Latest news with #CloseEncounters
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I took my family to UK's dullest region - we'll definitely be back for more'
The East Midlands often gets a bit of a hard time. Regularly overshadowed by its more populated, better-connected sibling to the west, the region can sometimes feel like the motorway equivalent of a flyover state — somewhere to be driven through on the M1 rather than to be stopped in and enjoyed. The presence of several of its towns on various 'most boring places to live' rankings over the years hasn't helped. Grantham, the home of Margaret Thatcher, is one that regularly attracts the mirth of such list compilers, and arguably adds to the East Midlands' reputation. But, as I found out during a trip to the region during half-term, the East Midlands is a fantastic place to spend the week with your family, and one that is sorely overlooked. The Doyle family adventure to Leicestershire began in Snarestone, a rural village on the edge of the National Forest. In amongst the green field and winding lanes nestled our accommodation for the next two nights: a gleaming, modern lodge bordered by the Ashby Canal, a beacon of wildlife and tranquillity where villagers hold an annual fund-raising rubber duck race (£150 for the winner!). You could spend your time taking a stroll, visiting the wharf or eating the unexpectedly excellent fare at The Old Crown Inn , though our 5- and 7-year-old kids simply wanted to play with the two resident dogs, Theo and Fred, while we drank coffee on the verandah. Despite feeling far away from the hustle and bustle, we were only a 10-minute drive from some big attractions. The historic market and spa town of Ashby de la Zouch , including the ruins of Ashby Castle, is just five miles away. Also nearby is Conkers , 120 acres of indoor and outdoor pursuits, a train, aerial adventures, a 4D cinema and more. We opted for Twycross Zoo , having heard there is a new snow leopard in residence. We'd booked a mobility scooter in advance for my wife; it's a great option for anybody who wants to explore the whole Zoo without walking distance being a factor. We began our visit in The Gruffalo Discovery Land, an interactive trail through 'the deep, dark wood', with animatronics, scenery straight from the page and plenty of photo-worthy moments. Also new for 2025 is Close Encounters, a tropical habitat for some of the world's most endangered spiders and reptiles. It's a close-up look at fascinating creatures who scuttle, slither and hop, such as the panther chameleon with its goggly eyes and skin that gets red when annoyed. Nuri the snow leopard never did make an appearance but with so many other wonderful animals to see - special mention for the rainbow lorikeets and zebras - we left feeling like we'd had a brilliant day. The next stage of our trip took us from the lush countryside to the centre of Leicester city. Bewildering road system aside, the approach to the city was full of visually stunning murals and street art that made us feel excited about the cultural landscape that awaited. We dropped our luggage at The Gresham Aparthotel, where we stayed in a fresh 2-bed serviced apartment, which is a good alternative to a hotel family room when you're staying with young kids. If (when) you visit Leicester, make sure your first stop is the Visit Leicester Information Centre or visit in advance. You'll be stunned by the sheer number of events on offer, many of which are free. You can find historic trails, itineraries based on interest, and a whole host of attractions. Leicester certainly loves a festival, and there are lots of free options to choose from. There's the big weekender of Leicester Riverside Festival in early June, which spans sites and includes music, cinema, a fun fair, and watersports on the River Soar. There are also festivals celebrating cultures and interests from Mela, Pride, and the Caribbean Carnival, to walking, jazz and food. Take a look at the Leicester Festivals & Events Facebook page to keep up to date with the full list. Leicester Visitor Centre is also home to the King Richard III Visitor Centre , which includes the royal's grave site and two floors of fascinating exhibits about his life and the search for his final resting place. It's a paid attraction but well worth it for fans of both history and science, as our kids loved having a go at archaeology, DNA sequencing and facial reconstruction. We also really appreciated being offered ear defenders for our autistic daughter. Directly opposite is Leicester Cathedral , which also hosts cultural events and exhibitions and is currently displaying Luke Jerram's Mars: War and Peace, a giant planetary sculpture enhanced with light and sound. From there it was a walk down the tree-lined promenade of New Walk to the Leicester Museum & Art Gallery , home to dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies, international art and local history. Both are free to enter, but can be supported with a donation. If we'd been there on any other day than a Sunday, we could have made use of the Leicester Hop! , a free electric bus that takes a circular route around the city and stops close to all the places we visited. We finished the day at one of the many independent hospitality venues, doughWHAT , which is the only spot in the Midlands to make fresh Neopolitan and deep-dish pizzas in-house. The food was amazing and the staff were brilliant. When you have children with restricted eating, it can be difficult to eat out anywhere decent. But, with 24 hours' notice, the team at Dough What will accommodate any off-menu requests for kids in your party. And yes, that includes chicken nuggets. Next, we visited the Great Central Railway , where you can explore four stations by steam train that have been restored to their historical heyday of the 1910s, '40s and '50s. The Loughborough station has been the backdrop of numerous period films, and the children were especially interested to learn which cast members of the Paddington film had been there. Run by volunteers, the vintage train line offers events such as '40s weekends and dining experiences; you can even make a model Gromit with Aardman model makers. If history is your thing, then Leicester is a great choice all round. There is Leicester Guildhall , a Tudor-style Grade I listed building that promises '600 years of drama'. Bradgate Park hosts outdoor events and has the ruins of what is believed to be the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey. And opening in July is the Jewry Wall Roman experience , offering Roman finds and a multi-media exhibition. Leicester isn't just about the past; it's also home to The National Space Centre , where our activity-packed trip ended. It's a must-see for any space nut. Your ticket includes a show in the UK's largest planetarium dedicated to Sir Patrick Moore, an immersive orbit around Earth aboard the Terastar Spaceport, and a trip up the 42-metre-high space port to see the Blue Streak and Thor Able rockets - and a real piece of the moon - at close quarters. The Space Centre shares a car park with Abbey Pumping Station Museum , reminding you that, in Leicester, you're never that far away from the past, be it industrial or ancient. We loved the variety of things to do in Leicester and will definitely be back to see more. And to say hello to Theo and Fred.
Geek Tyrant
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Rare CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND Alien Mask Up for Auction – And It's Equal Parts Creepy and Cool — GeekTyrant
If you've ever dreamed of owning a piece of extraterrestrial cinema history, now's your chance, just don't expect it to phone home. Propstore has launched a new auction featuring an incredible lineup of film memorabilia, and one item in particular is drawing attention: An original alien mask from Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind . One of the eerily sweet 'Gray' aliens that descended at Devil's Tower in the film's unforgettable final act. This rare piece is part of Propstore's sale of items from Planet Hollywood's vast memorabilia collection. The auction kicks off May 21 and runs through June 11, and the catalog is packed with movie treasures that also includes Gremlins puppets, Ghostbusters miniatures, and Spock ears from Star Trek . But the Close Encounters alien, complete with 'functional eye mechanisms,' is the standout. According to Propstore's listing, the production team crafted multiple alien masks during filming, including prototypes, static versions for wide shots, and mechanical masks capable of limited movement. This particular piece is one of the mechanical versions used for close-ups, and it's got a bit of engineering under the hood. It comes from the collection of Roy Arbogast, the Oscar-nominated special mechanical effects artist and longtime Spielberg collaborator. The listing explains: 'It features a foam latex-backed slip latex skin dressed over a fiberglass underskull and painted gray-brown on the exterior. The interior is inset with wide cast resin eyes painted with blue irises and black pupils. The eyes are designed to move from side-to-side via cables installed along the interior.' Arbogast's filmography is filled with classic films including Escape from New York , The Thing , They Live , and Return of the Jedi . Some 'sympathetic restoration' has been done over the years to keep it display-ready, though the listing makes it clear the piece is fragile and not meant for wearing. So, maybe don't go scaring the neighbors in your driveway. The starting bid is $2,500.
Gizmodo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Summon Your Own Friendly Aliens With This ‘Close Encounters' Mask
Propstore's latest auction features a rare piece of memorabilia from the 1977 Steven Spielberg classic. You'll have to construct your own Devils Tower out of mashed potatoes (or garden dirt, depending on how much room you've got), but an authentic Close Encounters of the Third Kind alien mask is going up for auction, and it's equal parts cool, cute, and creepy. It's part of Propstore's auction of items from Planet Hollywood's extensive memorabilia collection (see the whole catalog here), kicking off May 21 and running through June 11. There's a Gremlins puppet, Ghostbusters miniatures, Spock ears from two different Star Trek movies, and lots more, but the Close Encounters alien—complete with 'functional eye mechanisms'—is the standout pick. According to Propstore's listing, the climactic Close Encounters sequence in which the musically inclined aliens land their ship at Devils Tower 'was achieved by dressing dozens of young girls as the friendly Grays. Multiple versions of their extraterrestrials masks were built by production, including a number of tests and prototypes, while two versions were ultimately selected for filming: non-articulated masks for wide or long shots of the aliens, and mechanical versions capable of a limited number of facial expressions.' This particular item, the listing explains, 'originated from Academy Award-nominated special mechanical effects artist and regular Spielberg collaborator Roy Arbogast. It features a foam latex-backed slip latex skin dressed over a fiberglass underskull and painted gray-brown on the exterior. The interior is inset with wide cast resin eyes painted with blue irises and black pupils. The eyes are designed to move from side-to-side via cables installed along the interior.' Arbogast's many special effects credits also include several John Carpenter films (Escape From New York, The Thing, They Live, and more) as well as Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Some 'sympathetic restoration' has been applied to the mask in the intervening decades, though the listing notes it's in quite fragile condition. In other words, it's for display only—don't try to wear it around the neighborhood to freak out unsuspecting Richard Dreyfuss types. The starting bid for the Close Encounters of the Third Kind mask is $2,500—you can learn more about the auction and how to bid here.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PICTURES: Kip Marina hosts first major event of Scotland's new sailing season
SAILORS from all over Scotland headed to the Clyde for the first major event of the new sailing season - the annual Kip Regatta. A total of 32 small boats sailed into Kip Marina to compete in a weekend of racing in the Haven Knox-Johnston Kip Regatta. Across the six different classes, boast were up against others of an equal speed and size, with each class racing for historic trophies presented by the Royal Western Yacht Club. (Image: Contributed) (Image: Contributed) Prizes were up for grabs from race sponsors Helly Hansen, Gill, Tunnocks, Dubarry and Kingfisher along with the prestigious RWYC silverware. The overall winners of each class were Sapphire (CYCA 2), Close Encounters (CYCA 4), Bounce Back (Etchells), Salamander XXII (IRC 1), Headhunter (IRC 3), and Inclusion (two-handed). The champion's crown for the overall winner of the regatta went to the crew of Sapphire, from Helensburgh, who were the best performing yacht of the weekend after winning all four of their races. (Image: Contributed) (Image: Contributed) The Royal Western Yacht Club, which promotes small boat sailing on the Clyde, has been involved in running the regatta since the 1980s and said this year's weather was perfect for sailing. A spokesperson said: "The racing was held off the waters of Inverkip which on the Saturday offered the perfect racing conditions. "The steady breeze, glorious sunshine and clear waters enabled three tight races to be held. (Image: Contributed) "The Sunday was a different day, with a shifty light northerly breeze offering different tactical options for the yachts, and one race was completed on the Sunday morning. "We were once again pleased to work alongside Kip Marina to deliver a successful regatta which was enjoyed by the local and visiting yachts." Kip Marina thanked all the competing boats, crews, and race committees for another fantastic event and said they were already lookijng forward to seeing everyone again next year.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Middlesbrough director credits grandfather for love of cinema
A young film director has credited his grandfather for taking him out a toxic home environment and igniting his passion for month, a film Middlesbrough-born Joe J Walker shot for less than £1,000 will premiere at the Alhambra Cinema in Keswick, where he also Walker said his film directing dreams had been shaped by his grandfather who had taken him to the Blockbuster video shop in his home town every Friday."We'd usually go with a movie of his choice, like an obscure French cinema or German cinema," he said. "Then he'd pick a more mainstream one for me, something like Close Encounters." Mr Walker said his childhood had been chaotic and he regularly witnessed violence and substance he said Joe Walker senior, who died in 2018, had taken him out of that environment and taught him a love of cinema."We were actually watching ET and afterwards there was a behind-the-scenes featurette and I was so fascinated with the notion that people are on a set, working with actors and constructing shots," he said."My grandad told me it was called being a director and, if you want to do it, you can do it - I'll get you a camcorder." After getting the camcorder, Mr Walker quickly started making "terrible films", he said."It was so much fun and, from that moment, I knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he latest film, a psychological horror entitled Beyond the Eye, was shot at the cinema where he works and premieres on 26 Jonathan Moore said when he found out Mr Walker wanted to make a film "it was kind of a no brainer really" to agree to it."It's really hard to get into the film industry," he said."You either have to come from a family that's in the industry already and has connections, or you have to have money and kind of buy your way in." Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
