I will never join the intelligensia

they're your two hours to do with as you please you won't get them back you know

The intelligensia threw me out for non-payment of dues

Yep, I'm looking forward to the film. It is perfect for film as I won't have to read those terrible Googled descriptions of Paris and London. As I said at the time I read it - it is a pile of cack language wise, but it is a page turner of highest value, and all writers could learn something about keeping a reader's interest from Mr Brown. But, some of the writing (most?) is cringeworthy-ly awful and Dan Brown couldn't write a conversation even if an electronic pen attatched to his lips while he talked. Can't wait to see it though. I like to think I'm highbrow/lowbrow and everything in the middle. And you can read different books for different things (don't start me on the wonders of Bernard Cornwell). Is The Intelligensia a boy band?

I'll probably watch it when it comes out on DVD. Are there any special offers when joining the intelligentsia? Join now and get your first 10 braincells free, that kind of thing? If you want to buy my book, visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/

That Dumbledore, such a muff magnet. If you want to buy my book, visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/

So what do you have to do/be to be a member of the intelligentsia? Going by Jude's post, I'd say you've got to be scornful of material that is, to your own mind, either inexplicably popular, or popular for reasons that you consider beneath you. If that's the case, let he is not without sin etc.

I'm not sure that anyone who dislikes the Da Vinci Code does so out of snobbery, Jude. My favourite films are kung fu movies and cartoons. I don't object to DVC because it's intellectually bankrupt - I just think it's clumsy, soulless crap.

Yep. Spelling intelligentsia properly would probably be a good start. If you start dropping your t's, you'll sound like someone out of Eastenders. Then they'll never let you in.

Got babbysitter sorted...not been to cinema for about 4 years. Looking forward to it. Gonna watch dvc, get pissed, and then saturday go library and get spiritual Hear my music: http://music.download.com/3600-5-100795586.html

"So what do you have to do/be to be a member of the intelligentsia?" I think you have to be prepared to take the blame for assorted unpleasant happenings which you weren't involved in and have no control over. At least that's what Blair, Murdoch and co reckon. For example, the liberal intelligentsia's clear responsibility for the fact that the government lost lots of foreign criminals.

I always favoured Severus Snape, myself. That greasy black hair! Those sallow, brooding features! That hook nose! The moral ambiguity! Can't wait for Number Seven to come out so I can see if he redeems himself like I think he will. What, exactly, IS intelligentsia, anyhow? From what I gathered, it had something to do with writing politically inflammatory or critical novels in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Surely that's not still going on, is it? I haven't read DVC but I do like anything with Tom Hanks in it, even if it's rubbish. Would it be better to read the book -first- or wait and read it after seeing the film, so I can picture the protagonist with Tom's baby face?

Is is just me, or is Audrey Tautou like *the* most beguilingly beautiful woman in the world? I very much doubt it's the former.

I've never met you Tim, but from the pictures I've scene, it's more likely to be Audrey.

I don't know, in a good light with a following wind all things are possible. If you want to buy my book, visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/

*sobs into folds of crinoline ball gown*

I *loved* her haircut in Amelie. If only my hair would lie straight like that, oh!

This prompted a fantastic headline in the telegraph "Stop making us out as mystical freaks and unconscionable assassins, albinos complain" I want to see the list of movies.

Dr Albino If you want to buy my book, visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/

that's "Evil Albine IV: In Space" to give it it's full title Albino SLumber Party Massacre Zatoichi Vs The Albino Albino Women From Space

An American Albino in London The Good, The Bad, And The Albino Moby Dick

Ya know, there's something mildly disturbing about the course this thread has taken. It appears it's ok to be derogatory about albinos, even insulting, as I'm sure if I was one I'd feel a tad insulted. How about we run the same kind of thread about homosexuals or black people? Jews, moslems, gypsies, travellers. Hold on, we DID have such a thread denigrating gypsies a while back, didn't we! I'm sure you'd all be aghast if that was to happen. Tony would probably be deleting threads as it would be illegal to incite racial or gender hatred or reduce these groups to ridicule. C'mon you lot, get a grip and behave yourselves.

spoilsport I rather suspect that the only albinos that would be offended by the above are the sort of people (albino or otherwise) who I would want to offend anyway. Even if abctales would prefer not to. In the interests of global harmony I will point out that I briefly met an albino last week and she was lovely, and not at all evil.

'Contact' with Jodie Foster and Matthew McConnaghey (sigh) -did- feature a nutter religious albino; he blew up the prototype time-traveller machine. Naughty man. I'm sure that one of the Die Hard movies or John Travolta 'Face Off'-type 'action thrillers' had an evil albino in it. He might have even been a "Russian albino", a far, far more sinister type... Come to think of it, any film I -can- think of that happens to feature an albino (which number far less than 68), they -are- all evil or nutters, so maybe they have a point. Ever see an albino in a romantic lead? Nope, me neither.

Have you counted how many crazies out for world domination in Hollywood movies are British? If you want to buy my book, visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/

It's common knowledge in America that, barring the Queen, anyone with an English accent is bound to be a bad guy.

http://www.freewebs.com/michaeljamestreacy/index.htm In the film, 'The Omega Man', there was a black guy who was made up to be one of the 'deranged' ones and he looked like a black albino (I think he had thick, caked foundation on his face). He was definitely one of the baddies: climbed up the outside of the building to get at Charlton Heston. Now that's got to be politically incorrect, 'cos Charlton Heston was one of the good guys, and there weren't many of them left. Reference the 'Da Vinci Code'... I read the book and struggled to finish it 'cos it was such a leaden, convoluted story. I had to finish it though: my daughter loaned it to me and she wanted to discuss the possiblity of any of it being true... we concluded it was a load of old cobblers. We'll both go to see the film when it comes out for reasons of curiosity, of course. I think Charlton Heston would have been good at sorting out evil albino monks. I'm not really sure that Tom Hanks will be macho enough. I'll give 'The Intelligensia' a miss: I'm not really into boy bands. I like shaven-headed rockers and nubile female singers with a bit of angst in their souls.

"It's common knowledge in America that, barring the Queen, anyone with an English accent is bound to be a bad guy." That's not quite true. Anyone with a North London/Newscaster/Royal Entourage accent is bound to be a bad guy, while anyone with an East London/Cockney accent is bound to be a loveable rogue. English people who live outside London seem to be almost entirely unknown in America. There was an issue of Ultimate X-Men that summed it up quite nicely. Jean Grey arrives in England and declares, "An entire country of people who speak like Mary Poppins." If only she knew.

"That's not quite true. Anyone with a North London/Newscaster/Royal Entourage accent is bound to be a bad guy, while anyone with an East London/Cockney accent is bound to be a loveable rogue." Actually, -that's- not quite true. Anyone with a North London/Newscaster/Royal Entourage accent is bound to be a bad guy, while anyone with an East London/Cockney accent is bound to be unintelligible to the average American. Either that, or you're from Australia.

You'd have fun with Geordies. Or indeed, 'Sand-dancers', as I believe residents of Wearside are known.

There was a bunch of Catholic protestors demonstating against the Da Vinci Code film outside the Holloway Odeon on Friday. I was considering joining them with placard saying "Dan Brown's a shit writer" Or perhaps "Jesus says Dan Brown's a shit writer' might have helped me to fit in better.

"It's common knowledge in America that, barring the Queen, anyone with an English accent is bound to be a bad guy." I don't know where this assumption originates but it couldn't be further from the truth. I spend a lot of time in the US these days (I made five trips last year alone). Everywhere I've been from New York to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, New Orleans, Atlanta and Nashville my accent is not only understood but most think everyone here speaks like me. (I did try to tell them I'm an oik, but they thought that was some kind of sea bird!) I even get stopped by staff in shops who just want to hear me speak. It's a bit embarrassing to be honest. There's a cash & carry in Nashville, part of a chain owned by Walmart. The staff there came to know me over a period of time. Back in January my friend and I called in to get some things and I was stopped by a demonstrator giving out cookies. She grabbed my arm, called to her pal, 'Hey, Mary Ann, the English guy is here, come quickly' Mary Ann came scurrying across the shop floor and Jezebel (I kid you not) shook my arm and said, 'Say 'London' for Mary Ann!' I told her not to be so bloody ridiculous and she said, with a triumphant grin on her face, 'There' I told ya so, ain't that just the cutest accent you ever heard?' Mary Ann just stood there open-mouthed, as if she'd just been introduced to royalty. A lot of Americans DO think I'm an Aussie though, and THAT really pisses me off.

I'd assumed they were Catholics as: (a) north Islington is a strongly Irish area (b) I'd been told that the Da Vinci Code is about Opus Dei Didn't do much further research. Could've been happy-clappy types, although they didn't look happy and they weren't clapping.

Were there any Father Ted type placards? 'Careful now' 'Down with this sort of thing'

Especially as it's a work of fiction about a life of fiction. It all adds up to ficktion as far as I can see.

Gawd, how I miss Father Ted. Feck! Drink! Gerrrrls!