Wednesday 29 January 2014

Vampifan's Views 45 - Monthly Musings 26

Vampirella by Michael Golden - sexy and disturbing!
So we come to the end of the first month of the year and the time has seemed to have flew past. My love affair with all things to do with St. Trinian's continues. I thought I had all of the films on DVD - The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954), Blue Murder at St. Trinian's (1957), The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's (1960), The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966), St. Trinian's (2007), and St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009) - but thanks to the erudite knowledge of my good friend Joe, he informed me that I was missing one - The Wildcats of St. Trinian's (1980). The reason I missed it was that it was not listed amongst the St. Trinian's films on Amazon. This was because they didn't have it in stock and nor did they know when or if they'd be restocking it. Seeing as I wanted it to complete my collection I resorted to plan B - eBay. I found an American seller who had lots for sale at just $12.00 (roughly £8.00), and they were all Region 0, meaning it can be played anywhere in the world, so I ordered it and it arrived yesterday. I'll watch it this weekend. It's funny but the blurb on the back of the DVD describes it as "the forgotten St. Trinian's film." Very apt, I thought.
I have converted four Hasslefree Miniatures 28mm scale figures into four of the girls from the 2007 film, namely, Chelsea (the Posh Totty leader), Taylor (the Chav girl) and Tania and Tina (the first form twins).
I have been thinking which of the seven films is my favourite and it has to be that 2007 version. Why? For me, it has  the best cast of characters, with far greater emphasis placed upon the girls instead of the adults, as in the earlier films. Most of my figure collection are of characters from that film, so it seemed to me to be an obvious choice. I admit that I like all seven films (yes, including The Wildcats of St. Trinian's, which I saw on TV many years ago) but last weekend I watched the 2007 film again, and it just reaffirmed why I love it so much. My one and only criticism of it is the casting of Flash Harry by the obnoxious Russell Brand. What a tool!
Having built up a good collection of figures of the girls I am now concentrating on the staff members. I have found a few worthy contenders from Black Cat Bases and Turnkey Miniatures (who took over the moulds from the dearly departed Mega Miniatures). I have found my headmistress and Flash Harry from them, along with a few other teachers and yet more schoolgirls. This is growing into quite a collection!
I did say that I wanted to pit the girls of St. Trinian's against my zombie horde in a one-off ATZ scenario, but Joe came up with an even better suggestion - why not run a mini campaign with them? He said he could think of a few scenarios for them and I certainly can as well. I see no reason not to run a St. Trinian's campaign alongside my Team Vampifan campaign, with one set in the UK and the other in the USA. Hmm, the best of both worlds. This has set my creative juices flowing. As things are just in the planning stages now, I'll take on board any suggestions you might have for my alternative campaign. One major difference will be that firearms will be far less prevalent in the UK than in Mayhem City. Melee combat will take precedent over shooting.
And so to other news. I have finished painting a batch of zombies and corpses from Recreational Conflict, and a set of four zombie clowns from Studio Miniatures. Reviews will follow soon. I seem to have lost my mojo for making card scenery again but once I find it I'll go at it with a vengeance. I must finish making my Brummie's Burgers fast food restaurant. Then I want to make Carl Stoelzel's excellent Haunted House, which he kindly named Scott Mansion after me. And, just to add to the huge backlog of buildings I want to make Carl has just gone and released his first Wild West buildings set and I can say they are excellent. Damn you, Carl, why do you churn out so much great stuff? I can't keep up with this much awesomeness!
I tend not to comment on The Walking Dead TV series because I don't have satellite TV or watch it when it is repeated on terrestrial TV. Instead I wait for the DVD boxed sets to come out and then watch the whole season in a few mammoth sessions. By the time I've watched them most folk are watching the next series. However, my friendly window cleaner knows I am a huge fan of the show and he's even more of a fanatic than me. He's been recording series 4 and he lent me the first 8 episodes on DVD. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching them and the 8th episode with the attack on Rick's prison by the Governor and his force was just awesome! Now, like everyone else, I can't wait for the mid-season break to end.
That's all for now, folks. Be happy. I know I am!

34 comments:

  1. Hmm ST Trinnies as a campaign.... Love the idea. Yes guns should be less prevalent, But the Zombie Horde against the fighting fourth sound a little too one sided to me unless a Meta Horde. I am looking forward to seeing your conversions.

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    1. Just wondering do you have a figure for "Barnsie" The WPC yet>?

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    2. I must admit that the idea of a horde of zombies taking on the fourth form is a frightening prospect... for the zombies that is!
      As soon as my conversions get painted I will review them on my blog.

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    3. I think you mean "Gatesy" or WPC Ruby Gates as played by Joyce Grenfell in the first three films, Clint. She was a wonderful character. To answer your question, I have a WPC figure by Killer B Games who'd fit the bill perfectly.

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    4. Yes you are right Gatesy. Not seen them for a while and my memory is not as good as I had hoped!

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    5. No need to apologise, Clint. With my memory I find it best to check with my good friend Mr. Google far more than I used to.

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  2. The St Trinians girls in a campaign will be a classic and glad to see you're happy Bryan!

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    1. Yes, Fran, I think it will be a classic. I'm living life to the full and, touch wood. I'm extremely happy. Life is good.

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  3. Really looking forward to the St Trinians campaign... I have but one worry... due to the lack of firearms there might be a chance if being a bit Game of Thrones... i.e. don;t get too attached to the characters... not necessarily a bad thing I guess... Her'es my tuppance... 10 Little St Trinians? :)

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    1. Oh, Adam, that is such a cruel suggestion... but I like it! Besides which, do you really think that a horde of zombies can get the better of St. Trinian's. The fourth formers are vicious little hellions!

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  4. Our unarmed police don't seem to have much trouble shooting people. Would tasers work on zombies?

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    1. That's a good point about our police, Bob. Lol! I don't think that tasers would work on zombies because a zombie feels no pain. They'd just ignore the taser barbs.

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  5. The juvenile set from Hasslefree has the alt version of Rose armed with molotov and blowtorch :D As well shall look forward to hearing what you think about the forgotten movie.

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    1. She'd make an excellent first former, Simon. I shall have to get her. I saw "the Wildcats of St. Trinian's" many years ago on TV and I can only remember bits of it. I'm looking forward to having my memory refreshed.

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  6. I've only sen one of the films the last one sling shots where used in that one couldn't they be used in a ATZ campaign to give the girls some punch?

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    1. They certainly could, Robert, but there's not much better than getting up close and personal with a hockey stick or a baseball bat.

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  7. I do hope you pursue the idea of a St. T's mini-capaign, but I would set it in your current campaign over the pond, as a school trip gone horribly wrong (after all one of the films had them go to some middle east country right ?)
    It'll be good to see you returning to making buildings again too - 'sbout time imo.

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    1. The new campaign is still in its infancy, Joe, so anything is possible. I still think that it would work better in the UK but I see your point about the school trip from Hell.

      Yes, my lay off from making card scenery has gone on for far too long. Time to get back in the saddle, so to speak.

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  8. Sounds like a lot going on. I'm also having motivation problems for card scenery; you're not alone there! I'm waiting for The Walking Dead to appear on terrestrial TV too, though it's not well advertised and I've missed the start of some previous seasons :-( ...

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    1. I have restarted work on my Brummie's Burgers restaurant. Yay me!
      As for the Walking Dead. even though I'm now as up to date as everyone else. I shall still buy the DVD boxed set.

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  9. You definitely sound very busy, but I can't help but envision a three player (or three party anyway) of Team Vampifan racing against the girls for a goal with a sea of zombies in between.

    Thanks as always for the compliments, you have always been too kind, you certainly polish them up quite a bit.

    And, yes Russel Brand is a tool.

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    1. I have decided that I want to keep my Team Vampifan and St. Trinian's campaigns completely separate. They will be very different in tone with Team Vampifan facing a gritty and bleak future and the schoolgirls having fun and high jinks. This is the main reason why I want the two campaigns set in different countries and continents.

      I have been looking very closely at your Haunted House model, Carl, and it struck me that it would make a good scaled down version of St. Trinian's School, thus giving me even more incentive to make it. i'll start work on it as soon as I finish making Brummie's Burgers, which I have recommenced building.

      Yes, I love that picture of Vampirella as well. It's very striking.

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  10. A St Trinians campaign sounds like a great idea. One way of balancing the lack of guns might be to keep the girls in rural environments. The school will be an ideal fortress, but the girls will still have to get out to raid local farms and villages for supplies. Getting live cattle back past the Zeds could be fun.

    Also, what happens when they get into a turf war with the Boys' School?

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    1. That's a good point about keeping the St. Trinian's campaign set in rural areas, Kieron. As for a turf war with a boys' school, my money is on the girls. Come on, no one gets the better of the St. Trinian's schoolgirls.

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  11. Can't wait to see the St Trinian's girls kick some zombie butt!

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  12. All this talk is a spanish village to me, but another campaign sounds great, I have completely shut down my zombie campaign and if your campaign has made me start it, another one can surel make me restart my project :P.


    As for Stoelzel's structures, I can't wait for him to get a great idea for a Dr. Groschen's mental institution! Mwahahahaha (yes, that is a hint :P)

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    1. I hope I can inspire you once again, Mathyoo.

      I'll pass on your suggestion to Carl. It's something I'd want to see as well.

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    1. Only question, is Dr Groschen a specific reference that is failing me at the moment or just a cleverly suggestive name?

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    2. Obviously a school the size of St, Trinian's would be far too big to build in 28mm scale. But if you were to scale it down, as i suggested, the Haunted House would work very fine. Plus it gives the girls a base to operate from.

      The reference to Dr. Groshcen is an in-joke between Mathyoo and me. It is the English equivalent of Mathyoo's surname. He's from Slovenia, by the way. There is no way you or anyone else would have got that reference.

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  14. Sounds awesome. I'm working on a zombie campaign in the Uk myself.

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    1. Great work, Gimzod. I hope you can share your campaign with us fellow enthusiasts.

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