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David McK (3422 KP) rated Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5) in Books

Mar 28, 2021 (Updated Aug 19, 2023)  
Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5)
Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches #5)
Terry Pratchett | 1995 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
!!!!!
If I was forced to pick, I would have to say that - speaking personally - I think Terry Pratchett was at the height of his powers in the mid-to-late 90s, before the Discworld books started becoming overly serious.


So, around the time of the likes of 'Lords and Ladies, 'Small Gods', and this one, in other words.

(and I've just realised that 2/3rds of those books quoted concern The Witches Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax)

In this one, and following Magrat marriage to King Verence, the Witches find themselves down to a duo instead of a trio, and - since you can't have a coven of two ("When shall we ... two ... meet again ....") - are in need of a replacement (well, so Nanny Ogg thinks).

Said replacement is the first appearance of Agnes Nitt who, unfortunately (from their perspective) has moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork and joined the Opera.

Cue Pratchett's take on 'The Phantom of the Opera' (which, when I first read this, I'd never actually seen) ...
  
V for Vendetta (2005)
V for Vendetta (2005)
2005 | Action, Thriller
Remember, remember, the fifth of November ...
2005 adaptation of the 1980's Alan Moore classic, set in a near-future dystopian Britain where the populous is afraid of the (fascist) government, and where a vigilant known only as V uses terrorist tactics to rebel against said government and slowly falls for a young reporter named Evie

The story, then, has more than a hint of The Phantom of the Opera about it - both involve masked figures who live in the shadowy underworld, both involve melodrama and a star-crossed love story - with Hugo Weaving never once showing his face through the entire runtime, but still - impressively - able to convey his emotions through his acting.
  
Love Never Dies - Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway Musical (2010)
Love Never Dies - Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway Musical (2010)
2010 | Musical, Romance, Thriller
10
6.7 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Music (3 more)
Acting
Voices
Scene Transitions
Amazing Sequel of Epic Proportions
*NO SPOILERS, I promise* This being my very first musical, suffice it to say I was floored by the quality of the show. The actors really managed to bring the emotion out in this compelling sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. It follows the story of Christine and Erik 10 years later after their first fateful encounter. Nothing about the performance disappointed me. Minus a single technical difficulty that was resolved in less than 10 minutes, there were no interruptions. The music was also amazing. If you're not interested yet you might as well stop reading. For those of you who are, I seriously recommend following the crew for info on their upcoming shows. It's so worth the money and time you spend on it.
  
    Daniel by Daniel O'Donnell

    Daniel by Daniel O'Donnell

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Album

    Daniel O'Donnell's recording career has now spanned almost 35 years and he continues to delight fans...

Waxwork (1988)
Waxwork (1988)
1988 | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Several teenagers encounter an ominous looking building housing a curious wax museum in their neighborhood one fine day. The proprietor is an evil Willy Wonka of sorts who invites them in for a look see. Once inside they discover the curious life-like looking exhibits which peak their individual curiosities. They soon discover the chilling truth. Once the velvet rope guarding each individual chamber pulls itself aside, an unsuspecting young person is transported to the specific realm depicted from the outside. These could include the mummy, the Phantom of the Opera and even the Marquis de Sade.Not only must they try and escape and not get caught by the evil creatures within, but they have to discover the overall diabolical plan for their destruction.

I had forgotten about this 80s cheesy horror flick until a recent stroll though Amazon Prime. The main reason for watching is the practical effects, They were cool by 80s standards; albeit a bit cheesy now. Having said so, I would still much rather have practical effects rather than bad CGI which completely takes you out of the scene. At least with practical effects, they are being executed on set so the actors can interact with them rather than staring at a blank wall.

There was some decent gore and semi funny moments as well. Parts of it reminded me of a Evil Dead type camp where they were not trying t take themselves too seriously, but I do not know if that as their intention.