When the BBC’s 1953 production of ‘Quatermass’ was scaring the hell out of the nascent television nation, it prompted the debut of the announcer’s warning to be issued for the benefit of unprepared viewers: ‘In our opinion,
Continue reading →The Late Post: Not in Front of the Children (Part 1)
The Palliasse with the Ass on top…!
Even in the US, the land of the American dream, it can be hard to make your mark on the world when you come from humble beginnings.
Palliasse was of just such humble origins, from the
Continue reading →Moving the Goalposts
In another life, I wanted to be in the FBI. This was sort of inspired by watching ‘Twin Peaks’, and finding that I had a deep and personal empathy for agent Cooper, whose mysterious ways seemed odd, nay,
Continue reading →Death and Taxes
The 1997 comeback of celebrated 80s Indie artisans Echo and the Bunnymen, one that benefitted from the brief vogue for sweeping majestic rock ala The Verve, more or less began and ended with an unintentionally prophetic hit called
Continue reading →The Less-Than Fantastic Four
Anyone whose nostalgia gene is tickled by the prospect of seeing a band of bedroom pin-ups in the flesh forty years after the torn pages of ‘Look-in’ disappeared from their once-prized position is afflicted with despair
Continue reading →Dying to be Dead?
You’ve probably, hopefully, never had cause to visualise yourself asking a Doctor the proverbial ‘How long have I got’? question.
Chances are, if you had imagined the scenario, you got it
Continue reading →A Licence to Kill for
Okay, I’m not going to talk about the EU or feminists or immigration or the NHS or Tony Blair or all the other subjects that get the Raccoon regulars hot under the collar – bar one. I’m
Continue reading →For Emperor, King, Queen and Country
BBC4’s new imported historical epic ‘1864’ reminds me a little of Tony Richardson’s criminally-underrated 1968 movie, ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’. Although in ‘1864’ the nation under the spotlight is Denmark, the parallels are potent. A country encouraged to believe its
Continue reading →The 25 Hour News and the Saturday Obituary
Songs for Europe
Cliff Richard dressed as Austin Powers, a ‘legal’ Dana looking about twelve, Agnetha’s sequinned tea-cosy hat, Clodagh Rodgers’ hot-pants, the Bucks Fizz girls having their skirts ripped-off, Russian lipstick lesbians Tatu drowned in boos, Jemini’s nul points, transsexuals
Continue reading →Give the Cattle Plod a Pat on the Back!
In Waco, Texas, a widely advertised gathering of hundreds of armed Hell’s Angel style bikers to celebrate Memorial Day erupted into armed warfare as the choicest ‘Turf’ was fought over, and was policed by a handful of men.
Continue reading →The Party’s Over
If the contentious Joint Enterprise law applied to politics, the Liberal Democrats would be the luckless juvenile looking at a decade behind bars because he happened to be a member of a gang present when somebody
Continue reading →It started in America…!
And like everything from US Marines, to Global financial meltdown – for sure it will arrive on our shores eventually. I find it a horrifying prospect.
I went in search of further information on a snippet
Continue reading →The Pen Vs The Sword
One of the first moves of a regime averse to criticism is to imprison or ‘liquidate’ its critics; traditionally, these tend to be political opponents, a tradition Mr Putin is proudly upholding in Russia at the moment.
Continue reading →The Sunday Post: In A Broken Dream
To the eyes of any visiting alien, the Heygate Estate in London’s Elephant and Castle could be mistaken for an ancient ruin on a par with Pompeii – a crumbling monument to a deceased civilisation. In
Continue reading →The 25 Hour News and The King is Dead
The Prince of Wince.
Did you ever fight your way to the front of the lucky dip stall, bag your prize, and then realise you had beaten off all contenders – to the booby prize?
The Guardian must be feeling the same
Continue reading →A Grateful Nation
It’s certainly easier to take criticism and absorb advice if it comes from someone who knows what they’re talking about, someone whose knowledge of the subject under discussion inspires respect for their opinion. On the odd unfortunate
Continue reading →Farage Farceur.
Apologies for the tired alliteration by way of post title, I couldn’t think of anything else.
I wanted to write about Farage’s ‘Dammit Thanet’ moment; just why did he lose? Or rather, what did his opponent
Continue reading →And The Winner Is…
Back in the pre-deregulated broadcasting era, British TV was awash with home-grown beauty contests, not just the Miss United Kingdom finale, but the qualifying tournament as well, which was spread over all the old regional ITV companies.
Continue reading →Release the Hounds
Nelson may have said that England expects every man to do his duty, but whereas an act of self-sacrifice for the good of one’s country may be a noble gesture at a time of war, when it
Continue reading →The Sunday Post: A Right Kick in the Balls
There is a scene in the TV ‘Game of Thrones’ which is referred to simply as “the Red Wedding”. All addicts of the show will instantly know of this famous, or indeed, infamous scene. Without giving too much
Continue reading →The 25 Hour News and Dead Ed: An Obituary
Now showing "Luvvies Labour Lost".
In which Shakespeare proves more accurate at predicting voting than MORI, ComRes, Populus, Ashcroft or any of the other professional pundits.
Was it really
Continue reading →25 Hour News Election Special & A Day in The Life of The Electorate
Blags, Lags and Slags
Opinions on the man differ; opinions on the merits of his notoriety even more so; but the death of Ronnie Biggs in 2013 undoubtedly ended a chapter in British crime history. Whereas the consensus today is to
Continue reading →Something in the Heir
The agonising intrusion of Royal labour pains echo around a London bedchamber as a crowd gathers; eventually, an heir is born and the continuation of the dynasty is seemingly guaranteed. It’s not May 2015, though; it’s June
Continue reading →May the Fourth be with You!
90 years ago, the grocer’s wife gave birth to Margaret Hilda. Alfred and Beatrice, her parents, fed her on the food that was nearing the end of what would become known as its ‘sell by date’. She thrived.
Continue reading →The Sunday Post: Give a Little Whistle
Many associate the beginning of spring with the first call of the first cuckoo. I myself use a less bucolic method. For me, the season has officially arrived when I receive my first abuse from a passing
Continue reading →25 Hour News and 5 Days to Choose
