tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post7908192122408207132..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Attention Cumberbitches!By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3932327072900173342015-01-28T16:35:49.982-08:002015-01-28T16:35:49.982-08:00I've been interested in the whole Bletchley Pa...I've been interested in the whole Bletchley Park story for many years now, and had to see the film when it came out. It may well be a good watch if you know nothing about the true story (good acting at least) but in terms of accuracy it's woeful.<br /><br />For starters, Turing did *NOT* break Enigma - that was done by three Polish mathematicians several years before, and the films dismissal of the Polish contribution borders on disrespect. Turings contribution was to extend their ideas to cope with the growing sophistication of the device as the war started.<br /><br />And contrary to what the film says, he did not build "his machine" in isolation and against the judgement of his colleagues. The Bombe is better known as the "Turing-Welchman Bombe" which he jointly designed - and which was actually built elsewhere under contract with the full support of BP management.<br /><br />Arguably most silly is the scene of the "revelation" in the pub where he supposedly realizes the final piece in the jigsaw. What "revelation" is about was a key design feature from the outset - the scene equates to a biopic about Stephenson designing the first railway locomotive, building the Rocket, getting nowhere, then having an inspiration that it may work better if put on RAILS!!!<br /><br />If you know the true story, the film really is that silly.<br /><br />There's lots, lots more, but maybe the worst is the exaggeration about his death. It makes a good story that he was "persecuted for homosexuality", forced to take drugs and took his own life as a direct result. The truth is somewhat more complex. Yes, he was prosecuted, but saw the chemical treatment as a much softer option than prison and by all accounts (read Hodges book) remained relatively relaxed. (Relatively.) Most importantly, his death was two years after the conviction, and a year after the drug treatment had ended - it's by no means certain the events were directly related. There is also a body of evidence that his death was not suicide anyway - rather a tragic accident. (He was doing an electrolysis experiment involving cyanide at the time.)Andy Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45647824597187848902014-11-30T21:46:59.393-08:002014-11-30T21:46:59.393-08:00Ken, as a certified Cumberbitch please know that a...Ken, as a certified Cumberbitch please know that a) we have been rebranded as the CumberCollective and b) we are happy for his engagement, if anything the stock has gone UP.<br /><br />Now, as for the film, I thought it was very well done and Alex Lawther was amazing as young Turing - just soul crushing, but I wish they had a bit more about his trial and suicide, that was glossed over a bit too much for my liking. <br /><br />In the Best Actor race Redmayne gets my vote though obviously I have not seen Selma or Unbroken yet, which have the other Lead Actor contenders. Keaton & Cumberbatch will be in the mix.XJillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6015666462912513672014-11-28T13:14:51.732-08:002014-11-28T13:14:51.732-08:00I'nm not a fan of Cumberbatch, in fact I find ...I'nm not a fan of Cumberbatch, in fact I find him rather off-putting to the point where I would consider not seeing a movie just because he's in it. But I had the pleasure of seeing Derek Jacobi play Alan Turing in the play "Breaking the Code" on a trip to London in the 1980s. Amazing performance and what a sad, sad story.MaryRCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26524939602637412682014-11-25T17:45:07.743-08:002014-11-25T17:45:07.743-08:00Roberto Benigni is not a complete unknown. He'...Roberto Benigni is not a complete unknown. He's completely obnoxious, but he's internationally famous.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72255194378312821602014-11-25T10:53:20.172-08:002014-11-25T10:53:20.172-08:00I, like Mr. Turing, have broken the code. To this ...I, like Mr. Turing, have broken the code. To this blog. Robots rule. Go bots, too. Robbie the Robotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4056857148889633002014-11-25T06:05:59.273-08:002014-11-25T06:05:59.273-08:00@Loosehead
Roberto Benigni's still one of the...@Loosehead<br /><br />Roberto Benigni's still one of the biggest names in Italian cinema. It's just that he's shown no interest in trying to make his films abroad. His choice I guess. I still reckon that the first act of <i>Life is Beautiful</i> is one of the tightest scripted cinema farces ever made. OK it's a shame about the second, but without that the film probably wouldn't have got international distribution. Swings and roundabouts, as they say. <br /><br />Not that the Oscars are any good predictor of how much later generations will give a shit. Look back at any list of Oscar winners v box office smash hits and you'll see that the public does a far better job at filtering out the crap than the insiders and those in the business.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78652407420639131542014-11-25T05:08:27.799-08:002014-11-25T05:08:27.799-08:00Over here in the UK, Turing's story's fair...Over here in the UK, Turing's story's fairly well known. <br /><br />It's probably an apocryphal story, but isn't Apple's logo - an apple with a bite taken out of it - a tribute to Turing?<br /><br />It's also ironic that we have to prove we're not robots to comment here.Bruce100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42029246738423627112014-11-25T04:03:38.311-08:002014-11-25T04:03:38.311-08:00Anonymous is mistaken (I wish I could tell _which_...Anonymous is mistaken (I wish I could tell _which_ anonymous). The second front wasn't just a distraction to the axis, it also ensured Stalin stopped at Berlin and didn't carry on to the Atlantic.<br />Also, it wasn't just Saving Private Ryan the film that lost out that year; Tom Hanks also lost out for Best Actor to a complete unknown, who is still unknown, in a feel-good movie that no-one remembers.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83385983622262809812014-11-25T03:57:48.490-08:002014-11-25T03:57:48.490-08:00Hi Ken
Something on your page is playing music. Co...Hi Ken<br />Something on your page is playing music. Could you make it stop? <br />CheersLooseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90564343692810998332014-11-25T03:03:52.739-08:002014-11-25T03:03:52.739-08:00I'm always dubious about 'true stories'...I'm always dubious about 'true stories' because as much as it gives you that feel-good factor, stretching the truths and adding entertaining, yet non-factual events ruins the magic.<br /><br />The Railway Man is a good example (*Spoiler Alert*)... The two enemies never met after the war was over and one of Eric's best friends never committed suicide - all added for dramatic effect because clearly, there weren't enough plot points to keep it going as a drama. In my view, the story needed to be a documentary.<br /><br />However, from my limited knowledge of Turing, The Imitation Game seems to have fared much better.<br />For those interested, The Theory of Everything looks worth a try as well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07561013934110944736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56771810752096080012014-11-25T02:50:09.149-08:002014-11-25T02:50:09.149-08:00I have to dispute slightly what Anonymous said...(...I have to dispute slightly what Anonymous said...(why are people so fearful of putting their names on a comment?)Although it is true the Soviets lost many more men in that war than the Western Allies did they might not have done so well without supplies and material from America. Not to mention the Russian winter had something to do with destroying a large part of the German army. Stalin was also stupid enough to sign a non aggression pact with Hitler.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57477689942680898932014-11-25T02:42:18.375-08:002014-11-25T02:42:18.375-08:00Since Alan Turing did as much if not more than any...Since Alan Turing did as much if not more than any other single person to shorten WW II it was horrible how he was treated after the war.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16189978573837574792014-11-25T02:15:06.476-08:002014-11-25T02:15:06.476-08:00Here's a Friday question: What are your though...Here's a Friday question: What are your thoughts on the ABC sitcom Cristela, which was just picked up for a full season?Olivernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6648467441089017562014-11-25T01:35:43.347-08:002014-11-25T01:35:43.347-08:00I thought he quit because he couldn't handle t...I thought he quit because he couldn't handle the soul crushing, physically exhausting, sweatshop existence of filming nine episodes a year. Jeff Baldwinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29512194355348537272014-11-24T22:01:59.573-08:002014-11-24T22:01:59.573-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10130134908516783242014-11-24T21:06:28.247-08:002014-11-24T21:06:28.247-08:00With all due respect to Ken (& Hamid), I belie...With all due respect to Ken (& Hamid), I believe that 159 million, million, million would actually be written as 159,000,000,000,000,000,000. Or in other words, 159 QUINTILLION. <br /><br />And to think, Alan Turing and his fellow codebreakers broke the Enigma code with 1940's technology. Simply amazing.Allan Vnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1972629530988548192014-11-24T20:11:49.379-08:002014-11-24T20:11:49.379-08:00Not a fan of the term Cumberbitches.
How about Cu...Not a fan of the term Cumberbitches.<br /><br />How about Cumberbunnies instead?The Mutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149977320388415139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76436037886197268872014-11-24T17:06:21.122-08:002014-11-24T17:06:21.122-08:00Also, with regards to the Weinsteins, I believe th...Also, with regards to the Weinsteins, I believe they have another movie they're hoping to snag Oscars with coming out later this year. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29311009236001641322014-11-24T17:02:10.785-08:002014-11-24T17:02:10.785-08:00Better than THE KING'S SPEECH? That's all ...Better than THE KING'S SPEECH? That's all they needed to put on the poster. I loved that movie.<br /><br />Ken, I wonder if you could settle something. My Dad just went on the Paramount studio tour a few days ago. On the tour the guide told him that, after years of imbibing horrible no alcohol beer, it was finally switched to the real stuff... Leading to some "memorable" off camera moments. <br /><br />On the other hand, when I did the tour last year, the guide told me that it was the early seasons, before anyone had really solved the problem of creating a fake beer, that had the actors getting a bit merry. And it was later seasons that switched to non-alcoholic beer. <br /><br />I also seem to remember you mentioning some sort of low-alcohol near beer that was used at some point. <br /><br />Which is it? Thanks!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30803651641243657132014-11-24T16:11:17.950-08:002014-11-24T16:11:17.950-08:00Turing, not Turning. Must adjust my glasses before...Turing, not Turning. Must adjust my glasses before proofing my comments.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61399995215082688702014-11-24T16:10:02.301-08:002014-11-24T16:10:02.301-08:00Oops. the fan name is "Bendydick Cumonmysnatc...Oops. the fan name is "Bendydick Cumonmysnatch." I reverted to his real last name.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77484966913533980782014-11-24T16:09:04.630-08:002014-11-24T16:09:04.630-08:00Entertainment Weekly loves Bendydick Cumberbatch (...<i>Entertainment Weekly</i> loves Bendydick Cumberbatch (Which, in an interview in <i>Out</i> Magazine last month he said was his favorite fan name for him) and have been mentioning the movie. Of course, all gay publications are featuring it as Turning is an heroic gay martyr.<br /><br />I prefer to think of myself as a Cumberbastard.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43261069737102877142014-11-24T14:44:48.223-08:002014-11-24T14:44:48.223-08:00A computer wouldn't have made the error of for...A computer wouldn't have made the error of forgetting to put the name of the main character, so I guess you pass the Turing test.AlaskaRaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69565306285743069722014-11-24T13:49:47.055-08:002014-11-24T13:49:47.055-08:00If Schpeeelberg had done the movie, it wouldn'...If Schpeeelberg had done the movie, it wouldn't have been that good!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57495386180054046372014-11-24T13:01:58.605-08:002014-11-24T13:01:58.605-08:00Ken, I've seen The Imitation Game too and I co...Ken, I've seen <i>The Imitation Game</i> too and I concur! In fact, I left the theater feeling it was the best movie I'd seen in years. Wonderfully written, beautifully performed, and just all around terrific filmmaking. I've been telling everyone who'll listen to go and see this movie when it opens. I hope that the movie awards gods shower it with praise, despite the fact that the Weinsteins are involved. :-)Sharonnoreply@blogger.com