Tuesday, November 13

Don't People Hate It/You, When You Are Right!

Recently some family & friends were having a discussion about this & that, in the way the conversations go.

I think the discussion began when we were comparing television programmes, that had initially been introduced by British Television, then 'stolen' or copied by American Television.

Several of us were saying we had preferred the British originals. Over the years there have been quite a few.

The only one that springs to mind at present is, "Till Death us Do Part" which starred Warren Mitchell, & the American copy was "All in the Family" with Archie Bunker.

Conversation moved along, & I mentioned that America now had the London Bridge.

This comment was greeted with derision, & laughter. Everyone assured me I was mistaken, & of course England had not sold London Bridge. I was equally adamant I was right. I remembered that 'Bread' had written a song about it., called, appropriately enough, "London Bridge"


I had declared I would look it up on the Web. Then forgot all about it. I happened to remember it this morning, when another matter of 'slight dispute' came up, & so I looked it up.

Imagine my triumph when I came across the truth, & so I have posted this picture with a link here.

When I showed Gom, he snorted & assured me that this was NOT the bridge everyone was meaning. It was the Tower Bridge. Since I was the one who had raised the topic, I know which bridge I was meaning!!

Some days you can't possibly win an argument with a man, & so the best thing is to forget about it. I couldn't, so I have posted about it instead!

I will try really hard not to mention the fact that a beloved Fuchsia, which had almost died in the drought, but was now flowring again, & full of life, has been brutally ripped out of the ground, & I hope it fecking well haunts his dreams & chokes him

****
Last evening I decided spend some boring tv time quality time with Gom, instead of pottering about on the computer, or sewing, or having fun. Of course that meant he had to pretend he didn't care, whether or not he watched his soaps.

I don't know if it just me, or if anyone else has noticed, that most of the recent televisual dross programmes, are using agonisingly long facial close-up shots. We watched an episode of 'City Homicide', which is an Australian drama. Some of the stories seem ok, some of the acting is good. Some of the acting I see as dismal, but I think it has a lot to do with prolonged facial shots.

One poor girl Nadine Garner, had to stand, attempting to show a range of emotions & thoughts that only a contortionist would be capable of. She flared her nostrils, rolled her eyes, raised the eyebrows to differing heights, sniffed a little, ... all the while, not frowning, not smiling & certainly not laughing at the ludicrous range of facial tics she is developing as a result of all the angst ridden close-up takes.

If that poor chap, Aaron Pedersen, has to spend many more episodes scowling, he will be a very wrinkled man at the end of the series! As to the curl of the lip, in snarl mode... well, I suppose plastic surgery is always an option for actors. The only 2 I see in a favourable light are Noni Hazlehurst, & the man off 'Thank God Your'e Here'. Shane Bourne*. Sorry to keep overseas readers in the dark here, & I am hopeless at actors names! Dont get me wrong, I am not really knocking Oz actors, I just think they could do with a little less 'directing'?

It seems to me to be a general trend, as all the American, & rather a lot of British TV I have watched lately, tend to dwell too long on the faces of the characters- IMHO. Even 'Judge Deed' series, is a little inclined to spend a bit too long in close-ups of faces.

In the case of young females, one could conclude perhaps the cameraman, or perhaps the director might be smitten with her, therefore eager to soak up her gorgeous face. But surely not every cameraman is thusly smitten, not every director swooning at the sight of his -oft times, minor- female actor.


Bread, London Bridge.

Edited to add;

* I went & checked out some of the names for the actors,- would have added pics, but they were not there!

22 comments:

Mary said...

I would have supported you Meggie. That is one of those weird facts that I have also tucked away at some stage re London Bridge.

Christine Thresh said...

You were right.

Tanya Brown said...

Oh, Meggie! I always feel halfway guilty when I read one of your screeds about GOM murdering hapless fuchsias and the like and end up laughing till my sides hurt. Poor fuchsia! I swear, one day you'll wake up and GOM will have cemented over the whole yard.

And of course you're right about London Bridge - it's at Lake Havasu City, AZ, which has always struck me as all wrong and rather pretentious of us Americans. On the other hand, if it was just going to be thrown out or go to waste, why not?

Joyce said...

I knew about London Bridge too. It's in Arizona isn't it? I think TV is pretty much the same level of awfulness all over the world. We get hundreds of channels (seems like anyway) and usually I can find nothing worth watching.

Mike said...

I had also read about that info about The London Bridge, so I would have agreed with you on that one.

When Americans "steal" a TV program, they feel the need to glitz it up and dumb it down. It's really condescending as far as I am concerned. My wife watches BBC a lot and I have to admit that in general, the programming is better.

Elaine Adair said...

Good post - I read it through and through - wish you were standing right here, so you could listen to ME with many of the same uhhhh ranxxxx, no, comments! Yep, that's a better word.

Stupid London Bridge in Arizona - I am so embarrassed by the tasteless display of arrogance, and overconsumption, etc. Egad, how did we get this way, and how will it end?

Thanks for your strikeouts, and uhhhh opinions.

Thimbleanna said...

Yes indeed -- you were right about the bridge. And you're SO funny -- you cracked me up with the crossed out boring tv time/spend quality time comment -- that's my life. Hubby complains that I don't spend enough time with him, and by that he means watching tv. But of course, he controls the remote. Blogs are so much more interesting and I'd rather be reading them!

velcro said...

yup you were right they thought tower bridge was london bridge! MrV has actually walked across the upper level of Tower Bridge.

Anonymous said...

London Bridge is indeed in Arizona and it has been there for many years. I don't know why we couldn't just build our own damn bridge.

Most American TV is junk. It is, by far, our worst export. It's no wonder the rest of the world has a dim view of Americans. Do what I do. Turn off the TV and pick up a book, or take photos. It's a far better way to relax than having my intelligence insulted by the elitist Hollywood crowd.

Linda G. said...

Lake Havasu, I've been there and must have walked out on the recycled bridge, but for the life of me can't remember!
We just turned our tv off five or six years ago and haven't missed it yet:)

Jellyhead said...

Ah, Meggie, I love the way you're so feisty! You do keep us all so well entertained with the accounts of your life!

Sorry I haven't been by in awhile....I go through phases of not reading blogs or blogging for several days - just when 'real life' gets too busy.

Have a wonderful day!

mereth said...

I just knew that they were thinking of Tower Bridge, so many people think it's called London Bridge. So I would have backed you up too. Isn't it strange that when you DO prove your point suddenly you're made to feel petty for taking it that far. Grr, can't win.
What are you going to do with with GOM? I think he needs an old fashioned 'allotment' with a shed on it where he could rip everything out of the ground and then sit in the doorway reading the paper. Perhaps he'd leave the garden alone then.....

Ali Honey said...

Yep I know about arguements like that! strange how it doesn't matter if the arguers got it all wrong.

I try to only argue if I am absolutely sure I have it right. I have learn to say "I'm not sure," or "I'll find out if you like."

Wish others especially males would sometimes admit to being wrong!

smilnsigh said...

Tee, hee, hee.... Being right is one of the true high points of life! -gigggggles-


Mari-Nanci

Aunty Evil said...

Meggie, I am not a fan of that show. I watched the first episode, then comment to MDH that the actors gave me the impression that they were "acting".

That sounds strange, I know, but I think the sign of a good actor is you forget that they are an actor.

ancient one said...

HA hA HA... I loved the strike out section. You are so funny to me.

I agree about the face shots and it seems to me sometimes that the mouth is where the camera is focused.

And I agree with the others! Blogging is so much more interesting than TV

meggie said...

Hi all, Some wonderful comments here. I agree about the shed for Gom. Then I could sneak up & nail it shut, while he was inside!

And Aunty Evil, I also feel I lose the story because of irritating over acting. But I tend to blame the director, who ever is responsible, not necessarily the actors.

I loved the idea of turning off the TV 5-6 years ago, & not missing it yet!!
Of course Gom has the controls, & channel hops like some maddened fiend. I have to leave the room, but he is gradually learning, if he wants my company, he needs to stop flicking! LOL.

Ian Lidster said...

What's funny about the London Bridge story is that the rich bozo in Arizona who bought it, thought he was buying Tower Bridge (because he thought 'that' was London Bridge.) God has a sense of humour.

Ragged Roses said...

Completely right about the bridge Meggie. It was bought, thinking that it was Tower Bridge being purchased - what a BIG mistake! I remember Till Death us do part!!
Kimx

Mary Johnson said...

I had no idea the London Bridge was in the US until we visited London a couple years ago and I went looking for it. Imagine my surprise to find it NOT there.

Katie said...

Yep. London Bridge has been here for a long time. It's nice someone saved it...no matter where it ended up. :)

Granny J said...

London Bridge must have been imported sometime in the late 60s or early 70s. I recall my husband having to do some sort of presentation on the subject for the RE developer who imported the dang thing. So it didn't "fall down", as in the old song. As for TV, I'm still paying the cable folks but I almost never turn the dang thing on. When I have family visiting, the watch it, however.