Random The weekly list - Movie Portrayls of real people

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GUMBLETRON said:
Aim higher.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, the original 1979 Alec Guinness mini-series. Magnificent.
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Actually yeah, although Smiley's People is even better.

I will say I prefer Alfredson's film. Its feats of adaptation through visuals are extraordinary, and I prefer the vindictive Oldman Smiley who I think articulates the utter rage of Le Carre better than the more circumspect Guinness.

Then again I mentioned I, Claudius which I think is basically the king of all TV drama. Once you've seen it Game of Thrones feels limited, redundant, and slow as *.
 
Lord Nicholson said:
Actually yeah, although Smiley's People is even better.

I will say I prefer Alfredson's film. Its feats of adaptation through visuals are extraordinary, and I prefer the vindictive Oldman Smiley who I think articulates the utter rage of Le Carre better than the more circumspect Guinness.
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It's the atmosphere that makes it for me; that brooding, quiet tension it builds and the claustrophobia and paranoia imparted. Smiley's People just doesn't manage that - as much as there's a moral lesson in the caper, it becomes a caper nonetheless.

I haven't seen the Oldman film for years. My recollection is of an almost-classic, let down by an entirely-unnecessary score blaring over what was otherwise an exercise in subtlety. I'll give it another go.
 
In no order:
Dr Who, Faulty Towers, Black Adder, Spaced, Monty Python
Red Dwarf as an honourable mention

there's a lot of good ones I'm missing, but they were the first six that popped into my head
 
mike14 said:
In no order:
Dr Who, Faulty Towers, Black Adder, Spaced, Monty Python
Red Dwarf as an honourable mention

there's a lot of good ones I'm missing, but they were the first six that popped into my head
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First one to mention Doctor Who. I was starting to wonder whether it was British after all... and thus Torchwood as well.

I don't watch a lot of British television, but I'll throw in Downton Abbey because I can. First three season mostly. Production values +1

I think the Grand Tour is essentially American but old Top Gear was pretty funny.

Outlander I looked up, it's British-American. Not sure if that counts, but I have heritage in Scotland and visited some of the places they filmed in (before I even knew the series existed) so that was sort of cool.

Monty Python, although I've only seen a few of their skits.

That's four. I've seen a few other bits and pieces but I don't remember the names of them so it's not particularly useful. I used to watch more British TV but I think Netflix has taken me into more foreign language international stuff (i.e. Spanish drama with subtitles)

Does anything Attenborough has done count as British? If so he can be no. 5. :)
 
I had it in my earlier list of top shows ;), I just added a few extra English ones (and wish I had added more now!)

Especially David Attenborough, good call. Part of my early fascination with sciencey stuff. I still recall the timeline on the beach at night that he used to demonstrate how long humans had been around compared to other milestones In Earth's history. The small fires representing milestones such as dinosaurs were waaaay apart, and just at the end there we were, only a few million years ago. I was gobsmacked.
 

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Ok folks - off the TV, back to the stomach.

Favorite desserts? I'm not really a sweet tooth as such, I'm more a savory person. I don't go to town on cakes or slices or donuts so much.. which makes breakfast in Europe a bit of a struggle, I've been bought up on vegemite toast every day of my life, its a hard habit to break! ...but I do enjoy a good dessert post dinner, so, what's on the menu?

first of all - I thought I always loved pav.... and for years id grab the biggest slice.. and I only came to realize a few years ago, its just a sucker dish, it looks great but its just cream and spongy egg white, its too much. Also for my great love of coffee I cant do tiramisu - its a weird anomaly.

5. Trifle

upload_2017-9-4_8-26-47.jpeg

OK, I know this is rather bogan of me, and I assume trifle is probably just a bastardised aussie version of Eton mess or something, but my mums specialty growing up was trifle. Whats not to like? you hedge all your bets, 15 desserts in one... brandy soaked cake, custard, cream, jelly, fruit...whatever else might be handy. yum.

4. Apple and rhubarb crumble

upload_2017-9-4_8-28-0.jpeg

you can keep your apple pies, not enough interest from me. I like the complexity of this one much better, covers all bases... crunchy crumble, tart rhubarb, sweet apple - piping hot with melting vanilla ice cream.. drool.


3. Chocolate Fondant

upload_2017-9-4_8-28-28.jpeg

The chefs wow dish - the panic dish - did I cook it enough?, will it be gooey inside? sure you can get your chocolate self saucing pudding from the supermarket - and it can suffice, but its hard to top the chocolate fondant, so rich and decadent with a dollop of thick cream on top that melts and combines with the chocolate lava flow... why wasn't this number one, am I crazy?

2. Sticky Date Pudding

upload_2017-9-4_8-31-37.jpeg

ohh baby - my favorite for so long, what's not to love about sticky date pudding?... a bit like xmas pudding all year round - but once the toffee sauce soaks thru like a sponge - just roll me over and push me out the door, ill be in food coma

1. Lemon Tart

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as I've grown up my tastes have evolved, the number one dessert now is this rich little number - but it has to be made well - and it MUST have the brulee on top.

one of lifes simple pleasures... cracking the caramelly brulee on top to reveal the tart lemon curd beneath.. so rich, it can be a mission to finish an entire piece - but i'm up for it, every time. I used to think I liked lemon meringue pie more but I don't - its just like putting a digital clock inside a bed head and saying its a better bed head.. its not, you just ruined a perfectly good bedhead.

ok, your go, top 5 desserts?
 
5. Sticky Date Pudding
4. Sticky Date Pudding
3. Chocolate Fondant
2. Sticky Date Pudding
1. Sticky Date Pudding

In all seriousness though:

5. Pear and Rhubarb Crumble
4. Chocolate Pancakes
3. Caramel Dumplings
2. Chocolate Fondant
1. Sticky Date Pudding
 
Good Lebanese baklava. Definitely not Turkish.

GUMBLETRON said:
I haven't seen the Oldman film for years. My recollection is of an almost-classic, let down by an entirely-unnecessary score blaring over what was otherwise an exercise in subtlety. I'll give it another go.
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Gave it another go, first impressions confirmed.

It's beautifully shot, and Oldman is great, but it has its weaknesses. The shorter running time necessarily limits character development, and the rest of what is a fantastic ensemble cast are criminally underutilised (Ciarán Hinds barely has a line, for example). Similarly, there just isn't sufficient time to build the "who is it?" suspense. And that score - what a stinker. If I could simply mute it I would.
 
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5. Black Forest Cake - The wife of the German teacher at my high school (both teacher and wife were German migrants) used to do the most amazing authentic Black Forest Cake that she'd sell out of her own kitchen for people to buy for special events. It is the only reason it makes it onto this list. My quest for one that stacks up continues but the memory of how special this was has ensured it makes my list.
4. Pavlova - I don't care if it's a cheats dessert, what's not to love about a well made meringue and cream! Also it has fruit on it so must be healthy
3. Trifle - my first experience wasn't great, I couldn't get over the soggy sponge. Once I got over that it was game on. I can eat an extraordinary amount of trifle in a single sitting
2. Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce - This dessert is genius.
1. Baked lemon cheesecake - One of those "simple" things to make but when done right it is mind blowing as to how good it can be.

I could've done a top 10 and still missed out on a heap. I love chocolate puds, tiramisu, crumbles of varying varieties, a plethora or cakes/slices/pastries. The above ones stick out to me though, and numbers 5, 4 and 3 show me to be a child of the 70s/80s.
 
Pweter said:
5. Black Forest Cake - The wife of the German teacher at my high school (both teacher and wife were German migrants) used to do the most amazing authentic Black Forest Cake that she'd sell out of her own kitchen for people to buy for special events. It is the only reason it makes it onto this list. My quest for one that stacks up continues but the memory of how special this was has ensured it makes my list.
4. Pavlova - I don't care if it's a cheats dessert, what's not to love about a well made meringue and cream! Also it has fruit on it so must be healthy
3. Trifle - my first experience wasn't great, I couldn't get over the soggy sponge. Once I got over that it was game on. I can eat an extraordinary amount of trifle in a single sitting
2. Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce - This dessert is genius.
1. Baked lemon cheesecake - One of those "simple" things to make but when done right it is mind blowing as to how good it can be.

I could've done a top 10 and still missed out on a heap. I love chocolate puds, tiramisu, crumbles of varying varieties, a plethora or cakes/slices/pastries. The above ones stick out to me though, and numbers 5, 4 and 3 show me to be a child of the 70s/80s.
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my childhood desserts were bread and butter pudding, and golden syrup dumplings
 
Howard Moon said:
my childhood desserts were bread and butter pudding, and golden syrup dumplings
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My mum had a variation on it (as you can see above) in caramel dumplings
 
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hows this one pweter.. art!! like the coloured layered sand bottles..


thoughts on profiteroles? or choux pastry in general?

I love a chocolate éclair - but how can you possibly eat something that is built in such a way that the filling oozes out the end after a bite
 
Vanilla slice.

Daylight.

More daylight.

Some more daylight.

Caramel slice.

And that's about it. I don't really eat much dessert.
 
Howard Moon said:
i'm keen! ..love a localised household recipe tweak. I bet it started when she over cooked the syrup and it turned to caramel... oh damn its ruined.. wait... ye, yes.. I meant that, I present you, caramel dumplings!
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I'll post our recipe in the next couple of days. It doesn't have any Golden Syrup in it in actual fact
 
scezza said:
Vanilla slice.

Daylight.

More daylight.

Some more daylight.

Caramel slice.

And that's about it. I don't really eat much dessert.
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it took me 37 years of butchering vanilla slices before I figured out how to cut it without it turning into a squished mess. Turn it on its side! cutting downward like that, the base on the side keeps it all intact
 
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