P
R E F A C E
This website is very different to
all other TR sites as they tend to either specialise in only a few areas, or spread themselves so vastly over multiple
facets of the game, that their sites become overly complicated, an thus hard to
navigate. Whereas this website combines the best of TR site
contents in through one
centralised gateway, hence its title being 'Croft Central'. For at this site,
each menu item presents the finest T-R game resources, from various game
specific pages, as gathered from all over the world. These WebPages are focused into a
user-friendly design for accessibility an convenience, an which are then viewable
in the main window upon clicking the adjacent menu. Please note though, that after some time, the owners of
any hyperlinks featured within, may have modified their website structure, thus
making the viewing of their sites pages problematic, [an which is their decision not
mine].
However, I the webmaster of this site, will endevour to checkup here, to
see if any of those external-links don't work properly, [an if any don't I will correct
them]. Of course, anyone browsing this site can feel free to email me, of
extra material to featured here, like via the recommendation of other site
content, that is currently missing from side-menu down the margin. This menu has
a total of over 30 links, that each reveal a topic that reveals a facet on the world of
'Tomb Raider'.
ABOUT THE
WEBMASTER
After appearing on the
L.C.O forum one
day in June 2002 as Corani, I was asked by a guy there, from New Jersey [USA],
if I was Vince from the Lara Croft TV Documentary. Also, when I mentioned this
programme a year earlier on two other T-R forums, I was asked some questions about my involvement
with it. Therefore, as the author an owner of this site, I thought I'd create
this semi-FAQ page to mention
that I am indeed that guy who appeared in that illustrious Tv documentary.
Incidentally, this is the only T-R website to be created an run by a person who appeared in
the only official 'Tomb Raider' Documentary. I should be easy to remember from that
programme - as I was the best thing in it, although don't tell Lara that or she'll
shoot me! An on that subject, I wouldn't mind shooting Lara, but not
with bullets that is...
The
programme in question was a specially commissioned to coincide with the release of the
first TR movie. This programme was first broadcast on the 28th of June 2001,
where it was premiered by Channel 5 Tv in Great Britain. It was shown at 8pm,
lasted 45 minutes, excluding pesky adverts, an was called 'Lara
Croft: Lethal & Loaded'. A month later it was shown on the Discovery cable channel in the
UK, an was shown afterwards in Germany, Japan, an the USA. Overall I had more screen time than any other interviewee due to my
confidence in discussing taboo subjects!
ME
ON TV + LARA !!!
A
year later it was released on video and DVD, an the blurb on its back cover
reads :- "Lara Croft is the fearless pioneer of
'girl power'. She's the empress of the digital age, and the star of
the wildly successful computer game and movie Tomb Raider. Now, for the
first time, this fascinating program explores the unique phenomenon of Lara
Croft and tells an amazing tale of ingenuity and success. The show is as
visually exciting as the game itself, which sold over 26 million copies. It
reveals how Core Design invented Lara Croft and catapulted her into mainstream
contemporary culture, making her the most successful cyber character to cross
over into global marketing, advertising, and of course Hollywood. This is the
amazing story of cyber tomb raider Lara Croft, and it is a 'must see'
for all of her fans". [See
a commercial clip?]
The
worlds biggest retailer of media products on the internet is 'Amazon.com' an their
own review said :- "Solid production values and a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek
humor help elevate this British-made documentary about the worldwide phenomenon
behind the video game Tomb Raider and its voluptuous femme fatale
heroine, Lara Croft, a notch above the usual promotional tie-in material. Though
no footage from the 2001 theatrical release with Angelina Jolie is featured,
it's well padded with animation from the game's numerous incarnations and
interviews with its creators and admirers. Amusingly, the game designers attempt
to attribute Tomb Raider's success to its groundbreaking 3-D design and
plentiful action, while the fans (which include everyone from average blokes to
U2) clearly indicate that Lara's zaftig figure is its main selling point.
While Lara's ascent to pop culture and marketing icon status gets plenty of
coverage, it's the scenes illustrating the fans' often obsessive level of
devotion that provide the tape's most interesting and occasionally alarming
moments". To buy this from them click here.
For balance, so to provide a
perspective from a non-retail based organisation, the following extract is a critique
on this documentary by Daily-Reviews.com, followed by my opinion of this
article, ie -
"The documentary begins
inauspiciously enough by introducing us to the creator of Lara Croft (then
called Lara Cruise), Toby Gard. He was the conceptual designer for Core Design
who actually came up with the character and the rough sketches that would
eventually take the form we recognize her in today (though he walked away from
the company very soon after creating her, thereby robbing himself of the mounds
of cash the character has generated since). We are taken through a tour of her
creation with other members of Core and learn of her evolution from a mere
outline to a fully fleshed out character with a rich history. For instance, the
school that Lara hails from, Gordonstoun, actually exists and was the school
that Princes Charles and Philip attended (the school is also well known for its
adventurous Lara Croft-like alumni).
From there, things get a little bit weird. The cursory discussion of Lara’s
constantly evolving breast size is here, but, when they start throwing in the
fan reaction to the character and her attributes, the creep factor explodes off
the scale. One fan, named Vince, talks about how he would rather have Lara than
a real woman, because no real woman could ever compare to the perfection that is
Ms. Croft. [Ed: WRONG !] Another fan, James Bosher, took five days off of
work to spend with the game, much to the lament of his wife (who claims he has
never taken five days off of work for her), while fan James Sanderson has the
adventurer tattooed all over his body. Lara’s influence is even seen in the
entertainment world, as she is brought up as the cause for the delay of
Prodigy’s Fat of the Land album and one of the most pitiful displays of
goaltending ever seen in a major football (i.e.-soccer) game.
Things settle down somewhat during a discussion of the advertising that Lara has
been involved in, including her high profile appearance in U2’s PopMart tour
(which, I would assume, explains the band’s track on the soundtrack album for
the film). There is also a great section on two models that have played Lara
during conventions, Lucy Clarkson and Lara Weller, both of whom are not only
gorgeous, but also seem to embody the closest physicality to the character that
I have ever seen. Their discussions on the limitations they have while in
costume is interesting (and more than a little strict, considering).
The weirdness creeps in again when we meet Jennifer Morgan, whose closet is
filled with exact replicas of Lara’s outfits. Ms. Morgan likes to dress up in
the outfits and go clubbing occasionally, an act which the documentary crew gets
on film for us to enjoy. [Ed: she also appears in this sites 'costume' section].
We also meet Phil "Dr. Evil" Chapman, who the documentary labels as
the man who wants to see Lara dead (since he’s the one who devises the various
trials and tribulations that the character must go through in the video games).
Directly following this is a collage of Lara death scenes that constitutes one
of the most twisted moments I have seen in a documentary. No documentary on the
subject of Lara Croft would be complete, though, without a discussion of the
multiple internet websites that feature fan-made nude photos of the character in
various situations... proof that there are a number of people who have very
little to do with their time.
If you are a fan of the Tomb Raider games, or just the Lara Croft character in
general, then Lara Croft: Lethal and Loaded is certainly for you. This
documentary lovingly captures its subject, while also showing just how on the
fringe some of the fans can be. Either way, there is enough interesting
information contained within that it makes this a fascinating watch and come
highly recommended".
An
now for my review of his review. Well apart from it being rather predictable,
tepid, an poorly written, the reviewer severely misquoted myself, which is why I
complained to him about this via email. What I corrected him over is that I did
NOT say that the women I've met aren't as perfect as Lara - as I don't consider
Ms Croft as even perfect herself ! Secondly, I do NOT prefer her to a 'real woman' - the
exact opposite in fact, as real women are 3D whereas Lara is only 2D, [just like
that reviewers personality]. To conclude, the lesson to remember about this aspect
is - not to trust morons like he, who write bland and pathetic articles, as you obviously cant
trust what crap they're going spew out. For only myself, the producer, an the
director, know why the documentary contained the material it did. Thus if you don't
know about something, but want to, then only speak to the organ grinder - not the
monkey.
THE
ASSHOLES OF THE EIDOS FORUM
In
ye olde days, I was a registered member of this forum, posting 260 messages between Jan
2nd to June 14 [2001], but was banned in July of that year, for showing a tiny
picture of Lara Croft, that her creator Core Design had made for a Japanese game
magazine, and which Eidos had sanctioned!
- Although I returned back under a few pseudonyms - ho ho! Also I noticed back then,
at
the time the 6th Tomb Raider game was being announced, that Eidos had titled it as - 'Lara
Croft: The Next Generation'!, an did wonder where they picked up that subtitle
from? Maybe
it was something to do with the internet nowadays, where you'll sometimes
find pictures of Angelina Jolie, [of the TR movie version], though digitised onto Star
Trek cast photos. Although I don't think Paramount minded too much as they finance
the TR movies and Star Trek!
Oddly enough though, in 2003 I rejoined this forum again for fun, but wasn't
banned from it even though they found out it was me! I was so shocked! In any
case though, I was banned from it again, though without cause this time, even
though I emailed their webmaster with a polite enquiry as to why I was banned -
as I didn't even break any of their puritan rules this time! [An these forum
rules I re-read for
confirmation a week later]. But no reply let alone a reason was forthcoming
from them. However, if you care to search their forum for my old postings,
you'll notice my previous topics still may exist there, as under my alias of - 'AquaGlide'. These
latter posts of mine, mainly took the form of opinion polls, with the results of which, appearing on the
OPINIONS page listed here :)
LIFE
& DEATH
On
the 2nd of August 2001 I naturally went to see the movie, and with 2 friends,
[as for protection from any Eidos Reps lurking about!]. Though as I didn't want to see it locally
as my nearest cinema is 80 years old, we saw the film at a modern multiplex in another London borough.
But the
reason why I mention this, is that upon returning home at midnight, an then switching
the TV on to catch the latest 'Sky' news headlines before bed-time, I found that a terrorist bomb had exploded
at my local town centre!, which is where my nearest cinema is!
So if I'd seen the TR film there, then walked eastwards, I
could have been killed!
[An then Lara would have become a widow! ha-ha]
NB:
all the main events above took place over 1 month, where I went from being on TV to an early grave!
[Cue
Twilight Zone theme music - "do-do-do, do-do-do"...]
An
of course terrorist bombs aren't as local as they used to be, as only a single
month later, 2 jet-airliners crashed into the world trade centre towers, killing
over 3000 people! Furthermore, the roof of one tower, I visited as a tourist 5 years earlier.
Incidentally, a decade before this terrorist attack occurred, I predicted that it
'would' actually happen,
an in the way it
happened. Well nearly,
as I predicted one plane would be used, not
two, an I expected the attack to happen the way it did before the year 2000 -
meaning I
premature by 1 year an 9 months, an 1 plane short. Still though, at least I got right the
- method,
place, time, an perpetrators - unlike the CIA an the FBI etc...
2nd
September 2002, London
Webmaster
"
You come back now folks, ya here "
