Latest news with #TheMouseTrap
The Guardian
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Screamboat review – rodent IP horror sends Mickey Mouse on a ferry rampage
Here's another draining bout of horror opportunism, spawned in this instance by the copyright expiring on Disney's Steamboat Willie, the 1928 landmark animation that launched Mickey Mouse into the world. Scurrying on to screens months behind the similarly motivated The Mouse Trap, Steven LaMorte's bloody pastiche opens with a quote coyly ascribed to 'Walt D' before plodding mirthlessly in the pawprints of those recent Winnie-the-Pooh carve-ups, demonstrating no greater brio, invention or wit. Its mock Mickey is a genetically modified super-violent pipsqueak (played by Terrifier breakout star David Howard Thornton, in mangy rodent costume), let loose from the sewers by blundering engineers; rather than the jaunty steamboat his predecessor commandeered, he wreaks murderous havoc on a grimy approximation of the Staten Island ferry, whistling while he works. The whole never recovers from its leaden opening half-hour, devoted to lugging potential corpses onboard leaving us to wonder who, if anyone, will survive the lacklustre carnage. (Hopes are lowered like a flag for the airheaded bachelorette party.) LaMorte notionally expands the scope of his non-satirical attack by having the critter's victims mouth familiar Magic Kingdom phrases. 'Can you feel the love tonight?' says one topless passenger, shortly before being hosed down with gore. One point in favour of these cheap-and-cheerless cash-ins: in an era of dead-eyed data scraping, they may yet radicalise a generation of sleepover attenders to pursue ways of toughening up copyright law. Arterial spray fans won't feel short-changed, but many of the kill scenes are torpedoed by poor lighting, clumsy-to-inept camera coverage and cutting, and effects that only erratically match the action. Amid a number of Sharknado-level performances, and accidentally serving the public by muffling dialogue that wasn't exactly sparkling to begin with, Thornton gives his Mickey a certain bouncy malevolence – but we get the idea after only a few minutes of watching the actor tap dance on a pop culture grave. These tacky novelty films have been unlucky to land at a moment when mainstream horror has seriously raised its game, but something as cut-price, retrograde and reactionary as this really does deserve the damning label of Mickey Mouse fare. Screamboat is out in US and UK cinemas on 2 April.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Our town has talent and West End worthy shows'
Two drama tutors who have opened a theatre collective in a seaside town have said they wanted to prove to budding actors they could have a career in creative arts without the expense of moving to London. Ian Meeson and Carl Walker are behind Blackpool's Theatre Collective, a free college for 16-19-year-olds, which aims to give students free access to drama school. The pair, who are both from Blackpool, said they set it up five months ago to showcase northern talent, adding: "lots of talented people have started here". One of the students, Ahman, said the shows in the town were "pretty incredible" and "West End worthy" but "sometimes people don't notice that". Another student, India, 16, said: "It feels so good to know there is somewhere where you can do what you want to do, and you don't have to spend so much money to just achieve what you want." She said it finally felt "so good to be somewhere where you can be who you want to be". Ahman, 16, added: "Blackpool is sometimes seen as not an amazing place but you come here and you look, and it is amazing." Mr Meeson, 48, who spent several years working in the West End, said they were bringing something different to the Lancashire town. "I'm proud of being from Blackpool because this is where a lot of people have started," he said. "Talented people have started here. "Our college is free, so all different walks of life can come to us and train". Mr Walker, 39, told BBC North West Tonight: "Often people think you have to go to London or go to a big city to do theatre, and for me personally it is one of the reasons why I wanted to do it here. "You can do it here in Blackpool, because we will bring a little bit of London to Blackpool". Academy 'changed my life', says transformed teen Behind the scenes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach 'Stop focusing on the darker parts of Blackpool' The collective took some of the students to London for the chance to experience acting on the West End stage. The drama class performed Agatha Christie's, The Mouse Trap at St Martin's Theatre on London's West Street. One of those who performed, Christie, 17, said: "People need to see what Blackpool has, the talent it has. "There's a lot of talent here which needs to be seen." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Blackpool Theatre Collective Presenter 'thrilled' to own Eric Morecambe's desk 'My cancer will not stop me from helping others' Hundreds turn out for dying guide dog's final walk Family sleep in campervan to 'escape' holiday let
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Blackpool has lots of talented actors and West End worthy shows'
Two drama tutors who have opened a theatre collective in a seaside town have said they wanted to prove to budding actors they could have a career in creative arts without the expense of moving to Meeson and Carl Walker are behind Blackpool's Theatre Collective, a free college for 16-19-year-olds, which aims to give students free access to drama pair, who are both from Blackpool, said they set it up five months ago to showcase northern talent, adding: "lots of talented people have started here".One of the students, Ahman, said the shows in the town were "pretty incredible" and "West End worthy" but "sometimes people don't notice that". Another student, India, 16, said: "It feels so good to know there is somewhere where you can do what you want to do, and you don't have to spend so much money to just achieve what you want." She said it finally felt "so good to be somewhere where you can be who you want to be".Ahman, 16, added: "Blackpool is sometimes seen as not an amazing place but you come here and you look, and it is amazing." Mr Meeson, 48, who spent several years working in the West End, said they were bringing something different to the Lancashire town."I'm proud of being from Blackpool because this is where a lot of people have started," he said. "Talented people have started here."Our college is free, so all different walks of life can come to us and train". Mr Walker, 39, told BBC North West Tonight: "Often people think you have to go to London or go to a big city to do theatre, and for me personally it is one of the reasons why I wanted to do it here. "You can do it here in Blackpool, because we will bring a little bit of London to Blackpool". Academy 'changed my life', says transformed teenBehind the scenes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach'Stop focusing on the darker parts of Blackpool' The collective took some of the students to London for the chance to experience acting on the West End drama class performed Agatha Christie's, The Mouse Trap at St Martin's Theatre on London's West of those who performed, Christie, 17, said: "People need to see what Blackpool has, the talent it has."There's a lot of talent here which needs to be seen." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
