In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Unfortunately, it’s not a particularly exciting week for new releases, but there are a bunch of albums worth checking out, including a few long-awaited follow-ups. Here are the albums out on June 21st, 2019:
The Raconteurs, ‘Help Us Stranger’
The Raconteurs, Help Us Stranger: It’s been eleven whole years since we got an album from Jack White’s The Raconteurs. Since then, White has kept himself busy with another project, The Death Weather, alongside Alison Mosshart of The Kills, and last year he put out possibly his most divisive but undeniably adventurous solo effort, Boarding House Reach. Based on the singles, though, this latest one is more of a reliable and safe return to the roots of rock n’ roll.
Titus Andronicus, ‘An Obelisk’
Titus Andronicus, An Obelisk: Having made everything from rock operas to narratively complex concept albums, Titus Andronicus are one of the most ambitious and dramatic bands in punk. Their new album is a follow-up to 2018’s mellower A Productive Cough, and what we’ve heard so far indicates, somewhat underwhelmingly, a more conventional punk rock direction. So if you’re expecting another rock opera, maybe don’t get too excited.
Hot Chip,A Bath Full of Ecstacy: The indie dance music group is back with their seventh studio album, a follow-up to 2015’s Why Make Sense. The band consistently puts out danceable and joyful tunes, and if ‘Melody of Love’ is any indication, you can rely on them to bring some colour into your summer.
Hatchie, Keepsake: An exciting new name in dream pop, this is the Australian singer-songwriter’s debut record. Filled with hazy melodies and hypnotic instrumental sound pallets that deal with themes of loss and longing, this album’s one we’re particularly excited to delve into.
Other albums out today: Willie Nelson, Ride Me Back Home, Mark Ronson, Late Night Feelings, Two Door Cinema Club, False Alarm, Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Awake.
Minismus, a neo-classical artist, will be releasing his debut album FILM, tomorrow.
To talk about the album, and the influences behind the music, Minismus joined us for a catch up.
Hi, how are you?
I’m doing very well, thank you. These are exciting times, for sure. It’s great to finally share this debut project with the world.
So, how did the project come about?
In my years growing up, I was obsessed with soundtrack score music from mostly just mainstream movies. After hearing Philip Glass’ Koyaanisqatsi soundtrack, and after going through Stanley Kubrick’s catalog of films, my listening choices went deeper and more epic on various levels. My obsession with score music sparked an interest to venture out and try my own version, and without it being written for a particular movie; it would be a standalone album in post-minimal, neoclassical format. I began making music reclusively in my lab, experimenting with sounds, ideas and arrangements without any outside input so that I could be in creative control which allowed full freedom to touch on edges of experimentation. For example, if I wanted to insert natural sounds of waves crashing against a Lighthouse behind an arrangement of strings, well then I would just go ahead and do that, which in some environments others would be against if the directive was limited to be standardized within the classical genre only. That experimentation resulted in a collection of songs that eventually became this album, FILM. Increasingly, technology has reached an acceptable point for this kind of project to be recorded and performed with limited equipment and crew. All of these things above are how the project came about, in summary.
What are your plans for the album?
As this is my first release, the plan is to get it heard by as many ears as possible, and also many submissions to film studios. The traction that this project gains will help determine the level at which the next project will be produced.
Do you have any other projects in the work?
Yes, there is a followup album to be released later this year. There could also be some surprise Minismus singles released in the interim. I also make music as Skekz which blends orchestral elements with downtempo trip-hop and with that a six-track EP is set for release in late June. Additionally, I run the Kwai Music independent label.
What influences you to make music?
What influences me to make music is the accomplishment of a creative project, to leave a legacy behind for my two-year-old son, and to beat the clock against cancer which I was diagnosed with earlier this year. The experience of making art influences me. I love falling into the abyss of audio as a way of reaching a meditative or contemplative state, to push further into the thought of endless ideas around the creation of new content, and the act of blending genres inspires me and keeps me grounded on days I run low on ideas.
So, where do you see Minismus in five years time?
I see Minismus as connecting with listeners on a deep level across a few genres that are near but not limited to classical. I see at least one solid album release per year, and I see film/tv sync placements in the mix.
That sounds exciting. Finally, what is your definition of culture?
Culture is a way of life, and regarding music, it’s a manifestation of artistic achievement for the collective ear.
Thank you for joining us, we are highly excited for the release of FILM, which is due to be released tomorrow (21st of June).
Fnd more information about Minismus here. Follow the label Kwai Music here.
Carlo Quaranta, an Italy based illustrator and graphic designer, released a beautiful series of vibrant and quirky illustrations that feature pop culture references, historical figures, and just pure fun.
“An eye-catching series, full of excitement to the eyes wherever you look”
It’s that time of year again, when the gaming industry flexes their collective advertising muscles to show what upcoming releases players have to look forward to. The good and the bad, the beautiful and the horrendous, this has been an E3 full of announcements which we have been keeping the keenest of eyes on.
As with last year, we want to go over what we consider the best of what we saw, the biggest curiosities, and some of what we and the viewers considered the biggest disappointments. Note that we’ve tended towards announcements with actual gameplay trailers, as we all know how unrepresentative and uninformative cinematics can be.
We’ve also included release dates as they have been announced, but remember these are often subject to change.
The Best
DOOM Eternal – PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC
No surprises here, as you’ve ever read the gaming section of Our Culture you probably know we’re big fans of every Doom game so far. Eternal looks to be to DOOM 2016, what Doom 2 was to the original Doom – the same excellence ramped up to the next level.
With new guns, new systems, and new enemies (plus the return of a few classics), this is perhaps my most personally anticipated game of the show (well, tied with Cyberpunk). The release date has been set for November 22, 2019, so fans of Doom have a few month’s yet to prepare themselves to rip and tear.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Seemingly taking light inspiration from Souls style combat, Jedi: Fallen Order has finally given us the gameplay we’ve been waiting for.
Early indications have been enough to generate huge buzz for this game, with the return to the single-player Star Wars experience being what many of us have been waiting for. It helps that this one is being developed by Respawn Entertainment, who gave us the excellent Titanfall 2 single-player campaign.
We can only hope that EA won’t EA this one too much. Coming out sooner than expected, check out this one on November 15, 2019.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 – PlayStation, Xbox, PC
The return of the game with the least convenient name since Megaman Battle Network 5 Double Team DS comes 16 long years after the release of the original. While the first was a notoriously glitchy and flawed game, it was also drenched in atmosphere, giving one of the strongest first-person role-playing experiences of the era.
The sequel looks to take all of what made the original great and bring it into the modern age, hopefully with bringing better levels of quality control with it.
Coming in March 2020.
Dying Light 2 – PlayStation, Xbox, PC
The original Dying Light was the open world zombie-killing FPS parkour game we always wanted. Dead Island was an interesting effort, but Dying Light did everything better and with more polish.
The new game introduces a faction system, your allegiance within which is claimed to shape the world around you. Set 15 years after the original, where the world has effectively regressed into brutal tribalism, DL2 boasts a map four times the size of the original, more traversal options, and an expanded crafting system.
Expect it sometime before the end of June 2020.
Super Mario Maker 2 – Switch
What is there to say about this one. It’s a sequel to the game which officially let you make your own Mario levels, and play the creations of thousands of enthusiasts and sadists online.
Not just a new port of the first Mario Maker, MM2 looks to bring many longed-for additions into the fray such as slopes, wind, snake blocks, customisable scrolling levels, additional themes, and much more.
In our hands in just a couple of weeks on June 28, so start thinking of your impossible levels now.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps – Xbox, PC
The sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, which was a fantastic 2D metroidvania style game released in 2015. The original Ori was praised for its smooth movement, charming and mysterious environment, and absolutely striking visual design. Will of the Wisps looks to take these components to the next level, showing off a new level of fidelity in 2D platform gaming.
Just beware that if it’s anything like the first one it, it can be far more challenging than the looks would have you believe.
Currently slated for release on February 11, 2020, this one is a little too far away for us.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Switch
The remake of the Gameboy hit looks like it’s coming along very well, with a fantastic look to match the dreamlike world. As big fans of 2D Zelda games we can’t wait to play through this one again, with all of the convenience which modern tech can bring.
If you missed the second best 2D Zelda game originally then there has never been a better time to check out what you were missing on September 20, 2019.
Despite seeing a slight dip in the most recent entry of the new series, Wolfenstein has been killing it recently. It, of course, being hordes of Nazi scum.
The latest entry is set in alternative past 1980, where BJ’s two daughters team up to rescue their father from what appears to be captivity. While we would happy just for more of the same over-the-top action as we saw in the last few games, it’s the addition of two-player coop which really makes this entry exciting.
We’ve seen a lapse in coop campaign FPS games in recent years, so we hope that this is not only great but that it also reignites a trend long-missed.
Coming on July 26, 2019.
Borderlands 3 – Xbox, PlayStation, PC
Bringing in a new set of 4 vault hunters, Borderlands 3 is set for release on September 13, 2019. For PC users this has a timed exclusivity for the Epic Games store until April of 2020.
We’re putting this in the best list not because BL3 appears to do anything new or revolutionary, but because we appreciated the coop fun of the originals so much that it doesn’t really have to. Same wide range of guns, upgrade trees, and ridiculous enemies make this enough that we look forward to visiting the universe again.
The Blurst
Battletoads –Xbox Game Pass
A game series best known for an amazingly fun beat-em-up experience back on the NES in 1991, which was ultimately cut short a few levels in. You can say you made it through the biking level, but we won’t believe you.
Having made a reappearance as DLC characters in Killer Instinct back in 2015, there were predictions that we would see another Battletoads game sometime soon. Most of the complaints about this one seem to come down to the art-style which. It’s not bad, necessarily; rather it seems to fail to capture the crude charm of the original game.
Simply put, the look is sterile, and while we hope the gameplay will carry this one through, we aren’t going to be holding our breaths.
Commander Keen – Mobile
Another long-awaited return of a classic, another negative reaction. While we do still hold out hope for Battletoads, we have to admit that Commander Keen doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Coming as a mobile game, apparently not happy with its PC roots, the new Commander Keen looks slow and dull compared to the original series started back in 1990. At this point, the best we can hope for is that it won’t end up as Dungeon Keeper did.
Ones to Watch
Cyberpunk 2077 – PS, Xbox, PC
You’ve seen the memes, and you’ve seen Keanu. What you didn’t see is actual in-game footage.
While there is still the footage released last year which has us excited, only a lucky few were party to viewing new gameplay. While this should be available to the public in the next few months, CD Projekt Red has such a proven track record when it comes to quality that we can’t help feel the anticipation.
Those looking for a reason to upgrade their computers might have it, with the release date coming on April 16, 2020.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake – PlayStation, Xbox, PC
A game we’re hyped for, but one which we understand could go either way. Modern Square Enix has been making some questionable decisions, and we fear this could be yet another example.
So, we got a release date of March 3, 2020, but this is not without some caveats. The first is that this game has been explained release in parts. Not even SE seems to know how big these parts will be, nor how many of them will be released, which is not encouraging. Even less encouraging is the fact that each of these parts seems to be released as a full-priced game.
We’ve only seen footage from Midgar, so far, which constitutes a very small portion of the game world. We’re going to hope for the best, but faith is earned, and SE hasn’t been earning much of that recently.
Gears of War 5 – Xbox, Xbox Game Pass
We didn’t get much of a look at the story mode of Gears 5 this E3, but what we did see was enough gameplay of the multiplayer to keep longtime coop fans interested.
Considerable attention was paid this time around to showing the new escape game mode. This PVE multiplayer mode has the goal the name would suggest, taking a different path to the traditional horde mode for which the series has become synonymous.
The release date is set for September 10, 2019, so it won’t be long before we get to see if this one lives up to the coop fun of its predecessors.
Google Stadia
Game streaming is a technology a long time in the making, and few have the means to do as much justice to the concept as Google. Provided Google sticks with Stadia, and indications are strong that they will, this could be a system which would benefit hugely from improving internet speeds. It might not be a fit for you yet, but it might be a in a year or two.
Or never, depending on your countries fibre infrastructure.
At least for turn-based games, Stadia is something we could really get behind. For everything else though, we’ll have to wait for testing in real-life circumstances before we would suggest paying into this service.
Possum is one of maybe 3 films, total, that have left me utterly speechless. The others being Martyrs – which is so utterly gruelling to watch it physically exhausts you, and Hereditary, which is so good I physically could not speak for the huge grin it painted on me. Possum on the other hand, is about as far from a party film as you can get. It is not a film, I think, to watch with your mates. It’s best seen alone, and fully awake – although, in those circumstances you will probably want to find a way to stop watching. Don’t.
It’s largely toted as an ‘indie horror’ and while yes, that’s absolutely fair, it’s an exquisite horror film and inspires dread and bleakness in such a subtle, almost effortless way – you should not dive into it expecting something you can sit back and consume. Possum’s power comes, not from The Things That Go Bump In The Night, but instead, in an unflinchingly raw drama that is painfully real. Possum rings of truth – Sean Harris’ faultless performance screams love and care for a character whose world is thoroughly devoid of those things. You are struck with the feeling that you have walked past Philip in the street, that you’ve served him at work, that you’ve seen him in the line at the post office.
And that’s just it, what makes it so magnetic and profound. Possum’s story is so abhorrently horrific, but we hear it all of the time. It taps into that small part of your mind that tries to cower away from the awful things that happen in this world and demands that actually, you sit here for 90 minutes and you think about them. It gives you a monster – a monster that’s incredibly easy to hate, to want to hate, to want to look away from – and says, now is the time to exercise your empathy. Possum pushes your sympathy to its absolute limits and teaches you that in the end, actually, your sympathy was justified all along.
The grotesque puppet of the film’s title.
That monster is so brilliantly visualised in Odd Studios’ deeply unsettling Possum marionette. It’s completely horrible to look at, a masterful cross section of human fears and an inspired shorthand for the trauma that haunts the protagonist. When the puppet is on screen you desperately do not want it to be. Everything from its blank stare to the bluntness with which it moves. ‘Why would anyone want to see this?’ is an easy question to ask of the disgraced puppeteer, but it is, of course, the only thing that Philip sees.
The film is full of bleak, startling imagery, but it’s hard to discuss these moments without ruining their impact. Matthew Holness knew exactly what he was doing and has put together a melancholically beautiful piece of cinema that is guaranteed to haunt and unsettle, a character study as quiet and intricate as it is riveting and rewarding to watch.
Sean Harris delivers a gripping, powerful performance.
Don’t get me wrong here – Horror is my favourite genre, and I’m firmly of the opinion it has the sharpest tools for cutting quickly to the crux of the human condition – but as a magnet for thrill seekers and outcasts, it has a bit of a problem with gratuity and voyeurism. There’s nothing wrong with gore and excess, there’s nothing wrong with putting your stomach and adrenal gland through its paces. There’s even plenty to be learned from it, about the world and about yourself. But, in its subtlety, Possum soars over all of these things and presents horror – true horror, more true perhaps than anything preceded with “based on a true story” – that lingers with you, that forces to weigh it in your mind. There is catharsis in this film but it is limited – and that’s only right, I think. Because it is, at its heart, a story about trying to live with and overcome life shattering trauma. It is as much up to us to decide whether Philip will ever be free, as it is up to him – and god, do you want him to be free. To take a character so immediately repellant and have you – or at least me – in floods of tears, hoping he will find a moment of peace; that’s the mark of cinematic storytelling so powerful it’d be criminal to miss it.
Possum will stick with you. It will come back to you in the quiet moments you least want it to. It might even ask you to handle the world, and the strangers within it, a little more gently.
Robin Hardy’s 1973 The Wicker Man is rightly appreciated as one of the most remarkable horror films ever made. Subtle with its content, Hardy’s story of cult traditions and the power of faith is as poignant as it is horrifying. Now, Steven Sloss, former host of the Kaijusaurus Podcast, has set about bringing its obscure planned sequel to life.
Steven kindly spoke with Our Culture Mag about the production, how it came to be, and the place of Hardy’s film in today’s cultural climate. Talking to Steven, his affection for The Wicker Man and his excitement at the prospect of what The Loathsome Lambton Worm can be are palpable. Listening to his ideas truly makes you excited for what’s in store for audiences once the production is complete.
OC Chris: Thank you so much for talking to Our Culture Mag! How excited are you about directing this project?
Steven: It’s my pleasure, thank you for having me! And I’m very excited. Once Ross – my co-host and producing partner on the Kaijusaurus Podcast – and I wrapped up that particular project last year, we started thinking about where we could go next in terms of audio production. We wanted something that would be familiar in some ways, but a challenge in others. I’m a huge fan of Big Finish, a production company that produces audio dramas based on properties like Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Avengers, and other cult titles, and that’s what gave me the idea and drive to have a go at producing one of my own. Obviously audio drama is an entirely different ball game than producing a monthly podcast episode and – from what we’ve experienced so far – involves a hell of a lot more work, but a lot of the experiences we gained during our Kaijusaurus Podcast days have been incredibly helpful in preparing us for this new challenge. Podcasting is much more of a free-for-all in terms of getting your word out there, and I haven’t directed actors in a while, so I’m very excited to flex those muscles again.
OC Chris: Can you tell us a bit about The Loathsome Lambton Worm?
Steven: I first read about The Loathsome Lambton Worm years ago, during my university days, in Allan Brown’s excellent book “Inside the Wicker Man: How Not to Make a Cult Classic“. One of the addendums featured a full treatment from Anthony Shaffer (who wrote The Wicker Man, as well as things like Sleuth and Hitchcock’s Frenzy) for a strange sequel that was intended for production circa 1989. It was alternatively titled The Wicker Man II or The Loathsome Lambton Worm, which I think is just a fabulous title. Without giving too much away, it really takes things in a wildly different direction from the original film, and features a lot of truly bizarre sequences, perhaps even more so than The Wicker Man itself. At times, it reads equally like a medieval fairy tale and an Italian giallo horror. In terms of its fantasy content, it’s certainly a much less ambiguous and much more literal piece than its predecessor. Despite not being widely heard-of, I do think of it as one of the great “what-if” sequel treatments out there. It’s interesting too, because anyone with any sort of familiarity with The Wicker Man knows it ends pretty definitively, and The Loathsome Lambton Worm continues the story of Sergeant Neil Howie. It’s fun to see how Shaffer envisioned that character somehow surviving the original film. The treatment picks up right from the moment the original film concluded. I love sequels that do that, like Evil Dead II, or Back to the Future: Part II. I very much see the Lambton Worm sitting tidily with those sequels.
Steven directs his cast at a recent table read-through.
OC Chris: How do you think the themes of The Wicker Man sit with our current cultural climate?
Steven: We live in a world at the moment in which, if you are logged-on in any way, you are immediately subject to intense discourse and unrest. We’re constantly looking for the hard lines of where “right” and “wrong” are drawn, and how one can universally triumph over the other. I don’t even necessarily mean larger social, political, and culture issues when I talk about this. Even when considering comparably smaller things like a new film release, it seems we have to objectively, definitively categorise things as “good” or “bad”. If you’re not working in absolutes, then it’s somewhat seen as deviation or weakness, and therefore punishable. I see a lot of those attitudes in the relationship between Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) and Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), as they pit their beliefs and dichotomies against each other to see which will absolutely, profoundly triumph over the other. Both see themselves as definitively, staunchly correct, and are unwilling – not unable – to budge from their positions. Only at the film’s climax do you see a little bit of creeping doubt in Summerisle when Howie posits that he will be the next sacrificial victim, but instead of reconsidering, Summerilse instead doubles down on his hard line. Even if he doesn’t quite believe his own words, he believes they’ll save his own skin and that’s what matters to him. I see Howie and Summerisle as different kinds of hard-right characters, and the extremity of their views and beliefs and their unwillingness to back down from them are very evocative of our current political and cultural climate.
I also think there’s some relevance in how easily led both Howie and the residents of Summerisle are; Howie by his religious beliefs, and the islanders by Lord Summerilse himself. We’re in an extremely dangerous time right now in which it is incredibly easy for impressionable young men in particular to find themselves at the mercy of online radicalisation, telling them they are victims in some imaginary war on their way of life. We see daily that such individuals can be driven to violent atrocities in the name of a cause that doesn’t exist. I see a parallel there in the heinous act the residents of Summerisle are driven to by their Lord. Howie is also a slave to his beliefs. He is characterised as a “Christian copper”, and often acts in the name of Christianity first and the law second. This is taken to a tragic conclusion in the film’s finale, when he is practically willing to become a martyr for his beliefs. I think it all comes down to having the strength to simply think for yourself and resist being manipulated and led. Howie and the Summerislanders could learn from that.
OC Chris: How did this production start?
Steven: I mentioned earlier about wanting to have a go at producing an audio drama, but the question remained – what should it be? I knew I wanted to adapt a pre-existing text as a starting point, and that’s when it suddenly hit me. I’d wanted to see The Loathsome Lambton Worm come to life for years, and always wished someone had made it – so I thought, I’ll do it! Since I don’t exactly have the means or money to film such a story however, I thought the incredible versatility of audio as a medium would serve it well. I got in touch with Ross and asked him if it’d be something he’d be interested in producing together, and he was immediately keen to jump aboard. We’ve been friends for years and we work together incredibly well. We always seem to be in-sync with creative decisions, and he’s been the perfect producer. From there, I dug out Brown’s book and re-familiarised myself with Shaffer’s original treatment and set about fleshing it out into a full audio drama script. I’ve said to a few people during production that an important part of adaptation is realising that not only do some things not work when translated to a different medium – some things just don’t work, period. Being able to recognise and accept that is one of the key strengths in adaptation, I think. It’s not disrespectful to the original writers, I don’t think. It’s simply working out what is best for your piece. I do think people put too much stock in adhering to the author’s work, especially when we have long moved past the era of “faithful” adaptations. Things like Jaws and Jurassic Park only resemble their source material in broad strokes. Similarly, I reckon our script is roughly 50% Shaffer, 50% me. The broad strokes of the story all come from Shaffer, but a good bulk of the dialogue and character motivations are from me. I hope the finished product sounds like a cohesive piece, and not like two authors competing for the loudest voice.
Jamie Roberts (centre) and Alec Westwood (right) revive the iconic characters of Lord Summerisle and Sgt. Neil Howie, respectively.
OC Chris: You’ve recently had some table read-throughs with your cast. How have they been?
Steven: We had our first read-through earlier this month, and it really was fabulous. We’ve assembled such a talented cast and they brought the script to life wonderfully. It was incredibly vindicating to see everyone react to the piece so well, and get along with each other too. There’s already some excellent chemistry forming between some core cast members, especially Alec Westwood who’s playing Sergeant Howie, and Jamie Roberts as Lord Summerisle. I was very clear that we were not looking for simple impersonations or impressions of the original, iconic performers, and Alec and Jamie delivered such interesting and intense takes on these iconic characters. We also have Fiona MacKinnon as Mary Bannock, Howie’s fiancee who was only briefly glimpsed in the original film. Fiona perfectly embodies Mary’s serene, calm nature, which complements Alec’s intense, frustrated Howie wonderfully. We’ve been lucky to find such an incredibly talented group, and we really think listeners will enjoy hearing this colourful cast of characters brought back to life. We recently announced our entire cast on our Twitter (@Lambton_Worm), so head over there to have a look and keep up to date with everything to do with the project.
OC Chris: When can we expect to hear the finished audiodrama?
Steven: We’re aiming to record in July, with any additional work being completed if necessary in August. Without giving too much away, Hallowe’en plays an important part in the piece, so we’d ideally like to release on 31st October. That’s tentative at the moment and is dependent on how successful our recording and post-production sessions are, but here’s hoping!
Thank you so much for speaking with us, Steven! The Loathsome Lambton Worm sounds like an incredibly intriguing project, and we at Our Culture Mag cannot wait to listen to it!
To show your support for Steven and the Lambton Worm, check out their social media feeds here at @StevenScrivello and @Lambton_Worm!
Pool Surfers, an exciting indie band who debuted back in 2018, recently released their latest single Indulge. In this piece, Pool Surfers deliver a summer-ready hit with bright energy, superb production, and ear-pleasing vocals. If you’re looking for something majestic, this one is for you.
Colours Of One Eden
Flying in with a wave of brilliant energy that will have you on your feet are Colours of One, a four-piece band from South Wales. Colours of One utilise rich sounds, top-notch dynamics, and vocals that will enchant you to put this one repeat for weeks to come. Having released Eden, we are eager to see what is next for this truly magnificent band known as Colours Of One.
Cast your mind back to early May, when all that was on everyone’s mind and lips was Game Of Thrones – the biggest show of all time coming to its conclusion. Halfway through Season 8 and we had just seen the aftermath of the biggest battle ever put to screen, the next day, episode one of Chernobyl was released.
As the last three episodes of Game of Thrones aired, it was an increasing concern to fans how the conclusion was playing out. Eight years of character development was seemingly thrown out of the window with sub-par writing as the original source material ran out. In the end, the majority of fans would agree that the season was bad; a disappointing end to an epic journey. However, this isn’t a review on Game of Thrones.
HBO are possibly the biggest network in the world, having created some of the most iconic shows of the 21st Century: Westworld, Girls, Silicon Valley, Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, Six Feet Under, Big Little Lies, Sex and the City, Deadwood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, Veep, The Leftovers, The Wire and of course, Game of Thrones. Alongside this incredible list is the highest rated television show ever on IMDb (9.7/10) which currently holds 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. That show is Chernobyl.
Most people know the basic facts about Chernobyl, the real-life catastrophic nuclear disaster near the city of Pripyat in 1986. The disaster created the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone stretching to Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and beyond. It is one of the most significant nuclear disasters in history and one of the most tragic.
So what does Chernobyl show and why has it been so highly praised. Well, the show starts just seconds after the explosion from inside the power plant. We see the confusion, the denial, and the men who sacrifice their lives. As the show progresses, we follow our three protagonists Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård), and Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) as they try to uncover the truth as to how and why the reactor exploded. These characters also attempt to prevent further disasters from the plant itself through modern day technology – but mainly through human sacrifice.
Con O’Neill, Adrian Rawlins, and Paul Ritter in Chernobyl (2019)
Throughout the five episodes we are met with outstanding performances from every actor. Chernobyl also boasts hauntingly beautiful cinematography showcasing the absolute horror of the raging fire from the reactor, the emptiness and isolation of a once vivid city, and the confined death traps of underneath and inside the plant. The story is paced incredibly well; each episode draws you in, increasing tension with expanding problems and conflicts.
The political intricacies of the real-life event and the people who experienced it are expertly put on screen. In some cases, the story and characters have been dramatised for impact, but this absolutely does not lower the standards. With every film and television show that adapts (or takes from real life accounts) real-life events, there is a form of added fiction. Some do this to such a degree that they unfortunately dismantle the reality of the event. But others rise to the challenge, creating masterpieces and using artistic liberties effectively. The most acclaimed films and most adored television shows have been adapted and changed to suit the filmmaker’s desires in storytelling.
For Chernobyl, it was a difficult show to create from accounts that were noted down at a time where they were still under Soviet control with the KGB at every corner. Lies were thrown around and facts and figures made up to suit whomever. However, the show does more than that; it shows us the men and women who sacrificed themselves, the men who lied and the people who told the truth, how authority is mistreated, the mistakes made and the human cost of it as well as the fall of an empire.
In overall, HBO have saved themselves, although maybe that’s a bit harsh as the last season of Game of Thrones hasn’t hurt them. Additionally, it isn’t entirely their fault but what Chernobyl has done isn’t just create a masterpiece of television, but it has dragged people away from taking down about Game of Thrones and got them praising arguably one of the best television shows in history.
