Posts Tagged ‘chavs’
Nova – the little better car indeed!
Bit bizarre, I guess, reviewing a car that went out of production 17 years ago, but I am doing this to see how the driving experience stacks up compared to a supermini of this era. And because I have owned this 1989 1-litre ‘Jet Black’ (decals added by me) example for 3 weeks now.
The Nova was launched in the UK a year after its Opel counterpart, the Corsa went on sale. Built by GM Espana in Zaragoza, Spain, there was a plethora of trim levels and specifications available, from the 1.0 basic (like mine) to the rapid 1.6-litre GTE. Styling was remarkably restrained yet neat, and looks pure comapred to the overstyled and bloated Corsa of today. The 3-door models, unlike the 5-doors, had Audi Quattro-esque blistered wheelarches. The Nova’s tiny dimensions mean that parking is easy and visibility is in myriad supply. However there are styling cues which mark this is as a supermini from another era – square and orange blinkers, solid black plastic bumpers and grille, and small, skinny steel wheels.
The Nova was a huge seller in its day, but getting inside you wonder why. The interior, although solidly screwed-together, light and airy, is full of hard plastic and angular designs – very dated. The poverty-spec model really is that – The wipers have only two settings, no rear wiper, a manual choke control (remember them?). No ABS, central locking or any opf your silly modern computer gadgets that cost a fortune to fix when they break. No crappy i-Drive system here. You drive this car using the wheel, stick and pedals, and use your prowess behind the wheel to keep it on the road. The baby Vauxhall has no power-steering but thankfully the diminutive size and feather weight (760kg approx) mean it is easy to manouevre, although the turning circle resembles that of a double-decker bus. Don’t expect sportscar handling, though.
Engines available were 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 diesel and 1.6 injected. The petrol units, except for the 1.0, are OHC and of the Family II 8v series of GM engines. The 1.2 develops 55bhp (same as a modern Volkswagen supermini) but this is enough to shift the light little car about town fairly swiftly. In fact, the acceleration is nothing to be sniffed at, and the Nova can easily keep up with modern traffic. The 1.0, is a different kettle of fish. It is a rattly pushrod engine designed in the late 1950s and first saw service in the 1962 Opel Kadett, only to be brought out of retirement for the Corsa/Nova’s 1982 launch. The 1-litre is noisy and very unrefined, but again, the light weight means that despite a paltry 45bhp, you won’t be stuck behind mopeds and tractors. However the engine needs to be worked hard to keep up with modern traffic, and those used to modern superminis will find this tiring to drive.
Despite having a four-speed manual gearbox (yeah, times have changed since 1989) the Nova will cruise competently at 60 and 70mph, albeit makes a hell of a loud job doing so. Ride is a little harsh, but long journeys won’t break your spine. My previous Nova was a 1.2 merit and it performed a 5-hour drive from Buckingham to Cornwall without a hitch and remained reasonably comfortable. Handling is below-par, the soft suspension leads to horrendous body roll at speed around corners, but the quick ‘power delivery’ and low-gearing ensures a nippy driving experience.
Overall, in comparison to modern superminis, the Nova doesn’t measure up. It is cramped, a little tinny,noisy, unrefined, and not that fuel efficient (having said that, at current petrol prices a full tank can cost £32 max). Dated and unpleasant interior, lack of kit and a 5th gear make this car better suited to city life, though the boxy styling and raucous engine won’t endear you to the Joneses on Acacia Avenue. However the light weight, excellent visibility simple engine and construction, and no complicated computer systems to break down is bliss for the more frugal driver, although younger drivers may have to get used to the old-school manual choke. The simple values of the little car delivers a remarkable pure driving experience where everything can be reassuringly felt and responses are instantaneous, and in a time where superminis are the size of Sierras and everything has to be controlled by some computer, this is such a breath of fresh air.
Verdict:-
Vauxhall’s top-seller in Thatcher’s day still makes sense for a buyer on a budget, though the boyracer image can still put some off. The relationship between car and driver is much closer than in today’s Corsa, albeit can be too spartan for some. Willing, if noisy engines, roomy interior and great visibility make this a decent car to live with in town. But standards have moved on so much since the 1980s.
Car tested: Vauxhall Nova 1.0
Engine: 993cc, four cylinders
Power: 47bhp
Transmission: Four-speed manual
Fuel: 40mpg (approx)
Performance: 0-62mph: 15 sec
Price: £10-£1,000
Verdict: Simple values make this a refreshing change from the bloated, sanitised, so-called modern “small” cars.
Rating: 4/5
The cast of Shank
NOTE: SPOILERS! Don’t read if you haven’t seen this!
It is not often I go and see a film, but when I heard about this low-budget indie flick (Or rather, the sex scenes were leaked onto some seedy site!) I had to track it down. Gay cinema is an interesting conundrum – it is either jaded coming-out-against-the-odds stories or about cross-dressing, in the vein of such films as ‘But I’m A Cheerleader’.
Shank is gritty, hard-hitting and uncompromising. As you can see from publicity shots, it is about chavs. More specifically Bristol’s gang scene. Being gay and chavvy, I must admit, is a delicious topic to explore as it’s something that we suspect goes on, but don’t want to admit. Similar to being a queer footballer, I suppose. Shank has been described as “Beautiful Thing on coke” which holds several truths; like the Jonathan Harvey bestseller, it explores a teenage boy from a rough background and his struggle with his gay feelings towards his best friend.
The story centres around 19-year-old Cal (a fiery debut from newcomer Wayne Virgo), member of a violent happy-slapping gang from Bristol who is secretly gay. He fancies his thuggish best mate Jonno (Tom Bott, a fantastically nuanced performance), who is screwing the violent gang leader, Nessa (a fantastic turn from Alice Payne). Cal gets his kicks from anonymous sex with strangers, including Bristol University lecturer Scott (Garry Summers), filming each encounter so he can get turned on by it again later. One day the gang target snooty French boy Olivier (Marc Laurent), a mincing, effeminate youth who is such an antithesis to the gang that you almost aren’t surprised to see him get a pasting. Cal falls for Olivier and the two form a relationship. When Nessa, who, “no fucking body turns against.” finds out, she is determined to get the two faggots once and for all, kidnapping Olvier and taunting Cal via vid-messaging to come and save his boyfriend. Cal stands up to his former allies once and for all, but as the showdown goes on, even Nessa is horrified at what happens….
Undoubtedly Nessa is the main antagonist for the movie; a nasty, temperamental rudegirl who nightmares are made of. Payne sneers and snaps her way through the tight script like Lauren Cooper-meets-Vinnie Jones. Hair scraped back, hoopy earings, a ‘wannabe Yardie’ accent and a plethora of ‘fucks’ and homophobia pouring from her mouth, Payne as Nessa really holds her own against the lads – an impressive turn from the only female lead here. We do see what made Nessa so twisted, and Payne’s brilliantly dramatic performance during that scene grabs the emotions, but the character is such a bitch that it is hard to feel sympathy for her.
Tom Bott as Jonno is also brilliant. The character is a dumb-arse, Nuts-mag-reading stud/jock who is clearly a closet case. Swaggering about the screen, yet showing deep turmoil in his eyes, and the sexual tension between Bott and Virgo is electric; this is easily one of the best performances of the film. Even during the climactic end scene, Bott manages to draw a grain or two of sympathy for Jonno despite his despicable behaviour.
Marc Laurent, was by far the weakest link. Although he showed sufficient amounts of tenderness when required, and managed to deliver English (not his first language, assumed) without sounding wooden, he just doesn’t cut the mustard compared to the rest and seems rather bored a lot of the time. Also, although facially he is striking, personally I found him too skinny and this was somewhat offputting. Also he and Virgo didn’t have much chemistry, even in the sex scenes. When Cal and Jonno almost kiss in Cal’s battered old Escort, the tension between them was so realistic that you find yourself begging Cal to just take Jonno right there and then. Also, would a rough kid like Cal even fancy someone like Olivier, apart from his exotic looks and money?
In a small role, Garry Summers does very well, but he only really gets one emotional scene and no real drama, so I can’t comment too much. Though his sex scene with Virgo is rather erotic, though because this is at the start and you don’t expect to see a chav boy get it in the arse and enjoy it.
Star of the show has to be Wayne Virgo in his first professional role as Cal. He avoids falling into the trap of being the chav who minces or likes a bit of Miley Cyrus (her music, not her tits) and plays it totally straight, Cal not appearing stereotypically gay at all. The only flaw in his performance, is his accent occasionally slipping into something more well-spoken at times.
Overall Shank delivers a powerful story and hits the viewer right in the gonads – no weepy coming-out-against-the-odds here. Undoubtedly director Simon Pearce (just 21 when he shot it – same age as me, unbelievable!!) took a gamble by casting unknowns and using a limited budget, but it pays off tremendously. No flashy CGI effects or lavish set pieces, the focus is on good, old-fashioned storytelling and proper acting, which you don’t a lot of in Hollywood. Casual, dirty sexual encounters are presented unfiltered and seasoned with copious amounts of charlie. A must see for those who want to see a new breed of gay flicks, and definitely one for those with a fetish for chavs.
Rating: 8/10
Director: Simon Pearce
Written by: Darren Flaxstone and Christian Martin
Starring: Wayne Virgo, Tom Bott, Alice Payne, Marc Laurent.
Likes: First-class acting from Virgo, Payne and Bott, adorable love story, stunning cinematography, unpretentious directing by Pearce, breaks the “coming out story” mould.
Dislikes: A bit too homophobic for its own good, hot sex scenes and nudity mean this is one to watch in company with a pillow over your crotch, some violent scenes which are a bit too disturbing for some, the street-talk is sometimes hard to understand, Laurent is wooden and unbelievable in the role of Cal’s love interest.
