1.
Toronto International Film Festival
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The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Year-round, TIFF Bell Lightbox offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, industry support, TIFF Bell Lightbox is located on the north west corner of King Street and John Street in downtown Toronto. In 2015,397 films from 71 countries were screened at 28 screens in downtown Toronto venues, welcoming an estimated 480,000 attendees, TIFF starts the Thursday night after Labour Day and lasts for eleven days. Founded in 1976, TIFF is now one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, in 1998, Variety magazine acknowledged that TIFF is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics, stars and market activity. In 2007, TIME noted that TIFF had grown from its place as the most influential film festival to the most influential film festival. This is partially the result of TIFFs ability and reputation for generating Oscar buzz, the Toronto International Festival’s Grolsch People’s Choice Award — which is based on popular vote by Festival filmgoers — has emerged as a beacon of awards-season success. Founded by Bill Marshall, Dusty Cohl and Henk Van der Kolk and that first year,35,000 filmgoers watched 127 films from 30 countries presented in ten programmes. Piers Handling has been the director and CEO since 1994. TIFF was once centred on the Yorkville neighbourhood, but the Toronto Entertainment District later gained a level of prominence. TIFF is known for the celebrity buzz it brings to the area with international media setting up near its restaurants and stores for photos and interviews with the stars. In 2010, TIFF opened its permanent headquarters, TIFF Bell Lightbox, TIFF has grown, steadily adding initiatives throughout the years. TIFF Cinematheque and the Film Reference Library opened in 1990, the TIFF Kids International Film Festival launched in 1998. Film Circuit began exhibiting independent and Canadian films in under-serviced cities across Canada in 1994, the festival was founded in 1976 at the Windsor Arms Hotel by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl. Beginning as a collection of the films from film festivals around the world. Ironically, however, Hollywood studios withdrew their submissions from TIFF due to concerns that Toronto audiences would be too parochial for their products, in 1994, the decision was made to replace the name Festival of Festivals with Toronto International Film Festival. From 1994 to 2009, the organization running TIFF was named Toronto International Film Festival Group. In 2009, the umbrella organization TIFFG was renamed to TIFF, in 2001, Perspective Canada, the programme that had focused on Canadian films since 1984, was replaced by two programmes, Canada First. A forum for Canadian filmmakers presenting their first feature-length work, featuring eight to 15 films, and Short Cuts Canada, in 2004, TIFF was featured as the site of murder mystery in the film Jiminy Glick in Lalawood, a comedy film starring Martin Short
2.
Southport
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Southport is a large seaside town in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, Southport lies on the Irish Sea coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary. The town is 16.7 miles north of Liverpool and 14.8 miles southwest of Preston. Historically part of Lancashire, the town was founded in 1792 when William Sutton, at that time, the area, known as South Hawes, was sparsely populated and dominated by sand dunes. At the turn of the 19th century, the area popular with tourists due to the easy access from the nearby Leeds. The rapid growth of Southport largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution, extensive sand dunes stretch for several miles between Birkdale and Woodvale to the south of the town. The Ainsdale sand dunes have been designated as a nature reserve. Local fauna include the Natterjack toad and the Sand lizard, the town contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning, on Lord Street and elsewhere. A particular feature of the town is the tree planting. This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made available for development in the 19th century. Hesketh Park at the end of the town is named after them. Southport today is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK. It hosts various events, including an air show on and over the beach. The town is at the centre of Englands Golf Coast and has hosted the Open Championship at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, there have been settlements in the area now comprising Southport since the Domesday Book, and some parts of the town have names of Viking origin. Roman coins have found at Halsall Moss and Crossens, although the Romans never settled southwest Lancashire. The first real evidence of a settlement here is in the Domesday Book. The name is derived from Oddrgrimir meaning the son of Grimm and is linked to the Old Norse word melr meaning sandbank, the Domesday Book states that there were 50 huts in Otergimele, housing a population of 200. The alluvium provided fertile land and the river itself stocks of fish
3.
Ruth Ellis
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Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom, after being convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely. Two of these were Blakely, a driver already engaged to another woman, and Desmond Cussen. On Easter Sunday 1955, Ellis shot Blakely dead outside The Magdala public house in Hampstead, at her trial, she took full responsibility for the murder, and her courtesy and composure, both in court and in the cells, was noted in the press. She was hanged at HM Prison Holloway, Ellis was born in the Welsh seaside/rocky town of Rhyl, the third of six children. During her childhood her family moved to Basingstoke and her mother, Elisaberta Cothals, was a Belgian refugee, her father, Arthur Hornby, was a cellist from Manchester who spent much of his time playing on Atlantic cruise liners. Arthur changed his surname to Neilson after the birth of Ruths elder sister Muriel, Ellis attended Fairfields Senior Girls School in Basingstoke, leaving when she was 14 to work as a waitress. Shortly afterwards, in 1941 at the height of the Blitz, in 1944, 17-year-old Ruth became pregnant by a married Canadian soldier named Clare and gave birth to a son, whom she named Clare Andrea Neilson, known as Andy. The father sent money for about a year, then stopped, the child eventually went to live with Elliss mother. Ellis became a nightclub hostess through nude modelling work, which paid more than the various factory. Morris Conley, the manager of the Court Club in Duke Street, early in 1950 she became pregnant by one of her regular customers, having taken up prostitution. She had this pregnancy terminated in the month and returned to work as soon as she could. On 8 November 1950, she married 41-year-old George Ellis, a divorced dentist with two sons, at the office in Tonbridge, Kent. He had been a customer at the Court Club and he was a violent alcoholic, jealous and possessive, and the marriage deteriorated rapidly because he was convinced she was having an affair. Ruth left him several times but always returned, in 1951, while four months pregnant, Ruth appeared, uncredited, as a beauty queen in the Rank film Lady Godiva Rides Again. She subsequently gave birth to a daughter Georgina, but George refused to acknowledge paternity, Ruth and her daughter moved in with her parents and she went back to prostitution to make ends meet. In 1953, Ruth Ellis decided to become the manager of The Little Club, at this time, she was lavished with expensive gifts by admirers, and had a number of celebrity friends. She met David Blakely, three years her junior, through racing driver Mike Hawthorn, Blakely was a well-mannered former public school boy, but also a hard-drinking racer. Within weeks he moved into her flat above the club, despite being engaged to another woman, Ellis became pregnant for the fourth time but aborted the child, feeling she could not reciprocate the level of commitment shown by Blakely towards their relationship
4.
Dance with a Stranger
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Dance with a Stranger is a 1985 British drama film, directed by Mike Newell. The screenplay was by Shelagh Delaney, author of A Taste of Honey, the theme song Would You Dance With a Stranger was performed by Mari Wilson, and provided her with a hit single in the same year. A former nude model and prostitute, Ruth is manageress of a London drinking club frequented by racing drivers, another child is in the custody of her estranged husbands family. In the club she meets David, a young man from a well-off family who wants to succeed in motor racing but suffers from lack of money. Ruth falls for his looks and charm, but it is a doomed relationship, without a job he cannot afford to marry her and his family would never accept her. When he makes a scene in the club, she is fired. A wealthy admirer secures a flat for her and her son, when she tells him she is pregnant, he does nothing about it and she miscarries. Distraught, she goes to a house in Hampstead where she believes David is at a party and he comes out and goes with a girl to a pub. Ruth waits outside the pub and, when he emerges, kills him with four shots and she is arrested, tried and hanged. Mike Newell won Award of the Youth at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival for Dance with a Stranger, miranda Richardson won Best Actress at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, while Ian Holm won Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 1985 for this and other films. Dance with a Stranger at the Internet Movie Database
5.
Academy Awards
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The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette, officially called the Academy Award of Merit, which has become commonly known by its nickname Oscar. The awards, first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are overseen by AMPAS, the awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953. It is now live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online. The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and its equivalents – the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for theater, and the Grammy Awards for music and recording – are modeled after the Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring the best films of 2016, were held on February 26,2017, at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, the ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC. A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th, the first Academy Awards presentation was held on May 16,1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of about 270 people. The post-awards party was held at the Mayfair Hotel, the cost of guest tickets for that nights ceremony was $5. Fifteen statuettes were awarded, honoring artists, directors and other participants in the industry of the time. The ceremony ran for 15 minutes, winners were announced to media three months earlier, however, that was changed for the second ceremony in 1930. Since then, for the rest of the first decade, the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11,00 pm on the night of the awards. The first Best Actor awarded was Emil Jannings, for his performances in The Last Command and he had to return to Europe before the ceremony, so the Academy agreed to give him the prize earlier, this made him the first Academy Award winner in history. With the fourth ceremony, however, the system changed, for the first six ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned two calendar years. At the 29th ceremony, held on March 27,1957, until then, foreign-language films had been honored with the Special Achievement Award. The 74th Academy Awards, held in 2002, presented the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, since 1973, all Academy Awards ceremonies always end with the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy also awards Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, see also § Awards of Merit categories The best known award is the Academy Award of Merit, more popularly known as the Oscar statuette. The five spokes represent the branches of the Academy, Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers. The model for the statuette is said to be Mexican actor Emilio El Indio Fernández, sculptor George Stanley sculpted Cedric Gibbons design. The statuettes presented at the ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze
6.
Damage (1992 film)
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Damage is a 1992 British/French film directed by Louis Malle and starring Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves and Ian Bannen. Based on the novel Damage by Josephine Hart, the film is about a British politician who shares a relationship with his sons girlfriend. Miranda Richardson was nominated for an Academy Award and won a BAFTA in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the wife of the films main character. Their adult son, Martyn, a young journalist, lives elsewhere in London. At a diplomatic reception, Stephen meets a woman named Anna Barton. A short time later Martyn brings Anna with him when he drops by his parents sumptuous home to introduce her to his family. The developing sexual tension between Stephen and Anna becomes increasingly clear at this brief meeting although Martyn and his mother seem oblivious to this, despite her relationship with Martyn, Anna arranges a tryst with Stephen at her small London town house. The following day, Martyn is appointed deputy editor at his London-based national newspaper. Ingrid arranges a dinner to celebrate in London, while at dinner, Ingrid shows a distrust in Anna and asks her aggressive questions regarding her childhood. Anna mentions the loss of her brother who was an older than her. When Ingrid asks why he killed himself, Anna replies, Love, after dinner, Martyn drops off Anna and Stephen follows them. Once he leaves, Stephen talks to Anna about how much he wanted to touch her during dinner and they have sex on the floor and in the bed. She also says that people are dangerous and she hates a possessive relationship with anyone. While Martyn sleeps in their room, Stephen and Anna have public sex in broad daylight in a churchs open doorway as the church bell peals in the background. Afterwards Stephen checks into a hotel across the street from Anna and Martyns, by then his infatuation has reached a point where he desires to be with Anna permanently, even at the risk of destroying his relationship with his son and family. In a meeting in a London park, however, Anna dissuades Stephen from doing this, during a subsequent visit to Annas home, Stephen finds that another man named Peter Wetzler is already present and he tells Stephen that they are former lovers. A jealous Stephen initially assumes that Anna is cheating on him and, Anna denies being currently involved with Peter, and then recounts that she had compulsively run to Peter and slept with him as a reaction to her brothers suicide, which she had witnessed. Stephen is placated by this explanation and the once again have sex
7.
Tom & Viv
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Tom & Viv is a 1994 period drama film directed by Brian Gilbert, based on the 1984 play by the same name by British playwright Michael Hastings about the early love life of American poet T. S. Eliot. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson, Rosemary Harris, Tim Dutton, the film tells the story of the relationship between T. S. Eliot and his first wife, Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot. They were married in 1915 after a courtship, and separated in 1933 though they never divorced. Verger The film received mixed reviews, holding a 33% rotten rating on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, despite the reception, the film was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Tom & Viv at the Internet Movie Database Tom & Viv at Rotten Tomatoes Tom & Viv at AllMovie
8.
British Academy Film Awards
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The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to honour the best British and international contributions to film. Between 2008 and 2016, the ceremony was held in central London at the Royal Opera House, the 70th British Academy Film Awards were held on 12 February 2017 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. British Academy of Film and Television Arts was founded in 1947 as The British Film Academy, by David Lean, Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, Charles Laughton, Roger Manvell and others. BAFTA stated charitable purpose is to support, develop and promote the art forms of the image, by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners. In addition to awards ceremonies BAFTA runs a year-round programme of educational events including film screenings. BAFTA is supported by a membership of about 6,000 people from the film, television, the Academys awards are in the form of a theatrical mask designed by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe, which was commissioned by the Guild of Television Producers in 1955. The ceremony previously took place in April or May and since 2002 it takes place in February in order to precede the Oscars. The awards are open to all nationalities, though there is an award for Outstanding British Film. Only UK films are eligible for the categories of The British Short Film, the Awards ceremony is delayed broadcast on British television the same evening, and across the world for example its shown on BBC America in the United States. It has been broadcast in colour since 1970, the award ceremony is held in London. From 2000 to 2007 the ceremonies took place at the flagship Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, between 2008 and 2016, the ceremonies took place at the Royal Opera House. The 70th Awards in 2017 were held at the Royal Albert Hall, until 2012, the mobile network Orange sponsored the awards and starting in 2013 Oranges parent company, EE, began sponsorship. British Academy of Film and Television Arts British Academy Television Awards Official website BAFTA Awards database Museum of Broadcast Communications, BAFTA IMDB, BAFTA
9.
Golden Globe Award
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Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign. The annual ceremony at which the awards are presented is a part of the film industrys awards season. The 74th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film, the 1st Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best achievements in 1943 filmmaking, was held in January 1944, at the 20th Century-Fox studios. Subsequent ceremonies were held at venues throughout the next decade, including the Beverly Hills Hotel. In 1950, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the decision to establish an honorary award to recognize outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. Recognizing its subject as a figure within the entertainment industry. The official name of the award became the Cecil B. In 1963, the Miss Golden Globe concept was introduced, in its inaugural year, two Miss Golden Globes were named, one for film and one for television. The two Miss Golden Globes named that year were Eva Six and Donna Douglas, respectively, in 2009, the Golden Globe statuette was redesigned. It was unveiled at a conference at the Beverly Hilton prior to the show. The broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards, telecast to 167 countries worldwide, generally ranks as the third most-watched awards show each year, behind only the Oscars, gervais returned to host the 68th and 69th Golden Globe Awards the next two years. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the 70th, 71st and 72nd Golden Globe Awards in 2015, the Golden Globe Awards theme song, which debuted in 2012, was written by Japanese musician and songwriter Yoshiki Hayashi. On January 7,2008, it was announced due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. The ceremony was faced with a threat by striking writers to picket the event, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was forced to adopt another approach for the broadcast. In acting categories, Meryl Streep holds the record for the most competitive Golden Globe wins with eight, however, including honorary awards, such as the Henrietta Award, World Film Favorite Actor/Actress Award, or Cecil B. DeMille Award, Barbra Streisand leads with nine, additionally, Streisand won for composing the song Evergreen, producing the Best Picture, and directing Yentl in 1984. Jack Nicholson, Angela Lansbury, Alan Alda and Shirley MacLaine have six awards each, behind them are Rosalind Russell and Jessica Lange with five wins. Meryl Streep also holds the record for most nominations with thirty, at the 46th Golden Globe Awards an anomaly occurred, a three way-tie for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
10.
Screen Actors Guild Award
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The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called The Actor. It is 16 inches tall, weighs over 12 pounds, is cast in solid bronze, SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995. It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards, the awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT, and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS. The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25,1995 from Universal Studios Stage 12, the second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center
11.
Independent Spirit Awards
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The Film Independent Spirit Awards, founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films, in 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit Awards. Since 2006, winners have received a trophy depicting a bird with its wings spread sitting atop of a pole with the shoestrings from the previous design wrapped around the pole, Film Independent Members vote to determine the winners of the Spirit Awards. The awards show is held inside a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California, the show is broadcast live on the IFC network, as well as Hollywood Suite in Canada and A&E Latin America. The 32nd Independent Spirit Awards ceremony, hosted by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, was broadcast live on IFC on Saturday, official website Film Independent Film Independents channel on YouTube Film Independent at the Internet Movie Database Independent Spirit Awards at the Internet Movie Database
12.
West End theatre
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West End theatre is a common term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of Theatreland in and near the West End of London. Along with New York Citys Broadway theatre, West End theatre is considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London, in 2013, ticket sales reached a record 14.4 million, making West End the largest English speaking audience in the world. Famous screen actors frequently appear on the London stage, helen Mirren received an award for her performance as the Queen on the West End stage, and then stated, theatre is such an important part of British history and British culture. Theatre in London flourished after the English Reformation, the first permanent public playhouse, known simply as The Theatre, was constructed in 1576 in Shoreditch by James Burbage. It was soon joined by The Curtain, both are known to have been used by William Shakespeares company. In 1599, the timber from The Theatre was moved to Southwark and these theatres were closed in 1642 due to the Puritans who would later influence the interregnum of 1649. After the Restoration, two companies were licensed to perform, the Dukes Company and the Kings Company, performances were held in converted buildings, such as Lisles Tennis Court. The first West End theatre, known as Theatre Royal in Bridges Street, was designed by Thomas Killigrew and built on the site of the present Theatre Royal and it opened on 7 May 1663 and was destroyed by a fire nine years later. It was replaced by a new designed by Christopher Wren and renamed the Theatre Royal. Outside the West End, Sadlers Wells Theatre opened in Islington on 3 June 1683. Taking its name from founder Richard Sadler and monastic springs that were discovered on the property, it operated as a Musick House, with performances of opera, as it was not licensed for plays. In the West End, the Theatre Royal Haymarket opened on 29 December 1720 on a site north of its current location. The Patent theatre companies retained their duopoly on drama well into the 19th century, by the early 19th century, however, music hall entertainments became popular, and presenters found a loophole in the restrictions on non-patent theatres in the genre of melodrama. Melodrama did not break the Patent Acts, as it was accompanied by music, initially, these entertainments were presented in large halls, attached to public houses, but purpose-built theatres began to appear in the East End at Shoreditch and Whitechapel. The West End theatre district became established with the opening of small theatres and halls. South of the River Thames, the Old Vic, Waterloo Road, the next few decades saw the opening of many new theatres in the West End. It abbreviated its name three years later, the theatre building boom continued until about World War I
13.
Royal Court Theatre
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The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre, in 1956 it was acquired by and is home to a resident company, the English Stage Company. The first theatre on Lower George Street, off Sloane Square, was the converted Nonconformist Ranelagh Chapel, marie Litton became its manager in 1871, hiring Walter Emden to remodel the interior, and it was renamed the Court Theatre. By 1878, management of the theatre was shared by John Hare, further alterations were made in 1882 by Alexander Peebles, after which its capacity was 728. After that, Arthur Cecil was co-manager of the theatre with John Clayton, among other works, they produced a series of Arthur Wing Pineros farces, including The Rector, The Magistrate, The Schoolmistress, and Dandy Dick, among others. The theatre closed on 22 July 1887 and was demolished, the present building was built on the east side of Sloane Square, replacing the earlier building, and opened on 24 September 1888 as the New Court Theatre. Designed by Walter Emden and Bertie Crewe, it is constructed of red brick, moulded brick. Originally the theatre had a capacity of 841 in the stalls, dress circle, amphitheatre, Cecil and Clayton yielded management of the theatre to Mrs. John Wood and Arthur Chudleigh in 1887, although Cecil continued acting in their company until 1895. The first production in the new building was a play by Sydney Grundy titled Mamma, starring Mrs. John Wood and John Hare, with Arthur Cecil and Eric Lewis. Harley Granville-Barker managed the theatre for the first few years of the 20th century and it ceased to be used as a theatre in 1932 but was used as a cinema from 1935 to 1940, until World War II bomb damage closed it. The interior was reconstructed by Robert Cromie, and the number of seats was reduced to under 500, George Devine was appointed artistic director at the suggestion of Oscar Lewenstein, one of the other two co-founders of the English Stage Company. The ESC opened at the Royal Court in 1956 as a subsidised theatre producing new British and foreign plays, Devine aimed to create a writers theatre, seeking to discover new writers and produce serious contemporary works. Devine produced the new companys production in 1956, John Osbornes Look Back in Anger. Osborne followed Look Back In Anger with The Entertainer, with Laurence Olivier in the lead as Archie Rice, significantly, although it was quickly reversed, the artistic board of the ESC initially rejected the play. Two members of the board were in agreement in opposing The Entertainer, in the mid-1960s, the ESC became involved in issues of censorship. The succès de scandale of the two helped to bring about the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK. During the period of Devines directorship, besides Osborne and Bond, early seasons included new international plays by Bertolt Brecht, Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Marguerite Duras. In addition to the 400-seat proscenium arch Theatre Downstairs, the smaller studio Theatre Upstairs was opened in 1969
14.
Blackadder
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Blackadder is a series of four BBC1 period British sitcoms, along with several one-off installments. All television episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the anti-hero Edmund Blackadder, the first series, The Black Adder, was written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, while subsequent episodes were written by Curtis and Ben Elton. The shows were produced by John Lloyd, in 2000, the fourth series, Blackadder Goes Forth, ranked at 16 in the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, a list created by the British Film Institute. Also in the 2004 TV poll to find Britains Best Sitcom, Blackadder was voted the second-best British sitcom of all time, topped by Only Fools and it was also ranked as the 20th-best TV show of all time by Empire magazine. It is implied in each series that the Blackadder character is a descendant of the previous one, as the generations progress, each Blackadder becomes increasingly clever and perceptive, while the familys social status steadily erodes. However, each Blackadder remains a cynical, cowardly opportunist, maintaining and increasing his own status and fortunes, the life of each Blackadder is also entwined with his servant, each from the Baldrick family line. Each generation acts as the dogsbody to his respective Blackadder and they decrease in intelligence as their masters intellect increases. Each Blackadder and Baldrick is also saddled with tolerating the presence of a dim-witted aristocrat, each series was set in a different period of British history, beginning in 1485 and ending in 1917, and comprised six half-hour episodes. The first series, made in 1983, was called The Black Adder and was set in the reign of Richard IV. The second series, Blackadder II, was set during the reign of Elizabeth I, Blackadder the Third was set during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the reign of George III, and Blackadder Goes Forth was set in 1917 in the trenches of the Great War. The Black Adder, the first series of Blackadder, was written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson and it originally aired on BBC1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 July 1983, and was a joint production with the Australian Seven Network. Along with the history, many historical events portrayed in the series were anachronistic. The filming of the series was highly ambitious, with a large cast, the series also featured Shakespearean dialogue, often adapted for comic effect, the end credits featured the words Additional Dialogue by William Shakespeare. Blackadder II is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the principal character is Edmund, Lord Blackadder, the great-grandson of the original Black Adder. During the series, he deals with the Queen, her obsequious Lord Chamberlain Lord Melchett —his rival—and the Queens demented former nanny Nursie. Following the BBCs request for improvements, several changes were made, the second series was the first to establish the familiar Blackadder character, cunning, shrewd, and witty, in sharp contrast to the first series bumbling Prince Edmund. To make the show more cost-effective, it was shot with virtually no outdoor scenes and several frequently used indoor sets, such as the Queens throne room. Blackadder the Third is set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in the series, Edmund Blackadder Esquire is the butler to the Prince Regent, the Prince of Wales
15.
Merlin (miniseries)
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Merlin is a television miniseries which originally aired on NBC that retells the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in the role in a story that covers not only the rise and fall of Camelot. The film deviates from traditional versions of the legend, notably by including new characters such as Queen Mab. The film was followed by a sequel in 2006, Merlins Apprentice, while facing the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain, the spread of Christianity has weakened the power of Queen Mab, goddess of the fey. Coupled with the destruction of both Christian and pagan holy sites due to the turmoil, Mabs world of magic faces imminent extinction, while her sister, the Lady of the Lake, accepts the inevitable, Mab vows to resist. She decides to create a wizard named Merlin, that she believes will bring back to the Old Ways and save her. Merlin is born to Elissa, though he possesses no mortal father, Elissa dies shortly after giving birth to Merlin, leaving the child to be raised by Ambrosia, an old woman who used to be a pagan, but has since rejected Mab and the Old Ways. Ambrosia refuses to give the infant Merlin to Mab, arguing that love is needed to raise a child, Mab seems to agree and leaves, but warns Ambrosia that one day she will return and take him away once he manifests his powers. Merlin grows up with no knowledge of his heritage, until he uses magic for the first time to save a noblemans daughter named Nimue. They share a kiss and exchange names, and Merlin vows never to forget her, upon returning home, he tells Ambrosia about rescuing Nimue. Ambrosia realizes it is time for Merlin to go to Mab, Merlin is taken to Mabs underground palace, where she plans to train him in magic until he becomes the greatest wizard of all time. Merlin spends some time learning magical skills from Frik, Mabs gnome servant, but in his heart, he wants nothing to do with Mab, which infuriates her. Out of boredom, Merlin unknowingly calls the Lady of the Lake, who reveals that Queen Mab let his mother die. Merlin returns home in time to see the end of an argument between Mab and Ambrosia, Mab, furious at Ambrosias refusal to convince Merlin to return to her, lashes out with her magic, severely injuring Ambrosia. She is unable to survive, and in her last breath, Merlin vows to defeat Mab, and whilst she expresses seemingly genuine regret for the deaths of his mother and Ambrosia, she merely describes them as casualties of war. She swears she will make Merlin help her, whether he wants to or not, on Ambrosias grave, he makes a blood-oath that he will never use magic except to defeat Mab. Many years later, Merlin is summoned to see the tyrant King Vortigern, upon his arrival, he learns that a soothsayer has promised Vortigern that Merlins blood will prevent the destruction of his ever-collapsing castle. The soothsayer had earlier asked Queen Mab for help in solving Vortigerns request, upon Merlins telling the king hes stupid for believing the soothsayer he has a vision, Two dragons, a red defeating a white
16.
The Lost Prince
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The Lost Prince is a British television drama about the life of Prince John – youngest child of Britains King George V and Queen Mary – who died at the age of 13 in 1919. A Talkback Thames production written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, it was originally broadcast in January 2003 and it won an Emmy Award in September 2005. Poliakoff explores the story of John, his relationship with his family and brother Prince George, the events going on at the time. When summer arrives there is much excitement again as Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and their children, visit their relatives, the Russians entrance Prince John with their exotic splendour. It is clear, even at this stage, that Johnnie and his ailing grandfather, King Edward VII, loves him for his frankness. It is clear also that his nanny, Lalla, is reluctant to reveal the seriousness of his medical condition. While the populace of the gaze into the night skies to catch a glimpse of an approaching comet. During the funeral attended by all the heads of state of Europe, including the Kaiser Wilhelm, Queen Mary, Johnnies mother, summons doctors to examine him and their diagnosis confirms her and Lallas worst fears. Lalla volunteers to look after Johnnie to prevent him being sent to an institution, the two of them are to be sent to Sandringham, where Johnnie is to be prevented from encountering anybody but the closest members of his family. His sibling, Prince George, who has always treasured Johnnie, Johnnie, now a few years older, is deprived of the company of any children and finds the schooling of his tutor, Hansell, unfathomable. Although lonely, he takes an optimistic view of life. Then one day, to the embarrassment of King George V and Queen Mary, he speaks his mind at a tea party held for Prime Minister H. H. Asquith and his Chancellor of the Exchequer. Johnnie is summoned to London to be re-examined by the doctors, during his stay he is taken by his brother George up to the minstrels gallery looking down on the banqueting hall of Buckingham Palace, to observe a grand state occasion. During the banquet Asquith and Lloyd George are called back to Downing Street to receive the news that is to prove to be the catalyst for the start of the First World War. The following morning Johnnie receives an audience with his father King George. Johnnie is more interested in his fathers pet parrot, Charlotte, suddenly, father and son are interrupted by the Kings Private Secretary, Stamfordham, who has come to relay the news of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Realising that the news has been withheld from him, the King erupts in fury, unnoticed by the adults, Johnnie pursues Charlotte, as the terrified bird flies away into the bowels of the building. The Queen, Lalla and George go searching for Johnnie and his mother is shocked when she sees, for the first time, one of Johnnies debilitating fits
17.
Gideon's Daughter
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Gideons Daughter is the second of two linked BBC television dramas written & directed by Stephen Poliakoff. It was shown across Australia on ABC1 on 2 November 2008, the first of the dramas, Friends and Crocodiles, had been broadcast the previous month, with the character of Sneath appearing in both and acting as the narrator of Gideons Daughter. The Mini series was watched by 10.2 million viewers, nighy and Blunt received Golden Globe Awards for their performances. The production won a Peabody Award in April 2007, william Sneath dictates his latest book to a hired secretary. Sneaths friend Gideon is a hotshot publicist and a widower, driven to the edge of a breakdown by his daughter Natashas emotional detachment from him. She resents him for cheating on her mother, going so far as to call his mistress as her mother lay dying of cancer. To put distance between them, she at first plans to do work in South America or to study at the University of Edinburgh. Stella is mourning the death of her son, killed while riding his bike on public roads for the first time. Afraid of sleep, and desperate to escape her sense of bereavement, soon after the chance meeting, the two find themselves developing an emotional bond, brought together by a shared sense of grief and loss. Stella convinces Gideon to try reaching out to Natasha before she leaves, Gideons work suffers as he becomes even more detached from the disastrous Dome project, which winds up pushing it forward as his clients mistake his detachment for genius. Gideon eventually suffers a breakdown, but is helped through it by Natasha, Sneath relates that during a huge party for his friends and clients, Gideon – as well as Natasha and Stella – essentially disappeared. Gideons Daughter at bbc. co. uk Gideons Daughter at the Internet Movie Database
18.
Sitcom
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A situation comedy, or sitcom, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy, Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. This form can also include mockumentaries, a situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience, depending on the programs production format. The effect of a studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track. The terms situational comedy or sitcom werent commonly used until the 1950s, there were prior examples on radio, but the first television sitcom is said to be Pinwrights Progress, ten episodes being broadcast on the BBC in the United Kingdom between 1946 and 1947. There have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, but many U. S. UK sitcoms are a staple of government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in the 1970s and 1980s many UK sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network. By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served, had been repeated by ABC Television several times, and were then acquired and screened by the Seven Network, in prime time. In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature a gay character. In 1987, Mother and Son was winner of the Television Drama Award presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission, in 2013, Please Like Me was praised by the critics, receiving an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris. And has garnered three awards and numerous nominations, nominated to the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series. Conversely, however, Canadian television has had greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series. The popular show King of Kensington, aired from 1975 to 1980, corner Gas, which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, became an instant hit, averaging a million viewers per episode. It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards, and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards, other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included Call Me Fitz and Schitts Creek, Letterkenny and Kims Convenience. Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, since it ceased production in 1992, the show has earned an estimated billion in syndication fees alone for Televisa. Gliding On, a popular sit-com in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won awards over the course of its run, including Best Comedy, Best Drama. The first Russian sitcom series was Strawberry, which was aired in 1996-1997 on the RTR channel, however, the boom of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s - when in 2004 the STS started very successful sitcom My Fair Nanny. Since that time sitcoms in Russia were produced by the two largest entertainment channels of the country - STS and TNT, in 2007 the STS released the first original domestic sitcom - Daddys Daughters, and in 2010 TNT released Interns - the first sitcom, filmed as a comedy. Most American sitcoms generally include episodes of 20 to 30 minutes in length, some popular British shows have been successfully adapted for the U. S
19.
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
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The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle is a British sitcom that was originally aired on BBC2 in 2007. The programme was written and created by Jennifer Saunders and Tanya Byron, the show stars Saunders as the title character of the talk show host, a caricature of Jeremy Kyle and other talk show hosts. The programme follows the life of Vyle as she tries to balance her newly ascendant fame with her personal life, the BBC described the show as Ab Fab meets The Larry Sanders Show with quite a bit of Ricki Lake and Oprah thrown in. Vyles name is a spoof on Jeremy Kyle, whose mannerisms, the series is co-written with psychologist Tanya Byron, who originally came up with the idea and approached Saunders. Producer Jo Sargent stated, She presented the idea for a comedy on the subject to Saunders, the Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle revolves around Vivienne Vyle, a former weather presenter and presenter on TV-am, who now has her own talk show. Desperate for success, she is encouraged by the shows ambitious producer Helena DeWend, Helena is always trying to improve ratings, and her child only speaks Spanish as the nanny spends more time with him than with his mother. Viviennes husband is Jared, who is gay and loves karaoke and her PR adviser is the transsexual Miriam, for whom Jared has an intense dislike. Viviennes main rival is Chris Connor, who unlike Vyle has a rapport with his audience. The Vivienne Vyle Shows new psychotherapist is Dr. Jonathan Fowler, the floor manager is the organised Carol and the director is Des. Abigail is the runner and Damien the researcher, who builds up tension with the guests before they appear on the show. The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle has received an unfavourable reception by critics. The New York Times wrote, You might even tear up, but it still would have been better to leave us laughing. Variety wrote that the awkward moments are just that, failing to generate any appreciable laughs. PopMatters wrote, this, for the most part, is anything but uplifting, not that the first five episodes arent worth watching, but its a shame it took until the last one of this series to find its comic stride. The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle at British Comedy Guide The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle at the Internet Movie Database
20.
Rubicon (TV series)
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Rubicon is an American television series created by Jason Horwitch and produced by Henry Bromell that was broadcast on the AMC television network in 2010. The series centers on an intelligence analyst working for the American Policy Institute in New York City and he discovers that he may be working with members of a secret society that manipulates world events on a grand scale. The series stars James Badge Dale, Jessica Collins, Lauren Hodges, Miranda Richardson, Dallas Roberts, Christopher Evan Welch, Arliss Howard, Rubicon debuted on AMC on August 1,2010, as a two-hour, two episode block. With two million viewers, the August 1 premiere set a record as the most watched debut of an AMC original series at that time. However, due to low viewing figures, AMC canceled Rubicon on November 11,2010, stating that the show had been an opportunity to tell a rich and compelling story, and were proud of the series. This was not a decision, but we are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a phenomenally talented and dedicated team. The shows title references Caesars 49 BC crossing of the Rubicon in northeastern Italy, a press release by Bromell noted that the Roman senators were always afraid that the Roman army would someday take over, which is exactly what happened. And thats when the republic ended and the empire—which is a dictatorship—began, after writing and producing the pilot, Horwitch left the show due to creative disagreements with the network. With Horwitch off-board, further production began on March 29,2010, subsequent episodes shifted much of the seriess focus to workplace dynamics instead of the original conspiracy. Wills wife and daughter were killed during the September 11,2001, will was supposed to meet his wife and daughter at the World Trade Center on that date, but was delayed long enough to miss the attack. As a result of the tragedy, he is distracted and distant from his co-workers. He detects a pattern in the puzzles of several U. S. newspapers, all published the same day, and reports his discovery to his father-in-law, mentor. Hadas assures Will that the pattern is likely of no value, after Hadas is killed in a suspicious commuter train collision, the agency offers Hadas job to Will. Will begins unraveling an apparent conspiracy with threatening U. S. national security implications, Jessica Collins as Margaret Maggie Young, Wills assistant. She appears to be interested in Will, but she has been unable to break through his emotional barriers. She has a daughter named Sophie, and she is estranged from her husband, Maggie tries to help Will, but also works for Kale, delivering information about Will and his team. Eventually, Kale recognizes that her feelings for Will could compromise the information she provides, will, who had become attracted to her, confronts Maggie and refuses to work with her further, though Kale assures Maggie she will remain at API. Lauren Hodges as Tanya MacGaffin, the newest member of Wills analysis team and she is the least experienced and consequently the most insecure, but very intelligent and also the most ambitious
21.
Empire of the Sun (film)
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Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American epic coming-of-age war film based on J. G. Ballards semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, harold Becker and David Lean were originally to direct before Spielberg came on board, initially as a producer for Lean. Spielberg was attracted to directing the film because of a connection to Leans films. He considers it to be his most profound work on the loss of innocence, amidst Japans invasion of China during World War II, Jamie Graham—a British upper middle class schoolboy—is enjoying a privileged and spoiled life in the Shanghai International Settlement. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese begin to occupy the settlement, jamies mother shouts at him over the panicked mob to wait at their house and promises that they will come back for him. He spends some time living in his home, but after eating all the food he ventures out into the city. Hungry, Jamie tries to surrender to some Japanese soldiers, who shrug, after being chased by a street urchin, he is taken in by Basie—an American expatriate and hustler—and his partner Frank, who nicknames him Jim. They intend to leave the boy in the streets when they are unable to sell his teeth for cash, there, Jamie finds his house lit and sees a figure in the window whom he thinks is his mother. He runs to the only to discover the house is occupied by Japanese troops. They are then taken to Lunghua Civilian Assembly Center in Shanghai for processing, a truck later arrives to take selected internees to the Suzhou Creek Internment Camp, Basie is among those selected to go but Jamie is not. Because he knows of the location, a desperate Jamie convinces the soldiers to take him. On arrival at the camp Jim wanders to the airfield to witness workers servicing a squadron of Zero fighters, as Jim reaches out to touch one he is confronted by a trio of fighter pilots. Jim salutes the pilots, and they salute Jim in return and it is now 1945, nearing the end of the Pacific War. Despite the terror and poor living conditions of the camp, Jim survives by establishing a successful trading network—which even involves the camps commander, Dr. Rawlins, the camps British doctor, becomes a father figure and teacher to Jim. One night after a raid, Nagata orders the destruction of the prisoners infirmary as reprisal. He only stops when Jim begs forgiveness, through the barbed wire fencing, Jim befriends a Japanese teenager, who is a trainee pilot. Jim also visits Basie in the American POW barracks, where Jim idolizes the Americans, Basie eventually sends Jim to set snare traps outside the camps wire, though Jim succeeds, Basie is only using him to test the area for land mines—plotting to escape. As a reward, Basie allows Jim to move into the American barracks with him, one morning at dawn, Jim witnesses a kamikaze ritual
22.
The Crying Game
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The Crying Game is a 1992 thriller film written and directed by Neil Jordan. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, however, unexpected events force Fergus to decide what he wants for the future, and ultimately what his nature dictates he must do. The IRA demands the release of jailed IRA members, threatening to execute Jody in three days if their demands are not met, Fergus is tasked to guard Jody and develops a bond with the prisoner, much to the chagrin of the other IRA men. During this time, Jody tells Fergus the story of the Scorpion, Jody persuades Fergus to promise to seek out his girlfriend Dil in London should Jody be killed. The deadline set by Jodys captors passes and with none of the IRAs demands being met, when Fergus takes him into the woods to carry out the sentence, Jody makes a break for it. With his IRA companions seemingly dead after the attack, Fergus flees to London, a few months later, Fergus finds Dil at a hair salon. Later they talk in a bar, where he sees her singing The Crying Game, Fergus suffers from guilt about Jodys death and sees him in his dreams bowling a cricket ball to him. He pursues Dil, protecting her from a suitor and falling in love with her. Later, when he is about to love to her in her apartment. His initial reaction is of revulsion, rushing to the bathroom to throw up, he accidentally hits Dil in the face. A few days later, he leaves her a note and the two make up, despite everything, Fergus is still attracted to Dil. Around the same time, Jude unexpectedly reappears in Fergus apartment and she tells him that the IRA tried and convicted him in absentia, and she forces him to agree to help with a new mission to aid in assassinating a judge. She also mentions that she knows about Fergus and Dil, warning him that the IRA will kill her if Fergus does not co-operate, Fergus, unable to overcome his feelings for Dil, continues to woo her. To shield her from possible retribution, he gives her a haircut, the night before the IRA mission is to be carried out, Dil gets heavily drunk and Fergus escorts her to her apartment, where she asks him to stay with her. Fergus complies, then admits he had a hand in Jodys death. Dil, drunk, appears not to understand, but in the morning, before Fergus wakes up and she unwittingly prevents Fergus from joining the other IRA members and completing the planned assassination. Holding Fergus at gunpoint, Dil forces him to tell her that he loves her and she unties him, saying that, even if he is lying, it is nice to hear his words. Dil then breaks down in tears, meanwhile, Jude and Maguire gun the judge down, but Maguire is shot dead by one of the bodyguards
23.
The Apostle
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The Apostle is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Robert Duvall, who stars in the title role. John Beasley, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Bob Thornton, June Carter Cash, Miranda Richardson and it was filmed on location in and around Saint Martinville and Des Allemands, Louisiana with some establishing shots done in the Dallas, Texas area by a second unit before principal photography began. And main opening shots filmed in Grand Coteau and Lafayette Louisiana, the film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. For his performance, Duvall was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, Euliss F. Sonny Dewey is a charismatic Pentecostal preacher. His wife Jessie has begun a relationship with a youth minister named Horace. She refuses Sonnys desire to reconcile, although she assures him that she not interfere with his right to see his children. She has also conspired to use their churchs bylaws to have him removed from power, Sonny asks God what to do but receives no answer. Much of the sides with Jessie in this dispute. Sonny, however, refuses to start a new church, insisting that the one which forced him out was his church. At his childs Little League game, Sonny, in an emotional and drunken fit, attacks Horace with a bat and puts him into a coma, a fleeing Sonny ditches his car in a river and gets rid of all identifying information. After destroying all evidence of his past, Sonny rebaptizes himself and he leaves Texas and ends up in the bayous of Louisiana, where he persuades a retired minister named Blackwell to help him start a new church. He works various odd jobs and uses the money to build the church, Sonny also begins dating the stations receptionist. With Sonnys energy and charisma, the church soon has a faithful, Sonny even succeeds in converting a racist construction worker who shows up at a church picnic intent on destruction. While at work in a diner, Sonny sees his new girlfriend out in public with her husband and children. Sonny walks out, vowing never to return there, Jessie hears a radio broadcast of the Apostle E. F. and calls the police on Sonny. The police show up in the middle of an evening service, in the poignant finale, Sonny delivers an impassioned sermon before telling his flock that he has to go. In the final scene, Sonny, now part of a chain gang, Robert Duvall – Euliss F. Sonny Dewey Farrah Fawcett – Jessie Dewey John Beasley – Brother C. He eventually decided to direct and finance it himself and it was first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival
24.
Sleepy Hollow (film)
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Sleepy Hollow is a 1999 American gothic horror film directed by Tim Burton. The plot follows police constable Ichabod Crane sent from New York City to investigate a series of murders in the village of Sleepy Hollow by a mysterious Headless Horseman. Development began in 1993 at Paramount Pictures with Kevin Yagher originally set to direct Andrew Kevin Walkers script as a slasher film. Disagreements with Paramount resulted in Yagher being demoted to prosthetic makeup designer, filming took place from November 1998 to May 1999, and the film was released to generally favorable reviews from critics, and grossed approximately $206 million worldwide. Sleepy Hollow won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, Crane learns that locals believe the killer is the undead apparition of a headless Hessian mercenary from the American Revolutionary War who rides a black steed in search of his missing head. Crane begins his investigation, remaining skeptical about the elements until he actually encounters the Headless Horseman. Boarding at the home of the towns richest family, the Van Tassels, Crane and Young Masbath, the son of one of the Horsemans victims, go to the cave dwelling of a reclusive witch. She reveals the location of the Tree of the Dead, which marks the Horsemans grave, as well as his portal into the natural, Crane discovers that the ground is freshly disturbed and the Horsemans skull is missing. That night, the family of the midwife is killed by the Horseman and Katrinas suitor. Crane starts to believe that a conspiracy links all the deaths together, Van Garrett had made a new will just before he died, leaving all his possessions to his secret new bride, Emily Winship, whom Crane discovers was pregnant with Van Garretts child. Katrina, finding out that Crane suspects her father, burns all the evidence that Crane has accumulated, a council is held in the church. The Horseman seemingly kills Katrinas stepmother, Lady Van Tassel, Crane realizes the Horseman cant enter the church due to it being holy ground. The next day, Crane believes Katrina to be the one who controls the Headless Horsemen, the corpse is revealed as that of a servant when Lady Van Tassel emerges alive to ambush Katrina. She then sends the Horseman after Katrina to remove the last obstacle to inheriting Van Garretts land. Following a fight and a chase, Crane eventually thwarts Lady Van Tassel by throwing the skull to the Horseman. The Horseman, no longer under her control, hoists Van Tassel up on his horse and he then rides to Hell, taking her with him, fulfilling her end of the deal with the Devil. Crane returns home to New York City with Katrina and Young Masbath, Rudin optioned the project to Paramount Pictures in a deal that had Yagher set to direct, with Walker scripting, the pair would share story credit. Following the completion of Hellraiser, Bloodline, Yahger had planned Sleepy Hollow as a low-budget production—a pretentious slasher film with a murder every five minutes or so
25.
Chicken Run
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Chicken Run is a 2000 stop-motion comedy-drama film produced by the British studio Aardman Animations. As the studios first feature-length film, it was directed by Peter Lord and it was co-financed by DreamWorks Pictures and Pathé, with the former distributing the film worldwide except for Europe, where it was handled by Pathé. The film features the voices of Julia Sawalha, Mel Gibson, Timothy Spall, Phil Daniels, Tony Haygarth, Chicken Run received positive reviews from critics, and grossed over $224 million, becoming the highest-grossing stop motion animated film ever. Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy run a chicken farm in Yorkshire, the chickens are caged in the style of a prison camp with a high fence and barbed wire. Chickens that fail to produce eggs are slaughtered for food. Frustrated at the minuscule profits generated by the farm, Mrs. Tweedy comes up with the idea of converting their farm into the production of chicken pot pies. However, she is caught and put into solitary confinement. While thinking of a new plan, Ginger witnesses a Rhode Island Red cockerel fly over the fence and crash into one of the coops, Ginger and the other chickens help to hide him from the Tweedys and care for his wing, learning that his name is Rocky. Ginger is particularly interested in Rockys ability to fly and begs him to train her. Rocky is coy, but proceeds to try to train the chickens. Meanwhile, Mr. Tweedy begins assembling their pie-making production line, amid the training, Rocky holds a large party to help relieve the stress, it is revealed his wing is healed, and Ginger insists he show them how to fly the next day. However, Mr. Tweedy completes the line and immediately grabs Ginger for a test run. Rocky is able to save Ginger and helps to damage the machine, giving the chickens only a short time to plan to escape while Mr. Tweedy repairs it. When morning arrives, Ginger finds Rocky has fled, leaving behind a part of a poster that shows him to be a stunt cockerel, shot out of a cannon from a nearby circus, Ginger and the other chickens are depressed. All the chickens, with help from the rats, secretly assemble the parts for the plane from their coops while racing against Mr. Tweedys repairs. While travelling the countryside, Rocky sees a billboard for Mrs. Tweedys Chicken Pies and is inspired to go back to help, with the machine now fixed, Mrs. Tweedy insists that Mr. Tweedy gather all the chickens, but the chickens are ready to escape. They knock Mr. Tweedy out and tie him up enough to complete assembly of their plane. Just before they take off, Rocky returns and joins them, whilst taking off, Mrs. Tweedy chases them down and catches onto a Christmas light strand snagged in the wheels
26.
The Hours (film)
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The Hours is a 2002 British-American drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, and starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman. Supporting roles are played by Ed Harris, John C, reilly, Stephen Dillane, Jeff Daniels, Miranda Richardson, Allison Janney, Toni Collette and Claire Danes. The screenplay by David Hare is based on Michael Cunninghams 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title, the plot focuses on three women of different generations whose lives are interconnected by the novel Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. The film was released in Los Angeles and New York City on Christmas Day 2002 and it did not receive a wide release in North America until January 2003, and was then released in British cinemas on Valentines Day that year. Critical reaction to the film was positive, with nine Academy Award nominations for The Hours including Best Picture. In 1923, Virginia has begun writing the book Mrs Dalloway in her home in the town of Richmond outside London, in 1951, troubled Los Angeles housewife Laura Brown escapes from her conventional life by reading Mrs Dalloway. Richard tells Clarissa he has stayed alive for her sake, and she tells him she believes he would have won the award regardless of his illness. Richard often refers to Clarissa as Mrs. Dalloway - her namesake - because she distracts herself from her own life the way the Woolf character does, Virginia, who has experienced several nervous breakdowns and suffers from bipolar disorder, feels trapped in her home. She is intimidated by servants and constantly under the eye of her husband, Leonard, Virginia both welcomes and dreads an afternoon visit from her sister Vanessa and her children. After their departure, Virginia flees to the station, where she is awaiting a train to central London. He tells her how he lives in constant fear that she take her own life. She says she fears it also but argues that if she is to live, she has the right to decide how, pregnant with her second child, Laura spends her days in her tract home with her young son, Richie. She married her husband, Dan, soon after World War II, on the surface they are living the American Dream, but she is nonetheless deeply unhappy. She and Richie make a cake for Dans birthday, but it is a disaster and her neighbor Kitty drops in to ask her if she can feed her dog while shes in the hospital for a procedure. Kitty pretends to be upbeat, but Laura senses her sadness and fear and boldly kisses her on the lips, Laura and Richie successfully make another cake and clean up, and then she takes Richie to stay with Mrs. Latch. Richie runs after his mother as she leaves, fearing that she will never come back, Laura checks into a hotel, where she intends to commit suicide. Laura removes several bottles of pills and Mrs. Dalloway from her purse and she drifts off to sleep and dreams the hotel room is flooded. She awakens with a change of heart and caresses her belly and she picks up Richie, and they return home to celebrate Dans birthday
27.
Spider (2002 film)
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Spider is a 2002 Canadian/British psychological thriller-drama film produced and directed by David Cronenberg and based on the novel of the same name by Patrick McGrath, who also wrote the screenplay. The film premiered at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and enjoyed some media buzz, however, nonetheless, the film enjoyed much acclaim by critics and especially by Cronenberg enthusiasts. The film garnered a Best Director award at the Canadian Genie Awards, the stars of the film, Ralph Fiennes and particularly Miranda Richardson, received several awards for their work in the film. Spider is the story of Dennis Cleg, a man who is given a room in a halfway house catering to mentally disturbed persons. Cleg has just been released from an institution and in his new abode starts piecing together or recreating in his memory an apparently fateful childhood event. He roams the nearby urban area and the local canal and starts to relive or visualize a period of his childhood in 1950s London with his mother. A shift takes place in the childs psyche when he witnesses his mother groping with his father in the garden and, subsequently and he is taken back to the asylum. Ralph Fiennes as Dennis Spider Cleg Bradley Hall as young Spider Miranda Richardson as Yvonne / Mrs. Cleg Gabriel Byrne as Bill Cleg John Neville as Terrence Lynn Redgrave as Mrs, all chose to waive their salaries, so the money could be used to bankroll the under-funded production. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 85% based on reviews from 130 critics. On Metacritic, the film had a score of 83 out of 100, based on 35 reviews. Genie Awards for Best Director, TIFF – Best Canadian Feature. It was mentioned in the 2002 Sight & Sound Poll by Amy Taubin, Spider at the Internet Movie Database Spider at Box Office Mojo Spider at Rotten Tomatoes Spider at Metacritic
28.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 British-American fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and distributed by Warner Bros. It is based on the novel of the name by J. K. Rowling. The film, which is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, was written by Steve Kloves, the story follows Harry Potters fourth year at Hogwarts as he is chosen by the Goblet of Fire to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harrys best friends Ron Weasley and it is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and is followed by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The Hogwarts scenes were shot at the Leavesden Film Studios, as of April 2017, it is the 43rd highest-grossing film worldwide and the sixth-highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, Goblet of Fire was the second film in the series to be released in IMAX. Harry Potter dreams of Frank Bryce, who is killed after overhearing Lord Voldemort discussing plans with Peter Pettigrew, at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore introduces ex-Auror Alastor Mad-Eye Moody as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. The Goblet unexpectedly also chooses a champion, Harry Potter. This makes Harrys best friend Ron Weasley jealous of him, for the tournaments first task, the champions must each retrieve a golden egg guarded by a dragon. After summoning his broomstick, Harry succeeds in retrieving his egg, shortly after, another event known as the Yule Ball dance takes place, Harrys crush Cho Chang attends with Cedric, and Hermione Granger attends with Viktor, which makes Ron jealous of Viktor. During the second task, the champions must dive underwater to rescue their mates, Harry comes out in third place, but is placed second behind Cedric due to his moral fibre after saving Fleurs sister Gabrielle as well as Ron. Afterwards, Harry finds the corpse of Barty Crouch Sr. Harry visits Dumbledore at his office, and while waiting for him, he discovers a Pensieve, which holds Dumbledores memories. Inside it, Harry witnesses a trial in which Igor Karkaroff confessed to the Ministry of Magic names of other Death Eaters and he named Severus Snape as one, but Dumbledore defended him, he then named Barty Crouch Jr. This left Barty Crouch Sr. devastated, and his son was imprisoned in Azkaban, after exiting the Pensieve, Harry deduces that the man he has seen in his dreams with Voldemort is Barty Crouch Jr. In the third and final task, the champions enter a hedge maze, Viktor, under the influence of the Imperius Curse, incapacitates Fleur. Voldemort releases Harry in order to him in a duel to prove he is the better wizard. Harry, unable to defend himself, tries the Expelliarmus charm at the moment that Voldemort attempts the Killing Curse. Their wands do not work against each other, and Voldemorts wand is forced to disgorge the last spells it performed and this results in shadow impressions of the people he murdered appearing in the graveyard, including Harrys parents and Cedric
29.
The Young Victoria
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As screenwriter, Fellowes sought to make the film as historically accurate as possible. Despite this, various aspects of the film have been criticised for their historical inaccuracies, Momentum Pictures released the film in the United Kingdom, where it appeared in cinemas on 6 March 2009. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group opened The Young Victoria in limited release in the United States on 18 December 2009 through Apparition. Critical reception was positive, and it scored a 76 percent rating on film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes based upon 139 reviews. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, winning the 2009 Academy Award for Best Costume Design, the film also won for the Best Make-Up and Hair and Best Costume Design at the 63rd British Academy Film Awards. Princess Victoria of Kent is the heiress presumptive to the throne during the last years of the reign of her uncle King William IV and is subject to a tug of war for influence over her. On the other side is her uncle, King Leopold I of the Belgians and he decides to have his nephew Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha seduce Victoria and he is coached in her likes and dislikes. The Duchess invites the Coburg brothers, Albert and Prince Ernest of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and they begin writing to one another after Albert returns home. At a birthday reception in Windsor Castle, the King states his wish to be closer to Victoria, but when the King increases Victorias income, this is rejected by Conroy, who physically subdues her in front of her mother, heightening the animosity between them. The King then sends the Prime Minister Lord Melbourne to advise her, Victoria agrees to make him her private secretary, and he appoints ladies-in-waiting for her from political families allied to him. King William dies after Victorias 18th birthday, avoiding a regency, after accession, Victoria immediately begins to exert her independence, including moving into her own room and banishing Conroy from her household and coronation. During her first meeting with the Privy Council, she announces that I mean to devote my life in service of my country, Victoria now moves into the recently completed Buckingham Palace and her aunt, Queen Adelaide, advises her against giving in too much to Lord Melbournes direction. Albert then comes to England to spend time with Victoria. They bond more, dancing together during her coronation and later discussing together the condition of the poor, Albert hints at taking their relationship further but the self-sufficient Victoria resists and he leaves. Peel in turn refuses the invitation to form a new government. The subsequent crisis damages Victorias popularity, leading to demonstrations outside the palace and her loneliness during the turbulence draws Victoria closer to Albert through their letters and she decides to invite him back to Britain. Since protocol prevents him suggesting marriage, she proposes to him herself and their marriage is loving and the birth of their first child helps heal the breach between Victoria and her mother, who had earlier sent a letter of support during the crisis. Nevertheless, Albert is frustrated at his initial powerlessness and Queen Adelaide advises Victoria to allow him to take on more duties and he then reorganises the running of the royal household and dismisses Conroy for mishandling funds
30.
Made in Dagenham
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Made in Dagenham is a 2010 British film directed by Nigel Cole. The film stars Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Daniel Mays and it dramatises the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 that aimed for equal pay for women. The films theme song, with lyrics by Billy Bragg, is performed by Sandie Shaw, herself a native of the area, a stage musical version of the film opened at Londons Adelphi theatre in 2014. Based on a story, Made in Dagenham explores the movement that caused a significant law reform. Rita OGrady leads the 1968 Ford sewing machinists strike at the Ford Dagenham plant, the strike is successful and leads to the Equal Pay Act 1970. Mardyke estate Of 122 Rotten Tomatoes reviews, 80% rated the film fresh, macleans, in a review for the films 2010 Toronto International Film Festival premiere, called it a. combination of Milk and Mad Men. It’s a film that blatantly condemns sexism and shows, despite its mostly light tone, xan Brooks of The Guardian gave it three stars out of five, calling it. Uncomplicated fare, overly spiced with 60s cliches, but the film is also robustItalic text, amiable and so warm-hearted youd be a churl to take against it. Roger Ebert gave the three and a half stars out of four. While David Cox, also of The Guardian, gave a glowing review, suggesting that. A promising opportunity has been squandered, mark Kermode praised the film highly on his weekly show on BBC Radio 5 Live. He ranked it as his favourite film of 2010, beating such films as The Social Network. Made in Dagenham was nominated for four awards at the 2010 British Academy Film Awards, Outstanding British Film, Costume Design, Make Up & Hair Design and Supporting Actress. A soundtrack for the film was released, with the tracks, The title song was written by David Arnold. A musical adaption of the film opened on 5 November 2014, scripted by Richard Bean, and directed by Rupert Goold, it starred Gemma Arterton in the lead role
31.
Belle (2013 film)
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Belle is a 2013 British period drama film directed by Amma Asante, written by Misan Sagay and produced by Damian Jones. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Sam Reid, Matthew Goode, Emily Watson, Sarah Gadon, Tom Felton and James Norton. Very little is known about the life of Dido Belle, who was born in the West Indies and was the illegitimate daughter of Mansfields nephew. She is found living in poverty by her father and entrusted to the care of Mansfield, Lord Mansfield rules on this case in Englands Court of Kings Bench in 1786, in a decision seen to contribute to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807. Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay was born in 1761, the daughter of Maria Belle, an enslaved African woman in the West Indies, and Captain Sir John Lindsay. Lord and Lady Mansfield raise Dido as a gentlewoman, together with their niece Lady Elizabeth Murray. Didos father dies and leaves her the generous sum of £2,000 a year, Lady Elizabeth, by contrast, will have no income from her father, whose son from his new wife has been named his sole heir. Lord Mansfield agrees to take a son, John Davinier. Dido helps her uncle with his correspondence and after John tells her about the Zong case, Lord Mansfield and John have a disagreement on the main issue of the case. John is told not to see Dido again, and his apprenticeship is at an end, at first James is interested in Elizabeth but stops courting her once he finds out she will have no inheritance. Oliver, who is without fortune, proposes to Dido and she accepts, James takes Dido apart, tells her she will disgrace his familys name, then insults and manhandles her. Dido would later tell Elizabeth of his character and says she will give part of her inheritance to her for a dowry so she can find a different match. Lord Mansfield finds out about Didos visits to John and confronts both of them, during the confrontation, John professes his love for Dido. Sometime later, Dido meets with Oliver and breaks off their engagement, Dido is relieved when the painting is unveiled, showing her as Elizabeths equal. She tells Lord Mansfield that the portrait commission proves that he can defy convention, the ships officers claimed they ordered this action because they were out of potable water. Lord Mansfield discovers, however, that the Zong passed by many ports without stopping for more water, Lord Mansfield sees John and Dido outside the Court after his ruling and says that Dido can only marry a gentleman. Therefore, he agrees to resume Johns apprenticeship in law, so that he can become a lawyer, Dido and John share a kiss, both in full acknowledgement of their romantic feelings. Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Dido Elizabeth Belle, the protagonist and she is a strong-willed and well-educated young woman, born from Captain Sir John Lindsays affair with a slave woman
32.
Daniel Day-Lewis
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Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is an English actor who holds both British and Irish citizenship. Born and raised in London, he excelled on stage at the National Youth Theatre, before being accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which he attended for three years. Despite his traditional training at the Bristol Old Vic, he is considered to be a method actor, known for his constant devotion to. He often remains completely in character for the duration of the schedules of his films. He is one of the most selective actors in the industry, having starred in only five films since 1998. Protective of his life, he rarely gives interviews and makes very few public appearances. He starred in My Beautiful Laundrette, his first critically acclaimed role and he then assumed leading man status with The Unbearable Lightness of Being. He was also nominated in category for In the Name of the Father. He has also won four BAFTA Awards for Best Actor, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, in November 2012, Time named Day-Lewis the Worlds Greatest Actor. In June 2014, he received a knighthood at Buckingham Palace for services to drama, Day-Lewis was born in Kensington, London, the son of poet Cecil Day-Lewis and English actress Jill Balcon. Day-Lewiss mother was Jewish, and his maternal great-grandparents Jewish families emigrated to England from Latvia and his maternal grandfather, Sir Michael Balcon, was the head of Ealing Studios. Living in Greenwich, Day-Lewis found himself among tough South London children and he mastered the local accent and mannerisms and credits that as being his first convincing performance. Later in life, he has known to speak of himself as very much a disorderly character in his younger years, often in trouble for shoplifting. In 1968, Day-Lewiss parents, finding his behaviour to be too wild, at the school, he was introduced to his three most prominent interests, woodworking, acting, and fishing. The transfer led to his debut at the age of 14 in Sunday Bloody Sunday in which he played a vandal in an uncredited role. He described the experience as heaven, for getting paid £2 to vandalise expensive cars parked outside his local church, for a few weeks in 1972, he and his parents and sister lived at Lemmons, the north London home of Kingsley Amis and Elizabeth Jane Howard. Cecil Day-Lewis had cancer and Howard invited the family to Lemmons as a place they could use to rest, Cecil died there in May that year. Leaving Bedales in 1975, Day-Lewiss unruly attitude had diminished and he needed to make a career choice, although he had excelled on stage at the National Youth Theatre in London, he applied for a five-year apprenticeship as a cabinet-maker, but was rejected due to lack of experience
33.
Jenny Seagrove
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Jennifer Ann Seagrove is an English actress. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and first came to playing the lead in a television dramatisation of Barbara Taylor Bradfords A Woman of Substance. She starred in Appointment with Death, and in William Friedkins horror film The Guardian and she is known for her role as the character of Jo Mills in the long-running BBC drama series Judge John Deed. Her credits as a voiceover artist include a series of Waitrose television advertisements, Seagrove was born Jennifer Ann Seagrove in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya in 1957, to British parents, Pauline and Derek Seagrove. Her father ran a firm, which afforded the family a privileged lifestyle. When Seagrove was less than an old, her mother suffered a stroke. Seagrove attended St Hilarys School in Godalming, Surrey, England from the age of nine. After leaving school, Seagrove began attending acting classes and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Seagrove developed bulimia in her early adulthood, but recovered, I could feel myself tearing my stomach, and I kind of pulled out of it, she said. It was a slow process. Jenny Seagroves theatre work includes the role in Jane Eyre at Chichester Festival Theatre, Ilona in The Guardsman at Theatr Clwyd. In 2000 she appeared in Brief Encounter at the Lyric Theatre, coming to the West End from a UK tour, she played Leslie Crosbie in Maughams The Letter at Wyndhams Theatre, again co-starring with Anthony Andrews. In December 2007, she played Marion Brewster-Wright in the Garrick Theatre revival of Alan Ayckbourns dark, in early 2014, she appeared as Julia in a revival of Noël Cowards Fallen Angels. The production was produced by her husband Bill Kenwright and also starred Sara Crowe, Seagrove starred alongside Rupert Everett in the Academy Award-winning short film A Shocking Accident, directed by James Scott. Her first major appearance was in Local Hero in which she played a mysterious environmentalist with webbed feet. Roles in a number of films including Nate and Hayes opposite Tommy Lee Jones, one of her lead starring roles was in The Guardian directed by William Friedkin, in which she played an evil babysitter. Seagrove starred in two American-produced television miniseries based upon the first novels of Barbara Taylor Bradford, as Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance and she portrayed stage actress Lillie Langtry in Incident at Victoria Falls, a UK made-for-television film. As the female lead, Melanie James in the film Magic Moments, she starred with John Shea, Seagrove, along with Simon Cowell, presented Wildlife SOS, a documentary series about the work of dedicated animal lovers who save injured and orphaned wild animals brought into their sanctuary. Most of Seagroves filmed work since 1990 has been for television, between 2001 and 2007, she appeared as QC Jo Mills in the series Judge John Deed
34.
Cinderella
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Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper, is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world, the title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances, that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune. The oldest documented version comes from China, and the oldest European version from Italy, the most popular version was first published by Charles Perrault in Histoires ou contes du temps passé in 1697, and later by the Brothers Grimm in their folk tale collection Grimms Fairy Tales. Although the storys title and main characters change in different languages. The word Cinderella has, by analogy, come to one whose attributes were unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity. The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, the Aarne–Thompson system classifies Cinderella as the persecuted heroine. The story of Rhodopis, about a Greek slave girl who marries the king of Egypt, is considered the earliest known variant of the Cinderella story, a version of the story, Ye Xian, appeared in Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang by Duan Chengshi around 860. Here, the hardworking and lovely girl befriends a fish, the rebirth of her mother, the fish is later killed by her stepmother and sister. Ye Xian saves the bones, which are magic, and they help her dress appropriately for the New Year Festival, when she loses her slipper after being recognized by her stepfamily, the king finds her slipper and falls in love with her. The Indonesian and Malaysian story Bawang Merah Bawang Putih, are two girls named Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah. While the two countrys respective versions differ in the relationship of the girls and the identity of the protagonist. Both have a fish as the fairy godmother to her daughter. The heroine then finds the bones and buries them, and over the grave a magical swing appears, the protagonist sits on the swing and sings to make it sway, her song reaching the ears of a passing Prince. The swing is akin to the slipper test, which distinguishes the heroine from her sister. In Indonesia, Bawang Putih is the girl, who suffers at the hands of her evil stepmother and stepsister, Bawang Merah. When the Prince enquires after the singer on the swing, Bawang Merah lies, the angry prince forces Bawang Merah and her mother to tell the truth. They then admit that there is another daughter in the house, Bawang Putih comes out and moves the magical swing by her singing. In the end, she and her prince marry and live happily ever after, in the Malaysian version, it is Bawang Merah and her mother Mak Labu who are good, while her half sister Bawang Putih and her mother Mak Kundur are evil
35.
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories
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Lord Arthur Saviles Crime and Other Stories is a collection of short semi-comic mystery stories that were written by Oscar Wilde and published in 1891. This story was first published in The Court and Society Review, the main character, Lord Arthur Savile, is introduced by Lady Windermere to Mr Septimus R. Podgers, a chiromantist, who reads his palm and tells him that it is his destiny to be a murderer. Lord Arthur wants to marry, but decides he has no right to do so until he has committed the murder and his first attempted murder victim is his elderly Aunt Clementina, who suffers from heartburn. Pretending it is medicine, Lord Arthur gives her a capsule of poison, reading a telegram in Venice some time later, he finds that she has died and victoriously returns to London to learn that she has bequeathed him some property. Sorting through the inheritance, his future wife Sybil Merton finds the poison pill, untouched, thus Lord Arthurs aunt died from natural causes and he finds himself in need of a new victim. After some deliberation, he obtains a bomb from a jovial German, disguised as a carriage-clock, and sends it anonymously to a distant relative, the Dean of Chichester. When the bomb goes off, however, the damage done seems like a novelty trick. In despair, Lord Arthur believes that his plans are doomed. Realising the best possible outcome, he pushes the man off a parapet into the river where he dies, a verdict of suicide is returned at the inquest and Lord Arthur happily goes on to marry. In a slight twist, the palmister is denounced as a fraud, the story was the basis of the second part of the three-part 1943 film Flesh and Fantasy. The first of Wildes stories to be published, appearing in the magazine The Court, when a family from the United States buys Canterville Chase, they are told it is haunted by a horrible spirit, but this does not deter them in the slightest. This perturbs the ghost to no end, and he does everything he can to try to frighten the family, nothing the ghost does scares them, though the two twins do manage to scare the ghost when they erect a fake ghost for him to find. Seeing him sitting alone and depressed, the daughter pities him and he takes her to the ghostly realm, where she and Death meet, but this meeting, and what goes on during it, is not described. She succeeds in her mission, and the Canterville Ghost disappears, the family buries the skeleton, and the daughter marries a duke, wearing a ruby necklace the ghost had given her before his release. This very short story was first published in The World, in May 1887, in the story, Lord Murchison recounts to his old friend a strange tale of a woman he had loved and intended to marry, but was now dead. She had always been very secretive and mysterious, and he one day followed her to see where she went and he suspected there was another man, and confronted her the next day. She confessed to having been there, but said nothing happened and he did not believe her and left, she died some time later. After telling his story, he asks his friend if he believes it — that her secret really was that she had no secret —, Lord Murchison ends with the reply, I wonder
36.
Manchester Central Library
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Manchester Central Library is the headquarters of the citys library and information service in Manchester, England. Facing St Peters Square, it was designed by E. Vincent Harris, at its opening, one critic wrote, This is the sort of thing which persuades one to believe in the perennial applicability of the Classical canon. The form of the building, a columned portico attached to a domed structure, is loosely derived from the Pantheon. The library building is grade II* listed, a four-year project to renovate and refurbish the library commenced in 2010. Central Library re-opened on 22 March 2014, Manchester was the first local authority to provide a public lending and reference library after the passing of the Public Libraries Act 1850. The Manchester Free Library opened at Campfield in September 1852 at a ceremony attended by Charles Dickens, when the Campfield premises were declared to be unsafe in 1877, the library was moved to the old Town Hall in King Street. The library moved again to what is now Piccadilly Gardens, to the former wing of Manchester Royal Infirmary. In 1926 the city held a competition to design an extension to the town hall. E. Vincent Harris was selected to both buildings. His circular design for the library, reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome, was based on libraries in America, the librarys foundation stone was laid on 6 May 1930 by the Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. The library was opened by King George V on 17 July 1934 after he had laid the foundation stone for the Town Hall Extension. In 1934 the Blind Collection from Deansgate and the Commercial Library from the Royal Exchange were moved to the library, the Chinese Library Service was set up in 1968. Central Library opened in 1934 to much fanfare, the portico of the magnificent edifice quickly became a popular rendezvous and Meet you at the Ref became a familiar phrase on the lips of students, lovers and unemployed youths. I was there on the day and on many days thereafter. The library was declared open by King George V on 17 July 1934, I remember families coming in first to gawp. Under the portico became a trysting place. In all, the shape of the building was its best advertisement, reports emerged in 2008 that the Central Library needed essential renovation to repair and modernise its facilities. The library faced asbestos problems and needed work to maintain its structural integrity, the Central Library closed from 2010 to 2014 for refurbishment and expansion
37.
Queen's Theatre
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The Queens Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue on the corner of Wardour Street in the City of Westminster. It opened on 8 October 1907 as a twin to the neighbouring Hicks Theatre which opened ten months earlier, both theatres were designed by W. G. R. Sprague. Original plans were to name the venue Central Theatre, however after lengthy debate, it was named The Queens Theatre, the first production at the Queens Theatre was a comedy by Madeline Lucette Ryley called The Sugar Bowl. It was poorly received and ran for only 36 performances, however the theatre received glowing reviews, the Stage on 10 October 1907 described the theatre as A two-tier house, the Queens holds about 1200 persons, representing some £300 in money. The colour scheme of the walls and roof is white and gold, while green is the hue of the carpets, hangings and upholstery, and of the very charming velvet tableau curtain. On the second tier of the Queens, which is in the Old Italian Renaissance style and in the building of which the principle has been adopted, are the upper circle. Recent notable shows at the Queens include the Tony Award winning musical Contact, Cyberjam, in September 1940, a German bomb landed directly on the theatre, destroying the facade and lobby areas. The production at the time was Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca starring Celia Johnson, Owen Nares, the theatre remained closed until a ₤250,000 restoration was completed by Westwood Sons & Partners almost 20 years later. The auditorium retained its Edwardian decor while the lobbies and exterior were rebuilt in a modern style, the reconstructed theatre opened 8 July 1959 with John Gielguds solo performance in Shakespeare speeches and sonnets, Ages of Man. Since April 2004, the theatre has played host to Cameron Mackintoshs production of Les Misérables which transferred after 18 years at the nearby Palace Theatre. The musical celebrated its 20th anniversary at the venue on 8 October 2005, the theatre was Grade II listed by English Heritage in June 1972. An extensive refurbishment was undertaken in the half of 2009 which improved public areas and increased capacity with new seating. The Hobbit by Glyn Robbins from J. R. R. 133–4 ISBN 0-7136-5688-3 Whos Who in the Theatre, edited by John Parker, tenth edition, revised, London,1947, pps, Queens Theatre London official website Theatre History
38.
Orlando (opera)
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Orlando is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel written for the Kings Theatre in London in 1733. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Carlo Sigismondo Capeces LOrlando after Ludovico Ariostos Orlando Furioso, more an artistic than a popular success at its first performances, Orlando is today recognised as a masterpiece. The opera was first given at the Kings Theatre in London on 27 January 1733, there were 10 further performances and it was not revived. The first production since Handels lifetime was given at Halle, Handels birthplace, the United States premiere of the opera was presented by the Handel Society of New York in a concert version on 18 January 1971 at Carnegie Hall with Rosalind Elias in the title role. The HSNY had made the first recording of the opera in 1970 in Vienna with a different cast for RCA Red Seal Records. Peter Sellars directed the first staged production of the work in the United States at the American Repertory Theater on 19 December 1981, countertenor Jeffrey Gall sang the title role and Craig Smith conducted. Orlando was performed in London in abridged form in 1963 with Janet Baker in the title role, complete studio recordings were made in 1970,1990,1996,2012 and 2013. Video recordings were made of the performances in Paris, Zurich. The role of Orlando, originally written for Senesino, the alto castrato, is nowadays generally performed by a countertenor or a mezzo-soprano. The role of Medoro was originally written for an alto. The characters of Dorinda and Angelica are performed by sopranos, Orlando, a great soldier in Charlemagnes army, falls desperately in love with the pagan princess Angelica, who is in turn in love with another man, Medoro. Orlando cannot accept this and he is driven to madness, prevented from causing absolute carnage only by the magician Zoroastro, Orlando himself appears, torn between love and duty. With a wave of his wand, the magician conjures up disturbing visions of the heroes of antiquity asleep at Cupids feet. Zoroastro urges Orlando to forget Venus, the goddess of love, Orlando rushes across the scene with a princess, Isabella, that he has just rescued from danger, and Dorinda thinks he may be in love too. Dorinda knows Medoro is not telling the truth, but finds him utterly charming anyway, Zoroastro tells Angelica he knows that she is in love with Medoro and warns her that Orlandos jealousy when he discovers this will lead to unpredictable and possibly dangerous results. When Angelica meets Orlando, she pretends to be jealous of his rescue of Princess Isabella, Orlando protests that he could never love anyone but her, and offers to do anything to prove it, including fighting fierce monsters. As Orlando leaves, Medoro enters and asks Angelica who she was with and she explains that Orlando is a mighty warrior and besotted with her and advises that they should retreat to her kingdom in the east to escape his wrath. Dorinda is upset to see them embrace, but the lovers tell her not to be downhearted, Angelica presents Dorinda with a jewelled bracelet in gratitude for her hospitality
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