The work of Ian Boldsworth

[BritishHobo]

I'm off to see it in Bristol tonight, reckon I'll probably bung 'em eight quid for an Amazon purchase as well, help the old rankings.

[Dusty Substance]

Just watched it, and it's a bloody triumph!

So much to love, very little to criticise. Most of the laughs are to be had in the first hour before it takes a slightly more serious turn in the final act.

Highlights include.....

Spoiler alert

Breakdancing in a Victorian school

"You're the big I am" - "It's 'Ian'"

On  a technical level, the sound design and the effective De Palma-ish split screen bit towards the end

The map in the end credits was the biggest laugh for me

[close]

.

Can't work out how Ian did the

Spoiler alert

thing with the tent

[close]

but reckon I might be able figure it out with a bit of thinking.

It's a hell of an achievement considering the low budget.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Yeah enjoyed it a lot.

[DrGreggles]

Can't work out how Ian did the

Spoiler alert

thing with the tent

[close]

but reckon I might be able figure it out with a bit of thinking.

It was brought up in one of the Q&A's.

[Rev+]

Really enjoyed this.  When it was first announced it did sound a bit like it'd be the pair of them pissing about with handheld cameras in the dark, and although some of it isn't a million miles away from that, it's a pretty sturdy production for what must have been a budget on a par of a Sainsbury's Meal Deal.

The tone wasn't quite what I was expecting either.  Ian is obviously the dominant voice in this as he's the director, and to some degree the engineer of what happens in certain situations, but he does come across as a genuinely concerned friend who takes the piss to lighten the mood during that that bit halfway through, knowing that it's gone a bit too far in a particular direction.  He's kind of more aggressive towards Barry than he was in the podcast, but counters it by giving him a more sympathetic portrayal than he was able to do in that.  Not saying Barry is some sort of problematic case, of course, but he's clearly someone who can induce panic in himself.

Weak spots:  the skeptic conference at the beginning.  Just a set-up for embarrassment with no real point behind it, like booking Jeremy Corbyn to address the Bullingdon Club.  The ending sequence was a bit confusing too - we had to rewind to figure out if Ian was supposed to actually be hearing something from the fireplace, as the effect had been used on the soundtrack several times leading up to that bit.  Eh, minor stuff.

[weaseldust]

i loved the film so much, it was hilarious, i was in tears at

Spoiler alert

the bit in the church:
"can i speak to god please?"
"no, because he already knows what you're gonna say"

and then when he does go and get god:
(in godly voice) "hullo"

and what about carol slagging off ian through the voice of that ghost 'alan'! that was so absurd and funny

[close]

[MojoJojo]

Can I suggest someone starts a thread in Deeper into Movies on the film and we move discussion there? It would be good to give the film a bit of exposure to those who don't follow Ian Boldsworth. That's the biggest problem this film is going to have.

I would start it myself but I haven't watched it yet (was absolutely knackered last night) so don't have much to say.

[Dusty Substance]

It was brought up in one of the Q&A's.

Did he give an actual answer? I might be over-thinking it but is there more to it than a simple trick on Barry? The post credits sequence where Barry asks him about it and Ian blows on the microphone seems like a clue, but I can't fathom it!

[DrGreggles]

Did he give an actual answer? I might be over-thinking it but is there more to it than a simple trick on Barry? The post credits sequence where Barry asks him about it and Ian blows on the microphone seems like a clue, but I can't fathom it!

The question was something like "Barry, when did you work out how the tent turned round?" and he still didn't know.
I suspect it may be revealed at the Halloween screening.

His reaction to that bit is priceless though.

[weaseldust]

maybe i'm confused but i thought the explanation of the tent was shown in the film?

Spoiler alert

it's one of those tents with a door on either side and when barry goes to sleep we see ian moving the bear to the other door and then also just chucking barry's torch to the other end of the tent

[close]

[DrGreggles]

I don't want to be tentist, but... no idea what sort of tent it was, or what sorts of tent there are.

[BritishHobo]

maybe i'm confused but i thought the explanation of the tent was shown in the film?

Spoiler alert

it's one of those tents with a door on either side and when barry goes to sleep we see ian moving the bear to the other door and then also just chucking barry's torch to the other end of the tent

[close]

Aye.

Spoiler alert

Plus Ian waking Barry up in the night and telling him he's ended up at the other end of the tent, so he then moves to the wrong end, and in the morning his head is next to the wrong door.

[close]

[JamesTC]

Parapod RHLSTP is out. Barry is so nervous.

[DrGreggles]

Yes, that's how it was done, but Barry didn't know that.
Well, he didn't 18 months ago anyway.

[DrGreggles]

IMDB:

[Bahamadia]

I finally got to watch the film last night as despite being outside the UK, it was available on Apple TV. I assume it must be some mistake via Apple but it worked for me! Will probably bung them another download when it finally is available in Australia.
I agree with above

Spoiler alert

Alan, the passive aggressive ghost slagging off Ian was hilarious to me. I had never seen footage of Carol before this, as avoided too many spoilers on Patreon but gosh gosh

[close]

also

Spoiler alert

reluctant Barry and his witch's nose got me too. My GF and I just kept saying 'oh poor Barry' throughout.

[close]

It was great and my GF who is not a Parapod mega fan like me, really enjoyed it so I think that's a good sign for its quality.

[Brian Freeze]

It is also on Google Play which I find the best to buy things digitally as it means you can watch it on YouTube.

I've never done this before, is it foolproof?

[JamesTC]

I've never done this before, is it foolproof?

You buy it on Google Play and log into YouTube with the same Google account and it should be there under My Movies and TV Shows (or something like that).

Edit: Just checked on my TV, it is listed under "Your movies and shows". Although you can just search it after buying to find it too.

[Replies From View]

It's on Amazon as well.

[Brian Freeze]

You buy it on Google Play and log into YouTube with the same Google account and it should be there under My Movies and TV Shows (or something like that).

Edit: Just checked on my TV, it is listed under "Your movies and shows". Although you can just search it after buying to find it too.

Thanks, I shall give it a whirl.

[Gregory Torso]

nm

[DrGreggles]

Movie commentary track on Ian's Patreon today!

[MarkyMark2000]

Finally got around to seeing this late last night and I can only say it was disappointing and I wish I could remove it from memory. This will be remembered as Ian's crowning glory but it's the weakest thing he's done and not at all representative of the Parapod. The podcast was about hearing a wide-eyed believer foolishly stumble around a world he didn't really understand but was fully willing to accept as real while someone who was savvy to the tricks of the media/paranormal investigating/belief systems took him apart whilst laughing. Barry barely laughs at all during the movie and comes across more like a moaning Karl Pilkington, not the optimistic yet gullible fool I knew. Ian comes across as an unwilling participant who doesn't want to be doing the whole project yet is the person guiding the whole shebang. The film has been manipulated assiduously to never once show Ian in any bad light, give him all the laughs and it STILL feels 30 minutes too long.  This film looks like it was a miserable experience to shoot and produce and Ian's relentless whinging about it on Patreon has not helped cast the spell he probably intended. I don't know if he is in the grip on depression once again but his largely negative interactions on Twitter and the lambasting of fans who haven't been able to attend live shows or screenings has finally taken a toll on my sense of fandom. I dropped my Patreon subs down to the lowest tier after he described himself as a key worker in a Cabin Fever episode, showing no irony or self-awareness and watching this is likely to be the thing that will push me elsewhere for entertainment. So very disappointed.

[Mobbd]

This is distinctly all about money for him now.

Your critical take on the film is as valid as anyone's here, but I sincerely doubt Ian is doing this for money. Making some money back might be on his mind, but I can't imagine that's a primary motivation.

[frajer]

Your critical take on the film is as valid as anyone's here, but I sincerely doubt Ian is doing this for money. Making some money back might be on his mind, but I can't imagine that's a primary motivation.

Yeah the entire film is by Ian's own admission in debt but I don't think it's accurate to say it's all about the money for him. He's put out quality content every day on Patreon for the past 4-5 years, all available to anyone who gives him a quid a month. He could be charging a lot more, or staggering the tiers, but makes it a point of principle than if you can only afford a pound a month you get no less than anyone else.

Your thoughts on the film were interesting. Personally I think it does an admirable job in capturing the spirit of the podcast and putting it into a different medium. The tone is different, with fewer laughs, but I think it has to be to justify it being an actual film. And the laughs that are there are proper funny. I don't think it came across miserably at all. I watched it with mrs frajer last weekend and she liked it a lot, despite having never heard of Ian or Barry (besides when I've been banging on about them of course!)

I will say he definitely hasn't lambasted fans who haven't been able to attend live screenings, because I'm one of them (I'd love to have gone but don't yet feel comfortable sitting in a big room full of people if I can avoid it) and he's said he understands not everyone particularly wants to be in a cinema right now. He's expressed frustration with certain venues dicking him around and him having to chase them up etc. so maybe that's what you're thinking of. Sorry to hear you feel less of a fan after watching it, I'd hate that too. But I do think this was made with a lot of love for the fandom.

[DrGreggles]

Finally got around to seeing this late last night and I can only say it was disappointing and I wish I could remove it from memory. This will be remembered as Ian's crowning glory but it's the weakest thing he's done and not at all representative of the Parapod. The podcast was about hearing a wide-eyed believer foolishly stumble around a world he didn't really understand but was fully willing to accept as real while someone who was savvy to the tricks of the media/paranormal investigating/belief systems took him apart whilst laughing. Barry barely laughs at all during the movie and comes across more like a moaning Karl Pilkington, not the optimistic yet gullible fool I knew. Ian comes across as an unwilling participant who doesn't want to be doing the whole project yet is the person guiding the whole shebang. The film has been manipulated assiduously to never once show Ian in any bad light, give him all the laughs and it STILL feels 30 minutes too long.  This film looks like it was a miserable experience to shoot and produce and Ian's relentless whinging about it on Patreon has not helped cast the spell he probably intended. I don't know if he is in the grip on depression once again but his largely negative interactions on Twitter and the lambasting of fans who haven't been able to attend live shows or screenings has finally taken a toll on my sense of fandom. This is distinctly all about money for him now. I dropped my Patreon subs down to the lowest tier after he described himself as a key worker in a Cabin Fever episode, showing no irony or self-awareness and watching this is likely to be the thing that will push me elsewhere for entertainment. So very disappointed.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.
Yours is wrong, but you're entitled to it.

[MarkyMark2000]

The juxtaposition of movie/podcast is my main issue, I imagine that those unfamiliar with the original Parapod podcasts would find this work more enjoyable. Warrantable points about finances made by the above posters for which I apologize.

[boinks]

I would've liked to have seen them having a bit more fun together in places - I really liked the bit where they were sitting at the table having a cuppa at 30 East Drive and just nattering - but I'm also aware that they had to cut a lot of stuff and keep it dramatic, and keep the juxtaposition of Ian and Barry. I loved it, all in all.

[DrGreggles]

I would've liked to have seen them having a bit more fun together in places - I really liked the bit where they were sitting at the table having a cuppa at 30 East Drive and just nattering - but I'm also aware that they had to cut a lot of stuff and keep it dramatic, and keep the juxtaposition of Ian and Barry. I loved it, all in all.

The deleted scenes on Patreon (which will hopefully be part of the Halloween spectacular) have shown a lot more fucking about between Ian & Barry. That's the stuff for the fans though.
The idea of the film was to make something that you didn't need any prior knowledge of the podcast in order to watch - and, as almost everyone has agreed, they succeeded.

[BritishHobo]

Also I think today's Patreon post demonstrates definitively, if proof were still needed, that Ian is more dedicated to his supporters than any other creator I can possibly think of. I would defy anyone to find a Patreon that's so expansive and rewarding for fans, no matter the situation.