The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio
The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio |
| Brand new season from Man Vs Wild Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:52 AM PDT AFTER five seasons of being dropped off in remote places around the globe, survival expert Bear Grylls returns to television in search of new destinations and challenges, and shares survival strategies along the way. Season Six of Man Vs Wild sees Grylls tackling the terrain and braving the elements as you've come to expect him to – pulling through the most extreme situations, from raging waters and the biting cold to mudslides and desolate deserts. No stranger to extremes, Grylls has served with the British Special Forces, explored the Arctic, and was the youngest British climber (he was 23 then) to complete a summit and descent on Mount Everest. In this series, the adventurer shows viewers how to survive the toughest and most forsaken environments by putting himself in the position of a stranded tourist. Using his specialist survival techniques, he attempts to navigate his way through these environments. Along the way, Grylls also encounters dangerous predators, and for food he has to make do with whatever he can catch or find – dead or alive! The new season presents Grylls with obstacles that push him to his limits in the wilderness, as he endures some of the harshest conditions possible in places such as Arizona, Cape Wrath in Scotland, Norway and a deserted island in the South Pacific. Also part of the series is a Global Survival Guide episode, which features never-before-seen footage from Grylls' challenges from around the planet. And as an added bonus for us, this season kicks off in our neck of the woods! Yep, the first two episodes see him coming to Borneo. He rappels into our forbidding jungles, and must somehow descend from the jungle canopy to reach solid ground. Ahead of him lies all manner of perils – he's bitten by a snake and leeches – and even the plants are out to get him! Then there's the rain and thundering rivers that threaten to wash him away (guess he's not used to our tropical thunderstorms, eh?) In Episode Two, he is dropped off in the Malaysian archipelago of islands. Fighting dense jungle and scaling towering escarpments, Grylls struggles to find freshwater and then tries to trap a wild boar. Well, you'll just have to tune in for the thrills. > In conjunction with Merdeka Day, two episodes of Man Vs Wild filmed in Malaysia will premiere on Sunday at 9pm (Bahasa Malaysia dubbing will be available for these episodes) on Discovery Channel (Astro Ch 551). Brand new episodes will be screened thereafter every Monday at 10pm starting Sept 5. |
| Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:36 AM PDT A bloody struggle for control, hundreds of characters and magnificent castles set in a fantasy land come alive in your living room thanks to Game Of Thrones. AFTER working in the television industry for a decade in the 1980s (on the remake of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, Beauty And The Beast and a few other pilot episodes), George R.R. Martin had enough of it. Although he was successful in his own right with television, Martin found his imagination often constricted by a thing called the budget. This meant he usually ended up cutting right down to the bone all the good stuff that was in his first draft, arriving at a lean sixth revision. Wanting to spread his literary wings, Martin returned to writing prose – a vocation he began in 1971, with short stories and novels. Without the constant worry over finances or Hollywood's rules, the author had freedom to go wherever his imagination deemed fit. He ended up creating a fantastic new world with A Song Of Ice And Fire. The fantasy adventure saga – set in a world that mixes medieval European history with elements of Norse legends – features a large number of characters spread out unevenly in the imaginary land of Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where the seasons last for decades. It boasts grand battles, magnificent castles, a 700ft Wall of Ice, complex narrative and ever-changing settings. The first volume of the book – A Game Of Thrones – came out in 1996 and the series has since accumulated a big fanbase, which is waiting not-so-patiently for Martin to complete the seven-book series (book five was released just last month). Over the years, various parties in Hollywood have expressed interest to turn A Song Of Ice And Fire into a film, but Martin always told them the same thing, that it wasn't possible. There are just too many characters and too much of a plot to fit into a two-hour film. Martin also has yet to finish the books and he has said that he has surprises planned for his upcoming efforts. However, writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss – huge fans of the books – weren't deterred. They approached Martin with the idea of bringing the books to another medium – television. A long lunch with Martin and five years of living obssessively in his fictional world enabled Benioff and Weiss to successfully wrestle the narrative monster and produce a 10-episode first season, based on the first book, for HBO. All three share executive producer responsibilities on the show as well as writing duties (Martin wrote Episode Eight). In a meeting with international journalists at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles earlier this year, the two producers admitted that the biggest challenge in making Game Of Thrones was the journey in getting it made. Weiss said: "We went to HBO in March of 2006. When we pitched the idea to them it was before True Blood, when they hadn't done anything with a fantasy element." Benioff continued: "There is this Hollywood perception that fantasy is just for 12 to 15 year old boys. It's what people think of, at least, in films and television. But to HBO's credit, they got it – they saw the human stories, they saw the mature adult stories at play here and why it would make for great television." Game Of Thrones premiered in the United States in April this year and has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike. It has been renewed for a second season, which will, of course, be based on the second book. The programme also received 13 nods in this year's Emmy nomination list. At the heart of Game Of Thrones is a struggle for power and an interwoven tale of feuding families in pursuit of that power. In the land Westeros, there are seven clans or houses that have been united through battles waged by House Targaryen. The outcome is, all the lands fall under one realm called the Seven Kingdoms, with one ruler sitting on an Iron Throne forged from swords of vanquished foes. Years later, another war is waged and the throne changes hands – King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) of House Baratheon rules alongside Queen Cersei Baratheon (Lena Headey) of House Lannister. The House of Lannister also comprises the Queen's brothers – Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Tyrion (Peter Dinklage). The Targaryens have either been killed or live in exile. In the first episode, reluctant warrior Lord "Ned" Eddard Stark of House Stark is asked to be the monarch's chief advisor. It's not an easy decision to make as Stark is not interested in politics. Meanwhile, two surviving Targaryens – Prince Viserys Targaryen III (Harry Lloyd) and his sister, Princess Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) – enlist a tribe of barbaric warrior horsemen led by Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) in a bid to reclaim the Iron Throne. No doubt the series is so multi-layered that it demands one's full attention. At the same time, however, it manages the complex storytelling without either bogging down the audience even once or talking down to them. The smooth unravelling of the plot is thanks to the tight dialogue and an outstanding group of acting talents – all of whom ably convey their respective characters' emotions and thoughts. Martin, who was involved in the casting process, recalled: "When we went into this, we had a few dream castings – Sean Bean as Ned and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion. Those two were our dreams for years and to get both of them was quite a coup. "For the rest of the parts, we didn't have a dream cast in mind, but we looked at an awful lot of talented actors and actresses and I think we've assembled an amazing group of people. Especially the younger ones – Emilia is an incredible find, Kit Harington who plays Jon Snow and the three actors who play the three Stark kids, they are just wonderful. Child actors who can really deliver on tough dramatic roles are hard to find. These three are just amazing, and they come from nowhere. I think the world is going to fall in love with them. I'm very pleased with that." Dinklage was also singled out by fans as their No 1 choice to play Tyrion. When this information was shared with him, the Oscar-nominated actor reacted by saying with a smile: "That's a bit more pressure, isn't it?" He then added: "That's very nice of them, very sweet. I can't see it as something negative when they really like my stuff. It's lovely." Dinklage is the only one out of the extremely talented cast to receive an Emmy nomination in the acting category – for supporting actor in a drama series. But casting is going to be a challenging exercise in the future seasons, as anyone who has read the book can tell you – do not get attached to any of the characters. For Weiss and Benioff, the uncertainty of the survival of the characters was one of the reasons why they love the books so much. Weiss explained: "You are practically fearful to turn the pages, especially when you get to book three because with each page another character dies and each time it's painful. But that's what keeps you engrossed because you are so fearful for all these characters with whom you've become so in love." That is also an advantage television has over a feature film. "There are certainly disadvantages as features have bigger budgets and can have lavish special effects and all the rest, but the death of a beloved TV character – after spending many seasons watching that person grow – is much more affecting, for me, emotionally, than almost any movie deaths I can think of. "The same is true with George's books and this is something we're really attracted to – that he is willing to sacrifice any of his characters. Although casting is going to be difficult, we have a wonderful casting director – Nina Gold – who is able to find all these people." While Game Of Thrones has excelled in the talent department, fans tend to worry about what might get lost in translation between two mediums. Bean assured that the TV characters stay faithful to their portrayal in the book. He said: "The characters come off the page so well that they are even more vivid than I think they are in the book. I suppose you can see the colour and it's a luxuriant kind of world." Shot almost entirely on location in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland, with huge sets incorporating existing castles and medieval ruins, as well as at a second location in Malta, the series is all for keeping it real with very little CGI. Weiss and Benioff do take creative license here and there – a character with a fairly short scene in the book ends up as a regular in the series – and the sets are not always exactly how locations are described in the books. But 62-year-old author Martin confessed that whenever he visits the set, he comes away impressed. "I am a very visual writer so I have a very strong visual images of whatever it is (I write)," said Martin. "So here, it's the set designer and producer's interpretation of my words. While it's not exactly how I would've set it if I was the set designer, it's pretty good actually. It's awfully good in some cases. The last time I went to Belfast, I saw the High Hall of the Arryns – it's quite different from how it's described in the books but it's just a magnificent set. It was stunning. "It's always a kick for a prose writer to see any set built. I imagined it and I put it down on paper and now these teams of carpenters and painters have actually built it! What a rush." And the best part is: "I don't have to worry about the budget. Dan and Dave (Weiss and Benioff) have to worry about it, I am just telling the story." > Two new episodes of Game Of Thrones premiere back-to-back every Sunday at 10pm from Aug 28 on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and at 11pm on HBO HD (Astro Ch 431). Repeats are on Wednesday at 10pm and 11pm, on HBO and HBO HD respectively. Also, read more on the cast in this Sunday's Star2. |
| Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:07 AM PDT You can enjoy good music as well as win dining vouchers on Red FM. IF YOU are looking for a unique dining experience, tune in to Lexie from Aug 29 onwards as she takes you to places on Red FM's Eleven 2 Three (Monday to Friday, 11am-1pm). Lexie, the charming host of the show, will be giving out dining vouchers to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park's Hornbill Restaurant and Cafe for the next two weeks on the segment Top of the Shops. This highly popular segment on her show not only highlights the latest trends but also some of the most enjoyable and entertaining places to visit. Located in the serene and scenic Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens, the KL Bird Park is home to more than 3,000 birds of approximately 200 local and foreign species. It is known as the world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary. The Hornbill Restaurant and Café is situated within the park and serves a wide selection of local and western dishes. Dine amidst a lush tropical rainforest and you may just be joined by a feathered friend while enjoying your meal at the restaurant's open verandah. Lexie said: "With the restaurant's architecture reminiscent of a Malay kampung house and surrounded by towering green trees as well as a breathtaking view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline, it's an extraordinary gastronomic experience. "The Rhinoceros Hornbill may even drop by to keep you company while you tuck in to your delicious meal! It's definitely a delightful treat for the eyes and palate you would not want to miss." While you listen out for the cue to enter the contest, send in your dedications and song requests for the upcoming holidays. Red FM would like to wish everyone a Happy Merdeka Day and Selamat Hari Raya. You can log on to www.red.fm for more information on the contest. Join the Red FM Malaysia Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/redfm.my) and follow us on Twitter (@iloveredfm) for the latest updates. Red FM is owned and operated by The Star. > Red FM's station frequencies: Taiping, Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Langkawi: 98.1 FM; George Town and Seberang Prai: 107.6 FM; Ipoh, Perak: 106.4 FM; Klang Valley, Negri Sembilan and Tapah: 104.9 FM; Kuantan, Pahang: 91.6 FM; Batu Pahat and Malacca: 98.9 FM; Johor Baru and Singapore: 92.8 FM. |
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