High-Rise (2015 film based on the novel by J G Ballard): SPOILER Episode 23

01/12/17 • 59 min

“I don’t work for you. I work for the building”

This week we’re watching Ben Wheatley’s film adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s supposedly "unfilmable" dystopian thriller ‘High-Rise’ and the team are at odds again, though not about Tom “so handsome it hurts” Hiddleston. With Andy occupying Paul’s usual spot on the fence, Paul wonders how anyone could possibly put themselves through this film more than once, while Rachael advocates reading the original novel as a possible way to unlock the film’s appeal. While Andy compares ‘High-Rise’ to the music of The Fall, Paul experiments with a new way of saying Rachael’s name while Rachael tries to find a point of entry, causing everyone else to look for a point of exit! Despite Paul’s hankering for some politically-inspired vandalism, everything remains fairly harmonious until the subject of ‘No Country for Old Men’ comes up.

Elsewhere in two very different features, Rachael takes a dreamy look at the highs and lows of being a Hiddlestoner while Andy plunges headlong into the nightmare world of screen violence.

This week’s scale: Soft, delicious mashed potato or 1980s robot-advertised instant mash

To hear more from our current podcast SPOILER, go to our website or subscribe to us on iTunes.

“I don’t work for you. I work for the building”

Elsewhere in two very different features, Rachael takes a dreamy look at the highs and lows of being a Hiddlestoner while Andy plunges headlong into the nightmare world of screen violence.

This week’s scale: Soft, delicious mashed potato or 1980s robot-advertised instant mash

To hear more from our current podcast SPOILER, go to our website or subscribe to us on iTunes.

Previous Episode

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: SPOILER Episode 22

“Just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does”

This week we’re reading Douglas Adams’ cult sci-fi comedy novel ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. While Paul wonders if anyone anywhere dislikes this book, Rachael tries her best to cast a critical eye over this beloved work by comparing it to the original radio series, while Andy shares his favourite joke of all time with the team (it involves hippos). Paul describes the difficulty of trying to simultaneously cope with jogging, having a mid-life crisis and listening to this audio book, Andy suggests that knocking back a few drinks might help to realign the brain to Adams’ distinctive brand of logic and the naturally squiffy-brained Rachael sets down her very strict rules for discovering more books that mix the mundane with the fantastical.

Elsewhere, Andy takes a look at strange and ludicrous character names in films, Rachael explores the potentially controversial practice of new authors taking on existing series, and both manage to have a pop at James Bond’s sexual politics in the process.

This week’s scale: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster or Vogon poetry

For more episodes of SPOILER, please go to www.spoilerpodcast.co.uk

Next Episode

SPOILER Review: Children of Men based on the book by PD James

“Very odd, what happens in a world without children's voices”

This week we’re watching Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian thriller ‘Children of Men’, based (very loosely) on the 1992 novel by PD James and starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine and Pam Ferris - and not all the team are entirely convinced. While Rachael is “saturated” in the film and Paul wonders how this hidden gem passed him by, Andy finds it impossible to connect with ‘Children of Men’ on an emotional level and would rather spend the show discussing daytime quiz show ‘Countdown’.

While the team are in full agreement about the film’s technical excellence, Andy and Rachael are at odds over the performances of the cast and Paul takes issue with claims that the film is a story that has had its guts ripped out and nothing put back in their place. Despite the disharmony, Paul shares his plans for surviving an imminent apocalypse and gives the team 4 hours to join him in his Co-Op distribution centre. And for all you Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon fans, we’ll be showing you how to get from Clive Owen to our own producer Jonny Haw in just two moves.

Elsewhere, inspired by the cat that likes to climb up Clive Owen’s leg, Rachael takes a look at some of her favourite cats in films, including Jonesy from ‘Alien’ and Cosmic Creepers from ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’.

To hear more from our current podcast SPOILER, go to our website or subscribe to us on iTunes.