august-2011

Tom Seymour feels the power of the mountain with Bear Grylls,
rocks out with the Chili Peppers and encounters the Smurfs in 3D
From Smurfville
to the Big Apple:
3D extravaganza
The Smurfs
FILM The Smurfs MUSIC Red Hot
Director Raja Gosnell Voices Katy Perry, Alan Cumming, Jonathan Winters
Chili Peppers
Everyone’s favourite small blue creatures
made their fi rst appearance in 1958, created
by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford (pen
name Peyo) after a raucous weekend with
a friend took its toll and they ended up
talking to each other in ‘Smurf’ language.
Since then, Peyo’s Smurfs have become
ubiquitous in modern culture. As well as
a popular animated series in the 1980s,
two types of cereal and a brand of pasta
have been made by the Smurfs. In 2008
a Belgian €5 coin commemorated their
50th anniversary, and in 2009 it was no time
at all before the blogosphere had nicknamed
James Cameron’s Avatar ‘Dances with
Smurfs’ and ‘Smurfahontas’.
Now, the Smurfs are starring in their fi rst
3D adventure. A blend of CGI and live action,
with a script by the writers of the Shrek
sequels, the fi lm sees the poor Smurfs
chased out of their magical village by the evil
Gargamel (played by Hank Azaria) and into
real-life New York. It seems a ‘blue movie’
could be a box-offi ce winner this summer…
BOOK Facing Up: A Remarkable Journey to the
Summit of Mount Everest
By Bear Grylls
At A the age of 23, Bear Grylls became the youngest Briton to reach the summit
of o Everest – two years after breaking his back in a parachuting accident. Now
the t TV adventurer has written about his journey, overcoming severe weather,
fatigue, f dehydration and illness to scale the world’s highest mountain.
Given the fact that Grylls’ TV shows have modest names like Born Survivor,
it’s i fair to approach this account of his journey with a hint of trepidation – but
he recounts his experiences in a brisk, honest and often humorous style that doesn’t pause for
ego-stroking. Grylls isn’t interested in writing about the power of man, but rather the power
and presence of the mountain. In that sense, this book can only be regarded as a success.
///COMING SOON
culture
Anthony Kiedis
and the Chilis
take a step in a
new direction
I’m With You
TThe
fi rst band to master
ffusing
the sex and
mmachismo
of punk-rock
wwith
the soul and sway of
ffunk,
The Red Hot Chili
Peppers were one
of the alt-rock bands of
the 1980s and 90s, before their populist
Californication (1999) period made them
global superstars.
Their 10th album comes after a fi ve-year
break, and offers our fi rst chance to assess
the sonic impact that a new lead guitarist will
have on the group – after Josh Klinghoffer
was drafted in to replace the beloved
bohemian John Frusciante early last year.
Following the 28-track prog blowout
that was Stadium Arcadium, the Chilis have
swung in the other direction with I’m With
You, going for a style that sounds heavily
infl uenced by The Rolling Stones’ Exile on
Main St and Tattoo You. Klinghoffer’s
involvement has brought a more collaborative
approach, with Anthony Kiedis playing a
more central role in composition. It may be
another departure in a side-winding career,
but Chilis fans are right to be excited.
Cary Fukunaga’s modern reworking of Jane Eyre, with Mia Wasikowska in the lead role and the in-demand Michael Fassbender
as Mr Rochester, looks set to get pulses racing in early September An eagerly awaited study of entrepreneurialism in the internet age, The Lean
Startup by Eric Ries is out mid September No one has consistently remade modern pop like Björk; new album Biophilia is out at the end of September
Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine August 2011 23
IMAGE E REX FEATURES