Cumberbatch: Simpleton

Interviewed by [Andrew] Marr – who labelled him "the man they call Britain's favourite otter" [!!??] – Cumberbatch also defended The Imitation Game against suggestions that the film doesn't pay enough attention to Bletchley Park code-breaker Alan Turing's homosexuality.

"I don’t quite know what that means because to me his sexuality is very, very clear in the film. Because we don’t show him in bed with anybody? We don’t show anyone who’s heterosexual having a moment of sexual intimacy in the film.

"The specific importance of his sexuality is the fact that it was criminalised by that society at that time and that he was punished after saving the democracy and government that was in power by that democracy and government for his identity. And I just hope that this film is about his achievements, is about his life, is about his loves as well – and it is about his sexuality and that’s very, very strongly part of his identity, both in the film and his story."

Yet more first-class guff from upper-class twit Little Lord Cumberbatch in the new Radio Times.

See also...

Lucky readers of yesterday's Sunday Telegraph got a chance to pick up a copy of Andrew Hodge's Turing biography - an official tie-in to the release this week of The Imitation Game.

Interesting, as Hodges has denounced the film's heterosexualisation of Turing.

Fagburn notes the free book is an abridged version. 

I wonder which bits they left out?

Pet Shop Boys: A Man From The Future

The opening night of the Late Night Proms will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on July 23rd, as part of the BBC Proms series, and will consist of music by Pet Shop Boys performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Dominic Wheeler.

The concert will be in three parts. Firstly Richard Niles' 1991 'Overture to Performance'. Then a guest vocalist and the orchestra will perform new arrangements by the film composer Angelo Badalamenti of some of Neil and Chris's most personal songs.

Finally the orchestra will be joined by Pet Shop Boys and the BBC Singers for the world premiere of a brand-new work by Tennant and Lowe, 'A Man From The Future'. This is an evocation of the life and work of the computer pioneer and code-breaker, Alan Turing and is written for orchestra, choir, electronics and a narrator with a text based on 'Alan Turing: The Enigma' by Andrew Hodges who has collaborated with Neil and Chris. The orchestrations are by Sven Helbig. The narrator is still to be confirmed.

Neil and Chris said: "It is an honour for us to be invited to present some new music at The Proms and to celebrate Alan Turing 60 years after his death." Andrew Hodges said: “It's just been wonderful working with Neil and Chris on this project”.

Pet Shop Boys.

Judging by their last two albums, the Boys are on a roll now, so this could be stonking.
'Darling, you were wonderful' etc etc.

You can hear He Dreamed Of Machines here, and here are Neil and Chris talking about Turing with Graham Norton.

Codebreaker, a new choral work about Turing by James McCarthy, has its world premiere at London's Barbican on Saturday. This hasn't got quite so much publicity as the Pets.

PS I know it's over but, PSB should stop doing all that silly big hat things and so flamboyant costumes when touring.
It looks like you're trying too hard now.
Thanks for not asking.

Alan Turing: 101 Today

This is Alan Turing's statue in Sackville Park, Manchester today, his 101st birthday.
Nice one, Manchester!

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Image via @thehistoryb0y

 • A NEW film about the pioneering wartime code breaker Alan Turing has been attacked by his biographer for exaggerating a love affair and making a fictional connection to a notorious spy.
The film, The Imitation Game, stars Benedict Cumberbatch, best known for his role in BBC1’s hit Sherlock, as Turing and is based on a biography by Andrew Hodges, an Oxford maths academic. Joan Clarke, another Bletchley code breaker, is set to be played by Keira Knightley as Turing’s girlfriend, despite the fact that he was gay.
Hodges, who was sent a script, is alarmed by what he says are inaccuracies in the American-financed film, to be directed by the Norwegian Morten Tyldum whose last production was the violent thriller Headhunters.
“They have built up the relationship with Joan much more than it actually was.”

Sunday Times.

Alan Turing: His Year Starts Here

Tonight on the tellybox, Channel 4 is showing a drama documentary about the last month's of Alan Turing's life, Britain's Greatest Codebreaker.
Turing arguably did more than anyone to help Britain and the Allies beat the Nazis, and then his country killed him.
Thanks Britain.
The programme has prompted glowing profiles in The Sunday Times - Outcast Who Gave Us The Modern World - and the Daily Telegraph.
Alan Garner wrote about Turing as My Hero in The Guardian last Saturday.
We're swiftly approaching the centenary of Turing's birth - 2012 has been declared Alan Turing Year.
There are events being held across the world all year.
His biographer Alan Hodges maintains an extremely informative website dedicated to Alan's life and work - here.