Transcript: Latest audio described DVDs with Ally Woodford13 November 2011 Interview with Ally Woodford
Roberta: DVDs are always a popular source of home entertainment and the number of titles that are audio described has increased significantly over the past couple of years. A database of titles can be found on Media Access Australia’s website, but to find out what the latest editions are, Ally Woodford joins us today. Welcome Ally.
Ally: Thanks Roberta. Hello everyone.
Roberta: Just a quick question first of all: do you know how many titles in total are on the database?
Ally: Well it’s continually growing, but at the moment there’s over 500 titles on the database and we generally add about 25 every couple of months.
Roberta: So we can go through these today. So can we start with the big Hollywood titles?
Ally: Okay. Yeah. There’s not that many that I would class as Hollywood blockbusters this time around. But one that definitely is, is Black Swan, and that’s the Academy Award winning psychological thriller from earlier this year that starred Natalie Portman. The only other one I’d put in this category and it’s simply for the star power, it’s a romantic comedy called Just Go With It, and it stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, it’s also got Nicole Kidman with a minor role. But just two biggies this time around.
Roberta: That one Just Go With It, I like that, and I don’t usually, I must say, go and see Adam Sandler movies, but I really liked that one. And I’m sure the listeners will too.
Ally: Oh good. Yeah.
Roberta: Now moving on to another category, Ally, what have we got in the comedy department?
Ally: Okay. So comedies: well if you’d like to see Natalie Portman in a completely different role, you might wish to check out Your Highness. We have a remake of Arthur and that stars Adam Brand and also Helen Mirren in a rare comedic performance.
Roberta: She was the female butler kind of thing.
Ally: She was.
Roberta: The looker after.
Ally: Yeah. Which I didn’t realise she was going to be in when I saw the movie, so it was a bit of a shock.
Roberta: Yeah.
Ally: There’s a black comedy, it’s called Burke and Hare. It’s about two 19th Century grave robbers. And we’ve got a couple of rom coms in Griff the Invisible, and Ceremony. And the next two you’d call probably comedy dramas, and they’re I love You Phillip Morris, and that stars Jim Carrey and one of my favourite acts, Ewan McGregor. And the other one is It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and that’s the name of it. The last two: we’ve got a comedy crime movie called Mad Men and the adventure comedy about an alien that’s simply called Paul.
Roberta: There are always quite a few dramas to report on, so what’s new this month?
Ally: Yeah. The drama, we have, let me look at my list, we’ve got five of them. There’s Conviction and that stars Hilary Swank. It’s based on a true story. She’s a lawyer, and defends her wrongfully accused brother in the movie. Gwyneth Paltrow, she’s using her newly discovered vocal talents in Country Strong. The Lincoln Lawyer which is a movie starring Matthew McConaughey.
There’s an Australian title in here that’s called Mad Bastards, and it’s about a father, son relationship, and it’s set in the beautiful Kimberleys. And lastly I guess another film with an Australian directorial touch is Peter Weir’s The Way Back and it’s based on a true story from the Second World War. And I read the book and I’ve seen the movie, and I can recommend that one.
Roberta: That McConaughey fellow, what was that movie? The Lincoln…?
Ally: The Lincoln Lawyer.
Roberta: Lawyer. Yeah. Do you know what that was about?
Ally: I haven’t seen it but I know he’s sort of a down and out lawyer, and I think he sort of does things a bit dodgily, if dodgily is a word, and, yeah, I don’t know too much about it. But he doesn’t have an office. He does all his cases out the back of his Lincoln, which is American Lincoln.
Roberta: I see. That sounds good.
Ally: Yeah. But there’s something about the case that he takes on that sort of makes the movie, but, yeah. I don’t know too much about that one.
Roberta: I must see that one. I like that fellow. I think he’s rather nice.
Ally: Mmm.
Roberta: Now to round out the list what else do we have?
Ally: Just a few more. I’ve got a few animated titles in Mars Needs Mums, Hop and Diary of A Wimpy Kid 2. There’s a few action flicks in Battle of Fast and Furious 5 and Sucker Punch. There’s a thriller in The Roommate. We have a, you’d call this one a horror fantasy, and it’s Red Riding Hood, and that’s definitely not one for the kids. A mystery science fiction one called Limitless which stars Bradley Cooper and the, I guess you’d call him evergreen, Robert De Niro. And lastly for those Justin Bieber fans amongst us, there’s Justin Bieber Never Say Never, which is footage from his 2010 concert tour.
Roberta: Well you do have to cover all bases
Ally: This is right. Yeah.
Roberta: And as previously mentioned Media Access Australia’s searchable website has over 500 titles on it and can be found at mediaaccess.org.au. The website can also answer many of your questions about audio description, but alternatively, Ally and the MAA team are always happy to take your call: 02 9212 6242 or you can write to Media Access Australia at info@mediaaccess.org.au. Thank you Ally for all of that today and I’m sure we will be talking again soon.
Ally: Thanks Roberta.
Roberta: And Media Access Australia are supporters of this program.
Top of page