Ziggy Glitterdust ..
Saturday, 12 December 2015
Advent 11
Delayed post for Advent 11 due to computer problems.
Now if only I'd gone to Currys for a ZX Spectrum ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udPpPDih1Qo
Now if only I'd gone to Currys for a ZX Spectrum ..
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Advent 10
Selection Box - Mars
Looking at the box, I'm not too sure, from the male style top half and the female bottom half, whether it's meant to be a male or a female Santa. It doesn't look as if Rudolph is too sure about what's going on either.
Still, as this selection box dates from the early-mid '70s, perhaps the artwork imagines a kind of Ziggy Santa, complete with 'optical illusion cards'.
Full Value.
Looking at the box, I'm not too sure, from the male style top half and the female bottom half, whether it's meant to be a male or a female Santa. It doesn't look as if Rudolph is too sure about what's going on either.
Still, as this selection box dates from the early-mid '70s, perhaps the artwork imagines a kind of Ziggy Santa, complete with 'optical illusion cards'.
Full Value.
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Advent 9
TV adverts, 1983
Billed as 'Christmas Adverts', and certainly featuring the kind of booze, chocs, aftershave and gifts associated with Christmas shopping. Some familiar faces and voices are to be found.
But except for Woolworths and arguably Quality Street, which have a 'parade' or 'pantomime' theme, absolutely no Christmas styling - no snow, no snowmen, no Christmas music, no Father Christmas .. and, apart from Woolworths and Debenhams, it's all about advertising for products and brands, not supermarkets, department stores etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzzxZRXJPQg
Highlights include:
Spy themed Black Magic with the proper centres, not the soft pap of today
Baileys, where the woman behaves oddly
Quality Street in a decent sized tin, probably four times larger than now
Pint and a Castella - first sighting of a cigar ad this advent
Bisodol for the huge pace of 1983 life; hmm; when you went home you went off the radar
Mel Smith advertising Terry's chocolates
Braun Independent, the excitement of gas
Timex watches
BT with a precursor to the internet 'network' adverts featuring the short lived and missed K7 box
Debenhams toy sale
SKOL lager, voiced by Tom Baker
Old Spice
Martini, featuring the Martini Girl on her roller skates. An Italian drink sold by a vision of America
Hugh Laurie in a Kestrel Lager advert sketch
Joe Brown and an all-star cast sell Woolworths, through the familiar song and dance style routine.
I think I'm right in saying that Woolworths is the only one that's gone.
Billed as 'Christmas Adverts', and certainly featuring the kind of booze, chocs, aftershave and gifts associated with Christmas shopping. Some familiar faces and voices are to be found.
But except for Woolworths and arguably Quality Street, which have a 'parade' or 'pantomime' theme, absolutely no Christmas styling - no snow, no snowmen, no Christmas music, no Father Christmas .. and, apart from Woolworths and Debenhams, it's all about advertising for products and brands, not supermarkets, department stores etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzzxZRXJPQg
Highlights include:
Spy themed Black Magic with the proper centres, not the soft pap of today
Baileys, where the woman behaves oddly
Quality Street in a decent sized tin, probably four times larger than now
Pint and a Castella - first sighting of a cigar ad this advent
Bisodol for the huge pace of 1983 life; hmm; when you went home you went off the radar
Mel Smith advertising Terry's chocolates
Braun Independent, the excitement of gas
Timex watches
BT with a precursor to the internet 'network' adverts featuring the short lived and missed K7 box
Debenhams toy sale
SKOL lager, voiced by Tom Baker
Old Spice
Martini, featuring the Martini Girl on her roller skates. An Italian drink sold by a vision of America
Hugh Laurie in a Kestrel Lager advert sketch
Joe Brown and an all-star cast sell Woolworths, through the familiar song and dance style routine.
I think I'm right in saying that Woolworths is the only one that's gone.
Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Advent 8
It's time to get those Christmas cards written, especially if you're sending them overseas ..
Monday, 7 December 2015
Advent 007
James Bond! What's that got to do with Christmas? Well, a fair amount in the UK, mainly because of the unavailability of the 007 films before the advent of VHS [and therefore any DVD, streaming, YouTube, etc].
Since the mid-1970s the periodic screenings of the James Bond films [by ITV] at Easter and Christmas became a major event and a ratings winner until at least the mid-80s, and maybe later.
But I don't want to write too much about the whole series of 007 films here; as someone who had read and re-read all of the James Bond books before I'd ever seen even one of the films, I have a definite view about the Bond movies. Which is - they're a mixed lot; entertaining - more, or less; but overall a shallow set compared with the original Ian Fleming source material.
The book that's part of this Advent series is of course Ian Fleming's 007 Christmas story - 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Well, it's Christmas-themed, anyway; it starts as the shops do in September and ends as the rest of us do, on New Years Day.
The film version of OHMSS is traditionally derided, but in reality it is one of the best 007 films ever made. Staying faithful to the book, the storyline needs little enhancement, only a skilful and intelligent transfer to film, which it gets. George Lazenby is very well cast as James Bond - arguably better than the subsequent Roger Moore. The studio sets and location settings are excellent, and the cast peerless. I like this film, almost as much as I love the book.
Back to that book. If you've never read it or indeed any James Bond book, this story is worth your while. It's superbly written and beautifully paced. Many editions are available, it doesn't matter which one you choose. The one pictured here is the paperback edition that I grew up with. I think that this edition-series has the best cover artwork set of all of the 007 issues.
If you fancy reading this up to Christmas why not try to find a copy soon; it's already December the 7th, so you haven't got all the time in the world.
Since the mid-1970s the periodic screenings of the James Bond films [by ITV] at Easter and Christmas became a major event and a ratings winner until at least the mid-80s, and maybe later.
But I don't want to write too much about the whole series of 007 films here; as someone who had read and re-read all of the James Bond books before I'd ever seen even one of the films, I have a definite view about the Bond movies. Which is - they're a mixed lot; entertaining - more, or less; but overall a shallow set compared with the original Ian Fleming source material.
The book that's part of this Advent series is of course Ian Fleming's 007 Christmas story - 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Well, it's Christmas-themed, anyway; it starts as the shops do in September and ends as the rest of us do, on New Years Day.
The film version of OHMSS is traditionally derided, but in reality it is one of the best 007 films ever made. Staying faithful to the book, the storyline needs little enhancement, only a skilful and intelligent transfer to film, which it gets. George Lazenby is very well cast as James Bond - arguably better than the subsequent Roger Moore. The studio sets and location settings are excellent, and the cast peerless. I like this film, almost as much as I love the book.
Back to that book. If you've never read it or indeed any James Bond book, this story is worth your while. It's superbly written and beautifully paced. Many editions are available, it doesn't matter which one you choose. The one pictured here is the paperback edition that I grew up with. I think that this edition-series has the best cover artwork set of all of the 007 issues.
If you fancy reading this up to Christmas why not try to find a copy soon; it's already December the 7th, so you haven't got all the time in the world.
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