madelinekelly

Watching a couple of episodes each day, you begin to notice certain things.

It's amazing that, in a place as big as, well, SPACE, the Enterprise manages to repeatedly bump into the same two Ferengi. Could they not find other actors who didn't mind having bum-heads and bad teeth?

It's also amazing that, in a place as big as, well, SPACE, the Enterprise appears to be heading for the same patch of almost symmetrically placed stars in every episode. It surely wouldn't have added much to the effects budget to have a few different star fields for shots like that. We got very excited at what appeared to be a different lay-out of stars but it turned out to be the usual one, rotated 90 degrees.

Bad Trek! Naughty! Go to your room!

Facts first: the Isle of Man is an island in the middle of the Irish Sea; it's approximately 33 miles long and 12 miles wide; the population is roughly 75,000. We have our own system of government, our own system of tax, our own stamps, our own currency, our own (mostly dead) language, our own clement micro-climate, and our own folklore. We have miles of beautiful coastal scenery -- cliffs, dunes and green hills -- and moorland, old-fashioned farmland (ie. still has original hedges, unlike most of Britain) and darkly forested glens. Up until 50 years ago our economy was based on farming, fishing and tourism -- before the Manx government realised we could muck around with other people's money instead.

Anyway, now we have the Isle of Man Film Commission, which has a nice big pile of money to give to anyone who wants to use the island in their film or TV series. As a result, lots of famous people have visited the island in the last ten years -- to make their films and do a spot of shopping at Marks & Spencer. I wondered who'd been here the most, so I made a list. Here's the top three:

1. Stephen Fry -- the WINNER! Even though he hates it over here because our restaurants aren't good enough and our Manx cats give him the creeps. He must love the scenery, or possibly the money. And it seems he'll be here again for Stormbreaker, the lucky thing.

2. Bill Nighy -- and this does make sense, since he seems to pop up in almost every British film that's been made in the last decade.

3. Iain Glen -- I'd never heard of him but, look, here he is!

Bringing up the rear, with only a paltry two visits each: Tom Hollander, Tom Wilkinson, Tara Fitzgerald, Stephen Dillane, Sarah Lancashire, Sarah Parish, Samantha Morton, Roy Hudd, Ray Winstone, Penelope Wilton, Owen Teale, Mickey Rourke, Leslie Phillips, Lee Ross, Kristen Scott-Thomas, Johnny Vegas, John Malkovich, John Gordon Sinclair, Jeanne Tripplehorn, James Wilby, Ian Holm, Ian Bannen, Hugo Speer, Greta Scacchi, Frank Finlay, Douglas Henshall, David Warner, David Jason, Colin Firth, Colm Meaney, Christien Anholt, Brenda Blethyn, Alex Pettyfer.

And honourable mentions must go to the following (because I've heard of them): ( Read more... )

I'm particularly amused by how many of Loz's fan-obsessions have been over here. Loz, you need to move to the Isle of Man...

I'm also enjoying imagining Hollywood parties where everyone compares notes on their trip to the Isle of Man.

Johnny Depp: Did you see the Laxey Wheel? It's ace!
Missi Pyle, swatting an Oompa-Loompa: No -- I didn't have time. We were too busy eating kippers.
Patrick Swayze: The Laxey Wheel? Was there a golf course nearby?

And so on.

I'm easily amused.

I can't help myself. ( I've written a little piece of HBP fanfic -- only 200 words )

Loz? Inkwolf? If either of you are reading, could you post that on the Snape POV thread for me? *weedles* Also, there are bonus points if you can recognise all the scenes I'm referencing with Dumbledore's messed-up mind.

And something that made me laugh when I was skimming through CoS for the afore-mentioned fanfic: ( Read more... )

I've said it before but it's worth repeating: JKR is a sneaky woman.