Blog Page 1476

Review: New Worlds

Demelza Scott
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Review: New Worlds

★★☆☆☆
Two Stars

The most apt word to describe this new historical drama is ‘confusing’. The programme itself was no more enlightening as to what was going on than the many adverts shown in the run up to it and, alas, the adverts showed the only bits that were particularly exciting, whilst the majority of the ‘drama’ was a complicated mess of long, idealistic speeches about social equality and justice.

Set in the 1680s, during the reign of Charles II, the programme is a vague sequel to The Devil’s Whore, (2008) starring John Simm and Andrea Riseborough. In comparison to the passion and intensity of The Devil’s Whore, however, New Worlds falls desperately short. Part of the problem lies in there being far too much going on; the storyline is split between England and Massachusetts, preventing any flow in the action because of the frequent switching between the two. It also means there are a lot of different characters to get to grips with and so, despite a promising cast of up-and-coming actors, there was little opportunity for anyone to truly shine or for viewers to develop any real affinity with them. In the first episode two love stories were introduced almost immediately, between Beth and Abe in England, the classic case of love across the classes, and in America, between Hope and Ned. Everything happens too fast; Beth (Freya Mavor) is very quick to go from feisty abducted aristocrat, to locking lips with the renegade ‘Robin Hood’ who stole her, not to mention her chance discovery of a letter to her mother, conveniently lying in an open chest, revealing the truth of her parentage.  

The point is absolutely no tension was allowed to build up, rendering the programme ultimately unexciting. The hunt for the regicide William Goffe, yet another element crammed into the first episode, had the potential to invoke some thrill and suspense, but fell completely flat, as did Goffe when he jumped off the cliff. We all saw that one coming. In fact, the only surprising bit here was the liberty the writers took with history; Goffe did flee to America, but he appears to have lived well into old age there, as opposed to being chased and committing suicide in a grand act of defiance.  They really need not have bothered.

Hopefully, now that all of the background information is covered, the next episode will be more engaging, and room will be allowed in the script for the characters, and the viewers, to breathe a bit. A slightly less frantic approach is definitely needed. It would be unfair to completely write-off the series, which certainly has the potential in its subject-matter and cast to be both interesting and compelling, in light of this first episode.  What is a shame, however, and which seems irredeemable for this series, is that the writers feel the need to add drama to what is already a very exciting sequence of historical events; we don’t need clichéd stories of forbidden lovers to find history interesting, and the way these are immediately presented to us in New Worlds is not only ineffective, but patronising.

De-clutter the plot and focus on the history and it could be a hit.  

The 160th Varsity Boat Race: Live Blog

Max Long
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The 160th Varsity Boat Race: Live Blog

19.20: That’s all for today folks. Here’s a quick summary of today’s action:

  • In the Boat Race, Oxford beat Cambridge by 11 lengths after an early clash caused a Cambridge rower to crab and miss a couple of crucial strokes
  • The reserve race was also won by the OUBC crew, with Isis dominating against Cambridge’s Goldie boat.
  • The Varsity Football went to penalties after a tense nil-nil game, Cambridge won 4-2.

And in the day’s most anticipated event:

  • Oxford’s representative beat Cambridge in the Goat Race too, although an interlocutor called Annie took the overall victory… 

18.59: Good news all round for winning President Malcolm Howard:

Pride comes through in each of the quotes offered too:


18.47: Some good pictures and quotes coming from the press conferences and celebrations!

18.42: On a more serious note: The BBC’s montage, intercut with some pretty Oxford footage, is pretty inspiring.

It’s been a busy day, and I – like the many athletes who have entertained us today, am in need of a beer or two. Stay tuned for extensive post-race analysis from Cherwell, and keep following @Cherwell_Online, @CherwellSport, and @maxlxng for info. 

18.36: The two Oxford crews have just dipped their coxes in their Thames. It’s always good to see that.

18.32: I always like to use the boat race as a reminder of what could have been, were I not engaged in sleeping ’til 1pm and eating fried food whilst at university, it’s an absolute privilege to share an alma mater with these guys. 

18.31: As Oxford take to the podium, let’s bask in the glory of these athletes who are far more impressive than me. 

18.30: The presentation is now happening. 

18.29: We’re hearing that Luke Juckett was also rowing with a broken rigger, not entirely sure how a boat is put together, but that sounds pretty debilitating. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see both boats going full pelt for the whole race. 

18.26: The Oxford rowers have been fantastically modest in victory, Karl Hudspith saying how “unfortunate it is to end a year’s training like that [for them]”, and current OUBC President insisting on a need to be “gracious”. Poor Luke Juckett looks devastated, but he’ll be back. 

18.20: Result declared, stay tuned for top quality post-race reporting. Apparently this was the biggest victory since 1973. 

The victory time was 18 mins 36 seconds. 

18.19: There is a protest by the Cambridge crew, but the umpire isn’t having any of it. 

18.17: OXFORD WIN BY AROUND 10 LENGTHS.

18.15: 

Meanwhile Cherwell’s Sport editor is clearly enjoying the likely victory…

18.14: The Oxford boat has reached Barnes Bridge. Looks like a foregone conclusion now – barring an act of God.

18.13: 

18.10: The lead is just going to get bigger according to the official twitter account. The BBC are speculating whether or not the end of the race will see a protest.

18.08: 

18.06: The Oxford boat is continuing to pull away. Would take a monumental effort for the light blues now. CherwellSport can clarify what just happened:

18.03: CLASH. The Cambridge no.2 seat has just missed several strokes and Oxford now hold a substantial lead of several lengths.

18.02: Andrew Cotter on the BBC commentary is wondering whether the tabs may be spending too much energy too soon. Oxford look to be back in front, but it’s very close.

18.01:

17.59 Oxford take a short lead on the first bend

17.58: AND THEY’RE OFF

17.55 Tension builds as crews prepare for the race!

17.51: Both Blue crews are ready to start. Follow the race live here.

17.44: Isis have dominated in the reserve race! Congrats to them, and let’s hope that blue boat will continue the success.

17.42: Good omens on the Isis/Goldie Race:

17.40: The finish line is quiet now, I can’t see that lasting…

17.37: Jon Briggs on Twitter provides a timely reminder that the Isis-Goldie race takes just as much out of the athletes: 

We will bring you news of the reserve race as we get it!

17.31: The BBC are currently engaged in a fabulous game of innuendos centered around the word ‘cox’, we at Cherwell consider such immaturity beneath us. (Not really, tweet any good dirty jokes @samuelevolpe) 

17.27: Whilst Clare Balding gets distracted by a puppy, some Oxford BNOCs are showing their support.

17.23: Not only will the winning crew gain a lifelong memory and a lot of pride, they’ll also get watches apparently. Hope they feel motivated!

17.18: Apparently raining on the Thames, I’m no scientist put I imagine that’ll alter the river’s flow? (tweet @samuelevolpe to provide scientific corrections.)

17.11: I always enjoy Clare Balding’s grandstanding (pun intended) introductions. Hope you all caught last term’s interview with Constantine Louloudis in Cherwell, if not it’s here!

17.05: What’s done is done, thankfully the rowers can make amends very soon indeed. They’re (well the boat at least) officially on the water! 

17.03: I’m sad to report Cambridge win 4-2 on penalties.

17.01: Down at Craven Cottage it’s unbearably tense. Currently 3-2 Cambridge after three pens a piece. 

16.56: Meanwhile Dan Snow (former Oxford boat-race rower) is on the BBC with a morbid VT about the 1914 boat race. Inspiring nonetheless. 

Otherwise, this is the latest from Max:

16.54: FOOTBALL ENDS 0-0. We’re looking at the ‘dreaded penalties’. @CherwellSport will be your best port of call right now…

16.49: WINS PER STATION:

SURREY: 84

MIDDLESEX: 85

It seems the Surrey advantage is not as great as some say afterall!

16.41: The football is reaching the closing stages and apparently the fans are getting desperate, while chances are coming for both teams as the game opens up. 

 

16.38: Swearing won’t be tolerated apparently, that’s a fiver of mine in William Hill’s pocket then… 

16.27: Cambridge are having a crampy time at Craven Cottage:

16.24: And we have news from the Goat Race, where Rowan Borchers is reporting on events:

16.23: The Isis/Goldie race starts at 17.25 – Oxford have won 5 out of the last 6 times

16.22: Goldie is named after the Cambridge Boat Club president John Goldie (1849–1896), whilst the Isis boat is (predictably) named after the Thames in Oxford – in itself named after the Ancient Egyptian goddess, also revered in Ancient Greece and Rome. Basically she’s meant to symbolise the ideal mother or something. 

16.20: Goldie won the reserves toss, and Oxford won the toss for the main race. Both chose the Surrey side, which resulted in victory ten out of fifteen times between 1994 and 2008. 

16.14: The level of security on hand is impressive today. This might be why I couldn’t bet on Trenton’s return.

16.11: We’ve been hearing from the Oxford captain and the umpire too:

16.08: Oxford win the toss – is this a good omen for later? 

16.07: The coin toss is taking place AS I TYPE. 

16.00: It’s busy down on the tideway – Cherwell has also been playing ‘count the red trousers’. 

15.55: There’s free cake at the media centre so not all is not lost. 

15.53: It’s nil-nil at Craven Cottage as the referee blows the whistle for half time:

15.50: Here is a confusing map which is probably of no interest to you whatsoever: 

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15.48: The Boat Race toss will be taking place at 16.07

15.47: The Surrey side is generally considered to be better, as it gives that boat the advantage over the largest amount of bend in the river. The Surrey station granted victory those who chose it in 10 out of the 15 races 1994–2008. However, the benefit of choosing either station is made obsolete once there is open water between the two boats. Therefore, a crew confident of its own start might choose the Middlesex side, which has the advantage in the first and last bends.

15.40: Both the Oxford and Cambridge teams have arrived at their respective boathouses and will now be warming up and preparing for the race. A coin toss, chaired by the umpire, will ensue. The winner of the toss will choose whether they begin on the Middlesex or the Surrey side. 

15.38: The BBC’s live coverage will begin at 16.30 for those who want to compliment Cherwell’s (more complete) updates. 

15.36: Twitter is seething with reminders of the 2012 race, which was interrupted by Trenton Oldfield, and resulted in a Cambridge victory. 

15.29: Now settled in the press office at Putney. A room full of ergometers and computers. Damp. I don’t want to be a journalist. No Pimms provided. 

15.28: If any of you were unsuccessful gamblers during yesterday’s Grand National, why not have a flutter on the Boat Race? William Hill are offering Oxford as 2/7 odds-on favourites, with Cambridge at 5/2 and the possiblity of a dead heat at 66/1. Personally I like the high opinion the bookies have of both coxes – 2/1 is being offered for, “Commentators to apologise for bad language of one or both coxes at any point during race”. Sadly I’ve been unable to find odds on a return of the erstwhile Trenton Oldfield…

15.14: Just a quick reminder that @CherwellSport is live tweeting the Varsity football match from Craven Cottage. By all accounts it has been a cagey opening quarter of an hour.

15.10: The intrepid Max Long is making his way to the media area so forgive any blip in the level of wit Cherwell is providing… This handy webcam site will give a hint as to what the conditions down on the Thames have been like today. Excuse the frankly terrible music – we are definitely not responsible for content on external sites. http://www.earthtv.com/de/kamerastandort/london-webcam/

14.13: The dreaded imminence of finals means that some will be following the race surrounded by books:

14.05: Quick Recap for those who are joining us now:

• The big race starts at 17.55. Plenty of time to stock up on pimms and canapés. 

• The Isis/Goldie Race begins at 17.25. Isis (Oxford’s second boat) has won five out of the last six races against Goldie.

• The Varsity football match will begin at 3pm, and Cherwell Sport will be reporting from Craven Cottage with all the action

• A false rumour that the Boat Race was to be cancelled due to “lack of water” was quickly refuted. The Sheffield Half Marathon will be fact be cancelled for this reason.

• Cherwell is the only Oxford student paper live blogging the event throughout the day

14.04 One can’t help but think that the Boat Race sponsors do little to dispell myths about Oxbridge. They’re hardly Nike and Adidas.

13.54: Quite similar, in fact, to the Goat Race, which has never been won by Oxford.

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Rowan Borchers will be reporting on the event once it starts (time yet to be confirmed)

13.52: Oxford may be the favourites for this evening, but Cambridge won the veteran’s boat race yesterday for the third year in a row

13.43: Cherwell is sending five journalists to the Boat Race today. Here’s the sport’s team on their way to Craven Cottage to cover the Varsity Football match:

13.40: Quick Fact: Oxford’s Storm Uru, former lighweight international, will be the first ever Maori to compete in the Boat Race. He’s been named Maori sportsman of the year twice. 

13.35: Meta.

13.25: Here is a screenshot of the fateful BBC headline:

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13.21: Sly News have been quick to pick up on the joke:

13.18: Rumours have been circulating that the Boat Race was to be cancelled after an ominous headline by the BBC opened “Race cancelled due to lack of water”. Luckily this refers to the Sheffield Half-Marathon rather than the Boat Race. Those who need reminding of BBC innacuracies during past boat races need only scroll down. Stick with us for the most up to date coverage. 

13.14: Helena Dollimore reminds us that next year this will not be an all-male event. The question still stands whether both races will be televised and given equal prominence.

13.12: Fascinating insight from the twitter world

12.19: Rumours that a Cherwell editor intends to disrupt the Boat Race are entirely unfounded. 

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11.48: Here’s some bare Oxford skin as the crew head off to do some warming up:

 

11.34: Last year the BBC provided a far from imbalanced commentary. Stick with us for the real story.

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11.28: As many of you will know, the Oxford rowers were victorious last week in what was to be the last Women’s Boat Race to be held separately at Henley. Here’s a cool video showing the history of the women’s boat race:

The Newton Women’s Boat Race: History from NewtonWomensBoatRace on Vimeo.

11.02: We’ll also be reporting on the Varsity Football Match, which will be taking place at 3pm at Craven Cottage, itself on the Boat Race route. The rowers have already wished them luck:

 

10.58: We’re going to be active on twitter throughout the day! Make sure you tweet us to be featured on this live blog, and follow @Cherwell_Online and @CherwellSport for constant updates. Max Long (@Maxlxng) will be reporting from the ground, and Rowan Borchers (@RowanBorchers) will be covering the Goat Race live from Spitalfields City Farm in East London

10.50: Good morning everyone, and wellcome to Cherwell’s coverage of the 2014 Boat Race. The water is already running keenly down the Thames, boaties are by now all porridged up and ready to roll, and all of the London crowd are ironing their best blazers, putting the champagne on to cool and whipping up some cream to dip those strawberries in. 

An Open Letter to Andrew Smith MP

Alice Nutting
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An Open Letter to Andrew Smith MP

Dear Andrew,

I am a student at the University of Oxford and one of your constituents. I was saddened to learn that you were not amongst the handful of Labour MPs who were courageous enough to vote against the welfare cap on March 26th. I am sure you are aware of Save The Children’s prediction that the decision will push 345,000 children into poverty in four years and their estimate that an enormous £3bn of savings will be needed for the Government to not exceed the cap. At a time when the poorest people and the disabled are already being hit hard by real terms wage freezes or cuts, rapidly rising living costs, and the shrinking of vital public services, it is nothing short of moral bankruptcy for a party that supposedly stands against the coalition’s attack on the poor – who are bearing the brunt of austerity measures – to support such a policy.

Research conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found that there is scant evidence for the mythical culture of worklessness that is so often alluded to by Labour, Liberal Democrat and Tory MPs alike; the majority of non-elderly benefits recipients are in work, reliant on government support because their wages are too low. Recipients of disability benefit are often unable to work; those people commonly termed “benefit scroungers” often suffer from low living standards, lack of education, lack of available gainful employment, and difficulties in meeting childcare costs, and sometimes alcohol and drug related problems. Over 22% of children in Oxford live in households below the poverty line and 12 of our 85 areas are among the 20% most deprived areas in England. By voting for this cap, you have failed your most vulnerable constituents.

It has become increasingly clear to me that Miliband et al are nothing more than proponents of ‘Austerity Lite’, a watered-down neoliberal Tory tendency stemming back to the Blairite years. I want to believe in the Labour Party because I cannot bear to see the consequences of this government’s actions and I want to be able to vote for a real alternative, but Labour has failed to provide that alternative. I would have probably voted for you in the next General Election regardless of my views of the party leadership, because I believe you have a generally good voting record; but I can no longer in good conscience support you, or any Labour MP who was not amongst the 13 rebels on March 26th, next year.

The decision of you and your colleagues to vote yes says more about the state of the modern Labour Party and its principles than any election pamphlet or television debate will. I had hoped that the Miliband era would turn its back on tired right wing rhetoric about being tough on welfare recipients, but sadly the almost unanimous support for the welfare cap and the appointment of Rachel Reeves as the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions demonstrate that it is business as usual for New Labour.

Yours sincerely,

Alice Nutting

The Boat Race: Preview

Joe Iles
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The Boat Race: Preview

Another year, another Easter vac, another boat race. For the 160th time 8 big people and 1 small person from Oxford will pit their oars against 8 big people and 1 small person from the Other Place. Expect drama, expect rivalry, expect Pimm’s. Here’s all you need to know:

The History

  • This is the 160th boat race. The first was in 1829 (and Oxford won)
  • Cambridge are winning overall, with 81 victories to Oxford’s 77
  • Oxford won last year
  • There has only ever been one dead heat, in 1877. There probably won’t be a dead heat this year

The Crews

The Valiant Oxford Warriors:

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Oxford Storming to Victory

  • Bow: Storm Uru (29 / 190cm / 80.4kg / Keble)
  • 2: Tom Watson (25 / 181cm / 72.1kg / Brasenose)
  • 3: Karl Hudspith (26 / 199.5cm / 91kg / St Peters)
  • 4: Tom Swartz (24 / 189 / 81.2kg / Christ Church
  • 5: Malcolm Howard (31 / 200cm / 108.2kg / Oriel)
  • 6: Michael Di Santo (24 / 184cm / 89.2kg / Trinity)
  • 7: Sam O’Connor (26 / 185cm / 88.8kg / Christ Church)
  • Stroke: Constantine Louloudis (22 / 190cm / 93.6kg / Trinity) 
  • Cox: Laurence Harvey (20 / 174cm / 54.8kg / St. Hugh’s)

The Cambridge Team:

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Cambridge looking worried

  • Bow: Mike Thorp (23 / 194cm / 88kg / Homerton)
  • 2: Luke Juckett (23 / 186 / 84.2 / St. Edmund’s)
  • 3: Ivo Dawkins (20 / 203cm / 89.2kg / Gonville & Caius)
  • 4: Steve Dudek (25 / 203cm / 101kg / St. Edmund’s)
  • 5: Helge Gruetjen (26 / 204cm / 96.6kg / Magdalene)
  • 6: Matthew Jackson (23 / 198 / 94.4kg / St. Edmund’s)
  • 7: Joshua Hooper (25 / 194cm / 92kg / St. Edmund’s)
  • 8: Henry Hoffstot (23 / 195cm / 89.6kg / Hughes Hall)
  • Stroke: Ian Middleton (18 / 173cm / 53.6kg / Queen’s)

Oxford are slightly lighter than their Cambridge counterparts (and the heavier crew has won 9 of the last 12 races), but are slightly more experienced with an average age of 26 compared to the Light Blues’ 24.

It’s not all about Sunday…

Whilst the men’s race on Sunday afternoon gets all the glitz and glamour, blue lycra has seen the light of day on a few occasions recently:

  • The women have already raced and Oxford won (for the sixth time in seven years), this time by 4 lengths
  • Oxford also won the women’s reserves by ½ length
  • Cambridge men’s lightweights proved too good for Oxford, winning by 3 ½ lengths
  • But the women’s lightweights tipped the balance back in Oxford’s favour with a 3 ½ lengths victory themselves
  • Earlier today, the veteran’s battled it out on the Thames, with a victory for Cambridge by 1¼ length. Might well be a consolation prize for tomorrow. 

Who’s gonna win?

  • According to the bookies, Oxford. Bet365 has Oxford at 3/10 and Cambridge at 5/2 at the time of publishing. They offer odds of 100/1 for a dead heat if you’re feeling brave.
  • James Cracknell said in The Telegraph that he didn’t know who was going to win
  • Pippa Middleton also told The Telegraph that she’s supporting Cambridge, so it’s anyone’s race

What about the goats?

It wouldn’t be The Boat Race without The Goat Race. Two goats (one representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge) will go head to head sometime between 2 and 5 (depending on the goats). It’s at Spitalfields City Farm, but (understandably) tickets have sold out for this year. Aspiring news reporter Rowan Borchers (@RowanBorchers) will be keeping us up to date. 

Where can I keep up to date?

We’ll be running a liveblog, don’t you know. So Tweet us, email us, Vine us, Instagram us etc. and we’ll feature the best throughout the day.

The race starts at 17.55, but we’ll be getting underway at noon. Join us here then!

Referendum due on NUS affiliation

Alex Stronell
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Referendum due on NUS affiliation

An all-student referendum on OUSU’s affiliation with the NUS will be held in Trinity Term, it has been announced. 

Last year, OUSU Council voted to continue its affiliation with NUS on the condition that an all-student referendum would be held on the matter the following year. Typically, OUSU Council votes on its membership of NUS every Trinity Term.

The referendum, which is scheduled to be held in 4th week of Trinity Term, will ask the following question: “OUSU is currently affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS). Should it continue to be affiliated: yes or no?”

A motion to cancel the referendum in favour of a ‘Special Council’, in which JCRs would have mandated representatives to vote on the matter on their behalf, was defeated at OUSU Council in 7th week of Hilary Term, paving the way for the referendum. 

Proponents of a Special Council had argued that given historically-low OUSU referendum turnouts, it would have been more democratic for the debate to take place in common rooms. However, OUSU Council decided that because opting for a Special Council would exclude members of disaffiliated JCRs from voting, holding a referendum was the preferable option.

Nominations for the leaders of the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ campaigns will open on the first day of 0th week (27th April). Husts and elections for campaign leaders will subsequently take place at briefing meetings on 4th May in the OUSU buildings.

OUSU President Tom Rutland has said that he will be supporting the ‘yes’ campaign. Rutland told Cherwell, “I will be campaigning for OUSU to remain part of NUS. I strongly believe that Oxford students benefit by being a part of a national union. With a seat at the table, we can influence NUS policy and ensure that we have a national union that is fighting for students’ interests. Oxford students have access to the NUS Extra Card, which nearly 2000 students currently take advantage of, saving them a tonne of money over the course of their degrees. If we disaffiliate, none of our students will be eligible to have an NUS Extra Card”.

However, OUSU NUS Delegate Jack J Matthews has said that he will be opposing re-affiliation. Matthews said, “For three years I have worked tirelessly to reform the NUS into an open organisation that actually works for students. What I have encountered is a body that has no interest in change, and that seeks to preserve the cosy arrangement of the status quo, to the detriment of its members”.

Matthews, a former OUCA President, continued, “The time has come for change. We’ve tried to reform from within, but they wouldn’t listen. It’s time for us to stop wasting tens if thousands of pounds within an organisation that simply doesn’t care about our views. I believe in Oxford, and I believe in the strength of our Student Union – that’s why I will be voting ‘no’ to NUS this Trinity Term”.
 
However, Rutland maintained, “Disaffiliating from NUS would cost Oxford students money, it would isolate us and it would remove our opportunity to shape national policy and campaigns. After students were betrayed at the last general election, it is more important than ever that we come together to fight for our interests – especially in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, where we need to be following up on the broken tuition fees pledge and get policy that champions students in party manifestos”. 
 
Thus far, OUSU has voted to remain affiliated with NUS every year since at least 2006.

Review: The Double

Marcus Balmer
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Review: The Double

★★★★☆
Four Stars

Richard Ayoade’s new movie is thematically tied to his 2010 debut Submarine, both films constituting a wry glance at the lonely, romantic fantasies of reclusive young men. Submarine would make for a compelling double-bill alongside this sophomore directing effort, but audiences expecting something tonally similar to Ayoade’s sensitive, self-aware coming of age drama will find themselves contending with something surprisingly dark, more intellectually ambitious. An appropriate progression perhaps, considering the nature of the Dostoyevsky novella upon which the movie is based.  

The Double follows office employee Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg), performing day-in, day-out, a mundane job involving ‘regression analysis’ (the exact nature of which remains teasingly vague) within the confines of a nightmarish industrial dystopia, seemingly reminiscent of Soviet Russia or the work-place of Thatcher’s Britain. Simultaneously ‘ultramodern’ and painfully retro, the brown-dusty palette of Ayoade’s film immediately establishes the emotionless, claustrophobic world Simon inhabits – surroundings which seem to intoxicate his very character, even down to his vapid stillness.

Against this bleak canvas, Simon’s attentions are occupied by two things, the first being a space-age TV adventure show (lead by a pouting, stubbly Paddy Considine) which is, at once, hilariously dreadful yet channels the energy of creepy Orwellian propaganda. The second is the ethereal Hannah (Mia Wasikowska) who lives in the flat opposite Simon but pays him little attention. Unfortunately for Simon, Hannah’s reciprocal affection seems as distant and unreal as the TV programme. Simon makes up excuses daily to visit Hannah but can never muster the courage to speak, instead, in a Rear-Window-esque trope, watching her silently through his telescope at night; it’s tragic, absurd, hilarious and creepy. Indeed, this multiplicity of tones, balanced so delicately by Eisenberg’s performance, is what makes The Double a truly impressive work.

The central conceit of the film follows Simon James meeting James Simon, an exact replica of himself facially but in all other senses his polar opposite. Ayoade draws out the uncanniness of the scenario with skill; because Simon is so essentially invisible in contrast with the ebullient and charismatic James, no-one is able or willing to recognise the eeriness of the situation, making this a complication which Simon must deal with independently. The camera-work effortlessly captures the neurotic disorientation of Simon, and Ayoade’s tendency to dwell on shots with a sort of irrational precision collapses the distinction between the psychological and reality to unsettling effect.

Notable too is the sound design of The Double, switching between mechanical droning, orchestral scores and dead silence in a way which further highlights the extent to which what we watch is being distorted by a disturbed perceiving consciousness. Where Submarine utilised voice-over to great effect, here Ayoade deprives us of any mediating or signposting voice, assaulting the mind and senses with pictures and sounds as tantalising and mystifying as its Dostoyevsky source material.

It’s funny, but uncomfortably so. Although lightened by a number of brilliant cameo roles (Chris Morris as a ‘workers service executive’ and Craig Roberts as the side-kick of a suicide police investigator are particular stand-outs) Jesse Eisenberg is not playing the role for the laughs. Although he clearly relishes the egotistical narcissism of the extrovert James, both roles are thoughtfully shaped and ultimately quite saddening. Indeed, it’s almost anti-comedy, as if James is trapped inside a sit-com, trying to break out of the comedic set-up in which he is ensnared, where everything is designed to frustrate his very human desires.

Unfortunately, Ayoade’s film can be so thoughtfully stylised and psychological that there are times when the action on screen becomes distant, at time alienating. Although the film demands a cold temperature to convey the numbed, stilted life of James, even Mia Wasikowska’s deeply sympathetic performance can’t always retrieve the film from the lifelessness it has tried so hard to convey; I found myself yearning for the underlying warmth of a film like Submarine. This is potentially problematic in a film which has so many narrative twists, where even the slightest disengagement engenders confusion in the mind of the viewer.

Nevertheless, the 93 minute running time means the film reaches a deeply satisfying conclusion before the film’ coldness can become tiresome. And the way Ayoade maintains a consistency of tone throughout is preferable to tacking on half-an-hour of superficially sentimental slop – the road too often taken by indie film-makers. It’s a provocative, aesthetically arresting piece on the way our exterior environment dictates what it means to be an individual, shrewdly written and cleverly acted. Although Richard Ayoade will hopefully remain on Big Fat Quiz of the Year for the foreseeable future, his second directorial project demands that he is taken seriously as an auteur-director, not simply as a TV funny-man. 

Pre-Release Thoughts: The Maleficent Conundrum

Anna Corderoy
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Pre-Release Thoughts: The Maleficent Conundrum

As a general rule, everybody always goes a little bit crazy when something very familiar is shaken up and taken in a new direction. Maleficent, Disney’s newest release, has certainly stirred up a remarkable amount of online controversy — and it doesn’t even land in cinemas until May 30th.

Prejudging certainly happens with the vast majority of new cinematic releases, it’s only natural. Cinema ticket prices are hugely inflated and we want to rest assured that we are getting value for money. If the film looks to be poor quality or a drawn-out sequel of a once-popular hit, sales will inevitably be disappointing. On the other hand, if it’s the long-awaited next episode of a vast franchise or series, there is likely to be a large degree of hype awaiting its release. 

But with Maleficent, nobody really knows what to think. Or where to start. Or indeed, where this film really fits in at all. First of all, where do we place it with regards to Disney’s original animated film Sleeping Beauty (1959)? It is certainly not a sequel, as the action appears to play out within the timeframe of the same story. But the trailer also hints that there will be interspersed moments of backstory…is it therefore partially a prequel? Others would argue, more significantly, that the two films should not be placed together at all. 

The trailer itself doesn’t exactly fill you with the warm fuzzy-wuzzy Disney love-story magic of the original film. It looks a lot darker, very medieval, evocative of an epic. Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings spring to mind as far as aesthetic is concerned. Though this is very in keeping with popular culture, it has a fatal flaw: being so ominous and scary, it cuts away a sizeable chunk of the Disney franchise’s target audience. Though it has a sizeable adult following, the ethos of Disney has always been child-centered. And though it isn’t the first time Disney has aimed a film at its adult fan base, the majority of those films stood alone, not inseparably tied to one of Disney’s classic kids’ films. 

Even the mere commissioning of the film was enough to raise eyebrows. Would this film, the picking apart of one of the greatest, most unquestionably evil Disney villains, not ruin the original classic? I’d like, at this particular moment, to subtly cough out the word “Wicked”. Maleficent is not the first attempt to remould the villain of a traditional story. In Gregory Maguire’s hugely successful 1995 novel (yes, the book, not the musical) Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, he examines the character of the witch Elphaba through an alternative, more elucidating lens. Like Maleficent, undoubtedly the novel is targeted at an adult audience (NOT a bedtime read for your children), whereas the original Wizard of Oz story is very child-friendly. Yet, most importantly, Maguire’s novel does not largely impact upon the original. We are able, culturally and artistically, to see and enjoy the two creations as being separate if we choose to. 

So the ‘review of the antagonist’ has been done before, and done successfully, without spoiling the source story. But the parallels between Maleficent and the Wicked franchise are far from perfect. Whereas Maguire sheds light on areas of Oz left unlit by the original’s author L. Frank Baum, and introduces characters we didn’t meet in the original, Maleficent is set within the original setting, with the original characters, and even some of the original action. Whereas initially it seemed we could class the film as a prequel, this seems to suggest that rather it is a flat-out remake, with some significant alterations that will, therefore, impact upon the original. 

One more thing cannot be ignored. Angelina Jolie is playing the starring role. It’d be foolish to deny that alone will be a huge point of interest for many. In the trailer, I have to say she appears fabulous. She certainly has the look, she has the voice, she has mastered the nuances of the character, and all of this drawn from a mere two-minute snippet. Considering this, with the whole concept of the film being extensively scrutinised, I’m hoping for tw things.  One, that the film was not constructed around the signing of Jolie to the project and two, if the film is such a “bad idea”, her performance can save it. 

Of course, all of this is speculation. Maleficent might be a huge hit. One thing cannot be denied, many of us, even if we express our doubts about the film, are firmly on Disney’s side — Sleeping Beauty is a childhood memory cherished by many. Though it may be a film that one journalist in the New York Post declared will most likely be a “write down”, a lot of us certainly don’t want it to be. I for one will be crossing my fingers for Disney when May 30th comes around; the proof will be in the pudding. 

Kate Rundell wins the Waterstones Children’s book prize

Emma Simpson
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Kate Rundell wins the Waterstones Children’s book prize
Kate Rundell introduces herself to as the author of two childrens’ novels (The Girl Savage and Rooftoppers) and research fellow of All Souls College. She is writing a thesis on John Donne alongside working on both her third children’s book and a murder mystery for adults. The room, comprised mostly of aspiring undergraduate authors, draws a slightly intimidated collective breath. 
 
Within five minutes, however, she has established herself as the rare sort of person who manages to be both charmingly eccentric and completely accessible. Rundell is, after all, a storyteller, and listening to her speak is as absorbing as her novels. She seems rather like a character from a story herself, introducing her talk with anecdotes about eating instant coffee from a spoon, and strapping herself to a chair to force herself to write 1000 words a day. 
 
Even money-talk loops round to a discussion on the importance of economics to children’s novels (which are, Rundell proposes, “essentially socialist”). As everyone in the room has probably considered writing as an profession, she gives us the facts as far as she can remember them. The average advance for a first-time writer of children’s fiction is around £8000, but can go as low as £2000. Her advice for anyone who wants to be a children’s writer: “you absolutely should, but you should also absolutely get a day job”. Her relationship with her publisher she describes as based on “editing and love”. 
 
How does Rundell feel about the future of the publishing industry, in a world which largely considers that plagiarising and downloading will be its end? She is optimistic. “Fundamentally in favour” of eBooks, she considers that they enable us to draw stronger genre lines between “books that take you away from the world”, which you would read on a commute, say, and books which “give you something to take into the world with you”. She also predicts a rise in appreciation of the book as an object of beauty in its own right.
 
So what are the biggest problems in the world of children’s literature? Aside from the mandatory hatred of Michael Gove, it troubles Rundell how difficult it is for writers to talk about their work. Any form of self-criticism is impossible, and so uncommon that it comes to look “deranged, falsely modest” and “just not sexy”.There is also the problem of how, when children don’t write reviews, you can possibly know if what you write is “any good”. Rundell’s favourite letters from young fans are the ones in which children make up scenes: it shows that they have entered your world deeply enough for it to spark imaginative thoughts of their own.
 
Does she worry about the increasing “sanitizing” of writing for children? Rooftoppers is banned in some schools in Texas because in it a little girl drinks whiskey. As in every creative field, she says, “we have problems which are entrenched, and we’re trying to deal with them.” Protagonists are still largely white, and often male: “Hermione Granger and the Chamber of Secrets would never have sold”. Does she, then, see anything of herself in Sophie, the feisty protagonist of Rooftoppers? No, she laughs. For a protagonist to be in any way successful, they have to be a blank canvas – a home for the readers’ dreams and hopes. “All you need, really, is gutsiness and wit”. 
 
Where Rundell puts herself into her novels is in their settings. Rooftoppers was inspired by climbing on the roof of All Souls, accessible through a trapdoor. This is the part of the discussion where her eyes really light up. You can climb all along Turl Street on the rooftops of its colleges. Some brave souls have even scaled the Sheldonian. To write children’s fiction, it seems, you need more than a vague sense of the playful, as well as the enviable ability to put things in a way which is lyrical and original without sounding affected. “I love Shakespeare in that visceral way that I love cigarettes, and swimming in the sea”, she tells me later over a smoothie, when I ask about her PhD. I wish I had said it. I also wish that I smoked.
 
Rooftoppers has been announced as the overall winner of the 10th Watersones Childrens’ prize as well as top of the 5-12 age category.

A ‘case’ for the Anglo-Saxons

Emma Simpson
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A ‘case’ for the Anglo-Saxons

It’s 3pm on a Wednesday, and Room 41 of the British Museum is, for lack of a better word, buzzing. As a Medievalist, dedicated watcher of Time Team and general museum geek, I had expected to be one of the few people genuinely excited to hear that the Museum were revamping the room dedicated to showcasing the Sutton Hoo hoard – probably the most important archaeological discovery made in Britain to date. It is lovely, then, to see it so full of life. There are children here, admiring the weaponry. There are people who aren’t tour-guides talking excitedly about artistic symbolism.

The some 600 years that are termed the ‘Anglo-Saxon’ period saw the splitting of the country into separate Kingdoms; the conversion of the English people from Paganism to Christianity; the emergence of a culture of literacy which was the beginnings of the English language as we know it. And yet, it is a period also very much preoccupied with its own transience – the lack of a clear place in history which has continued to define it, leaving the skill and beauty of its art unsung and under-appreciated.

Generally, few people care about the Anglo-Saxons. Consider, say, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s dingy and uninspiring presentation of the Staffordshire Hoard. The Ashmolean, admittedly, glories in its Medieval collection, with the Alfred Jewel continuously hailed as one of the museum’s must-see objects – but that is only to be expected for a museum owned by the only university in the country where Old English is still mandatory for English undergraduates.

This is a people too often pushed to the side-lines of history, overshadowed by their Roman predecessors and Anglo-Norman successors. It is significant, then, that room 41 actually feels like the centre of something. The Museum are demonstrating their engagement with the idea that the concept of the ‘Dark Ages’ is out of date.

There is, accordingly, a real feeling of light and space in the curation of this room. The tall bright glass cases showcase the intricate artefacts of the hoard in such a way that highlights not (as would perhaps be expected) their age, nor their varying states of decay and fragmentation – but their delicate craftsmanship, their richness and intricacy.

Items aren’t just left to tell their own stories – they are consciously engaged with. The most fragmented pieces have been pieced together, or else placed next to reconstructions which show the way they would have looked in their original glory. Illustrations – such as one showing a cauldron suspended from a beam in the all-important hall – help to place items in context and bring the period alive. The (Alfred) jewel of the collection, the famous helmet, holds a central position, strikingly illuminated to showcase the bestial form created by the brow and nose.

It is not the glass cases and LED lights which create the room’s feeling of space: the contents of the cases are light and beautiful, too. It’s not all rusted weaponry and cruciform brooches. There is a striking amount of glasswork – in the form of beads, drinking-horns, goblets, conical flasks and Roman-style claw-beakers. The shining gold and silver of the plates and jewellery reflect the light of their cases, but also create a light of their own, and appear as new as the day they were buried inside a ship in modern-day East Anglia 1,300 years ago.

Whether you’re a medieval enthusiast looking for something to complement the Vikings exhibition (which I will see when I have a spare £13), an English first-year longing to put The Wanderer etc. into context (because prelims), or if you’re just passing through on the way to see the mummies, Room 41 is well worth a look.

“Why couldn’t we create a monorail?” says County Councillor

Tom Hall
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“Why couldn’t we create a monorail?” says County Councillor

Oxford students’ wishes for a monorail could be granted, if only after 2020, following an announcement by county council leader Ian Hudspeth.

Speaking at the “Connecting Oxfordshire” event, he explained that the existing infrastructure in Oxfordshire is likely to come under further strain in the near future, with 86,000 new jobs and 100,000 new homes predicted to arrive in the county by 2031.

“There are exciting times ahead”, he said. “Towns across Oxfordshire are going to increase in size, with places such as Bicester set to double in size over the next ten years. We are also seeing the technology and knowledge industry Science Vale Oxford really take off and the county council needs to lead the way in developing the supporting infrastructure.”

He added, “We can’t rule out ideas that might seem fanciful, such as creating a passenger service on the Cowley branch line, a mass transit system into Oxford. And why couldn’t we create a monorail connecting key locations around the city’s ring road?”

A car-free, “boulevard piazza” on St. Giles was also proposed. Hudspeth said that this would, “really give a different feel to the whole city centre.”

Samuel Kim, a medic at St. John’s, told Cherwell, “Dodging cars on St. Giles’ is always a thrill, but if we do get a piazza future students will certainly enjoy the reduction in mortal peril to get to G&D’s”.

This proposed transport link from the city centre to Banbury Road could grant students at St. Hugh’s and LMH the monorail promised in LJ Trup’s “personifesto” last year.

Some students contacted were concerned about the potential visual impact of the project, however. A senior member of the Oxford University History Society said, “Oxford’s historical beauty is a great draw for both prospective students and tourists alike. Hopefully, they can find a way to implement the monorail in a way that will both complement the visual image of our city and provide a great boost for its efficiency.”

Oxford city centre currently has a high traffic volume, with 180 buses per hour using the High Street and 80,000 vehicles using the ring road every weekday.

The proposed changes would extend an existing, £800 million plan to improve transport in Oxfordshire that includes a new railway station at Water Eaton, alongside improvements to existing stations at Oxford and Didcot.

 

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