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Content by Barney McGrew
Reviewer Rank: 466
Helpful Votes:
3450
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Reviews Written by
Barney McGrew "Charlie" (UK)
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Utter nonsense, 21 Nov 2009
I fully expect to be slated for giving this DVD a negative review, as there are obviously a lot of fans out there who won't bear to see someone review their baby objectively. Anyhow, life is far too short to watch this film once - let alone twice, especially when there are so many movies out there that are actually worth watching. Pretentious from the word go, this mishmash of Gothic cliche and the humdrum left me utterly cold. Avoid like the plague.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Iron sharpening iron, 21 Nov 2009
As a longtime admirer of Stephen Lawhead's fantasy novels I found this epic medieval tale of faith, treachery and swordplay a compelling read from start to finish.
The story follows the fortunes of fledgling Scottish noblemen and pilgrim Murdo, who embarks on a quest to the Holy Lands in order to find his crusading father and regain the family lands, which have been stolen from them through the duplicity of their local Abbot. The titular artefact doesn't really feature very heavily in the novel, which instead revolves around the character of Murdo and his progression from callow youth to mature nobleman.
Lawhead narrates the story from two fronts - that of Murdo himself, and one of his nineteenth century descendants, a Scottish lawyer. This dual narrative works very well in terms of structure, although the strand concerning Murdo and his perilous pilgrimage is naturally far more engaging.
The first in a trilogy, I actually read the second in the series before this one, and it is just as good as a stand-alone novel. Perfect for anyone who likes their fantasy history peppered with a dose of realism, this story is stylish and passionate, and definitely left me wanting more.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
It's a kinda' Magic, 21 Nov 2009
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
Not being any kind of ICT enthusiast I had never heard of this photo programme. However, after following the instructions and playing around for a while I reckon this software package is arguably the most creative and time-saving answer to anyone who is eternally frustrated by sub-standard photos and presentations: Quick optimization, high-performance image editing, intelligent graphic design, and comfortable layout functions are cunningly combined in a single highly impressive programme.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Viryan the hold!, 21 Nov 2009
After the excellent Paper Cuts, I was full of anticipation and hope for Charley Pollard's swansong. The story starts strongly, continuing on from its predecessor, as the truth about Mila and Charley finally begins to emerge against the backdrop of a dystopian future Earth, where a bizarre madness-inducing virus has decimated the planet's population and split the survivors into two mutually antagonistic factions. The Sixth Doctor and Mila arrive and are immediately co-opted into one of the groups, whilst the real Charley has other fish to fry...
I really enjoyed the dystopian future Earth idea, and the tension created through the rivalry between the different groups of survivors. However, I thought the Viryans disappointing - too one dimensional overall, and the ending seemed somehow rushed and garbled. Not a poor effort but not Big Finish's greatest hour either.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Medieval machinations, 14 Nov 2009
Out of all of the previous television Doctors who are now reprising their roles on audio, I have always been least impressed by Peter Davison's portrayal. His feyness, youthful exuberance, and breathless delivery, have always been better suited to a visual medium in my opinion, and his companions have tended to be either bolshy and pointless (Tegan), or nasal and pointless (Peri). However, this may well be The Fifth Doctor's finest hour, as Alan Barnes' script is superb - crackling with wit, energy, and verve, and wringing huge amounts of drama out of a pretty simple premise - this after all is what good Doctor Who does best.
The Doctor's bewilderement and foreboding are brought out immediately, when landing in the Middle Ages he and his companion Nyssa appear to have been expected. How do the local serfs and peasants know so much about the Time Lord, his TARDIS, and his apparel? What is the eerie mist that is blighting the land? And what are the so-called 'demons' who are possessing Stockbridge castle and subsuming the wills of any humans who come into their path..? An old enemy of The Doctor's is on the prowl again, and it will take all of the Time Lords' determination and ingenuity to emerge triumphant once again...
What I liked most about this story was the irreverent humour - many of the asides, muttered comments from the extras, and dialogue, bring to mind episodes of Monty Python and Blackadder. The historical setting also provides numerous opportunities for anachronistic jokes and dramatic irony, whilst the location of Stockbridge itself is one that has been used in Doctor Who novels, comic strips, and annuals several times in the past, thus lending a vaguely familiar tinge to the drama and providing fans with titbits that are not continuity-laden nor too abstruse and off-putting for more casual listeners.
As well as the usual interviews with cast and crew at the end of the first disc, the latest installment in the intriguing bonus story 'The Three Companions' adds value to this purchase; Thomas Brewster's manipulative schemes continue apace, whilst The Brigadier and Polly battle on valiantly.
Overall then this is a fine effort from Big Finish; after the equally compelling Paper Cuts (Doctor Who) and the impressive Blue Forgotten Planet (Doctor Who), it seems that Nick Briggs and co. have hit a purple patch - long may it continue!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
If this is old rope then keep coiling it in!, 13 Nov 2009
I find it hard to understand all the negative reviews here, as someone who grew up with Tom Baker's melifluous tones as The Doctor on television, I think the opportunity to hear him reprise the role is simply irresistible. This series has been hugely enjoyable - but it's not supposed to be high theatre; the evocatice music and Baker's dulcet drawl just make me smile constantly, and the story featuring a macabre circus troupe and it's sinister ringmaster are superb. Surely the opportunity to hear a group of outstanding actors play their roles without frills and endless explosions is what audio drama is all about? And Richard Franklin, Tom Baker et al acquit themselves with aplomb - Paul Magrs script is sharp and witty, and the endless bandying of polysyllabic words is ideally suited to Baker's style. Fun, cosy, and hugely entertaining - for me this series is going from strength to strength,
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Cuts both ways, 9 Nov 2009
After the disappointment of Patient Zero this audio is a breath of fresh air. The reptilian Draconians appeared only once in the classic series - in Malcolm Hulke's 1973 story `Frontier in Space', but are well worth resurrecting for the noughties. Unlike in that story, we get to observe the Draconian culture and see its obsession with politics and ceremony this time around - the Draconian Emperor is dead, and his shiftless son is waiting to fill the void, whilst unbeknown to him his own mother is working behind the scenes to ensure continuity; unfortunately she appears to be completely unhinged!
Into these machinations come The Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and his current travelling companion Charley Pollard - or is it..? And as the truth about Charley's true identity comes ever nearer to being revealed, the tension and excitement are ratcheted up to 11.
Bright, bustling, absorbing, and frantic - this story is both thoroughly entertaining and much more accessible to a newcomer to the series than its Big Finish predecessor. Colin Baker and India Fisher make a great team, and the supporting cast is uniformly excellent too. With a continuation of the ongoing bonus story `The Three Companions', and more insightful banter from the cast and crew of the audio story, this is a decent package - hopefully the next one will be worthy of its own predecessor...
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Give me patients, 9 Nov 2009
As the previous reviewer has said, this story really serves as an intro to the final three stories to feature longtime companion Charley Pollard, the feisty 'Edwardian adventuress' played by the incomparable India Fisher. As such I didn't find it too gripping, despite the presence of the Daleks.
Fisher plays dual roles in this story but for the purposes of the plot it's not easy to ascertain when she's herself and when she's not! Colin Baker though continues to excel on audio as his Doctor shows a softer more likeable side as well the steely edge that the BBC scriptwriters in the mid-1980s never got quite right. The Sixth Doctor (or 'old Sixie' as Baker refers to him nowadays) has by now realised that there is something duplicitous about his travelling companion, but still has no idea what that is. As the tension escalates the Daleks exacerbate the situation with their pursuit of the mysterious 'Patient Zero', and there is consequently plenty of action and intrigue. Unfortunately, I found it as a whole to be a fairly generic story, and despite some fine performances from the actors I thought it was pretty forgettable. Hopefully the next two stories will redress the balance as decision time looms for Charley, and hopefully Colin Baker will have more to get his teeth into as well.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Rom versus Ram, 8 Nov 2009
Granville Wilson's dystopian vision is nothing if not imaginitive, and whilst this novel is pretty unremarkable in terms of plot it is superb in terms of scope and vision. Of course, it's aimed at young teenagers and as such is perfectly pitched; a decent read.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
"I come to wive it wealthily in Padua", 8 Nov 2009
As with the others in this fine series, this set of notes for Shakespeare's comedy of nagging wives and manipulative men is excellent. With sections on character, structure, language, and symbolism - amongst others, the guide is exhaustive and accessible - not to mention cheap at twice the price. Highly recommended for GCSE students and teachers.
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![Franklyn [DVD] [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510c2-f%2BrqL._SL110_.jpg)
