2. 2 Editor: Xander Cosgrave
Designer: Robert O’Sullivan
Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown
Music Editor: Holly Cooney
Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Furlong
Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson
Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling
Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill
BYLINE EDITORIAL STAFF
Ah yes, the delightful feeling of our
third week back in college, a quarter of
the way through term two, and for some
of us, we are closer to the real world
than ever before.
Oh god no.
Admittedly, someone in his
final year of a three year undergrad is
hardly in the place to have some sort of
life crisis, but it helps me avoid looking
at my future, which is nice. It’s also
better than looking at the past, because
yet more beloved icons have died,
which makes me feel a little like my last
editorial was a touch cursed. Do you
know what’s worse than you or I looking
at the past though? it’s when Hollywood
does it.
Every week, I feel like I look around
and see another remake of an essential
classic. I saw a trailer for the upcoming
Point Break reimagining, and a few
thoughts came to mind. Firstly, it looks
really fucking dumb, secondly, it doesn’t
have Keanu Reeves in it, who still looks
about 12 and could easily have re done
it, and thirdly, why the hell did there
need to be a remake of a acclaimed
classic. Okay, ‘acclaimed classic’ might
be a stretch, but it still didn’t need a
remake. Also, while I’m complaining
about Hollywood, It’s definitely racist,
horribly sexist, and homophobic as
well, see this years’ Oscar nominations,
Gillian Andersons’ pay issues with FOX
andStonewallrespectively.Tobehonest,
remaking Point Break without Keanu is
still the worst thing that they’ve done
recently though anyway.
I pointedly try to make my Editorials
as inane as possible, mostly because I
know no one actually reads them aside
from the designer, and he only does it
to make sure I don’t commit ‘too’ much
libel. It is with that in mind that I will
ignore everything that has actually
happened on campus during the last
week and a bit, and actually talk about
that ne macklemore song, ‘Downtown’.
It’s about fucking mopeds. Literally,
it’s a song about how great mopeds are,
which, don’t get me wrong is true, but
still a song about mopeds. It’s like he
heard Queen singing about bicycles, and
then said to himself, ‘what’s cooler than
a bicycle? Oh, a fucking SCOOTER! I
gotta get on this.’ Ech, whatever, go read
the rest of the magazine and listen to
that song again, it’s actually pretty good.
Even if it’s about a scooter.
Bad Cover Version
#BooXander
What’s Inside... Headlines of Byline:
FILM & TV
MUSIC
ARTS & LIT
GAMING
HUMOUR
COVER FEATURE
“Alan Murphy asks the question: Does Rock n’Roll still
exist while Holly Cooney previews upcoming festivals
in Ireland for February”
“Colm Furlong looks ahead at the upcoming theatre
schedules for both UCC Dramat’s shows in the Granary
Theatre & the Everyman Theatre’s run of shows in
2016”
“BYLINE looks to the future of gaming in Virtual
Reality & compares two of the titans of that industry,
while Darragh Murphy discusses his problems with
open world games”
“We preview the General Election & this week in
politics, talk about the worst first date you’ve ever
heard of and the most potentially controversial
satirical article about the SU (probably not tho)
“BYLINE runs through the various most-common
found drugs in Irish society & discusses the various
effects & side effects the drugs have in an effort to
educate students”
“Colm Connolly explores the concept of violence in
films through the lense of 1997’s Funny Games, Aoife
Gleeson ranks Tarantino’s top films & Zoe Fitzpatrick
looks back at the career of Alan Rickman”
3. 3
FICTION EDITOR - AUSTIN DOWLING
Dwarven Architecture
by William H.
The walls flickered with our shadows, strange shapes and sizes cast by the
twirl of our torches. “Y’know, I could easily illuminate this entire room
with magic” I grumbled. My arms were stiff from holding the torch high
enough for my companions to see. Grom glared at me; a punishment for
what happened in the last room. Unlike the other two, I’m a lot smaller. A
floor full of scarabs is far scarier to me. I was panicked, there was fire, and
the scarabs just kept coming. It wasn’t my fault a fireball went astray and
set Grom’s hair alight! I think he looks better now with half of it missing.
It gives him a reason to get that comb-over he’s been admiring on all the
other fighters in town.
The walls faded away and our shadows sprawled along the precisely carved
stone slabs on the floor. The sounds of our footsteps began to echo louder
than before. We must have wandered into a large room. “Light?” Grom
commanded seriously. He always had a way of conveying more than just
the words he spoke. His tone was always so precise and calculated. And
now it was telling me that he was worried. “Sure thing, boss” I said playfully
to ease the tension. In a long dead tongue, I drew the symbol for “bright”
on the handle of the torch. Its light escalated to a brilliant, radiating white
shine, bouncing off the intricate carvings of the chamber.
The ceiling above slanted inwards like a pyramid until its peak curved
around to form a dome. Six pillars scaled from the ground to roof, forming
a neat circle around the centre of the room. The walls of this room were
carved in a dwarven style with intricate hammers and trails weaving their
way through the chiselled stone. Despite their brutish nature, a dwarf’s
masonry was beautiful to behold. Their work felt impossibly alive. How
could someone using only a hammer, a chisel and varying shades of grey
create the heart-warming beauty of such marvels?
“Careful…” Grom’s warning stirred me. We stood, prepared, just before
the gap of two towering pillars. Hearing a faint rustle from our right, we
snapped around.
A battle-cry erupted beside me and a small, pale green figure leapt out
behind the nearest pillar. I dropped the torch in fear and unleashed a ray of
frost, which impacted with its chest and spun out in tiny fractals until the
assailant fell to the floor with a thud. I hadn’t noticed the commotion until I
turned around but at least three of the creatures were swiping at Grom with
their makeshift sickles. It seemed Palor was knocked prone by the thing
sitting stubbornly on his back. A flourish of its hands and two sickles were
drawn, twirled and brought down towards Palor’s neck.
I rushed forward to help her, muttering the preparation for burning hands.
As I got within arm’s reach, I was surprised by the swift swipe that met
me. I managed to crouch in time to dodge it but I wasn’t so lucky with
the second swing. I felt the hot sting of the blades carving through the
skin of my hands before the spell took effect and shattered the homemade
blade. Howling in pain, I kicked the green shit-bag to force him off Palor. It
evaded me and clamped on my leg with its teeth. My vision blurred as the
teeth pierced skin.
My eyesight cleared and I saw its arm swing back to grasp its weapon. That’s
as far as it got. I channelled the energy through my palms, from arm to
arm, as I pummelled its torso with missile after missile.
A sharp shock of pain ran through me and I unleashed more power in a
magic missile than intended. The magical force formed a purple comet as it
hurtled into the creature, tearing it from my leg and propelling it back into
the nearest pillar. I looked down at my leg to inspect the damage only to be
greeted by a set of rotting teeth attached to a jaw still firmly clamped to my
leg but since separated from their owner.
I steadied myself and turned my attention to Grom. A corpse lay at his feet
but the other two were putting up a better fight. Their movements mirrored
Grom’s; their smaller limbs weaving around his swings and chipping away
at his armour bit by bit. One last deep breath. I pulled my concentration
into their legs, focusing on their shins. I made the sign of the hand, reaching
out towards my targets, and recounted the necessary words before spitting
them out and yanking my hand towards myself. Their legs pulled back
from under them, providing Grom the perfect opportunity to slice through
both of their necks at once. I would have admired the finesse had I not been
rudely interrupted by the pain of my moving leg as an unconscious Palor
slowly came around.
“Mage Hand saves the day again” laughed Grom. “It’s just so damn useful”
I responded, wiggling my leg off Palor’s back and onto the cold stone.
Palor muttered unintelligibly in her groggy state while moving to a sitting
position, holding her head drunkenly. “I… What…?” she began before
Grom put a hand on her forehead. “Hush, we’ll make camp here and I’ll
explain everything later.”
I looked at my leg. It would take an apothecary of potions to fix this shit. At
least I’d have the pretty walls to keep me company.
4. 4
HUMOUR
This Week in Politics
by Brakkus ExgroveHEADLINES
TV LISTINGS
Culture: Feminists
poison water supply,
burn crops, deliver
plague upon our houses
College: Student Centre
launch campaign to
shorten ‘pizza’ to ‘za’ in
attempt to “get hip to
the youth”
World: UK police ok
with detaining children
for spelling errors
Politics: Government
defends cronyism,
noting “sure the
lads are great craic
altogether”
Tech: Internet users
to continue to believe
literally everything they
read online
Health: Local man
takes photo in better
lighting, seemingly
becomes better person
RTÉ One, Friday
@ 5PM: Donal
Skehan cooks in non-
threatening manner
RTÉ Two, Saturday
@ 7.30PM: Watch
Daniel O’Donnell as
he continues to barely
conceal his massive ego
from the public
Political parties have begun to launch their election
campaigns for the upcoming general elections, to
various degrees of acclaim, condemnation, and
pointed disinterest. Starting from the Left, we have
the traditional launch of AAA and PBP’s Trotskyite
manifesto, or is it Leninist? It doesn’t matter, they’re
not going to do anything anyway. Following this, the
Workers Party, rebranding after realising that actually
calling yourself communist is not an effective way of
getting people who like iPhones to vote for you, have
launched their video calling out all other parties on the
left for not being the right kind of left, and challenging
them to a fight outside Hillbillies the night of the count.
Following this, the Green Party had their election
convention, which was a screening of every episode
of ‘The Wombles’, a children’s show about recycling
things, and living in a field.
Moving to the centre, the Social Democrats presented
their plans for election, a 43 page long document
that pointed out that they will do exactly what you
want, unless that’s what
you don’t want, because
they really, reeeeeeeeally
want to get elected, and
ended with a picture of
Stephen Donnelly looking
very very sad. Sinn Fein
launched their manifesto
for the opposition,
admitting that they are
aware of the fact that no
one would actually go
into a government with
them aside from Fianna
Fail, and deciding they’d
try and get a head start on things. Key points include,
the cover simply saying ‘Up the RA’, a QR code for
following Gerry Adams on Twitter on the first page of
the document, and Mary-Lou McDonald ‘accidentally’
referring to herself as party leader throughout the
accompanying video. Impressively, the party managed
to only refer to 1916 eight hundred times, one for every
county, through the document.
Labour elected to follow a manifesto approach that
simply said, ‘Please please please let us go back into
government, we need a little more time to completely
sell out our principles’, an approach that is being
applauded for it’s honesty. Fianna Fail also had its
Ard Fheis recently, and it was a prime example of why
you book a location after you sell presale tickets, as
the spacious City West hotel was left mostly empty,
due to the bulk of the party membership having to
stay at home in the wintry conditions, being fragile in
their old age. Micheal Martin has pointed out that he
will definitely not go into coalition with anyone who
could form the government, unless they ask nicely and
promise us some of the good ministries.
The slightly off-Blue shirts, or Renua as they like
to refer to themselves, launched a campaign based
around principles of ‘Fuck the poor’, ‘fuck the young’
and occasionally, ‘fuck everyone’. This was seen as an
extremely clear way of laying out of the policies the
party stood by, differentiating themselves from all
other parties that hate poor people, such as Labour
and Fine Gael. Finally, Fine Gael launched a campaign
built in two parts, firstly pointing out that no matter
how awful they are, everyone else is definitely worse,
especially Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail. The second part
of Fine Gaels’ manifesto was lauded as a strong return
to their roots, as they promised to fight in Spain to
support the fascist regime.
Overall, we can see that Ireland has a bright future
ahead for anyone who is comfortably wealthy, decently
employed, and in Fine Gael. When any party was
questioned on this, the general response was pointing
in the direction of America, and a link to transatlantic
Ryanair Flights.
5. 5
HUMOUREDITOR - LAUREN MULVIHILL
Tough Luck
SU Welfare Officer Opens Up About Drug Allegations
by Laura O’Connor
by Langdon Alger
Following on from weeks of
allegations and rumours about
illegal activities being carried out
by UCC Student Union’s Welfare
Officer, Katie Quinlan has opened
up about the accusations. Without
a hint of irony Quinlan outlined
her shock at the accusations of
dealing cocaine from her SU office
on thebuzz.ie. “The only thing I’m
selling is condoms and don’t let
Yik Yak or anything else tell you
otherwise”.
In an exclusive follow up interview
with the Express this
week we can confirm
that the fallout from
the accusations don’t
end here. After a
number of offers from
publishers and media
outlets Quinlan has
announced she is set to
release a book detailing
her experiences
following the social
media storm titled
“IfIDidIt:Confessions
of a Dealer”. The book
is set to hypothetically
discuss the methods by which an
SU member could hypothetically
sell hypothetical drugs from their
offices. “The trick would be to
create deniability” Quinlan told
us “you see if I did sell cocaine,
hypothetically, I could sell it in
condoms in which case I’m still
technically doing my job. That’s why
I switched, I mean would switch, to
selling magnum condoms, to create
value for students which is very
important to me. Hypothetically”.
While Quinlan has come out
in force against the accusations
which seemingly
originated on the
anonymous social
media app YikYak,
similar accusations
levelled against other
SU members are yet to
be challenged. While
the rumours range
from the mundane,
numerous users are
insisting Deputy James
Upton’s signature
ginger facial hair is
actually just glued on,
others have grown
moreoutlandishwithmanyinsisting
Comms Officer Barry Nevin is
actually just several primary school
children standing on each other’s
shoulders underneath a trenchcoat.
The rumour mongering doesn’t end
with current SU members however,
several recent threads have been
devoted to predicting the makeup
of next year’s union. While most
of the apparent contenders are
up and comers in societies and
other facets of college life there are
several surprise candidates being
predicted. With allegations of the
current Welfare Officer’s side job
striking a chord with many, recently
recaptured and imprisoned El
Chapoisasurprisefavouritefornext
year’s Welfare position. Even more
surprisingly many are predicting
that should his current endeavours
not work out as intended that
Donald Trump would make a strong
candidate for President. Many are
hailing his strong belief in small
government and reducing illegal
immigration, drawing parallels with
possible policies he could enact
in the SU including reducing the
number of sabbatical and society
guild positions as well as erecting
an enormous wall to protect against
CIT.
While there is little evidence to
back up these rumours numerous
national media outlets have picked
up the story, why exactly they would
comment on the random nonsense
of an anonymous social media app
is still unknown although according
to one YikYak user it’s “all because
of the feminazi cabal that’re trying
to shut down the college and drill
for oil under the Kane building”.
It began during the second year
of college, a year of great social
activity, nights out, and excitement.
In the midst of this, I began texting
a male friend who I had known for a
while. The relationship blossomed;
we got on like a house on fire! Soon
enough, I found myself tearing
through my wardrobe searching
nervously for a suitable outfit for a
first date. I had to take a few deep
breaths as I squeezed myself into
my skinny jeans and headed for the
door.
Now, I obviously couldn’t admit
to my Mam that I was headed
on a date. The thoughts of the
Mam-Interrogation and multiple
questions would only heighten the
nerves, so I did what any respectable
young lady would: I lied. “I’m going
for a few drinks with the girls, can
I’ve a spin to town please?”
The date location was Reardens.
I got a text en route to say he was
waiting outside and panic gripped
my body. I couldn’t get out of the car
and walk up to him with my Mam
watching. So I did what I thought
best - told her the girls were waiting
inside Captain America’s. I got out
of the car, went into the restaurant,
and did the first thing I could think
of whilst I waited for my Mam to
drive away… I booked a table for
ten. Yes, instead of me just admitting
to my Mam that I was headed on a
date, I went into Captain America’s,
booked a table for ten for “Murphy”,
went to the bathroom and walked
back out.
But, the best is yet to come.
The date itself started off blissfully;
there were no awkward moments,
we were laughing, and the drinks
were flowing. However, the drink
in question I was consuming was
wine. I am not a
wine drinker, and I
was purchasing 2-3
glasses at a time.
Rearden’s was quite
packed that night, a
typical busy Friday
night but we nabbed
a seat in the corner
(how romantic, I
know).
Suddenly, I felt a tap at my
shoulder. I turned - and weren’t
my work colleagues on a night out
in Reardens as well. It was so busy
in the bar, they decided to join us
at our table while I tried not to go
crimson red in the face as I faced
the typical “who’s your friend? Are
ye on a date? Awww!”
An hour rolled by, my colleagues
headed to Havanas (thank you,
Lord) and just as the date was
regaining normality, guess who
felt the effects of all those glasses
of wine and proceeded to pass out
on the table? Yes, that’s right, I fell
asleep on the tables in Reardens
while on a date.
Needless to say, it didn’t work out
between us.
6. 6
GAMING
Virtual Reality Preview
The Rift - Oculus VR PS VR - Sony Entertainment
Which headset looks more promising? BYLINE looks at two of the frontrunners in VR technology
Jonathan Soltan Aoife Gleeson - Gaming Editor
When Oculus launched their
Kickstarter way back in August of
2012 it was a massive success, but
people were still sceptical. Since
then, the technology has slowly
become available to more and more
people and most if not all of these
people have become believers.
Which brings us to January 2016
where we finally have what we’ve
all been waiting for: a price. The
price to pre-order the Rift right
now is $599 and €700. That’s a lot
of money. You could almost buy
two PS4’s with that amount of
money. The point being that the
price, for many people, is simply
too high. Especially given that in
an earlier interview Palmer Luckey,
the founder of Oculus, said that the
final product would end up costing
somewhereinthe“ballpark”of$350.
That’s quite a price gap. Despite this,
after pre-orders went live on the 6th
January, a huge influx of orders has
set the date for shipment of new
orders further and further back as
the company struggles to keep up
with demand. It remains to be seen
if this is an artificial scarcity ploy or
if this wave of early adopters will be
sustainable.
When it comes to developer
support, Oculus is certainly not
lacking in that department. The
fact that it resides on the PC means
that developers don’t have to jump
through many hoops and can design
a game is simple or complicated
as they want. With well over one
hundred games already having Rift
support or having support in the
future, you definitely won’t have far
to look for a game that suits your
tastes. One of the more exciting
game is actually one that comes
bundled with the headset: EVE
Valkyrie. Valkyrie puts you in the
cockpit of a space fighter and lets
you dogfight to your hearts content.
On top of that, there’s an endless
number of first-person games,
such as Half-Life 2, that have either
promised support or already have it
patched in, giving you a whole new
way to play a familiar genre. Let’s
just hope you don’t get too scared
playing those horror games.
In my opinion the main problem
here is that certain expectations
were set and have most definitely
not been met. Brand new
technology of this calibre is never
cheap and considering that this is
the first piece of equipment of its
kind to be available to the average
consumer, I think Oculus probably
could have set the price even higher
if they wanted to. The one worry
for Oculus now though is whether
or not other companies interested
in entering the VR will try to
undercut them. Being the first to
announce a price for your product
definitely gives your competitors an
opportunity, but we’ll just have to
wait and see if companies like Sony
take advantage.
Sony doesn’t have the best history
with peripherals: PS Move is a
testament to that. Yet, PS VR is
poised to be an entirely different
beast. Anticipation for VR has
been slowly ramping up ever since
Oculus’ explosive campaign and,
if Oculus’ runaway pre-order sales
are any indication, there’s ample
demand for VR in the market.
Palmer Luckey himself said that he
perceivesPSVRashavingadifferent
target market, saying “There’s not
many people who already own a PS4
who don’t own a gaming PC who
are going to go out and make that
roughly $1,500 all-in investment in
the Rift.” Evidently, there’s enough to
go around. Plus, a little competition
never hurt anyone.
PS VR (previously titled Morpheus),
as of this writing, does not yet have
a set release date or price. However,
it’s safe to say it should end up
costing a good deal less than Oculus’
hefty price tag of €700 (it would
be ludicrous to price a peripheral
higher than the console it runs on).
Unconfirmed reports online have
leaked the price as being €450 to
€500 which, if true, gives the PS
VR a significant price advantage.
According to Palmer Luckey, this is
due to the PS VR not being as high
end as the Oculus, as the computer
specs required to run Oculus are
higher than what the PS4 can run.
PS VR will launch some time later
this year.
The games line-up is what makes
PS VR really exciting, with a long
list of titles in the works. Final
Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG, has
been converted into VR, as has
the first Danganronpa game. An
initial demo, called The Kitchen,
which has the player tied to a chair
while being attacked by a deranged
woman, sounds far too terrifying
for me to ever play. The London
Heist, with its self-explanatory title,
allows you to use Move controllers
to simulate reloading a gun. You
will look extremely goofy, and
have to buy Move, but it looks
like a blast to play. Psychonauts in
the Rhombus of Ruin, announced
during Psychonauts 2 crowdfunding
campaign, will bridge the gap
between the two games (this is only
exciting if you’re a massive fan, like
me). The list goes on and, from the
looks of it, there will be something
to suit everyone’s taste. The line-
up includes both exclusive games
and cross-platform titles, like EVE:
Valkyrie, which will also be available
on the Oculus.
It’s clear from PS VR’s extensive
line-up that Sony is serious about
the peripheral being a success: this
is no Move trundling along long
after the game is over. With the
right pricing and messaging, PS VR
could be another big win for Sony.
7. 7
GAMINGEDITOR - AOIFE GLEESON
An Issue With Open World Games
‘That Dragon, Cancer’ Will Make You Cry
by Darragh Murphy
By Aoife Gleeson
Open world games are a thing of
wonder. It is incredible to think the
amount of time one can put into
them, delving into a completely
different world for about 50 hours to
200hours(ifyou’reacompletionist).
I’m always excited when I hear about
a new game with an expansive map
to travel around, where the amount
of quests and exploration I do will be
various and endless. Unfortunately
though, I can’t say I’ve had that
kind of excitement over the past
few months, as it seems nearly every
game I hear about or pick up is one
where I must spend more than a few
hours on.
Don’t get me wrong, all of these
recent AAA games are fairly
spectacular, with the likes of Fallout
4, MGS V and The Witcher 3 all
deservingly being nominated for
game of the year. However there
is very little variation to oppose
the open world action genre, with
only games like Black Ops 3, Until
Dawn or Bloodborne as a palette
cleanser (and even Bloodborne
could arguably be classified as semi-
open word). The magic is taken
away when so many of the biggest
games coming out have maps that
span for miles, because everything
becomes routine and tedious. It
becomes apparent to me that I’m
going to spend quite a lot of my time
travelling from point A to point B,
doing a ridiculous fetch quest I’m
not too sure why I’m doing. It comes
to the point where I don’t want to
have to explore a whole new section
of the map where it’s landscape looks
exactly like the one I’ve previously
explored (You know who you are,
Mad Max). These open-world game
traits are something that need to
change if gaming culture continues
to produce a mass amount of them.
Bethesda Studios and MGSV
offer particularly interesting open
worlds, as within them are random
events that can take the player off
guard. It makes the player feel a part
of the world as opposed to feeling
like a bumbling idiot that goes from
icon to icon to gain a little EXP.
With 2016 now here
and an astonishing amount of
upcoming open world games, with
the likes of Final Fantasy XV and
Far Cry Primal, it seems a little
overwhelming seeing how I’ve only
begun to scratch the surface of
Fallout 4. I hope at least these games
give us some new mechanics to mix
things up; perhaps less waypoints
and more intriguing exploration.
All I know is that right now, I cannot
wait for some linear, story driven
Uncharted.
That Dragon, Cancer is one of the most heart-breaking games you’ll ever
play. Ryan and Amy Green, the developers of this game, lost their five-
year-old son Joel to cancer in 2014. This autobiographical game follows
their struggle through his four years of life after being diagnosed. It’s,
unsurprisingly, absolutely devastating. I would recommend that you only
play this if you’re emotionally prepared to cry buckets and you also have
someone nearby to hug afterwards. Yet, it’s such an important game, I also
recommend you take the emotional hit.
The world of That Dragon, Cancer is rendered in crude, brightly coloured
polygons. You begin as a duck in a cheerful pond, swimming towards a
laughing child. The voices of Ryan and Amy explain to their other son,
while their words are illustrated on the screen in unobtrusive calligraphy,
why Joel has developed slower than some of the other children. After that
you’ll go through vignettes of Joel’s short life, experiencing the highs and
lows of his battle with cancer.
The game feels so deeply personal that, at times, it feels almost voyeuristic.
You’ll listen to the voicemails left for each other by the couple, discussing
Joel’s treatment and their fears and hopes for the future. As Ryan, you’ll try
to comfort Joel during treatment (one deeply upsetting segment has you
trying to stop Joel crying, to little avail). Through reading her letters you
explore Amy’s struggle with her faith, as she tries to reconcile her deeply
held belief in God with the sickness that’s killing her child. Much like
Fullbright’s Gone Home, you feel like you’re intruding on someone’s most
private and vulnerable self but, unlike Gone Home, this story happened.
The game effectively evokes the emotional turmoil experienced by these
two:thetonevariesbetweenbrightandhopeful,darkandnightmarish(with
large, menacing cancerous cells omnipresent) and ethereally dreamlike,
eyes towards a hopeful Heaven. This is all scored by the most hauntingly
beautiful scoring, ranging between melancholy and gentle hope. Dark,
fearful sections are underscored by heavy, oppressive beats which evoke a
sense of anxiety and despair. The game does have some problems though:
the controls are clunky and slow to respond. This is notable because it’s
sometime immersion breaking: at one point I wasn’t able to interact
something vital, so I just had to move on to the next chapter.
That Dragon, Cancer is an emotionally draining experience that tells an
important story of loss and acceptance. Lasting only about 1 ½ - 2 hours,
it’s an experience that’s definitely worth your time.
8. 8
ARTS & LITERATURE
Everyman Spring ProductionsColm Furlong takes a look at the upcoming productions in Cork’s Everyman Theatre.
Writing Character - How Strong Characters Work
When it comes to writing novels, plays or screenplays, nothing is more significant than character. While plot comes in at a close second, without
a population in your piece whom the reader can connect with and empathise with, even the best plots are irrelevant. Strong characters are the
foundation of all good fiction.
What makes a strong character I hear you ask? Is it someone who is physically strong? Someone who has no problem beating up all the bad guys?
The answer to this question is no. This is not what makes a strong character.
A strong character is made up of complexities. A strong character has flaws. A strong character has varying traits. A strong character has beliefs.
Strong characters can be heroic, strong characters can be weak. A strong character is a character who is real and imperfect. A strong character is
someone like you or me. Some of the strongest, most heroic characters of all time have traits or flaws which define them. Sherlock Holmes is a
sociopath, but he has legions of adoring fans. Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead) let her abusive husband define her; but her arc has shown her
experience significant growth. Hamlet shows signs of madness, lust and various other flaws; yet he is one of the most iconic characters ever created.
Strong characters are built of layers and layers of traits; strengths and flaws, characteristics both good and bad.
A strong character can be a person of any gender; male, female, transgender, etc. They can be of any race, they can be of any sexuality. What matters
is what they are made of, and how they are written. These are the kinds of people we need to populate our works with; real people who all have a
story to tell, who all have a history, who are all important.
As I have said many times this year, Cork City is a hub for arts and literature of every kind. One of the centres of that culture in the city is the Everyman
Theatre. The Everyman has recently launched its brochure with the upcoming productions over the next few months. The following are some of the
highlights of what is to come:
Other highlights include The Shakespeare Sessions (29th Feb- 4th Mar), The Dead School (8th- 12 Mar), and Starman (30 Apr-1 May).
A night out in the Everyman is always a treat. You get to immerse yourself in part of the city’s culture in one of its cultural hubs, and you get to enjoy a
fine evening of entertainment on the stage. I highly recommend taking a night off to pay the theatre a visit this term.
Beyond the Snug:
The Everyman is bringing back
its series of monthly rehearsed
readings after a very successful
year last year. These readings will
take place in the Everyman bar,
and will feature the work of six
different playwrights; all women,
and all either born or residing in
Cork. The series looks to give voice
to the talents of these women, and
questions why their work is not
included on modern Irish stages.
A variety of different themes will
be examined throughout the series,
ensuring there will be something
for everyone. So for a nice, relaxed
evening with the work of some of
Ireland’s extraordinarily talented
writers, give this series a try. The
next event in the series takes place
on February 29th, with the work
of Carmel Winters, B For Baby,
directed by Síle Ní Bhroin. Tickets
for these events are €9.
Snow White and the Seven
Dwarves:
On the 31st of January, the classic
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
will grace the stage of the Everyman
in the form of large sized puppets,
colourful sets and exquisite lighting,
alongwithaspecialguestappearance
by none other than Bosco himself.
Sure to be a fun afternoon, this 65
minute show is recommended as a
treat for children up to the age of 10.
Tickets are €10.
The Field: The Field is a play by
one of Ireland’s most celebrated
Playwrights; John B. Keane. It comes
to the Everyman on the 4th and 5th
of February. The Field centres on
the character of Bull McCabe, and
is possibly John B. Keane’s most
powerful and best known play. It
chronicles the conflict arising from
a decision to sell a piece of land, but
this play has moved audiences for
years. Directed by Tadhg O’Keeffe,
The Field will be a wonderful night
out for anyone. Tickets for The Field
are €17.
Juno and the Paycock:
From the 10th of February until the
20th of February, The Everyman
presents Juno and the Paycock
by Sean O’Casey, directed by Ger
Fitzgibbon. This play invites you to
meet the Boyles: A drunken father, a
ferociously loyal mother, a wounded
son and a daughter with ‘notions’. A
familybesetbypovertyandwar,who
are offered the tantalising promise
of sudden riches. This play is one of
O’Casey’s funniest, and it is a strong
examination of humour, politics,
laughter, betrayal and heartbreak.
Juno and the Paycock is sure to be
a hilarious night out for everyone.
Tickets for Juno and the Paycock are
priced at €26, concessions available.
Aprés Match and Des Bishop-
Grey Matter:
Stickingwithcomedyforamoment,
February also sees two big Irish
comedy acts grace the Everyman
stage. On the 14th, the Aprés Match
boys will be bringing their host of
celebrity impersonations to Cork
for one night only. People familiar
with their work will be sure to enjoy
the night. Why not spend part of
your valentines laughing this year?
Following on from this, from the
25th to the 27th of February Des
Bishop brings his Grey Matter show
to Cork. Grey Matters tackles the
issues facing Des these days, from
the prospect of turning forty, to
snapchat, to moving back to New
York and more. Sure to be another
hilarious night out, Grey Matters
is not to be missed by fans of Irish
stand-up.
9. 9
ARTS & LITEDITOR - COLM FURLONG
Dramat Productions For This Term
Colm Furlong looks at UCC Dramat’s Spring 2016 productions
One of the best parts about being in University is the societies we have available to us. One of those societies is UCC Dramat;
the college’s theatre and drama aficionados who consistently put on great shows year after year.
This term, why not make it one of your goals to get out there and support your fellow students as they put on four different
productions. Here is a brief look at those productions:
Written and directed by Megan
Roberts, Trouble is the first of UCC
Dramat’s productions this term.
It runs from the 10th until the
13th of February in the Granary
Theatre. Trouble is set in Cork
in the summer of 1994; in Pearse
Towers, Cork’s largest council
estate. It follows a small cast of
characters: Declan Ryan- Pearse
Towers’ newest resident, Lauren- a
woman in trouble, Deano- Lauren’s
boyfriend, and a man in awe of the
Irish national soccer team, and Ger-
Lauren’s father who spends his time
in the pub. These men would fight
for Ireland- but what happens when
Ireland fights the woman?
Written by Elaine Murphy, and
directed by Darragh Mulcahy, UCC
Dramat is bringing an adaption of
the play Little Gem to the Granary
this term from the 17th until the
20th of February. Winner of the
Fishamble Award for Best New
Irish Writing at the Dublin Fringe
in 2008 and the Carol Tambor Best
of Edinburgh Award in 2009, the
play is funny, witty, heart-breaking
and uplifting. Set in Dublin, the
play is about growing up, growing
old and being old but feeling young.
The story is told through the eyes
of Amber, Lorraine and Kay, three
generations of one family. The
production by UCC Dramat will be
stripped back and minimalist; with
a focus on their performers and
their performances. The story and
doing it justice is what is important
to them.
Directed by Sarah O’Shea, Butterfly
Kiss will run from the 24th until
the 27th of February. Butterfly Kiss
is a play about matricide. From her
jail cell, Lily summons up her past:
a vivid collage of cross-fades and
flashbacks, which reveal aspects of
her experience cumulatively, not
chronologically. Thus, throughout
theplay,thestoryofherlife–andher
crime – unfolds. It comes through
shifting and mesmeric scenes, with
her interlaced memories revealing
the psychosexual tangle that was
her childhood, and the events that
led up to her trial. Scenes change
in a matter of seconds, and many a
time both the past and present are
played out on stage at the same time.
Her relationships are chronicled in
hard-edged scenes, all leading in
an impossible multiplicity of ways
to the terrible truth of what she has
done to her mother.
Written by Mairéad Ní Ghráda,
An Triail, will be familiar to many
who might have studied it as part
of their Leaving Cert. UCC Dramat
is bringing their adaption to the
Granary Theatre from the
3rd March until the 6th, with
Aisling Reardon at the helm as
director. An Triail is a play set in
1960s Ireland. It tells the story
of Máire Ní Chathasaigh and
her efforts to be accepted into a
Traditional Irish society; a society
which shuns her, even in her time
of utmost need. An Triail is a story
filled with hate, discrimination and
prejudice, but also one marked by
hard work, determination, love and
compassion. It calls into question
controversial issues that are
applicabletosocietyin1960sIreland
and also many issues applicable to
Contemporary Ireland. It remains
the well-known play from the Irish
Leaving Cert course, but with a few
changes to leave audiences thinking.
Trouble Little Gem Butterfly Kiss An Triail
10. 10
COVER FEATURE
HOW TO DO DRUGS
An entry level drug for many, cannabis is most commonly referred to as weed.
Typically smoked either out of a rolled cigarette called a joint or using a pipe or
water pipe, weed can also be baked into edibles or used to make butter. Many
countries have begun to decriminalise or federally control the sale of cannabis
legally with rumblings of similar actions coming in Ireland.
Effects: Cannabis is likely the most popular drug in the world behind alcohol,
tobacco and caffeine. It’s used mostly for its induction of a state of relaxation and
a mild high compared to other substances. It’s also known to cause hunger in
some users. Highs last around 3 hours generally with very large doses lasting up
to 24 hours.
Side Effects: Cannabinoids can possibly weaken
the immune system making it difficult for the
body to fight off illnesses and as with any
time of smoking long term use may lead
to lung cancer. People with underlying
seizure disorders may
be adversely affected by cannabis.
Cocaine comes generally in one of two forms. The white powder form was
popularised in popular culture by appearances and use in movies like Blow and
by high power business executives, odds are you may have seen someone cutting
a line in a nightclub bathroom at least once. The other form is the rock form of
cocaine, crack is generally smoked where powder is generally inhaled through the
nose.
Effects: All forms of cocaine have a near instantaneous effect with snorting or
smoking the substance causing it to quickly hit the bloodstream and make its
way to the brain. Here it interferes with neurotransmitters and creates a signature
euphoric feeling, including an elevated mood and increase in energy and
alertness.
Side Effects: The sudden burst of energy and elevated mood associated with
taking cocaine is met not long after (30 to 120 minutes later) with a come down
involving irritability, anxiety, restlessness and sometimes
paranoia. Due to its effects on the brain cocaine can cause
stroke or seizure, even in those without underlying risk factors
including young people. As much as cocaine effects the brain it
also effects the rest of the body negatively, with elevated heart
rate and blood pressure sometimes causing abnormal heart
rhythms or heart attacks. It can also cause intestinal problems
such as ulcers, can damage kidneys and long term effects can
permanently damage sexual function.
Usually coming in tablet form MDMA is a popular party drug (although also has
use in new age spiritual practises) in many countries. Sometimes referred to as
yokes in Ireland, ecstasy tablets often come stamped with various types of logo
that vary regionally or by supplier with logos from kids tv shows having become
popular as of late.
Effects: The effects of ecstasy usually hit between 30 and 60 minutes after
ingestion and create a sense of euphoria as well as increased sociability,
amplification of emotions and empathy, a sense of inner peace and enhanced
physical sensations including sexual contact. Mild hallucinations may also occur
in the form of enhanced colours and sound which make the drug popular at
clubs.
Side Effects: Dehydration and hyperthermia are common short term effects of
ecstasy ingestion with excess water ingestion post drug ingestion sometimes
causing hyponatremia (low sodium due to lack of replenished electrolytes).
Grinding of teeth is another common side effect along with
increased heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, erectile
dysfunction and diarrhoea. The come down which can
last up to a week may lead to further insomnia, memory
impairment, restlessness, depression and other negative
psychological effects. Long term effects can include brain
lesions and cognitive impairments.
Originally used medically as an anaesthetic, ketamine has grown in popularity
in recent decades. Although medically it comes in liquid form for injection,
recreationally it may come in powder, liquid or tablet form. By weight/volume
ketamine is much more potent than similar amounts of cocaine or some other
drugs and as such less should be taken.
Effects: Shortly after ingestion, around 20 minutes if taken as a pill or quicker
if injected, ketamine results in a rush similar to ecstasy, with music and lights
seeming more intense. As an anaesthetic the drug blocks nerve paths without
interrupting respiratory or other bodily functions meaning users may not be able
to feel injuries sustained while on the drug as well as numbing existing pain.
Side Effects: As an anaesthetic ketamine may cause some
users to black out or even an experience an out of body
experience known as a K hole, effects of ketamine can be
unpredictable meaning more than other drugs it should
not be taken with other substances including alcohol.
As with most drugs mentioned here a come down may
involve depression, other negative mental effects and long term use may result
in memory impairment as well as surfacing underlying mental problems such
as schizophrenia. Use may also result in cardiovascular failure as with any
anaesthetic.
In years gone by a so called “War on Drugs” took place in many countries. The war, like most wars, was misguided and had more innocent casualties than it could have possibly
intended. Although in this war the casualties were more often than not people simply trying to use drugs rather than what were stated to be the intended targets, large scale
drug sellers and importers. It’s a sad state of affairs in many countries when you analyse how many individuals are imprisoned for small scale drug possession, particularly
given how prevalent serious overcrowding is in such jails.
Sadder still though are cases like we saw recently of a group of people seeing immediate negative effects of taking an unknown substance, while some escaped the worst of the
possible side effects one young man was not so lucky.
So rather than condemn or talk down to those who wish to use drugs we think it is much more important to inform individuals on safe drug use, so that situations like those
recently seen in Cork can be avoided. While it goes without saying that drug use is never without risk, it is moronic to assume that this fact will deter most people who wish to
experiment with drugs from doing so. As such here is a simple guide to knowing your drugs, their effects and side effects as well as other resources related to drug use. It goes
without saying that all drugs, along with everything else in life, can lead to addiction.
Cannabis
Cocaine
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Ketamine
11. 11
COVER FEATURE
Generally injected heroin may also come in a powder freebase form which
can be smokable. Highly addictive heroin is a derivative of opium with an
understandably bad reputation.
Effects: Taking only seconds to act on the body if injected heroin causes a near
instant euphoric high while it takes longer with a less intense high if smoked via a
pipe or in foil.
Side Effects: Due to the relatively quick tolerance build up the body has to heroin
users typically end up injecting larger and larger volumes to chase the high. This
often results in death due to respiratory
failure as users begin to
overdose. Other long term effects
of opioids like heroin include constipation with the main side effect being
the dependence a user develops for the drug. However the use of needles means
injection related complications are problematic including the spread of HIV
or hepatitis due to needle sharing or the creation of abscesses due to improper
needle use.
Magic mushrooms as they are sometimes called are one of the few drugs that
are naturally occurring/produced in Ireland. The strain of fungus have a natural
psychedelic effect when ingested either raw, dried, when cooked or even stewed.
Effects: Between 30 and 120 minutes after ingestion a range of effects are
purported to be felt by users. Seemingly the reaction is dependent on a user’s
head space upon ingestion with trips including distortion of sound and vision,
time seemingly dilating, euphoria, deep sleep with vivid dreams, an out of body
experience or even powerful hallucinations.
Side Effects: One of the main concerns when taking
mushrooms is that the actual mushrooms being
ingested are the correct type. Many mushrooms
can be toxic to humans. Magic mushrooms may cause
nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea in the short term with long
term effects being more psychological than physical.
Flashbacks, paranoia and anxiety can result from a bad
trip on mushrooms.
Another popular psychotropic drug LSD is short for lysergic acid diethylamide.
LSD generally comes as a small strip of paper to be placed on the tongue for
ingestion. Over the years LSD has had many attempted applications including in
treating psychiatric disorders or in bizarre mind control experiments by the CIA.
Effects: As with other psychotropic drugs like mushrooms the effects of LSD can
vary wildly by person, with a trip being negative or positive depending on the
person. The sensory experiences caused by LSD generally have a longer lasting
effect than mushrooms
Side Effects: Again psychotropic drugs can leave
a longer psychological effect than physical with
drugs of this type being able to trigger underlying
psychological disorders. A bad trip can also lead to
long term flashbacks and altered psychological state.
Synthetic or designer drugs are created to be analogues of existing drugs and
cause similar effects. However due to the number of these drugs being created,
the lack of information about them, the difficulty in naming them and a number
of other reasons these drugs can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous. The
recent incident in Cork was due to a designer drug with other incidents gaining
media attention around the world including a number of “zombie” like incidents.
These drugs were commonly sold through head shops but due to the attention
in recent years most countries have taken drastic actions to limit the sale and
distribution of the substances.
Effects: Due to the wide variety of these drugs
it’s impossible to say with certainty what any one
of them will cause a user to feel, ether intentionally or
unintentionally. Side effects can therefore vary wildly from the
most minor to organ failure or death.
Despite the variety in drug types and even variations within the same drug type certain pieces of advice are applicable for anyone intending to ingest controlled
substances, illegal or otherwise.
Heroin
Mushrooms
LSD (Acid)
Synthetics
General Advice
Contacts
Do not use drugs alone, especially for your first
time using a drug. Should anything go wrong
being around people could save your life
Don’t take drugs that you don’t know. Even if
you do know the drugs a quick internet search
to ensure you know it’s effects and dosage are
advisable
People have different tolerances for different
drugs, never just take a dosage that a friend may
be using especially if they’re a regular user
Don’t take drugs from people you don’t know, at
least your friends probably won’t try to poison
you
Ensure the environment you are using drugs in is
known to you, safe and comfortable. A bad trip is
never going to be fun
Do not mix drugs, prescription or otherwise.
Drugs can have adverse side effects when mixed
that they don’t have on their own
If taking prescription drugs, even the pill, double
think about when you are using drugs. If you wake
up late after a night on the dance floor it may be
easier to forget needed medication than usual
Pay attention to the news when planning to take
drugs, bad batches or strains will be reported in
the mainstream media and can save your life
Drugs can worsen or bring to light underlying
psychological issues, if you have a family history
of these types of issues drugs are even more
dangerous for you than most people
Never share needles. Ever. There are around 34
needle exchange services in the country currently,
seek these out for safe fresh needles.
www.drugs.ie contains a range of information about drug services and information on drugs
1800 459 459 or helpline@hse.ie are free and confidential support services with questions around drugs or substance use as well as HIV and sexual health
www.na-ireland.org is the website for Narcotics Anonymous Ireland for those suffering from substance addiction
12. 12
MUSIC
Festival Guide
With January blues taking over it seems there’s nothing to look forward to but dark mornings, long lectures and treacherous footpaths. Summer is long gone
and far away and the festive winter spirit is over once more. It’s not hard to see why January makes us feel down in the dumps but worry not, Byline is here
with the answer to you January. Think it’s only the lukewarm summer months that play host to the best gigs and festivals, well think again!
Whilst gigs and concerts are ten a penny across the country we thought festivals may be a little harder to come by but fear not, Cork is a city of culture,
originality and creativity and one that refuses to let the rain dampen their spirits. With that in mind Byline took a look at two of Cork’s most unique festivals,
both taking place across the same weekend.
Founded in 2010 and based in 206 cities around the world, Sofar Sounds
is a global network of artists, hosts and guests bringing the magic back to
live music. A Sofar gig is an intimate, invite-only performance event - the
best new music played in unique spaces, to passionate audiences. Nights
typically feature three acts of equal importance. There is no “opener” or
“headliner”. Line-ups are hand-selected for talent, uniqueness and diversity.
The line-up and venue are kept a secret until just before the show, so come
ready to discover great new and local music! Many shows are recorded and
uploaded to the Sofar YouTube channel, which now has over 25 million
views. Sofar Dublin has become a huge success after launching last year,
and is now coming to Cork and Galway in 2016.
Sofar is nothing but original with tickets a thing of the past, focusing the
music on real fans, not just those who can afford it. To attend one of the
various Sofar gigs that will be held across Cork you can at https://www.
sofarsounds.com/cork. A word of warning is,
do not to be disappointed if you don’t get in right away as the Sofar crew
work hard to ensure everyone can attend a performance. When you get
invited, confirm that you’re going, then select your +1. All they ask in
return is that audiences give 100% of their attention to the music with no
talking or texting allowed during the performances. Tardiness is also a big
no no so come on time and stay until the end and please, don’t be a late-
comers as you probably won’t be admitted.
Not only is Sofar Sounds for music lovers, but also new musicians and
talent from across the city. To perform at Sofar the first thing you need
to do is come to a show or two to get a feel for what they’re looking for
and then apply via the website. The best thing about this festival is that
genre is not important with all kinds of music and art welcome, both
signed and unsigned! Not only can you attend and perform but Sofar are
also looking for hosts with unique venues, so if you think your basement
or barn is banging enough for a Sofar gig, get in touch!
Quarter Block Party, presented by Makeshift Ensemble and the Southern
Hospitality Board is now in it’s second year and is host to a unique festival
atmosphereofmusicandarts.Thisyearthethemeis“YouthandRevolution”
and the aim is to create and develop exciting and groundbreaking work
across the City’s historic quarter of North and South Main Streets. This
three day festival has something for everyone with gigs in churches,
pubs and clubs, pop up shops, street murals and talks and discussions on
everything from food to mental health!
Some of the highlights include Bitch Falcon, Meltybrains!, Lowlek, Donal
Dineen and Cork’s very own Horse! As well as these, check out Rozi Plain,
one quarter of This is the Kit who’ll be performing her own solo music.
Just like any other festival weekend, day and individual tickets are all
available and can be purchased from the box office at 2 Castle Street,
Paradise Place, Cork from 12pm-4pm daily (excluding Sundays). Tickets
also available on the door.
And for the really poor student among us don’t fret as they’re also looking
for volunteers for everything from box office, front of house, event stewards
and marketing. If interested email volunteer@quarterblockparty.com .
Sofar Sounds - February 5th Quarter Block Party - February 5-7th
13. 13
MUSICEDITOR - HOLLY COONEY
Does Rock & Roll Still Exist?
By Alan Murphy
After the shocking departures of some favourite faces from the music world over the last few weeks, Alan Murphy pays tribute to a genre
characterised by the music of the past. Taking a look at style and techniques it’s clear there has been a very definite shift over the years from blues
riffs to computer beats so the question emerges as to whether “authentic” rock and roll is still alive and kicking.
It can certainly be argued that commercial
rock music has made significant changes in the
last twenty to thirty years and many of these
changes have abandoned the authentic and
creative aspects both musically and lyrically that
it once possessed. The diversity amongst rock’s
biggest bands like ACDC, Black Sabbath, Jethro
Tull, Steely Dan, The Eagles, The Beatles etc all
had unique sounds which fused many different
genres and musical techniques together to create
a very distinct sound. In terms of today’s most
popular rock and roll acts, many of them have
a very simple and watered down musical stature
lacking the drive, raw and creative appeal those
bands in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s all had.
One of the key aspects of rock music that has
been declining in more recent years for me is
the focus on lead guitar. The absence of strong
emphasis on guitar solos and pure guitar tones
has been eroded and been replaced by the more
digital sounding guitars of today’s commercial
rock world. The blistering guitar solos that were
so popular within commercial rock music from
the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Slash
from Guns and Roses, Billy Gibbons from ZZ
Top, Joe Satriani etc appeared to have lost their
appeal from rock fans and record producers.
Most guitar bands from Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side
Of The Moon” released in the early 70’s up to
Nirvana’s “Nevermind” released in the early 90’s
have always had a strong emphasis on the electric
guitar, Bass and drums, whether it was a heavy
yet pure and refreshing riff in “Smells Like Teen
Spirit” or a catchy delay and reverb orientated
Floyd sound in “Time”, there was a strong focus
on a raw and authentic sound without the
feeling of over production that in my opinion
has created a deterioration in new, creative and
appealing rock and roll. I’m not saying that these
bands have not experimented with common
production techniques such as overdubbing and
high levels of audio layering but not to the same
extent as today’s commercial bands who have
an over-reliance on digitalized production that’s
causing a decline in natural musical creativity
and innovation.
Ex Soundgarden and Audioslave guitarist and
vocalist Chris Cornell talks about the curse that
technology has had on popular music. Cornell
explains that music today is too accessible and as
a result is affecting the originality and authentic
aspects of artists and bands. Cornell states
“They’re making music on iPhones. Everything’s
fractured. The reason there’s no modern day
Shakespeare is because he didn’t have anything
to do except sit in a room with a candle and
think.” Cornell’s view would suggest that within
music industry there is now an over reliance
on technology that contrasts with artists in the
70’s for example whose reliance would be on the
instruments they play which now appears to be
in decline. In the 70’s and 80’s radio stations
consisted heavily on not just rock but
instrumented music that was popular
amongst the masses but now because
of technology and a shift in what
big record labels are looking for
that is commercially acceptable,
this type of music has suffered
heavily. If you turn on Red FM
or 96 Fm these days for example,
every song that seems to be played
is an overproduced, unoriginal and
technologically driven sound which
has no real appreciation of musical
instruments and the variation that
comes with it. Even the biggest
so-called popular rock bands like
Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Maroon
5 have very little emphasis on the
musicianship of their songs that
popular bands such as The Police had
in the 1980’s. Instead we hear these bands
collaborating with Dj’s and rappers who
all seem to have a common digitalized
computerized sound that lacks the raw and
emotional edge that previous artists and
bands once possessed.
In short, rock and roll has changed, and
drastically so, so much so that is it even fair
that we call it rock and roll anymore?
14. 14
FILM & TELEVISION
Movies, Movies, Violence & Gratuity
Ranking Tarantino’s Films - Aoife Gleeson
by Colm Connolly
I like violence in movies. It never
bothered me, which is surprising
because I’m so anxiety prone most
my hair has fallen out and I’m one
of the few severely balding 19 year
olds on campus. I never have an
issue with Tarantino’s shoot em
up’s (it’s his dialogue and recurring
use of 70’s music I take issue with).
However, there is a film which,
when I saw it, not only made me
analyse the way that we all view
movie violence, but every aspect of
violence on the screen, including
media coverage of the many violent
occurrences in our time. The Film
was Michael Haneke’s “Funny
Games” (1997)
We have become pretty much
immune to becoming too upset
over a murder or even murders
on screen. It just doesn’t bother us
that much, it’s part of the story line.
Who the hell wants to see a film
without killing? I challenge people
to watch “Funny Games”(if you
can get through it that is) and try
to feel less uncomfortable than I do
when I have to try chat up girls. The
premise is simple; two young men
dressed in white tennis gear break
into a bourgeois country home, and
then proceed for no apparent reason
to torture the two parents and their
young son. The main intruder, Paul,
frequently breaks the fourth wall,
at one stage looking at the viewer
and winking, alerting us to the fact
that he can see us watching these
horrors. He assures us that he will
allow the victims a chance to escape
but will have them killed. It truly is
a chilling experience. I remember
sitting watching it on my own and
praying for a chance to help these
people. Watching loads of men
murdered in any of the Mad Max
films never bothered me, but even
a laying of a hand on one of the
captive people in this film sent me
into shivers. Each movie cliché is
exposed (at one point, Paul rewinds
the film to ensure the mother doesn’t
escape like she does originally). It is
a totally different experience to any
other movie I have seen.
Everybody needs to see this film,
film buffs and non-film buffs alike,
because I read “Funny Games” as
going beyond movie violence. We’ve
been watching wars on telly from
Vietnam through to the gulf and
Iraq wars (we liked them so much
they gave us new series of them!!).
In a world where mass murder is
frequently in the headline news,
whether it be Syria, Palestine or
another US mass shooting, “Funny
Games’ show how much tolerance
we have for observing violence
on screen, whether it be a cinema
screen, TV set or smartphone.
Are we adapting to the presence
of violence on our screens? Will
our kids carry a gene and become
biologically predisposed to being
immune to onscreen violence. Let’s
callaspadeaspade,TheParisattacks
bothered us because it was too close
to home, it could have happened
to us. It wasn’t as detached from
us, and we began to get the shivers.
Drawing a comparison may be over
the top, but I feel “Funny Games”
does just that. It brings the violence
close to home. The viewer is made
accountable for watching such
horrors, and we know that they
could easily have happened to us.
There isn’t a rhetoric to suggest that
realising our immunity to onscreen
violence will make us change the
world, and I don’t expect anybody’s
life to change after watching this
film, but it will fascinate you. It will
show you that the psychopathic
trait of lack of empathy exists in
all of us when we watch movies
and the news. Of course, we’re not
totally heartless, we are genuinely
bothered by a lot of situations we see
worldwide, but has screen violence
lessened it?
I likened “Funny Games to eating
meat (sorry Morrissey). I like meat,
just like the way I like violence in
movies. Doesn’t bother me. I eat a
steak without a whimper, along with
a nice burger. But I forget about
the violence that goes into eating
meat. An animal is murdered, sliced
up, and served
up cooked and
flavoured to take
it away from
its original
h o r r i f i c
s t a t e .
“Funny Games” makes you watch
the killing of the animal, it makes
you accountable for the slicing
up, and it doesn’t allow the nice
taste and flavour to detach you. It
points fingers. Haneke made the
film in response to what he saw
as the disgusting exploitation of
violence by the media. Many critics
have issues with it. Mark Kermode,
usually a gore fan, disliked its way
of making him feel like a naughty
schoolboy throughout. Haneke
went on to remake the film shot
for shot in the US, which I have
yet to see (haven’t the guts really).
It’s not the best shot film, the acting
is weird, the direction is clumpy
and the tone is horrifying, but I
never ever forgot the sensation that
“Funny Games” made me feel, even
weeks after my viewing of it. You
may not feel it changes your views,
you may not even be affected by it,
but you will realise that in an age
where everybody will not stop using
their smartphones, where Netflix is
in our rooms and cinema reels us
in with its violent action movies,
we are becoming more and more
detached from our real sentiments.
5. Kill Bill: Volume 1
Kill Bill: Volume 1 bursts with
Tarantino’s love for pop culture
reference and homage in the
most magnetic, and borderline
goofy, way possible. The Bride’s
showdown with the Crazy 88, Gogo
Yubari and O-Ren Ishii are some
of Tarantino’s most iconic scenes
and the soundtrack is an absolute
classic.
4. Django Unchained
The story of a former slave’s search
for revenge and his wife, Django is a
classic mostly because of Leonardo
DiCaprio’s eccentric turn as Calvin
Candie, a memorable soundtrack
that fused modern rap and Old
West music, a hilarious KKK scene,
and Django’s unforgettable powder
blue suit. Asides from Tarantino’s
absolutely atrocious Australian
accent, Django is an amazingly
enjoyable revenge fantasy from
beginning to end.
3. Reservoir Dogs
This was the original: Where
Tarantino’s flair for pop culture
dialogue, fantastic soundtracks
and squirm-inducing violence
first became evident. His newer
films lack conversations with the
same irreverent pop as the ‘Like A
Virgin’ diner conversation and the
diamond heist, plus the ensemble
behind it, creates a much tauter film
that his more modern offerings.
2. Inglourious Basterds
Tarantino films are a pantheon of
escapist, guilty pleasure violence
and nowhere is this more evident
than in Inglourious Basterds.
After all, no one can feel bad about
brutally murdering Nazis. With
an incredible ensemble (notably
Christopher Waltz’s magnetically
menacing villain), a ridiculously
entertaining caper to kill Hitler
and one of the most satisfying
alternative history endings ever, it’s
an amazing ride.
1. Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction is everything
Tarantinoatitsverybest:irreverent,
tangential conversations; a
fantastic soundtrack; intersecting
story motifs and random bursts
of violence. Almost every
scene is so iconic, and so
very, very quotable. Your
nightmares after the
‘Bring out the gimp’
scene are definitely
worth it.
15. 15
FILM & TV
Awards Season
A Legacy For The Ages
by Zoe Fitzpatrick
by Zoe Fitzpatrick
It’s the time of year when the best
of the best of Hollywood’s come
out, dust off their finest attire and
get themselves dolled up to the
nines. The rest of us mere mortals of
the world are glued to our screens
for updates on whether Leonardo
DiCaprio won anything (he did),
what Lupita Nyongo is wearing
and if anyone has managed to
pronounce Saoirse Ronan’s name
right yet - apparently it rhymes
with “inertia”. These occurrences
combined could only mean one
thing - awards season!
Starting off this awards season was
the Golden Globes, in early January,
when everyone from Zendaya
Coleman to Lady Gaga flocked to
the red carpet in their finest. The
winner of the Best Actress award,
which was narrowly missed by
Saoirse Ronan, was Brie Larson
for “Room”. The standard for male
nominees was extremely high, with
Leondardo DiCaprio winning Best
Actor for his performance in “The
Revenant”. It remains to be seen if
the same will happen at the Oscars!
Other notable winners on the night
were Jennifer Lawrence under
“Best performance in a Comedy or
Musical” for “Joy”, Lady Gaga for
“American Horror Story: Hotel”
(her first award for acting) and
Taraji P. Henson for “Empire.”
The highly anticipated Academy
Awards are due to take place at the
end of February, and much can be
expectedofthatnight.Theall-round
favourite to win “Best Actor” is
Leonardo DiCaprio, although it will
be a tough race between him and
Eddie Redmayne for “The Danish
Girl”. Another highly anticipated
category is “Best Actress” with Brie
Larson as the favourite to win but of
course there’s huge support here for
Saoirse! “The Revenant” is predicted
to win numerous awards, including
“Best Cinematography” and “Best
Motion Picture” - although there
will be competition here from the
historical “Bridge of Spies”. Some
other favourites are “Inside Out”
for “Best Animated Feature Film”
, “Amy” for “Best Documentary
Feature” ,and “Cinderella” for “Best
Costume Design” . Lady Gaga and
Diane Warren’s “’Til it Happens to
You” from “The Hunting Ground”
is also a predicted winner for “Best
Original Song”, with competition
from Sam Spectre’s “Writing’s on
the Wall” among other
nominations. More
highly anticipated
than all the
nominations is, of
course, the red carpet
- and I can’t wait to see
what it has in store!
This month marks the passing of a film and
stage legend - Alan Rickman. Throughout his
life Rickman made a huge impact on audiences,
playing some of the most iconic roles there are
in cinema. From Colonel Brandon, to Severus
Snape, to Eamonn De Valera; Rickman gave
every role his all, the more complex the better.
Alan Rickman originally found his feet as an
actor on stage, starring as Valmont in the stage
adaptation of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, the
cynical Jacques in “As You Like It” and Anthony,
in “Anthony and Cleopatra” opposite Helen
Mirren in the Olivier Theatre, London. He
worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company,
and over the course of his theatre career also
found recognition as a director. His performance
as Valmot is said to have “elevated him to star
status”, earning him praise in London and New
York, and leading to a long and successful career
in both theatre and film as a result.
At the age of 42 Rickman, who had never
performed on the big screen before, was cast as
the unforgettable villain Hans Gruber in the “Die
Hard” films. As well as standing out in the series
as the best villain, Rickman’s talent and standard
of acting redefined what it meant to play a
villain in this genre. Rickman had uncountable
other successes in this genre, amongst them his
betrayal of Emma Thompson as Harry, a disloyal,
implied cheating husband in “Love Actually”,
and the heartbreaking story of Severus Snape in
the Harry Potter films. While he went seven films
turning audiences against Snape, all it took
was one scene in the final film to evoke their
sympathy in a story of loss and heartbreak.
Alan Rickman has played an uncountable
amount of successful, memorable roles
throughout his career. His final two
films are to be released this year - “Alice
through the Looking Glass” and “Eye In
The Sky” and his legacy will undoubtedly
live on through this outstanding work.
1946-2016
EDITOR - OLIVIA BROWN
