Always makes me a bit apprehensive to watch a film based on a TV series I've never seen. Will I understand what is going on? Would a bit of prior knowledge be useful? I'd never seen Deadwood in my life. And I certainly didn't have time to binge-watch it in advance.
I'll never forget the #SiFiPieFri disaster which was 'The End of Evangelion'. Absolute manga bollocks, I didn't have a Scooby. I'd rather have been watching Scooby. 90 minutes of absolute indecipherable tosh, I may as well have been watching Hull City playing out from the back. 'Sorry, must trust in the process'. Is Liam Rosenior brainwashing me? 'Must not be negative. Happy clappy post-Allam fun fun fun.'
Anyway, it was rated the 11th greatest of all time according to Rotten Tomatoes, surely not ALL of these folk were fans of the series? Hopefully.
Time to put some socks on and wander up to Sainsbury's, for I was all out of olives and stuffed peppers. These have become almost as much of a #WWWSI staple as the humble Wotsit.
Speaking of the humble Wotsit, this week's online Sainsbury's order had produced the most pleasing substitute since my Hallowe'en pumpkin was exchanged for a scented candle. No six packs of Wotsits available, so they gave me a 12 pack at no extra cost. Bazinga!
And a further 'Bazinga' Sainsbury's mishap moment as Mummy Wotsit had been sent a Pepperoni Goodfella's pizza free of charge.
She might not be #WWWSI's biggest cheerleader on account of the fact that she thinks it wrong I drink red wine on the basis I drink much real ale, like you've got to pick one or t'other, like Sophie's Choice only more difficult.
This week's grape came from Portugal in the form of Touriga Nacional:
Excuse the feet again.
I'd flirted with this grape back in week 33, on my birthday, when I had a 'Porta 6' which was a blend of this and something else.
But this pure unadulterated filthy Touriga joy from Setabul.
It came courtesy of Laithwaites, who sent me an annoying brochure where they describe their winemakers as 'rock stars' which I'm not sure are necessarily the greatest role models on the planet. Let's compare the imagined vision to the reality shall we?
Uncanny I'm sure you'll agree.
The wine was a delight at 14%, took absolutely no adjusting to, I was just straight in there glugging the stuff back. Deep tannins, whatever they are, slightly acid, dark, full and true with a 'persistent' finish.
I was supposed to get hints of Earl Grey tea, Mediterranean herbs and candied violets whatever they are. Tasted like red wine to me.
I was out for a work's leaving do the following day, and having started this 14%er an hour later than planned, I was bit concerned about my 'recovery' so made an elaborate restorative juice from cucumber, mint, ginger and lemon. Despite sieving and blending it, I still felt it appeared as thought it'd been dredged from a local swamp. A bit of honey to taste and voila.
As the pizza cooked on 200 degrees for 15-17 minutes, it was time for another spin of Uncle Matt's 'Instro Nite', the TDK equivalent of BRAPA's Lincolnshire ticking i.e. I'm only just scratching the surface .... not literally, this ain't vinyl.
Here were a couple of highlights, slightly less obscure than last week's Neb's Tune which Uncle Matt himself told us about in the comments section.
We were ready to go through for the film, which I had to pay £7.99 for flippin' extortionate Amazon Prime undoing all that good work that Sainsbury's had done earlier.
After about the first five minutes of the film, my fears were allayed. A really enjoyable, no holds barred kinda romp. Yes, I reckon I'd have enjoyed it even more if I'd watched the TV series but it still works as a 'stand alone' piece.
It helped that much of the action took place in the local boozer. The keg only Grand Central Hotel was cleared out, as South Dakota celebrated a year since the Jack the Ripper crimes by becoming a state ......
It did this by opening a micro .....
Yes, there were some real Aylesford / Maidstone vibes about the town of Deadwood. Great transport links, a bit too much through traffic, misunderstood locals, even the obligatory pregnant woman leaning out of the window to call the chief senator a cunt. Uncanny.
Calamity Jane turns up too, resembling Nanny from Count Duckula, trying to get back together with her old flame Joanie, who now runs the Bordello.
High octane stuff, the film never dragged as the horrid senator kills a nice old man and everyone knows he did it but there's no proof.
And my favourite character, with his failing liver but ignoring the medical advice to drink herbal tea and keeps swigging back the whisky! I'm like 'where do I know this guy from?' and blow me down, it is only bloody Lovejoy AKA Ian McShane - who I always get mixed up with Paul McShane and Paul Shane. No antiques, but despite being a bit of a rascal, you sort of warmed to him.
In conclusion, I guess they were tying up loose ends to stop the fans asking them to bring Deadwood back. I really liked it, and if it wasn't for 1986 Neighbours taking up my viewing time, I'd really like to watch the full series.
I stagger back into the kitchen and roll the dice for a fortnight's time. An 'upper 3' means we will be watching The Searchers, which Daddy Wotsit has on DVD and I believe is another classic. The wine will be Xinomavro from Greece, the pizza will be chicken & pesto, and the Wotsits might be plentiful. Again, the music will be provided by Uncle Matt's Instro Mix.
Join me on 29th March for that one. BRAPA returns this coming Thursday in rural Notts.
Happy Westerning, Si