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pete-68
Reviews
Rancid Aluminium (2000)
Mixed up mess
Just before I saw this film, I met James Hawes at a book signing. He seemed pretty upbeat about the release of the film however reading an interview with him later he knew at the time that the film was rubbish.
An brief, Rancid Aluminium is a good book, it followed on from his debut (White Merc With Fins) which was probably the best book I have read for a long time. But when he came to make the film he rewrote the book to fit the character of Rhys Ifans which was a big mistake.
The old main character was a suburban, early 30s guy, they changed this to a twenty something urbanite and the whole premise for the story was broken.
Add to this some major twists in the plot which have no explanation, holes you could drive a truck through and and ending which leaves you thinking 'what the f**k happened there then..?'.
Also they made a major mistake adding in a scene to get the only funny bit of the book (the fight on the motorway) into the film which only seemed to disjoint the film even more.
I was a big fan of James Hawes books, but this film (and also his latest book) have really dampened this enthusiasm. I only hope that his other book (WMWF) which is being shot now continues and makes a better picture than this.
Twin Town (1997)
Welsh masterpiece
Kevin Allen with help from brother Keith as the stoned shepherd, has produced the finest movie to capture the spirit of small town Wales in the 90's. From the opening credits, we are taken on a rollercoaster through the lives of the Lewis family, from joyriding, prostitution, karaoke, pet murder and theft to the greatest ending any Welshman may see in the cinema.
No where else in modern British cinema, have I seen a story to identify the decay and depression evident in Wales in the 90s.