Author: BRWC

There’s a fine distinction between a piece of silent cinema and a film with practically no dialogue. Minuscule, out in cinemas from May 27^th courtesy of Lionsgate Films, attends to that distinction beautifully by telling its tale with gusto, ambient noise, a fantastic score and not a word of dialogue. Things go ‘bzzz’ a lot and the action doesn’t let up from the start but dialogue? Not a dickey bird. Turns out, though, that actions do indeed speak louder than words and Minuscule is a thoroughly charming film, earning it’s place alongside a glittering array of wordless classics:

Minuscule: Valley Of The Lost Ants (2016)

A feisty ladybird befriends an opportunistic black ant and then gets embroiled in a battle of epic proportions as he helps the ant and his nest defend a haul of sugar cubes from marauding red ants. A classic David & Goliath tale played out in miniature, the only ‘dialogue’ here comes in the form of some very expressive bug noises from possibly the cutest cast in this list. The film, blending live action backdrops with expertly animated bugs, hails from France and has already spawned a CBeebies series but Valley Of The Lost Ants is (minuscule) event cinema not to be missed!

Shaun The Sheep (2015)

Aardman Animation has long been the go-to group for top quality, old school animation but even allowing for that reputation, they raised the game with Shaun The Sheep, the feature debut from a character who had previously cropped up in a Wallace & Gromit adventure before scoring his own CBBC series. That the feature film was compared to the finest examples of silent slapstick comedies is testament to Aardman’s endless creativity and their incomparable love of cinema.

All Is Lost (2013)

Robert Redford has always been an actor fighting against type, where that type has often tried to pigeon-hole him as simply an (increasingly weathered) pretty boy. Revealing far more depth than that throughout his career, he nevertheless put the naysayers to bed once and for all with his tour de force performance as a stranded yachtsman fighting the elements and disaster in All Is Lost. That he does so almost wordlessly makes the feat even more remarkable.

The Illusionist (2010)

Jacques Tati was, for many, the father of silent cinema so it seems somehow fitting that one of his unproduced scripts becomes part of this list. The Illusionist is a sublime cartoon adventure that follows a ageing stage illusionist forced to take jobs wherever he can find them as flashier entertainment starts to fill the auditoriums he once did. A job in Scotland puts him into contact with a local girl called Alice, and their encounter changes both of their lives forever. That the film shares DNA with Bellville Rendez-vous is more than coincidence, however, since Sylvain Chomet directed both.

Wall-E (2008)

Reminder: This is a list of nearly wordless cinema, not silent, so Pixar’s instant classic makes the cut despite some rather verbose humans in the film’s final third. The majority of the action sees a heartrendingly lonely waste disposal robot go about his business on a desolate, abandoned Earth, with only a cockroach for company. When a sleek new robot appears on the scene, assessing the earth’s habitability, love blossoms against all odds and one of the sweetest films of all time takes its place in the pantheon of cinematic greats.

Belleville Rendez-Vous (2002)

Charm personified, this French animation (what is it with the French and wordless cinema?) follows an old lady and her dog who, with the help of three ageing singers, attempts to rescue her kidnapped grandson. Who is a champion cyclist. Yeah, we didn’t say it made any sense but gloriously off-kilter design, a definitively Gallic sense of humour and a muted colour palette all combine to make Belleville Rendez-Vous a delight for film fans of any age or persuasion.

The Bear (1988)

Following an adult brown bear and the cub he reluctantly adopts, this treat from Jean-Jacques Annaud is a heart-rending adventure that tells its tale wordlessly and wonderfully effectively. On the run from two hunters (who, granted, do trade a few words with one another) our heroic brown bear must keep his young charge safe. Particular highlight? The sequence where the cub hallucinates on magic mushrooms – which would never happen in a Disney movie!

MINUSCULE IS IN CINEMAS FROM MAY 27^TH, COURTESY OF LIONSGATE FILMS

Spiderman is unquestionably one of the most popular, long-standing and iconic characters that Marvel Comics has ever created, and one whose adventures have been turned into hit films and television shows as well. Spiderman has enjoyed a long and fascinating superhero career and his status is the reason why he is one of the characters featured in the Marvel online slots at Ladbrokes. This article will profile Spiderman in depth, exploring how he reached that level.

Life before gaining his powers

As most people will now be aware, thanks to the blockbuster Hollywood franchise telling his origin story, Spiderman’s real-life identity is Peter Parker and his pre-superhero existence was that of a fairly scrawny, geeky high school kid. A combination of his quiet personality and a passion for studying ensured that he was a regular target for the ‘jock’ bullies at his school – and this was not the only painful part of his life. Parker was left an orphan at just six years old, after his mum and dad died in a plane crash, so he was raised by his Aunt and Uncle – called May and Ben. This combination of powerlessness and tragedy made him the quintessential pre-superhero character.

Becoming Spiderman

Peter Parker’s life changed forever on the day that he chose to attend an exhibition about how nuclear waste materials can safely be handled. General Techtronics Corporation sponsored this and during it an average spider got irradiated by the beam from a particle accelerator. It subsequently bit Peter on the hand before dying, and when walking home that evening Peter discovered his newfound power when he easily defeated a gang of hoods who had attacked him. This superhuman strength was just one of the powers he turned out to have though, as he also possesses superhuman agility, the ability to shoot ‘webs’ from his wrist and climb walls, enhanced ‘spider-sense’ for detecting danger and superhuman kinesthetics.

Allies and his relationships with them

Having become a superhero, Spiderman has forged alliances with a number of groups – including the famous Avengers, the ‘New Fantastic Four’, the Secret Defenders and the Outlaws, during his long career. He has consistently been denied full membership of the Avengers, as it was felt that he was disruptive, but he has fought with them on many occasions – notably in preventing a mass escape from the Project Pegasus facility for criminals. The first superhero team he tried to join after gaining his powers was the original Fantastic Four, but again this proved unsuccessful. Thus, despite temporary alliances, he remains a solo operator.

Major enemies

There is little question about who Spiderman’s greatest foe is – namely the Green Goblin. Norman Osborn is a deranged genius with the charisma necessary to rally supporters to his cause of evil, and he is also the man who murdered Peter Parker’s great love, Gwen Stacy (Insert 3 here). However, Spiderman has fought a host of super-villains throughout the years, such as Doctor Octopus – another mad genius scientist who created mind-operated mechanical arms that became permanently attached to his body after a radiation leak, and Sandman, who can change shapes and turn himself into sand.

This year marks the 10^th year anniversary of Penguin Random House’s Design Award and participants are tasked with re-designing the remarkable covers for A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess), How To Be a Woman (Caitlin Moran), and Email and the Detective (Erich Kastner).  The initiative allows for creative students to compete against each other to win a cash prize and a once in a lifetime opportunity to intern at Penguin Random House and get involved with designing.

To celebrate the competition’s tenth year running we take a walk down memory lane and list ten of the most iconic children’s book covers of all time, many of which were created by designers at Penguin Random House. We might age and grow up and get old, but these children’s books just get better with time…

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)

The story of Max, a trouble making child who travels to an island inhabited by wild beasts after being sent to bed with no supper, has become such a well-known tale amongst young readers. In fact, it is almost impossible to enter the children section of a book store and not see this cover.

Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill (1980)

Where’s Spot? is the first of the Spot the Dog series that now graces the majority of children’s bookshelves. Every page sees Spot hiding in a different location, concealed by flaps that readers must lift to locate the puppy.  The cover design has become famous for its use of the typeface, Century Schoolbook Infant, a very rare font known for its link to these books.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (1964)

Easily one of Shel Silverstein’s best known titles, The Giving Tree is a tale that should not be missed. The story follows the lifelong friendship between a boy and a selfless tree. A true parable on the delight of gifting to others, this book is a must have for parents teaching their kids the values of life. The simple cover was illustrated by Silverstein and really helps capture the eye of potential readers.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (1960)

To be honest every Dr. Seuss cover could make it onto this list. However, to choose one it would have to be the original design for Green Eggs and Ham. The combination of a wacky font, simple colour scheme, and creative imagery makes this cover easily distinguishable no matter what your ages is.

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1922)

A child’s personal library would feel empty without Margery Williams’ classic tale of the toy rabbit who desires to be real.  William Nicholson did the illustrations for this book and set the standards for toy rabbits everywhere. The unique style of illustrations became increasingly associated with the story, making the iconic cover stand out on all bookshelves.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1969)

Written, illustrated, and designed by Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is an award winning global phenomena. With over 30 million copies sold, the distinctive collage design has made this book home to the most recognisable caterpillar in the world.

Curious George by H. A. Rey (1941)

What would children’s literature be without the Man with the Yellow Hat and his incredibly curious monkey, George? The adventures of George are so renowned that there is even a bookstore in the U.S dedicated to him. The image of a playful monkey being escorted away by two firemen is not something you easily forget, firmly establishing this cover design as one of the greatest.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902)

Much like The Velveteen Rabbit, Potter’s charming illustration of a rabbit wearing a blue jacket went on to influence merchandise over the decades. There have been a plethora of spin-offs and adaptations thanks to Potter’s original vision of Peter and his distinctive attire, making this cover more than exemplary in terms of iconic stature.

Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne (1926)

Here is a story that needs no introduction.  The adventures of A. A. Milne’s honey loving teddy bear and his pals around Hundred Acre Wood are timeless tales that have, made a name for themselves in practically every household. The classic cover art perfectly embodies everything you get from a Winnie-the-Pooh escapade and keeps it simple while doing so.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson (1999)

The fact that this is the most modern story on the list is incredibly impressive when you realise how quickly The Gruffalo has turned into a classic piece of children’s literature. A more colourfully detailed cover than most of the titles previously named, which definitely helps it appeal to the younger audience, as does the peculiar look of titular creature.

For more info about the Design Award 2016 and to check out this year’s shortlist visit www.penguinrandomhouse.co.uk/designaward

Penguin Random House is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its annual Design Awards this year, which is an initiative that enables young and creative students to design new covers for some of their favourite books for an opportunity to win a year’s invaluable placement experience at the company.

This year the three novels that will be re-dsigned are A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess), How To Be a Woman (Caitlin Moran), and Email and the Detective (Erich Kastner) and to celebrate we take a look at the ten most iconic book covers of all time, many of which were created by designers at Penguin Random House.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (1962)

David Pelham’s simple and colourful design came ten years after the original book cover was published. It is also one of this year’s novels that are being re-designed for the Penguin Design Award. The cog-eye soon became an instantly recognisable symbol for the novel and helped establish Pelham’s cover as one of the best ever.

1984 by George Orwell (1949)

There are 42 different covers for 1984, all of which could be considered iconic in one way or another. However, street artist Shepard Fairey’s design resonates at the top of the list as one of the most creative and sinister versions to date.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)

This simple, yet unforgettable, cover was created by Shirley Smith for the initial publication of the novel in 1960. Many have criticised this design for being too plain but that hasn’t stopped the image of a tree branch from becoming synonymous with Harper Lee’s classic tale.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

Here is another powerfully minimalistic book jacket that proves sometimes less is more. American jazz musician, Paul Bacon, produced this striking cover for the original release of Joseph Heller’s timeless satirical novel in 1961.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

This is one of the most easily recognisable book designs of all time. Created by Spanish artist Francis Cugat, the hauntingly ominous image of a face embedded in the night sky, hovering over a bright skyline has become so symbolic of The Great Gatsby that it still graces its cover to this day.

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (1951)

It is famously well-known that J. D. Salinger was incredibly picky when it came to choosing his cover art. He favoured simple designs consisting of lines and colour, with no additional text besides his name and the title. It seems that E. Michael Mitchell’s carousel horse hit the nail on the head.

The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969)

The famous font and puppeteer hand have become so inextricably linked to the story thanks to Francis Ford Coppola’s renowned film adaptations, making this one of the most globally recognisable designs in the world. S. Neil Fujita paved the way for all of that in 1969 by creating this original cover.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1957)

While this isn’t the original design for the Ayn Rand’s novel, it is probably the one that contemporary readers identify with most. The image of a golden man holding up the title, much like how the Greek titan, Atlas, held up the world, is really a thing of legends.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)

This creepy depiction of the novel’s front man, Patrick Bateman, is something that could haunt your dreams. Marshall Arisman’s cover perfectly captures the sadistic nature of the Manhattan businessman and, much like the story, makes this something truly hard to forget.

Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)

Animal Farm is another classic tale from George Orwell that has been graced with more than a few pieces of cover art. This design is particularly effective as it incorporates two of the most iconic aspects of the novel – the pigs and the amended commandment.

For more info about the Design Award 2016 and to check out this year’s shortlist visit www.penguinrandomhouse.co.uk/designaward

By Dustin Clendenen.

For some actors, it’s fame that brings them to Hollywood. For others, it’s the aspiration to take on a number of diverse and challenging roles. Fame, at its core, is simply the state of being widely-known and recognized, but it can be measured in many ways.

The data analysts at PrettyFamous, a division of the Graphiq network, found a way to quantify someone’s fame, and compiled a list of the 10 most famous actors in the world. The rankings are based on the weighted average of the stars’ Wikipedia page views over the past 30 days, the number of award nominations received and the total number of their projects’ IMDb ratings. Because Wikipedia page views assesses current popularity, the list favors living actors. Public figures more notable for behind-the-scenes work than acting (like Quentin Tarantino) were excluded from the list.

From Matt Damon to Leo DiCaprio, see where your favorite leading men fall on this list.

#10. Matt Damon

Actor Score: 98.3

Damon’s career began phenomenally after winning an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay behind “Good Will Hunting” and earning a nomination for best actor in a leading role in the same movie. He went on to rock the screen in films like “Invictus” and “The Bourne Identity.”

#7. George Clooney

Actor Score: 98.7

Clooney has long been regarded for his charm and good looks. The two-time Oscar winner originally got his start in television as a handsome doctor in “ER.”

Note: George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Ben Affleck tied with an Actor Score of 98.7.

#7. Johnny Depp

Actor Score: 98.7

Johnny Depp is regarded as an incredibly prolific star, headlining major blockbuster franchises like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Alice in Wonderland.” He’s a longtime collaborator of Tim Burton’s.

Note: George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Ben Affleck tied with an Actor Score of 98.7.

#7. Ben Affleck

Actor Score: 98.7

Damon’s best friend, Ben Affleck, is doing a little better in the fame game than the Bourne star, but that’s just one of the many benefits of playing the legendary Dark Knight, most recently in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

Note: George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Ben Affleck tied with an Actor Score of 98.7.

#5. Clint Eastwood

Actor Score: 99

The legendary Western star’s notoriety stems from his role as “Dirty Harry,” but Eastwood’s Oscar-worthy directing is quickly surpassing his work in film.

Note: Clint Eastwood and Kevin Spacey tied with an Actor Score of 99.

#5. Kevin Spacey

Actor Score: 99

Spacey has enjoyed both a successful film and stage career, but his role as President Frank Underwood in Netflix’s smash-success series “House of Cards” has taken him to a whole new level.

Note: Clint Eastwood and Kevin Spacey tied with an Actor Score of 99.

#4. Robert De Niro

Actor Score: 99.3

The legendary De Niro has had an excellent career in drama as well as comedy, but he’s renowned for his work in “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather” and “Casino.”

#2. Brad Pitt

Actor Score: 99.7

Brad Pitt has had an impressive all-around career in Hollywood, most notably for his on-camera roles in “Fight Club” and “Inglorious Basterds” as well as his off-camera role as Angelina Jolie’s husband.

Note: Brad Pitt and Tom Hanks tied with an Actor Score of 99.7.

#2. Tom Hanks

Actor Score: 99.7

Hanks is known in Hollywood to be among the nicest people to know and work with, and his career has been remarkable as well. The 59-year-old actor is perhaps best known as “Forrest Gump.”

Note: Brad Pitt and Tom Hanks tied with an Actor Score of 99.7.

#1. Leonardo DiCaprio

Actor Score: 100

DiCaprio worked tirelessly as a child, enjoyed heartthrob status as a teen, and now, in his 40s, finally won an Oscar for his work in “The Revenant.”

Find Out More About These Celebrities on PrettyFamous