Happy Halloween.
Friday, October 31, 2003
In the Cut - The Subway in movies
Saw the amazing film In The Cut this evening starring Meg Ryan. Top Jane Campion film that's a thriller, sexy, erotic, funny and gripping....go and see it now! Expertly shot in Manhattan, there are many subway scenes with Meg Ryan's character (who's an English Teacher) reading quietly to herself poems from the Poetry in Motion New York City Subway ads. Actually inspired by London's Poems on the Underground, but in the film they appeared far sexier, romantic and meaningful than London's.
I'm sure the subway ads from In The Cut were specially made for the film (although the one above is from the real series), but when I left, I couldn't help comparing my journey home on the Piccadilly Line with the exciting NYC subway. The train looked as though it was going to make an endless round of stops between stops due to a delayed train ahead of us. Where was the romance?
Just before I got on the train, a man stopped to give a homeless guy and his dog some money at the platform entrance at Leicester Square. "Have a nice weekend" said the homeless bloke. A couple opposite me were asleep with their heads resting against each other. A gay couple next to them laughed and joked. Legs apart, their knees touched throughout the journey. Even when I changed to the District Line, a man sat opposite a woman with a single red rose in his hand.
Mmm, what was I saying about romance being dead on the tube?
Saw the amazing film In The Cut this evening starring Meg Ryan. Top Jane Campion film that's a thriller, sexy, erotic, funny and gripping....go and see it now! Expertly shot in Manhattan, there are many subway scenes with Meg Ryan's character (who's an English Teacher) reading quietly to herself poems from the Poetry in Motion New York City Subway ads. Actually inspired by London's Poems on the Underground, but in the film they appeared far sexier, romantic and meaningful than London's.
I'm sure the subway ads from In The Cut were specially made for the film (although the one above is from the real series), but when I left, I couldn't help comparing my journey home on the Piccadilly Line with the exciting NYC subway. The train looked as though it was going to make an endless round of stops between stops due to a delayed train ahead of us. Where was the romance?
Just before I got on the train, a man stopped to give a homeless guy and his dog some money at the platform entrance at Leicester Square. "Have a nice weekend" said the homeless bloke. A couple opposite me were asleep with their heads resting against each other. A gay couple next to them laughed and joked. Legs apart, their knees touched throughout the journey. Even when I changed to the District Line, a man sat opposite a woman with a single red rose in his hand.
Mmm, what was I saying about romance being dead on the tube?
Dogs must be carried - Christmas Present
Saw the little "dogs must be carried" dog again this morning, and yesterday I saw the perfect Xmas pressie for him
Then he could have this for when he leaves the tube (found from link on unmute).
And if you were wondering why the jacket looked so familiar:
So now there's a real reason why the tube seat upholstery (or "moquette", to real trainspotters) will have dog hairs on it.
Saw the little "dogs must be carried" dog again this morning, and yesterday I saw the perfect Xmas pressie for him
Then he could have this for when he leaves the tube (found from link on unmute).
And if you were wondering why the jacket looked so familiar:
So now there's a real reason why the tube seat upholstery (or "moquette", to real trainspotters) will have dog hairs on it.
Thursday, October 30, 2003
Ask Ken - brief TV glimpse
Just got back from watching Ask Ken round my friends' house. You could hardly see me on it at all in the studio audience, although Mecca in her black and white Mind the Gap T Shirt was seen quite a few times.
It was quite weird watching it as it all seemed much more controlled that it was in reality. It was like a bun fight in reality with loads of people's arms shooting up in the air. More arguments, more rambling questions and much more lively. However I did like the opening animated title sequence featuring Mayor Ken Livingstone with his newts, Ken on the tube, Ken marching through crowds of pigeons and other versions of an animated Ken cartoon.
Really pleased they left Emma Jordan's question in about her experiences in the Chancery Lane accident, and I'll be writing the interview this weekend so hopefully we'll have something on the site next week. (See the 28th October entry below for a full report on the recording)
The Guardian spent most time focussing on safety on the tube too:
"Ken Livingstone was speaking to a studio audience of Londoners who grilled him on issues facing the capital for a programme being broadcast tonight.
"Speaking on the two serious derailments to strike London Underground in the past fortnight - at Camden Town and Hammersmith stations - Mr Livingstone warned that it may take a fatality to force the issue surrounding maintenance companies' performance.
"He criticised the 30-year contracts signed with the "usual suspects" of companies contracted to maintain London Underground, "In exchange for enormous profits they got for this, they should get the system right. They had three years preparing for it and we now find that a whole range of things that should have been done, haven't been done. They have been paid money out of our taxes and they should be doing the job they are being paid to do.".
Just got back from watching Ask Ken round my friends' house. You could hardly see me on it at all in the studio audience, although Mecca in her black and white Mind the Gap T Shirt was seen quite a few times.
It was quite weird watching it as it all seemed much more controlled that it was in reality. It was like a bun fight in reality with loads of people's arms shooting up in the air. More arguments, more rambling questions and much more lively. However I did like the opening animated title sequence featuring Mayor Ken Livingstone with his newts, Ken on the tube, Ken marching through crowds of pigeons and other versions of an animated Ken cartoon.
Really pleased they left Emma Jordan's question in about her experiences in the Chancery Lane accident, and I'll be writing the interview this weekend so hopefully we'll have something on the site next week. (See the 28th October entry below for a full report on the recording)
The Guardian spent most time focussing on safety on the tube too:
"Ken Livingstone was speaking to a studio audience of Londoners who grilled him on issues facing the capital for a programme being broadcast tonight.
"Speaking on the two serious derailments to strike London Underground in the past fortnight - at Camden Town and Hammersmith stations - Mr Livingstone warned that it may take a fatality to force the issue surrounding maintenance companies' performance.
"He criticised the 30-year contracts signed with the "usual suspects" of companies contracted to maintain London Underground, "In exchange for enormous profits they got for this, they should get the system right. They had three years preparing for it and we now find that a whole range of things that should have been done, haven't been done. They have been paid money out of our taxes and they should be doing the job they are being paid to do.".
Metro Moment - 1 - Northern Line delays until March 2004
Oh joy! "A leaked email sent by a senior London Underground manager said March was the earliest that full services would be restored following the derailment 11 days." Time to get an annual subscription to www.tuberefund.co.uk to make your compensation claims I think.
Well, it turns out that the leak wasn't that accurate as all services on the Northern Line are more or less back to normal now.
"The East Finchley to Euston section of the line was the last to reopen earlier today, and the only remaining disruption will be that trains will only run on separate branches of the line.
"Trains from Edgware will only run via Bank, and services from Mill Hill East and Barnet will only run via Charing Cross."
For more on this see This is Local London
Oh joy! "A leaked email sent by a senior London Underground manager said March was the earliest that full services would be restored following the derailment 11 days." Time to get an annual subscription to www.tuberefund.co.uk to make your compensation claims I think.
Well, it turns out that the leak wasn't that accurate as all services on the Northern Line are more or less back to normal now.
"The East Finchley to Euston section of the line was the last to reopen earlier today, and the only remaining disruption will be that trains will only run on separate branches of the line.
"Trains from Edgware will only run via Bank, and services from Mill Hill East and Barnet will only run via Charing Cross."
For more on this see This is Local London
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)