat. I'm forced to walk those streets for whatever food supplies I can find in local stores, and though I've ordered my mother's prescription online a text has arrived stating that I now have to walk to another store on the other side of town to collect them.

So I must stay safe, keep a distance from others and thoroughly wash my hands upon returning home. I'm a carer, my mother is of pension age and has recently been in hospital. She is one of those vulnerable from Coronavirus. Yes, I'm scared for her safety. What if I become sick, and am unable to look after her?

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History Will Judge Us

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Future historians will have unlimited access to this century, they'll write essays and present documentaries, schools will learn of 2020 and gravestones will carry the scars. I'm part of this "history", and I just don't know where it will lead. I'd rather die of old age in another 40 years time than be a statistic for COVID-19.

I feel the weight of responsibility for keeping both myself and my mother safe. Because right now I'm the only person that could potentially give it to her. She can't go out. Not enough has been done to protect our daily lives, and there is just not enough support networks in place. Not everyone is observing social distancing and maintaining the 2 metre distance advised by government, either. My local Tesco Express store isn't limiting the number of customers at any one time, so we're still passing each other too close and trying to get past staff who are stocking shelves. No, I don't blame the staff at all, they are heroes and life wouldn't function without them. They clearly are in need of better management and organisation. It doesn't help that companies are doing their own thing and that there isn't a single set of regulations governed by law. Yes, this pandemic is unprecedented, but we've always known it to be on the cards.

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Empty world

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In 1977, an apocalyptic novel written by John Christopher was published. Empty World tells the story of a disease called the Calcutta Plague, which accelerates the ageing process in all human beings. It is told from the point of view of 15-year-old Neil Miller, who at one stage contracts the virus but ultimately survives after a fever. Eventually those of all ages can succumb to the plague, leaving handfuls of survivors. I first read it over ten years ago and in recent years have bought a fresh copy from Aladdin Books, an imprint owned by Simon & Schuster.

Ironically, there have been reports of a surge in apocalyptic movies being streamed during this modern-day pandemic. Maybe it's a form of self-counselling, to remind some of us that no matter what the world throws at us, it could be a lot worse? Or they're looking to these films for inspiration, as a survival guide? Personally, I have been studying the history of television shows such as 1970s British series Survivors, which originally aired from 1975-77. It tells the story of a plague called "The Death" that goes global, decimating the population. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) ran a version in 2008, lasting for two seasons. And in 2014, Big Finish (a company that specialises in audio drama) began releasing a number of boxsets featuring new stories set in the world of Survivors.

I am yet to hear any of these or watch either television series. Whether now is the right time, I'm not so sure.

The 2020 pandemic is destroying lives, robbing families of loved ones, and crippling businesses and the world economy. There is deep uncertainty. It's heartbreaking to witness these events. What will come in the next six months is anyone's guess, because history is still being written. But what I do know is that life must change as a result of this, attitudes towards others need to be reevaluated. Everyone is playing their part. Without artists there would be no books, artwork, movies or audiobooks to keep us entertained during the isolation period; without key workers there would be no access to mail, food, money or other vital products; and where would this world be without doctors, nurses and care workers? there are others, too, without whom our present predicament would be much darker and far scarier.

I have learned something about myself: there is an inner strength. I'm far from perfect, and I have had terrible days of feeling desperation and crying, but the strength helps to pick me back up and fight again, determined to protect loved ones from harm. I am learning to appreciate what really matters.

Everything else is just a luxury.

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Oh My Word! Fandoom - How To Help Pollute A Franchise With Toxicity

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Opinions Are Like Arseholes...

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"It's not my show anymore." "They've bastardized my favourite movie series." "Political correctness gone crazy." "It rubs people the wrong way." "The thing is an obvious gimmick." "The 13th doctor being a female just ruined doctor who."

Everyone has an opinion. Back in the good old days of cult magazines (some of which are still ongoing) you'd find them in the letters section, but unless you purchased said publications then they'd be easily overlooked. Nowadays, thanks to social media, it's EVERYWHERE! You can't log on and access a Facebook page without them being present. And "Friends" regularly post their reactions, both good and bad, to shows and movies. What is becoming apparent today, however, is the lack of respect fans hold for fellow fans.

I'm totally with someone who doesn't like something because we can't ALL enjoy everything that's written for stage and screen, but it's the possessiveness and self-entitled attitude of fans that help to ruin a good franchise. There are personal attacks at anyone who clearly and honestly enjoys the latest incarnation of the Doctor (in this case Jodie Whittaker) or have rallied behind Daisy Ridley in the latest Star Wars trilogy instalment. Now there are misogynistic types behind SOME of the attacks, people who just will not accept a female in a lead role. But it also goes much deeper, because there are women who do not support certain changes "for changes sake" or are tired of a "political correctness agenda" from filmmakers and writers. Again, I'm with them, not because I agree but simply because I respect their opinion.

This is what is largely missing from social networking, the ability to agree to disagree, to accept that an opposite opinion of yours is not a personal attack and therefore does not warrant an actual personal attack. For example, I once commented on a Star Wars post that I enjoyed The Last Jedi - someone called me a "C#@t". I deleted my comment and refused to write anything on a page ever again. Did I give in to a "troll"? Well, yes. But in all fairness I just didn't expect such a response. Naive? Mhm. That said, it's becoming harder to visit ANY official franchise page these days and engage in discussion, as the insults and aggression are actually growing. The thing that makes me laugh? Seeing someone comment that they love Whittaker as the Doctor and it receives a number of angry face emojis. I mean, why? They've not said anything mean, they've not killed anyone or stole someone's pocket money. They've simply stated that they enjoy something that is harmless fun. It's a television show about a traveller in time and space. It's almost terrifying to click on the replies to that comment, knowing they'll be the usual cruel jibes.

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Lessons In Why To Be Constructive

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There's a fantastic article called Ghostbusters: Answer The Call – a celebration of its ongoing legacy in which its author Simon Brew points out the positives of Paul Feig's 2016 movie. This is something that I hold with all franchises, there will always be new fans from a current incarnation whether it be Star Trek or Doctor Who. I've seen online photos of children dressed as the 13th Doctor or a girl Ghostbuster, and it's so refreshing. Honestly, I was a child when first visiting the Doctor or a Ghostbuster, and it was a boyhood dream to want to be Indiana Jones or Luke Skywalker. A show might change but my cherished memories remain intact.

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All childhood Memories Are Safe

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"They've ruined my childhood" is a comment I see often. My reaction? Grow up (as in, be reasonable with your perspective, you're an adult for goodness sake)! At 45 years of age I'm still finding fascination from movies and TV shows, I totally own my childhood and am still developing my adulthood. I've grown up but at the same time still enjoy being a child sometimes. When Star wars: The Force Awakens hit theatres I was excited and giddy, and have now begun collecting Hasbro's Black Series six inch Star Wars figures with the face printing technology. I used to own Kenner figures back in the 1980s, and still have the Yoda with his brown snake somewhere.

If you are someone who have a real passion for Star Wars' original trilogy, enjoy "Classic" Doctor Who, or prefer Star Trek: The Next Generation over Star Trek: Discovery, the good news is that they have never been deleted, you can rewatch til your heart's content. Okay, I see the irony in mentioning George Lucas' original trilogy as not being deleted - he's tinkered with those movies so much that at present we don't own on blur-ray the trilogy as it was first shown - but you get the idea: we can still revisit Luke's adventures in some form. There ARE Doctor Who episodes missing from the 1960s, but we're still rich with plenty of them on DVD between 1963-89. And old Star Trek is EVERYWHERE.

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Mutual Respect

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I understand the passion that fans hold for something, they've invested so much time and money into a franchise that they feel some kind of ownership. In truth, we don't and have never owned any franchise, it's always in the hands of a current management team who will take it in any direction they see fit while they have the keys. And so, we either love or hate those changes. Fundamentally, we MUST learn to appreciate that there are fans who WILL adore those changes, embrace and go with them. Criticising their support or directing hateful comments is never acceptable.

An example: I was never fully on board with Matt Smith's Doctor but accepted that he was loved by millions, and so refrained from being negative for negative's sake. I watched some episodes from time to time, and kept up to date with the show's developments, but rarely felt passionate about it all. The same applied to Peter Capaldi's tenure, though with him I was more disappointed by the writing than the actor's casting. I never once visited a fan page just to say how much I hated the show - I mean, what's the point? Instead I embraced Classic Doctor Who more and focused on other shows such as Falling Skies, Terra Nova, The Walking Dead and Stranger Things.

Upon hearing that a woman had been cast as the Doctor, I sighed. It's not what I wanted. But I waited, looked up Jodie Whittaker online and liked her personality in interviews. I shrugged. Okay. I'm interested. Now I'm a fan. I remained respectful and patient, instead of throwing a tantrum and criticising anyone who championed her from Day One.

So, I'm a fan who felt MY show had not gone in a direction I liked (Smith-Capaldi) but didn't feel privileged enough to ruin it for others. I took a sidestep. It's true to say that friends have fallen out over these kind of things, whether in real life or online. But why? It's important to think about what we truly value. A fanbase should be a fun place to visit, share opinions and have a laugh - instead, they've become very serious, polluted and damaging.

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Don't Blame Others For Your Inability To Be Civil

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It's not the writers of our favourite show or movies that have done this, it's the fans! Regardless of "sides" (of which there shouldn't be any), there is a toxicity that needs to be removed. It's not life or death, nor should someone be regarded as an "enemy". Desist from using an angry face (😠 lol) on a post just because a fellow fan enjoys watching a current incarnation of something you dislike.

They've not boiled your pet rabbit!

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Alien: Prototype (2019) - BookReview

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Originally published on The Dreamcage

Release date: October 2019

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Venture

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Mad scientist gains access to Xenomorph egg, it hatches, and all hell breaks loose as people are killed. Of course, it's been done before: the whole of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation seems intent on breeding these monstrous aliens and deploying them for warfare. However, it is Venture, a rival company, that wishes to obtain the Holy Grail of alien artefacts in this fun story penned by Tim Waggoner and published by Titan Books.

I've never been one to dive into the various graphic novels of the Alien Universe so it's not easy to keep up with the various characters created over the years. Does having some prior knowledge of comics help with Alien Prototype? Not really, I found it easy to get straight in and read. It probably does help that I had some knowledge of Zula Hendricks, a friend to Amanda Ripley-McClaren, thanks to the publication of Alien Isolation (read Alwyn's review of that book here), but it's not a problem for new readers.

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Infiltration!

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Spy Tamar Prather infiltrates a group of space pirates to locate a Xenomorph egg, also called the Ovomorph. The outlaws eventually board a commercial transport where an egg is found. Prather's job now is to abandon her pirate associates and deliver the egg to her client, Dr. Gagnon of Venture, at The Lodge, a facility on the planet Jericho 3. Reminiscent of that scene in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Alien Resurrection (1997) where kidnapped Humans are used as hosts for Xenomorphs by military scientists, Gagnon tricks a male colonist to be part of some medical research. Hassan, the colonist, has given his time before with various experiments - this time he unwittingly becomes part of something that won't just end his life, but will have the potential to cause unspeakable horror. In a test chamber the colonist is faced with an egg and the Facehugger within.

At this present time, former marine Zula Hendricks is on the colony training potential members for Venture's Colony Protection Force. She's a very likeable character and one that is given enough to do throughout the story. With the alien breaking free of the test chamber and growing to become a thoroughly perfect killer, Hendricks and her team are quite literally the only ones that have any chance of standing up against the Xenomorph. To complicate matters, however, is the knowledge that the creature is a carrier of cellular necrosis, a deadly disease passed on from its host Hassan. Ingeniously this particular alien is able to adapt and use it as an extra weapon, infecting Humans in its path and causing the disease to spread virally through the colony.

Tamar is a fun character, a mercenary whose objectives can change in an instant, depending on who's paying and whether someone else can afford more. She's a survivor, a realist, and emotionally detached from those around her.

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Winning Formula

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Award-winner Tim Waggoner was a great choice to pen an Alien story. Not one new to media tie-ins, he crafts something that, in my opinion, is easily one of the best takes on the Alien franchise in years. If a single Xenomorph (Gagnon christens his a "Necromorph") is more than enough to become your worst nightmare, then why not add a pathogen to escalate the tension further...

Titan Books is easily on a winner.

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Rambo: Last Blood (2019) - FilmReview

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John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone).
Source: Official website

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"Rambo, John J. Born 7-6-47 in Bowie, Arizona. Of Indian-German descent - that's a hell of a combination. Joined the army 8-6-64. Accepted special forces, specialization: light weapon, medic, helicopter and language qualified. 59 confirmed kills. Two Silver Stars, four Bronze, four Purple Hearts. Distinguished Service Cross and Medal of Honor" — Major Marshall Roger T. Murdock, Rambo: First Blood Part II

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Our favourite son is back!

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Sylvester Stallone returns as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in the fifth instalment of the popular action franchise and it certainly doesn't hold back on the carnage.

When last seen in Rambo 4 (2008), J.R. was returning home to the family ranch in Bowie, Arizona. Eleven years later and Rambo: Last Blood catches up with him as he manages that very same horse ranch, originally owned by his father until his death. On the surface Rambo looks to have found peace; but below ground he broods in his maze of tunnels, surrounded by his past: military medals, rifles and knives, and photographs. He's clearly still haunted by demons and suffers with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in the Vietnam war; we saw flashbacks of the brutality he suffered as a POW at the hands of his captors in First Blood (1982). In one scene from R:LB we are shown bottles of prescribed medication with "John Rambo" and "Bowie, AZ 85605" printed on the labels, clearly to help him cope with his mental health.

Before we get to the main plot, the opening scene gives us a severe storm and rescue teams searching for three missing hikers in the forest and hills. One volunteer on horseback braves the worsening weather to locate them: John Rambo. It's a well written moment that reflects his compassionate side, risking all to try and save total strangers. Surprisingly, some regions didn't get to see this 10-minute opener with the flash flood at all.

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It's all about family...

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Little is known of John Rambo's family, though we do learn that his father was simply referred to as "R. Rambo" (the rusted mailbox seen at the end of Rambo 4 our only clue); also, in the novelization of Rambo: First Blood Part 2 John's mother is named Marie Drago and it is said that she was abused by her husband, who drank often and would fly into fits of rage.

Importantly for Rambo: Last Blood, Maria Beltran (played by Adriana Barraza) has worked on the Rambo farm much of her life and is considered as "family" - certainly she thinks of John as a brother-figure. When Rambo returns to Bowie, Arizona, in Rambo 4, he most likely meets young Gabrielle Beltran, Maria's grand-daughter, for the first time. Whether he knew about Gabrielle via letter writing beforehand is unknown.

And so Rambo spends the next many years running the ranch and working as a rescue worker. It is likely during this period that he dug out the tunnels that would be so important to him, a place of refuge for his tortured soul.

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...both good and bad

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When Rambo's adoptive niece decides to go to Mexico to visit her father and find out why he left her and her mother (now deceased), things don't exactly go to plan. Betrayed by her "friend" Gizelle, Gabrielle is drugged, abducted and given to human traffickers. The saddest part is that she was warned by Rambo not to go to Mexico, telling her that it is far too dangerous.

Realising that she is missing, Rambo leaves the ranch to find his niece. This is where things take an even more brutal turn. Confronted by gang members of the traffickers, Rambo is beaten, his ID taken and a photo of Gabrielle is found.

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Rambo and adopted niece Gabrielle Beltran (Yvette Monreal)
Source: Rambo: Last Blood

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Sadly this means that the young girl has now been "noticed" and will be made to pay for Rambo's attempted involvement. Over time she is abused and injected with heroine. It's a heartbreaking story. Meanwhile, Rambo is taken to the home of journalist Carmen Delgado and cared for until he is well enough to stand on his own two feet. With newfound determination, he vows to rescue his niece.

One of the criticisms of Last Blood seems to be the level of violence. It's been described as "grotesque" and "genuinely horrific". Well I don't know what people were expecting from a Rambo movie - just take a look at Rambo 4 and tell me that that is any less violent? In all honesty, anyone going into this with no knowledge of who or what Rambo is should stay well clear if they're sensitive to scenes of violence and decapitation.

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Rambo creator feels "less a human being" for having watched Last Blood

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Even First Blood author David Morrell has criticised the film, saying such things as, "I agree with these RAMBO: LAST BLOOD reviews. The film is a mess. Embarrassed to have my name associated with it" (Twitter, Sep 20, 2019). In an interview with Newsweek, the bestselling writer commented further, "I felt degraded and dehumanized after I left the theater. Instead of being soulful, this new movie lacks one... I felt I was less a human being for having seen it, and today that's an unfortunate message."

In another tweet he compares Last Blood to Richard T. Heffron's 1976 exploitation film Trackdown.

I respect Mr Morrell's opinions but don't agree with them. Having read First Blood (first published in 1972), I found the novel to be a put off showcasing a character with no redeeming qualities; he wasn't just broken - he was psychotic and a killer! However, in Ted Kotcheff's 1982 masterpiece Rambo is depicted as a victim of sorts, someone who you can relate to. This is indeed the same character we see in Rambo: Last Blood, a man who's new life is torn apart by others and is forced into making decisions that others would recoil from. He goes all "Rambo" on them. I've even checked "Rambo" online at Cambridge Dictionary and it describes the word as, "someone who uses, or threatens to use, strong and violent methods against their enemies".

As for the comparison to Trackdown, I do see it, but what doesn't borrow from everything else these days? I've not even seen Trackdown; but I've seen Rambo: Last Blood, and it was enjoyable.

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Rambo: Last Blood is racist?

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This is one accusation I have real trouble accepting. Yes, the timing of the movie has "President Trump" written all over it but the film isn't deliberately depicting all Mexicans as villains. This is a gang, you know, like ones you get all over the world, who prey on children and the vulnerable, who kill indiscriminately and sell drugs on the streets. If Rambo V had been set in China then there would still be accusations of racism. In fact, both Maria and Gabrielle are Mexican and Rambo loves them like family — and they're living with him on the ranch in the US with no sign of immigration authorities anywhere...

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Final thoughts?

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It took Rambo: Last Blood years to make it into theatres, as a project it had been on and off for so long that it didn't look likely to happen at all. Various plots had been mooted including a killer creature and the title Rambo V: The Savage Hunt, based on the novel Hunter by James Byron Huggins. That in itself would have felt like a Predator-type story that I'm sure would have been pointed out by some. There was even talk of a prequel television series where someone else would have played a young Rambo.

I'm just grateful we got a proper blood and guts Rambo, with Stallone still in the iconic role. He's older, a little slower, but still capable of dispatching the bad guys. If this is the end, then what a journey it has been.

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The Secret of NIMH (1982) - FilmReview

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Just what is the secret of NIMH?

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"One animation that did capture my imagination back then..."

Oh, rats! It's the Secret of NIMH. And what a nice little secret it is, too. It's strange how my childhood was blessed with some animated feature films while others scarcely made an impact on me at all. For example, movies such as Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) failed to win a place in my heart; whereas Robin Hood (1973), The Black Cauldron (1985), The Fox and the Hound (1981), Yellow Submarine (1968) and Watership Down (1978) firmly planted themselves into my all time list of favourites. Oh yes, and Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - no Christmas is complete without a viewing of this particular gem! I'm uncertain why some just didn't make the grade for me. One animation that did capture my imagination back then was a dark feature called The Secret of NIMH. Having a look at the cast list just now I'm surprised by some of the names attached: Derek Jacobi, Wil Wheaton and Shannen Doherty are three that jump out at me.

The film was adapted from a story by American author Robert C. O'Brien, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, first published in 1971. I've never read the book, and so this article focuses solely on the movie. I've also discovered that a follow up to the 1982 animation titled The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue had been released in 1998, but I'll likely ignore this fact; also seeing as original director Don Bluth wasn't even involved in this second project, it makes ignoring the sequel that much easier. So what was I talking about again?

Oh yes, The Secret of NIMH. Though a children's adventure, there is a far more serious subject matter in NIMH's DNA for grown ups: mental health. This is how I remember the movie as a kid: a little lady mouse meets a clumsy crow, her son is ill and so she needs medicine, and there are some mean rats; there was also a magical amulet.

Now from my adult perspective: A mouse called Mrs. Brisby needs medicine for her ill son (who has pneumonia) and so visits Mr. Ages, a friend of her now dead husband. During her return journey home, Brisby encounters a very clumsy but friendly crow named Jeremy, who is all tied up and in need of a little help to get untangled. This is the first time we encounter a cat named Dragon, which belongs to the owners of the farm, as he attempts to attack them both. We learn that Brisby and her family must leave their house before the farmer, Mr Fitzgibbon, starts plowing. With Timothy, her son, sick, he needs time to recover without being moved. The farmer, however, brings his plowing forward and so Brisby needs help. This is where the rats come into the picture.

Mental health and NIMH

Through a backstory we discover how both her husband and the rats became intelligent: they all live a relatively Human-like existence now, and steal much of what they need from the Humans. Electricity and other technology is becoming common place in their lives. Ever wondered what NIMH refers to? National Institute of Mental Health. It seems that the rodents were "lab rats" and that the experiments boosted their intelligence so greatly that they developed the ability to understand and reason. Following an escape from the laboratory, they built homes and a new way of life. As with any society, there is both good and bad, and one character who you'll love to despise is Jenner, a ruthless, power-hungry rat.

It's nice that The Secret of NIMH received widespread critical acclaim, and has remained in the hearts of many fans over the decades. It's been applauded as a wonderful adaptation of the original book. It even won a Saturn Award for Best Animated Film of 1982.

Keeping it in the family...

Though Robert C. O'Brien died in 1973, his daughter Jane Leslie Conly penned two sequel books: Racso and the Rats of NIMH (1986); and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH (1990). Thankfully, neither of these are connected to the 1998 The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue animation. Just me? Well I'm happy to say that the majority of critics and fans disliked director Dick Sebast's version; it's been described as missing its predecessor's "heart or craft". Another absence from NIMH 2: TTTR is the remarkable musical talent of Jerry Goldsmith. Let's face it, the man behind compositions for films such as Alien, Rambo, Star Trek, Explorers, Poltergeist, Gremlins, Capricorn One, Logan's Run and Planet of the Apes will always be a hard act to follow.

Heartwarming and magical, The Secret of NIMH not only had a talented director, composer and voice cast, but it is also timeless. I love it as much today as I ever did in 1982 and beyond.

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Oh My Word! 007's Are Forever

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Lashana Lynch as Nomi in the new James Bond film No Time To Die

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"In this day and age why are we even obsessed with colour or gender?"

Before anyone gets upset over a female 007, let me start by asking you to open your mind and be rational. After reports that British actress Lashana Lynch is to play 007 in the next James Bond movie, the internet exploded. With headlines such as "It would be the first time a white man will not play 007 in the spy movie series’ 57-year run" and "Meet the new Bond", it really is getting ridiculous. So, let's clarify things a little...

Lynch is portraying a 007 agent called Nomi in the next movie, but she is NOT James Bond. Still confused? Then please research a little and read up on 00 agents, you'll enjoy the experience. But to give you some insight into it all, here's an interesting piece from Wikipedia: "In Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and the derived films, the 00 Section of MI6 is considered the secret service's elite. A 00 is a field agent that holds a licence to kill in the field, at his or her discretion, to complete any mission". At "HIS or HER" discretion, so we know that a 00 agent can be a man or woman.

OK, so what about 007, hasn't there ever only been one agent to hold that particular licence to kill? Actually, no. In Fleming's stories, Bond is the only 007; to date that has also included the official Eon film franchise. Take a look at 2018's Forever and a Day, however, and you'll find that James Bond isn't the first: "The sea keeps its secrets. But not this time. One body. Three bullets. 007 floats in the waters of Marseille, killed by an unknown hand. It's time for a new agent to step up. Time for a new weapon in the war against organised crime. It's time for James Bond to earn his licence to kill. This is the story of the birth of a legend, in the brutal underworld of the French Riviera".

So, someone else had been 007 before Bond. They had been murdered. As a result, a new agent is assigned as 007. This could have been anyone, male or female. As it happens, the person chosen is Bond.

We know that tabloids have a habit of misquoting or making things up completely, but when you see the Mail Online printing such nonsense as "First ever black James Bond girl who played Thumper in Diamonds Are Forever blasts casting of actress Lashana Lynch who is taking over as 007 - saying iconic code name was meant for a man", it is easy to feel disappointed. So I roll my eyes, sigh, and write my own thoughts. It isn't controversial to cast a black woman as 007, as any agent can be assigned as any 00 if the previous agent has either died or retired from Service.

In this day and age why are we even obsessed with colour or gender? A talented actor/actress has been cast in a film about the secret service. Yes, it's a Bond movie so James Bond must be male but not necessarily white. That does not mean the remaining cast cannot take on other important roles within the infrastructure of the plot.

And it does seem possible that at the start of the new movie, now given the title "No Time to Die", James Bond has indeed retired from the Secret Service. It looks like something will bring him out of retirement, or perhaps he'll work with the new 007 without an official licence to kill of his own. It has happened before, remember when Timothy Dalton's Bond became a fugitive? His licence to kill had been revoked so, in affect, he was no longer 007 until it was reinstalled by his superiors.

It has also been announced that CIA agent Felix Leiter will be played by Jeffrey Wright. In previous instalments the character has been portrayed by numerous actors including David Hedison, whose storyline in Licence To Kill is unforgettable.

Bond 25 is being directed by Cary Fukunaga and will star Daniel Craig as James Bond. As for 007, well, I'm sure the licence to kill is in safe hands. 007's are forever, after all.

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Ghosts of Mars (2001) - FilmReview

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Can they survive the ghosts of Mars?

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Escape From Mars

Director and writer John Carpenter's work has given us some of the best movies in the last forty years. A master of scifi and horror, who can forget Halloween, The Fog, Assault on Precinct 13, Starman, or They Live. Sadly, Ghosts of Mars was seriously underrated by critics and fans, failing to earn enough at the box office and being heavily criticised for being "distressingly amateurish" and an "embarrassing disaster". But is it really that bad?

In truth, it isn't the best movie in Carpenter's catalogue. That said, I do enjoy it for what it represents: a fun and violent action flick that doesn't take itself too seriously. I couldn't disagree more with the "poor set designs" and "hammy acting" accusations. The setting is a simple one, kept to a minimum for maximum impact, and the acting isn't meant to be serious.

I have read that the script was originally intended to act as a Snake Plissken sequel, Escape From Mars, but the idea was changed due to the failure of Escape from L.A. to make a profit.


"Let me put it this way. Maybe I'd sleep with you if you were the last man on Earth. But we're not on Earth"

The film is set on a terraformed Mars in 2176 AD at a time when the planet has long been colonised by Humans. "640,000 people now live and work at far-flung outposts all over Mars, mining the planet for its abundant natural resources". The problem is, during one of these mining excavations, an alien tomb is unearthed and Martian spirits belonging to a now dead warrior race are free to possess the living. Miners who aren't taken over are butchered and beheaded.

Lt. Melanie Ballard (played so brilliantly by Natasha Henstridge) is on an assignment to collect a criminal known as James "Desolation" Williams (Ice Cube) from a cell in a Martian mining town, Shining Canyon, and deliver him into the hands of the authorities. She isn't alone in this task, however: joining her are officers Sergeant Jericho Butler (Jason Statham), Commander Helena Braddock (Pam Grier), and rookies including Bashira Kincaid (Clea DuVall). Sergeant Butler spends most of his time either coming on to Ballard or unlocking doors.

A gypsum (a soft sulfate mineral) mine near Albuquerque, New Mexico was chosen as the location for filming. To give it that Red Planet look, colouring had been used on the mine's rocks.

Upon arriving at the colony, Ballard and her colleagues are at first greeted by a ghost town. Instead of a bustling community, there is nobody in sight. Eventually the team locates a number of decapitated bodies and heads on spikes. It isn't long before they are attacked by a possessed army of miners who have mutilated their own flesh. In a style similar to that of Carpenter's Assault of Precinct 13, we end up with a siege as the newly-arrived officers and a bunch of survivors - which include "Desolation" Williams and three of his associates who came to Shining Canyon to rescue him - attempt to survive the onslaught and escape.


The drugs do work...

One of the things we learn is that when a Human host dies, the Martian spirit will seek a new body to possess; this happens often, and at one stage Ballard is consumed by one of the ghosts, forcing the other survivors to take her outside for their own safety. Sergeant Butler, however, gives her a goodbye gift: he places a pill in her mouth, one of the narcotics she carries around with her in a little silver locket. This trip seriously screws with the alien presence inside of her, allows Ballard to see through the eyes of the spirit and understand the history of these Martian warriors. The drug also helps the young woman to repel the invader, and it exits via her mouth as a red mist before dissipating.

This gives Ballard a chance to rejoin her group and make contact with the train that will lead them to safety.


Love for Ballard

It's been said that Michelle Yeoh, Famke Janssen and Franka Potente were originally considered for the role of Ballard, yet they all turned down the role. The part eventually went to singer and actress Courtney Love, although she departed the project due to injury. In my opinion Famke Janssen would have been an excellent choice. As it is, Henstridge's casting is a welcome one, the Species star is one of the best things about Ghosts of Mars.


What followed after Mars?

It is a shame that this movie was a box office financial failure, a sequel starring Henstridge would have been incredible, perhaps leading a group of men, women and children through Martian landscape in a quest to find a safe zone from the Ghosts. Mars has been quarantined, so no help expected from Earth. Even the thought of leaving the Red Planet is a risk - what if any of the Ghosts escape with them? So many possibilities...

As for the director, John Carpenter took a break from regular film-making after Ghosts of Mars. His next big project would come in 2010 with The Ward. When asked in an interview why such a long gap, he replied, "Man, I was burned out. Completely burned out. I just couldn’t do it anymore, I had to stop. I looked at myself and said you know, I’ve been working constantly. I’m like a drug addict — I need a little bit more of a life. It stopped being fun, it stopped being glorious. I’d fallen out of love with cinema. So I had to rekindle it".

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Alien Isolation - NovelReview (2019)

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Originally published on dreamcage.com

Release date: July 2019
Writer: Keith R. A. DeCandido

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The Promise

One of the saddest things about Alien isn't that Ellen Ripley lost her crew-mates aboard the Nostromo at the hands - or jaws - of a vicious killing machine, it is the heartbreaking fact that she never returned home to Earth in time for her daughter's Eleventh birthday, and that she never got to see Amanda "Amy" Ripley EVER again! In Aliens DIRECTOR'S CUT we get to view the moment when Carter J. Burke, junior executive for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, reveals that Amanda Ripley-McClaren died at the age of 66, two years prior to Ellen being found in deep space. She had died of cancer. However, what we as viewers never got to see was Amanda's own personal journey. Until now...


"Dallas wants me on the Nostromo, and they just took on a big contract to bring cargo back from Thedus."

Titan Books have published some terrific titles in the Alien catalogue, my favourite being Alien: River of Pain. However, there had yet to be a title covering Ellen Ripley's lost years, those being her 57 years absent in hypersleep aboard the Narcissus.

November 2137, the crew of the salvage ship Anesidora discover the flight recorder of the commercial space tug Nostromo, which had now been missing for 15 years. Altering course, the Anesidora goes to LV-426, the last known location of the missing ship. Those familiar with Alien won't be too surprised when things turn sour and one of the Anesidora crew gets attacked by a facehugger. With no time to lose, they leave the planet and head to Sevastopol Station where they hope to find help.


"Sevastopol's a supply depot in the region. It's a permanent freeport facility."

While repairing a Lagdamen X34 land buggy, engineer Amanda Ripley is told of the fortunate black box discovery by Christopher Samuels, a Weyland-Yutani Corporation employee. At first sceptical that the information could lead to yet another dead end, she eventually agrees to board the USCSS Torrens and head for Sevastopol. This being Alien, nothing goes to plan and Amanda finds herself trapped on board the space station among armed civilians and a deadly monster stalking the corridors and ventilation system. Her single goal: to locate the flight recorder and find out just what happened to her mother all those years ago.

As the book proudly states on the cover, Alien Isolation is an "original novel based on the hit video game" of the same name from 20th Century Fox. The game was a 2014 first-person survival console experience developed by Creative Assembly, it was published by SEGA for various gaming platforms such as PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC. Once it was announced that a book would be released based on Alien Isolation, however, you can just imagine my excitement. Author Keith DeCandido, who has written a plethora of sci-fi works including media tie-in books such as Star Trek as well as his own fiction, was tasked to adapt the game. Titan Books couldn't have chosen a better writer. What you get with Alien Isolation the novel is a lot more than just a mirror image of someone else's work, he literally adds depth to the back story of Amanda Ripley. We get to see her childhood, and the moment when she had to say goodbye to Ellen before that ill-fated trip aboard the Nostromo. DeCandido also includes a scene one month before her eleventh birthday when her stepfather Paul gets the news that the Nostromo is being declared "missing in action".

There are other inclusions that I will leave for you to discover.


Celebration and the Xenomorph

Titan Books couldn't have chosen a better time to release Alien Isolation. It is now 40 years since director Ridley Scott gave us the Xenomorph in Alien (1979). The franchise has exploded like a Chestburster, impacting on every media from movies to novels, comics and video games. And collector's merchandise. Though the movies first focused on warrant officer Ellen Ripley, played so perfectly by Sigourney Weaver, follow-up titles such as Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Prometheus (2012) have opened the door for other characters to confront the nasty saliva-dripping creatures.

Considering this is an official canonical expansion of both the game and Alien universe in general, what is there not to love? Published 30th July 2019, you'd be crazy not to board the Torrens with Ripley and explore Sevastopol.

Just pick up your motion tracker, and watch out for bugs.

You can pick this up, as well as other great titles, direct from Titan Books.

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Critters (1986) - FilmReview

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Brad (Scott Grimes) hiding from the terror

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Gremlins From Outer Space

You could easily accuse screenplay writer Domonic Muir of copying the success of another creature feature movie released in 1984: Gremlins! However, a screenplay for an early version of Critters had already been around a few years earlier than Joe Dante's own masterpiece. If anything, because Gremlins reached audiences first, the script for Critters had to undergo some changes to reduce similarities between the two movies. They are different enough to enjoy.

What I really liked about Critters is that it sets the scene perfectly by introducing an asteroid prison in deep space where the last eight of a vicious carnivorous species called Crites are waiting to be transferred. Unfortunately the mischievous monsters escape from the facility in a hijacked spacecraft and flee. Two shape-shifting bounty hunters are assigned to track them down. The destination: Earth!

I had watched this as a teenager, so decided a new viewing was needed. It made for a fantastic trip down memory lane. Firstly, I realised that actress Dee Wallace (Mary in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) was playing the role of Helen Brown; wife to Jay (Billy "Green" Bush), and mother to Brad (Scott Grimes) and April (Nadine van der Velde). They're a normal family living on a Kansas farm. That is, until something lands nearby and Critters begin eating cattle and attacking local residents. For the rest of the time this becomes a siege movie, as the Brown family tries to keep the alien beings outside of the farmhouse. The father is badly bitten at the beginning but manages to stay alive. In addition to this, a second extraterrestrial ship arrives and two strangers search for the escaped Crites.


...one of my absolute favourite movie memories...

It's certainly a fun movie, with excellent practical effects and a team of puppeteers to bring the Critters to life. They also look different enough from Gremlins to work well. One critic at the time said of the film, "Critters isn't a memorable or even very slick movie, but it is good fun. What it lacks in substance it makes up for with a perverse kind of charm". I disagree. Critters remained one of my absolute favourite movie memories from years past, a delightful low-budget sci-fi and horror flick that shouldn't be taken too seriously but will leave a smile.

Another face that I recognised during my fresh viewing was that of actor Ethan Phillips, known to many as Neelix in Star Trek: Voyager, playing a police officer. His role in this was a short one, but still a very nice surprise.


Nothing-Face

Out of the two bounty hunters, actor Terrence Mann played the lead as Ug, the one who takes on the appearance of a rock star called Johnny Steele. During the space flight, Ug had studied television signals, latched onto a rock concert and copied the eighties singer to make mingling in with Human society a lot less suspicious. Too bad, then, that his companion, Lee, blew up everything in sight and caused panic in the town of Grover's Bend. After reading Critters Wiki I've learned that these bounty hunters are known as Nothing-Face until selecting a "species facial identification". While Ug had no problem in assimilating an appearance, fellow hunter Lee didn't seem to find anything suitable, thus copying three different Humans during the story.


"They eat so fast, you don't have time to scream"

The Critters themselves have a Porcupines look about them, with the ability to shoot poison barbs as projectile weapons that can stun a victim. They also have razor-sharp teeth, and enjoy munching into an arm or two - or worse! Like the Gremlins, they are intelligent, though the level of that intellect varies from creature to creature.

There are some lovely nods to other movies: in one scene a Critter encounters an E.T. vinyl plush toy (in acknowledgement of leading lady Dee Wallace's 1982 role), the logo on the back of bowling uniforms will clearly be noticed by fans of Ghostbusters, and a toilet scene is reminiscent of Ghoulies (1985).

Charlie McFadden, portrayed perfectly by Don Keith Opper, is the local joke, a mechanic and drunk who receives information of alien abductions through his fillings; he will eventually become a familiar character within the franchise. Critters also features an early appearance by Billy Zane as Steve Elliot, April's boyfriend, who will regret wanting to have sex with her in the barn.

Critters spawned a number of sequels, and a web television series called Critters: A New Binge. The latest movie, Critters Attacks! (2019) sees Dee Wallace return in a different role to the one she plays in the first chapter. We do have to wonder why they keep churning out new versions/sequels/reboots, but... if something can be milked dry...

Thankfully, this first one is an absolute dream.

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Doctor Who: The Sirens of Time (1999) - AudioReview

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Release date: July 1999
Writer: Nicholas Briggs. Director: Nicholas Briggs

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The Doctor's back, and it's about time...

In 1989, the longest running science fiction show came to an abrupt end. No farewell story to thank the fans for their loyalty, no handshake for the cast and crew who had worked so passionately. Instead, actor Sylvester McCoy was required to add closing dialogue to the final serial, "Survival" - "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea's asleep, and the rivers dream; people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, and somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace. We've got work to do." 

Of course, those weren't the last ever lines spoken for the series... in 1996 a television movie was produced, starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and featuring a guest appearance by McCoy. But, seeing as no further production followed writer Matthew Jacobs's attempt, the "Classic" era was over.

Big Finish will always have a special place in my heart, for they did something quite remarkable: resurrected the Doctor, and persuaded actors Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy to reprise their most famous of roles. I can still remember how it felt to own "The Sirens of Time" on CD. It was a magnificent feeling, knowing that I was about to embark on a new adventure with a Time Lord. 1999 was 1989 all over again, with the past ten years seeming as if they had never happened at all...

The plot: Gallifrey, and time itself, is being threatened by the presence of an alien race, whose technologically-advanced warships have surrounded the Time Lords' home planet. And it seems that the Doctor is somehow involved... Written and directed by the legendary Nicholas Briggs (should I mention that he was also responsible for the music and sound design?), this first step for Big Finish into official Doctor Who territory simply cannot be faulted. As with the majority of the early audios produced, "Sirens" is a four-part story, with the first three focusing on each Doctor - Seventh, Fifth and Sixth - and the final part bringing them all together to face the villains of the piece. And it is a welcome decision not to include Daleks in this debut outing...


No Ace up the Doctor's sleeve

Part One reintroduces us to the Seventh Doctor (portrayed by McCoy) as he is drawn to a planet where spacecraft are crashing; a mysterious old woman called Ruthley looks after an equally mysterious gentleman, Sancroft; and a young girl named Elenya (Sarah Mowat) needs rescuing. Out of the three, Ruthley is a very unpleasant creature indeed, with her prime focus being on her own survival above all else - those familiar with this audio range might be interested to know that Ruthley is played by Maggie Stables, who later goes on to portray the role of Evelyn Smythe, companion to the Sixth Doctor in the first "original" pairing for Big Finish. There is much to dislike about Ruthley, and her own feelings mirror similar dislike towards those who are unfortunate enough to be within her company.

Companionless in this one, McCoy easily fits back into the role he had briefly revisited during the 1996 TV movie. We are also introduced to The Knights of Velyshaa.


"The Time Lords really do want me dead!"

Part Two focuses on the Fifth Doctor, and his encounter with the crew of a German U-boat. He is also joined by Helen (Mowat), the only other survivor of a British freighter torpedoed moments earlier. Though rescued by the German crew, it is clear that the danger is far from over. Determined to recover his TARDIS, the Doctor finds himself at the hands of his own people when they use a crewmember, Schmidt, to try and kill him following time distortion. This is the work of Coordinator Vansell (Anthony Keetch), a member of the Celestial Intervention Agency. The situation is a desperate one as Vansell believes the Doctor is somehow responsible for history to be altered - preventing him from reaching his TARDIS is a priority in saving the Time Lords and restoring the course of history!


"Would you please keep the noise down, old chap?"

Part Three brings us a Sixth Doctor who finds himself at some conference on a spacecraft, the Edifice, in the Kurgon system. They are present to investigate the Kurgon Wonder, a spatial anomaly. Things turn bad when more time distortion affects the ship, killing everyone except for the Doctor, a waitress named Ellie (Mowat), and an android. One of the threads through all parts of the story is the young woman that the Doctor encounters in his three incarnations. Just who is she? Mowat certainly delivers a strong performance with each character. She would later go on to play Susan Mendes in Big Finish's Dalek Empire series.


"Beware the Sirens of Time..."

And so to Gallifrey, and the Doctors are brought together in the final fourth part. In television history we've only ever seen multiple Doctor adventures three times: The Three Doctors (1973), The Five Doctors (1983) and The Two Doctors (1985). We could include Dimensions in Time (1993) though it is not official canon as it was a charity event crossover with a British soap, Eastenders.

It is rather lovely hearing Peter, Colin and Sylvester meet up, it's definitely a reunion with old friends. As the plot evolves we learn that beyond the Doctor, the Time Lords, and even the Knights of Velyshaa, there is a menacing threat that feeds on the energies of chaos, and that it is these creatures who have been pulling the strings and manipulating since the start.

It is difficult to think of a better beginning than The Sirens of Time, it sets a nice standard that Big Finish absolutely builds on and improves over the following years. It seems unbelievable that, at time of writing this article, Sirens of Time is 20 years old! Just where has that time gone? I'm sure the Doctor knows...


Beyond the Sirens...

Co-ordinator Vansell will return in several audios including The Apocalypse Element, Neverland, and the spin-off Gallifrey range.

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Doctor Who: The Curse of Davros (2012) - AudioReview

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Release date: January 2012
Writer: Jonathan Morris. Director: Nicholas Briggs

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Escaping The Daleks...

The return of the Daleks is always a welcome one. And if that story happens to include a certain Kaled scientist, then much the better. In The Curse of Davros we are reunited with Philippa "Flip" Jackson (Lisa Greenwood) and her boyfriend Jared Ramon, who we last encountered in The Crimes of Thomas Brewster (2011). This time, however, the Doctor is alone and in danger. He is wanted by the Daleks. As the plot progresses we learn that his enemy can swap minds with Humans, literally taking over their physical bodies, using mind swapping technology created by Davros. The use of this weapon is obvious enough, allowing Daleks to move freely on Earth.

When Flip and Jared witness a spacecraft crashing in London, they go to investigate. The incident hasn't gone unnoticed and so it isn't long before the area is swarming with military and police officers. What DOES go unnoticed is the escape capsule that ejected from the main ship and landed nearby. From within, the Sixth Doctor emerges...

It has to be said that the casting is first rate in this one, and Big Finish delivers more often than not with their catalogue of audio adventures featuring EVERY Doctor they are fortunate to direct. It has also been an opportunity for BF to create an extension to what came before, building not just on the original television series that Colin Baker contributed to from 1984-86 but to add extra mythology surrounding the character. In the world of audio, the Sixth Doctor has met new companions such as Evelyn Smythe and Charlotte Pollard. They have been positive role models, feisty and curious, determined and loyal. These qualities can also be found in Flip. From the start she is unstoppable, a modern girl with a no nonsense approach, although she certainly has a heart.

One of the things that we do get to see in The Curse of Davros is that the Doctor - our Doctor - isn't quite himself. This gives Baker a nice juicy opportunity to step into someone else's shoes for a while, and it delivers nicely. When Jared is mind-swapped with a Dalek, the Time Lord and Flip go on the run. As usual, we see just how ruthless his deadly foes are when they threaten to exterminate a group of innocent people unless the Doctor surrenders. They clearly keep their word, as they did in Destiny of the Daleks (1979) when similarly they began systematically killing slaves until the Fourth Doctor gave in. This is what they know, and the price of a life means nothing except its usefulness as a weapon.


Meddling in history...

One moment we are on modern day Earth, the next we're witnessing the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This is such a fantastic contrast, bringing new dynamics to the development of the play. Davros plans on using his mind-swapping tech to change Human history and aid Napoleon Bonaparte in defeating the British and Prussian armies. It would be catastrophic! Just think how the lyrics in a certain pop song from 1974 would differ, no more "At Waterloo Napoleon did surrender". But far more than that, such meddling would change the course of Human history.

Those familiar with BBC Books will recall a previous Doctor Who adventure set at the Battle of Waterloo. World Game, written by Terrance Dicks and published in 2005, featured the Second Doctor in a plot involving the Celestial Intervention Agency, Lady Serena, and Players (immortal beings who liked to tamper with history).


Holmes Vs Moriarty

Ever since he first appeared on our screens in 1975, Davros has become Moriarty to the Doctor's Holmes. With only a single televised story between them, Revelation of the Daleks (1985), it was always welcome when Big Finish decided to bring the two together again in audio. 2003's "Davros" is a particular favourite of mine. Out of all the Doctor's, Baker's incarnation feels the best fit to Terry Molloy's mad scientist. It is also fitting that this particular Doctor finally understands and shows empathy for his enemy, though that in itself doesn't stop the Gallifreyan from defeating him. We've always known that Davros' life is one of pain and suffering, though it is these that have kept him focused and hateful. Has he always been evil, or just ruthlessly efficient and practical? For that answer we have to look no further than "I, Davros", the four-part story also from Big Finish.


The adventure continues...

Given the opportunity to return home with boyfriend Jared, Flip instead decides to travel with the Doctor. This is very reminiscent of Rose Tyler's own reaction to embracing the chance of adventure through time and space. It also helps that Flip is very likeable, thanks to both the writing of the character and Greenwood's solid performance.


"Shall I compare thee to a summers day?"

How does this story compare to previous Dalek adventures? Well, it's an interesting mix, that's for sure. Over the years we've been treated to so many Dalek plots that it could easily become monotonous. The Curse of Davros, however, manages to keep a few surprises and delivers in the right areas. This is actually less about Daleks and more to do with rivalry between two old enemies: imagine if Davros could live again, without pain and mental torment... Imagine if the Doctor could spend the rest of his days trapped in a different kind of prison... It is a frightening concept indeed.

Looking on the Big Finish website I notice that they had the working title Waterloo of the Daleks, I'm so glad they changed it. Mention must also go to cover artist Simon Holub, who's work also includes favourites of mine such as "Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: Here There Be Monsters" and "Doctor Who - Robophobia". The use of blues in his The Curse of Davros looks stunning. I've just found some up and coming titles featuring his cover art and "Doctor Who: Interstitial / Feast of Fear" is particularly amazing!

I absolutely recommend The Curse of Davros, it is certainly an enjoyable ride through history. And you get to spend more time with Flip Jackson.

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Ash vs Alien Files #1 - The Curse of Ripley

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Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph (ALIEN³)

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Many franchises seem to be a divisive issue these days, you can't afford to have an opinion without someone wanting to tear your soul apart. Thankfully fans aren't Cenobites, so no blood loss or physical torment. Mentally and emotionally, however, can be quite draining if you let it. The problem arises from passion, we're all passionate about what we love. And franchises are deeply loved by fans. So much so that many can't accept changes to their movie or television series, or embrace something that doesn't fit in with established continuity. They want more of the same, or complain that it is too much the same and when given a radical shift from the norm they complain that it's too different, and want more of how it was before.

Being a director can be a thankless job these days.

I've been obsessed with the Alien franchise since the late eighties, having watched Aliens (1986) for the first time on VHS. It was a breathtaking ride of sci-fi and horror, with plenty of action and state-of-the-art special effects. I had not seen anything like it. The Xenomorph was the stuff of nightmares, as it had meant to be. We were introduced to Hadley's Hope, a small colony on the moon of Acheron (originally named LV-426) after it had fallen prey to the aliens. Ellen Ripley (played superbly by Sigourney Weaver) was persuaded to return to the moon where it had all began for her - in Alien (1979) she had first visited LV-426 with the crew of the commercial space tug USCSS Nostromo, a nightmarish mission that would later see the deaths of everyone except Ripley.

While on Acheron for the second time, Ripley encounters a young survivor, a girl named Rebecca Jorden, known to everyone except her brother as "Newt". They immediately form a bond. This is one of the parts that I like most about Aliens, and Carrie Henn's performance is outstanding. "My mommy always said there were no monsters - no real ones - but there are, aren't there?"

Following this viewing, it was inevitable that I would delve into Ridley Scott's original 1979 masterpiece sooner or later. Funnily enough, compared to the busyness of Aliens, its predecessor felt a little... bare. One alien, no weapons at the crew's disposal except for flame throwers. It was a fun experience, though not one I warmed to instantly. In truth, I had been spoiled by the sequel, and had to learn to accept Alien on its own merits. This I eventually succeeded in doing, and I now regard the first movie as one of the best in the franchise.

In 1992 came the third and final instalment in what I regard as Ellen Ripley's trilogy: Alien 3, directed by David Fincher. This is where fans are split in their support and admiration. Many people have felt that it was wrong, insulting even, to kill Newt and Captain Dwayne Hicks off screen, instead casting Ripley to a prison colony to face off against yet another single alien creature. Surely two of the most popular characters from Aliens deserved better? Well, as much as I adore Newt, for me the first three movies were always part of what I refer to as the 'Shakespearean tragedy of Ripley', for it was Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley who was destined to be haunted by this nightmare as her life unfolded beyond her control.

Her daughter, Amanda, was only 10-years-old when Ripley took a job that would ultimately lead her to LV-426 (Alien). First tragedy, the loss of the Nostromo crew; third tragedy, returning home to Earth 57 years later after her "lifeboat" the Narcissus was found drifting through space by a passing salvage vessel, and learning that Amanda had grown old and died (Aliens).

Notice I skipped something? If you are at all familiar with Alien: Out of the Shadows (the first in a published canonical Alien trilogy) you will know that Ripley had actually been awoken thirty-seven years after her Nostromo incident, by the crew of the DSMO Marion orbiting LV-178, also called New Galveston. They, too, are being plagued by Xenomorphs and the reality of their situation, Ripley discovers, is that the vessel will burn up in the planet's atmosphere. Their only hope: the Narcissus! To complicate matters, they must replace the shuttle's empty fuel cell by going down to LV-178 to obtain fuel from a mining colony. On the planet surface - why is it never easy? - they face further aliens. You might be wondering why Ellen Ripley never recalls this encounter in further movies? Well, read the book and find out. Her experiences on the Marion is the second tragedy.

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The sacrifice of Ellen Ripley on Fiorina 161 (ALIEN³)

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Fourth tragedy, the massacre of Hadley's Hope and the marines that accompany Ripley to the moon. Newt is Ripley's connection to the colony, as we learn that the girl's family was killed (you can learn more about the fall of Acheron in Christopher Golden's Alien: River of Pain novelisation). There is a beautiful mother-daughter relationship between the two, especially when you realise that they have both suffered loss. Though not a replacement for Amanda, could Newt become the child that Ripley needs? This finally leads to tragedy five and six: Newt's off-screen death and Ripley's sacrifice (Alien 3).

It is clear that our protagonist was never meant to meet a happy ending. Those that she loved were taken from her, hope quickly snatched at every turn. And all because of the alien...

Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 (and Alien: Out of the Shadows) combined tell the extraordinary tale of a curse. This becomes even more significant when you take into account Alien: Isolation, a story that explains Amanda Ripley's own encounter with the Xenoporph. And don't get me started on Alien: Sea of Sorrows, this is when things just get weird...

I've omitted Alien Resurrection as this movie features Ripley Clone 8, and not 'the' Ellen Ripley. This is a different story entirely and one that deserves its own article.

Maybe.

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Monica Enid Dickens... The True Lady of Follyfoot

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Monica Dickens.
Source: Desert Island Discs, BBC, 1951

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Just who is Monica Dickens? Well, firstly, her surname gives us a clue as to who she is related to. Yes, none other than English writer Charles Dickens (1812-1870). But there is far more to this woman than just being the great-granddaughter of a literary genius. Though I have been a fan of Mr Dickens' work for decades, I was totally oblivious to his family tree. It is ironic, then, that I became an even greater fan of a series of books... and a television series based on one of those books: Follyfoot.

Monica was born in London on 10th May 1915, her parents were Henry Charles Dickens (1878–1966) and Fanny Dickens (née Runge). Sadly not much is known about Fanny except that she herself was born in Camberwell, London, in 1876; she was married to Henry in 1904 (Chelsea Registration District, London), sadly her death is unknown. Monica had a sister: Doris Elaine Mary Danby (née Dickens). The girls' upbringing was very middle class - Henry was a barrister - but Monica became disenchanted by the life around her. Not only was she expelled (she had attended St Paul's Girls' School, London) but Monica entered into domestic service. It is not what her father would have wished, I'm sure.

Her literature reflected the work she did, examples being the memoir One Pair Of Hands (1939) highlighting her experiences as a domestic servant and One Pair Of Feet (1942) in which she wrote about her time as a nurse. Her career at the Hertfordshire Express newspaper (published in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England) led to the book My Turn to Make the Tea (1951).

Monica married U.S Navy officer Roy O. Stratton in 1951 and migrated to the United States where they later adopted two girls called Pamela and Prudence. Her writing never stopped, with most of her work still set in England. She was also a passionate humanitarian and helped establish the first U.S Samaritans in Massachusetts in 1974. She worked closely with the Samaritans, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is the latter that influenced her novel Cobbler's Dream (1963) which, in the 1970s, was adapted into a popular British television show called Follyfoot. Due to its success, Monica wrote follow-up titles Follyfoot (1971), Dora at Follyfoot (1972), The Horses of Follyfoot (1975), and Stranger at Follyfoot (1976). The year prior to Cobbler's Dream, the author had visited The Home of rest for Horses (renamed The Horse Trust in 2006) and had been so touched by their tireless work that it became the influence for the Farm in the 1963 publication.

Between 1939 and 1992 she wrote many books, inspired those who met her and lived an extraordinary life, memories and experiences that she could share through her literature. In 1978 she had published an autobiography titled An Open Book. After her husband's death, in 1985, Monica returned to the UK where her career as a writer continued until her own death on Christmas Day in 1992. She was 77 years old.

Her final book, One of the Family (1993), was published posthumously.

When I think of my passion for Follyfoot, it dawns on me just how alike one of the characters is to Monica: Dora is from a privileged family who chooses to work on a farm and care for horses, she doesn't mind the hard labour at all, actually embracing the freedom that her new position brings. Dora's mother is set against her continuing at Follyfoot but her uncle, who owns the farm, signs it over to her so that she becomes Lady of Follyfoot. In fact, first book Cobbler's Dream was a tale that raised brutal awareness of the cruelty inflicted on horses; it was far from being a light-hearted read.

Her work lives on, some titles have even been digitised for the eBook market. And thanks to Follyfoot and its accompanying Yorkshire Television series, which ran in the UK from 1971 to 1973, there is much gratitude for a woman who rebelled, found her own path and forged a remarkable writing career.

Pages of interest: follyfoot.co.uk

Also check out portraits of Dickens at the National Portrait Gallery.

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