Notebook Letters 6.

Comic movie requests

A DC Comics movie I would like to see is The Doom Patrol. Robotman, Negative Man, Beast Boy and Elasti-Girl are not typical super heroes. They may well have influenced movies as diverse as Robocop and Monsters vs Aliens, as well as The Incredibles. Chris, Welwyn

I'm looking forward to 2012 but with it directed by Roland Emerich I hope it doesn't end with a cheesy image of the American flag above the survivors' settlement. James, Chester-le-Street

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 29th of October, 2009; 6/6.

Quotations of the week

"That's what N-Dubz bring to the table: clever." Dappy, not a man usually given to irony.

"My doctor said I shouldn't smile. I told him I don't." Morrissey plays his first gig since collapsing on stage in Swindon last weekend.

"I don't want to do anything solo, I want to be in a band." Liam Gallagher will be inundated with audition for his post-Oasis band.

1/6.

The week ahead in radio

Jack White is on Jo Whiley (Radio, Sat-Sun, 10am), while Royksopp do Nick Grimshaw (Mon-Thu, 10pm).

Jarvis Cocker is on Jonathan Ross (R2, Sat, 10pm), followed by Passion Pit and Air on Dermot O'Leary (3pm).

Johnny Marr is on a documentary about Maida Vale Studios (Sat, 10pm). John Lydon and Seasick Steve do Radcliffe & Maconie (Mon-Thu, 8pm). Stereophonics are on Janice Long (Tue-Fri, 12am).

2/6.

The week ahead in TV

Green Day are on Jonathan Ross (BBC1, Fri, 10:35pm) while Alphabeat and Royksopp do 4 Music (C4, Sat, 12:20am).

Snow Patrol do Favourites (C4, Sat, 10:25 am). Doves and Lyle Lovett do Live From Abbey Road (C4, Sat, 11:50pm).

Foo Fighters, Jay-Z and Stornoway are on Later Live (BBC2, Tue, 10pm). Beyoncé does For The Record (C4, Sun, 11:35pm).

3/6.

The week ahead in gigs

A-ha do their final ever British show from Monday.

Fleetwood Mac tour their hits album from Friday, while Kaiser Chiefs and Badly Brown Boy play the Care charity concert in London on Monday.

Continuing tours include Marc Almond, Alphabeat, Passion Pit, the chapman family, The Dead Weather, Grizzly Bear, Funeral For A Friend, The Cheek, Maps, The Hours and Cosmo Jarvis.

4/6.

Champs of the week

Johnny Depp Apparently set to play with Babybird at their small London gig, after playing guitar on their album and directing their new video. Yes, that's Babybird- one of the most gloriously nasty singers of the past 15 years. Lord knows what they talk about.

Gary Numan Of all the musicians at the q Awards on Monday, every journalist could be heard saying "Isn't Gary Numan a lovely bloke?" after he charmed the press room.

5/6.

Chumps of the week

The Prodigy Congratulations that, nearly 20 years in, they're playing their first stadium gig next summer. A shame, then, about the terrible support bill featuring Prodigy knock-offs like Pendulum and Does It Offend You, Yeah?.

Foo Fighters Their Best Of album should have been one of the greatest hits LPs of recent times, but they seem to be suicidal with theirs: releasing it just two weeks before Dave Grohl's other band Them Crooked Vultures' debut.

6/6.
Teletext page 824; 30th of October, 2009.

What do you recommend?

Paul, Sheffield- A real hidden gem for me would have to be Dark City, a film by Alex Proyas. Similar to The Matrix. Get the director's cut. Damian, Durham

I recommend Second Hand Lions and Big Fish. Alan Raymond, Worcester

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 30th of October, 2009; 1/6.

Your hidden gems

Paul, Sheffield- I recommend Swedish flick Storm starring Eric Ericson, Spanish sci-fi thriller Timecrimes and the dark fable He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. Max, Kettering

Paul, Sheffield- For hidden gems, try Volere volare, a very funny and original Italian film Or, as Cate from Poole suggested, Night of The Hunter. I think it is superb! William, East Kilbride

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 30th of October, 2009; 2/6.

Film adaption ideas

Jim- I would love to see Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian as a movie. I could just see Daniel Day-Lewis as the enigmatic 'The Judge'. Ev, Liverpool

mondo, Bennings' breath is visible during his outdoor transformation into The Thing, so does that make MacReady infected? Matth, Wakefield

What's the weirdest film you've ever seen? I'd have to say Jacob's Ladder. Very bizarre! Charlene, Dublin

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 30th of October, 2009; 3/6.

Video rental memories...

My initial video rental, aged 14, was Romero's Martin after hearing Soft Cell's tribute song on Art of Falling Apart. Today I own the original video, two soundtracks of the film, five copies of the novel, two Anchor Bay plus Lion Gate's DVD and an original UK cinema poster. I think that makes me a lifetime fan. t. rivers, suss*x

Does anyone have any info about any upcoming old films/ tributes about Tyrone Power coming on TV? Anon

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 30th of October, 2009; 4/6.

The good old days

M. Chap- I remember going to the video shop in the early '80s to rent Class of 1984. There was a film called The Atlantis Interceptors as well. Does anybody know if this film is out on DVD at all? Mark, Faversham

Tim, Mid Wales- You mentioned watching the brilliant Run Wild, Run Free. Has it finally been released on DVD? Rob, Southend

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 30th of October, 2009; 5/6.

DVD collection heaven

How close are Vortexters having completed your DVD collection? I will have pretty much completed mine thanks to Jem in London who located a couple of my wants of eBay. I anticipate a couple of my weeks on eBay. I anticipate a couple of purchases of new films each year but the back catalogue is nearly done. They don't make 'em like they used to. Peter, Saxmundham

My favourite rap films- Menace, Boyz'n'The Hood, i Got The Hook Up, Don't Be A Menace, Poetic Justice, In Too Deep and Set It Off. Birdy, Portsmouth

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 6/6.

Films of the decade

Films of the decade: 2000 american psycho; Mulholland Drive; 2002 Amores Perros; 2003 Kill Bill: Vol. 1; 2004 Man On Fire; 2005 The 40 Year Old Virgin; 2006 The Departed; 2007 Smokin' Aces; 2008 Hunger; 2009 Inglourious B*sterds.

Rich, Aylesbury

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 1/6.

Favourite heroes?

My favourite animated heroes are Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Both Toy Story films are a fine mixture of humour and pathos. Paula, Glasgow

The weirdest film I've seen has to be fear and loathing in las vegas. Well worth a watch. Johnny Depp's outstanding in it. Ads, Halifax

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 2/6.

Best of the best

Re best titles- How about Dr Strangelove, or: How i Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb; Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead, The People Under, The Man Who Wasn't There, Earth Girls Are Easy, This Is Spinal Tap, Reservoir Dogs Beetlejuice, Jaws, Con Air, The Matrix, Repo Man, Bad Santa. John, Lanarkshire

Hidden gems- Try Lindsey Anderson's brilliant, surreal O, Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital. Steve, Manchester

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 3/6.

A good call

Damian- Good call on Dark City. Also good is peculiar Brit horror/ comedy Funny Man with a cameo by Christopher Lee. The weirdest film I ever saw was Naked Lunch. Guy, Merseyside

Mark- Atlantis Interceptors is available in the Grindhouse Experience Volume 2 box set and I believe there is also a UK individual release. Peter- I envy you. I have over 3, 000 DVD and blu-ray discs and I'm constanty adding to my wish list. Richard, Southend

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 4/6.

That Funny Thing In The Corner of The Screen

In answer to the newbie who asked what that strange thing in the corner is: it is as far as I know, WLW's pet monster Davord. He's starnge and a serious threat to any townies/ B*ckch*tters.

But how he manages to stay on the screen all day is impossible to know...

The Last Mouse On Earth

He has now learned not to play with superglue.

Zine; 4th of March, 2004; 2/8.

The Big Screen influence

The first film I watched on VHS was Alien in 1980. I thought it was rubbish (go ahead, Vortexters). I have seen all the other Alien movies on the big screen and have enjoyed them. It proves the power of the big screen. Kev, Westcliff on Sea

Annie, Bolton- a great psychological horror film from the 1960s is The Haunting. It's very frighetning without overt horrors. Ger, Omagh

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of October, 2009; 6/6.

I'm Outraged

Marilyn Mason, how dare you claim Marilyn to be better than my husband! Outrage! Charlie may be an adolescent with huge eyebrows but I love him that way and wouldn't change him for the world.

Just one glimpse of those brows and one flash of that sweet smile sends my hormones into turmoil. Oh, help, WLW, I'm getting all flustered!

Emma-the-li'l'-Angel

I don't think there's any helping you. Smitten- like with the flu.

Zine; 4th of March, 2004; 4/8.

Was he Palpatine's?

Fascinated by your Luke Skywalker theory, Matth. I have always harboured the belief that he was Palpatine's secret lovechild. This would make more sense when you think of his powers. Rosie Gilbert, Andover, Hants

Here's a new topic: what was the first film you ever saw at the cinema? The first film I ever saw was Back To The Future Part III. Paul, Stockton-on-Tees

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 25th of July, 2008; 3/6.

Let's see the film!

The best sci-fi book ever written is Hyperion Cantos. I can't wait until it's filmed in 2010. Colin Pierce, Huddersfield

Pete, amazon.com have a two-disc edition of driller killer which includes Ferrera's early short films plus a director's commentary track, which is funny. eBay is another online source for imported DVDs. t rivers, suss*x

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 25th of July, 2008; 4/6.

Creepshow is the answer

John M, "I want my cake" was from Creepshow, a Stephen King/ George Romero film based on the EC horror comics of the 1950s. Noodle, Stockport

It's from a short story called Father's Day which is in the first Creepshow by Stephen King. Kelly E, Manchester

Creepshow was the first film I rented, along with The Deadly Spawn and City of The Living Dead during the mid-'80s. Gill S, Leicester

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 25th of July, 2008; 5/6.

Who remembers Leslie?

I remember Leslie Nielsen in another story saying: "I can hold my breath for a really long time." Gaynor Williams, Manchester

Surely the s*xy fembot in Metropolis deserves a mention. Ella, Glasgow

Thank you, Mark Burns. Do you know if I can pick these films up locally or would I have to get it online? Danielle Belfield, Bolton

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 25th of July, 2008; 6/6.

Liking your singles reviews this week. Everything bar Cave gets gip and rightly so. With bands like Oxbow and Skullflower there's hope yet. Dave

I agree with Richard Lowndes. Eg & Alice were great. Eg's 1996 album Turn Me On i'm A Rocket Man is a great lost album. I know Eg has written for others, but has he released anything since '96? What's he up to now? Can anyone help? E-mail: ssmis@fsmail.net

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 1/7.

Lost pop albums? Bellybutton by Jellyfish. A pop masterpiece. Spilt Milk was just as good too. Overlooked but not forgotten by those who've heard them. Lindsay Hassett

John Lydon's outspoken views from the late '80s onwards make me think that he's a one man PR machine. I got what punk was trying to say at the time and enjoyed PIL. I didn't go to IOW Festival this year because he's a phoney. Tony Tudor

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 2/7.

In response to Moriarty, the "if you don't appreciate such and such you don't know good music" argument is typical of the hollow rhetoric people resort to when their sacred cows are criticised.

I know and love great music, some of which we may even agree on (I too love The Smiths), but I experienced The Stone Roses first hand and they left me cold, sound and message-wise. Don't be so precious. Aeniman

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 3/7.

Boosh Fest was a flop if you consider a flop being that only a third of tickets were sold. Just as well, as the organisers failed to provide enough buses to take all them away. Poor ticket sales aside it seemed to go well, even though the music was naff. Comedy and crowd were brill. Betty B

Slayer should split after this album. Their output over the last 15 years has been patchy. Better to bow out than burn out. Jim Quagmire

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 4/7.

I've always thought The Open's first (and only) album, Silent Hours, from 2004 was a fantastic piece of work that passed below the radar for most. Saw them at Reading that year, thought they were going to be massive and then they split. Yet another for the "where are they now?" files. Tony Vegas

Lost pop albums, one of the best has to be the Adult Net debut album. It's a jangly, catchy, summery slice of joy. Johnny white sox

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 5/7.

As a young working class male, can I state that, despite his belief to the contrary, neither Jon McClure, his banal, cliché ridden electro-pop nor his peurile self-serving pseudo-political outbursts have any relevance to my life. To whine about elitism in the music industry is also a bit rich considering he owes his career to knowing an Arctic Monkey. Steflarne

My word, isn't Madame Tussaud's' waxwork of Amy Winehouse s*xy? Carruthers

The Void; Teletext page 827; 26th of July, 2008; 6/7.