Splish Splash: An Entertaining Diversion

In a bizarre twist of fate, we suddenly have a (gasp!) outdoor activity aside from Kidwelly Castle in the Llanelli-Carmarthen area. How is it possible? No-one knows. However, if you wish, you can now go paddleboarding, kayaking or rowboating on the Swiss Valley lower reservoir, and it's very pleasant indeed.

There's nothing quite like paddling away on the water and pretending you're in 'The Wind In The Willows' or 'Three Men In A Boat', or even 'To Say Nothing Of The Dog'. Oh, to be drifting along, thinking of luncheons or making it to the next inn... Except, that's not really going to be the case on a reservoir in the twenty-first century! It's still a very pleasant experience, and one which needs to be advertised better as it was very quiet for a day during the school holidays. Surely there must be more paddlers out there? Come on, be brave, people!

It's strange to think how few things there are in this immediate area. There is the aforementioned castle, which is always nice, and then... Well, it's strange. It might be partly due to the local apathy, where no-one ever seems to turn out for anything. We need more things which should appeal to locals and tourists alike. We could convert the old railway into a mine train experience... And it's not too late to make up the legend of the Swiss Valley monster, last seen menacing seagulls with a tickling stick and using popup speed cameras to make up its income in the quiet weeks.

Anyone for a paddle? Off to the reservoir with you! It's a pretty place, with those trees and the tranquil waters, and the oddly absent comedic pirates and sharks. It's nice to remember how to row, get caught up in trees, and be held hostage by fishermen intent on ransoming you for as many free maths lessons as can be unreasonably extorted.

Go ahead, have some watery fun, and maybe a coffee and a piece of cake. Go and mess about on the water.

O.

Ten Inarguably Good Novels?

'A Tale Of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens (1859)

'The Sign Of The Four' by Arthur Conan Doyle (1890)

'Leave It To Psmith' by PG Wodehouse (1923)

'Gaudy Night' by Dorothy L Sayers (1935)

'We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea' by Arthur Ransome (1937)

'Three Hearts And Three Lions' by Poul Anderson (1961)

'The Seven-Per-Cent Solution' by Nicholas Meyer (1974)

'Gateway' by Frederik Pohl (1977)

'Bridge Of Birds' by Barry Hughart (1984)

'To Say Nothing Of The Dog' by Connie Willis (1997)

This feels much more arguable list that the corresponding one for movies. There really isn't a weak book in there, except possibly 'A Tale Of Two Cities' for it being set in such a different time for prose. However, it's still brilliant.

O.

PS Anyone have any additional ideas? 

Ten Unimpeachably Good Movies?

I was trying to think of ten inarguably good movies that you could show any friend without worrying overly about whether they will like them. What do you think?

'The 39 Steps' (1935)

'The Philadelphia Story' (1940)

'The African Queen' (1951)

'Rear Window' (1954)

'Cat Ballou' (1965)

'The Taking Of Pelham 123' (1974)

'Jaws' (1975)

'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' (1982)

'Stranger Than Fiction' (2006)

'Fish Story' (2009)

O.

 

No, They Cried, Not AGAIN!

Shamefully, it has been a few years now since the last active phase of the Quirky Muffin, but it's pretty clear to everyone just what those three years were all about and so let's push on. But push on to what?

Now, the Quirky Muffin has been gone a while,

As if burbling and meandering was out of style,

But now, if rumours are true, it might be back,

And once again the 'blog's author will lack,

All sense of restraint as the words tumble out,

Leaving all sensible people to run away in rout.

`Where have you been? Why have you returned?

Have you forgotten all the things you've learned?

Do you really intend to compose silly reviews,

Extemporise wildly about what is barely the news,

And then ponder wild thoughts about this and that?'

And the answer? 'Yes, 'tis their natural habitat!'

What should we push onto? It's a good question. For now, let's see what happens, and not be too pushy. Talking endlessly about oneself is a long out-of-date and self-indulgent exercise, but there might be some things to cover from time to time.

We shall see.

O.

Film: 'Porco Rosso' (1992, dubbed version)

Now that was kind of interesting. Could this be the point of closest approach for myself and the legendary Hayao Miyazaki? A story about an ex-First World War pilot, who was somehow cursed into becoming a pig person, and is living his life as a bounty hunter in the Adriatic. Why is he a pig person? It's hard to know, but it must  be a reflection of his own self-image or a consequence of acts we'll never know. Or is it all part of his strange experience seeing those spirit pilots flying up to the heavenly squadron? Yes, you have been spoiled!

This movie epitomizes everything that people like about Miyazaki, and everything they don't like. As with a lot of Japanese animation, a many of the characters look almost identical, especially the ladies, and the comedy villains have less characterization than some inanimate objects. The plot is also a bit too sparse and decompressed. However, and it's always the same 'however', it is very very beautiful and there are moments which elevate it beyond its average.

Oh, Miyazaki! If only the writing were as good as the visuals! Oh, the visuals! The titular character is a bit too muted, and doesn't always look exactly porcine, but it's okay. The high flying airstream of spirit planes is fantastic, as are most of the beautiful shorts of Porco's original red plane. The world of the Adriatic stuns, and the sojourn of Porco in Milan, hiding out from the police while his plane is redesigned and rebuilt is appropriate grimy. It's almost certainly a net positive so far. And, it's excellent that the girl plane designer is built into the plot, but a shame they didn't do something a bit less cliched. At least she didn't really fall for Porco.

Is it possible to get to a final conclusion on 'Porco Rosso'? Once everything is considered, it's somewhere on the clearly good end of the spectrum. The ending is sweet and implicitly resolves the storylines of Porco and the two ladies in his life. If only, if only, the supporting pirates weren't so entirely, stupidly, pathetically stupid and comedic. And if only the dialogue was just a bit better. In the dubbed version, Michael Keaton is spectacular as Porco, with some good and solid backup from the rest of the cast.

Yes, definitely good, but a bit panto-like with the villains. Is there another Miyazaki which will approach even closer? Is there?

To the Quirky Muffin!