That Was the Week That Was – May 21st 2008

The last seven days certainly saw some controversy here on CopyWrite, with the post “Link bait at any Cost” becoming one of the most read posts on this website since it launched last year. It also found itself at the centre of a debate amongst marketers about the ethics of producing web content a topic I will be revisiting shortly with a more researched piece.

For those of you who are not marketers, I hope you enjoyed the more light-hearted post “How to Become a Superhero”. Originally planned as a sequel to the post “Superhero Clichés to Avoid”, it has slowly developed on my hard drive until it became something quite different.

In fact, it is still developing. I continue to think of more superheroes to add under each category. Should Swamp Thing go under number 10 ‘Die’, or number 6 ‘Stupid Scientist’? Or both?

High Stakes Blackjack with No Surprises

‘21’ came out in Australia this week. Now, I love Vegas movies, or even gambling movies. The ‘Ocean's’ films, ‘Rounders’, even ‘The Sting’ with its fantastic poker game, gambling with cards has always produced some very tense film. Yet ‘21’ left me unsatisfied.

With a script that clearly signaled it’s plot points way in advance and characters that did nothing except fulfill your expectations, ‘21’ took what could have been a promising idea and created a straight-forward and forgettable time waster.

Not particularly bad, but not even remotely remarkable.

Watching the Watchmen

‘Watchmen’ finally makes it to the big screen next year after twenty years of development hell. Alan Moore’s ‘unfilmable’ graphic novel is being transformed into celluloid by Zach Snyder, the guy behind the movie adaptation of ‘300’ last year.

Images have started to be released online and I’ve just discovered they are uploading video diaries on the making of the film on YouTube and the Official Watchmen website.

They are even offering fans the chance to shoot their own commercials based on Watchmen concepts that will see the best ones appear on the myriad of tv screens that appear in the background throughout the film.

I’m still very, very nervous about whether ‘Watchmen’ will be a stunning adaptation or a studio led desecration of what was voted by critics as one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century. 'V for Vendetta' is, so far, the only truly notable adaptation of any of Moore's graphic novels and Moore himself has sworn off any involvement with all adaptations after becoming incredibly disillusioned with the Hollywood machine.

Lyra versus Harry

I’ve been reading ‘Northern Lights’ by Phillip Pullman, recently filmed as ‘The Golden Compass’. After my evangelical conversion to the world of ‘Harry Potter’ last year, I was interested to try this competitor in teenage fantasy. This was only compounded by reading a recent interview with Pullman where he revealed an intellect and world view that fascinated me.

But, now one third into the book, I find my eye continually glancing at the bookshelf where my next ‘Harry Potter’ awaits. I refuse to launch into ‘The Order of the Phoenix’ until after I’ve finished ‘Northern Lights’, but the willpower is waning.

Why is Pullman not gripping me like Rowling? I cannot say. But where Rowling has me lying awake at night forcing myself to stay awake to read just one more chapter, I find Pullman has me switching off the light after barely a few pages.

No doubt Lyra fans will chastise me for my ignorance. Maybe they’re right and I will become enamoured with Lyra’s world before the end. But Harry is waiting, like a bowl of ice cream out of reach until I finish my vegetables.

And Finally…

Steven Moffat confirmed to succeed Russell T Davies as head writer and producer on Doctor Who for Series 5.

Can’t wait to see Morgan Spurlock’s new film ‘Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden’, especially after hearing his interview on Mark Kermode's podcast.

Speaking of the wittertaining movie critic, there is a concerted online push to have the word ‘kermodian’ recognized as a legitimate word by the OED. Or is that 'kermodean'? I think we need a clarification.

‘The News Quiz’, also available as a podcast, is one of the funniest shows on radio at the moment.

That is all. You may now return to what you were doing.