I detest the phrase theBBCunderstands because what the flipping heck does that really mean? Surely every news report is a result of somebody understanding something either directly or second-hand. It is an unattractive and irritating shorthand method of saying we have been told by one source that is very reliable that something has or is going to happen but we don’t want to say that even though it doesn’t stop us when we use Reuters or AP.
And while I’m moaning, the phrase sweatson is also detestable along with the use of the word attackwhen criticises would do very nicely, thank you.
And I haven’t finished: the headlines can drive me mad too but this was the most recent: “Is it OK for disabled people to go to brothels?“. I’ll leave to the f-word and the majority of the comments to answer that one for you. Just a couple of hints: women have needs too and no it’s not.
Spike warns the Scoobies that “You waste time with kid gloves. I’m willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough.” Are these lines written with intent? Or do obsessives just seize on the innocent?
Willow gets cranky but not very convincingly. Alyson Hannigan’s charm is wearing off. I feel so bad writing that. I would have loved Willow taking charge at any other point in BtVS but not in season 5.
“Ben is Glory. Glory’s Ben.” This is vaguely funny but once again it makes the Scoobies look like idiots.
Glory goes all Dawn when she shouts “Get out! Get out! Get out!”. I do owe Clare Kramer an apology when I dismissed her performance earlier in the season but I have grown to appreciate her moods, vanity and humour. She is particularly good in this episode as the barrier between herself and Ben breaks down. And this speech is quite something:
“Who’s not crazy? Look around: everyone’s drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other or just plain screwing their brains out because they don’t want them anymore. I’m crazy? Honey, I am the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts.”
By far and away the best thing about this rather plodding episode are the inside Buffy’s mind sequences. They are nicely photographed and it is good to see Joyce and Hank again. The little girl who plays Buffy looks more like a young Britney Spears: she isn’t nearly as convincing as Mimi Paley in “Killed By Death”. More importantly the sequences reveal Buffy’s feelings about her burden very clearly and she can’t wait to lay it down.
She explains why she going to become increasingly more miserable (“I would grieve and people would feel sorry for me. But it would all be over. And I imagined what a relief that would be”) and it’s no wonder she’s peeved in season 6.
Black Narcissus is a classic film with extraordinary performances and stunning colour cinematography by Jack Cardiff. The Innocents is one of the most atmospheric and scariest films I have ever seen with beautiful black and white cinematography from Freddie Francis. Both starred Deborah Kerr whose American films mostly left me cold (and that includes From Here to Eternity) but her British films were a different story.
StephenT has a very interesting analysis of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer opening credits in terms of its female to male regular cast ratio.
And does Serenity pass the Bechdel Test? I was hopeful for the deleted scene when Inara and another companion discuss Inara’s teaching abilities but then they move on to talking about men because that’s what they do.
There is always someone
For each of us they say
And you’ll be my someone
For ever and a day
I could search the whole world over
Until my life is through
But I know I’ll never find another you
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Georgia, USA on 