Soccer and the visual arts

I mostly started this thread in the hope of goading Arnab and Gio into discussions of Italian soccer. But a couple of movie-related soccer topics have recently come to mind.

First, I just re-watched the central scene of the original Fever Pitch (the re-make was beyond horrible) with Colin Firth as a fanatical, obsessed Arsenal fan. It is a fine portrait of how sports obsession can make you miserable. I loathe Arsenal, and I’m concerned about the decency of the short shorts being worn by soccer players in 1989, but it is still worth seeing: here.

Second, I once posted analogies between Soviet cinema and Chelsea players. Now, to mark the passing of Oliver Postgate (12th April 1925 – 8th December 2008), who produced a wealth of British children’s TV and movies in my youth, another Chelsea fan has produced analogies between Chelsea players and characters in Postgate’s fiction. Why is it Chelsea fans are so much more creative than their team? But I reproduce it below:

Petr Cech (Owen the Signal): “Owen the Signal inhabits a signal box near Ivor’s shed and makes an occasional cameo appearances.”

John Terry (Thor Nogson): “Although he may not be a Nog of great intellect, Thor Nogson, the Captain of the Royal Guard is strong and brave in adversity.”

Ashley Cole (Small Clanger): “…being notable for his experiments by which he learns and pushes back the boundaries of his world.”

John Obi Mikel (Jones the Steam): “…is just an ordinary engine-driver who is there to cope with whatever has to be coped with, and enjoy a cup of tea from Ivor’s boiler.”

Joe Cole (Tog): “Having been made into a living being, he could not in all fairness be sent back to being a lifeless toy… Tog was hiding in a tree because he lost his scarf and was upset.”

Deco (Ronf): “…the strongest and tallest of the little people who live in the Hot Water Valley, stands only knee-high to a Nog. But what he lacks in stature he makes up for in strength and stamina.”

Nicolas Anelka (Olaf the Lofty): “Although Olaf’s inventions are invariably ingenious, so they are also invariably unreliable, often with dramatic results.”

Didier Drogba (Bagpuss): “…is a magical cat. When he wakes up, all his friends come to life.”

Salomon Kalou (Professor Yaffle): “…is the most complex of the characters, and moves around more than most, being nailed to the floor with tacks to prevent him falling over.”