THADDEUS O'SULLIVAN IN HENRY STREET?

Saw the famed Irish director at work in Henry Street, Dublin 1 today. Hasn't made a decent movie since Nothing personal back in the mid'90s. Was in a hurry for breakfast to tell him that!

WAS ONDINE NEIL JORDAN'S WORST MOVIE?

Last night Shoot the Cabbage decided to watch an old Michael Powell movie but the stupid DVD wouldn't play. So instead had another look at Ondine. After a few minutes it became apparent that this is a bad movie. There's a kid in a wheelchair who can walk when she hold onto things. So why was she in a wheelchair then? Why not use a walking stick? Then the story copies earlier productions like True North and Secret of Roan Inish. Then the editing is all over the place: lots of slow scenes and when something interesting happens it gets rushed. Then there's the fancy, moving camerawork which gets ruined as the scenes are so brief. Finally, there's the awful postproduction work which darkens the images and gives it a blue rinse look (not the only Irish movie that has been ruined this way!). So that's what's wrong with Ondine as far as STC is concerned. Sadly, Jordan is so respected that outside of this blog he is above criticism ?

STATE-FUNDED FILMS?

With practically every new filmmaker here begging the Film Board for funds here's a thought: how are Irish movies supposed to be good when the Government funds these? It's like one of those old communist countries from Eastern Europe where film production is controlled by the state. No wonder Irish movies are so bad (and overrated) when they get state-funded? Even better, the stupid ITFAs are also partly funded by the Film Board. So that means the goverment funds film production and then funds an award ceremony for these films? Couldn't make this up!

THOSE LOST FILMS FROM THE '90S?

Anyone wondering why I'm fussing over those forgotten Irish movies from the 1990s then remember this! A lot of those films were a big deal back then and some were well rated. So will the same thing happen to today's Irish films? Will they be forgotten in 2025? Will the future filmmakers of Ireland look in bewilderment when someone mentions Rewind or Eamon? Will today's new feature directors never make another movie and end up making a TV series or documentary?

EK THA TIGER AGAIN!

According to the Evening herald newspaper protests are taking place against the making of this film! Apparently, about thirty Irish film workers are angry for some reason. So, anyone who think we have a film industry here this is the reality. I hope Bollywood tells us to f-off and never makes another movie here. Thanks, to these protesting idiots I hope all we have left in this country are low-budget films that employ a handful of people on minimum pay. Serves these fools right!

WHY ARE SO MANY IRISH MOVIES FROM THE '90S UNAVAILABLE? - PART 2

The list continues! Further gesture, Guiltrip, Broken harvest, Fifth provence, I went down, Titanic town, Bogwoman, Flick, Park, Love divided, Drinking crude, Spaghetti slow, and Some mother's son. What's going on with these titles? They can't all be terrible?

EK THA TIGER NEXT WEEK

Seems there's a big Bollywood dance/song scene getting filmed in Dublin next week? Of course it's nothing new as anyone who has seen Flight of the doves made forty years ago will remember.

WHY ARE SO MANY IRISH MOVIES FROM THE '90S UNAVAILABLE?

Not just the IFB-funded stuff either? Saltwater, The sun the moon and the stars, Sweety barrett, Ailsa, I went down, Last September, Playboys, Run of the country, Trojan Eddie, Miracle, Joe my friend, Agnes Browne, Bishop's story, November afternoon, This is the sea, High boot benny, Snakes and ladders, and Words upon the window pane. What's going on? Are these titles so bad that they can't be viewed until 2030? Or is there some kind of copyright problem where only Region 1 DVDs are allowed? Whatever it is it SUCKS bigtime. How much money went into these movies? How much money did these films make/lose at the box office? What's the point of funding a decade of stuff that no-one can see?

IRISH VIDEO GAMES BOARD?

Since 1993 the Irish Film Board has funded one sh*t movie after another. Every few years a hit movie arrives and then it's back to the usual fare. We don't have a film industry and never will. So here's a thought: what would have happened if they had set up an Irish video games board back in 1993 instead? We could have had thousands employed by now in steady, well-paid jobs. We could have been leaders in the gaming industry? We could have had a hugely profitable industry in that area? Lots of young graduates could have walked into good jobs after college? The IFB is a failure in both funding quality films and profitable ones. If only they had set up the IVGB instead?

IRISH FILMS BACKLOG?

Anyone who reads the Irish newspapers will be aware that a LOT of movies were made here since 2008. However, a good few of these titles have yet to be seen outside of the festivals? I reckon it could be almost ½? For example The race seems to have gone to region 1 DVD? So what's up? Are these movies so bad that they are strictly straight-to-DVD material? Did our Film Board go crazy for a while funding lots of similar stuff that the market can't handle? Here's a suggestion: maybe if the Board funded something different or offbeat it might stand out from derivative rubbish like The race?

IRISH HORROR MOVIES PLEASE MAKE THESE STOP!

With several new Irish horror movies on the way Shoot the cabbage would like to request the following: PLEASE NO MORE! Unless a director is a true horror fan and plans to work almost exclusively in this genre then these horror films are pointless. They'll be crap, derivative, pointless, and not scary. There are now so many Irish horror films getting made that older rubbish like Rawhead Rex is starting to look impressive.