Conrad continues to plough his lonely furrow in trying to rehabilitate the shark's public image and reputation. I did post earlier today about the total number of shark attacks globally being around 80 per annum. You may regard this as 80 too many, yet look at it from the shark's perspective. Art?
 |
| Your friend and mine - the shark |
The median estimate for the number of sharks killed by humans is 100 million per year, or about 300,000 per day. And that's not including the numbers killed on film, which would probably double the overall total. Sharknado, you have a lot to answer for! not only in terms of vicarious shark killing, but in perpetuating the myth that sharks are merely a set of giant razor-sharp teeth with an appetite attached.
You remember "Deep Blue Sea" and the intelligent sharks it featured? Well, you humans had better pray that scenario never comes to pass, or you'll be in trouble. Me? I'll be okay - sharks are my friends.*
 |
| How a shark shakes hands |
And with that, let's lock the motley in the walk-in freezer!
Meanwhile, Back In 1940/1969 -
Human beings also maintain an awesome ability for killing each other in large numbers, with ingenious and complicated machinery, and yes, we are back on the subject of "The Battle of Britain".
I notice that there are an awful lot of Goofs listed on the IMDB page for this film, which - of course! - means I shall have to watch it yet again, this time making notes against the Goof list, in what is probably one of the world's most boring hobbies. I did notice one that was utterly unbelievable. Art?
 |
| The flowers! Look at the flowers! |
One sharp-eyed pedantic hair-splitter - whom I like already! - noted that the flowers in the greenhouse that Pilot Officer Archie crashes into are primulas, a flower that does not bloom at that time of the year. Well spotted sir!
And now, lawnmowers. Art?
 |
| No! Art - |
| Better |
You see, not all the planes present in TBOB were real ones capable of flying. Many were built from scratch to be background aircraft that got blown up or burnt, whilst others were fitted with a lawnmower engine. This enabled the actor within to taxi about and look as if they were going to take off, before good editing took over and a real plane with a real pilot was filmed taking to the skies. Art?
 |
| Lame duck Hurricanes |
Those above are, by the script, unable to fly due to lacking spare parts, hence they get dubbed 'lame ducks' and end up getting variously blown up and burnt when strafed by the Luftwaffe. It must be a curious feeling, creating something large and convincing enough to stand in for the real item, and then seeing it deliberately turned into matchwood and ashes.
Here, Kitty Kitty
We've had fighter planes, and sharks, so what could be better than combining the two!
No, this is not going to be about Great Whites soaring through the heavens (Sharknado you have a lot to answer for), rather it is about the P40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft, as used by Perfidious Albion in the Second Unpleasantness. Art?
 |
| Saucer of milk? Or a sea turtle? |
It only had six 'teeth' but because they fired incendiary and armour-piercing bullets, you wouldn't want to get into an argument with one.
Not sure where the shark's mouth design came from, as generally the RAF didn't go in for showiness, and it must be awkward to paint on scale models.
Finally -
If you have been reading the blog for a while, you will be aware that I used to try and rehabilitate the weasel, in the same way I currently laud the shark, because Weasels Are Our Friends!** in that they keep down vermin. Art?
 |
| A weasel, making my point |
You may not be aware that there is also a weasel shark, and here we will display an Atlantic Weasel Shark. Art?
| Quiver in moderate fear! |
Since they only grow 4 feet long and weight at most 22 pounds, they aren't exactly terrifying.
No, but my Mum and Dad are - Conrad, raised by rabid weasels!
* Just don't come crying to me when they acquire legs and the ability to breathe on land.
** Except when they bite you
No comments:
Post a Comment