- Describe your age.
20 going on 8 going on 45.
- Where were you five years ago?
Back at school in Adelaide, and hating every minute of it. Although actually 1997 was my favourite year of my schooling career. Lots of delightful "misunderstandings".
- Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Probably still at Uni, probably still having not completed the first year of any course.
- What's a good night's entertainment for you and your friends?
Small group of friends going to the cinema or ten-pin bowling, having a little too much to drink, then coming home and crashing in front of a good DVD.
- What got you into DVD and how long ago?
A friend of mine first got me interested in DVD about two and a half years ago, but I never had a player until January this year. I had an antiquated television that was made back in the early '80s, so if I wanted a DVD system I would need to go the whole hog and buy everything at once. Took a while to save up for that little effort.
- What do you love about DVD?
I love the crystal clear adaptations of my favourite movies. I like impressing friends and family with the awesome sound that a well produced DVD can create. I like the fact that DVD is the current pinacle of home entertainment.
- Given the advances in DVD over the past few years, does the format still surprise you and why?
Most of the surprises I get from DVD are the sometimes amazingly exceptional transfers that some titles get that I would have never have thought would be possible.
- What title in your collection do you use to introduce friends and family to DVD and why?
Well if it were up to me, I would introduce friends and family to DVD with the new Apocalypse Now Redux. Problem with that is not too many people are willing to slog through it for over three hours of brilliance when all they wanted to see was an example of how the format works. Soooo, I either use the Matrix like 99% of other people or perhaps a few scenes from Gladiator.
- Outside of DVD, what keeps you entertained?
I am an avid cricket fan, I go to the annual Test and One-Day match at the Adelaide Oval. I love seeing the latest releases in the cinema, and I am sweating in anticipation of The Two Towers. I like watching the wrestling (or wrastlin') for a good laugh, it always cheers me up.
- Have you ever met someone famous before and/or wish to meet someone famous?
Hmmm...other than some cricketers, I talked to Paul Mercurio on the phone, he is a friend of my Uncle.
- What is your current method of transport and what would you like to upgrade to?
Currently it is a 1999 Ford Falcon (the ugly one), but will be getting one of the new model Falcons due out in October.
- What is your favorite recipe/meal/take-away?
Chinese and Indian tie for the crown. I love spicy stuff. Oh, and my Mum's roast pork is to die for :)
- What is the only joke you seem to remember when people around you are telling jokes?
When people tell me jokes, they go in one ear and out the other. I have huge problems remembering them, and if I try to launch into one, I often forget the punchline or deliver it wrong >:(
- Can you juggle? Can you juggle knives? Can you still juggle?
Yes, yes and yes. Ok, no.
- What are the most memorable nicknames you've had in your lifetime?
I was called Slug for a while in 1994...it originated from a school play we were doing, and my part was to play a slug. I guess I performed it so well people decided to remind me of it constantly. Another one was Big Mac, though people who called me that usually ended up with a sore arm. I didn't much care for it.
- What was the first video game you fell in love with, on what machine? What is your favourite now?
Would have been Alex Kidd in Miracle World on the Sega Master System. I loved that game sooo much, provided hours and hours of entertainment.
- What are your favourites? (Music, movies, books, anything!)
My favourite music bands in order are: Pink Floyd, U2, REM, Dire Straits. Very little of the newer stuff from the last five years interests me, I find it repetitive and supremely irritating.
As far as movies are concerned, my all time favourite is Apocalypse Now. The vivid imagery and the way the story descends into insanity is brilliant. Taxi Driver would be my second favourite, with Jaws, Pulp Fiction and probably The Fellowship of the Ring rounding out my top five.
My all-time favourite actor is James Stewart. Robert De Niro is another favourite, and Al Pacino. Oh, and Anthony Hopkins, Samuel L. Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Ed Harris, Bruce Willis and Christopher Walken.
Favourite Director would be Stanley Kubrick. Second favourite would be Francis Ford Coppola and then My favourite book would probably be The Lord of the Rings, followed by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
- What DON'T you like about DVD?
Probably the worst thing is having some of my favourite older (and occasionally newer) movies being treated to an awful transfer when I KNOW they could have been done better.
Also, the price can be a bit of a strain on the old hip pocket, though I think it is reasonably acceptable by today's standards.
| Robert's recent reviews:
Dark Angel - Season 1 - Volume 1
"One of the more innovative and big budget TV shows to come along in some time, this series provides a great deal of entertainment and should appeal to quite a broad range of audience."
Ali G Indahouse
"Definitely worth a look for fans, but people who like a bit of thinking to do when they watch their films may be disappointed."
Andromeda 1.9
"A good video transfer, a not so good audio transfer and a TV series that is somewhere in the middle."
Bodyline - It's Just Not Cricket!
"A complete documentary on the Bodyline series in Australia 1932-33. Any fan of cricket should grab this ASAP."
Ali G, Innit.
"Fans of Ali will dig dis and soak it up, but dis release also makes fa a wicked introduction to 'is antics."
Russell Coight's All Aussie Adventures - Series 1 and 2 - The Full Coight
"Russell Coight is funny as he is hilarious, and his All Aussie Adventures programme is as brilliant a DVD release as it is fantastic."
Tigerland
"A gem in the rough that went unnoticed by the vast majority. Grab this and watch it ASAP."
Shrek: SE
"If you don’t own the original version of Shrek yet (why not??), then this is a must buy..."
The Mr Bean 10th Anniversary Collection
"This is the definitive Mr. Bean release. If you enjoy the series, then this set comes highly recommended."
Iris
"A portrait of the life of English novelist Iris Murdoch, Iris contains some of the best performances of the last year."
List all Robert's reviews |
