A Floating Day

That's What This Is
No!  I am not messing about on a canal boat, nor in a balloon, nor in a carnival display. 
     No.  A "Floating Day" is what my still-coyly anonymous employer offers at this time of year, it being a day given gratis*, over and above the contracted amount.
     Which sounds rather dry.
     It might be - if most of my colleagues were not in work today, in which case the dryness turns to a slightly-gloating sense of schadenfreude**.

The day begins

"Cast A Giant Shadow"
A fillum, you might care to know, set just before independence in Israel, whilst it was still the British-mandated territory of Palestine.
      I re-watching it again for the first time in probably 40 years, and look at the cast so far: Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Senta Berger, Angie Dickinson, Yul Brynner, Topol, Jeremy Kemp - the latter a British character actor who plays a British paratroop officer who is actually not a baddie, for once.  See, Hollywood, you can break free from the British Character Actor Playing A Bad Guy cliche!
     From what I remember about the War of Independence in 1949, the Israelis won because they had interior lines of communication, just enough of the right equipment, experienced professional officers acquired from various armed forces, and the knowledge that there was no Plan B.
     So!  We shall see if CAGS instead has Kirk winning the war single-handedly.  Hollywood, you've been warned.

No!  Get it right!

No - Oh I give up.

Destroy All Monsters
No!  Not the film of the same name - what, you didn't know about it?  Your life is all the poorer!

Kaiju soshingeki***!

     Actually the title would more accurately be "All-destroying Monsters" as sinister female aliens^ utilise them to destroy all the major cities of the world.
     No!  Still less do I mean the influential anti-rock group Destroy All Monsters - you've never heard of them?  A John Peel^^ staple on his late-night show -

The shame of the cities - leashless dogs

     We've gone off on a tangent, haven't we?
     What I am alluding to is this:

24 of the little rascals

     24 of the l - hey, Caption Man nicked my line!  
     I don't especially want to keep them, so I wonder - what would happen if they got microwaved?  Or spent 10 minutes in the Airfryer set at 200 degrees?  Are they safe for Edna to chew?  Enquiring minds want to know but will probably have to wait until Wonder Wifey leaves the house.

Insult First Bus
This is a repeat of yesterday's instruction.  I haven't actually needed to use First for two days now, so I'm not sure why I need to criticise them.
     Oh, hang on, I remember: because they're cr@p.
     For Friday's insult:  If First Bus had been in charge of inventing the wheel, we'd all be on skis (cast-iron ones weighing ninety pounds each).

"Predestination"
For your information, a fillum.  Yes, another one, I can have two films in a blog if I feel like it.  This is another collaboration between the Australian directors the Speirig brothers and Ethan Hawke.  The Spierigs aren't very prolific, their last film came out in 2009 - "Daybreakers" - and I remember taking Darling Daughter to see it; at several points she literally jumped in her seat.  It's an interesting take on the vampire, filmed in Australia pretending to be in America, well worth seeing.  Their first film "Undead" is also interesting if not quite sure of it's tone.

Ethan Hawke The Slayer

     Anyway, "Predestination".  Based on the Robert Heinlein short story "All You Zombies^^^", which is a good source.  I read it, but decades ago and can't remember any of it.  Nevertheless I shall look forward to the fillum itself.
     (Please note: for the duration of this article the normal Film Review Rules at BOOJUM! do not apply.  Thank you)

The White Fish Authority

Do jelly and custard?  NO!
White Fish Authority advert, you are lying!

"Caracole"
Again, apologies for this term popping up like flotsam on a beach, a much tidier analogy than Conrad's inherently disorganised mind.
     What is it?  A military tactic carried out by light cavalry in the 16th and 17th centuries, apparently.  To attack infantry the cavalry would ride up in ranks; the first rank would fire their pistols at the enemy soldiers, then retire to the rear rank to reload; the second rank would then carry out the fire and wheel to the rear.

Car of coal.  Close enough

     As I say, apologies for inflicting this on you.  Who know what tomorrow will bring~?


*  For free
** Gloating at the misfortune of others.
*** Destroy all monsters in Japanese?
^ Look, I didn't write the plot, don't blame me for misogynism.
^^ Before he became SIR John Peel, of course.
^^^ Which is not about zombies.
~ Saturday <yes thank you Mister Hand!>