Saltire - a new graphic novel series.

Apparently I'm a Hunter of The Field... I'll have you know that

those charges concerning the sheep were never proved in a court of law

Being Scottish (Well, at least half of me is) and living up here in the beautiful North East of the country is never short of interesting. For example, we recently had something of a vote for independence up here........sadly for some reason it didn't go the way I would have liked as it seems that just over half the population of the country don't seem to mind being the on Westminster Government leash. Go figure. Anyhoo, you'll be glad to know that will be the limit of my political mutterings in this blog, after all there are far more important things happening in the world of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror - and don't you know it, but a good deal of good things are currently taking place god's own country of Scotland.

For some months now I've been meaning to run a blog article on a very exciting development in the world of the graphic novel. To be more specific, the appearance of what is arguably the first Scottish Superhero in Graphic novel form, Saltire!

When I first heard about Saltire some time ago it came as something as a surprise to me to realise that there actually had never been a superhero publication - call them comics of graphic novels (I don't mind and certainly won't get all precious about the distinction between the names) that contained Scottish set stories of mythology. For a country that is literally steeped in a rich dynamic tapestry of history and illustrious characters it simply beggars belief that no authentic Scottish superhero had been created before now. However, in some ways that might not necessarily be a bad thing, because much as I love Marvel et al, the idea of an an idealised, syrupy tartan-strewn Hollywood view of Scotland and its history might not have been the moat genuinely authentic of creations........on a not entirely separate note, anyone who ever mentions a certain 'Braveheart' in my presence will be ritually hung, drawn and quartered for crimes against historical accuracy and Scottish accents.

Saltire - Invasion was the first in a potential series of books that began what promised to be a grandiloquent odyssey through the history, mythology and country of Scotland. The Superhero in question is quite simply a big, blue and ginger creation intent on protecting his country from invasion and destruction - a bit like myself really..... well except for the big, blue and ginger bit.

The story is quite frankly a real seat-of-your-pants ride along a semi-alternate history of Scotland together with a particularly interesting variation of the account of the venerable Roman Ninth legion's infamous exploits and eventual entrance into historical folklore.

It doesn't require a huge leap of imagination to know that our redoubtable new superhero acts as the focal point to gather together his fellow guardians to defend his  homeland and defeat the Roman invaders. The problem is that the Roman invaders have been all dastardly-like and brought their very own guardians with them too. Sneaky bastards.

It all goes to provide a rich mythical tapestry for an alternative 2nd century Caledonia complete with violence, magic and a myriad of gateways to various otherworldly dominions. Thankfully too, we also have dragons,because, well, I love Dragons. We then travel to the following instalment, Inception, in which we see out new eponymous hero standing against all foe as the immutable defender and protector of his people. It's all excellent stuff.

However, don't just take my word for it, because the first book in the series has been nominated for awards including; “Best British Comic” at the prestigious True Believers Comic Awards. Not only that but sales have been doing very nice thank you at the multitude of good comic book stores where it is available.

I was lucky enough to read the latest in the Saltire series, Annihilation which found its way into stores a month or so back in September. Once again, it doesn't disappoint with a continuation of a parallel mythical history of Scotland, this time with the setting taking place  a number of centuries after the preceding books events. This time the story takes on a darker, bleaker tone in parts whilst still managing to become ever more sweeping in terms of its narrative scope. It is ambitious stuff indeed, but once again the delightful artwork and clever narration carries one along in a veritable whirlwind of exciting myth and legend. I promise you that by Annihilation you will be completely immersed in Saltire's world of Scottish mythology. Who knows how long it will be until Saltire conquers the new world, a world where an untold collection of superhero guardians are awaiting?

The author of Saltire is John Ferguson, the fabulous art is created by Gary Welsh and Tone Julskjaer and the whole thing is published by Diamondsteel Comics. Saltire: Invasion and Annihilation are epic in terms of both scale and and the high quality production. The marrying of myth, fantasy and reality fit together wonderfully well, not only managing to avoid an overdose of tartan cliche, but also to produce a story of total entertainment. Highly recommended.  

John Ferguson moves so quickly to keep up with demand

that it becomes a blur.....

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to fire a few questions at Saltire's creator, John Ferguson, in order to find out a few more things about Scotland's first superhero.

First of all John, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to answer a few of my piercing and challenging questions for my blog website.

Q) Personally, I think a super-hero for a country that is genuinely steeped in history and vibrancy is long overdue. What was the general reaction though when you first came up with the idea?

A) The reception was interesting, most people surprised it hadn’t been done before. So it was pretty positive with a lot of intrigue in how it would be put together, would it be kitschy or a bit of tartan cringe? A Scottish superhero couldn’t be all spandex and Americana, it had to be absorbed in the history and mythology of the country. We’ve had quite a bit of main stream press and built up a real fan following within Scotland.

Q) Why a Graphic novel,  as opposed to another format?

A) I’m a big fan of spectacular visuals, and the graphic novel is an excellent medium for that without being so expensive that it becomes prohibitive. You can go epic without having to compromise.

Q) Tell us about the team behind DiamondSteel Comics.

A) We use the best up and coming talent in Scotland and work closely with the Comic Studies course at Dundee University to source the people we think can take the project forward with a fresh and dynamic visual style. We like to keep things home grown to give the Saltire universe a very authentic feel. Duncan Of Jordanstone College of Art is second to none in producing comic book artists and keeps Dundee as the home of comics after all these years.

Q) For those who have yet to read about the guy who is big, blue and ginger - can you tell people what the basis of Saltire is?

A) Saltire is an immortal being created in prehistory to protect the clans and way of life in the country of Scotland. He lives within a pseudo-history of the nation and deals with a mix of climactic historical and many mythical elements of the country’s past.

Q) I really enjoyed the mix of fantasy and history in the first two issues. Is the aim to bring in contemporary themes for future issues - such as a certain referendum that happened recently?

A) Saltire will appear in futuristic tales but nothing contemporary. The independence issue is certainly not going anywhere and we don’t want the narrative to become bogged down in heavy political rhetoric. Scotland’s history and folklore is vast so we have enough to keep readers entertained for a very long time. As creative people we certainly don’t dodge the issue and if you happen to find a few parallels within the narrative then, as they say, it’s just another case of history repeating.

Q) What can you tell us about the character of Saltire specifically, in terms of superhero vulnerability, arch enemies and possible love interests?

A) During Saltire’s creation he absorbs the vulnerability of the island clan, a difficulty with alcohol that is enhanced beyond human norms. He has a few recurring bad guys in the mix, super villains if you will, that appear at various points in Scotland’s history, but nothing cliched. And he does have a love interest but being immortal makes it pretty difficult to keep a relationship going.

Q) I've read you say that your ultimate ambition is to 'take on' the American market, in effect, to take on Batman et al in the superhero stakes. A flight of fancy or achievable?

A) Probably somewhere in between, but you never know. It’s certainly struck a cord here in Scotland and with the huge interest in all things LOTR, GOT and Outlander you never can tell just how well it will go down in the States if we can get the right distribution and move it into other mediums. Saltire has a legendary feel to it so it perhaps doesn’t need the years of growth that a modern superhero does, we’ll see.

Q) I believe that the issues are being published simultaneously in English and Gaelic. An attempt to save a dying language or further a revitalised language?

A) Yes, with a Scots language edition available this Christmas it’ll be all three languages of the country that Saltire is available in. Gaelic speakers are very passionate about keeping their language alive and we are only too delighted to help. With the success of Asterix and Tin Tin graphic novels in these languages we are hopeful for these titles success. Young Gaelic readers have never had a superhero to get their teeth in to and the response so far has been great.

Q) So any plans for a Dorrick version for us in the North East of Scotland? :-)

A) Not just yet but if the interest is there, you never know.

Q) So what does the future hold for DIAMONDSTEEL COMICS?

A) We’ve got eight books in the Saltire series, and a few short stories to add along the way,that we’ll release through other titles. We really want to break the international market next and beyond that we’d like to publish other non-Saltire work from other creators and writers, although that’s probably a couple of years away. It’s Big Blue all the way in the mean time.

Once again - I'd like to say a big thank John for taking time out of his busy schedule and answering my questions.

For more information on how you can acquire information about Saltire and how to acquire the comic then John and the team can be contacted by the various means below.

The Saltire Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/saltirecomics

The Website can be located at http://www.diamondsteelcomics.com

Or you can email the good people via info@diamondsteelcomics.com

Interview with producer Matt Medisch and actress Kate Alden from The Device (2014) - Part 2

So here we are with my 3rd and final part in a collection of articles related to my recent viewing of the excellent alien abduction story, The Device, made by the Seattle-based film production company, The October People. I must say that so far I've been on something of a roll in regard to the marvellous folks that I've had the pleasure of dealing with in the company; Both John Portanova (writer, producer, director and sweeper of floors) and Jeremy Berg (writer, director and maker of coffee) have been the personification of professionalism itself. Not only that, but I'va had the pleasure to talk with actors who have appeared within the October People's films, such as  Angela Di Marco and David S. Hogan (both of whom I know via twitter and are a gracious and talented couple of performers - as well as being as mad as a box of frogs). If that wasn't enough, my previous article featured actress Kate Alden, who is both talented, very lovely (and I meant that in a very respectful way, your honour) as well as being the champion of all things bubble baths. As I said, so far so good.

So I though I would chance my luck once last time and interview the man, who by all accounts, acts as the focal point for making sure the job gets done - on and off set. I couldn't possibly comment as to whether Matt Medisch is an actual tyrant or not (for obvious libellous reasons) - but he isn't know as Mr Laser-focused for nothing.

Well OK - maybe that's a term I've heard about him only the once so maybe I'm just vastly exaggerating when concerning his overall approach to professionalism. I 'll let you decide for yourself by reading the following interview I managed to get with Matt earlier this week - but first, a little of background information about Mr Laser-focused Medisch, some of which I've slightly paraphrased from his IMDB page and web page.

Matt is a founding member of The October People LLC and is  responsible for heading, legal, financial and acquisitions. He is also responsible for website management marketing elements and support film development, pre-production and budgeting. On set he takes the role of Line Producer, and also oversee all contracted and non contracted support departments. As a producer and writer, he is known for The Invoking (2013), The Device (2014) and Valley of The Sasquatch (2015).

First of all, many thanks Matt for taking the time to answer a few of my questions – it’s much appreciated.

Q) I first became aware of your name from your work as producer and co-writer of the wonderful The Invoking (2013). First of all, how did you get into the business of film producing? 

MM) It came directly from a love of film making.  Me and Jeremy Berg, the film’s director, had been friends and had collaborated on creative projects all the way back to our high school days in Red Bluff, CA.  Jeremy had later moved to Seattle and attended film school.  Starting the process of building his experience with short films, feature work, and a web series with John Portanova who he had met early in his film making career.  We talked off an on over creative projects but one late night on the phone he brought up an idea we had toyed with for years: shooting a feature film at the country home I had grown up at.  I had had a lot of business and management experience over the years as well as a comfort for collaboration and story design with Jeremy.  We decided it was simply time to make a full length feature film and let nothing stop us.  John soon joined us in the development phase and we appeared to have the team that could get this “long shot” done.  That was the beginning of my “film school” and my crash course in producing independent feature films.

Q) Who have been your major influences?

MM) I’m a life long horror fan with a love of rich, thoughtful cinematography and character driven stories.  Kubrick, Carpenter, and Neil Marshall jump to mind.  Carpenter surely helped cement my love of horror and in later years I found great respect in Marshall’s ability to craft horror around believable and well thought out characters.  Lovecraft and Stephen King also inspired me to imagine worlds of horror beyond just the surface and also gave me a respect for the twisted and bizarre.

The Invoking cast once again try to wake Matt

after another night of partying....

Q) One of the notable elements of The Invoking was the subtle & measured build up of tension – almost old-fashioned in approach. How important was it to you to approach the storytelling in this way?

MM) It was fundamental for us all.  We knew to shoot a feature film so quickly and for such a compact budget we could not rely on anything flashy.  We had to attempt to do the story justice with our cast and minimal location and sets.  Jeremy has a love for classic styles of film making that synced well with my likes.  Also what I think all three of us missed in modern horror was the atmosphere that great horror films of the past (The Thing, The Changeling, Rosemary’s Baby, Shining and countless more) seemed to have in spades.  We knew we could not take every viewer with us but we wanted to make sure the film had a pace and atmosphere that would capture the imagination and feel real once you were isolated with the cast.

Q) I’m trying not give too much away for those haven’t seen it – but The Invoking leaves room for a potential sequel. Any such plans?

MM) There have been a few talks in the group about a follow up.  Jeremy has a kernel for an idea that could absolutely work but at this time it’s just that, an idea.  Needless to say, it's very hard to truly “bury” your past, or your crimes.

Q) The newest film from The October People, The Device,  is a wonderfully atmospheric tale of Alien abduction. It shares some of the same qualities of measured build up as The Invoking. Would you regard this as a trademark of your work?

MM) Thank you, and absolutely.  I almost feel like the term gets tossed around far too often, but “character driven” and “slow burn” is something we all respect at TOP and in film making the two truly go hand in hand.  It’s fundamental that the characters matter, you can relate to them, and their choices are defined by who they are.  While all three of us have different things we love in horror, and film making in general, that is one of the fundamentals we all agree on.  Jeremy’s classic style as a director and cinematographer work so well in that way and we are constantly doing our best to let it shine through.

Q) The Device has a nicely distinctive ‘X-Files’ feel to it in parts. Was this intentional?

MM) It was.  We’re all fans and when it comes to “alien” stories we were all raised with shows like Unsolved Mysteries and the X-files to inform our nightmares.  Me and Jeremy used to sit up at night looking though old Time Life books on abductions and the supernatural and scaring each other with ideas of what slender, tentacled creature might be looking in at us from the pitch black windows.  The Device script was penned by Jeremy and John and more than anyone John’s love of what I like to call "believable horror" (Alien abductions, cryptozoology) is always on the surface in his writing.

Q) Did the end product of The Device match your initial thoughts & expectations?

MM) Much like our first film, time and funding were not in abundance and so the film changes from idea, to script to execution.  In this case the editing process created something new and added to what was on the page.  Our fantastic cast also breathed life into the characters in their own ways and that offered unexpected pleasant surprises. 

Q) Once again – sequel?

MM) Films dealing with Alien abductions are something we are very interested in.  I like to think that we tease a bit of our own alien “mythos” in the Device that will later be revealed in greater detail. 

Matt Medisch (right) mocks John Portanova for

forgetting his big camera on the annual October People
Twitching weekend

Q) I’m sure that I read somewhere Jeremy Berg (Director of The Invoking and The Device) described you as “laser-focused” in your approach. What does that mean?! ;-)

MM) Making a feature film at any budget level is a challenge that’s hard to compare.  Especially to take it from the very start to the absolute finish line of distribution.  My strong suit with the team I suppose is that I do help focus the creative energy into an actual business and production strategy that’s effective and gets the job done.  It requires an intensity and focus on the end goal that starts at day one and goes through to the end.  I love making films and working with Jeremy and John so I suppose my intensity to get the job done could be described in that way.  I just try not to burn anyone with that laser along the way.  Lucky for me John, Jeremy, and I seem to work very well together.

Q) I know that you’re currently in post-production of an upcoming movie called ‘Valley of the Sasquatch’. Apart from the obvious, what can you tell us about this film?

MM) The title does say a lot.  As mentioned a bit above, cryptozoology went hand in hand with aliens in inspiring our life long fear and fascination with the unexplained.  John Portanova, being a Northwestern native and diehard fan of everyone’s favorite cryptid, Bigfoot, had been working on his dream “Sasquatch” script for years.  After two films that dealt so much with the unseen and the mental state of the characters we were all excited to work on a “creature feature” that was truly inspired by the great legends and monster movies of the 70s and 80s.  Valley of the Sasquatch was written and directed by Portanova so audiences will get a new and different feel from our previous features, but with the same desire to have characters that matter, as well as a consistent tone and atmosphere.  We are very excited to take audiences and fans of our previous work deep into the dark Northwestern woods with us to find out what horrors truly live just out of sight of everyday life.  Valley of the Sasquatch will start a festival run in 2015.  We keep up to date information on all of our projects on our website www.theoctoberpeople.net


Once again I'd like to than Matt for being gracious enough to take time out of what I know is a busy schedule. If you wish to contact Matt, or any others from the October People production team, then you can do that through the website address that Matt mentioned or via their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheOctoberPeople?fref=ts.

The Fifth Dimension becomes a partner of the Movie & Music Network

Big news!

It is my great pleasure to announce that The Fifth Dimension and the Movie & Music Network, who are an online subscription service, providing their members with access to motion pictures, television, music documentaries, music-related content and other audio visual entertainment ("movies & TV shows”) streaming over the Internet to certain Internet-connected TV's, computers and other devices.

The network has thousands of movies but of course it's the Sci-Fi, Pop Culture, Horror, and Retro film channels that specifically caught this bloggers greedy eyes! Be warned - some of the material is genuinly cutting-edge and in some cases, controversial stuff! - Of course, for many of us, that doesn't really consitute a warning, much rather a great big incentive!

From October 2014 The Fifth Dimension will be reviewing a couple of movies per month that feature on the Movie & Music Networks genre channels. The reviews will appear in both the usual places here and on my blog, as well as on the networks own review page.

If that wasn't enough, the really exciting part is as my articles appear on their review channel and anyone reading the review will be able to watch the movie for free (with commercials) or for $.99 (without commercials). A link to the film will also be available on this site and my blog! This means that you'll get a snapshot of the range of material available each month - you never know, you may then want to subscribe, who knows?

A little bit about the Movie & Music Network.........

So, I hear you ask, just what is available from this online network? Well as I said, some of the material on there is pretty much no holds barred in terms of some of the channels and material contained therein. Below is a selection of the channels available;

Terror Channel 

The Terror Channel has the most extreme, outrageous insanity, depravity, debauchery, skullduggery and evil ever captured on film, featuring all manner of lunatics, sadists, torturers, psychopaths, murderers, zombies, sexual deviants, flesh-eaters, cannibals, monsters, goths, witches, Satanists, vampires, and all others generally up to no good. 

You can go directly to the terror channel by clicking the following link at http://movieandmusicnetwork.com/content/cg/terror-channel?promocode=5DIM

SCI-FI STATION

Sci-Fi Station channel specializes in cult horror, science fiction, and exploitation films.

Halloween Horror

A collection of movies that encompasses all that is freaky, scary and disturbing.

MEDIA BLASTERS

Media Blasters contains various content including, Japanese animation, Tokyo Shock, and Shriek Show

Independent International Pictures

Specializing in Cult Horror & Exploitation Films.

If in the meantime you want to have a looksee at the plethora of eclectic channels and the thousands of movies within, then just click on the banner at the top right hand side of each blog page, it will take you directly to the Movie & Music Network website. You can also visit The Fifth Dimension Website  RIGHT HERE.

Red Shift (1978) - part of the BFI's Sci-Fi: Days of Fear & Wonder season.

The 13th October 2014 sees the next instalment of DVD releases as part of the BFI's Sci-Fi: Days of Fear & Wonder season. Once again the release is yet another cracker, one I've been wanting to see for some considerable time after missing out on the original broadcast which first appeared when I was a mere slip of a boy.

The film in question is the long renowned Red Shift, a film by Alan Garner and John Mackenzie, which was a BBC Play for Today, first broadcast in those now far off days in 1978.

If this current season from the BFI, as well as last years wonderful Gothic: The Dark heart of Film, has taught us anything at all, is the colossal amount of quality television output that encapsulates the 1970's - it truly was a golden period of quality TV and film output.

I'm no television industry expert but looking in from the outside it really does seem that the freedom to be daring and creative, not just in producing mainstream fare, but also producing innovative science fiction and horror is something that's been somewhat lost in the intervening years. Of course we have some stunning examples of excellent  SciFi output these days, but they are in the main the domain of the non-terrestrial channels. The 'traditional' channels are far more content nowadays to pander to the 'Reality TV' masses than produce something akin to the perfect example of creative freedom that is Red Shift.

So for your perusal and delectation, a synopsis, courtesy of the wonderful people at the BFI;

"Red Shift takes the viewer on a beguiling voyage through English history, spanning three distinct time periods: Roman Britain, the English Civil War and 1970s modern day. Garner’s story follows three troubled young men, Tom, Thomas and Macey, who occupy these different eras and are haunted by shared visions. They are also linked by a common location (Mow Cop in south Cheshire) and by the discovery of a mystical talisman: an ancient axe-head.

Exploring themes of mysticism, folklore and geography that are common in Alan Garner’s fantasy novels, Red Shift is a uniquely compelling Play for Today from the golden age of BBC drama."

Let's be clear from the start, for those who like their SciFi and fantasy to be of 'a battling in the stars with Close Encounters of every kind using lightsabres and warp speed', this is a rather different kind of science fiction story - but that doesn't mean that it lacks quality and excitement because of it. Quite the contrary in fact.

Red Shift is based upon the 1973 novel of the same name by Alan Garner which tells of three intertwining stories in Southern Cheshire that take place over a time span of a thousand years. I must admit to never having read the book myself, however it is now on my ever increasing to-do list of 'must read & must watch' after seeing this TV adaptation and reading a good deal of research background on the book and the themes within it. At this stage I can only imagine the problem that the makers of the Play for Today were faced with regarding the complexities of the multi-strand stories that were featured in the book. After all, literary works by their very nature find it much easier to weave complex themes into the narrative, something which for filmed dramatisations can lead to a myriad of obvious problems.

If that wasn't enough, the style of the writing is awash in the rich description of the history and landscape of the writer's native area very near to where the narrative intertwines in a complex tapestry of ancient myth, fantasy, folklore and factual history. Another challenge for any prospective filmmaker.

It is debatable that in this modern age of pandering to the lowest denominator of public taste as to whether any contemporary television filmmaker would have the time afforded by the channels in order to explore the various aspects of the source material. However, as I have previously alluded to, things were a little different back in the heady days of BBC 1970's. It is a decade that is often rightly ridiculed in terms of the social unrest, political landscape, fashion and at times truly awful music (yes Disco Duck, The Smurfs et al, I'm talking about you!). Yet it was also a time, particularly in terms of television and cinema, when innovative ideas were often given the green light without feeling the need for introducing focus groups or some random realty TV related nuance.

The Play for Today series belied it's rather mundane sounding name to become a true benchmark in quality television production for nearly 15 years until it finally disappeared from the schedules in 1984. Not only did it deal with social realist dramas and historical pieces, but it was also responsible for some exceptional elections of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Therefore it is no surprise that the complex landscapes and themes contained within Red Shift were supremely conveyed by director John Mackenzie when it was adapted in 1978 to great acclaim.

This adaptation perfectly conveys the story's engagement with mythology, fantasy and time as it tracks three different men during own distinct their time lines in and around the events and landscapes of Mow Cop, in Cheshire. The challenges of recounting these interconnecting tales of the three men, each with their own complex relationships with a woman and the role that an enigmatic axe-head with other worldly abilities plays are expertly conveyed in a tale that continually hints at ancient mythical influences. 

If Red Shift occasionally travels at a sedate pace, particularly during some of the quieter (though equally important) conversation exchanges in the modern day time line of Tom and Jan, there are nonetheless some authentically horrific scenes. One of these takes place in my favourite of the three time lines, during the English civil war period which, like many aspects of the story, is based on an actual historical event. In 1643 a troop of Royalists attacked the nearby village to Mow Cop, Barthomley, trapping much of the surviving population of men, women and children who were taking refuge in the church. In order to make a public example of the rebelling populace threatening the power of the king, they were all cruelly put to the sword after being publicly stripped naked.

The scenes in the film where this act took place are wonderfully staged, particularly effective is the scene of almost casual cruelty in which one of the captive men is nonchalantly shot in the face with a musket. It is a truly chilling part of the story.

It is not just the interconnecting characters and plot lines that work well here, but also the film's location - which thanks to the restoration by high definition transfer of the original print looks stunning. I will admit to being unfamiliar with this area of England but via Mackenzie's excitingly visual direction, I feel that I know the timeless everlasting landscape of Cheshire.

Red Shift is not only a testament to the qualities of television production of days gone by, it is also a fine example of intelligent and creative treatment of pure fantasy. Highly recommended.

If you require further enticement to buy the DVD of Red Shift, the BFI have produced a brand new short trailer which you can view by clicking on the link below.

DVD Special features

·         Brand new High Definition transfer

·         One Pair of Eyes: Alan Garner – All Systems Go (Lawrence Moore, 1972,

40 mins): an experimental, autobiographical documentary presented by Alan Garner

·         Interview with 1st Assistant Director Bob Jacobs and Film Editor Oliver White (2013, 5 mins)

·         Spirit of Cheshire (Kevin Marsland, 1980, 20 mins): Michael Hordern voices a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost on a journey to several Cheshire landmarks and tourist attractions

·         Illustrated booklet with extensive credits and newly commissioned essays from David Rolinson, Alan Garner, Michael Brooke, Paul Vanezis and Sergio Angelini

Product details

RRP: £19.99 / cat. no. BFIV2007 / Cert 12

UK / 1978 / colour / English language, with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles / 84 mins /

Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 / DVD9 / Dolby Digital 1.0 mono audio (192 kbps)

SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER will be the BFI’s biggest season to date, with over 1000 screenings of classic films and television programmes at over 200 locations across the UK.  It includes a three-month programme at BFI Southbank, from 20 October until 31 December 2014, with special events, guests and screenings right across the UK. With outdoor events at iconic British sites, classic Sci-Fi titles released into UK cinemas and on DVD and Blu-ray, 50+ films available online through BFI Player, a BFI Sci-Fi Compendium and much more, SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER, presented together with 02, will celebrate cinema’s most spectacular and visionary genre, exploring how the fear and wonder at its heart continues to inspire and enthral in one of the largest and most ambitious Sci-Fi projects ever created.

Interview with Director, Harley Cokeliss

Over the past couple of years it has been my absolute pleasure to speak to a wide range of movie individuals. It doesn't matter whether they have been in front of or behind the camera, there literally hasn't been one disappointment amongst them. I would love to think that I also have been perfectly objective and professional at all times (stop laughing you there at the back!), though admittedly those qualities were tested once or twice - especially when I managed to land an interview with one of the scream queen loves of my life - Adrienne Barbeau.

Harley Cokeliss

This week, my much renowned, ahem, calmness and objectivity were well and truly put to the test when I had the chance to talk to someone whose work I've admired for such a long time. When I also say that while there may well be some folk who are unfamiliar with his name, any self -respecting SciFi geek, especially when it comes to a specific film that took place A long time ago, In a Galaxy far, far away, will shudder with uncontrolled excitement when they realise what he has on his impressive CV.

For those of you that have been hiding in cave somewhere in the deepest reaches of the Amazon rain forest for the past few months, the BFI's SciFi: Days of Fear and Wonder season has been in full swing for some time now. "Pray tell me Mr Fifth Dimension Sir, just what is this season of wondrous fear? I must know, after all, I've just returned from darkest Peru you know"

Well, in order to answer your question my intrepid traveler, you could do one of two things; Firstly you could read some of my previous blog articles on the very same project, or you could chose the admittedly less self-indulgent and less rambling version of the event from the BFI itself.....

"SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER will be the BFI’s biggest season to date, with over 1000 screenings of classic films and television programmes at over 200 locations across the UK.  It includes a three-month programme at BFI Southbank, from 20 October until 31 December 2014, with special events, guests and screenings right across the UK. With outdoor events at iconic British sites, classic Sci-Fi titles released into UK cinemas and on DVD and Blu-ray, 50+ films available online through BFI Player, a BFI Sci-Fi Compendium and much more, SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER, presented together with 02, will celebrate cinema’s most spectacular and visionary genre, exploring how the fear and wonder at its heart continues to inspire and enthral in one of the largest and most ambitious Sci-Fi projects ever created."

Now, it was my pleasure a couple of weeks ago to receive from the BFI and review the latest DVD release forming part of the season - the collection of classic releases from the Children's Film Foundation - Outer Space. During the course of this I became aware of the opportunity to interview the director behind perhaps the most lauded of the films in the DVD, the fabulous The Glitterball (1978). The Director in question is the redoubtable Harley Cokeliss.

So just in case you are aren't 100% familiar with his work, here's an excerpt from Harley's IMDB page....

"Writer/director/producer Harley Cokeliss was born Harley Louis Cokliss on February 11, 1945 in San Diego, California. He was raised in Chicago, Illinois. He moved to England in 1966, studying at the London Film School, and started making TV documentaries in 1970, among them It's Fantastic! It's Futuristic! It's Fatalistic! It's Science Fiction! (1973) and The Need for Nightmare (1974). Cokeliss made his first foray into feature filmmaking with the family adventure outing The Battle of Billy's Pond (1976). This was followed by the charming children's science-fiction offering The Glitterball  (1977) and the engaging adolescent picture That Summer! (1979).

After handling second unit director duties on Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), he has gone on to make a handful of movies in the action, horror and science-fiction genres. His most notable films are the enjoyable futuristic sci-fi/action opus Battletruck (1982), the entertaining action outing Black Moon Rising (1986), and the creepy fright flick Dream Demon (1988). Moreover, Cokeliss has also directed episodes of such TV shows as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995) , Xena: Warrior Princess (1995), Dark Knight  (2000) and The Immortal . He's the owner of Barzo Productions Ltd....."

So here I go, chatting to a person whose work I have greatly admired for what seems an age - Excited, Moi??!!

First of all Harley, many thanks for taking the time to answer a few of my questions for my blog at http://stuart66.blogspot.co.uk/ . It's a genuine thrill for me as I've been an admirer of your work for many years.

Q) As the BFI are into their season of SciFi celebration, I'd like to ask you about The Glitterball to begin with. I was enthralled when I first saw it as an 11 year old. Why do you think its appeal has endured?

The Glitterball (1978) - It's magnificent.

HC) I  remember approaching the project from the point of view that, while the film would be appropriate for children to see, I didn't want it to be only for children. I wanted it to be a film with a broad reach that just happened to have children at the centre of the story. We told the story from their point of view and I wanted the kids to be real and for their reactions to the extraordinary event of the arrival of an extra-terrestrial visitor to be as natural as possible in that particular circumstance. And as to why the appeal of the film has endured. I think that could be because it worked first and foremost as an adventure, and happily the story did engage people across the age groups, maybe because no matter what age we are we all appreciate stories that are about discovery and adventures, especially those that involve the strange and the mysterious. I'm very happy that the BFI is bringing out the DVD of The Glitterball because now whole new generations of viewers will be able to watch it.

Q)  What do you remember about the filming of The Glitterball?

HC: I remember quite a bit about the filming of The Glitterball, making it was a lot of fun. It was the second film I made for The Children's Film Foundation, The Battle of Billy's Pond being the first, and I was working with many of the same crew members, and Ben Buckton was again playing the lead. There was a great atmosphere on the set and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Q)  Despite the constraints of budget for special effects, The Glitterball is a rollicking good scifi yarn. What would you have done differently, if anything at all if the budget for Special effects had been larger?

HC: I was very pleased with the effects we were able to achieve on the film. Brian Johnson and Barry Leith did excellent work, but if we had been gifted with a larger budget I'm sure we could have expanded our horizons even further. On a film set having more money means you can have more time to achieve your vision in more detail. What we achieved on our budget told the story well and I'm happy with the film as it is. Sometimes a simple effect is all you really need and it can be all the more convincing for its economy.

Harley directing the wonderful Tommy Lee Jones
on the set of Black Moon Rising (1986)

Q)  You have worked with some 'intense, charismatic' actors, including two favourites of mine, Tommy Lee Jones (Black Moon Rising - 1986) & Ray Liotta (Pilgrim/Inferno 2000). What challenges for a director do individuals like them pose and what are they like as actors?

HC: Both Tommy Lee and Ray are consummate actors and it was a privilege to work with them. Both of them embraced the project we were making and applied their talents and intelligence to bring those characters to life. Their commitment was total, Tommy Lee studied some classic film noirs and Ray immersed himself in his character’s multiple amnesia. They both made the action real and they both did much of the stunt work. There was one day on Inferno when Ray’s reaction to an explosive blood squib used to simulate being shot was so convincing I thought the explosive had actually blasted through the safety plate he wore underneath the charge. And both of them have the gift of being able to communicate emotion and engage directly with an audience. Audiences always care about what happens to them.

A cult classic all right 

Q)  Battletruck ("Warlords of the 21st Century") is still lauded amongst Scifi fans and is a long time favourite of mine. Is it true that you 'pitched' the idea for the film to Roger Corman in an interview with him?

HC: Yes, I was interviewing him at his hilltop house in Pacific Palisades, California for the BBC Review programme and we were walking back to the house when he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him about this futuristic western I was working on and he literally stopped then and there and said: “Yes, I can see the poster, if you can find half the money I'll put up the rest.” I asked him if he would put that on paper and he said he would. 

He suggested that I might find the money in Spain and could shoot it somewhere like the studios at Almeria. But in the end we found the matching finance in New Zealand and shot it on the South Island near a range of beautiful mountains called 'The Remarkables', which would feature many years later in 'Lord of the Rings'.

Q) I simply have to ask you about The Empire Strikes Back if that's ok. You were the 2nd unit director on that, if I'm correct. What is the role of 2nd unit director for those who don't know?

HC: On big productions with lots of action, stunt work and special effects they often break up the workload between the main unit and the second unit. Sometimes on complicated shoots there are even third and fourth units as well. The main unit with the director shoots all the key scenes with the main actors, while the second unit takes on much of the action, stunt work and special effect work, as these shots are usually very time consuming. I was the Second Unit Director for the work done at Elstree Studios and to get through the difficult schedule there, with a large number of sets to be built and only 7 stages available, we needed to 'shoot out' a set - that is get all the necessary shots needed for all the scenes that happen on that set - as fast as possible so they could strike it and build a new set on that stage. 

Hi, I'm Harley  - yesterday I made the mistake

of looking this Wookie in the eye....

To speed up the process they integrated the units more. For example on the Millennium Falcon scenes Irvin Kershner would stage the scene and set the performances. He'd shoot the master shots and all the front angle close-ups on the principal actors. He did everything he wanted that didn't have a window or a special effects or stunt work. The main unit would then move on to another scene and the second unit came on with the principal actors of that scene still there. Having a window in the background was a problem in those days because windows needed a time consuming blue screen shot, with the view out of the window being done at ILM months later, so all that fell to the second unit.

Q) Which scenes from the film were you involved in?

HC: I was on the film for over four months and, as I was saying, our unit got involved with shots for any scene that was time consuming and/or dangerous, whether it be blue screen, stunt work, or special effect. Occasionally we would do a whole scene. For example when Darth Vader and Luke have their sword fight in Cloud City the second unit was assigned to shoot that scene because almost every shot had an effect or a stunt: laser swords needed special lighting for the 3M material on the swords and the electrical discharge when a sword hit metal were explosive charges that had to be individually wired and carefully timed with the fight choreography for each take. We had a stunt man in the Darth Vader costume, but Mark Hammell did most of Luke's swordplay, though sometimes we had acrobatic doubles for the jumps and falls. It boiled down to this: if it was difficult or time consuming to shoot we would do it, usually based on the extensive storyboards. 

"C'mon Luke m'lad....kissing your sister aint that bad..."

There have been a number of television programmes that have counted down to the best film and several times Empire Strike Back has been named as the best film ever made, or the best science fiction film ever made, or whatever, and each time they announce the results on TV, if it is Empire, the scene they usually show is the sword fight between Luke and Darth Vader which ends with Darth cutting Luke's sword hand off and Luke falling through space and the Cloud City ducting system before ending up hanging upside down on an antenna. The Second Unit shot that.

Q) What are your views, if any, on the newer Star Wars films and the ones in production?

HC: I'm looking forward to the new generation of films; it's going to be great to see the story continue with original cast back in action.

Q) Any regrets? For example, one film you could remake or even that one elusive film you wanted to make but missed out on?

HC: One elusive film that never got made was 'Eli Lambourne', a powerful story set during the English Civil War. I'd met Sean Connery at a lunch with Irvin Kershner & I told him about the story. He kindly agreed to read the script & liked it. He said he'd do the film if we made certain changes to the script, which I was happy to do. But by the time the new script was ready he was booked up for years ahead & I moved on to other projects.

Q) And finally, what does the future hold for Harley Cokeliss? Once again, many thanks for taking the time for the interview, Harley.

HC: It was my pleasure. We have projects in development for both television and feature films. One of the film projects is a young adult crime story set in the near future based on a book by Melvin Burgess, who also wrote the novel on which I based my time-slip film 'An Angel for May'. And we're also developing a 'cyber thriller' set in the world of computer games that we hope to make in Australia next year.

Once again I'd like to extend my thanks to Harley for taking time to talk to the unashamed sycophant that I am. For more information about the man himself, then visit his IMDB page at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170113/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm