Within the first two minutes of the new Dodger adventure, our top-hatted hero has been challenged to a duel by the president of the United States of America, which is a problem because Dodger (Billy Jenkins) is brandishing a gun that is actually a stick. His mentor, Fagin (Christopher Eccleston), fashions an escape using a bunch of nettles, and this rollicking Dickens prequel is up and running again – although Fagin doesn’t quite run fast enough to avoid being shot up the backside by a furious president. Dodger, which follows the Artful Dodger, Fagin and a gang of young thieves in the years before the events of Oliver Twist, is the creation of Rhys Thomas, who was once a part of the Fast Show’s cast – he was the car showroom employee who had to listen to Swiss Toni’s “making love to a beautiful woman” comparisons – and who went on to help Simon Day create spoof prog-rocker Brian Pern. His most underrated work is A Year in the Life of a Year, a mangled New Year roundup that showcased his talent for the lightly silly and the purely funny, skills that make him the ideal author of a comedy for older kids and childish adults. In this special episode, entitled Coronation, the US president is visiting what is about to officially become Victorian London. The new queen is to be crowned, which means Dodger and his crew have only one aim: steal the crown. As they duck, dive and scheme, we can once again enjoy the show’s aptitude for doing old jokes so well that they feel new. There are silly voices; a scene where someone says “starting … now!” but with a 20-second pause before the “now”; some fine business with two cups of tea, one of which has been spiked with laudanum; and a moment where an idiotic police constable, played by Thomas himself, says “I hate you!” and walks out of shot, the hilarity of which can only be explained by saying that Thomas is blessed with perfect comic timing. He’s also got all the right contacts. Dodger already has Eccleston enjoying himself shamelessly as Fagin, a mercurial toe-rag with an outrageous cockney accent, and Lenny Rush of Am I Being Unreasonable? fame as Morgan, an all-knowing shoeshine boy a la Johnny from Police Squad!. But when the call goes out for Christmas guest stars, suddenly there is luxury casting everywhere you look. After the cold open air and its flying bullets, we are inside Buckingham Palace, where the crown jeweller and the archbishop of Canterbury are briefing the queen about the upcoming ritual. The jeweller is Alex Macqueen, laying his simpering fusspot shtick on thick – the crown is decorated with “heleven hhemeralds and five woobies” – while the archbish is a deliciously tremulous Simon Callow, for whom “globe” is a word with three syllables. Best of all, the queen is played by Nicola Coughlan from Derry Girls and Bridgerton, whose faultless English-aristocrat accent adorns a portrayal of the young Victoria as a perpetually bored, highly impressionable tyrant-in-waiting, a sort of gen Z Violet Beauregarde. Vic is visibly excited by the arrival of President Martin Van Buren, AKA Toby Stephens, who has already got a big laugh with his impenetrable pronunciation of the word “duel” and who continues to romp in wide-legged cowboy mode through every scene he’s in: grabbing people by the lapels, hoicking up phlegm just when it looks like he might be a love interest for the queen, and essaying a nasal southern accent where every vowel sound is a “U”. There’s more! Tony Way is funny as Jon the News, a newspaper vendor who continues to bellow at the top of his voice when conducting a normal conversation – an old joke, but it’s done well – and there’s a toothsome guest role for Thomas’s old pal Paul Whitehouse as a stout yeoman of the guard, charged with keeping watch on the crown jewels, who isn’t quite stout enough. Dodger, Fagin and their friends – including co-writer Lucy Montgomery, the other half of a husband-and-wife team with Thomas, as Fagin’s landlady Minnie Bilge – embark on a caper that involves stealing the replica crown that sits atop the Madame Tussauds waxwork of the queen (also played by Nicola Coughlan), then swapping it for the real one during the coronation rehearsal. Before the heist kicks in, the run-through features a terrific running gag where Victoria impatiently shouts “skip!” at the archbishop of Canterbury, forcing him to omit the dull parts of his script and eventually making him sound like someone frantically fast-forwarding through a lacklustre podcast. There is a laugh every minute in Dodger but, perhaps more importantly, a general feeling of being given an unconditional treat. It’s a lovely early Christmas present.
‘Smile 2’ Headed to Theaters for Halloween 2024
Vinegar Syndrome’s 2023 Black Friday Pre-Order is now LIVE, and the sale is running from today (September 22) all the way through 11:59 PM EDT on Sunday, September 24.
In addition to the sales and discounted pre-orders, several brand new titles have been put up for grabs today, including The Prophecy 3-film trilogy on 4K Ultra HD!
Here’s everything that was announced today…
“Our latest VSU, D.A.R.Y.L., the 1985 cyborg/sci-fi Hollywood crossover film from Ozploitation director, Simon Wincer, and starring Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean, and Colleen Camp hits 4K UHD in an extras jammed edition, featuring an exclusive new restoration by Vinegar Syndrome!
“Then, upping the ante even further, we’re proud to present the 4K UHD debut of one of the bloodiest, boldest, and most unusual horror franchises of the 1990s, THE PROPHECY 1-3, including new and exclusive 4K restorations of Gregory Widen’s THE PROPHECY (1995), Greg Spence’s THE PROPHECY II (1998), and Patrick Lussier’s THE PROPHECY III (2000), all complete with plentiful extras and housed in a stunning, custom hard box.
“Plus, in our ongoing commitment to unearth and release the greatest in never-on-disc slashers, we’re proud to present the world Blu-ray debut of Michael Elliot’s notorious FATAL GAMES (1984)! You’ve heard for years that this one was “impossible,” well we’ve defied the odds and painstakingly restored it from the best surviving pre-print elements and proudly present the ultimate edition of this twisted gem, complete with an immense array of extras.
“And finally, what you’ve all been patiently waiting for since we first brought it up nearly a year ago, our most ambitious, audacious, unexpected, and important releases ever, and in honor of our tenth anniversary: Vinegar Syndrome’s LOST PICTURE SHOW; a ten-film collection of lost (and found) American genre cinema!
“From one of the earliest proto-slashers (THE LAS VEGAS STRANGLER) to perhaps the most demented “kids” film ever made (THE RARE BLUE APES OF CANNIBAL ISLE), and everything in between, be it grimy grindhouse treasures made by and for the dregs of Times Sq (BEWARE THE BLACK WIDOW), underground and arthouse sexploitation (DEEP INSIDE, BARBARA), unbelievably demented vanity projects (RED MIDNIGHT, THE LAST OF THE AMERICAN HOBOES), jaw-dropping 70s exploitation (VIOLATED!), a “most wanted” by many slice of demented horror/sleaze (THE SEX SERUM OF DR BLAKE; the original cut of Voodoo Heartbeat), and the final surviving work by one of our favorite auteurs, Carlos Tobalina (WHAT’S LOVE?), this collection features hours upon hours of trashy delights, all of which have been unseen and unavailable on video, until now!
“Plus, this collection includes Elijah Drenner’s new, feature-length documentary about lost genre films, AGAINST THE GRAIN, which tells the story of how genre and exploitation film distributors have taken on the incredible task of locating, preserving, and releasing an immense portion of cinema history.”
The following pre-order options are available now…
• Everything: VSU + all 5 November VS titles (3 announced and 2 secret)
• Individual listings for the 3 announced VS titles
• Just the new VSU
• Just the 2 Secret VS titles
Vinegar Syndrome teases, “And speaking of Secret Titles…what could they be? Well, one has never been on disc and we’re very confident it’ll satisfy a long standing request for many of you while the other is our most “major” surprise title ever, so much so that it woulda been a VSU candidate if not for all the slimy grotesquery and bloodshed…
“Finally, we want to remind you that if you’re planning to pick up our Black Friday lineup, this Pre-Order is the best time to do it, as this weekend only, prices on these titles will be notably lower than during the big Black Friday Sale itself.”
Matty Healy Deactivates Twitter After Posting Ableist Joke
Matty Healy deactivated his Twitter account after apparently drawing the ire of Lucy Dacus by posting an ignorant, ableist joke on the social media platform.
In a since-deleted tweet posted to the account @mattyfrnglomg (which is believed to belong to Healy), the singer wrote: “I told Lucy Dacus that ‘Boygenius’ had inspired me and [drummer] George [Daniel] to start a new band called ‘Girlretard’. I don’t really hear from her that often.”
After invoking her supergroup trio, Dacus set the record straight on the frequency of her correspondence with Healy by replying, “you don’t hear from me at all.” In a separate tweet, Healy issued one last message in retreat, saying “Yeah this never goes well does it” before deactivating the account. See Dacus’ still-standing burn below.
While Healy’s outspoken comments have historically ranged from well-intentioned but misguided to flagrantly insensitive, his latest veered heavily toward the latter.
In June, Healy was publicly called out by Rina Sawayama during her Glastonbury set for racist remarks made on The Adam Friedland Show podcast. The 1975 singer notably deactivated his verified Twitter account in 2020 after tweeting a message of support for Black Lives Matter while simultaneously promoting one of his band’s songs.
Though Healy has made more appearances with Dacus’ boygenius bandmate Phoebe Bridgers, the two previously shared the stage in 2022 at Jack Antonoff’s Ally Coalition benefit concert along with Bridgers, Weyes Blood, and Trey Anastasio.
you don’t hear from me at all https://t.co/jKTwO0ehcX
— Lucy Dacus (@lucydacus) September 21, 2023
Matty Healy deactivated after Lucy Dacus of boygenius responded to his tweet about her and the band. pic.twitter.com/wIvz3GfVFn
Actor Kang Ha Neul Drives An Actress Crazy By Repeatedly Swooning Over Her Beauty
Recently, actor Kang Ha Neul shared his first impressions of a Korean actress in an interview, and he could not stop praising her beauty.
On October 2, Vogue Korea uploaded a video featuring Kang Ha Neul and actress Jung So Min. The two were interviewed to promote their recent movie, 30 Days.
Kang Ha Neul and Jung So Min showed their chemistry by jokingly bickering with one another, revealing how close they were. The two had first met for the first time in 2015 when they starred in the movie Twenty together.
Jung So Min shared in a different interview that she found it a fascinating coincidence to work on another movie with Kang Ha Neul.
It’s a remarkable coincidence that we’re meeting again with the title 30 Days after meeting through Twenty. At that time, we were actually in our 20s, and now we’ve met again in our 30s. It’s almost like a connection of universes. Many people asked if it’s a sequel. Although it’s an entirely different story, when I watched the film, it felt a bit similar to Twenty.
— Jung So Min
In the Vogue Korea interview, Kang Ha Neul was asked to describe his first and current impressions of Jung So Min. He couldn’t help but gush over her beauty.
We first met during the reading for the movie Twenty. I remember she was very pale and pretty. But the current impression is just… she’s so pretty.
— Kang Ha Neul
In response to Kang Ha Neul’s praise, Jung So Min didn’t know how to react. She made a face as if she couldn’t take all the compliments.
Embarrassed, Jung So Min pretended to leave the interview, but Kang Ha Neul grabbed her, telling her not to run away.
He continued talking about her beauty as Jung So Min helplessly listened and laughed.
Back then, she was pale and pretty. Now, she’s absolutely gorgeous!
— Kang Ha Neul
As Jung So Min shook her head, dizzy at the outpouring of compliments, Kang Ha Neul raised two thumbs with a satisfied smile.
After knowing one another for years, the two actors appeared to be close friends and seemed comfortable joking around with each other. Netizens couldn’t get enough of their friendship and chemistry and were excited about the new movie.
- “This was a real friendship interview, so it made the person watching feel comfortable, happy, and laughing the whole time. I was surprised to see them match so well during the balance game. So Min’s responses show just how close they are. Seeing this video after watching the movie, I can see why their chemistry in the film was so natural. Lol. It was so much fun!”
30 Days is a comedy that tells the story of Jeong Yeol (played by Kang Ha Neul) and Na Ra (played by Jung So Min), a married couple with many problems who plan to get a divorce.
However, a car accident causes them both to lose their memories. They fall in love all over again, with their respective families making a 30-day plan to have them regain their memories and continue with their divorce.
Watch Kang Ha Neul and Jung So Min’s full Vogue Korea interview.
Funny moment actress Rita Edochie pranked her ‘boyfriend’, Emeka Enyiocha, with a car gift (video)
A video of the hilarious moment veteran actress, Rita Edochie, pranked her colleague, Emeka Enyiocha, with a car gift, has been shared online.