Tony Wilson

Sorry: That last post was really dull. I watched the film "Twenty Four Hour Party People" last night - all about Factory Records and its boss, Tony Wilson. Wilson used to (and apparently still does) work for Granada TV, but in his spare time he set up a record label and nightclub in Manchester. They signed Joy Division, and later New Order, and later still The Happy Mondays. Never liked the Mondays much myself - didn't see the appeal of a fat man shouting. Possibly I was simply slightly too young at the time. Joy Division were great mind (which reminds me - I think Johnny Panic may have done a punk rock cover of "Transmission" last week).

The film is mostly played for laughs, and with Steve Coogan in the lead role it's difficult to imagine it going any other way. I thought it was great (if a little superficial), but I dunno how much someone with no interest in the music of the late 70s to early 90s would get out of it. If you are such a person, can I recommend instead, "Driving Miss Daisy". I've never seen it, as it looks dull, but you might like it. I can only think of one good film with Jessica Tandy in and that's "Batteries not included". Cute little robots helping old people. Do movies get better than that?

Thinking about it, the film probably wouldn't be called that if it was released today. It'd be "Rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries included: Please charge for at least 3 hours before use". I feel a game coming on - what would old films be called if they were released today? Here's a few to start off. Please stick more in the comments!

- "The Blog of Anne Frank"
- "Little Online-Store of Horrors"
- "iPod Days"
- "Unnaturally-Cloned Born Killers"
- "Driveabout"
- "The Crash-Helmet of Zorro"
- "Snickers Man"
- "From Iraq With Love"
- "FreeWilly.com"
- "The divorced wife of Frankenstein"