Beatles '64 review: life in the eye of the Beatlemania hurricane
The new documentary from director David Tedeschi boasts revealing footage from when the Fab Four conquered America, but is little more than a fan celebration
★★★☆☆ Beatles '64 is on Disney+ from Friday. Add it to your watchlist Apple Corps loves an anniversary, and this documentary gets a release in the 60th year of the Beatles first touching down at New York’s recently renamed JFK airport, poised to change the cultural landscape for ever. Film-making brothers Albert and David Maysles were granted access (nearly) all areas for the group’s 14-day visit, which took them from the Big Apple to Washington and then to Miami. Their priceless footage captures, in true cinéma vérité style, what it was like to live in the eye of the Beatlemania hurricane. View oEmbed on the source website That meant being hectored by reporters, besieged by teenage girls as well as wannabe “fifth Beatles” (including overbearing radio DJ Murray the K) – not to mention having to attend stuffy receptions held in the band’s honour. This daily grind would be satirised later the same year in the movie A Hard Day’s Night, which was released before the Maysles’ film saw the light of day. Titled What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA, the Maysles’ movie serves as the backbone of this release, which has been cleaned up, repurposed and added to by Martin Scorsese’s regular musical collaborator David Tedeschi. Augmenting the original footage are newly shot interviews with various famous fans who were touched by the events of February 1964, including a visibly moved Joe Queenan, who likens the Beatles’ arrival in America to “the light coming on”. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are also interviewed — albeit separately — but their contributions are all but drowned out by too many competing voices, making this more of a fan celebration than anything else. Beatles ’64 is at its best when in the company of its core foursome, with John, Paul, George and Ringo running rings around the press, larking about in hotel rooms, letting their (comparatively long) hair down at nightclubs, and rocking out on stage. For all its laughably rickety staging, the Washington Coliseum gig demonstrates what a tight, exciting live act they really were, tearing through Long Tall Sally. Director David Lynch, who was there in person, nails it beautifully, saying: “It was so loud, you can’t believe. Girls shuddering, crying, screaming their heart out. It was phenomenal.” Sadly, too many of the other talking-head testimonies turn into rambling monologues, killing the pace of the film. At times, it feels like each and every one of that record TV audience of 73 million that watched the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show has been given their say. Padding out the film further is a hodgepodge of archive interviews with the Fabs from later in their lives, with the continual back-and-forth proving more jarring than illuminating. The vintage TV clips of philosopher Marshall McLuhan endlessly waffling on are just baffling. Ultimately, this feels like a needlessly reheated Apple confection; the company having already re-edited the Maysles’ footage back in 1991 for The Beatles: The First US Visit. The extras that have been bolted on — nostalgic reminiscences, scattershot sociological contextualising and a surfeit of archive — only diminishes the impact of what we’re here to enjoy, and that is a back-of-the-limo seat alongside the Beatles as they conquer America. The original film and audio has at least been given a pristine polish, allowing us to appreciate the lads in their prime and sounding great. It’s clear they’re thrilled to be in the land that birthed rock’n’roll, soul and r’n’b, with Paul rarely seen without a Pepsi-branded transistor radio pressed to his ear, absorbing everything he can. Beatles ’64 does make a telling companion piece with Disney’s Get Back docuseries, which offered a similar candid look at the band, only in its death throes, just five years later. By contrast, the prevailing mood of Beatles ’64 is one of hope for the future. Despite all the pressures and craziness around them, the lads are relishing the ride as their fame rockets ever skywards. And for an America still mourning JFK’s assassination, their arrival was a sign of better things to come. For the youth of the 60s, here reflecting on that time, this was year zero and the beginning of the healing process.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters review: "a lumbering mess of a movie"
It promised to be the behemoth of battle royals, but this mega monster mash-up gives the audience little to chew on
After 2014’s Godzilla played it cagey in unleashing the beast, the third in Legendary Picture’s Monsterverse goes all in, assembling the cream of the Kaiju superstars for the behemoth of battle royals. By rights, it should be great popcorn entertainment. Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a lumbering mess. Millie Bobby Brown can't escape the titans in the first trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters The Titans take over in new Godzilla II: King of the Monsters trailer Godzilla is finally granted residency in Japan The story dovetails with the conclusion of Gareth Edwards’s earlier film, introducing Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her husband Mark (Kyle Chandler) as they search in vain for their son amid the devastation of San Francisco. Both try to make sense of the tragedy by working for Monarch, the organisation in charge of monitoring monster activity, only for grief to drive them apart. Five years on, and Emma is now living with their daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown, of Stranger Things fame) in a secret facility in China, while Mark is out researching animal behaviour in the wilds of the US. However, events conspire to bring the fractured family back together when Emma and Maddie are taken captive by eco-terrorist Alan Jonah (Charles Dance). View oEmbed on the source website Jonah is convinced that Earth’s natural order must be restored, and wishes to release each of the monsters, or Titans, and let them walk the planet once more. However, rather than humans and monsters living in semi-peaceful co-existence, it’s pretty obvious that some of the beasts have other ideas. Cue some hard-learned lessons about nature refusing to be contained. Chief antagonist in the ensuing contest for king of the monsters is the mighty, three-headed Ghidorah (aka Monster Zero), who is unleashed from his icy slumber in Antarctica. Ghidorah has long been a fan favourite, and just like in his 1964 series debut, he’s joined here by Mothra (the benevolent queen of the monsters) and Rodan (a less-than-friendly fire demon), who each enjoy impressive CGI upgrades. It’s their battles against – and alongside – Godzilla that make this film such a tantalising proposition. How could it fail? Sadly, what we get instead is not enough monster action, but plenty of pointless peril involving the members of Monarch, as they desperately try to sort out the mess caused by their tech falling into the wrong hands. They also seem to succeed in wrecking a lot of expensive military hardware in the process. No wonder the US government wants them to see them disbanded. Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe are among the cast reprising their roles from the 2014 film, and once again play boffins trying to calm the wayward beasts. David Strathairn is back, too, as the naval commander who likes following orders and blowing stuff up. Of the new faces, only Millie Bobby Brown really invites any sympathy as a girl caught between warring parents, who takes the survival of mankind into her own hands. Meanwhile, Ziyi Zhang's appearance in dual roles is completely sketched over, and will only serve to confuse those unfamiliar with Mothra lore. With this sequel, director Michael Dougherty clearly understands the beats of a blockbuster movie, and some of his monster brawls are an improvement on the murky set-tos from the 2014 film. However, the man who brought us the 2015 Christmas creepshow Krampus seems to have forgotten that you need a coherent story to draw the audience in. The script he’s produced with Zach Shields is often toe-curlingly clunky, with dialogue that sounds like it's been lifted from a badly dubbed Godzilla movie from the 1960s. And even those without any scientific sense may well ask how many face-melting nuclear blasts one cast can subject itself to without being irrevocably irradiated. The scenario of a world ruled over by monsters might be unlikely, but it would help to make at least some of the elements slightly believable. As for the big guy himself, Godzilla has suffered plenty of highs and lows over his 65 years on the screen. But don’t worry, even this disappointing entry won’t stop him, as he has an appointment with Kong in 2020. Hopefully, that encounter will give him – and us – a bit more to chew on. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is released in cinemas on Wednesday 29th May
The Dirt – Netflix movie review: "a grubby guilty pleasure"
Crude, cartoonish but plenty of fun, it's the true debauched story of LA rockers Mötley Crüe
★★★ Rock band Mötley Crüe were not exactly known for their subtlety, and this excess-all-areas biopic of LA’s kings of spandex tells their debauched story in fittingly over-the-top 1980s style. The band themselves – Nikki Six, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars and Vince Neil – take producer credits on the film, which ticks all the rock ‘n’ roll boxes in terms of groupies, drugs, punch-ups and trashed hotel rooms. A re-creation of the infamous incident involving Ozzy Osbourne snorting a line of ants is simply the icing on the Jack Daniels-sodden cake. New on Netflix: the best movies and TV shows released every day Top Netflix TV series Top 50 Netflix movies More Netflix news and recommendations <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2017/12/TheCrown_210_Unit_00197_R-a6b2b25.jpg" width="6000" height="4000" alt="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" title="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" /> Machine Gun Kelly (credited here as Colson Baker) has the most fun as Tommy Lee, playing the drummer with a puppyish enthusiasm, and his "day in the life" scene rivals This Is Spinal Tap in terms of boneheaded brilliance. Sadly, the female characters are more crudely drawn, generally cast as strippers, conquests and shrewish spouses, which takes the sheen off the knowing cartoon fun. The inevitable lows that follow the band’s highs also feel clichéd (albeit particularly tragic in Neil’s case), but their inclusion does provide the necessary springboard to bring the story to its air-punching conclusion. It’s plenty of fun when the mayhem is dialled up to 11, and The Dirt lives up to its name by being a grubby guilty pleasure. The Dirt is now on Netflix View oEmbed on the source website
The Christmas Chronicles – Netflix movie review: "pleasing stocking-filler appeal"
Kurt Russell enjoys himself as a very rock 'n' roll Santa in this festive offering from Netflix
★★★ Two kids join Santa on a mission to save Christmas in this rambunctious Netflix romp. Katie (Darby Camp) and her tearaway brother Teddy (Judah Lewis) spend much of their time squabbling since the death of their dad, but find a common purpose when they spy Father Christmas on his rounds and try to capture him on camera. However, their unexpected appearance causes Santa to crash his sleigh, prompting a race against time to regroup the reindeer and get those deliveries back on track. New on Netflix: the best movies and TV shows released every day Top Netflix TV series Top 50 Netflix movies More Netflix news and recommendations <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2017/12/TheCrown_210_Unit_00197_R-a6b2b25.jpg" width="6000" height="4000" alt="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" title="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" /> A bushy-of-beard Kurt Russell makes for a fun, freewheeling St Nick, whose night includes joy-riding a stolen car and landing himself in the slammer. The fact that he intuitively knows everyone and what they want for Christmas is a nice touch. And those pesky, non-believing adults are always jumping to the wrong conclusions as to who he must be, whether it be a kidnapper, an internet stalker or a Vegas magician. The introduction of some feisty CGI elves (a calculated cross between Trolls, Minions and Gremlins) feels like superfluous decoration, but younger viewers will no doubt appreciate the chaos they bring. Older viewers can instead enjoy Russell revisiting his Elvis years as he rocks out with a jail band comprised of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. While it may not be a keepsake to match the best festive classics, this has pleasing stocking-filler appeal, with one surprise final cameo that wraps it all up nicely. The Christmas Chroniclesis is available to watch on Netflix View oEmbed on the source website
Coldplay: a Head Full of Dreams “A film that reaches out to the fans”
Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll antics take a back seat to the music in this career-spanning portrait of the politest men in pop
★★★★ Twenty years into their career, the members of Coldplay take stock of their musical journey in this documentary, impressively assembled by Mat Whitecross, the man who so brilliantly charted the rise of Oasis in Supersonic. The fact that the director befriended the band back in 1996, before they had even settled on a name or made any recordings, means he was ideally placed to essay their leap from dingy Camden dives to the biggest venues in the world. And throughout it all, he’s accorded the privileged view of an insider. Following the template of Supersonic, Whitecross tells the story using solely archive footage, incorporating everything from home videos, TV appearances, video shoots and live shows. Adding their voiceover contributions are singer Chris Martin, bass player Guy Berryman, guitarist Jonny Buckland and drummer Will Champion among others. It was Martin, Berryman and Buckland who formed the group while studying at University College London, with Champion eventually filling the drummer’s stool by default rather than design (apparently the other guy didn’t show up). Rough video footage of the skinny, spotty foursome larking about in dorms could be any japesterish bunch of students. However, Martin’s self-belief and drive is clear even in those days. In June 1998, following an early gig performed as The Coldplay, Martin addresses the camera, saying that in four years the band will be huge. Somehow, this doesn’t even come across like Gallagher brothers-level bravado; it’s more a statement of intent. And sure enough, click forward in time to 2002 and the band are headlining Glastonbury. You’d think the band’s meteoric success was written in the stars, but the reality was more down to hard graft. View oEmbed on the source website Not that there haven’t been blips along the way. Coldplay’s first stab at breaking America was particularly disastrous, with the band playing to bored festival audiences and Martin having a CD chucked in his face during a radio broadcast (not caught on camera, alas, but one suspects Whitecross tried his best). The most turbulent chapter in their history saw Champion kicked out following the breakthrough success of the band’s 2000 album Parachutes. But like everything else in this story, the rifts were quickly healed and fraternal bonds restored, making the quartet stronger than ever before. Coldplay’s is not a story filled with sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll – something of a novelty in the cliché-filled catalogue of music docs. These are four middle-class men from the right side of the tracks, with grounded upbringings and all the advantages of a college education. They’re not working through childhood traumas or out to smash the system, and there’s little evidence here of celebrity excess or diva-like behaviour to spice up proceedings. If anything, Whitecross keeps a respectful distance from the band’s private lives, perhaps owing to their mutual long-term association. It’s most noticeable during the scenes covering Martin’s marriage to and break-up from Gwyneth Paltrow, which is glossed over and dealt with in a matter of minutes. It’s at junctures such as these that the film reveals itself to be far from a warts-and-all exposé, maybe just the odd blemish with some carefully applied concealer. The focus instead falls on the music, and it’s in the recording studio and on stage where these four rather ordinary blokes function as an extraordinary whole. And it’s also where Whitecross’s film really reaches out to the fans. Martin’s earliest musical foray as keyboard player in school band the Rockin’ Honkies provides a few titters, but also serves to illustrate his long friendship with Phil Harvey, who played alongside him then and would go on to become Coldplay’s first manager and official fifth member. Also caught for posterity is Coldplay’s first gig in January 1998, when they went by the name of Starfish. The band claim they were nervous as hell, but Martin looks in his element. Despite the film’s democratic intentions, it’s hardly surprising that the singer emerges as its dominant personality. Martin is a human pogo-stick of energy, radiating positive vibes that irk or inspire depending on your temperament. But for all his talent and charm, it is gratifying that we get to glimpse a less affable side of the golden boy. Martin’s perfectionist streak is joked about, but, as the film reveals, it was also the reason he was excluded from certain sessions during the recording of the band’s 2008 album Viva La Vida, at the request of producer Brian Eno. View oEmbed on the source website Elsewhere, familiar songs are revealed in unfamiliar ways. Beyoncé laying down her guest vocals for Hymn for the Weekend in the cluttered chaos of one of Martin’s kids’ bedrooms is not how you expect million-sellers to be minted, while a simple piano work-through of The Scientist is guaranteed to bring out goosebumps. Meanwhile, the songs captured on the band’s 2015 A Head Full of Dreams Tour have all the scale of an Olympics opening ceremony – Paradise being accompanied by an explosion of fireworks, ticker-tape, balloons and streamers. (To savour the live experience in full, the Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo dates are set to receive a release on album and DVD alongside this documentary in December.) Energetic concert footage, shot in stadiums all around the world, is interweaved throughout a story whose chronology ping-pongs back and forward in time without ever losing sight on where its headed. Although there’s not time to stuff in all of the band’s greatest hits, we’re given plenty of highlights from their seven studio albums. You’ll be heading back to the albums to fill in the gaps afterwards. Fans may be perturbed to hear the band calling this “the end of an era”, but does Coldplay have anything left to prove? In the early days, Martin kept a check list for success, but all the items on it have long since been ticked off. The band have notched up 100 million record sales, won nine Brit awards and sold out their latest, 18-month, globe-spanning tour. They’ve reached the summit of the mountain. “I’m just looking forward to what happens next,” says Will Champion. And one suspects that feeling is shared by everyone watching this celebratory summation of the band’s first two decades. Coldplay: a Head Full of Dreams is released in cinemas on Wednesday 14 November before premiering on Amazon Prime on the Friday.
The Circle - Netflix movie review: "a simplistic parable for the social media age"
Emma Watson gets her dream job at Tom Hanks's tech firm, only to discover it's not as benevolent as its image suggests
★★ Emma Watson embarks on a dream career at a pioneering tech firm in this simplistic parable for the social media age. "The Circle" is a stand-in for the likes of Apple, Facebook and Google, complete with a charismatic Steve Jobs-like CEO, played by Tom Hanks. It's the kind of company that looks swell to work for, but is more self-serving and dangerous than its benign image suggests. New on Netflix: the best movies and TV shows released every day Top Netflix TV series Top 50 Netflix movies More Netflix news and recommendations <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2017/12/TheCrown_210_Unit_00197_R-a6b2b25.jpg" width="6000" height="4000" alt="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" title="The Crown - Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, Claire Foy - Writer/Creator Peter Morgan with Matt Smith (Prince Philip) and Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II)" /> Watson's integration into the creepily inclusive company does suck you into the story, but her journey to becoming its poster girl and eventual whistle-blower is less convincing. Among a noteworthy supporting cast, John Boyega, Karen Gillan and Bill Paxton (in one of his final roles) have little to do, and there's precious little character shading to make Hanks a threatening villain. James Ponsoldt's film labours hard to illustrate the perils of sacrificing our privacy without due consideration, but its cautionary message is far from revelatory, while fans of the original dystopian novel by Dave Eggers are likely to baulk at the sanitised ending. The Circle is available to watch on Netflix View oEmbed on the source website
How to buy tickets for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in London
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds bring the All Points East festival to a close on Sunday 3 June - here's everything you need to know
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds bring their acclaimed live show to London to close the All Points East festival. Buy festival tickets Here's everything you need to know, from the line-up to the ticket prices. Where and when is it? Sunday 3 June in Victoria Park, east London. Buy festival tickets Who's headlining? Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, returning to the UK following a worldwide arena tour to support their critically acclaimed 16th album, Skeleton Key. Concert film Distant Sky arrives in cinemas on Thursday 12 April. Patti Smith and her band – the godmother of punk may be in her 70s, but has lost none of her vitality live. St Vincent – the singer also known as Annie Clark is riding high after last year's electro-infused pop masterpiece, Masseducation, and is bound to dress up for the occasion. Courtney Barnett – the Aussie singer/songwriter releases her eagerly anticipated second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, on 18 May. Expect more stream-of-consciousness songs that are funny and deceptively profound. Who else is playing? US garage rockers Black Lips, post-punk survivors Psychedelic Furs, slice-of-life storyteller Baxter Dury, hairy Japanese noiseniks Bo Ningen, the hyped-for-good-reason Shame and brooding cabaret noir courtesy of Nadine Shah. How much are tickets? Day tickets are £67.75 VIP tickets are £110.00 All tickets are available now from Ticketmaster - book tickets now!
When Josh met Iggy: American Valhalla DVD review
The King of Queens of the Stone Age and the Godfather of Punk come together in joyous, noisy harmony in this documentary about the recording of their album Post Pop Depression
★★★★ Not many albums are worthy of the feature documentary treatment, but the making of Iggy Pop’s 2016 late-career landmark Post Pop Depression is a notable exception. Iggy entrusted the project to Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who brought in Queens guitarist Dean Fertita and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders and began writing the album at his studio in the Joshua Tree desert, in seclusion and under strict secrecy. Not one to take his responsibilities likely, Homme also co-directs this thoughtful but never self-indulgent record of events, and he crams its short running time with photographs taken during the sessions, as well as band rehearsals and live performances – all captured in a swirl of jittery cameras and punchy, quick-fire editing. View oEmbed on the source website TV chef and Homme chum Anthony Bourdain takes on interview duties, with band members also sharing entries from their personal journals (albeit a bit self-consciously), while Iggy opens up about the death of his friend David Bowie, which happened just as the group prepared to go on tour. The documentary culminates in a raucously triumphant gig at the Royal Albert Hall, with Iggy stripping off, surfing the crowd and swearing like a trooper – proving he's still the godfather of punk despite pushing 70. As well as playing tracks from the new album, fans are also treated other classics from the Iggy solo back catalogue (no Stooges-era tracks here), launching into Lust for Life and encoring with the seldom performed Success – a fitting finale. Homme reflects that this was a once in a lifetime collaboration, and its significance – and fleeting nature – is not lost on him nor his co-conspirators; their love, appreciation and mutual respect is all up there on the screen. American Valhalla is released on DVD and iTunes on Friday 9 March Don't miss your chance to see Queens of the Stone Age and Iggy Pop (in a UK exclusive) play live on 30 June 2018 in London. For more information and to buy tickets for the show, visit our event page.
How to buy tickets for Queens of the Stone Age and friends in London
Here's everything you need to know about the rockers' feel-good hit show of the summer in London
Garage-rocking behemoths Queens of the Stone Age host their own one-day extravaganza for Festival Republic in London this year – with the legendary Iggy Pop joining them in a UK-show exclusive. Buy festival tickets Here's everything you need to know, from the line-up to the ticket prices. Where and when is it? Saturday 30 June in Finsbury Park, London. Buy festival tickets Who's headlining? Queens of the Stone Age and Iggy Pop – reuniting once more after the success of their album Post Pop Depression. Who else is playing? An international line-up including Brody Dalle (aka Mrs Josh Homme), svelte solo all-rounder (and occasional Last Shadow Puppet) Miles Kane, US hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, stomping Swedes The Hives, Spanish garage senioritas Hinds, plus hype-magnets Black Honey, Curtis Harding, Bombino, Belako, Skinny Girl Diet and Deap Vally. How much are tickets? Day tickets are £52.50 VIP tickets are £85.00 All tickets are available now from Ticketmaster - book tickets NOW!
Alien: Escape at Madame Tussauds – review
Jamie Healy visits the attraction’s brand new chamber of sci-fi horrors in London
In space, no one can hear you scream. But in the less vacuous surroundings of central London, the shrill squeals of a 40-something man are all too audible. I’m at the world-famous Madame Tussauds, where visitors in their millions come to rub shoulders and strike selfie poses with pop stars and presidents, movie stars and monarchs – or at least with their uncanny likenesses. The attraction’s latest film-themed exhibit, Alien: Escape, has just opened its air-lock doors to the public and is included in the general admission price. The anticipation alone is enough to get the pulse racing. Like the Alien: Covenant movie that inspires it, Alien: Escape is recommended for those aged 15 and over. Before entering, there are signs warning off those who have heart conditions, are nervous, squeamish or are pregnant (or rather “incubating life forms”). “There will be blood,” it promises. So, it was with genuine trepidation that I embarked on this mission into the unknown. View oEmbed on the source website Welcoming us aboard the USCSS Covenant is Michael Fassbender in the guise of Walter, whose wax avatar – like the vast majority at Tussauds – requires a quick prod to ensure it’s not the real thing. Taking you through the ship are crew members (who definitely are real, as the prod-test confirmed), who ramp up the tension by barking orders while others run past with looks of dread. A person cloaked in darkness surprises me with a well timed “Boo!” making me jump out of my skin – the oldest trick in the scare book. I give a small squeal and pretend it’s nervous laughter. Smoke-filled corridors, blood-spattered doors, weird noises and strobe lighting add to the feeling of disorientation as we stumble across a series of gruesome tableaux from Alien: Covenant. First, the gory remains from an unholy neomorph birth; then mucus-drenched alien pods; an unfortunate soul subjected to a face-hugging fate; and a final encounter with a towering xenomorph, poised to attack if you don’t exit sharply. For once in this snap-happy place, selfies are not an option. And that’s it. Game over, man. Two minutes of mild terror and I’m through. But that’s just a fraction of the time we spent in Madame Tussauds as a whole – you can easily while away half a day here. It's just a shame that you are encouraged to rush through Alien: Escape, as it doesn’t really allow you to appreciate the top-notch work of Creatures, Inc, the company responsible for the monster creations in Alien: Covenant. Maybe a touch of animatronic action would also have upped the fright factor – the huge, eye-rolling Kong that presides over the Skull Island exhibit that follows is brilliantly realised. But I’m not complaining. I appear to have emerged intact, with no acid-blood stains on my person and no discernible discomfort in my chest or stomach areas. If I wanted to, I could queue up and do it all over again. But somehow the option of having my picture taken with ET around the corner offers the promise of a friendlier close encounter. Entry to Madame Tussauds is from £29 per person Website: madametussauds.com/london
Legoland Windsor's Castle Hotel and theme park - review
Jamie Healy and his family checked in to Legoland Windsor's newest hotel and checked out the theme park's latest attractions
Waking up to find yourself confronted by a 4ft grinning witch brandishing a wand might normally be cause for concern. But don’t worry, this is Legoland, and here the emphasis is on fun. Together with my wife and our two daughters, aged 11 and 8, we’re staying in Legoland Windsor’s Castle Hotel, the the theme park's second hotel where the spirit of the middle ages is brought to life in playful – and thankfully plague-free – form. But that’s not to say that the atmosphere isn’t utterly infectious. The hotel and rooms From the outside, the Castle Hotel looks like a Lego set magicked to full scale, or else we’ve been shrunk down to the height of mini-figures. From the mock masonry to the pretend portcullis, it’s the most inviting and non-creepy castle you could set foot in, and testament to the real-life master builders who assembled it. The medieval theme continues inside, where a huge Lego wizard welcomes you into a high-vaulted reception area and kids can take turns messing around with a cheeky, interactive throne. With just 61 guest rooms, the hotel isn’t huge, but you should still spare your feet and be sure to ride the lift: it talks, plays music and there’s a light show as you arrive at your floor. With mini-mazes adorning the 3D-styled carpeted corridors and Lego LED flaming torches guiding you on your way, the journey to your room is an epic adventure in its own right. View oEmbed on the source website There are two choices of room on offer: knights or wizards. We plumped for wizards, and were immediately greeted by a friendly-looking cat: one of many life-size Lego models dotted about the place. The accommodation is split into two areas: one for the kids, decked out with double bunks (plus an extra pull-out bed), a Lego play wall and a TV with X-box; and a master bedroom for adults, equipped with another TV, the usual tea-making facilities, chiller fridge and a Nespresso coffee machine. You’re close to the kids, but the bathroom in between provides a bit of breathing space, and allows you to stay up beyond their bedtime without fear of disturbing them. Our two girls wasted no time in tackling the room’s most fun feature: the safe. By solving a set of clues, you can crack the code and find the goodies locked inside (some Lego merchandise, naturally). Children might need a bit of adult assistance in figuring it out, but who doesn’t love a treasure hunt? It also encourages you to take a proper look around the surroundings, filled as they are with potion flasks, ye olde-themed carpets and wallpaper. With so many imaginative touches, it all makes for a very sophisticated and immersive offering. The lighting was a tad subdued, but perhaps the designers were just being authentic to the period – one suspects that everything here has been thought through. The restaurant A trumpet fanfare announced our arrival as we entered the Tournament Tavern, the Castle Hotel’s feasting area, which is open for breakfast and dinner. Going for a more upmarket eating experience than the Bricks Restaurant in the neighbouring Legoland Resort Hotel, the Tavern is a meat-lover's dream. My wife opted for the fillet steak, while I kept it simple and plumped for the Royal Windsor burger. However, judging from the comments from other diners, the way to go was with the Black Rock Grill, where a steaming hot volcanic rock is brought to your table that sizzles the food to your satisfaction. (Someone who ordered the Chateaubriand said it was “mind-blowing”.) There are plenty of options on the kids menu, but it’s rather hampered by the fact that a starter and main course appear to be compulsory. As every parent knows, it’s always just a race to the pudding – and here that comes as an optional extra. For the full fairy-tale effect, try and grab a table by the fireplace, where a green dragon snoozes beneath chandeliers and illuminated stained-glass windows – all rendered in that familiar colourful plastic. It has to be said that service was friendly but rather chaotic on the night that we dined. At least there were plenty of distractions between courses, including a play area, Lego character meet-and-greets and jesters performing magic tricks. As there is no dedicated bar in the Castle Hotel, those in search of a “knight-cap” (my bad pun, and one the resort really should adopt) have to make the short stroll to the Skyline Bar over at the Resort Hotel. Not wishing to spoil the theme of the evening, I opted for a Knight of the Garter ale from the local Windsor & Eton brewery. Always nice to see locally sourced products on the menu. As you’d expect, being treated like royalty from a bygone age comes at a princely sum, with prices beginning at £572 for one night’s accommodation with breakfast, including two days’ access to the theme park (of which more in a moment). But for those with the cash to splash, the Castle Hotel provides a unique visitor experience, with some nice theatrical touches and the kind of charming detail that Lego does so well. The theme park The last time my family and I visited Legoland, the kids were five and under, so height restrictions prevented us from all going on certain rides. This time there was nothing holding us back, and we sought out the bigger thrills among the 55 rides, including the Jolly Rocker and Treasure Quest log flume at Pirate Shores. The Dragon is still the park’s premium rollercoaster, but the innocuous-sounding Mia’s Riding Adventure provided the loudest shrieks on the day. Anyone who subjects themselves to this swirling and plunging gallop through the skies will certainly think again before saying that Lego Friends stuff is just for little girls. The newest attraction in the park is the Lego Ninjago Ride, which opened in Spring 2017. Be prepared for a serious upper body workout, as you have to dispatch baddies by throwing fireballs, ice and lighting at 3D video screens using the magic of hand gesture-recognition technology. If you’re unfamiliar with the world of Master Wu and his band of Spinjitzu warriors, you won’t be for long – these Eastern heroes are set to storm cinemas in The Ninjago Movie in October, following in the wake of the hugely popular Lego Movie and Lego Batman Movie. Owing to the hype surrounding the release, plus the ride’s novelty, the queues for this one get pretty big. Speaking of queues, they’re unavoidable at theme parks, but Legoland does offer some solutions and alternatives. First up, you can pay out for a Q-Bot allowing you to jump the queues with priority access – if you want to blitz the park in a day, this is pretty much essential. Alternatively, watch one of the free open-air shows that take place in Heartlake City throughout the day: we caught Lego Friends To the Rescue and the pirate-packed Return to Skeleton Bay. Bring along a picnic if you’re super-organised. If not, there are 15 restaurants and cafes on site where you can grab a bite. And then there’s Mini-Land, which is perhaps the very essence of Legoland. Here you’ll find the world’s most recognisable sites re-created in mini bricks in their millions. Paris, complete with the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, is a relatively recent addition, but I loved the pocket-sized Glastonbury Festival, complete with teeny Ed Sheeran on stage. In the same spirit, and housed in its own indoor space, is a dedicated Star Wars Lego exhibition. Featuring faithfully rendered scenes from the various films, it culminates in a room dedicated to the assault on the Death Star from A New Hope. You can’t miss Darth Vader’s planet-destroying super weapon, as it stands 3m tall and is made up of over 500,000 blocks. Impressive. Legoland is essentially pitched at families with younger kids aged 2-12, but its appeal is universal. My soon-to-be-12-year-old had a great time, despite her initial misgivings that it would be “too kiddie”, while her younger sister had an absolute ball. That’s in part down to the nostalgia that Lego inspires in anyone who’s ever whiled away the hours in brick-constructing nirvana. There’s a spirit of creatively and collaboration that runs through the place – some of the sculptures encourage you to add bricks of your own, while the knight on horseback that stands in front of the Castle Hotel was designed by an 11-year-old competition winner. Despite being granted access to the theme park 30 minutes before it officially opened for the day (a perk of staying in the hotels), we still didn’t manage to pack in everything before it closed at 6pm (not that they actively turf you out; it’s all quite respectfully done) – and that was even bypassing the pre-school-friendly Duplo Valley. As we collected our bags from reception, there was a discernible collective pang that we should perhaps stay another night. But sorry, kids, if we're to build on the fun we've had, it'll be with Lego bricks at home. Radio Times Travel rating: 8/10 Lego-tastic rating: 10/10 Hotel: From £572 for one night’s B&B, including two days’ access to the theme park Theme park: From £30pp Website: www.legoland.co.uk
As Sgt Pepper celebrates 50 fab years, Jamie Healy finally took a trip to the spiritual home of the band that shook the world
For any worthy disciple, there comes a time when a pilgrimage to the holy land must be made. And as a worshipper at the church of saints John, Paul, George and Ringo, that means a trip to Liverpool. I may be a lifelong Beatles believer, but I also have the needs of a young family to consider. And selling the idea of a city break that doesn't involve passports and sunshine on tap is always a tricky proposition. Fortunately, an abundance of budget hotel accommodation in the regenerated Albert Dock area makes Liverpool a very affordable city to visit. And staying in the docks puts you in the heart of Beatles country. I began my visit with The Beatles Story, a permanent exhibition that guides you through a cherry-picked chronology of the Fab Four’s career. An audio/video guide is included in the ticket price, featuring archive contributions from the band and specially recorded interviews from the likes of John’s first wife, Cynthia. The early days, from Paul and John's first meeting at Woolton church fete, through to the band's residencies in Hamburg and at the Casbah and Cavern clubs, are particularly well evoked. And a room dedicated to their psychedelic years is an acid-hued delight, complete with a life-size recreation of the Pepper album cover and a climb-aboard Yellow Submarine. There's also plenty to excite the seasoned Fabs follower here. Look in the nooks and crannies and you’ll find the only copy of the White Album on blue vinyl (and the story of how it came to be), a rare alternative Pepper cover shot and the draft letter from Lennon to the Queen where he famously returned his MBE, citing “Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, our support of America in Vietnam and for Cold Turkey slipping down the charts.” The area devoted to the group's solo years is a bit of an afterthought, but Bob Gruen's photos of Lennon in New York are attractively presented, while a mock-up of the all-white room from the singer’s Tittenhurst Park home (where the Imagine promo was filmed) ensures you leave on a serene note. If you do have children and they've struggled to master the audio/video gizmo that accompanies the exhibition, the Discovery Zone offers plenty of opportunities for them to get creative with colouring pens, mess about with interactive displays and fathom the divine mysteries of playing vinyl. Since opening in 1990, The Beatles Story has regularly updated its exhibits and played host to special events. Last year, it added a display commemorating the 2016 anniversary of Macca's signature Hofner violin bass, while four reproduction Sgt Pepper suits (taken from the band's original measurements) were recently introduced to coincide with this year's album celebrations. Having navigated the reproduction relics in the sprawling gift shop and made your exit, you're presented with two choices: jump on the Magical Mystery Tour coach tour or explore the rest of the dock and Pier Head. The four-wheeled option is a good way of getting your Beatles bearings around the city. The two-hour excursion takes in such landmarks as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, plus the birthplace of each of the Fabs. Paul and John's homes are owned by the National Trust, but you'll need to book a separate tour to gain admittance to those. And do plan ahead to check what days they're open – they were closed when I visited. I chose to continue on foot instead, heading towards Pier Head (put on your Beatles blinkers now to avoid being distracted by the Tate gallery, the Museum of Liverpool and the Maritime and Slavery museums – all free entry), where your Beatles Story ticket gains you admittance to a sister exhibition devoted to the British beat invasion of America in the 1960s. Don't miss the opportunity of a free drumming lesson from Ringo on one of the few interactive features. Liverpool likes to immortalise its famous sons and daughters in bronze. Statues of varying size, quality and likeness to their subject are all over the place. The best of the bunch has to be the larger-than-life evocation of the Beatles that stands along the waterfront. True, Paul looks like he might have been on a bit of a pie-bender, but the statues capture the band’s world-conquering swagger brilliantly, and allow you the perfect opportunity to kneel at their collective feet, touch the burnished hem, or maybe just grab a cheeky selfie. From the city’s iconic shoreside, you can also enjoy the views of the famous Liver and Cunard Buildings, the latter now home to the British Music Experience, a major exhibition that moved here from London’s 02 that charts the history of pop music in the UK. Liverpool being a compact city to walk around, you’re now close to the city’s Cavern Quarter. Compared to the pristinely renovated dockside, there’s a rough-and-ready feel to Matthew Street and the surrounding area that probably hasn’t changed much since the beat boom. The original Cavern itself was torn down in the early 70s (a statue of cloakroom-attendant-made-good Cilla marks its exact location), but its present incarnation is just a few doors down. As you descend the stairs to its subterranean inner sanctum, the smell of beer and bleach that greets you indicates that the Cavern is still a working live venue, with tribute acts preaching the gospel of the world’s most famous songbook night and day. Rather than just being the pokey, tunnel-shaped room familiar from all those old newsreels, it’s a surprisingly, um, cavernous, place. A separate lounge area with a large stage and plenty of seating is ideal for groups and families. And the seat in the far corner marks the spot of the original site’s stage, so is worth grabbing. The Cavern’s walls are lined with memorabilia-stuffed displays (the hand-written lyrics to Cheese and Onions from Fabs-spoofers the Rutles being of interest, Cilla Black’s ringmaster jacket from Blind Date less so), and there’s more of the same in The Cavern Pub across the street, which has the added bonus of serving bar snacks. Those with a larger appetite might like to check out Blakes restaurant in the Hard Day’s Night hotel around the corner (“Fixing a hole” the menu promises). However, by this point, my family had enough of the Beatles being rammed down their throat; and one of their Fab Four burgers washed down with a John Lennon-ade was sadly off the cards. Liverpool has enough to keep even the most evangelical Beatles apostle in raptures. But worship comes in many forms, and the city’s shopping, football, art treasures, architecture and cathedrals all inspire devotion of a different kind. It’s enough to warrant a second coming. Paul Merton's Beatles is on Monday 27 May on Radio 2, 10pm Radio Times Travel short breaks Save up to 40% on an overnight cruise to Liverpool, from £79. Sail south, through the Firth of Clyde, along the Scottish coast and past the Isle of Man to Liverpool on this mini-cruise. A full first-class entertainment programme and a five-course evening meal aboard Marco Polo will make this a short sea voyage to remember. Click here for more details and to book.
The Rolling Stones: Exhibitionism at London's Saatchi Gallery – review
It's only a showcase of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world – but we like it
In a room devoted to the Rolling Stones’ humble beginnings, there's a hand-typed Q&A from their fan club that asks Mick Jagger to state his personal ambition. His answer? "To own a business." That was in 1963. Well, he certainly got his wish. And this exhibition, the first major retrospective devoted to the band he's fronted for the past 54 years, shows how hard he's worked his rocks off to make it a success. It opens, rather strangely, with a re-creation of the flat that members of the band shared in Edith Grove, Chelsea, back in 1962. One suspects that the carefully art-directed squalor (a fag butt here, a casually discarded custard cream there) might hold some exotic appeal to far-flung visitors when the exhibition begins its global tour in September, but for anyone who has shared a student house in the UK in the past 50 years, it all looks depressingly familiar. Thankfully, that's the only misstep on your tour through the decades, which neatly dispenses with standard chronology to mix up the old and the new, neatly side-stepping that glaring quality drop-off around the mid-70s. Spread across nine rooms and two floors of London's Saatchi Gallery, Exhibitionism explores the Stones' career through 500 objects, covering everything from personal journals and stage outfits to instruments and original artwork. For all the stuff that doesn't fit easily into the regimented areas covering "The Studio", "Film", “Design” and so on, there's a room of odds 'n' sods. If Charlie's kitchen sink was in there, you probably wouldn't be surprised, given the amount of material amassed here. An entire room devoted to the band's working methods in the studio initially seems a rather dry experience – a place where music bores can geek-out over Keith's vintage Telecasters – but it's saved by a bank of virtual mixing desks that allow you to play producer with eight of the band's songs. I always thought the bass in Start Me Up was a little muted, so it's good to finally put that right. One thing that becomes increasingly obvious as you navigate the Saatchi's rather haphazard floorplan is how much the Stones have collaborated. Their songs may be stuck in a chugging retro groove, but the band has regularly sought out the cultural cutting-edge – from Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons to David Bailey and Alexander McQueen – to present themselves to the world. Fashion has always played a big part in this business, and a hall of mannequins finds Brian Jones's dogtooth jacket and Keith's animal prints rubbing shoulders with Jagger's skimpy jumpsuits and the designer creations he wears on stage for Sympathy for the Devil. The partnerships don't end there, either, as the cavernous gift shop offers Hilfiger-branded T-shirts (at £40 a pop) and lips-logo Pringle jumpers (don't even ask). Men of wealth and taste, indeed. But you've got to hand it to them, all those years as a touring band (1,823 shows and counting) means the Stones know how to put on a good show. The video installations help to break up all that incessant peering into glass cabinets, as does Martin Scorsese's short film about the various Stones documentaries down the years (including rare footage from the long-suppressed Cocksucker Blues). And the area devoted to album design is brimming with trivia nuggets, including the creative solution to the Sticky Fingers zip conundrum. The final showpiece, a “3D experience” of seeing the band in concert, is cheesy as hell, but guaranteed to have you leaving with a smile on your face. It may also have you booking to see them play at your local enormo-dome soon. And that, Mr Jagger, makes for good business. Exhibitionism runs at London's Saatchi Gallery until September 2016 before touring the world You can now book tickets to West End plays through the Radio Times box office