Notebook Letters 8.

Jumping to jack's defence

John, Monmouthshire- I have always disliked jack nicholson. But, to be fair I'll try chinatown and let you know if my mind changes. Sean, Chorlton

John, Monmouthshire and Paul, Plymouth- I've seen the films you list and still don't rate nicholson. As Good As It Gets was OK. Phil, leeds

Favourite films- Gladiator, Lord of The Rings trilogy and Saving Private Ryan. Jamie, leeds

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

Jennifer's biggest fan

There isn't a role Jennifer Connelly couldn't play. Not only is she aesthetically pleasing, she's also a great thespian. I can't fathom why Angelina Jolie et al are more popular. Jennifer outclassed everyone in He's Just Not That Into You. Rich, Aylesbury

I've nothing against Orange sponsoring cinema advertising but the joke with those film board characters were off as soon as it started. Please, no more. James, Chester-le-Street

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

roman polanski debate rages

Sorry, I'm confused, why has roman polanski had famous backing from the satars in his films even if he committed the disgusting crime? Herbie, Fairford

I'm appalled and saddened to learn of roman polanski's arrest. Having survived the nazis and the horrific death of his wife, it beggars belief that he is still being hounded for an indiscretion which took place over thirty years ago. t rivers, suss*x

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

No forgiveness for polanski

The author robert harris was quoted at the weekend as saying: "Why now is an elderly man grabbed off a plane and stuffed into jail? I think this is pretty appalling." He was talking about roman polanski so I'd imagine the answer is pretty obvious.

Why are celebrities forgiven for shocking crimes that they committed just because they are talented? Nicko, Derby

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 31st of September, 2009; 5/6.

Risky business for Cruise

Daniel, London- I think that Tom Cruise is a fine actor, but I do think that he could stand to take a few more risks when choosing roles. However, when you said Risky Business was the last good movie Tom Cruise made, I lost all respect for any opinion you were trying to express.

Rain Man, Born On The Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, Minority Report... I could go on. NC, St Helen's

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

Air/ Love 2

By John Earls

Heading back to the chilled mood of Moon Safari, the duo regain their effortless cool.

Rather than sound a desperate bid for former glory, there's an elegant, coquettish mischief at play. Romantic and light, it sounds wholly natural.

It's not all familiar territory, with noirish techno on Night Hunter. Exactly the kind of record they need to get peoplew talking again. 8/10

1/8.

Mumford

Hotly-tipped for over a year, their debut is a baffling one to be so hyped.

On its own merits, it's promising enough. There are moments of both stirring, heartfelt balladry and joyous blegrass rattling.

But Marcus Mumford isn't yet convincing as a singer, too much of a one-note bellow, and some songs lack subtlety. The spirit's there, but many more folk-rockers are now fully realised. 6/10

2/8.

Bad Lieutenant/ Never Cry Another Tear

New Order (minus Peter Hook) return, along with new Manchester singer-guitarist John Evans.

Recorded at Evans' flat, it's warm and organic, with Bernard Sumner's more melancholic vocals, but musically taut and driven. There's even (gasp!) a guitar solo on Summer Holidays.

Evans' songs fit well, his wistful vocals recalling Haven in long-lasting emotional pop. Over to you, Hooky.

3/8.

Boy Crisis/ Tulipomania

The '80s crisis reaches New York, with disastrous consequences.

The quintet reel off endless ropey pastiches, sung by Victor Vasquez in the smug manner of a self-styled ladies man who hasn't actually had a girlfriend this decade.

S*xless, pale funk that doesn't show any love of music beyond how to send up the greats, it makes Har Mar Superstar look like Sly Stone. 2/10

4/8.

Roseanne Cash/ The List

Cash covers her dad Johnny's favourite country songs, based on a list he gave Roseanne on her 18th birthday.

With big-hitting guests like Costello, Springsteen, Wilco and Rufus Wainwright it's a sincere project, but overly reverential too.

Cash has a fine, sturdy voice. But she's restrained here, as if unwilling to upset the ghosts of the originals, resulting in sterility. 5/10

5/8.

The Veronicas/ Hook Me Up

Although it's their first British album, Aussie twins Jessica and Lisa Origliasso released two earlier albums and have already honed their girlpop.

Though it's aimed squarely at a post-Miley Cyrus fanbase, because it eschews modern R & B pop trends, it sounds sweetly more timeless for it.

Half of the album is honking ballads, but the simple sugar rush of the title track and On The Floor compensate. 6/10

6/8.

Why? Eskimo Snow

Recorded at the same time as 2008's acclaimed Alopecia album, the Anticon collective releases its darker side.

Alopecia moved away from hip hop into indie, and this veers even further away into bleak piano and acoustic motifs, whose prettiness is scarred by Yoni Wolf's increasingly self-pitying nasal raps and occasionally arid lyrics.

Songs like Blackest Purse are moving, but it's a slog over a full album. 6/10

7/8.

Nancy Elizabeth/ Wrought Iron

Abandoning the harp that got her a cult audience on her 2007 debut, the Wigan singer-songwriter wrote the follow-up in rural Spain and the Faroe Islands.

Achingly beautiful, it's sparse and often barely there, but Nancy uses both the fragile soundscapes and her husky voice to create a rich dreamworld.

Echoes of Talk Talk's ambience and Low's hushed calm are here in a land of fractured wonder. 8/10

8/8.

Teletext page 823; 1st of October, 2009.

Why would musicians retire?

By John Earls

Although it's his first weak novel, Nick Hornby's new book Juliet Naked is based on an intriguing idea: musicians who simply retire.

It tells of Tucker Crowe, a cult singer who retired in the '80s, and the obsessive fans who still yearn for him to return.

Why would musicians choose to quit? And at what point does writer's block turn into a form of forced retirement?

There's a big difference between choosing to retire and struggling on with writer's block.

The La's, Elizabeth Fraser, The Sisters of Mercy, The Avalanches... all claim to be making new albums, but all have gone so long since a new record that they may as well have given up.

Nick Hornby says the initial idea for Juliet Naked was a Sly Stone article.

Hornby's character Tucker Crowe is a far cry from Stone- musically, Crowe resesmbles a sweet Jackson Browne type.

Sstone's retirement, bar some horribly chaotic festival shows two years ago, seems markedly less serene than Crowe's. Like the similarly long dormant Brian Wilson, Stone has battled mental problems and financial chaos.

The only high-profile musician to quit successfully is Captain Beefheart, who returned to his real name Don Van Vliet and took up art.

Having been advised he needed to stop making music if he wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, he gave up in 1982 and slowly became a respected abstract painter by critics.

Sadly, Van Vliet has been unable to paint for a decade due to ill health.

There are grey areas with cult artists' retirement- fans hope they'll return, and their public profile is so minimal that no-one knows if they're working on material anyway.

This is typified by Mark Hollis, the Talk Talk singer who retired in 1998.

Like The Sundays, there are vague rumours Hollis will return once his children are grown up. In Hollis' case, no-one quite knows why he quit anyway.

Some musicians return from retirement, with varying degrees of success.

Brian Wilson has become a respected nostalgia act, John Foxx has simply gone on as if he never went away and Dexy's Midnight Runners' reunion show at London Royal Festival Hall is among the 10 best gigs PS has ever seen.

Perhaps the ultimate example is Scott Walker, whose recent albums are among the most baffling ever made...

Teletext page 824; 1st of October, 2009.

Tom Cruise plays the same roles

I have to agree about Tom Cruise's lack of originality. He's played the same roles: immature bad boy wastes talent, experiences life-changing court case/ sporting event/ abduction/ death, grows up, gets the girl. Nicko, Derby

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 2nd of October, 2009; 1/6.

Split opinions over polanski

t rivers- I suggest you read the case background to polanski's indiscretion. I admire his cinematic works and feel sad for his troubles, but cannot back him for his s*x crime. Tony, Salisbury

t rivers- is right. When I was aged 19 and in a group, I took a girl to my hotel room. One of my bandmates told me she was 14 before anything happened. polanski only found out the girl's age when he was charged. mondo, kernow

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

polanski case repugnant

t rivers- shame on you. The idea of a man in his 40s having s*x with a 13-year-old girl is repugnant. Duane, Hull

t rivers- You're appalled that a then 44-year-old man who plied a 13-year-old girl with champagne and had s*x with her should be held accountable. Hardly an indiscretion. Jason, Grimsby

t rivers- If a 44-year- old man had s*x with your 13-year-old daughter, would you be so forgiving? Paula, Glasgow

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 2nd of October, 2009; 3/6.

Bring back classic horror films

Showing the horror movies of the 20th century like psycho, Halloween, Friday The 13th, evil dead, Dead By Dawn, Dawn of The Dead, The Exorcist, The Omen, The Fog and the thing would show up the horror movies of the 21st century as the outdated, talentless, artless, fearless retreads they are. MWR, Thornaby On Tees

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 2nd of October, 2009; 4/6.

Waterloo could be confusing

Paul- Sergei Bondarchuk's 1970 film Waterloo was heavily cut when released and hours of shot footage not used, ensuring that anyone with little knowledge of the period found the start rather confusing. Stuart, Sheffield

Classics at the cinema- actually, Raging Bull and scarface were brought back to the cinema only a few months ago. Too bad you missed them. Faris, Putney

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 2nd of October, 2009; 5/6.

Goodfellas beats The Godfather

Goodfellas is better than Godfather because of its realism. James, leeds

A Bittersweet Life has a wistful undertone with an understated performance from Lee Byung Hun. Max, Kettering

Jennifer Connelly gives depth to her roles that more popular actresses can't equal, namely the ones in rom-coms. I liked her best in The Hot Spot with Virginia Madsen. Peter, Saxmundham

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

Quotations of the week

By John Earls

"I had da highest-sellin urban single and sold over 1m albums. Cool. F the Mobos." Tinchy Stryder Twitters after not winning a Mobo.

"With the recession, it feels a little in bad taste to erect a gold statue. But one day..." Nick Cave, on plans for a statue of him in his home town.

"Set it up. I want to sign a rock band." Snoop Dogg wants to get Noel Gallagher to join his new record label.

1/6.

The week ahead in TV

Simian Mobile Disco are on 4Play (C4, Sat, 12.50am), after Beyoncé, No Doubt and ZZ Top are on F1 Rocks (Fri, 11.45pm).

Mika's new video for Blame It On The Girls premieres on C4 (Sat, 11am), while Andy Warhol is profiled on The South Bank Show (ITV, Sun, 10.15pm).

Echo And The Bunnymen, Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris and Andy Williams are on Later (BBC2, Tue, 10pm). Hockey do NMT Buzzcocks (BBC2, Thu, 10pm).

2/8.

The week ahead in radio

Noah And The Whale are on Zane Lowe (Radio 1, Mon-Thu, 7pm), while Stories (Mon, 9pm) looks at how to get music used in TV and films.

Diamond Head, Budgie and Saxon are interviewed on the final part of metal documentary British Steel (R2, Sat, 9pm), presented by Justin Lee Collins.

Cerys Matthews is on Dermot O'Leary (Sat, 3pm), with Bad Lieutenant on Radcliffe & Maconie (Mon-Thu, 8pm).

3/6.

The week ahead in gigs

Enter Shikari tour from Sunday, with Kano playing from Thursday.

Pixies play their Doolittle album in full from Sunday, while Li'l' Wayne plays his re-arranged shows from Wednesday.

Dizzee Rascal tours from Saturday, Daniel Merriweather hits the road from Monday, while continuing tours include Richard Hawley, The Maccabees, Bloc Party, Peter Bjorn And John, Tom McRae and Mott The Hoople.

4/6.

Champs of the week

Flea After RHCP's dismal last album, most people had written them off as a bloated joke. Then Flea joins Thom Yorke's backing band, a move which no one saw coming. Can't wait for the twiddly version of Paranoid Android.

A Genuine Freakshow Yet to find a label or PR backing, thanks to reader Lawrie Ward for pointing us in the direction of a band with the towering ambition, pop suss and teetering chaos that only the best brass-filled bands manage.

5/6.

Chumps of the week

Meglena Kunleva The EU's consumer boss wants to virtually halve the maximum noise levels on iPods. Even with noise reducing headphones, it's tricky to hear music on public transport without ramping up the volume. Her suggestions would be wholly, what? Yes, it's fish today, isn't it? Can I have a biscuit?

Mike Read Belated karma for his hissy fit all those years ago, he's declared bankrupt and has to sell his record collection. Good.

6/6

Teletext page 825; 2nd of October, 2009.

polanski not beyond the law

t rivers- The only thing that appals me about the polanski case is it took so long to catch him. His celebrity, the time elasped nor his misfortunes should place him above the law. Don't forget the nature of his indiscretion, as you termed it. Richard, Southend

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of October, 2009; 1/6.

Forgiveness is divine

Us Brits and our sense of moral indignation for others. How we love to throw stones in our glass houses. I've seen an interview with Samantha Garner stating she wishes the case to be dropped. Her own mother was aware of proceedings at the time. To quote Alexander Pope: "To err is human, to forgive divine." t rivers, suss*x

mondo- No, the girl didn't look 13 in her photos at the time. She looked more like 12. Rosie, Andover

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of October, 2009; 2/6.

polanski admitted offence

What people should remember is polanski admitted to having s*x with a minor. No matter how long ago it may have been, he committed the offence. Just because he has evaded arrest for so long does not mean he should be left alone. To do so would condone s*xual crimes against minors provided the perpetrator could evade capture for long enough. Would gary glitter have the same level of support? Probably not. And before people ask, I am a child protection solicitor. Paul, Sheffield

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

Despair over opinions

roman polanski drugged and r*ped a child and people seem to think there is nothing wrong with this. Sometimes I despair. Liam, Sheffield

I hope polanski gets a custodial sentence. Crimes of that nature turn my stomach. Sal, Northants

t rivers- Your choice of the word "indiscretion" beggars belief. I trust roman polanski will be convicted if guilty. Batt, Dungannon

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of October, 2009; 4/6.

The Appointment fine horror

Quite apart from The Wicker Man, I think The Appointment is another fine horror to the credit of Edward Woodward. It's CGI-free with an unnerving quality, which makes more of an impact on the central nervous systems of cinephiles. Brendan, Tralee

Hurrah for Amazon! Life Is Beautiful, 4-disc edition of Cinema Paradiso, Across The Universe and The Boat That Rocked. I'm slowly replacing my video collection with DVDs. mondo, kernow

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 3rd of September, 2009; 5/6.

Going against the grain

Everyone seems to like Titanic, all other Kate Winslet films, Rambo, The Godfather, Rocky and any Steven Seagal film. Am I the only person who hates them (apart from the Kate Winslet films Eternal Sunshine and Life of David Gale)? Matthew, Sheffield

PS: I put Titanic separate as out of every film I've ever seen, it's one I hate the most.

DF- Why waste your money? Get a rental subscription. It's about £2 a film and you can have your pick. MJ, Belfast

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

Do the right thing and watch

I have just seen Do The Right Thing on Blu-ray and I think that it has lost none of its power 20 years after its release. It may be a bit didactic, but like most Spike Lee joints it's an edifying and regaling experience. Rich, Aylesbury

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 4th of October, 2009; 1/6.

Martial arts movie debate

Martial arts movies. Sheer screen presence- Bruce Lee. Best endurance and athleticism- Jackie Chan. Absolute leg kicking master- Hwang Jang Lee. Best movies- Drunken Master, Prodigal Son and more recently, Fighter In The World.

My favourite martial artist is Donnie Yen, his fluid and high speed kicking style make Seagal and Van Damme look like the sad wannabes that they are! Joe, Dysart

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 4th of October, 2009; 2/6.

Hobbit news, please

Does anyone know if work on The Hobbit has started yet? Should be interesting to see how the scenes in Fangorn with the spiders turns out. Matthew, Islandmagee

Anyone interested in seeing something different should watch Andzrej Zulawski's 1980s film Possession. It's a surreal story full of strange characters and has an amazing performance from the beautiful Isabelle Adjani. Jim, Portsmouth

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 4th of October, 2009; 3/6.

No Cruise control

NC, St Helen's- I lost all respect for your opinion on acting when you called Tom Cruise " a fine actor". He ruins every movie he's been in. Barry, London

I watched the film Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? over the weekend- I haven't seen a great film like that in a long time. Nick, Bromley

Could anyone please tell me if there is a release date for The Expendables? Tom, Blackburn

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

Review of Hollywood talent

Robert De Niro has some talent and diversity, even if he has done some cringy scenes jack nicholson is an overrated hack. Every film he has made he plays jack nicholson not the character. roman polanski has been running for years. About time he got punished. Maritzel, Yorkshire

jack nicholson- best actor ever. Tom Cruise deserved an Oscar for Rainman. Heath Ledger's Joker is one of the best performances ever. Allan, Surrey

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 4th of October, 2009; 5/6.