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"A LOAD of Baloney!" was my comment after watching 10, 000 BC at preview.
I’m still not sure whether it is supposed to be taken seriously or is to be viewed as a glorious "send-up" of history and a "spoof"! What on earth such a fine actor as Omar Sharif was doing narrating this offal movie I don’t know. As for director and writer Roland Emmerich, I can’t believe this film will do his so far excellent career any good, but apparently the film is doing good business in the US of A. Full of inaccuracies, million-kilometre-wide holes and OPS (Oh! P-u-u-rlease Syndrome) the film had me alternately laughing my head off at its idiocies and furious at Hollywoood’s gross misrepresentation of what we really know of this period, and getting away with it by having the narrator explain that we don’t really know the difference between the truth — actually, we do — or the legends told about this time and the unfolding story is based on legend! That castigation off my chest, I can tell you it is a goodish, if improbable, adventure story about a young man who is captured by a rival tribe somewhere in Europe, sold into slavery and after battling all sorts of difficulties, eventually lands up in Egypt where he is put to work building pyramids. He then leads a slaves’ revolt. Included in his adventure is an " Androcles and the Lion" (a famous play by George Bernard Shaw) type sub-plot, when he helps a Sabre-toothed Tiger which saves him being attacked by the same animal later. It makes him the revered bearer of the white spear, made from the backbone of a dinosaur, amongst the tribe. He also meets up with the inevitable giant snake and prehistoric birds. Three stars for the cute little elephants, the tiger and Andean condors who must have spent hours in the make-up and hairdressing departments being made to look like Wolly Mammoths, the Sabre-tooth and prehistoric birds. See 10, 000 BC for a good OPS session and the excellent Special Effects and stunts. But don’t take any of it as seriously portraying history. Theatre news The Bats Back after a 20-year sabbatical, the bats can still rock with the best of them. With a unique blend of musical skill and great comedy, this act will have your guests toe-tapping and chuckling in their seats. Comedian Eddie Eckstein, TV personality Paul Ditchfield and blues guitarist Pete Clifford are the original Bats who, along with newcomer musician Derek Gordon, bring a host of musical talents to the stage. They revisit the "swinging seventies", playing a range of classics from Elvis to the Shadows and ballads to rock. Combine this with their own hilarious versions of old favourites like Living next door to Hansie, the Sounds of Sirens and Trigger Happy and you’ve got the perfect tonic for your average stressed-out Zimbabwean audience. The Bats performances will take place on November 24, 25 and 26 at the Harare International School at 7pm. On the night of the 24th the performance will kick off with a brief show by the band Eclipse, who played at Rock Down Harare this year.
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