BFI / SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER

I don't usually cut and paste whole announcements onto this blog - I see it done a lot on a variety of blogs and websites which to be honest seems to me to be both lazy and unimaginative. 

However, on this occasion I will break my rule and print here the press release that I received today from the BFI. Quite simply, I wanted to to the announcement the justice that it deserved. 

So here it is, albeit with a few photos's included of my own choice here and there, the full, exciting details.....

The BFI Today Unveiled Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder, A Three Month Celebration Of Film And Television’s Original Blockbuster Genre.  

Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder Will Include Over 1000 Screenings Of Classic Films And Television Programmes At Over 200 Locations Across The UK, From Outdoor Events At Iconic British Sites To Screenings In Multiplexes, Local Cinemas And Community Venues, In One Of The Largest And Most Ambitious Sci-Fi Seasons Ever Created.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder Will Be The BFI’s Biggest Season To Date. It Includes A Three-Month Programme At BFI Southbank, From 20 October Until 31 December 2014, And Very Special Events, Guests And Screenings Right Across The Uk. Classic Sci-Fi Titles Will Be Released Into Uk Cinemas And On Dvd And Blu-Ray. There Will Be An Extensive Education Programme, 50+ Films Available Online Through BFI Player, A BFI Sci-Fi Compendium, Nine New BFI Film Classics Published With Palgrave Macmillan, Exciting New Partnerships, Special Guests And Commentators, All Of Which Will Celebrate Cinema’s Most Spectacular And Visionary Genre, Exploring How The Fear And Wonder At Its Heart Continues To Inspire And Enthral.

Heather Stewart, Creative Director, BFI Said:

 "Sci-Fi Has Come To Define The Cinematic Experience For Audiences Everywhere. We Will Celebrate The Originality, The Craftsmanship And The Vision Behind Some Of The Most Important Film And Television Ever Made. Its Calling Card Is Visual Spectacle, But At Its Heart Sci-Fi Is The Genre For Big Ideas, Revealing Our Hopes And Fears For Tomorrow's World. We Have Only Glimpsed Its Full Potential."

Highlights Include:

·         Nationwide Reach: With Over 1000 Screenings At Over 200 Venues, Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder Can Be Enjoyed Across The Uk. There Will Be More Than 576 Sci-Fi Screenings And Events Offered Through The BFI Film Audience Network (BFI Fan), Screening At Least 419 Titles At 124Locations Nationwide, Plus 134 Titles Shown Across 260 Screening Slots At Bfi Southbank.

·         Flagship Events: Spectacular Sci-Fi Screenings Will Take Place At Some Of The Uk’s Most Iconic Locations, Including The BFI Sci-Fi Weekend At The British Museum, Bletchley Park, The Eden Project, Jodrell Bank Observatory, And The Square In HG Wells’ Home Town Ofmidhurst, West Sussex.

Blade Runner

Bfi Distribution: Re-Released By The Bfi, Ridley Scott’s Director’s Cutof Dystopian Masterpiece Blade Runner Will Be Back On The Big Screen In Cinemas Across The Uk In Early 2015. 

The Bfi Will Celebrate Its Previously Announced Nationwide Re-Release Of Stanley Kubrick’svisionary 2001: A Space Odyssey (28 November) With A Host Of Special Guests, Including The Film’s Stars Gary Lockwood And Keir Dullea.

·         Exclusive BFI Dvd And Blu-Ray Releases Will Include The Long-Awaited 7-Disc Dvd Box Set Of BBC Tv Series Out Of The Unknown (1965–1971), And The Dvd Premiere Of Nigel Kneale’s 1954 Adaptation Of George Orwell’s Classic Nineteen Eighty-Four, Starring The Great Peter Cushing.

·         BFI National Archive: The BFI National Archive Will Present Four Meticulously Restored Classic Sci-Fi Titles At BFI Southbank And On Bfi Player During The Season, With Shimmering New Prints Of The First Ever British Sci-Fi Feature Film, A Message From Mars (1913), As Well As The Classic The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) And Short Film The Pirates Of 1920 (1911).

There Will Be An Exhibition Of Sci-Fi Treasures From The Archive Throughout The Season, Including The Original Costume Designs, Photographs, Posters And Publicity Material For Films Includingmetropolis (1927), Things To Come (1936), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Blade Runner (1982) And Brazil (1985) – And The Original Continuity Script From Star Wars: Episode Iv - A New Hope (1977).

·         Collaboration With The BBC: The BFI Is Working Closely With The BBC To Open New Opportunities For Television, Radio And Cinema Audiences To Explore Science Fiction Throughout The Season. Historian Dominic Sandbrook Will Explore Science Fiction In Its Many Forms In A New,Landmark Four-Part Series: Tomorrow’s Worlds. Airing On BBC Two To Coincide With The Season, A Specially Edited Feature Version Will Preview At Bfi Southbank.

BFI Southbank Will Host The London Premiere Of The First Episode Of The Eighth Series Of BBC One’s Highly Anticipated Doctor Who, With The 12Th Doctor Peter Capaldi In Attendance, On 7 August, Following Its World Premiere In Cardiff Earlier That Day, With Both Events Presented As Part Of Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder.

·         Previews, Premieres And Events: The Season Also Includes An Exclusive Preview Of The Highly Anticipated The Hunger Games: Mockingjay At BFI Southbank And The World Premiere Of Filmed In Supermarionation, The Definitive Documentary About The Iconic And World-Leading Puppetry And Animation Techniques Devised By Gerry And Sylvia Anderson And Their Team Of Puppeteers In A Slough Warehouse In The 1960S. Dj Yoda Goes To The Sci-Fi Movies In A Very Special Sonic Cinema Event, And Sonic Cinema Will Spend A Weekend Delving Inside Afrofuturism, Embarking On A Cinematic Trip Into The Vast, Genre-Bending Universe Of Black Science Fiction, Technoculture And Magic Realism.

·         BFI Books: The Season Will See The Publication Of The Definitive Bfi Sci-Fi Compendium, With Contributions From World Authorities On Sci-Fi, Authors Including: Lauren Beukes, Directors Such As Gareth Edwardsand Edgar Wright, Plus Sci-Fi Visionary Douglas Trumbull. It Will Also Be Marked By The Publication Of A Set Of New Special Edition BFI Film Classics, Published By Palgrave Macmillan, Exploring Nine Key Sci-Fi Films And Written By High-Profile Film Critics And Academics, Includingmark Kermode, Roger Luckhurst And Kim Newman.

·         Your Sci-Fi: The BFI Is Launching Sci-Fi Polls Aimed At Audiences Of All Ages. First Is A Quest To Find Favourite Science Fiction Film And Television Characters For The Greatest Sci-Fi Characters Of All Timepoll, Be They Man Or Machine, Hero, Heroine Or Villain (Voting Now Open Here: Http://Www.Bfi.Org.Uk/Sci-Fi/Poll), And With Into Film There Will Bea Uk-Wide Poll Of Science Teachers By Young People Asking Them To Name Which Sci-Fi Film Inspired Them.

Bfi Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder Will Include:

Bfi Southbank:

The Major BFI Southbank Programme, Will Launch On 20 October And Run until 31 December 2014. Sci-Fi Is Presented Across Three Themes That Identify The Unique Characteristics And Concerns Of This Remarkably Diverse Genre:Tomorrow’s World, Altered States And Contact!

Brazil

Tomorrow’s World Hurls Us Into The Future Where Technology Has Changed Everything. How Do We Distinguish The Speculative Fiction Of Our Nearest Futures And The Science Fiction Of Our Fantasies? Visions Of The Future And Futures Passed Will Include Fritz Lang’s Seminal Metropolis(1927), William Cameron Menzies’ Things To Come (1936), Joseph Losey’s The Damned (1961), Jean-Luc Godard‘S New Wave Offering Alphaville (1965),Franklin J. Schaffner’s  The Planet Of The Apes (1968), George Miller’smad Max Ii: Road Warrior (1981), Terry Gilliam’s Surreal Masterpiece Brazil(1985) And The Dystopian Vision From Margaret Atwood’s Novel In Volker Schlöndorff’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1990).

Altered States Takes Us Inside The Science Fiction Of The Mind And Body On Adventures In ‘Inner-Space’. Mad Scientists, Mutants, Man-Machines And Mind-Bending Trips Will Be Taken With Films That Get Under The Skin Of What It Is To Be Human And Into The Minds Of Our Monsters Including Robert Stevenson’sthe Man Who Changed His Mind (1936), John Frankenheimer’s Seconds(1966), Starring Rock Hudson, David Cronenberg’s The Brood (1979), James Cameron’s The Terminator (1984), Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man(1989) And Michel Gondry’s Emotive Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind(2004).

Contact! Is Made, And Things Are Never Quite The Same Again. Science Fiction And Humankind’s Drive To Explore And Exploit New Frontiers Can Lead To Trouble – And Things Tend Not To Be Any Better When We Take Visitors From Distant Worlds. Films Which Question Whether We Are Alone In The Cosmos, And Whether The Cosmos Would Be Better Off Without Us, Will Includewallett Waller’s A Message From Mars (1913), Byron Haskin’s War Of The Worlds (1953), Fred Wilcox’s Forbidden Planet (1956), Roy Ward Baker’squatermass And The Pit (1967), Douglas Trumbull’s Silent Running (1972),Steven Spielberg’s Chilling Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977); There Will Be An Extended Run Of Don Siegel’s Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) And Screenings Of Philip Kaufman’s 1978 Remake Starringdonald Sutherland, Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979), Robert Zemeckis’ Contact(1997) And Gareth Edwards’ Monsters (2010).

Inside Afrofuturism Takes A Cinematic Trip Into The Vast, Genre-Bending Universe Of Black Science Fiction, Techno Culture And Magic Realism. Special Events Include A Sonic Cinema Weekend Marking The Centenary Of The Birth Of The Cosmic Ambassador Sun-Ra, Alongside Screenings Of John Coney’sspace Is The Place (1974), And Shirley Clarke’s Ornette Coleman: Made In America (1985). Further Highlights Include John Akomfrah’s Essential Afrofuturism Primer The Last Angel Of History (1996), John Sayles’ Cult Slave-Narrative Update The Brother From Another Planet, Lizzie Borden’sdystopian Punk Diorama Born In Flames (1983), Haile Gerima’s Time-Shifting Allegory Sankofa (1993), And Terence Nance’s Dazzlingly Creative Debut An Oversimplification Of Her Beauty (2013); Curated By Ashley Clark.

BFI Southbank’s Regular Film/Music Event Sonic Cinema Will Be Presenting A Series Of Special Sci-Fi Themed Live Experiences.  Master Of The Movie-Mash Up,Dj Yoda, Has Been Commissioned To Create A New Show. ‘Dj Yoda Goes To The Sci-Fi Movies’ Which Will World Premiere In November.  Another World Premiere Will Be The Eagerly Anticipated New Album From Uk Composer John Foxx, Entitled ‘Evidence Of Time Travel’ Which Will Be Performed Live With Specially Made Visuals By Kabourn.  We Are Teaming Up With Montreal-Based Digital Arts Festivals Mutek And Elektra To Present A Very Special Series Of Live Audio-Visual Performances Including New Work From Roly Porter Andkeudo, And The Bbc Radiophonic Workshop Will Perform A Specially Arranged Sci-Fi Set To Celebrate Their Great Contribution To Tv Sci-Fi, Playing To Clips Of Some Rare Archive Classics And Current Favourites And All In 5.1 Surround Sound In December. 

Filmed In Supermarionation (2014) Will Premiere On 30Th September As A Curtain Raiser For The Season. Stephen La Rivière’s Tribute To The Pioneering Work Of Gerry And Sylvia Anderson, Creators Of Some Of The Uk’s Most Successful And Iconic Sci-Fi Film And Television, Will Include A Panel Event With The Director And Key Contributors. The Time-Defying Primer (2004) Will Be Followed By A Q&A With Director Shane Carruth. And Some Of The Greatest Ever Sci-Fi Tv Programmes Will Be In The Spotlight, Including Out Of The Unknown, The Quatermass Experiment & Doomwatch, And We Will Celebrate The Cult Hit Blake’s Seven At A Very Special Event. 

The BFI Sci-Fi Weekend At The British Museum:

A Trilogy Of Science Fiction Classics Will Screen In The Magnificent Forecourt Of The British Museum Over Three Successive Nights To Audiences Of Up To 1200 Each Evening, From Thursday 28 To Saturday 30 August. On Thursday 28 August The BFI National Archive Will Present The London-Set Classic, The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Directed By Val Guest, In A World Premiere Of The New Restoration. Friday Will See Us Attempt Inter-Galactic Contact With The Man Who Fell To Earth, Starring David Bowie As An Alien Stranded On Earth On A Mission To Find Water For His Own World. The Weekend Will Conclude With A Cult Classic As We Venture To Planet Mongoon Saturday 30 August With Flash Gordon, Saviour Of The Universe, In A New Digital Transfer.

Sci-Fi Across The Uk:

Screenings Offered Through The BFI Film Audience Network:

There Will Be At Least 576 BFI Fan Sci-Fi Screenings And Events, Showing 419Titles Across 124 Locations, All Curated By Cinema Experts With Unsurpassed Knowledge Of Their Local Audiences. Highlights From Across The Network Are Outlined Below, With Further Announcements About BFI Fan Sci-Fi Activity To Come.

The BFI Film Audience Network (BFI Fan) Spans The Length And Breadth Of The Uk And Connects Cinemas, Film Archives, Education Organisations, Community Groups And Others To Bring A Wide Range Of Films To Audiences And Help Build Interest In Independent And Specialised Film. BFI Fan Members Have Boldly Taken The Sci-Fi Brief And Created Mind-Blowing Programmes Of Screenings, Guests And Events To Bring Classics Of The Genre To Uk Audiences In New And Exciting Ways.

A Map Of Confirmed Events, Details About Ticket Bookings And An Online Search For Your Closest Bfi Sci-Fi Event Will Be Available Here:Www.Bfi.Org.Uk/Sci-Fi 

Derbyshire And The North West:

Presented By Film Hub North West Central, Led By Cornerhouse Manchester:

Watch The Skies! Curated By Abandon Normal Devices At Jodrell Bank, Cheshire

The First Ever Outdoor Cinematic Events At One Of The World’s Largest Radio Telescopes, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Which Plays An Important Role Globally In Astronomical Observations Including Research Into ‘Pulsars’, ‘Cosmology’ And The ‘Search For Extra Terrestrial Intelligence’ (Seti).

Watch The Skies! Is Curated By Abandon Normal Devices And Produced In Partnership With Jodrell Bank And Live From Jodrell Bank Transmissions And Funded Through The BFI Programme Development Fund.

Cornerhouse All-Nighter  

Cornerhouse Will Present An Ambitious All-Night Screening Programme To Transport Audiences Into The Weird And Wonderful World Of Science Fiction.  The Programme Of Six Films Features A Range Of Sci-Fi Titles, Including Well-Loved And Well-Known Classics And Lesser-Seen Titles. Guest Speakers And Presenters Will Punctuate The Event With Contextualising Film Introductions. 

East Midlands And East Of England:

Presented By Film Hub Central East, Led By Broadway, Nottingham And Cambridge Film Trust:

The Day The Earth Caught Fire

Station X At Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes

A Series Of Immersive Screenings And Themed Workshops Over Three Days (September 19-21) Will Explore Science Fiction War Narratives, Totalitarian Dystopias And Fear Of The Power Of Science In The Deeply Historical Setting Of Britain’s Wartime Code-Breaking Huts. With Screenings Including The World Premiere Of A New Digital Print Of X The Unknown, As Well As The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Things To Come, Brazil And Dr. Strangelove, Bletchley’s Famous Grounds Will Feature An Alien Crash Site, A Rocket Ship Launch Pad And A Soundscape.

Mayhem Film Festival, Nottingham 

Will Present A Three-Day Season Of Film Screenings, Events And Discussion Forums On The Theme Of ‘The Created Woman’, A Popular And Enduring Idea Within Science Fiction. Themes To Be Explored Include: Creating The ‘Perfect’ Woman, Creation Gone Wrong/ The 'Monstrous' Woman, Wives And Daughters And Conjuring The Woman. Screenings Will Include Metropolis, Frankenstein Created Woman, The Stepford Wives And Solaris.

London:

Presented By Film Hub London, Led By Film London:

Ada & After: Women Do Science (Fiction), Presented By Club Des Femmes In Association With The Ica And Hackney Picturehouse Will Showcase The Contribution Of Women To Science And Science Fiction. The Specially Curated Film Programme Of Features, Documentaries And Short Films Will Includeconceiving Ada Starring Tilda Swinton By Lynn Hershmann-Leeson, An Extended Discussion With Writer/Director Maja Borg (We The Others, Future My Love) And Q&A With Director Berit Madsen (Sepideh: Reaching For The Stars), Accompanied By An Interactive Workshop On Writing Feminist Science Fiction For The Screen With Writer/Director Campbell X And Novelist Nalo Hopkinson (Brown Girl In The Ring) Via A Skype Q&A.

Day Of The Dead Futuro Weekend Presented By Dsk-Pr And Movimientos Will Celebrate Mexican Culture And The Dia De Los Muertos Tradition, Linking These To The Themes Of Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder. Taking Place Across Key Venues In South East London In Early November, The Weekend Will Include Screenings Of Classic Mexican Sci-Fi Films From The 1950S And 60S, With Events Incorporating Art And Craft Workshops For Children, And Music And Performance At A Secret Brixton Location.

Northern Ireland:

Presented By Film Hub Northern Ireland, Led By Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast:

Created By Ni’s Premier Lgbtq Arts Organisation, Outburst Arts, Space Camp Is A Performance And Film Exhibition That Will Explore The Connections Between Sci-Fi And ‘The Other’ Through A One-Off ‘Spectacular’ Event.

We Are The Robots At Queen's Film Theatre Marks The Upcoming Release Of Jon Wright’s New Film Robot Overlords, Which Was Funded Through The BFI Film Fund And Shot In NI. This Season Of Films Will Follow The Technological Evolution Of The Man-Machine From The Earliest Days Of Cinema.  

Scotland:

Presented By Film Hub Scotland, Led By Centre For The Moving Image, Edinburgh; Dundee Contemporary Arts; Eden Court Theatre & Cinema, Inverness; Glasgow Film Theatre; And Regional Screen Scotland:

Glasgow Film Has Teamed Up With Africa In Motion And Film Hub Swwm To Shine A Light On The Emergent Cultural Aesthetic Of African Science Fiction And Afrofuturism In The Season Africa At The Door Of The Cosmos. The Programme, Which Will Screen At Gft And Three Further Venues Across Scotland, Features Cinematic Essays By Award-Winning Artist Filmmaker John Akomfrah, A Series Of African Sci-Fi Shorts, And Afrofuturist Films Curated By Jerry Dammers Of The Spatial Aka Orchestra (And Founding Member Ofthe Specials). Jerry Will Also Play A Concert Of ‘Inter-Planetary Afro-Jazz’ With The Spatial Aka Orchestra At The Arches Music Venue In Glasgow. 

South East:

Presented By Film Hub South East, Led By Screen Archive South East, Picturehouse In Brighton, Cinecity, And Lighthouse:

Village Of The Damned

An HG Wells & John Wyndham Programme Will See A Weekend Of Screenings In Midhurst – Home To Both These Key Sci-Fi Authors – Including The Classic Village Of The Damned (1960) Adapted From Wyndham’s Midwich Cuckoos.

A Sci-Fi Programme Curated By Award-Winning Artist Film And Video Maker Ben Rivers Will Launch In October At Folkestone Triennial 2014 Before Touring To Selected Venues Across The Uk. Titles Will Include Alain Resnais’je T’aime, Je T’aime.

X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes (1963) Uk Premiere On Sunday 23 November At The Duke Of York's Picturehouse, When The Legendary American Avant-Garage Rock Band Pere Ubu Present A Live Underscore To Roger Corman’s 60S Sci-Fi Classic.

South West And West Midlands:

Presented By Film Hub South West & West Midlands, Led By Watershed, Bristol:

Sci-Fi At The Eden Project: Sci-Fi Visionary Douglas Trumbull Worked As Special Effects Advisor On Films Including 2001: A Space Odyssey But Only Directed One Film, 1972’S Environmentally-Themed Silent Running (1972). The Film Will Screen In The Magnificent Mediterranean Biome At The Eden Project, Presented By Mark Kermode.

Afrofuturism Focus At Watershed: This Cross-Cutting Season Of Film, Art, Fashion, Comic Books And Music Curated By Dr Edson Burton, As Part Of Black History Month, Offers A Range Of Perspectives On Afrofuturism; From Big Screen Experiences Of Films Such As District 9, Space Is The Place And Pumzi To Discussions With Guests Including Award-Winning Creative Jon Daniel (Afro Supa Hero.) Expect Opportunities To Come On Board The Mothership; Whether That's Taking Part In A Kids Afro-Supa Heroanimation Workshop Or Getting Your Groove On At An Otherworldly P Funk Party. 

Audiences From Penzance To Birmingham Will Get Opportunities To Experience Sci-Fi, From Chris Marker Under The Stars At Bristol's Planetarium, Terminator 2 Like You've Never Heard It Before With A Beefed Up Live Soundtrack From Bronnt Industries Kapital To Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Under The (Real) Birmingham Stars At Mac's Sundown Cinema: Out Of This World.

Wales:

Presented By Film Hub Wales, Led By Chapter, Cardiff:

Following On From A Very Successful Collaboration In 2013, Film Hub Wales,Chapter And Cadw (A Welsh Government Organisation Working To Protect The Historic Environment And Heritage Sites Of Wales, And To Promote Welsh History And Culture), Will Bring Sci-Fi Films Such As Et, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind And The Thing To Historic Welsh Sites Such As Castell Coch, Caerphilly Castle And Raglan Castle.

Collaboratively Created By Members Across The Network, A Distinctive Regional Sci-Fi Programme Will Also Hit Cinema Screens Wales-Wide This Autumn. Watch As Gwyn Hall Transforms Into 'Planet Neath' With Clash Of The Re-Makes And As Ian Mcculloch And Luigi Cozzi Beam Down For Alien Contamination At Abertoir International Horror Festival!

Yorkshire And The North East:

Presented By Film Hub North (Led By Showroom/Workstation In Sheffield), In Partnership With Sensoria Festival Of Film And Music:

Showroom Workstation

Film Hub North, In Partnership With Sensoria Festival Of Film And Music Will Present An Outdoor Screening Of The Bafta Award-Winning BBC Dramathreads (1984), Against The Back-Drop Of Sheffield’s Skyline At South Street Park Amphitheatre. Originally Shot In Sheffield And Adapted From Local Author Barry Hines, Threads Projects A Chilling View Of What Life Would Be Like After Nuclear War.

BBC/BFI Collaboration:

The BFI Is Working With The BBC To Present An Exciting Season That Will Give Television, Radio And Cinema Audiences The Opportunity To Explore Science Fiction In Depth.

Tomorrow’s Worlds, A Landmark Four-Part Series In Which Historian Dominic Sandbrook Explores Science Fiction In Its Many Forms, Will Be Transmitted On BBC Two In The Autumn To Coincide With The Season. A Specially Edited Feature Version Based On All Four Episodes Will Preview At Bfi Southbank Followed By A Panel Discussion With Dominic Sandbrook And Producer John Das.

You Know Who.....

BFI Southbank Will Host A Number Of Previews Of Upcoming Bbc Programmes, Including The August 7 Premiere Of The First Episode Of The Highly Anticipated Eighth Series Of Bbc One's Doctor Who, Entitled “Deep Breath”.Written By Steven Moffat, Produced By Nikki Wilson, And Directed By Ben Wheatley, This Feature-Length Episode Will See Peter Capaldi Launched As The 12Th Doctor, One Of Tv’s Most Iconic Roles, Alongside Jenna Coleman As His Companion Clara. Cast And Crew Will Be Joining Us For This Very Special Event. Tickets To This Event Will Be Balloted (Deadline 20:30 On Sunday 20 July) To Ensure The Fairest Allocation Of Tickets Possible. All Applicants Will Be Informed If They’ve Been Successful By Thursday 24 July (Full Details At Bfi.Org.Uk/Southbank). The BFI Will Also Preview Season Three Of Cbbc’swizards Vs Aliens As Part Of The BFI Sci-Fi Family Programme.  

A Number Of Classic BBC Science Fiction Series Will Be Celebrated At BFI Southbank Events, Including The Quatermass Experiment Anddoomwatch, And The Cult Bbc Tv Series Blake’s Seven At Which We Hope To Reunite Some Cast And Crew. More Classic BBC Titles Will Be Available For The First Time As Bfi Dvd And Blu-Ray Releases, Including The Long-Awaited 7-Disc Dvd Box Set Of BBC Tv Series Out Of The Unknown (1965–1971), And The Dvd Premiere Of Nigel Kneale’s 1954 Adaptation Of George Orwell’s Classicnineteen Eighty-Four, Starring The Great Peter Cushing. A Range Of BBC Presenters And Personalities Are Participating In The BFI’s Season, Includingprofessor Brian Cox, BBC Radio 4 Presenter, Adam Rutherford And BBC Radio 3 Presenter, Matthew Sweet.

BFI Distribution:

The BFI Will Re-Release Ridley Scott’s Director’s Cut Of His Dystopian Masterpiece Blade Runner (1982) To Cinemas Across The Uk In Early 2015. Based On Science Fiction Author Extraordinaire Philip K. Dick’s Novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, The Film Boasts One Of The Most Astonishingly Designed Futures Ever Seen On Screen And Examines What It Means To Be Human, Rather Than A Machine. When – On The Occasion Of The BFI’s 75Th Anniversary – Cinema Luminaries And Film Fans Were Invited To Nominate The Film They Felt Should Be Shown To Future Generations, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner Took First Place.

The BFI Is Also Re-Releasing Stanley Kubrick’s Spectacular, Transcendent And Epic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Which Will Be Seen On Big Screens Across The Uk From 28 November. 2001 Has Been The Touchstone For All Science Fiction Film Since Its Original Release. With A Screenplay Co-Written By Kubrick And Arthur C. Clarke And Developed Concurrently Alongside Clarke’s Novel Of The Same Name, 2001: A Space Odyssey Is Widely Regarded As One Of The Greatest Films Ever Made. Critic Roger Ebert Described Kubrick’s Masterpiece As ‘A Stand-Alone Monument, A Great Visionary Leap, Unsurpassed In Its Vision Of Man And The Universe’.

BFI Digital

The BFI Is On A Quest To Find The Best Science Fiction Film And Television Characters Of All Time, And We Want The British Public’s Views For Ourgreatest Sci-Fi Characters Of All Time Poll. From Mad Max And E.T To Darth Vader And The Doctor, Ripley And Uhura, Captain Scarlet And Cornelius, Maria From Metropolis, Or The Omnipresent Hal Or Akira. The BFI Is Looking For Votes From The Public To Join Nominations From Experts, Writers, Directors And Famous Fans To Find The Nation’s Favourite Characters, Be They Man Or Machine, Hero, Heroine Or Villain. Cast Your Vote Now Here:Http://Www.Bfi.Org.Uk/Sci-Fi/Poll

A Dedicated BFI Sci-Fi App Will Be Released In The Autumn Free Of Charge For Tablets And Mobile Devices, Delving Into Some Of The Most Powerful And Influential Science Fiction Films Ever Made.

Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder Will Be A Major Presence On BFI Player, With Key Titles Available To All, Beginning With Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin(2013) Available Now And Continuing With The BFI  Restoration Of Val Guest’s Classic The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Which Will Be Available On Playeron Thursday 28 August To Coincide With Its Screening At The British Museum. Free To View On BFI Player Will Be The Visionary Silent Short The Fugitive Futurist (Gaston Quiribet, 1924) Which Imagines How London Will Look In The Future, Now With A New Score Composed And Performed By Drake Music, Pioneers In The Use Of Assistive Technology For Musicians With Disabilities.Http://Www.Drakemusic.Org An Ambitious BFI Player Collection Of 50 Classic Sci-Fi Titles, To Complement The BFI Southbank Season And Nationwide Screenings, Will Be Available To Rent To Follow In October:Http://Player.Bfi.Org.Uk/

BFI Dvd And Blu-Ray

Close Encounters Of The Archive Kind Come To Dvd And Blu-Ray As Part Of BFI Sci-Fi. These Silver Spinning Saucers Will Contain Some Of The Finest, And Most Wanted, Sci-Fi Titles Ever Broadcast On Terrestrial Tv, As Well As Classics Of British Cinema.

August Sees The First Ever Release Of Two Celebrated Bbc Series: The Changes (1973), The Unsettling 10-Part Series, Based On Peter Dickinson’s Best-Selling Trilogy; And The Boy From Space, Which Will Contain All 10 Of The ‘Look And Read’ Episodes From 1980, As Well As A Newly-Edited, Feature-Length Presentation Of The Filmed Drama Segments In Which A Brother And Sister Discover An Alien Boy Called Peep-Peep. To Celebrate The Release Of This Re-Mastered Blu-Ray There Will Be A Screening Of The Specially Made 70Min Version Of The Series At BFI Southbank Followed By A Panel Discussion With Key Figures In The BBC Radiophonic Workshop Who Provided The Original Soundtrack.

The Glitterball

In September, We Take A Trip To Outer Space, With A Volume Of Cult Sci-Fi Classics From The Children’s Film Foundation, Featuring The Much-Requested The Glitterball (1977), As Well As Supersonic Saucer (1956) And Kadoyng (1972).

October Sees The Long-Awaited Release Of BBC Series Out Of The Unknown (1965 – 1971), One Of Britain’s Most Important Tv Series, And The Very First To Directly Involve The Talents Of High-Calibre Writers (Including John Wyndham, Isaac Asimov, J.G. Ballard And J.B. Priestly). This 7-Dvd Box Set Will Feature Newly Restored Versions Of The 20 Surviving Episodes From All Four Series, As Well As Episode Fragments And Reconstructions, Audio Commentaries, Filmed Interviews And An Extensive Documentary, And There Will Be A Special Screening And Panel Discussion At Bfi Southbank To Mark The Release.

Also In October Is Out Of This World, The Ground-Breaking Abc Series From 1962 Which Paved The Way For Out Of The Unknown. Containing The Only Surviving Episode (The Recently Re-Discovered ‘Little Lost Robot’, By Isaac Asimov), As Well As Reconstructions Of Other Episodes, This Dvd Grants Sci-Fi Fans The Long-Overdue Opportunity To Experience This Historically Important Series For The First Time Since Its Original Broadcast.

As If The Future Didn’t Look Bright Enough Already, October Will Also See The Dvd And Blu-Ray Premiere Of The BFI Archive’s Digitally Re-Mastered Version Of One Of British Cinema’s Most Intense Sci-Fi Offerings – The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961), Which Will Be Available On Dvd And On Bfi Player Day-And-Date To Coincide With Its August Screening At The British Museum. In November Another Piece Of Tv History Finally Sees The Light Of Day Once Again, When Nigel Kneale’s 1954 Adaptation Of George Orwell’s Classic Nineteen Eighty-Four, Starring The Great Peter Cushing, Gets Its Dvd Premiere.

All Of These BFI Dvd And Blu-Ray Titles Will Be Produced From The Best Available Master Materials, And Will Include Extensive Extra Features And/Or Contextualising Booklets.

BFI National Archive

The BFI National Archive Will Present Four Meticulously Restored Classic Sci-Fi Titles, With Shimmering New Prints Of The First Ever British Sci-Fi Feature Film, A Message From Mars (1913), Plus The Classic The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) And Short Film The Pirates Of 1920 (1911),

One Of British Cinema’s Best Science Fiction Films – Though Rarely Seen – Isval Guest’s The Day The Earth Caught Fire. Life In A Busy Newspaper Office Is Turned Upside Down In This Daring – And Surprisingly Racy – Story Of A Journalist’s Investigation Into Escalating Global Freak Weather Conditions And Discovery That Nuclear Testing Around The World Has Knocked The Earth Off Its Axis. The Film Is Being Restored By The Bfi National Archive With The Generous Support Of Simon W Hessel.

A Message From Mars Is The First Feature Length Science Fiction Film Produced In Britain, Also Unseen Since Its Original Release. Based On What Was Possibly The Very First Play Containing A Science Fiction Element – When A Man Is Cured Of His Selfishness By A Visiting Martian – That Was Written Expressly For The Theatre And First Staged In London, In 1899. Creative Imaginations Were Allowed Free Reign For The Film Adaptation With Scenes Set On Mars Both Opening And Closing The Film. The BFI National Archive Is Restoring The Film As Close As Possible To Its Original Length Using Tinted Material Held In The Collections And With A Tinted Nitrate Print Loaned From The Museum Of Modern Art, New York.

In The Short Film The Pirates Of 1920, A Band Of Futuristic Pirates Use An Airship-Type Apparatus To Carry Out Their Misdeeds. Inspired By The Writings Of The French Author, Jules Verne, This Film Is Known To Have Been Reissued In 1915 But It May Not Have Been Publicly Seen Since. 

Special Collections Exhibition:

Fashioning The Future: Sci-Fi And Costume, 25 September 2014 – 4 January 2015

This Display At BFI Southbank Will Look At A Century Of Sci-Fi On Screen And The Influence Of Its Innovative Aesthetic, Through Original Costume Designs, Photographs, Posters And Publicity Material For Films Includingmetropolis (1927), Things To Come (1936), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968),Blade Runner (1982) And Brazil (1985) And The Original Continuity Script From Star Wars: Episode Iv - A New Hope (1977). From Scientists To Spacesuits, Androids To Aliens, Costume And Make-Up Have Always Played Key Roles In Imagining Tomorrow’s World Or Life Outside Our Solar System. Costumes Can Be A Spectacular Element In Sci-Fi, With Futuristic Fabrics And Designs Being Both Influenced By Contemporary Culture, Fashion And Technology, And In Turn Providing Inspiration To Audiences And The Fashion Industry Itself.

BFI Education:

A Diverse Range Of Screenings, Events And Sci-Fi Related Activities Will Be Tailored To Suit Younger Audiences Of Every School Age And For Adults With An Explorer’s Thirst For Knowledge. The BFI Is Working Closely With Into Film*, The Film Education Charity That Puts Film At The Heart Of The Educational And Personal Development Of Children And Young People Aged 5-19, To Offer A Dynamic Programme Of Sci-Fi Educational Activity Online And Across The Uk. This Programme Includes: A Film Club Promotion Of Specially-Selected Sci-Fi Titles To Screen In 1000S Of Schools; A Uk-Wide Poll Of Science Teachers By Young People Asking Them To Name Which Sci-Fi Film Inspired Them; A Series Of Immersive Cinemas Events For 11-16 Year Olds Based On The Village Of The Damned (1960) And Supported By The Wellcome Trust; And The BFI’s Top Ten List Of Sci-Fi ‘Discovery’ Titles To Be Shown Across The Country At The Into Film Festival In November, Including A Grand Day Out,Attack The Block And Silent Running.

BFI Mediatheques:

An Extensive New Collection Celebrating British Tv’s Contribution To Sci-Fi Will Be Available To View Free In BFI Mediatheques Around The Uk From Late October 2014, Featuring Over 40 Titles Dating Back To The 1950S. Most Are Not Screening In The Bfi Southbank Season And Many Are Not Available On Dvd. A Special Sci-Fi Selection For Younger Audiences Will Be Available From December.

Titles Will Include Peter Watkins’ Legendary Docu-Drama, The War Game(1965); Rarely Seen Tv Play, A.D.A.M. (1973); And An Episode Of Cult Bbc Children’s Game Show, The Adventure Game (1986).

BFI Mediatheques Can Be Found At Nine Venues Around The Uk And Entry Is Free Of Charge. For More Information Go To Www.Bfi.Org.Uk/Mediatheque

BFI Books:

The Brave New Worlds Of Sci-Fi Film And Television Will Be Explored Through The Fourth BFI Compendium Sci-Fi: Days Of Fear And Wonder, A Lavishly Illustrated Survey Of Onscreen Sci-Fi From The Silent Era To The Present, And From Special-Effects Laden, Big-Screen Epics To Low-Budget Cult Favourites. Through A Wide Range Of Accessible, Thought-Provoking Essays, Some Of The World Experts In The Fields Of Science Fiction Cinema And Television Explore The Full Breadth Of This Most Fascinating And Thrilling Genre. In Addition, Some Of The Key Sci-Fi Directors And Writers In The World Today Reveal Their Own Personal Sci-Fi Favourites – Including Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla) Writing About Star Wars. The Collection Will Be Published In October To Coincide With The BFI Southbank Season.

October 2014 Will Also See The Publication Of A Set Of New Special Edition BFI Film Classics, Published By Palgrave Macmillan, Offering Fascinating Explorations Of Nine Pivotal Sci-Fi Films. Written By High-Profile Film Critics And Academics, Including Mark Kermode (Silent Running), Roger Luckhurst(Alien) And Kim Newman (Quatermass And The Pit), Each Book Features A Beautifully Illustrated Jacket And Film Stills Throughout. The Full Title/Author List: Akira By Colin Odell And Michelle Le Blanc; Brazil By Paul Mcauley; Dr. Strangelove By Peter Kramer; Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind By Andrew Butler; Solaris By Mark Bould; The War Of The Worlds By Barry Forshaw 

PARTNERS AND SUPPORT:

ABANDON NORMAL DEVICES

ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARDS

ASHLEY CLARK

BAFTA

BBC

BBC TELEVISION

BFI FILM ACADEMY

THE BLADE RUNNER PARTNERSHIP

BLETCHLEY PARK

CINEWORLD

COHEN MEDIA GROUP

CONTEMPORARY FILMS

CURZON

CZECH NATIONAL ARCHIVE

DELUXE DIGITAL

DRAGON DIGITAL

DRAKE MUSIC

ELEKTRA

ENTERTAINMENT ONE UK

EUREKA ENTERTAINMENT

FABULOUS FILMS

FILM HUB CENTRAL EAST

FILM HUB LONDON

FILM HUB NI

FILM HUB NORTH

FILM HUB NORTH WEST CENTRAL

FILM HUB SCOTLAND

FILM HUB SOUTH EAST

FILM HUB SOUTH WEST & WEST MIDLANDS

FILM HUB WALES

FILMOTEKA NARODOWA

HOLLYWOOD CLASSICS

IFC FILMS

INTO FILM

IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

ITV

JODRELL BANK CENTRE FOR ASTROPHYSICS

STEPHEN LA RIVIÈRE

LES GRANDS FILMS CLASSIQUES

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

LIONSGATE

LIVE FROM JODRELL BANK: THE TRANSMISSIONS

LONCON3 WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION

LUCASFILM

MIRACLE FILMS

MOSFILM

MUTEK

NETWORK DISTRIBUTING LTD

ODEON

PALISADES TARTAN

PARAMOUNT

PARK CIRCUS FILMS

PECCADILLO PICTURES

PICTUREHOUSE CINEMAS

PINEWOOD POST PRODUCTION

QUEBEC GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN UK

SCI FI LONDON

SECOND SIGHT

SIMON W HESSEL

SKYWALKER RANCH

SONY, STUDIOCANAL, ITV

STARZ

STUDIOCANAL

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

THE DESIGN COUNCIL

THE EDEN PROJECT

THE KUBRICK ARCHIVE

THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

THE WELLCOME TRUST

THUNDERBIRDS™ AND  © ITC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED

TIFF

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

UCLA FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

UNIVERSAL PICTURES USA

VERTIGO

WALT DISNEY MOTION PICTURES INC

WARNER BROS.

Oxage: Phoenix Of Hope - A Fantasy Play

Ever since starting this blog nearly two years ago I've had the pleasure to be sent a interesting and diverse range of formats to review. A variety of movies, web series, books, Graphic novels and albums of music have all been gratefully received and though each of them naturally have varied in degrees of quality, nevertheless I'm always still indebted to the people who have taken the time to produce and send them. Though of course I cannot discuss with any reasonable objectivity in regard to the quality of the reviews that I've produced within my blog. I quite naturally think the reviews are wonderful and will probably some day be discussed in hushed revered tones amongst like-minded individuals in the sanctums of SciFi, fantasy and horror, but I would say that wouldn't I? What I do know is that I thought I had exhausted all the various possible formats that I could possible be asked to talk about. That was until a couple of days ago.

This week I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email request to help promote, in what little way I could, another new production. I was pleased, not just because someone had bothered to contact me (though that is always nice), but also because the format that I was asked to promote was the very first of its kind for this reviewer - namely, a play. Excellent, I'm always up for something new!

The email was from Laura Boone, who advised me that she is the writer of a new fantasy play called Oxage.......... and Oxage needed my help to survive. Blimey, I thought, that's some pressure. After all, writing world class blogs is one thing, but actually saving someones life is another. I will admit, my very first thought was "Who the heck is this Oxage person that needs my assistance and why can't he/she do their own dirty work?" Well it turns out that my thought was a little on the stupid side (which believe it or not, wouldn't be the first time), because Oxage isn't a person, it's a place......

No, it turns out that Oxage is a mystical world connected through a portal to Earth. It was once a Utopia, a world that used to be of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control - A little like Aberdeen when the sun shines, probably. However now,  Oxage has become a dystopia, a world of hatred, fear and mistrust, a world where vile humans are now animals. A little like Aberdeen when it's raining....

Now the people of Oxage are fighting to gain back their once Utopia. A Phoenix of Hope is the second of the Oxage trilogy and continues the quest of our heroine, the Princess Hope, as she struggles to regain her memory,  realise her importance and save her people from her own father.

Civil war has been declared; friendships are tested, true love questioned and the characters all realise their true potential as two worlds combine in a fight to save a Utopia from descending into destruction.

The first part of the trilogy was performed as a 'walking play' around the streets of Oxford in 2013, to positive response and reviews. The link to the street performance of the 1st part of the trilogy that the group did last year can be seen below.

Oxage 2013 

The company responsible, Fairy Dust Arts, are now wanting to take the next step and bring fantasy and SciFi to the stage and are looking for support in putting together the production. The play will hopefully be performed at St Columba's Church in Oxford on the 16th and 23rd of August 2014 - that's next month, people!!

Fairy Dust Arts is an Oxford based community arts group that aims to provide Arts and Opportunities for all. The group is made up of various people with different backgrounds

and local artists at different stages of their careers and have so far been an entirely self funded group. The cost of the production and activities that they have taken part in within the community have been largely funded by the creator of Fairy Dust Arts. They have also been working to fund their play by putting on local unplugged Gigs. The ticket sales from this are being put towards this year's production. 

The performers and production members of the group are unpaid volunteers. With the self funding budget cut and income from ticket sales not quite adding up to their target total fund, they are now looking for other ways to help fund the production this August, with the quality and justice it deserves. They have already raised enough to pay for performance space and some rehearsal space. Their next goal is to  be able to bring another dimension to the production with props, costumes and expenses offers for the performers.

For those of you who may not be aware about what crowd funding is, or how it works, it essentially connects us to people who have some idea or project that they are wanting to undertake. The problem is, these people lack the required funds. By connecting with someone who has an enterprise that excites us it means that we get to feel the satisfaction of participating in something special. Not only that, but there are perks that come with a financial contribution.....and sometimes theses perks can be absolutely fab. 

These perks don't come in the form of money, no they are often things that money couldn't often buy - offers from the campaigners, such as signed memorabilia, named credits in films and meeting the cast are just a few of the incentives that I have seen. 

The Fairy Dust campaign perks range from the lowest contribution providing you with the warm feeling of helping out, through various stages of contribution to the highest perk, which provides you with a whole bucket load of goodies such as T-shirts, programmes, signed scripts, a day out with the cast - to name but a few of the perks available.

The rumour that I am planning to launch a crowd funding campaign for my blog, with the ultimate perk being a big wet kiss from me, has yet to be confirmed.

The Indiegogo fundraiser page for more information on how to help this project see the light of day can be found RIGHT HERE

The Facebook page for Oxage can be located by clicking on THIS LINK

The Oxage website can be found at http://fairydustart1.wix.com/oxage

You can also find the Fairy Dust Arts team on Twitter by  @FairyDustArts

Iron Cloud (2014) - A Sci-fi movie short from Poland

Good grief - just where the hell is the time going? I swear that soon after reaching my twenties (yes I know. it was a long while ago) I must one day have unknowingly transgressed through some rogue time/space continuum into a parallel universe where years don't actually last for 365 days. No, in this strange parallel world that I found myself it seems that the average year lasts for, on average, 23 or 24 days - maybe 25 at a push, such is the speed that the decades seem to be passing by. It is unfortunate that my transgression through a rip in the time/space continuum didn't result in this particular reality with Helena Bonham-Carter responding positively to my overtures of lust love rather than completely ignoring them to instead stay with that Burton chappie ...... Oh well.

Anyhoo, my point is that it really doesn't seem that over a year has passed since I was contacted by writer and director Nikodem Wojciechowski, who leads a group of independent filmmakers from Poland.  He had informed me in May of 2013 that the early pre-production stages of a short film Science Fiction drama 'Iron Cloud' had commenced and that the film would begin shooting in June / July of that year. There were tantalisingly few other details that I was allowed to share - such was Niko's understandably cautious approach to letting too much information escape into Internetland.

However, what I did know at the time was this;

Mateusz Mirek in a spot of bother...

"The film is set In a future of an unspecified date. Two brothers live in a poor, Eastern country which is ruled by corrupted caste of dignitaries. It seems that life for the brothers has taken a turn for the worse after the younger brother gets beaten during an interrogation and the older one’s home destroyed by a police raid. The boy manages to arrange a plan of escape to an unnamed free, technologically advanced neighbouring country. There will be no return. He goes on this one-way trip with the older brother and his wife and daughters they manage to evade the soldiers and break trough the closed border. 

However, during the walk through  no-man’s land, when immigrants are so close to their dream goal, things get decidedly worse. Ultimately, the Technocratic West will welcome them with open arms and give them shelter but not exactly in a way they have always expected. It will soon turn out that their new home - apparently a perfect place to live - is only a new version of prison which people build for one another."

All that was a year ago.

Look in to my eyes, Mateusz Mirek - you are feeling sleepy

A few days ago Niko contacted me with a request. Namely, did I wish to get a sneak early preview of Iron Cloud in advance of its full release later in the year?......Did I?! Did I !!?Did !!!?........oh go on then. So earlier this week I fired up my trusty iMac & clicked on the super-duper-cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die-if-was-to-divulge-the-internet-link for the now completed movie. And boy oh boy, was I in for treat? 

Yes I was. Make no mistake, for this is an accomplished piece of science fiction that deliveries with a gusto that belies its short length of just 42 minutes. Iron cloud simply took my breath away. You may think that I'm just saying that for the sake of it. No. This short science fiction piece is perhaps the finest example of its genre that I have the privilege to see in many a long time, of that there is no question in my mind.

I've been thinking about this movie on and off for a few days now since I first saw it, so much so that I even dreamt about it a couple of nights ago - of course I was the hero within the story, that goes without saying :-). I have now watched it three times in all, and on each occasion it has left me with something new to think about and much to ponder upon - for example, how to do the review of Iron Cloud justice without including much in the area of spoilers? Well, I'll have a go.

This movie is less than three quarters of an hour of a considered, intelligent and thought-provoking slice of science fiction movie making. However, for those of us who don't like to spend too much time thinking, there are also a number of very satisfactory fast-paced action sequences that certainly get the blood pulsating - plus a couple of scenes in particular which are genuinely unsettling. 

Niko is on record as stating that inspiration for his movie is overtly inspired why works of such luminaries as Philip K. Dick, to name but one. This movie deals with a number of the same intellectual and philosophical themes that can often be found within Dick's writing. The journey, both physical and psychological, of the brothers as they escape from one confining existence only for it to be replaced by another form of control (no matter how well meaning that control is on the outset) is very Dickian. These, and other ideas in the film deal ask us to dwell for example on the fragile nature of what is actually "real" and whether our own personalities are merely the result purely of conditioning and control. That very control can come from the authorities, from technology or from a god, in this film all of those may or may not be having an impact on the population's lives. Iron Cloud, very much in a similar vein to the worlds that Phillip K. Dick created, is a beautifully crafted surreal fantasy, and we are carried along with the characters involved as they slowly discover that their everyday world is possible just one form of an illusion constructed by powerful external entities.

Rafal Sumski

As I’ve previously mentioned, after viewing this film I've been thinking about it - rather often, and as a consequence I have found me asking myself a whole range of questions. Would I live in a world controlled by despots who are only interested in control for the sake of their urge for power and authority? Or would I prefer to live in a world where the control and lack of free will may well bring peace and non-violence, but at the expense of any form of free will and the inability to let free any form of extreme emotional release? Indeed, if physical violence and aggression can ultimately controlled by the state, yet emotional aggression can still remain, does this just simply mean a different form of incarceration? And will the disablement of our human aggressive tendencies merely mean that they will resurface in other ways? I still don't have the answers - and I like that.

When the two brothers are faced with the reality of their new home they each make very different decisions as to how they would deal with these very conflicts - and this is where the movie lands it's most effective emotional punches on the viewer. As I mentioned earlier, there are number of impassioned scenes, but one in particular  where the older brother is forced to confront the extremities of his emotional despair and choose between forgiveness and revenge is simply powerful, the result is a genuine shock for the viewer.

I don't want anyone reading this (there is someone reading this, right?) to think that Iron Cloud is some sort of depressing and bleak story that fails to entertain on more than just an intellectual level - far from it. I love a good lightsabre fight, to go boldly where no man has gone before or to give the Emperor Ming a damn good kicking as much as the next person. However, it is simply wrong to think that good science fiction has to be full of whizz bang special effects and cuddly Ewoks for it to be effective and entertaining. Good science fiction, in whatever form it takes, uses elements of the human condition and places it within an environment, be it the future or a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, and have that very humanity taken to task on any number of psychological, social and ethical issues. Indeed, the very notions of hope, revenge, god, control and violence are all delivered with a skillfully artistic hand by the filmmakers here.

Visually, Iron Cloud is stunning. The early scenes set in the corrupt decaying city are suitably convincing, and beautifully shot. There are a number of sequences, created I believe by artist Adam Kuczek, one of the decaying industrialised city skyline, and the other of the new technologically affluent and futuristic city which are simply gob smacking - I know, it's not the most literary of words, but that just about sums up the two shots....gob smacking. Adam's Facebook page for his work can be found HERE. I don't know what the budget was for this movie, but the imaginative authenticity of both the decaying and futuristic cities are exceedingly professional and stylish.

The acting in low-budget independent films can often be the one element that often detracts markedly from such productions. However Iron Cloud benefits from a whole multitude of strong and convincing performances, particularly from the two central figures. Rafal Szumski & Mateusz Mirek are utterly compelling as the two bothers, one the thoughtful pragmatic family man, the other, the younger more likely to act first than think.

Mateusz Mirek & Rafal Sumski 

Individually both actors fill their roles admirably, but it's when they are together that it's crystal clear that a very real chemistry has obviously developed between the actors. As a result, their relationship as brothers, whose very differences bind them closer together only then for that closeness to be ultimately affected in a way they could never have imagined, is completely convincing.

The supporting cast is generally of good quality, though I do have one major gripe regarding the actress Joanna Komarow who appears in the second part of the story. The simple fact is is that she's a bit gorgeous and should have been far more utilised in the story by the filmmakers. Shame on you, Niko. Shame on you :-)

Joanna Komarow.

A film and theatre actress living in Warsaw. 

 - & a bit gorgeous.

Iron Cloud asks a plethora of philosophical questions, though there will be some that may be disappointed to find that not all of them are answered. They shouldn't be, instead they should be thankful for the chance to interpret for themselves some of the events that take place. I love the fact that the film makers here have resisted the urge to pander to the middle ground with a standard Hollywood-esque mainstream ever so tidy ending. It's rather refreshing for once not to be hit squarely in the face with the moralising and preaching tendencies and all wrapped up in a syrupy resolution which others who shall remain nameless
....cough....Hunger Games....cough......seem unable to resist.

I implore you to watch this 42 minutes of intelligent and exciting science fiction from Poland when it is released this year. Will this restore the genre in their and wider Eastern Europe as the makers hope? I hope so.

The Facebook page link for Iron Cloud can be found here RIGHT HERE

Iron Cloud's IMDB page can be found at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3482684/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." - Goethe

Granite City Comic Con - 2015

Due to the ongoing and frankly annoying commitments of my day job - you know, that's the one that I actually get paid for take care of those pesky annoying things in life such as bills and food, I've been unable until now to write a piece on perhaps the most exciting bit of news that this here blogger has heard in a long while. Well, that is apart from the last exciting thing yesterday when I found a long-forgotten fine Whiskey hiding away in a pantry cupboard......I know. I don't get out much.

Anyhoo, back to the news. It was announced early last month that the city where I live near, and in which my day job takes place, will host its inaugural Comic Con event - Granite City Comic Con on 30th May 2015 in the beautiful city of Aberdeen - Nice!

Seems legit

In the past year I've had the pleasure of of talking to a whole heap of people involved in various Comic Cons around the world - including and interview with Regina Carpinelli, the founder and CEO of Stan Lee's Comikaze! last year, the link for WHICH CAN BE FOUND HERE. When it comes to Comic Cons, San Diego has one, Los Angeles has one - London, Glasgow and even blooming Dundee manages to have one. It seems that nearly everywhere in the civilised world (though I appreciate regarding Dundee as civilised may be debatable.....) has their own Comic Con - that is, all except for Scotland's 3rd largest city and the place of work of this very blogger. But next year, that will change. 

I know what you're thinking  - " If you've been wondering for years why there hasn't been anything Comic Con related happening in Aberdeen, why didn't you get up off your arse and do something about it, matey boy?" - and that would be a very good question. My answer would be so say that I'm a lazy son of a gun who doesn't get out much. It's as simple as that.

Besides which, I knew one day that some like-minded individuals would eventually do something about the lack of attention this part of the world gets in regard to it's contribution to many aspects of pop culture. Not only do we have three excellent comic book shops in the city of Aberdeen, but as I've already made reference to in this very blog, there is a ever growing array of local film making talent......not to mention the odd amazing blogger :-).

I must admit to being a little concerned when I first heard about the plans for the event, for some reason I had visions of of some pseudo-American version that would end up pandering to the most general of Comic Con event denominators. Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong (in fact there's very much right) with the Comikaze's of this world, but I firmly believe that there's a wealth of home-grown talent & culture that UK conventions should focus on. Thankfully, the organisers of this event seem to have the same philosophy. 

The aim of Granite City Comic Con is seemingly to promote the contribution that Scotland makes to what is now ever still a lucrative comic book industry. As far as I'm aware, the emphasis of the event will almost solely be on comics, in particular the Scottish talent that lies behind much of it.  Naturally, we can hopefully expect some big name guests for what the organisers hope will be a overtly family orientated convention with a variety of creative workshops, kids activities, retailers, publishers (mainstream AND mainstream, hopefully) ..........and yes, there will also be Cosplay.

Example of a mad bastard.

This inaugural convention will take place at Transition Extreme, in Aberdeen. Again I have something of a confession to make. I would love to be able to tell you what the place is like, but alas I've not yet been inside the building. You see, Transition Extreme is one of those physical activity type places that those of a physical type nature go and do lots of physical things. You know the type of things I'm talking about - indoor climbing, BMX riding, inline skating (whatever the hell that is) and a multitude of other adrenaline related physical activities that would puts the chills into anybody, whose idea of cardio-vascular exertion, is a bit of a stroll on the beach after an afternoon of, oh I don't know, blogging perhaps.

However, please don't regard my own skewed views with any importance (as if anyone ever does, I hear you say) - I have it on very good authority that the location is not only a thriving centre that attracts a huge number of local young (and not so young) urban sports enthusiasts, but also that it will serve as an amazing venue for such an event as this. For example, if the plan to use the climbing wall, transform it into a cityscape and the have Batman and Spiderman going up and down it,  for which people can join in doesn't have you foaming at the mouth with feverish anticipation - then I have no idea what the heck will. 

The organisers of Granite City Comic Con are looking for a wide variety of stall holders/vendors from across the UK. If you contact their website or Facebook page (the links for which are below) than there is apparently the opportunity to take advantage of various special deals and incentives.

This IS the Comic Con that you are looking for - 

(see what I did there?)

I would however make it snappy as the the interest in the first ever Comic Con in this part of the world is generating a huge amount of interest already, not just with social networking, but in the tradition media where the publicity and features have already begun.

If all that wasn't enough, there is the welcome news that the event will be a non-profit affair with all proceeds after running costs going to local cancer support charity CLAN.

There will hopefully be a whole host of announcements appearing on this blog in the weeks and months to come. All it leaves me to say for now to the organisers is... 
cough..............Press pass..........cough!

The link for Granite City Comic Con cane found RIGHT HERE

Granite City Comic Con's website link is RIGHT HERE