Ready.... Steady..... Camera!!

Some thirty years ago today, when I was a mere whipper-snapper of only seven years old, a very strange thing happened.

Sylvester Stallone, after five months of training began filming his movie: Rocky.

This in itself is an interesting fact, but I owe Sylvester far more credit than simply making a landmark movie.

Rocky was in fact the first feature length movie to use the "steadicam".

The steadicam is a device that allows hand held cameras to be stabilised, thus allowing a more fluid shot. The use of dollies, and rigs, and jibs, and all that mallarkey isn't essential to create fast tracking shots any more.

The Evil Dead trilogy and all its fantastic, mad camera work was done using the steadicam, and I thank Sylvester for making the bold step and bringing this magical device to the public forum. My life is vastly enriched for having enjoyed these camera tricks over and over again.

On a more depressing note, I bring news of Tony Banks' death. He died in Florida, following a rather serious stroke, aged just 62.

Tony Banks was a cool member of parliament, with an acid tongue. He was a vegetarian, and a staunch supporter of animal rights. He was always considered "very left" within the labour party, and even opposed the war in Iraq. He always opposed vivisection.

His only comments/speeches regarding the war in Afghanistan, were to request government money, and the assistance of the Royal Navy to help the animals in Kabul zoo. In particular he wanted to help "Marjan" the elderly lion, which needed air-conditioning for his rheumatism.

I'm sorry to say goodbye to Tony Banks. The world is a poorer place without him.

Movie quote of the day:

Neh! Neh! Neh! Fuh! Fuh! Fuh! Indians.