Thank god it wasn't 15 below! & a cinema friend

Eight Below (2006) is a bit of a disappointment; It recounts the incredible saga of a team of sled dogs left to fend for themselves for months during a brutal Antarctic winter while their distraught handler tries desperately to mount a rescue operation . Sounds good eh? well I suspect the 1983 Japanese version called Nankyoku Monogatari - which chronicled the "true life" 1958 story (where a Japanese science expedition had to leave behind 15 dogs! ) was grittier and obviously sadder ( only 2 dogs survived), but in disney hands most (but not all) of the huskies survive!, and the film adheres to all those old fashioned Disney feel good cliches, which really do not work anymore.I suspect the Japanese film rightly described how the dogs resorted to cannibalism, something the Disney film would never mention!
Mind you, I did have a bawl when the dogs owner Paul Walker, found the last dog alive, his favourite Maya!

I think my version of the film's official photograph is better!

Saw Hazel today, a friend from work who loves good arthouse cinema and theatre. She has arranged tickets for us to see Laberinto del Fauno, El -Pan's Labyrinth (2006) at Theatre Clwyd which should be great as the tiny old-fashioned cinema has just undergone refurbishment. I feel that Hazel pines for the cut and thrust of Manchester where she was in University and lived until 8 years ago .I think that she feels I am a kindred spirit in some aspect of her missed life- perhaps I still possess a northern city type of mentality which she likes!!.