Get the most out of your time in Paris!

Why not include a show at the Moulin Rouge, or a dinner cruise down the Seine? How about some unusual Paris sights, the ones most tourists never get to see? Or a day trip to the Normandy D-Day beaches, or the Loire Castles? Include a day at Versailles Castle and Monet's Gardens at Giverny - your choices are really endless. Don't forget to take in some movies along the way too!

Wining and dining can be a luxurious treat for the senses in Paris.French Wine Explorers can open the doors for you to the best wineries, from the most exclusive to the lesser-known gems of each region. Cooking classes on how to learn and create dishes reflecting the authentic cuisine of France and Italy are at yoyr fingertips. Shopping? - then here are open-air food markets . You'll have a great wine and food adventure in France for sure!

QUATERMASS 2 ( 1957 )

Brian Donlevy reprises his role in this Nigel Kneale TV adaption sequel.

Somewhat ponderous and less effective than the earlier film Quatermass 2 is nevertheless a splendid slice of british SF cinema. It is also much darker than the other two.

Director Val Guest maintains and conveys a nice sense of mystery and threat throughout as we find out just exactly what is being manufactured at the secret plant and about it's monstrous occupants.

Best scenes are the ones at the plant ,especially where one of the touring crew, a minister, accidentally falls into one of the domes and stumbles screaming down the steel steps covered in a corrosive black sludge. A very impressive scene.

Only minor complaint, performance wise is Sid James in a cameo role as the drunken press reporter Jimmy. Definitely the worst performance in the film!

If you enjoyed either of the other Quatermass films you will most certainly enjoy this one. I know i did!

GOOD EGG

THEM! [1954]


Giant mutant creatures featured prominently in many science fiction films of the 50's and 60's , especially ones involving atomic explosions. Films such as "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" This time around we have giant ants. "THEM" is a classic of the sub genre and is without equal, especially as it's the only giant mutation movie of any coherance and genuine dramatic tension.

Right from the introduction of the giant ants to the final showdown in the storm drains beneath Los Angeles " THEM " comes across as genuine and really scary of what we could unleash if we carry on testing atomic bombs.

Over 50 years on and "THEM" is as powerful today as it was then.The images portrayed still frighten and the sense of mystery and then threat still pack a punch. In less capable hands "THEM" would have been a failure but Director Gordon Douglas turns this into a classic.

No really notable actors, except Edmund Gwenn who plays the part of the old and wise entomologist ; as always he's excellent as is James Whitmore who is among the first to discover the ants. Much lesser known actor James Arness plays the lead who first appeared disguised as the carrot creature in "THE THING ".

"THEM" in some respects recalls " IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE " with it's desert locations and atmosphere. A girl stumbles out of the desert and is only able to utter "THEM" "THEM" which makes for a very powerful introduction. From then on we discover smashed buildings and twisted cars which in each case has a trail of sugar leading from the site.Eventually when the nest is found poison gas is pumped in and a party with flamethrowers try to wipe out any of the survivors. It's soon discovered that two of the queen ants have flown from the nest and as so the search continues.This time leading to the storm drains of LA and finally James Whitmores final battle as he tries to save not only his own life but also that of some children which become trapped.

So many remarkable scenes in "THEM" which are played excellently throughout and for me it's all the better for being in black and white. " THEM " is definitely a film you should see.

GOOD EGG

TWENTY MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957)


Various creature and insect films thrived during the latter 1950's as did dinosaur pictures. One of the most impressive of the latter is Nathan Juran's Twenty Million Miles to Earth where an earth to venus space expedition crashes into the sea off Italy and loses it's specimen of Venusian life. A jelly like rubbery egg which apparently contains some sort of weird embryonic creature which eventually hatches.

Looking like some alien Tyrannosaurus Rex ( one of Ray Harryhausens liveliest and memorable creations ) the baby begins to grow rapidly and although seems harmless enough at first soon goes on the rampage and is eventually shot down.

Best scenes here are the early ones where the rescue party board the crashed ship and struggle through the wreck to reach the injured crew. Smoke and angled shots are used to very good effect as are the sound effects. All cleverly done to disguise the fact that the sets were those left over from ' The Caine Mutiny '.Another is where the US military helicopters chase the beast across the Sicilian (though actually mainly Californian) countryside. Here the animated Ymir ( as it is called ) appears in a variety of surroundings including, sulphur pits and rocky outcrops, with detailed miniatures almost seamlessly with front and rear projections of real locations. The scene ends with the Venusian covered in an electrically charged net dropped from a helicopter.

What really lets the film down badly though is the acting which is laughable at times as is the script. It will probably be more enjoyed by children, especially these days, and for fans of Harryhausens work , which is without doubt splendid here and is enough of a reason to view it in my opinion. Nice film but badly flawed!


Alternate Titles: TWENTY MILLION MILES TO EARTH; THE GIANT YMIR; THE BEAST FROM SPACE.

HARD BOILED

THEY LIVE ( 1988)

John Carpenter is back with a very cool concept here based on a pulp fiction sci-fi story.

A tough loner ( Roddy Piper ) loses his job and takes to the road. Becoming involved with a bunch of squatters he stumbles upon the terrifying discovery of ghoulish aliens masquerading as humans.Only seen it seems through a certain type of dark glasses which he unwittingly comes across in one of the buildings.

The film certainly recalls the likes of his 'Assault on Precint 13' , again with his own dark menacing electro score bringing out nicely the underlying terror and violence which is about to ensue. A very cool tongue in cheek attitude permeates too which works well. I can't help but think of Kurt Russel in the place of hunky lead Roddy Prior .....although he's not bad at all. It all moves along nicely and there's plenty of action along the way. Keith David makes an excellent sidekick as they eventually penetrate the nerve centre of the aliens and ultmately cause chaos in their plans to take over.

A back on form JC !

GOOD EGG

The Descent ( 2006 )

A cool tempting premise upon seeing and reading the DVD case /trailer.

A group of young women go cave exploring and wished they hadn't on this occasion when they discover malevolent creatures in the subterranean darkness.

What initially is a fun trip soon turns into one of terror. After a cave in and the entrance becomes blocked the group of women are forced to find another way out and venture deeper into the cave system to find that other way out, if any !

Now all of this may sound great entertainment value and up to a point it is but unfortunately what is really lacking here is characterisation. Without which we just do not really relate to any particular person and are insensative to anyones demise. A shame really , because this film would certainly have benefitted from much more emotionally involving characters and more rounded likable people. As a result, When the group comes across creatures which resemble albino dwarf mutants bent on devouring there prey, we really do'nt give a damn what happens to anyone of them , as heads are severed and we witness various scenes full of blood and guts. I at least didn't! The script is also very poor and really doesn't help matters at all.

PAR BOILED