Airline employees are in a mild uproar regarding Flightplan, Jodie Foster's recent re-envisioning of the classic Hitchcock film The Lady Vanishes. Mirroring the classic Jodie Foster steps away from her seat on an airplane (in the original it was a train) only to find her daughter missing (in Lady it was a kindly old lady). There is a desperate search for the daughter and a mystery is solved. Just who has kidnapped her daughter and why?
Airline attendents were disappointed with the answer to those questions and have been asking people not to see the film, while at the same time revealing major plot points in their criticism. The media have covered the story from different angles with E! Online and The New York Daily News provide a spoiler warning, but Reuters reveals the mystery in the first paragraph offering no warning to potential viewers. They are obviously siding with the Airline employees in their attempt to spoil the plot of the movie and reduce viewership. ;-)
++++SPOILER ALERT BASED ON NEWS ARTICLES++++
Good news for Sean Bean fans, it appears that he is not the villain! A rare event indeed in American cinema.
If you want to read the spoiler left click and drag your cursor over it to make it more legible.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
The Value of Handcrafted Animation
As a young boy I was immensely fond of the special effects work of Ray Harryhausen the master of Stop Motion animation. (I have also been a fan of hand drawn animation, but that is a subject for another post.) Will the increased sophistication of computer graphics technology I had feared that I would soon hear a deathknell for stop motion. But it appears that the marketplace, as it so often does, is willing to expand and include rather than replace. We have seen this phenomenon before with Movies not destroying theatre, radio not destroying books. There are changes, sure, but for some forms of entertainment the market seems flexible.
According to this article byUSA Today this may be the case with Stop Motion animation as well. The success of Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit, and the recent Corpse Bride hint that audiences like the "look" of stop motion animation. Naturally, it doesn't hurt that the stories in all these cases are well written, which seems to be the most important market force in animation (regardless of what Keane thinks with his shifting Disney to all CG). One thing struck me in the story though, with CG vs. hand drawn animation the costs are pretty much identical. It appears that costs in CG vs. stop motion, this isn't the case:
This bodes well indeed for well done stop motion.
According to this article byUSA Today this may be the case with Stop Motion animation as well. The success of Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit, and the recent Corpse Bride hint that audiences like the "look" of stop motion animation. Naturally, it doesn't hurt that the stories in all these cases are well written, which seems to be the most important market force in animation (regardless of what Keane thinks with his shifting Disney to all CG). One thing struck me in the story though, with CG vs. hand drawn animation the costs are pretty much identical. It appears that costs in CG vs. stop motion, this isn't the case:
It's also cheaper. A stop-motion film typically costs $30 million to $50 million, while a big-studio CGI movie costs closer to $80 million. Bride cost about $40 million; Gromit was $30 million.
This bodes well indeed for well done stop motion.
Looks Like Two Shows I Like Will Be Picked Up
My wife and I have really enjoyed both Bones and Supernatural and according to Marc Berman at Mediaweek it looks like both will be picked up for a full season. Particularly impressive to me was that Bones was #2 in the 18-49 age bracket.
We have been particularly impressed with Supernatural, which is just a great fun ride. The show is well shot, very pretty, and though the actors are still getting into their characters (Jared Padalecki is a little awkward, Jensen Ackles is excellent) the writing has been spot on. Eric Kripke, who really impressed me with Boogeyman, knows how to balance what scared us when we were young with what entertains us when we are older. The show has also set up some interesting non-supernatural conflicts for future episodes. The "ghost hunting" brothers usually pose as some kind of Federal Agent when gathering information. Neither really looks the part and so the pair are usually outed and this can only lead to trouble. Second, they tend to pay their bills through credit card fraud, not exactly the best behavior if you don't want to draw law enforcement attention.
In next week's episode the brothers will perform an exorcism on an airplane during a possible plane crash. Can you ask for any more tension?
[Mad props to Shouting into the Wind for introducing me to Berman's comments which will now be a daily visit.]
We have been particularly impressed with Supernatural, which is just a great fun ride. The show is well shot, very pretty, and though the actors are still getting into their characters (Jared Padalecki is a little awkward, Jensen Ackles is excellent) the writing has been spot on. Eric Kripke, who really impressed me with Boogeyman, knows how to balance what scared us when we were young with what entertains us when we are older. The show has also set up some interesting non-supernatural conflicts for future episodes. The "ghost hunting" brothers usually pose as some kind of Federal Agent when gathering information. Neither really looks the part and so the pair are usually outed and this can only lead to trouble. Second, they tend to pay their bills through credit card fraud, not exactly the best behavior if you don't want to draw law enforcement attention.
In next week's episode the brothers will perform an exorcism on an airplane during a possible plane crash. Can you ask for any more tension?
[Mad props to Shouting into the Wind for introducing me to Berman's comments which will now be a daily visit.]
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
In Retrospect, It is in Fact Easy to Be Green
Kermit the Frog turns 50 this year. Just saying it makes me feel wierd. I would have thought that the icon of children's entertainment was a child like me when I watched him on the television, but alas he was over twenty and already in a position of authority. I should have guessed that anyone who has been a "journalist" and has time for an Easy Rider-esque journey across the United States couldn't be a child like I was.
Three places of note on Kermit's world tour? Kermit, TX...The Great Wall of China...and a Frog Legs Festival in Florida. At least somethings never change. Hopefully Kermit will bring sufficient crutches/wheel chairs for the injured frogs.
(If you don't get that go and watch the Muppet Movie now!)
Three places of note on Kermit's world tour? Kermit, TX...The Great Wall of China...and a Frog Legs Festival in Florida. At least somethings never change. Hopefully Kermit will bring sufficient crutches/wheel chairs for the injured frogs.
(If you don't get that go and watch the Muppet Movie now!)
What's Next for Joss Whedon?
With the release of Serenity this Friday, you may be asking yourself what projects are coming up for Joss Whedon. According to ICV2, his projects include a feature film titled Goners, a Wonder Woman movie, and possibly a Spike television series based on the popular Buffy character.
Star Wars III DVD Details Released
According to ICV2, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith will be released on November 1st and will include, in it's bonus features, a short scene showing Yoda land on Dagoba.
At last we can reveal to the public...at last they will know how Yoda got there.
I don't know about all of you, but I thought Lucas spent too much time during the "prequel" series explaining to us how things in the original series were grounded and not enough telling us an epic story. It could just be me. Lucas could have the higher ground and we all know that if you have the higher ground you can't lose.
At last we can reveal to the public...at last they will know how Yoda got there.
I don't know about all of you, but I thought Lucas spent too much time during the "prequel" series explaining to us how things in the original series were grounded and not enough telling us an epic story. It could just be me. Lucas could have the higher ground and we all know that if you have the higher ground you can't lose.
Banned Book of the Day
As I said yesterday, this week is National Banned Books week. So without further ado here is today's banned book.
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. A book that was described by Harold Bloom in the following way:
In Bloom's description you can see why the book is both important and controversial. Though to be fair, Bloom is talking about the entire Comedy where the book-banning crowd want to single out Inferno.
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. A book that was described by Harold Bloom in the following way:
Nothing else in Western literature, in the long span from the Yahwist and Homer through Joyce and Beckett, is as sublimely outrageous as Dante's exaltation of Beatrice, sublimated from being an image of desire to angelic status, in which role she becomes a crucial element in the church's hierarchy of salvation.
In Bloom's description you can see why the book is both important and controversial. Though to be fair, Bloom is talking about the entire Comedy where the book-banning crowd want to single out Inferno.
When Faith Isn't Enough...A Little Meth Helps.
Ashley Smith, the woman who says she gained the trust of suspected courthouse gunman Brian Nichols by talking about her faith in God, was one of the great "everyday hero" stories of the past year. The everyday person who through kindness and faith is able to tame the rampaging villain is a story we all want to hear, even when it includes a plug for The Purpose-Driven Life . We all hope that in similar circumstances that we can have that powerful an affect on an individual.
It turns out that the rosy image of the innocent Daniel using powerful faith inspired writing to pull the thorn of hatred from the criminal heart, may not be exactly what happened.
According to the Washington Post, Brian Nichols asked Smith if she had any marijuana. She assured him that she didn't, but she did happen to have some meth he was welcome to share.
It's just like The Salton Sea, you can trust the tweakers to do the right thing.
It turns out that the rosy image of the innocent Daniel using powerful faith inspired writing to pull the thorn of hatred from the criminal heart, may not be exactly what happened.
According to the Washington Post, Brian Nichols asked Smith if she had any marijuana. She assured him that she didn't, but she did happen to have some meth he was welcome to share.
It's just like The Salton Sea, you can trust the tweakers to do the right thing.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Spiderman 3 Villains Revealed
Apparently, Kirsten Dunst is so high on pharmaceuticals that she blurted out the villains of the upcoming Spiderman 3 movie. During a press conference for the upcoming film Elizabethtown Dunst commented on the upcoming comic book film.According to IGN Topher Grace will be Venom and Thomas Haden Church will be Sandman.
Okay, let me get this straight...
I can believe that
Will be 
but...
Can this
become THIS?! 
As I said...either Dunst is high or this is one heck of a misinformation campaign.
Okay, let me get this straight...
I can believe that
Will be 
but...
Can this
become THIS?! 
As I said...either Dunst is high or this is one heck of a misinformation campaign.
National Banned Books Week
National Banned Books Week started on September 24th and ends October 1st. You can find a list of books which were either banned or challenged in 2004 at American Bookseller's Foundation for Free Expression. Rob was/is a First Amendment attorney (Ed. Note: I know most of your cases dealt with Assembly, but it is still cool to say.) and I am for the most part a straight line First Amendment is absolute kind of guy, so please read the list and think about the possible repercussions of banning books. To think...To Kill a Mockingbird is on the list.
In honor of the week, I will feature a link to one banned/challenged book each day this week.
In honor of the week, I will feature a link to one banned/challenged book each day this week.
You Can't Stop the Signal!!!
As Browncoats have known for a long time, and the general public now knows, this Friday marks the release of Serenity by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Toy Story). This film marks a ressurection of an abandoned Television show (Firefly) in a new medium. I can barely restrain my excitement. I am soooooo jazzed and I envy every blogger who received "blogger credentials" to see this film, but I will be there Friday with the plebs as any true Browncoat should be.
In the joyful spirit of celebration we should all read this article from The Scotsman.
Quick excerpt:
A man after my own heart. I am so happy I almost didn't mention Alien Resurrection, the one creation of Whedon's that makes me cringe with revulsion.
But I think this Resurrection will be a better one.
Oh, and if you want to see my Savage World RPG stats for the Firefly crew, you can read them here.
And all Browncoats are hereby commanded to purchase the Serenity Role Playing Game, which shipped to distributors September 13th.
In the joyful spirit of celebration we should all read this article from The Scotsman.
Quick excerpt:
Balding and a little on the chubby side, he is in his 40s and admits that the highlight of his week is when he gets his new comics, which he does every Wednesday without fail.
A man after my own heart. I am so happy I almost didn't mention Alien Resurrection, the one creation of Whedon's that makes me cringe with revulsion.
But I think this Resurrection will be a better one.
Oh, and if you want to see my Savage World RPG stats for the Firefly crew, you can read them here.
And all Browncoats are hereby commanded to purchase the Serenity Role Playing Game, which shipped to distributors September 13th.
Super-Geniuses, Federal Marshalls, and a Murderous Conspiracy!
John Rogers the Kung Fu Monkey, or as I like to call him Sun Woo Kung, has a post about a new show on Sci-Fi network called Eureka.
The picture has nothing to do with Eureka rather it is a representation of John...aka Monkey King...Rogers.
The picture has nothing to do with Eureka rather it is a representation of John...aka Monkey King...Rogers.
Will Commander in Chief Lead to Viable Women Candidates for President?
Many on the Right have complained that ABC's new dramatic series, Commander in Chief is nothing more than a ploy to advance Hilary Clinton as a Presidential candidate, but one group is using the opportunity to "draft" Condoleezza Rice into running for the office.
I would highly recommend visiting the website of the show, linked above, it has some very interesting "blog" articles regarding the Mackenzie presidency. The site gives insight into the direction the show might actually be heading, rather than speculations as to purposes.
Will
Equal 
?
I would highly recommend visiting the website of the show, linked above, it has some very interesting "blog" articles regarding the Mackenzie presidency. The site gives insight into the direction the show might actually be heading, rather than speculations as to purposes.
Can Allen balance the duties of The Presidency with those of a wife and mother? This is a woman who resigned from congress after just one term “to spend more time with her family” (though those of us who were paying attention know that decision had more to do with congressional gridlock than familial obligations).
So if Congress was taking too much of a toll on her home life, what then will be the impact of the Oval Office? This is not exactly a job where you can leave your cell phone on the hall table in the evening and forget about work until the next morning.
Will
Equal 
? Forest Whitaker to Join Cast of "The Shield"
The gritty hit show The Shield, which is a part of the cable network revolution, will be adding Forest Whitaker to its cast. This past year they added acting heavyweight Glenn Close to an already talented cast. The addition of Whitaker as an IA detective investigating Mackey only points to even better things.
Ash-Moore Update
No this isn't a post about an upcoming "Ash vs. Jason vs. Freddy vs. Gandalf vs. Godzilla" movie, rather this is about Aston Kutcher and Demi Moore. That's right, they finally tied the knot.
For those of you groaning, "C'mon...Ashton Kutcher sucks" or "Ashton Kutcher is teh suxxorz," I would like to point out that I enjoyed Kutcher in Butterfly Effect and look forward to seeing him in a remake of The Evil Dead.
I know, I know, My Boss's Daughter was awful, but I have to give mad props to Kutcher for being a workaholic who seems to have fun doing what he is doing.
Besides, even if you hate him...shouldn't you be looking forward to seeing him raped by a tree?
For those of you groaning, "C'mon...Ashton Kutcher sucks" or "Ashton Kutcher is teh suxxorz," I would like to point out that I enjoyed Kutcher in Butterfly Effect and look forward to seeing him in a remake of The Evil Dead.
I know, I know, My Boss's Daughter was awful, but I have to give mad props to Kutcher for being a workaholic who seems to have fun doing what he is doing.
Besides, even if you hate him...shouldn't you be looking forward to seeing him raped by a tree?
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Finally a "First Run" of a Japanese Horror Film.
As you all know, recent years have seen a large number of Japanese horror films being remade for American consumption. From Gore Verbinski's adaptation of The Ring to adaptations by the original director like The Grudge, we have seen a lot of these in recent years. Personally, Cinerati has been very pleased with most of the adaptations (and with the originals as well), but now it looks like America will be getting a "first run" of a Japanese horror story.
According to ICV2, we will soon be seeing an American adaptation of the Manga Parasyte, directed by Takashi Shimizu of The Grudge. The manga was released in the United States during the late 90's, but it seems has not yet been adapted to film. So maybe this will lead to a Japanese movie based on an American movie based on a Japanese Manga. Or better yet, an American movie based on a Japanese Movie based on an American movie based on a Japanese manga. The spiral is endless.
According to ICV2, we will soon be seeing an American adaptation of the Manga Parasyte, directed by Takashi Shimizu of The Grudge. The manga was released in the United States during the late 90's, but it seems has not yet been adapted to film. So maybe this will lead to a Japanese movie based on an American movie based on a Japanese Manga. Or better yet, an American movie based on a Japanese Movie based on an American movie based on a Japanese manga. The spiral is endless.
Continuing the Good Movie News! Fraggle Rock to Move to the Big Screen!
According to Movies Online one of my favorite television shows is soon to be a major motion picture. That's right, Fraggle Rock is jumping from the Silver Screen to Celluloid. It appears that the motion picture will have the Fraggles leave the Rock and come to "outer space," or as we call it "the real world." The basic narrative looks like a typical fish out of water story, but it sounds like it might be a lot of fun. Given that one of the permanent trends in Hollywood, and it is an old rather than new one, is to have a remake (Holiday Inn vs. White Christmas for those who think remakes are new) old stories, it is nice to see a "remake" of something I deeply desire to see.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Dungeons and Dragons Movie...
Welp, I saw this on Wizards' site, and here's the place for the skinny.
Hey, that promo pic looks sweet, anyway.
DND!!!!!!!
The Sci Fi channel will be premiering Dungeons & Dragons II: Wrath of the Dragon God, Saturday October 8. From scifi.com: "Five heroes undertake a quest to prevent the rise of a dragon god and an evil sorcerer -- who intend to subjugate the world under their reign of fire and shadow."
Hey, that promo pic looks sweet, anyway.
DND!!!!!!!
Monday, September 19, 2005
For I am the Pirate King!
Written by W. S. Gilbert
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
KING
Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Than play a sanctimonious part,
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well-to-do;
But I’ll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Than play a sanctimonious part,
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well-to-do;
But I’ll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
CHORUS
You are!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
You are!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
KING
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
CHORUS
It is!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
KING AND CHORUS
Hurrah for the/our Pirate King!
KING
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
CHORUS
It is!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
KING AND CHORUS
Hurrah for the/our Pirate King!
KING
When I sally forth to seek my prey
I help myself in a royal way.
I sink a few more ships, it’s true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do;
But many a king on a first-class throne,
If he wants to call his crown his own,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than ever I do,
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
I help myself in a royal way.
I sink a few more ships, it’s true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do;
But many a king on a first-class throne,
If he wants to call his crown his own,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than ever I do,
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
CHORUS
You are!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
You are!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
KING
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
To be a Pirate King.
CHORUS
It is!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
KING AND CHORUS
Hurrah for the/our Pirate King!
Another Remake that Didn't Need to Be Made, but I Will See Anyway.
According to Contact Music the classic horror film The Omen is being remade. This time starring Liev Schreiber (He's dreamy!)and Julia Stiles as the happy parents of the Devil's child.
The original starred Hollywood heavy Gregory Peck and was directed by Richard Donner back when he could still direct (Superman, Ladyhawke, Lethal Weapon, The Omen...a list anyone would be proud of). Sadly, Donner appears to have lost the ability to direct anything appealing. Case in point? Timeline. Little had I known that 14th Century European cities looked like cheap sets. I thought they looked more like this (that the "Middle Ages" weren't primative was a point of the novel):
Anyway...the new movie will be directed by John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines and the Flight of the Phoenix remake), so this version might become an action packed extravaganza. Well...based on Behind Enemy Lines at least.
The original starred Hollywood heavy Gregory Peck and was directed by Richard Donner back when he could still direct (Superman, Ladyhawke, Lethal Weapon, The Omen...a list anyone would be proud of). Sadly, Donner appears to have lost the ability to direct anything appealing. Case in point? Timeline. Little had I known that 14th Century European cities looked like cheap sets. I thought they looked more like this (that the "Middle Ages" weren't primative was a point of the novel):
Anyway...the new movie will be directed by John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines and the Flight of the Phoenix remake), so this version might become an action packed extravaganza. Well...based on Behind Enemy Lines at least.
Swords and Skulls --- A Boardgame Review in Honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day
As was mentioned in a previous post, today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. It is only fitting that on such an auspicious day we here at Cinerati should do a review of material related to pirates and piracy. One could easily do a positive review of Pirates for the PC/Xbox, but if you don't own the game you are no true pirate fan! It is a must have.
No...we here at Cinerati want to guide you into places you may not have looked before to be entertained, while at the same time not being so obscure as to be overly arcane and alienate the novice gamer. With that in mind, we would like to present the following review of the Sword and Skull boardgame published by Hasbro under their Avalon Hill label.
Sword and Skull is a simple "Track Game" for two to five players with an entertaining premise:
The nefarious Pirate King has stolen Her Majesty's Ship, the Sea Hammer, pride of the Royal Navy. Furious, the Queen has offered a great reward to the person who can retrieve it. As one of the advisors to the Queen, you have chosen an officer of the Royal Navy to pursue the Pirate King. Of course, it might take a thief to catch a thief, so you've also conscripted a vicioius pirate from the Queen's dungeons.
Now they are preparing to enter the dreaded Lair of the Pirate King. Will one of them be the first to recover the Sea Hammer? Or will one of your rivals receive the Queen's reward instead?
Each player in the game is in control of two "Avatars," one Pirate and one Loyal Captain, who must find a way to bring the Sea Hammer back to the Queen. There are two ways to achieve this goal. The player can either raise enough gold to bribe the Pirate King to return the ship, or the player can defeat the Pirate King in combat forcing him to return the ship. The goals may be simple, but the accomplishing of them is not for it is good to be the Pirate King. Player's start out with little money and even less skill at arms. So each player must work their way around the track encountering various fortunes/dangers until they have sufficient lucre or puissance to attain the goal.
The "track" element of the game requires the players to move around the track in a clockwise fashion and encounter the "space." This element of the game is like a combination of Monopoly and Games Workshop's famous questing game Talisman. Sword and Skull at the same time lacks the complexity of either the games it borrows from, and adds innovation to each. It is an interesting paradox, but one that is true. As the players work around the board (pictured below), they encounter various "space" types. The two most common are "settlements" and "caves."
At settlement squares the player can recruit crew to assist in the defeat of the Pirate king. These crew members are an absolute necessity and come in three types. "Money grinders," which are similar to property in Monopoly, provide the player with gold each time another player lands on a settlement matching the color of the money grinder and everytime the player passes the fort (think Go in Monopoly. What separates money grinders from property is that only the color of space matters and not the specific name of the individual square. Some settlements have three or four squares and if you have a money grinder for the settlement you are paid by the player landing their. Naturally, multiple players may have grinders at the same settlements. The second type of character is the "buffer" who adds combat skill to either your Navy Captain or your Pirate Captain (this is distinguished by a symbol on the card). Finally, there are crew who are both money grinders and buffers. Recruiting the right crew can lead to rapid victory, but it can also irritate other players.
At caves players encounter various "monsters." These range from the simple Crocodile to Pirate Skeletons. This type of encounter is nothing surprising to your average "quest game" fan, but they have added an innovation. The difficulty of defeating each challange is based on the size of your crew, your total crew. So if your Pirate Captain has to battle a Siren and you have 6 crew members you will have a tough challenge. This is especially true if all 6 of your crew are money grinders or Navy Captain buffers. So it helps to have a balanced crew. Defeating challenges gets you items and gold, items usually help you in combat and gold helps the bribe victory.
The games that I have played were fast and furious. The rules were clear enough that any inter-player bickering was due to cards which allow one player to "steal" items from another player (note: while this adds variety to games it can add "meanness"). The end game was close and all players had a chance to win during the last stages of the game. The game is simple and combines elements from board game classics. Of the two possible victory outcomes, the most rewarding seems to be combatting the Pirate King. This is true even though the more innovative of the two is to win by bribery. At the beginning of the game everyone knows how tough the Pirate King is, but no one knows how much it will take to bribe him until the end of the game.
Click on Photo of Game Box for PDF copy of the rules from the Hasbro site.
No...we here at Cinerati want to guide you into places you may not have looked before to be entertained, while at the same time not being so obscure as to be overly arcane and alienate the novice gamer. With that in mind, we would like to present the following review of the Sword and Skull boardgame published by Hasbro under their Avalon Hill label.
Sword and Skull is a simple "Track Game" for two to five players with an entertaining premise:
The nefarious Pirate King has stolen Her Majesty's Ship, the Sea Hammer, pride of the Royal Navy. Furious, the Queen has offered a great reward to the person who can retrieve it. As one of the advisors to the Queen, you have chosen an officer of the Royal Navy to pursue the Pirate King. Of course, it might take a thief to catch a thief, so you've also conscripted a vicioius pirate from the Queen's dungeons.
Now they are preparing to enter the dreaded Lair of the Pirate King. Will one of them be the first to recover the Sea Hammer? Or will one of your rivals receive the Queen's reward instead?
Each player in the game is in control of two "Avatars," one Pirate and one Loyal Captain, who must find a way to bring the Sea Hammer back to the Queen. There are two ways to achieve this goal. The player can either raise enough gold to bribe the Pirate King to return the ship, or the player can defeat the Pirate King in combat forcing him to return the ship. The goals may be simple, but the accomplishing of them is not for it is good to be the Pirate King. Player's start out with little money and even less skill at arms. So each player must work their way around the track encountering various fortunes/dangers until they have sufficient lucre or puissance to attain the goal.
The "track" element of the game requires the players to move around the track in a clockwise fashion and encounter the "space." This element of the game is like a combination of Monopoly and Games Workshop's famous questing game Talisman. Sword and Skull at the same time lacks the complexity of either the games it borrows from, and adds innovation to each. It is an interesting paradox, but one that is true. As the players work around the board (pictured below), they encounter various "space" types. The two most common are "settlements" and "caves."
At settlement squares the player can recruit crew to assist in the defeat of the Pirate king. These crew members are an absolute necessity and come in three types. "Money grinders," which are similar to property in Monopoly, provide the player with gold each time another player lands on a settlement matching the color of the money grinder and everytime the player passes the fort (think Go in Monopoly. What separates money grinders from property is that only the color of space matters and not the specific name of the individual square. Some settlements have three or four squares and if you have a money grinder for the settlement you are paid by the player landing their. Naturally, multiple players may have grinders at the same settlements. The second type of character is the "buffer" who adds combat skill to either your Navy Captain or your Pirate Captain (this is distinguished by a symbol on the card). Finally, there are crew who are both money grinders and buffers. Recruiting the right crew can lead to rapid victory, but it can also irritate other players.
At caves players encounter various "monsters." These range from the simple Crocodile to Pirate Skeletons. This type of encounter is nothing surprising to your average "quest game" fan, but they have added an innovation. The difficulty of defeating each challange is based on the size of your crew, your total crew. So if your Pirate Captain has to battle a Siren and you have 6 crew members you will have a tough challenge. This is especially true if all 6 of your crew are money grinders or Navy Captain buffers. So it helps to have a balanced crew. Defeating challenges gets you items and gold, items usually help you in combat and gold helps the bribe victory.
The games that I have played were fast and furious. The rules were clear enough that any inter-player bickering was due to cards which allow one player to "steal" items from another player (note: while this adds variety to games it can add "meanness"). The end game was close and all players had a chance to win during the last stages of the game. The game is simple and combines elements from board game classics. Of the two possible victory outcomes, the most rewarding seems to be combatting the Pirate King. This is true even though the more innovative of the two is to win by bribery. At the beginning of the game everyone knows how tough the Pirate King is, but no one knows how much it will take to bribe him until the end of the game.
Click on Photo of Game Box for PDF copy of the rules from the Hasbro site.
Blow the Man Down!
We'll be havin' no mutineeeers over this! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! So fer you scurvy dogs who sayz that Ninjas are keener than wotz Pirates is...remember ye these three things.
- Thar be no good Ninja movies. Ninja III the Domination?! Yar, ha, ha! Thar be many good Pirate movies, even recent ones like Pirates of the Carribbean! 'Tis true thar be bad pirate movies, and I enjoys me me Ninja films as much as the next mate, but I wouldn't say a one of them war good!
- Thar be no International Talk Like a Ninja day and if thar war, no one would be talkin'.
- Dead Men Tell No Tales!
Now staaart taaalking like a Pirate or walk tha plank!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Will "Losers" be a Box Office Winner
Peter Berg, director of the Rundown and Friday Night Lights, has signed on to write and produce a film version of the "Losers." According to the Reuters article the movie will apparently deal with the original, rather than the modern Vertigo, version of the characters. The modern version is a pretty good "update," and I understand why they updated the narrative according to current Vertigo writerAndy Diggle:
Our initial plan was to reuinite the original Losers for a story set in the 1950s; but we decided that American Century and Garth Ennis' War Stories were too similar in style and subject matter, so we reinvented it for the present day.
Plus the original guys all died, and nobody wants to get caught up in a continuity minefield.
Given that they orignal Losers died in Zero Hour and again in DC's New Frontier mini-series, I wouldn't have seen any real continuity problems with having them live again, but I can understand the hesitation.
The original Losers, along with Haunted Tank, were a regular feature in G.I. Combat magazine. Those of you who are Roy Lichtenstein fans will note that the images in his painting "Okay, Hot-Shot" are reminiscent of Russ Heath's work in G.I. Combat #94 (a Haunted Tank story) and All-American Men of War #89. Irv Novick, who drew the All-American #89 image "was Lichtenstein's superior officer in 1947 in an army unit assigned to create posters of military life" (Daniels, DC Comics 60 Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes page 149).
Lichtenstein's "Okay Hot-Shot"
Russ Heath G.I Combat # 94 (Original in Color, this image B/W)
Irv Novick All-American Men of War #89 (Original in Color, this image B/W)
If you look carefully you can see that the line art in the comic book versions is very sophisticated.
Directing Great Passes Away
This week my wife and I received one of my favorite movies in the mail from Netflix. With great joy I opened the envelope and pulled out The Haunting, one of the greatest classic ghost stories in the history of film, and discussed plans with my wife about when we would view the film.
Let me make an aside here for a moment. My wife and I like to play a "fantasy game" that can only be called "write a letter to a celebrity." When we were getting married we fantasized about writing William Shatner a letter inviting him to our festive wedding day. We laughed about the puzzled look Mr. Shatner's assistant, or possibly even he, would have upon reading the invitation. "Just who are these people?" he might say. "Should I send them a gift, or should I attend in person?" We had a great deal of fun with this and other such imaginings. There are a number of celebrities I have imagined writing letters to, thanking them for the ways in which they had entertained me. But I never actually send the letters, or even write them, because I know that people value their privacy.
But I wish that I had written Robert Wise, who died of heart failure Wednesday, to tell him of how much he has entertained me as a film viewer (a very good obit can be found here). I love the Sound of Music and The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. I was even stunned recently at how well the special effects in Star Trek: The Motion Picture hold up even by modern standards. I may jokingly, and half seriously, refer to the movie as Star Trek: The Slo-motion Picture, but the visuals are stunning and his use of effects remarkable. The model of the Enterprise looks better in this movie than the space ships in the most recent Star Wars films, now that is saying something.
My favorite of his uses of special effects is in the movie The Haunting, when Russ Tamblyn (Riff of West Side Story, another Wise masterpiece) breath crystallizes in a hallway. The localized special effect is remarkable, you see him blow out his breath in one part of the frame, but no "fog" in any other part of the frame.
So...Thank you Robert Wise for a wonderful collection of films. May people be entertained by them for decades to come.
Let me make an aside here for a moment. My wife and I like to play a "fantasy game" that can only be called "write a letter to a celebrity." When we were getting married we fantasized about writing William Shatner a letter inviting him to our festive wedding day. We laughed about the puzzled look Mr. Shatner's assistant, or possibly even he, would have upon reading the invitation. "Just who are these people?" he might say. "Should I send them a gift, or should I attend in person?" We had a great deal of fun with this and other such imaginings. There are a number of celebrities I have imagined writing letters to, thanking them for the ways in which they had entertained me. But I never actually send the letters, or even write them, because I know that people value their privacy.
But I wish that I had written Robert Wise, who died of heart failure Wednesday, to tell him of how much he has entertained me as a film viewer (a very good obit can be found here). I love the Sound of Music and The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. I was even stunned recently at how well the special effects in Star Trek: The Motion Picture hold up even by modern standards. I may jokingly, and half seriously, refer to the movie as Star Trek: The Slo-motion Picture, but the visuals are stunning and his use of effects remarkable. The model of the Enterprise looks better in this movie than the space ships in the most recent Star Wars films, now that is saying something.
My favorite of his uses of special effects is in the movie The Haunting, when Russ Tamblyn (Riff of West Side Story, another Wise masterpiece) breath crystallizes in a hallway. The localized special effect is remarkable, you see him blow out his breath in one part of the frame, but no "fog" in any other part of the frame.
So...Thank you Robert Wise for a wonderful collection of films. May people be entertained by them for decades to come.
Ordnung! Ordnung! Ordnung! You must look efficient, rooselessly and coldly efficient.
According to the Associated Press:
You read that correctly, Germans are prohibited from smiling in Driver's License photos to make it so security devices can correctly identify them. You may think that this is bizarre, or even restrictive. You would be wrong.
Anyone who has seen Aquirre: The Wrath of God or Schultze Gets the Blues knows that the natural emotional state of the German people is dour and humorless. Since Germans don't smile, except when they emigrate to America, the sophisticated biometric scanners would be baffled and unable to identify the features of any smiling Goths.
Oh, and don't let that silhouette with a "jump in his step" on the cover of Schultze fool you, only a German could consider that film a light-hearted, fast-paced, comedy.
Germans were ordered Thursday to stay serious when having their photographs taken for new passports, wiping away any grins, smirks or smiles so that biometric scanners can pick up their facial features.
You read that correctly, Germans are prohibited from smiling in Driver's License photos to make it so security devices can correctly identify them. You may think that this is bizarre, or even restrictive. You would be wrong.
Anyone who has seen Aquirre: The Wrath of God or Schultze Gets the Blues knows that the natural emotional state of the German people is dour and humorless. Since Germans don't smile, except when they emigrate to America, the sophisticated biometric scanners would be baffled and unable to identify the features of any smiling Goths.
Oh, and don't let that silhouette with a "jump in his step" on the cover of Schultze fool you, only a German could consider that film a light-hearted, fast-paced, comedy.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Hit Me Baby One More Time...Britney Has Baby.
I feel guilty for posting this, but can we really be a pop-culture blog without mentioning that Britney Spears/Federline has given birth to a baby boy.
I wonder if Federline, in some bizarre desire to create and Oedipal monster, will make the boy watch reruns of the Britney era Mickey Mouse Club followed by Britney Videos and Crossroads and finally show the kid Kaotic just to demonstrate how much his parents love one another?
On second thought, that would just make the kid suicidal. They had better stick to Madonna's kids book.
I wonder if Federline, in some bizarre desire to create and Oedipal monster, will make the boy watch reruns of the Britney era Mickey Mouse Club followed by Britney Videos and Crossroads and finally show the kid Kaotic just to demonstrate how much his parents love one another?
On second thought, that would just make the kid suicidal. They had better stick to Madonna's kids book.
A Professor Discusses How and Why to Blog.
Dr. Stephen Taylor at Poliblog has an excellent resource on the purpose of blogs, how to blog, how to measure blog traffic, and how to use blogs. Professor Taylor's website is the host-site for the Web-based "The Academy" community of bloggers and a Professor of Political Science at Troy University in Alabama.
His column is a cornucopia of links covering the subject and a great introduction for all of us.
One of the featured quotes in his outline is:
I think the distinction of "types" of blogs highlighted in the above quote is a good one, but what about a site like ours where we talk about RPGs, comic books, movies, tv shows, and the obligatory politics (not to mention forays into the athletic world)? Are we too broad? Too unfocused? To wierd?
All I know is that we have been linking to the good Professor for sometime and are still not a feature in his blogroll. In my opinion, this is because Professor Taylor, like all professors, is a tyrant and we all know that a tyrant's (thank you Xenophon and Plato) primary motivation is to "be loved and respected." Nevermind quoting Machiavelli on whether it is better to be feared or loved, Xenophon already pre-empted that argument in Heiro. It is the very nature of the tyrant to desire not merely power, but respect and love as well.
His column is a cornucopia of links covering the subject and a great introduction for all of us.
One of the featured quotes in his outline is:
Mostly that, like “media,” “blogging” is not just one thing. A weblog is merely one medium for conveying information to readers. InstaPundit, Wonkette, Captains Quarters, Daily Kos, and Boing Boing all do very different things in different ways. To simply lump them all together as “blogs” borders on meaningless.
I think the distinction of "types" of blogs highlighted in the above quote is a good one, but what about a site like ours where we talk about RPGs, comic books, movies, tv shows, and the obligatory politics (not to mention forays into the athletic world)? Are we too broad? Too unfocused? To wierd?
All I know is that we have been linking to the good Professor for sometime and are still not a feature in his blogroll. In my opinion, this is because Professor Taylor, like all professors, is a tyrant and we all know that a tyrant's (thank you Xenophon and Plato) primary motivation is to "be loved and respected." Nevermind quoting Machiavelli on whether it is better to be feared or loved, Xenophon already pre-empted that argument in Heiro. It is the very nature of the tyrant to desire not merely power, but respect and love as well.
A Charity to Think About.
In times of crisis it is always a blessing to watch the charitable nature of the American people shine, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is no different. People are giving to the Red Cross in droves, and it is right that they do so, but sometimes in looking at the big picture (and giving to the big charities) some in need are overlooked.
The Red Cross does great work, but the focus of their work is on helping people. Katrina affected more than people, it also affected people's pets. That is why I would ask you to give to the North Shore Animal League of America in addition to the Red Cross. A lot of animals have been displaced by Katrina and are in need of rescuing.
The Red Cross does great work, but the focus of their work is on helping people. Katrina affected more than people, it also affected people's pets. That is why I would ask you to give to the North Shore Animal League of America in addition to the Red Cross. A lot of animals have been displaced by Katrina and are in need of rescuing.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Cinerati's Canon -- Our Most Important Books
Professor Nokes over at Unlocked Wordhoard recently posted his experience with his students regarding their thoughts about whether a book was "literary" or not.
I remember an experience similar to the one he describes when one of my Undergraduate professors, in an American novel class, asked if the book Shane was literature or not. My knee jerk reaction was, "No way! Absolom, Absolom...yes! But Shane! No!" I have since changed my mind, having reread Shane seven or eight times, and find Shane to be the quintessential story of the West. It rightly encapsulates the central conflict in American expansion westward, as discussed by Frederick Jackson Turner in The Frontier in American History, and the book contains a darkness/realism in the title character totally lacking in the movie. In the film, Shane is Davy Crockett, but in the book he is more reminiscent of Doc Holliday, a mysterious Southern gambler/shootist.
Regardless of my thoughts at the time regarding the literary nature, or lack there of, of Shane my external reaction (and that of my classmates) was exactly that described by Professor Nokes.
To quote:
None of us thought we had a role in Canon formation. Why? I credit it to humility more than a failure of education (Nokes' hypothesis). We hadn't been exposed to enough literature, broadly speaking, to trust our own judgements. Nor had we experience in discussing the value of a book. This second is a failure on the part of education. In high school and before, we were asked to tell what "happens" in a book to verify that we have in fact read what the teacher assigned us. We were given tests about places, people, and events. And we were given lectures about the symbolism of the Green Light in The Great Gatsby. But we were never asked whether we thought the book had value, or what was valuable about it. We weren't asked if it was "well written" with proper grammar, or played with existing conventions effectively and proficiently. I imagine the experience for the modern high school student is similar.
My comments on Professor Nokes site addressed a commentor who was critical of "Canon advocates" like Bloom. To which I responded:
I remember an experience similar to the one he describes when one of my Undergraduate professors, in an American novel class, asked if the book Shane was literature or not. My knee jerk reaction was, "No way! Absolom, Absolom...yes! But Shane! No!" I have since changed my mind, having reread Shane seven or eight times, and find Shane to be the quintessential story of the West. It rightly encapsulates the central conflict in American expansion westward, as discussed by Frederick Jackson Turner in The Frontier in American History, and the book contains a darkness/realism in the title character totally lacking in the movie. In the film, Shane is Davy Crockett, but in the book he is more reminiscent of Doc Holliday, a mysterious Southern gambler/shootist.
Regardless of my thoughts at the time regarding the literary nature, or lack there of, of Shane my external reaction (and that of my classmates) was exactly that described by Professor Nokes.
To quote:
In fact, what happened was a single student took a position, and the rest dodged the question. I pressed them, and soon I came to understand that they did not believe they have a role in Canon formation.
None of us thought we had a role in Canon formation. Why? I credit it to humility more than a failure of education (Nokes' hypothesis). We hadn't been exposed to enough literature, broadly speaking, to trust our own judgements. Nor had we experience in discussing the value of a book. This second is a failure on the part of education. In high school and before, we were asked to tell what "happens" in a book to verify that we have in fact read what the teacher assigned us. We were given tests about places, people, and events. And we were given lectures about the symbolism of the Green Light in The Great Gatsby. But we were never asked whether we thought the book had value, or what was valuable about it. We weren't asked if it was "well written" with proper grammar, or played with existing conventions effectively and proficiently. I imagine the experience for the modern high school student is similar.
My comments on Professor Nokes site addressed a commentor who was critical of "Canon advocates" like Bloom. To which I responded:
I have to agree with you regarding the foundational Canon (KJV, Homer, Aristotle). I would naturally add Plato, actually The Republic is probably number one on my list of non-religious texts.
As to Frank's comments regarding Bloom (don't know if he is referring to Allan or Harold Bloom, not that it matters for his point which is poignant), I think he overestimates how much Bloom (either one) thinks the Canon is etched in stone. Allan would argue that a canon should be something that challenges young people to question the assumptions of the day rather than one that feeds them. Harold believes in an evolving Canon which is affected by the zeitgeist and continues to grow and change. Rarely are books dropped completely from the Canon, but new is added all the time.
I personally prefer Eliot's view (T.S.) that the Canon is a dialogue. The new is always in discussion with the old, either as addition to or reaction against. Some of the best poetry/art is a rejection of things past, but even rejections are improved when grounded in an understanding of the thing they reject. Thus for me the Canon is dynamic, rather than static, and additive. Some books may wane in importance for a time (Jane Austen's Persuasion or Cooper's Deerslayer), but they are a part of the dialogue.
The "literary" quality of a book matters to me, but so does the role the work played in its time or how well it represents that age.
So...what are 10 books I would demand be included in the Canon? Well, let me begin by saying that I largely think that limited lists are next to useless, especially when said lists imply an order of priority. Remember the "Top 100" lists by the American Film Institute recently? Remember how they left out half the movies you thought should be included? Me too. I think that any given list should be qualified with a "I think these are important, but that doesn't mean I think hundreds, even thousands, of others aren't." Given that caveat, here are 10 books I think everyone should read (in no particular order).
- The King James Version of the Bible -- If you want to understand the development and normalization of the written English language, let alone understand the culture, this is a must read.
- The Republic of Plato -- Philosophy begins with Socrates.
- The Complete Works of Shakespeare -- His ability to write for multiple audiences simultaneously amazes me.
- Biographia Literaria by Coleridge -- I always wondered who would write a great companion to Aristotle's Poetics.
- Aristotle's Poetics -- (speaking of which) I have rarely met a screenwriter I respected who didn't have a copy of this dog-eared.
- Hegel's Introductory Lectures on Aesthetics -- As good a beginning place for the philosophy of Hegel as any, and far more accessible.
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen -- I just love this book.
- Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein -- Because some of these books should be just for fun.
- King of Elfland's Daughter by Dunsany -- No Elfland, no Tolkien or Lewis. They both heard the horns of Elfland blow when they were younger.
- Lost in Place by Mark Salzman -- Something a little more modern and "non-genre."
What would you add to this list? Please comment.
The Shatner Speaks!
From the Canadian who read the Preamble to the Constitution better than any American I have ever heard:
The man is charitable , charitable, and he is the Shatner.
[Ed: Belated hat tip to David N. Scott frequent poster here and manager of the Pererro site.]
“I’m overwhelmed with sadness and also very angry at the incompetence and filled with pity about the disaster in the South. Let’s react like America always has—with courage, fortitude and, especially, generosity. We have always led the world in rebuilding from ashes…let’s once again do what’s right and give of ourselves to charity.”
-William Shatner
The man is charitable , charitable, and he is the Shatner.
[Ed: Belated hat tip to David N. Scott frequent poster here and manager of the Pererro site.]
Monday, September 12, 2005
Some Affordable Aids for Your RPG Session.
This one is for all you D&D'ers or Shadowrunners out there. I would like to take a moment to feature two of the most useful RPG products I have ever used. If you don't have them you aren't giving your gaming group an optimal experience.
How many times has someone in your game gone..."No, I wasn't caught in the fireball. I was around the corner!"
For most of us this isn't too big a problem, we either play with "purely imaginative" type players who always let the DM beat them up relentlessly. Or we use the old battle-mat and markers. It's cheap and it's efficient. It does have two drawbacks though. It's messy and it ain't pretty. Well, it ain't pretty unless you are a professional hand draftsman or some such, but I'm not.
So what can a DM do to increase the visual stimulation of his players, and the veracity of any "combat rulings" without costing him/herself a bundle?
I have two solutions and you can pick between them or combine them.
And before you get all worried, no I am not referring to the Dwarven Forge stuff, which is beautiful but unless you are Bill Gates it is unaffordable for most games.
The first product is World Works Chunky Dungeons.
The Chunky Dungeons, and other World Works products, are beautiful, fun, and easy to use. Their only drawback is they take time to assemble and you have to have some minor skill at modelling. All said though, the World Works stuff is something you should have on your hard-drive.
The other product with near limitless functionality is for those of us who aren't master Photoshoppers, but want nifty looking maps and cartography (oh and battle maps too because you can print 1" scale maps for use instead of the messy battle mat). That product is Fluid Software's Dundjinni software. Dundjinni is a full-featured fantasy map creation program. It allows users to create walls and floors, place objects, insert text, and more. It boasts an intuitive interface and an impressive selection of objects and textures (over 190 images). It also allows you to author d20 adventures in a simple yet elegant way.
How many times has someone in your game gone..."No, I wasn't caught in the fireball. I was around the corner!"
For most of us this isn't too big a problem, we either play with "purely imaginative" type players who always let the DM beat them up relentlessly. Or we use the old battle-mat and markers. It's cheap and it's efficient. It does have two drawbacks though. It's messy and it ain't pretty. Well, it ain't pretty unless you are a professional hand draftsman or some such, but I'm not.
So what can a DM do to increase the visual stimulation of his players, and the veracity of any "combat rulings" without costing him/herself a bundle?
I have two solutions and you can pick between them or combine them.
And before you get all worried, no I am not referring to the Dwarven Forge stuff, which is beautiful but unless you are Bill Gates it is unaffordable for most games.
The first product is World Works Chunky Dungeons.
The Chunky Dungeons, and other World Works products, are beautiful, fun, and easy to use. Their only drawback is they take time to assemble and you have to have some minor skill at modelling. All said though, the World Works stuff is something you should have on your hard-drive.
The other product with near limitless functionality is for those of us who aren't master Photoshoppers, but want nifty looking maps and cartography (oh and battle maps too because you can print 1" scale maps for use instead of the messy battle mat). That product is Fluid Software's Dundjinni software. Dundjinni is a full-featured fantasy map creation program. It allows users to create walls and floors, place objects, insert text, and more. It boasts an intuitive interface and an impressive selection of objects and textures (over 190 images). It also allows you to author d20 adventures in a simple yet elegant way.
Mouse Race 2000? Grand Theft Mickey?
It appears, according to ICV2, that the Mouse house has purchased the rights to Roger Corman's Concorde-New Horizons library of films.
This could either be horrifying or entertaining.
Horrifying example number 1:
A remake of Death Race 2000 starring Ben Affleck (Don't forget that Pearl Harbor was a mouse house product)
Horrifying example number 2:
An animated version of Big Bad Momma with music by Tim Rice and Phil Collins. It could happen.
Entertaining option 1:
A remake of Death Race 2000 without Ben Affleck.
Entertaining option 2:
Stitch 3: Little Stitch of Horrors.
Entertaining option 3:
I'll finally get to see Peter Bogdanovich's film Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women.
Feel free to add your own terrified/overjoyed examples in the comments section.
This could either be horrifying or entertaining.
Horrifying example number 1:
A remake of Death Race 2000 starring Ben Affleck (Don't forget that Pearl Harbor was a mouse house product)
Horrifying example number 2:
An animated version of Big Bad Momma with music by Tim Rice and Phil Collins. It could happen.
Entertaining option 1:
A remake of Death Race 2000 without Ben Affleck.
Entertaining option 2:
Stitch 3: Little Stitch of Horrors.
Entertaining option 3:
I'll finally get to see Peter Bogdanovich's film Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women.
Feel free to add your own terrified/overjoyed examples in the comments section.
Friday, September 09, 2005
This is Superman?
I agree with Jim Treacher.
OK, I thought my post got everything backwards, so here's a rewrite. Of course, now I'm really tired so I just may make it worse.
First, this, combined with what I've heard about Lois having a child of uncertain origin and turning her back on Superman entirely, makes me think that this movie will be rather dark for Superman. I dunno: Superman is one hero who never really left the Silver Age, in my mind anyway.
Second, why are they drowning Superman? Uh, even in post-Crisis continuity, can't he still hold his breath a really, really long time? I guess he's Kryptonited, but still Superman basically getting a swirlie is kind of... off to me.
I mean, I got mad at Spiderman 2 for that. After what seemed like hours of agony, Spiderman swings into action... and gets taken out by Doc Ock. Kinda underwhelming.
And, I don't know if it was the article, the movie, or Treacher's comment, but something about this yells prison sex to me now. The whispering, the drowning, the screaming.
It's especially interesting given the Matthew Shepardization of Clark Kent in the early Smallville posters, I think.
What about it? Uh, I don't want Superman to suck. And, it had some unexpected subtexts, in my (odd) mind, anyway.
Maybe I'm just bitter about Loser Superman in Dark Knight Returns 2. Man, that Superman was lame.
From Newsweek's story on the new Superman movie:
Inside a soundstage in Sydney, Australia, Brandon Routh, as the Man of Steel, crawls across a black, wet wasteland, pursued by the evil Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) and Luthor's three henchmen. One of the thugs grabs Superman by his hair and shoves his face into a dark puddle, holding the hero's head underwater as he struggles for air. Luthor strides up behind Superman, stabs him in the back with some sort of Kryptonite shiv and whispers a sentence so horrifying (and, for now, top secret) into his ear that Superman cries out in agony.
That sentence? "I just tested positive."
OK, I thought my post got everything backwards, so here's a rewrite. Of course, now I'm really tired so I just may make it worse.
First, this, combined with what I've heard about Lois having a child of uncertain origin and turning her back on Superman entirely, makes me think that this movie will be rather dark for Superman. I dunno: Superman is one hero who never really left the Silver Age, in my mind anyway.
Second, why are they drowning Superman? Uh, even in post-Crisis continuity, can't he still hold his breath a really, really long time? I guess he's Kryptonited, but still Superman basically getting a swirlie is kind of... off to me.
I mean, I got mad at Spiderman 2 for that. After what seemed like hours of agony, Spiderman swings into action... and gets taken out by Doc Ock. Kinda underwhelming.
And, I don't know if it was the article, the movie, or Treacher's comment, but something about this yells prison sex to me now. The whispering, the drowning, the screaming.
It's especially interesting given the Matthew Shepardization of Clark Kent in the early Smallville posters, I think.
What about it? Uh, I don't want Superman to suck. And, it had some unexpected subtexts, in my (odd) mind, anyway.
Maybe I'm just bitter about Loser Superman in Dark Knight Returns 2. Man, that Superman was lame.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Getting the Object of Your Affections to Appreciate Comic Books. (Part 2)
In an earlier post on Getting the Object of Your Affections to Appreciate Comic Books, it was briefly mentioned that the "post-modern deconstructive" nature of the representation of Superheroes in titles like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns are probably not the best way to bring new people into the comic book hobby.
The column had been written with the assumption that readers would have read the earlier post discussing Comics and "Art". That article paraphrased a section of Roger Scuton's book Modern Culture in an attempt to illustrate why modern comics sales are low. Even during an era where Spider-Man 2 the movie makes money hand over fist, the Spider-Man comic book title sells fewer than 100,000 copies a month. Why is this? That is the question Cinerati is continually trying to address. To follow up on the Scruton comparison, Cinerati's argument is essentially this.
"Our sympathy for the comic book superhero stems from the deepdown recognition that his predicament is ours. Precisely because we live in a morbidly unheroic world." We as comic book readers are looking for people who can behave heroically in a world gone mad. We are looking for people with "purer" motives than our own. If we look at Spider-Man's original origin, we find a character who initially makes the same decision we would make. We would decide to use our power for profit not virtue and damn the consequences. When faced with the inevitiable consequences of his own failings, the murder of his uncle Ben, Peter Parker rejects his base motiviations and adheres to a mantra. It is a powerful mantra indeed, "With great power comes great responsibility." From that point on the conflicts of Spider-Man's narrative are between desire and responsibility, and Peter relentlessly chooses responsibility. The consequences of forfeiting or surpressing desire are the loss of friends and social alienation, but failing to meet responsibilities leads to death. This is especially true in the early stories by Steve Ditko. Many of Spider-Man's villains are created because he temporarily chose desire over responsibility. It is only though responsible behavior for its own sake that Spider-Man historically received "peace."
The traditional Superhero, up through the early Marvel Era, was often a tragic and lonely figure, but it was also a distinctly moral figure. Superman had his Fortress of Solitude, but even though he had the power to rule the world his primary motivation was to make contact with people and become a "normal man." Superman has no need for a secret identity save the fact that he desires to be a part of the City. Aristotle said that whoever "can live without the City is either a man or a god." Superman an exile from a once great people, who seems to have godlike power, shows us that the best and most powerful of men still require the City and its norms. Similar things can be said of Batman. He has his Batcave and a burning desire for vengeance. Yet he too maintains a social persona, one which strives more than anything to create a new "family."
The traditional Superhero narrative is not pure virtue for virtue's sake with the abandonment of the "real world," but Superheroes are those who exist both inside and outside of the real world. Spider-Man exists completely outside the City, but Peter Parker is a part of it. The same for Batman and Superman. The hero who can live fully within the City is rare, even the Fantastic Four don't quite qualify (especially the ever-lovin' blue eyed Thing).
But this historic narrative changed with sophisticated narratives like Watchmen. In Watchmen we are given a godlike figure who does in fact reject the City and in doing so becomes a beast. We have a moralist who is shown as a madman. While the tale makes for compelling and well written deconstruction it fails as foundation for continuing myth. "Society" had already, post-Nietzsche, killed God (and thus all appeals to moral authority). That was why society needed the artistic myth. The artistic myth is the morally redemptive force Mark Salzman focuses on in his book Lying Awake which allows him to understand how compelling and powerful religion is for the faithful. But in the post-modern comic narrative we are given "the final rejection of high culture as a redemptive force and the ruination of the sacred in its last imagined form." There is nothing redemptive in Watchmen, or in much of modern comics (read The Ultimates and The Ultimates 2) and this is why I think that comics are less appealing to audiences today than the movies based on them. The movies still maintain the "classic" elements, narrative techniques the comics have often abandoned.
Steve Bennett of ICV2 has written a wonderful article with his assessments of low comic readership. His central thesis is, "as currently written and drawn, the super-hero comic book is just too overwhelmingly dark to appeal to [the vast mass audience]." Please read the article.
Like Steve, Cinerati is not claiming that authors should return the writing techniques of some by gone age. Silver Age stories were simplistic and the move to more literary tales is a positive one. But like Steven, we would ask "Is this anyone's idea of fun?"
As always Cinerati would appreciate your feedback regarding comics you think would bring new people into the wonderful world of comics.
The column had been written with the assumption that readers would have read the earlier post discussing Comics and "Art". That article paraphrased a section of Roger Scuton's book Modern Culture in an attempt to illustrate why modern comics sales are low. Even during an era where Spider-Man 2 the movie makes money hand over fist, the Spider-Man comic book title sells fewer than 100,000 copies a month. Why is this? That is the question Cinerati is continually trying to address. To follow up on the Scruton comparison, Cinerati's argument is essentially this.
"Our sympathy for the comic book superhero stems from the deepdown recognition that his predicament is ours. Precisely because we live in a morbidly unheroic world." We as comic book readers are looking for people who can behave heroically in a world gone mad. We are looking for people with "purer" motives than our own. If we look at Spider-Man's original origin, we find a character who initially makes the same decision we would make. We would decide to use our power for profit not virtue and damn the consequences. When faced with the inevitiable consequences of his own failings, the murder of his uncle Ben, Peter Parker rejects his base motiviations and adheres to a mantra. It is a powerful mantra indeed, "With great power comes great responsibility." From that point on the conflicts of Spider-Man's narrative are between desire and responsibility, and Peter relentlessly chooses responsibility. The consequences of forfeiting or surpressing desire are the loss of friends and social alienation, but failing to meet responsibilities leads to death. This is especially true in the early stories by Steve Ditko. Many of Spider-Man's villains are created because he temporarily chose desire over responsibility. It is only though responsible behavior for its own sake that Spider-Man historically received "peace."
The traditional Superhero, up through the early Marvel Era, was often a tragic and lonely figure, but it was also a distinctly moral figure. Superman had his Fortress of Solitude, but even though he had the power to rule the world his primary motivation was to make contact with people and become a "normal man." Superman has no need for a secret identity save the fact that he desires to be a part of the City. Aristotle said that whoever "can live without the City is either a man or a god." Superman an exile from a once great people, who seems to have godlike power, shows us that the best and most powerful of men still require the City and its norms. Similar things can be said of Batman. He has his Batcave and a burning desire for vengeance. Yet he too maintains a social persona, one which strives more than anything to create a new "family."
The traditional Superhero narrative is not pure virtue for virtue's sake with the abandonment of the "real world," but Superheroes are those who exist both inside and outside of the real world. Spider-Man exists completely outside the City, but Peter Parker is a part of it. The same for Batman and Superman. The hero who can live fully within the City is rare, even the Fantastic Four don't quite qualify (especially the ever-lovin' blue eyed Thing).
But this historic narrative changed with sophisticated narratives like Watchmen. In Watchmen we are given a godlike figure who does in fact reject the City and in doing so becomes a beast. We have a moralist who is shown as a madman. While the tale makes for compelling and well written deconstruction it fails as foundation for continuing myth. "Society" had already, post-Nietzsche, killed God (and thus all appeals to moral authority). That was why society needed the artistic myth. The artistic myth is the morally redemptive force Mark Salzman focuses on in his book Lying Awake which allows him to understand how compelling and powerful religion is for the faithful. But in the post-modern comic narrative we are given "the final rejection of high culture as a redemptive force and the ruination of the sacred in its last imagined form." There is nothing redemptive in Watchmen, or in much of modern comics (read The Ultimates and The Ultimates 2) and this is why I think that comics are less appealing to audiences today than the movies based on them. The movies still maintain the "classic" elements, narrative techniques the comics have often abandoned.
Steve Bennett of ICV2 has written a wonderful article with his assessments of low comic readership. His central thesis is, "as currently written and drawn, the super-hero comic book is just too overwhelmingly dark to appeal to [the vast mass audience]." Please read the article.
Like Steve, Cinerati is not claiming that authors should return the writing techniques of some by gone age. Silver Age stories were simplistic and the move to more literary tales is a positive one. But like Steven, we would ask "Is this anyone's idea of fun?"
As always Cinerati would appreciate your feedback regarding comics you think would bring new people into the wonderful world of comics.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Do Technology and Magic Mix?
As fans of Marvel comics know, Dr. Doom's origin is rooted in the aphorism that technology and magic don't mix. When Reed Richards walked into his friend Victor von Doom's dorm room and discovered that Victor was in the middle of an experiment combining the two Reed had to intervene. Thus began one of the great thesis/antithesis (or hero/archvillain) narratives of comic book history.
Thus proving that while combining technology and magic may be immoral, it does lead to long term profit and comic book sales.
J.K. Rowling had long been on the side of Reed Richards and had avoided offering her cultural phenomenon Harry Potter novels to be sold in digital format. But it looks like the Mighty Marvel Marketing Maxim that combining technology and magic equals massive profit. Rowling has made all six Potter novels available for digital download.
Take a deep breath before you get excited about the prospect of printing multiple copies for your grandmother, neighbors, and random people you meet on the street. The Potter books are only available as digital MP3 downloads at iTunes. The "box set" download does include "digital booklets" which contain descriptions of each novel and if you order the box set you get a 20GB "special" iPod (all for a mere $548.00).
So now all of you who own the books can pay the same price again for audio copies and double the price if you want an iPod. Given the iPod's stict protocols which, while not making piracy impossible, make piracy too annoying for your average user, I don't expect that Rowling will do anything other than count the money pouring in from Apple.
Now if only we could find a Reed Richards...
Thus proving that while combining technology and magic may be immoral, it does lead to long term profit and comic book sales.
J.K. Rowling had long been on the side of Reed Richards and had avoided offering her cultural phenomenon Harry Potter novels to be sold in digital format. But it looks like the Mighty Marvel Marketing Maxim that combining technology and magic equals massive profit. Rowling has made all six Potter novels available for digital download.
Take a deep breath before you get excited about the prospect of printing multiple copies for your grandmother, neighbors, and random people you meet on the street. The Potter books are only available as digital MP3 downloads at iTunes. The "box set" download does include "digital booklets" which contain descriptions of each novel and if you order the box set you get a 20GB "special" iPod (all for a mere $548.00).
So now all of you who own the books can pay the same price again for audio copies and double the price if you want an iPod. Given the iPod's stict protocols which, while not making piracy impossible, make piracy too annoying for your average user, I don't expect that Rowling will do anything other than count the money pouring in from Apple.
Now if only we could find a Reed Richards...
TiVo is Almost Free-Vo
According to the Los Angeles Times TiVo Inc. is reducing the cost of its recorders by almost 50%. Adding the service increases your cable bill by approximately $12.95 a month.
The story reports that TiVo Inc. will give a $150.00 rebate to purchasers who sign up for a one year subscription to TiVo service. Looking at the action on the stock market, it appears that this move may have had a slight positive effect on the value of TiVo shares. Though the $5.17 value does seem underpriced to me given the technological revolution that is TiVo, but it is understandable when you consider two things. First, the market's reluctance post 2000 bubble burst to trust tech stocks, and second the lack of a successful "advertisement delivery system" on TiVo limits its earning potential to sales and subscriptions entirely. None of this takes into account the rise of competitors and cable companies co-opting the technology.
The story reports that TiVo Inc. will give a $150.00 rebate to purchasers who sign up for a one year subscription to TiVo service. Looking at the action on the stock market, it appears that this move may have had a slight positive effect on the value of TiVo shares. Though the $5.17 value does seem underpriced to me given the technological revolution that is TiVo, but it is understandable when you consider two things. First, the market's reluctance post 2000 bubble burst to trust tech stocks, and second the lack of a successful "advertisement delivery system" on TiVo limits its earning potential to sales and subscriptions entirely. None of this takes into account the rise of competitors and cable companies co-opting the technology.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Screaming for Viewers
The WB is trying a truly innovative advertising campaign for one of its new Fall shows. In a bold move they will be promoting Supernatural by allowing potential viewers to watch the show one week early via the Yahoo! website, on Tuesday, September 6th. The WB, who also brought us Buffy and Charmed, is relying on the internet because of the hugely competative nature of television marketing today.
I am pretty excited about this show and the opportunity to see it early is one that I will be happy to take advantage of. It was enough to peak my interest that the show is supernatural in nature and focuses on the story of two brothers who encounter evil forces as they search for their missing father. In a way it is a kind of live action version of Full Metal Alchemist (at least in theme though not in imagery). Alchemist fans may disagree, but the hunt of the Elric brothers is indeed to search for their "missing" mother and they do struggle against the supernatural.
But more than the basic lure of supernatural narratives this show is produced by two filmmakers who have really entertained me over the past couple of years. The first is McG whose Charlies Angels film was fun (if trivial), but his O.C. is one of my favorite television shows in a long time. In fact, after watching The O.C. and seeing both its reverence for comic books and the actor McG would have cast as Superman, I almost wish that McG had stayed on as the Superman director. Almost because I am very happy with Bryan Singer. The second producer is Eric Kripke who was a screenwriter for Boogeyman (see editor note at bottom) which I thought was a very fun ghost story.
I have high hopes and a high speed internet connection, so I'll let you know what I think shortly.
[ed. note: Eric Kripke was erroneously credited with directing Boogeyman in the original post. The director of Boogeyman was Stephen T. Kay who also directed the Stallone version of Get Carter.]
"You have to scream really loud and really compel the audience to choose your show over the array of other shows being presented to them at the same time," said WB Entertainment President David Janollari. "You have to find nontraditional ways to reach the audience."
I am pretty excited about this show and the opportunity to see it early is one that I will be happy to take advantage of. It was enough to peak my interest that the show is supernatural in nature and focuses on the story of two brothers who encounter evil forces as they search for their missing father. In a way it is a kind of live action version of Full Metal Alchemist (at least in theme though not in imagery). Alchemist fans may disagree, but the hunt of the Elric brothers is indeed to search for their "missing" mother and they do struggle against the supernatural.
But more than the basic lure of supernatural narratives this show is produced by two filmmakers who have really entertained me over the past couple of years. The first is McG whose Charlies Angels film was fun (if trivial), but his O.C. is one of my favorite television shows in a long time. In fact, after watching The O.C. and seeing both its reverence for comic books and the actor McG would have cast as Superman, I almost wish that McG had stayed on as the Superman director. Almost because I am very happy with Bryan Singer. The second producer is Eric Kripke who was a screenwriter for Boogeyman (see editor note at bottom) which I thought was a very fun ghost story.
I have high hopes and a high speed internet connection, so I'll let you know what I think shortly.
[ed. note: Eric Kripke was erroneously credited with directing Boogeyman in the original post. The director of Boogeyman was Stephen T. Kay who also directed the Stallone version of Get Carter.]
Saturday, September 03, 2005
In a Horrifying Darkness, a Spark of Light
According to Unlocked Wordhoard, who is an English Professor on the campus, Troy University is accepting as students those whose academic careers have been interrupted by the catastrophic events following Hurricane Katrina.
The response to this tragedy will be a part of our culture for a large part of the forseeable future. I am sure there will be electoral impacts, but I think that it is best to highlight the noblest among us. Troy University is answering the very important question, "What can I, a small and helpless individual, do to make a difference. I can't solve everything, but I can help some."
Troy University is committed to assisting those students whose fall semesters may have been disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. Students who are enrolled at colleges and universities which have been closed for the fall semester due to the storm may contact the Troy University Office of Admissions at 334-670-3175 no later than September 7 about possible fall enrollments.
The response to this tragedy will be a part of our culture for a large part of the forseeable future. I am sure there will be electoral impacts, but I think that it is best to highlight the noblest among us. Troy University is answering the very important question, "What can I, a small and helpless individual, do to make a difference. I can't solve everything, but I can help some."
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