- Published on
Well, well, well ... good afternoon, gentle readers, and welcome to March 6, 2024!
How's your Hump Day shaping up for you?!
As fate would have it, I'm experiencing a fairly slow news desk this morning at SciFiHistory.Net. I did have a few items I had to take care of this morning which kept me away from an early blog post to celebrate All Things Genre, but I'm here now and trying to make up for it. Apologies for their not being a daily celebration yesterday; I put my all into my thoughts on Dune: Part 2, and I really didn't have it in me to wax on wax off about the small stuff afterwards. What can I say? Sometimes, slinging words takes a lot out of me.
For the record, a few of you did give me a little pushback regarding my thoughts on the Dune sequel, so -- if you're still reading -- let me clarify: I enjoyed the film quite a bit. Visually, there's nothing quite like what Villenueve has accomplished in building that universe on the screen (yes, yes, and yes: I've seen some folks suggesting the ripoffs from the David Lynch version, but that's really chump change). The story is pretty grand, too: I just had some issues with how this translation introduced new elements, feeling that they were a bit too rushed into the fabric and given so little real exploration or explanation. Of course, it could always be that I wasn't watching closely enough and perhaps didn't see all of the things you folks saw, but -- as I always say -- it comes down "to each his own." As a spectacle, Dune deserves endless praise; I'm just saying -- as I always have -- it isn't nearly as relatable to mainstream audiences as are other space and star sagas. It's just too dense, and that'll likely always be the case.
Still, yes, I had a great time with it myself.
How's your Hump Day shaping up for you?!
As fate would have it, I'm experiencing a fairly slow news desk this morning at SciFiHistory.Net. I did have a few items I had to take care of this morning which kept me away from an early blog post to celebrate All Things Genre, but I'm here now and trying to make up for it. Apologies for their not being a daily celebration yesterday; I put my all into my thoughts on Dune: Part 2, and I really didn't have it in me to wax on wax off about the small stuff afterwards. What can I say? Sometimes, slinging words takes a lot out of me.
For the record, a few of you did give me a little pushback regarding my thoughts on the Dune sequel, so -- if you're still reading -- let me clarify: I enjoyed the film quite a bit. Visually, there's nothing quite like what Villenueve has accomplished in building that universe on the screen (yes, yes, and yes: I've seen some folks suggesting the ripoffs from the David Lynch version, but that's really chump change). The story is pretty grand, too: I just had some issues with how this translation introduced new elements, feeling that they were a bit too rushed into the fabric and given so little real exploration or explanation. Of course, it could always be that I wasn't watching closely enough and perhaps didn't see all of the things you folks saw, but -- as I always say -- it comes down "to each his own." As a spectacle, Dune deserves endless praise; I'm just saying -- as I always have -- it isn't nearly as relatable to mainstream audiences as are other space and star sagas. It's just too dense, and that'll likely always be the case.
Still, yes, I had a great time with it myself.
Just in case you haven't noticed the trend, there's a great deal of smaller Science Fiction and Fantasy flicks that audiences love while ... me? Not so much.
Well ... on this day back in 1992 (in the United States), the good people of Fresno, California were treated to an exclusive silver screen event that was the premiere of The Lawnmower Man. Springing from the mind of uber-Liberal author Stephen King, the story dealt with a relative simpleton being transformed into the ultimate brainiac through the use of modern technology, and the theatrical adaptation was helmed by Brett Leonard (1995's Virtuosity and 1998's T-Rex: Back To The Cretaceous). Joining the mind-bending Fantasy in big roles were such names of Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Fahey, Jenny Wright, Geoffrey Lewis, and Dean Norris. If I have the dates correct, the picture wouldn't enjoy full U.S. theatrical play until March 6, and Google.com reports that it was a fairly solid commerical success, winding down the year as one of the better performing independent features of the year.
So, yes, I've seen it. In fact, I do remember seeing this one on the screen. I don't recall being all that interested in it; and -- as memories fade over time -- I couldn't say why exactly. It could be that the project tinkered with the possibilities of virtual reality -- a good number of productions were just starting to explore that technology -- and I thought it a bit half-baked. I've not seen it since, so perhaps another viewing is due. If nothing else, I could commit a review for posterity's sake to SciFiHistory.Net.
In any event, Happy Anniversary to you, Lawnmower Man ... and here's to many more to come!
Well ... on this day back in 1992 (in the United States), the good people of Fresno, California were treated to an exclusive silver screen event that was the premiere of The Lawnmower Man. Springing from the mind of uber-Liberal author Stephen King, the story dealt with a relative simpleton being transformed into the ultimate brainiac through the use of modern technology, and the theatrical adaptation was helmed by Brett Leonard (1995's Virtuosity and 1998's T-Rex: Back To The Cretaceous). Joining the mind-bending Fantasy in big roles were such names of Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Fahey, Jenny Wright, Geoffrey Lewis, and Dean Norris. If I have the dates correct, the picture wouldn't enjoy full U.S. theatrical play until March 6, and Google.com reports that it was a fairly solid commerical success, winding down the year as one of the better performing independent features of the year.
So, yes, I've seen it. In fact, I do remember seeing this one on the screen. I don't recall being all that interested in it; and -- as memories fade over time -- I couldn't say why exactly. It could be that the project tinkered with the possibilities of virtual reality -- a good number of productions were just starting to explore that technology -- and I thought it a bit half-baked. I've not seen it since, so perhaps another viewing is due. If nothing else, I could commit a review for posterity's sake to SciFiHistory.Net.
In any event, Happy Anniversary to you, Lawnmower Man ... and here's to many more to come!
I shouldn't have to tell any of my contemporaries that the late, great comedian Lou Costello is no genre legend.
Known as the funny half of the comic team of Abbott and Costello, this talented fellow made me laugh in so, so, so many features that played on TVs of my youth (no, kids, I'm not old enough to have seen those films in theaters); and I can't tell you the number of times I likely sat through each of them that turned up in syndication. Granted, there were a few stinkers in there, too, but -- all-in-all -- Lou Costello had a way to 'play dumb' that made for some of the funniest work captured on celluloid.
In fact, I've read that his career was waning just a bit -- comedy over the years evolves with times, you know -- and he and his parter Bud Abbott hit some hard times. It was at this point that somehow someone got the idea to re-introduce the Univeral Monsters library into our collective consciousness, giving this dynamic duo to share the screen with such illuminaries as Count Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, and the Mummy ... and the result was pure box office gold for both the men and the monsters. I suspect no one could ever have predicted just how warmly audiences would embrace these match-ups, and -- even to this day -- the occasional flick will play at my nearby budget theater. Thankfully, I'm not the only one who refuses to forget.
Yes, it's quite fulfilling to feature one of the bigger names of the years gone by ... so Happy Birthday to one of Hollywood's funniest, born on this day all the way back in 1906.
Known as the funny half of the comic team of Abbott and Costello, this talented fellow made me laugh in so, so, so many features that played on TVs of my youth (no, kids, I'm not old enough to have seen those films in theaters); and I can't tell you the number of times I likely sat through each of them that turned up in syndication. Granted, there were a few stinkers in there, too, but -- all-in-all -- Lou Costello had a way to 'play dumb' that made for some of the funniest work captured on celluloid.
In fact, I've read that his career was waning just a bit -- comedy over the years evolves with times, you know -- and he and his parter Bud Abbott hit some hard times. It was at this point that somehow someone got the idea to re-introduce the Univeral Monsters library into our collective consciousness, giving this dynamic duo to share the screen with such illuminaries as Count Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, and the Mummy ... and the result was pure box office gold for both the men and the monsters. I suspect no one could ever have predicted just how warmly audiences would embrace these match-ups, and -- even to this day -- the occasional flick will play at my nearby budget theater. Thankfully, I'm not the only one who refuses to forget.
Yes, it's quite fulfilling to feature one of the bigger names of the years gone by ... so Happy Birthday to one of Hollywood's funniest, born on this day all the way back in 1906.
As is always my habit: there's a great deal more waiting for each of you to discover on the daily citation page for March 6th, and this is where I encourage you to head on over to surprise yourself. And don't stop there! Share it with your friends! Challenge them to a quick trivia contest. You know you want to, and I definitely hope you come out on top.
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.”
OK, folks, here’s my ‘thang’ on the whole Dune intellectual property. I said this all the way back with the original 1984 film adaptation by David Lynch as well as with director Denis Villeneuve’s first installment in 2021, and I’m doubling down on it with the big screen theatrical release of Dune: Part 2 which I’ve just seen in theaters. So here it is:
Dune is best discussed and best appreciated by those who are established long-term fans of the franchise or the most ardent fans of pure Science Fiction … and just about no one else.
Now, take heart: I’m not saying that casual moviegoers or a random audience member or two will find nothing to like in the motion picture because that’s far from the truth. At this point in the director’s career, it really should go without saying that Villeneuve is a master with the camera; his cinematography – along with the overall look and texture of his stories – is truly in a class all of its own. In fact, he’s so damn good that I personally could get behind damn near every Science Fiction project in the pipeline anywhere hiring him – minimally – in the role of a consultant as it’s pretty definitive that he knows how to give such pictures an astonishing amount of visual depth in even the simplest terms. When a film rises off the screen as this one does, there’s very little more that has to be done to achieve mythological scope. It may not be ideal for every I.P., but – again – what could his contributions hurt?
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.”
OK, folks, here’s my ‘thang’ on the whole Dune intellectual property. I said this all the way back with the original 1984 film adaptation by David Lynch as well as with director Denis Villeneuve’s first installment in 2021, and I’m doubling down on it with the big screen theatrical release of Dune: Part 2 which I’ve just seen in theaters. So here it is:
Dune is best discussed and best appreciated by those who are established long-term fans of the franchise or the most ardent fans of pure Science Fiction … and just about no one else.
Now, take heart: I’m not saying that casual moviegoers or a random audience member or two will find nothing to like in the motion picture because that’s far from the truth. At this point in the director’s career, it really should go without saying that Villeneuve is a master with the camera; his cinematography – along with the overall look and texture of his stories – is truly in a class all of its own. In fact, he’s so damn good that I personally could get behind damn near every Science Fiction project in the pipeline anywhere hiring him – minimally – in the role of a consultant as it’s pretty definitive that he knows how to give such pictures an astonishing amount of visual depth in even the simplest terms. When a film rises off the screen as this one does, there’s very little more that has to be done to achieve mythological scope. It may not be ideal for every I.P., but – again – what could his contributions hurt?
But with Dune: Part 2 – similar to what I felt with Part 1 but amped up on spice – the epic scope of author Frank Herbert’s creation can’t quite escape its canonical weight long enough to give this adaptation both the pace and the social/cultural relevance required for success of tentpole-style franchises. Thematically, all of Dune is dense, so much so that it’s the kind of experience that defies a simply good vs. evil explanation, and I suspect casual watchers – the bulk of which is required for any property to legitimately set the world on fire – will tune out because of the cumbersome minutiae, complicated nuances, and labyrinthian relationships. In other words, this is a brainy exercise, and mainstream audiences don’t gravitate to films requiring intellectual parsing for repeat experiences.
So when you tell me that Dune: Part 2 reached some great box office numbers and yet still fell short of what the studio expectations were, I’m apt to point out that the film’s spectacle – like any theatrical spectacle – will only stretch so far on positive word-of-mouth. Hearing one person describing the experience as “incredible to watch but I had no idea what was going on at times” will not put legs beneath its torso no matter how many times you or I or other fans might climb the clock tower and scream at the masses that this is one for the ages. They – like us – are free to make up their own minds; and – while they might take it in once – they’re not bloody likely to sign aboard for any return engagements.
And … in Hollywood … it’s the ‘return engagements’ that make a blockbuster into a blockbuster.
Just ask Marvel … well, Marvel of about ten years ago, that is.
Spectacle without accessibility is the stuff of Marvel that’s doubled down on social messaging, chucking out superhero after superhero that audiences aren’t interested in listening to sermons from. When the bulk of society still goes to the cineplex for pure escapism, Dune: Part 2 both does and doesn’t fit the bill because of the vastness of its intricacy. This isn’t any indictment on its efficacy; it just isn’t a property that’s intended for all parties, and that’s likely going to keep it from touching that legendary status even its Paul Atreides is owed.
Also, as I said when both reviewing and discussing Villeneuve’s first installment, I’ve always found it difficult to assess incomplete stories, meaning that I had a lot of hesitancy in aggregating mky thoughts on Part 1. It was clearly a set-up picture – a tale with no ending in sight – and, to a lesser degree, the same could be said about Part 2. While the film draws to an effective close around circumstances introduced in the Herbert novel, there’s also a rather obvious hook for much more to follow in, yet, a third chapter. (For the record, Villeneuve has stated he has every intention of bringing the events of “Dune Messiah” to the masses, but who knows how long that might be? He has further suggested he needs a break from this literary universe, and I’ve not personally read that the studio has fully committed to another picture.) Still, I’m inclined to give it my best in this space.
So when you tell me that Dune: Part 2 reached some great box office numbers and yet still fell short of what the studio expectations were, I’m apt to point out that the film’s spectacle – like any theatrical spectacle – will only stretch so far on positive word-of-mouth. Hearing one person describing the experience as “incredible to watch but I had no idea what was going on at times” will not put legs beneath its torso no matter how many times you or I or other fans might climb the clock tower and scream at the masses that this is one for the ages. They – like us – are free to make up their own minds; and – while they might take it in once – they’re not bloody likely to sign aboard for any return engagements.
And … in Hollywood … it’s the ‘return engagements’ that make a blockbuster into a blockbuster.
Just ask Marvel … well, Marvel of about ten years ago, that is.
Spectacle without accessibility is the stuff of Marvel that’s doubled down on social messaging, chucking out superhero after superhero that audiences aren’t interested in listening to sermons from. When the bulk of society still goes to the cineplex for pure escapism, Dune: Part 2 both does and doesn’t fit the bill because of the vastness of its intricacy. This isn’t any indictment on its efficacy; it just isn’t a property that’s intended for all parties, and that’s likely going to keep it from touching that legendary status even its Paul Atreides is owed.
Also, as I said when both reviewing and discussing Villeneuve’s first installment, I’ve always found it difficult to assess incomplete stories, meaning that I had a lot of hesitancy in aggregating mky thoughts on Part 1. It was clearly a set-up picture – a tale with no ending in sight – and, to a lesser degree, the same could be said about Part 2. While the film draws to an effective close around circumstances introduced in the Herbert novel, there’s also a rather obvious hook for much more to follow in, yet, a third chapter. (For the record, Villeneuve has stated he has every intention of bringing the events of “Dune Messiah” to the masses, but who knows how long that might be? He has further suggested he needs a break from this literary universe, and I’ve not personally read that the studio has fully committed to another picture.) Still, I’m inclined to give it my best in this space.
To the director’s credit, he largely picks up in the sequel almost exactly where he left off (with a minor preamble to give the story a bit of galactic context): Paul (played by Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are being taken into custody by Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and the Fremen not long after the planet was seized by the Harkonnen family. Essentially, this places the young heir to the House Atreides on the path to assuming the mantle of the prophesized religious leader to the planet Arrakis if not all the cosmos, the ‘Lisan al Gaib.’ Granted, he’s a long, long way to go before he ascends, but his embrace of the Fremen way of life is the first fateful step, and this accounts for a great deal of Part 2’s forward momentum.
Where I think Villeneuve and company begin to stray from the path gets into rather muddied waters (snicker snicker), and it’s difficult to point to any single incident that derails the film’s progress, though I can mention a few guilty culprits.
First, Lady Jessica’s attempts to both force her son into this role as well as conscript the ‘weakest of the Fremen’ (her words, not mine) give the film a relative cheapness I didn’t quite expect. She’s eventually appointed their high priestess, a position that already puts her in control of her son and the people’s shared destiny, so why Villeneuve sought to so obviously make her into a kinda/sorta religious ‘snake oil saleswoman’ seems a bit of a misstep to me. Granted, there is a foundational reason why the lady might embrace such evil deeds tied directly to her heritage; but, again, it comes across here as so heavily orchestrated one wonders what happened to all the nuance the director was layering on so thickly elsewhere and why a little couldn’t have been spared for these expansions.
Second, Villeneuve’s adaptation leaves out a rather significant character from the Herbert novel, one that fleshes out events from the book in relevant ways: Jessica’s birth of Alia – Paul’s sister – is nowhere on the screen, and – as such – the director has to twist one of the project’s biggest reveals onto her brother’s visions, a development that feels inorganic and rushed. Yes, yes, and yes: I’ve read some commentary suggesting that this was intended to be a cinematic moment not dissimilar to Darth Vader revealing to Luke Skywalker in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, but my problem there is that the surprise can at that young Jedi’s lowest moment of record, while Paul pretty much cries this out as a crowning achievement. Tonally, it just didn’t work – think, instead, of Luke proclaiming to Darth “you are my father” as opposed to the way it was delivered, and you see why this handling might be a bit problematic.
Where I think Villeneuve and company begin to stray from the path gets into rather muddied waters (snicker snicker), and it’s difficult to point to any single incident that derails the film’s progress, though I can mention a few guilty culprits.
First, Lady Jessica’s attempts to both force her son into this role as well as conscript the ‘weakest of the Fremen’ (her words, not mine) give the film a relative cheapness I didn’t quite expect. She’s eventually appointed their high priestess, a position that already puts her in control of her son and the people’s shared destiny, so why Villeneuve sought to so obviously make her into a kinda/sorta religious ‘snake oil saleswoman’ seems a bit of a misstep to me. Granted, there is a foundational reason why the lady might embrace such evil deeds tied directly to her heritage; but, again, it comes across here as so heavily orchestrated one wonders what happened to all the nuance the director was layering on so thickly elsewhere and why a little couldn’t have been spared for these expansions.
Second, Villeneuve’s adaptation leaves out a rather significant character from the Herbert novel, one that fleshes out events from the book in relevant ways: Jessica’s birth of Alia – Paul’s sister – is nowhere on the screen, and – as such – the director has to twist one of the project’s biggest reveals onto her brother’s visions, a development that feels inorganic and rushed. Yes, yes, and yes: I’ve read some commentary suggesting that this was intended to be a cinematic moment not dissimilar to Darth Vader revealing to Luke Skywalker in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, but my problem there is that the surprise can at that young Jedi’s lowest moment of record, while Paul pretty much cries this out as a crowning achievement. Tonally, it just didn’t work – think, instead, of Luke proclaiming to Darth “you are my father” as opposed to the way it was delivered, and you see why this handling might be a bit problematic.
Third, Part 2 introduces Princess Irulan (Florene Pugh), daughter to the galaxy’s famed Emperor (Christopher Walken, in a largely wasted role) – as well as few other lesser female characters I won’t go into – in rather truncated fashion. While she’s given what comes across as a few key scenes – and Villeneuve definitely gives her enough close-ups to suggest she’s a player to watch – it’s all handled far too quickly and – again – with so little balance that some might wonder if her inclusion is the result of reshoots. Her addition into the narrative never feels as though she’s intended to be in this picture – almost as if she’s being positioned for the promised third picture wherein it’s easy to conclude she’ll have a vastly larger role based on developments – and this left me with no means to assess what she might mean for the universe collapsing … even if she means nothing at all.
Fourth … and this one might be a bit controversial, readers, so buckle up: I can’t help but suggest that Zendaya was the weakest link in all of these female faces. Her stint as Chani – Paul’s love interest among the Fremen – feels more like a teenage crush than it does a love affair meant to transcend time, space, and the ages. She’s hardly a ‘Juliet’ to his budding ‘Romeo’ in any estimation; and – at times – it felt like all she could accomplish here was to sit or stand around, take up space, and give the camera a hard glance whenever the director asked her to. While textually she can’t be Paul’s equal, she needed to give a stronger performance here – one of a woman seriously smitten as well as a ‘young Turk’ rebelling against her personal destiny (under this adaptation’s design) – in order to give their relationship the weight it carries in the novel. (FYI: from what I understand in the book, Chani’s just as influential in Paul’s rise to power as is Jessica, but that’s hardly the case here.)
As you can see, Dune – despite the director’s best efforts – remains a bit of a rabbit hole where only angels (or, as I said, the property’s ardent fans) fear to tread. While I’ve no troubled conceding that this is likely the best treatment the novel has had to date, I’ll still hold out hope that someone – be it Amazon Studios, Netflix, or some other streaming service – will seize the property and give it the serialized treatment it inevitably deserves. Once more, such an attempt might not reach mainstream success, but it might finally give the intellectual scope of Herbert’s ideas the attention they so rightfully deserve.
Recommended, but …
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my thoughts on Dune: Part 2 as I saw this one all of my own accord at my local theater.
-- EZ
Fourth … and this one might be a bit controversial, readers, so buckle up: I can’t help but suggest that Zendaya was the weakest link in all of these female faces. Her stint as Chani – Paul’s love interest among the Fremen – feels more like a teenage crush than it does a love affair meant to transcend time, space, and the ages. She’s hardly a ‘Juliet’ to his budding ‘Romeo’ in any estimation; and – at times – it felt like all she could accomplish here was to sit or stand around, take up space, and give the camera a hard glance whenever the director asked her to. While textually she can’t be Paul’s equal, she needed to give a stronger performance here – one of a woman seriously smitten as well as a ‘young Turk’ rebelling against her personal destiny (under this adaptation’s design) – in order to give their relationship the weight it carries in the novel. (FYI: from what I understand in the book, Chani’s just as influential in Paul’s rise to power as is Jessica, but that’s hardly the case here.)
As you can see, Dune – despite the director’s best efforts – remains a bit of a rabbit hole where only angels (or, as I said, the property’s ardent fans) fear to tread. While I’ve no troubled conceding that this is likely the best treatment the novel has had to date, I’ll still hold out hope that someone – be it Amazon Studios, Netflix, or some other streaming service – will seize the property and give it the serialized treatment it inevitably deserves. Once more, such an attempt might not reach mainstream success, but it might finally give the intellectual scope of Herbert’s ideas the attention they so rightfully deserve.
Recommended, but …
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my thoughts on Dune: Part 2 as I saw this one all of my own accord at my local theater.
-- EZ
- Published on
Well, well, well ... Holy Mother of Dragons, my friends ... it's Monday all over again!
Nonetheless ... good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to the start of a whole new week. Here's hoping the weekend got you just as refreshed as you need to be in order to greet the challenges of an all-new week with the fuel required to get 'er done. Mine was very rewarding -- for a number of personal reasons I'll not trouble you with -- and I'm here, ready and raring to go.
I did not, however, get much time to do the usual genre work over the weekend. Gotta be honest. I mentioned last week that I'd be busy for a significant portion of Saturday, and that was definitely the case. Sunday, I had to catch up on some of life's smaller errands, as well as take in some activities with the wifey, and there's that. We did manage to squeeze in some casual TV for relaxation, so I think we were both reasonably well rejuvenated from the daily shuffle of life itself. Granted, we could all use more free time, am I right, but we do both try to make the best of the time we are given ... just like Gandalf encouraged us.
And what did I earn for all of my good deeds? Why, I have a sore throat this morning, thank you very (damn) much. Gotta take better care of myself, it would seem.
Nonetheless ... good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to the start of a whole new week. Here's hoping the weekend got you just as refreshed as you need to be in order to greet the challenges of an all-new week with the fuel required to get 'er done. Mine was very rewarding -- for a number of personal reasons I'll not trouble you with -- and I'm here, ready and raring to go.
I did not, however, get much time to do the usual genre work over the weekend. Gotta be honest. I mentioned last week that I'd be busy for a significant portion of Saturday, and that was definitely the case. Sunday, I had to catch up on some of life's smaller errands, as well as take in some activities with the wifey, and there's that. We did manage to squeeze in some casual TV for relaxation, so I think we were both reasonably well rejuvenated from the daily shuffle of life itself. Granted, we could all use more free time, am I right, but we do both try to make the best of the time we are given ... just like Gandalf encouraged us.
And what did I earn for all of my good deeds? Why, I have a sore throat this morning, thank you very (damn) much. Gotta take better care of myself, it would seem.
On this day all the way back in 1960, Rod Serling's immortal The Twilight Zone aired one of the more critically acclaimed episodes of its entire run when it unleashed "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" to TV audiences.
Here's the episode's narration -- spoken by Serling himself -- compliments of the good people over on Wikipedia.org:
"Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little world of front porch gliders, barbecues, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely 6:43 P.M. on Maple Street. This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon. Maple Street in the last calm and reflective moment –before the monsters came."
This installment shows as being written by Serling as well, and it was directed by Ron Winston. IMDB.com reports that Winston directed two other episodes of the show, but I think it's safe to suggest that this was the most memorable of his experiences. I say this because, as I understand it, the Writers Guild Of America acknowledged "Monsters" with a 1961 nomination in their category of best script to any 30-minute anthology format show ... and that speaks volumes.
The episode cast such names from the era as Claude Akins, Barry Atwater, Jack Weston, Jan Handzlik, Amzie Strickland, and Burt Metcalfe in key roles. Here's the plot summary as provided by the good people at IMDB.com:
"On a pleasant day, the residents of Maple Street feel something akin to a tremor and hear a loud noise. Steve Brand thinks it's a meteorite though they didn't see a crater. When young Tommy tells them the science fiction story he read about an alien invasion where they were first sent among humans to live with them in disguise, paranoia sets in. They first suspect Les Goodman and loudmouth Charlie Farnsworth then points the finger at Steve and then Tommy. Events turn on Charlie as everyone runs amok."
Here's the episode's narration -- spoken by Serling himself -- compliments of the good people over on Wikipedia.org:
"Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little world of front porch gliders, barbecues, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely 6:43 P.M. on Maple Street. This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon. Maple Street in the last calm and reflective moment –before the monsters came."
This installment shows as being written by Serling as well, and it was directed by Ron Winston. IMDB.com reports that Winston directed two other episodes of the show, but I think it's safe to suggest that this was the most memorable of his experiences. I say this because, as I understand it, the Writers Guild Of America acknowledged "Monsters" with a 1961 nomination in their category of best script to any 30-minute anthology format show ... and that speaks volumes.
The episode cast such names from the era as Claude Akins, Barry Atwater, Jack Weston, Jan Handzlik, Amzie Strickland, and Burt Metcalfe in key roles. Here's the plot summary as provided by the good people at IMDB.com:
"On a pleasant day, the residents of Maple Street feel something akin to a tremor and hear a loud noise. Steve Brand thinks it's a meteorite though they didn't see a crater. When young Tommy tells them the science fiction story he read about an alien invasion where they were first sent among humans to live with them in disguise, paranoia sets in. They first suspect Les Goodman and loudmouth Charlie Farnsworth then points the finger at Steve and then Tommy. Events turn on Charlie as everyone runs amok."
On this day all the way back in 1977, another TV genre franchise was just earning its sea legs (snicker snicker) when the weekly serial that was Man From Atlantis enjoyed its small screen launch. This fishy procedural was created by Mayo Simon (screenwriter of 1969's Marooned, 1974's Phase IV, and 1976's Futureworld) and Herbert F. Solow (production manager for 54 episodes of the SciFi Classic Star Trek on TV); and Man From Atlantis swam on for a total of 17 episodes, a collection I believe is available on DVD via Warner Archive.
Now, I didn't watch this one, so I'm only going off what I've read, but I believe it was originally launched by a series of telefilms that I've heard were fairly highly regarded. The series? Well, again I can only go on reviews, but it would seem that the concept was heavily dumbed down; and perhaps there was some effort to make it far more kiddie-friendly. Stranger things have happened in one properties evolution from stand-alone stories to weekly serials, but one thing's clear: it didn't quite have the right stuff to endure longer than a single season, so invest wisely in this one if you're interested, my friends.
Here's the program's core premise as provided by IMDB.com:
"Mark Harris is the lone survivor of the legendary sunken continent of Atlantis. Having adapted to life underwater, Mark possesses webbed hands, light-sensitive eyes, and the ability to swim at low depths in the sea for long periods. He draws strength from water and can overpower most ordinary men. Mark assists an institute for undersea research operated by his human friends, Dr. Elizabeth Merrill and C.W. Crawford, and joins Dr. Merrill in several exploratory missions aboard a high-tech submarine. They encounter several bizarre phenomena, including portals leading to other dimensions, a substance capable of altering personalities, an impish creature whose touch causes a mental return to childhood, and the scheme of a portly millionaire, Mr. Schubert, to melt the polar icecaps."
Now, I didn't watch this one, so I'm only going off what I've read, but I believe it was originally launched by a series of telefilms that I've heard were fairly highly regarded. The series? Well, again I can only go on reviews, but it would seem that the concept was heavily dumbed down; and perhaps there was some effort to make it far more kiddie-friendly. Stranger things have happened in one properties evolution from stand-alone stories to weekly serials, but one thing's clear: it didn't quite have the right stuff to endure longer than a single season, so invest wisely in this one if you're interested, my friends.
Here's the program's core premise as provided by IMDB.com:
"Mark Harris is the lone survivor of the legendary sunken continent of Atlantis. Having adapted to life underwater, Mark possesses webbed hands, light-sensitive eyes, and the ability to swim at low depths in the sea for long periods. He draws strength from water and can overpower most ordinary men. Mark assists an institute for undersea research operated by his human friends, Dr. Elizabeth Merrill and C.W. Crawford, and joins Dr. Merrill in several exploratory missions aboard a high-tech submarine. They encounter several bizarre phenomena, including portals leading to other dimensions, a substance capable of altering personalities, an impish creature whose touch causes a mental return to childhood, and the scheme of a portly millionaire, Mr. Schubert, to melt the polar icecaps."
It ain't easy being green ... but it's probably even harder being writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson.
Kind of like Zack Snyder, the mere mention of Anderson's name draws up a whole host of reactions from good to bad to ugly, and -- hear me out -- I think that's a shame. Genre entertainment -- especially Science Fiction and Fantasy -- doesn't always have to be 'high brow,' and, in fact, some of the very best entries into the realms of the Fantastic can be downright silly at times. While there are some in fandom who think that such lesser works shouldn't quite get the time of day, I've always been comfortable watching just about anything that comes close to fitting the bill as I'm willing to wait for whatever slim goodness I can find in even the most insufferable attempt to separate me from my cash. Call me a fool, if you will, but it's just how I'm wired.
So ...
While I'll concede that maybe -- just maybe -- Anderson hasn't quite delivered his magnum opus just yet (or maybe that's just me being hopeful), I've still managed to squeeze some fun out of some of his efforts. No, the Resident Evil franchise isn't any highwater mark -- honestly, I'll admit to not quite understanding a good deal of its evolution -- he's still dabbled with other entries like Event Horizon (1997), Soldier (1998), and AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004) that have tickled my fancy -- in good ways and in bad -- all the same. Kudos to the work, I say, and keep it coming.
Anderson was born on this day back in 1965.
Kind of like Zack Snyder, the mere mention of Anderson's name draws up a whole host of reactions from good to bad to ugly, and -- hear me out -- I think that's a shame. Genre entertainment -- especially Science Fiction and Fantasy -- doesn't always have to be 'high brow,' and, in fact, some of the very best entries into the realms of the Fantastic can be downright silly at times. While there are some in fandom who think that such lesser works shouldn't quite get the time of day, I've always been comfortable watching just about anything that comes close to fitting the bill as I'm willing to wait for whatever slim goodness I can find in even the most insufferable attempt to separate me from my cash. Call me a fool, if you will, but it's just how I'm wired.
So ...
While I'll concede that maybe -- just maybe -- Anderson hasn't quite delivered his magnum opus just yet (or maybe that's just me being hopeful), I've still managed to squeeze some fun out of some of his efforts. No, the Resident Evil franchise isn't any highwater mark -- honestly, I'll admit to not quite understanding a good deal of its evolution -- he's still dabbled with other entries like Event Horizon (1997), Soldier (1998), and AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004) that have tickled my fancy -- in good ways and in bad -- all the same. Kudos to the work, I say, and keep it coming.
Anderson was born on this day back in 1965.
With an incredible 78 genre trivia citations -- and even more on the way -- March is certainly shaping up quite well, and this is the point wherein I encourage you to head on over, check it out, and share it with your friends, family, enemies because that's just what we do in the civil society. We share and share alike, and I'm always happy to see you're helping my readership grow.
Also, I've been kicked around an idea that someone kinda/sorta suggested to me, folks.
One of the experiences that's sadly been lost with the death of the corner video store is the whole 'browsing' of shelves. Folks like me used to go into the local Blockbuster, and we'd spend a good amount of time just browsing the rental boxes, checking out titles we'd never heard of and keeping lists of those that sounded interesting, making a mental note to do a bit of research before making a rental. Such a lose is a horrific tragedy -- there's really no place to just enjoy the window dressing, you know -- and a faithful reader put me in touch with an idea to kinda/sorta feature new and/or obscure titles in their own posts. It would promote a bit of genre literacy, and it would maybe just give readers the chance to know a bit more about films that would otherwise vanish into obscruity ... something I've always thought a tragedy.
I'll let you know what I do with it in the days ahead.
In the meantime ... thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
I’ve often suggested that the greatest asset of making a traditional Horror movie is that there’s an existing formula that – if followed correctly – practically guarantees a modest measure of success.
Now … the truth here is that Hollywood does like to vary its formulas to some degree, but an awful lot of storytellers stick fairly close to what they’ve seen work best and with modest investment. The story must have a relative amount of suspense – a creeping tension that elevates even the slowest scenes. Despite having a fantastic premise, the production should rely on some graphic realism: if limbs are going to be wrenched from bodies, then it should look about as authentic as effects people can supply. Of course, it should go without saying that the entire affair should understandably dabble in gore, even if that means that buckets and buckets of (faux) blood be waiting in the wings to drench any and all players when the time is right. And if there’s a monster? Well, then that creature should be deployed sparingly: overdoing that screen time tends to dilute the mystery surrounding who or what they are, and – if not enough money has been spent on crafting a screenworthy opponent – the entire house of cards might fall apart at the worst possible moment.
So … an early 1980’s monster movie like The Boogens does, realistically, stick pretty close to that original blueprint. It keeps the scale small, setting all of the action in some sleepy little burg called Silver City, Colorado. In this backwater town, a crack construction team working to re-open a silver mine shuttered decades before inadvertently release a little ‘something something’ that’s been sealed up for ages; and the long and short of this reemergence is that these things are, characteristically, hungry. They’ll stop at nothing to clean their plates of just about every man, woman, child, and dog in the vicinity unless someone can bring it all to the necessary close before dinner is served.
The short of it all? Well, The Boogens is a bit light in substance, feeling like something a bit too often on the kiddie menu.
The long of it? Well, you’ll get that after my customary qualifier.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Now … the truth here is that Hollywood does like to vary its formulas to some degree, but an awful lot of storytellers stick fairly close to what they’ve seen work best and with modest investment. The story must have a relative amount of suspense – a creeping tension that elevates even the slowest scenes. Despite having a fantastic premise, the production should rely on some graphic realism: if limbs are going to be wrenched from bodies, then it should look about as authentic as effects people can supply. Of course, it should go without saying that the entire affair should understandably dabble in gore, even if that means that buckets and buckets of (faux) blood be waiting in the wings to drench any and all players when the time is right. And if there’s a monster? Well, then that creature should be deployed sparingly: overdoing that screen time tends to dilute the mystery surrounding who or what they are, and – if not enough money has been spent on crafting a screenworthy opponent – the entire house of cards might fall apart at the worst possible moment.
So … an early 1980’s monster movie like The Boogens does, realistically, stick pretty close to that original blueprint. It keeps the scale small, setting all of the action in some sleepy little burg called Silver City, Colorado. In this backwater town, a crack construction team working to re-open a silver mine shuttered decades before inadvertently release a little ‘something something’ that’s been sealed up for ages; and the long and short of this reemergence is that these things are, characteristically, hungry. They’ll stop at nothing to clean their plates of just about every man, woman, child, and dog in the vicinity unless someone can bring it all to the necessary close before dinner is served.
The short of it all? Well, The Boogens is a bit light in substance, feeling like something a bit too often on the kiddie menu.
The long of it? Well, you’ll get that after my customary qualifier.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Otherworldly creatures are released from the bootleg tunnels underneath a small-town mining community and begin chomping on the locals.”
Regular readers to SciFiHistory.Net know all too well that I’m exceptionally fond of the traditional monster movie, and The Boogens is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about. There’s a critter – actually, there’s presumably a whole subterranean civilization of them though we’re only shown a few – near the film’s beating heart; and said critter meets nearly all the qualifications that makes for a seminal carnivore.
What’s missing?
Well, the best monster movies invoke a degree of sympathy for these bloodthirsty things that never asked to be born, never asked to be unleashed, and never asked to possess an insatiable appetite. Functionally, that’s nowhere to be seen in the production, so … yeah … this outing from genre director James L. Conway and screenwriters David O’Malley and Jim Kouf veers into more traditional and simpler territory than it could’ve. When even a throwaway element – something as innocuous as greater hints to just how and why these buggers were born, bred, and evolved – is nowhere in sight, the film feels more like a slasher-gone-monsterific instead of something that could stand shoulder to bloody shoulder alongside King Kong, the Wolfman, or even the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
To make matters worse, the Boogens really aren’t even all that photogenic, nor does their anatomy make much sense.
At times, the beasts are depicted as something akin to crawling octopi, using their long, claw-tipped tentacles to do whatever nasties they like. When we finally see one kinda/sorta emerge in the shadows of a cabin’s basement, they’re a bit more reptilian – small, stout bodies with big round heads and massive bulging eyes – and it begs the question: where the Hell do those tentacles come from, and why do we see more of them than we ever do a complete Boogen?
I suspect this is because whatever creature was imagined dwelling beneath our fragile Earth never really had a full design. Instead, the Boogen was conceived to be whatever was necessary to carry the tension and set up for the kill in each time and place one was needed. (Mind you: without spoiling the particulars, most victims are simply clutched by a tentacle and dragged off into the shadows and a dark fate, and we’re shown very little more.) Consequently, the manufacturer had to prepare for just about any eventuality, and this cheapens what could’ve otherwise been a great first chapter in a franchise practically crying out for invention.
“Otherworldly creatures are released from the bootleg tunnels underneath a small-town mining community and begin chomping on the locals.”
Regular readers to SciFiHistory.Net know all too well that I’m exceptionally fond of the traditional monster movie, and The Boogens is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about. There’s a critter – actually, there’s presumably a whole subterranean civilization of them though we’re only shown a few – near the film’s beating heart; and said critter meets nearly all the qualifications that makes for a seminal carnivore.
What’s missing?
Well, the best monster movies invoke a degree of sympathy for these bloodthirsty things that never asked to be born, never asked to be unleashed, and never asked to possess an insatiable appetite. Functionally, that’s nowhere to be seen in the production, so … yeah … this outing from genre director James L. Conway and screenwriters David O’Malley and Jim Kouf veers into more traditional and simpler territory than it could’ve. When even a throwaway element – something as innocuous as greater hints to just how and why these buggers were born, bred, and evolved – is nowhere in sight, the film feels more like a slasher-gone-monsterific instead of something that could stand shoulder to bloody shoulder alongside King Kong, the Wolfman, or even the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
To make matters worse, the Boogens really aren’t even all that photogenic, nor does their anatomy make much sense.
At times, the beasts are depicted as something akin to crawling octopi, using their long, claw-tipped tentacles to do whatever nasties they like. When we finally see one kinda/sorta emerge in the shadows of a cabin’s basement, they’re a bit more reptilian – small, stout bodies with big round heads and massive bulging eyes – and it begs the question: where the Hell do those tentacles come from, and why do we see more of them than we ever do a complete Boogen?
I suspect this is because whatever creature was imagined dwelling beneath our fragile Earth never really had a full design. Instead, the Boogen was conceived to be whatever was necessary to carry the tension and set up for the kill in each time and place one was needed. (Mind you: without spoiling the particulars, most victims are simply clutched by a tentacle and dragged off into the shadows and a dark fate, and we’re shown very little more.) Consequently, the manufacturer had to prepare for just about any eventuality, and this cheapens what could’ve otherwise been a great first chapter in a franchise practically crying out for invention.
Now, I’m not complaining about Conway’s techniques here because – on that level – The Boogens works quite well. As I mentioned above, there’s a formula to all of this madness – along with the usual degree of tropes expected no matter how good or bad a flick is – and the director scores well with moving camera takes, effective set-ups and resolutions, and even the appearance of enough blood and/or guts to suggest something grander transpired. A cheaper or less talented director might’ve relied on gratuitousness, but Conway and friends packed this production with ample nuance. I do wish, ultimately, that there were more Boogens to consider, if for no other reason that I happen to like monsters.
Furthermore, the production benefits from a solid cast. While it may not contain any box office draws from the era, this ensemble definitely brought some impressive skills even to some small screen time, and the picture feels as though it was a labor of love by all participants. The always fetching Rebecca Balding as ‘Trish Michaels’ makes for a smart leading lady; brought along initially as a second wheel by her gal pal ‘Jessica Ford’ (the equally perky Anne-Marie Martin), she winds up front-and-center once the narrative turns into an investigation about what may’ve gone done in the abandoned mine years ago. While it doesn’t become her story solely, Trish shares the limelight with ‘Mark Kinner,’ an eventually love interest that develops nicely as a serviceable subplot.
Still, it’s hard to overcome the disadvantage of implementing a somewhat non-sinister demon as the film’s antagonist. No amount of good work can replace some inferior designs, and I suppose that’s probably why The Boogens has largely disappeared from the cinematic landscape.
The Boogens (1981) was produced by Taft International Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Kino Lorber. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds to this reported brand new HD Master (from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative) to be quite good in most places, but there were a few sequences that look a bit washed out. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts two audio commentaries along with a featurette exploring the work of William Munns, the effects specialist who created the film’s central creatures.
Alas … only mildly recommended.
My fondness for monster movies has been known to get the best of me, but The Boogens (1981) just underwhelms more often than it excels. While I’ll concede that the flick adheres to the method previous Horrors both explored and achieved, this one falls flat with the – cough cough – big creature reveal, a suitably goo-covered critter still too nebulous and poorly lit for audiences to fully appreciate. It’s a somewhat obvious invention, one so obvious I found it hard to ratchet up the vicarious chills the onscreen spills were supposed to produce. The film’s saving grace is the fact that it efficiently delivers on most of its expectations, making it an interesting 90-minute ride but probably not a repeat … well, except for those wanting to ogle Ms. Martin in a towel or Ms. Balding’s naked butt. Unexpected high points, indeed.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Boogens (1981) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Furthermore, the production benefits from a solid cast. While it may not contain any box office draws from the era, this ensemble definitely brought some impressive skills even to some small screen time, and the picture feels as though it was a labor of love by all participants. The always fetching Rebecca Balding as ‘Trish Michaels’ makes for a smart leading lady; brought along initially as a second wheel by her gal pal ‘Jessica Ford’ (the equally perky Anne-Marie Martin), she winds up front-and-center once the narrative turns into an investigation about what may’ve gone done in the abandoned mine years ago. While it doesn’t become her story solely, Trish shares the limelight with ‘Mark Kinner,’ an eventually love interest that develops nicely as a serviceable subplot.
Still, it’s hard to overcome the disadvantage of implementing a somewhat non-sinister demon as the film’s antagonist. No amount of good work can replace some inferior designs, and I suppose that’s probably why The Boogens has largely disappeared from the cinematic landscape.
The Boogens (1981) was produced by Taft International Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Kino Lorber. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds to this reported brand new HD Master (from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative) to be quite good in most places, but there were a few sequences that look a bit washed out. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts two audio commentaries along with a featurette exploring the work of William Munns, the effects specialist who created the film’s central creatures.
Alas … only mildly recommended.
My fondness for monster movies has been known to get the best of me, but The Boogens (1981) just underwhelms more often than it excels. While I’ll concede that the flick adheres to the method previous Horrors both explored and achieved, this one falls flat with the – cough cough – big creature reveal, a suitably goo-covered critter still too nebulous and poorly lit for audiences to fully appreciate. It’s a somewhat obvious invention, one so obvious I found it hard to ratchet up the vicarious chills the onscreen spills were supposed to produce. The film’s saving grace is the fact that it efficiently delivers on most of its expectations, making it an interesting 90-minute ride but probably not a repeat … well, except for those wanting to ogle Ms. Martin in a towel or Ms. Balding’s naked butt. Unexpected high points, indeed.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Boogens (1981) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
Good morning, gentle readers ... and welcome to March!
Really? Already?
I know, I know, I know. You're very aware -- as am I -- of what they say: "Time flies ..." And, of course, that's never been truer than when you're having fun. I realize each and every one of you stop by SciFiHistory.Net each more for a daily dose of fun-filled trivia, so it should go without saying that, yes, you and I are jointly experiencing that phenomenon of 'time flying' with each and every stop. Don't fret: this is what life is. I just hope that we manage to pack it in with as many great memories as we can on this voyage. That's truly the best we can hope for.
Thankfully, Friday is a bit of a day-off for me here at SciFiHistory.Net, so far as my volunteer extras are worth. As I've mentioned consistently, this has been a super-busy week for me, and now I have a morning wherein I can kick back just a bit to allow things to occur far more organically. Though I'll be back at the grind tomorrow, today is a welcome slow spot, giving me the chance to refresh. I slept in -- needed it, as I had a bit of insomnia overnight -- but here I am, ready and willing to give you my customary quick glance at what I find particularly important from the anals of genre history.
So ... if you're paying attention ... let's get into it.
Really? Already?
I know, I know, I know. You're very aware -- as am I -- of what they say: "Time flies ..." And, of course, that's never been truer than when you're having fun. I realize each and every one of you stop by SciFiHistory.Net each more for a daily dose of fun-filled trivia, so it should go without saying that, yes, you and I are jointly experiencing that phenomenon of 'time flying' with each and every stop. Don't fret: this is what life is. I just hope that we manage to pack it in with as many great memories as we can on this voyage. That's truly the best we can hope for.
Thankfully, Friday is a bit of a day-off for me here at SciFiHistory.Net, so far as my volunteer extras are worth. As I've mentioned consistently, this has been a super-busy week for me, and now I have a morning wherein I can kick back just a bit to allow things to occur far more organically. Though I'll be back at the grind tomorrow, today is a welcome slow spot, giving me the chance to refresh. I slept in -- needed it, as I had a bit of insomnia overnight -- but here I am, ready and willing to give you my customary quick glance at what I find particularly important from the anals of genre history.
So ... if you're paying attention ... let's get into it.
I can hear the complainers already: "But, but, but ... the remade Battlestar Galactica was more socially relevant for our times!"
Look, kids, that well may be the truth, but for those of us who really show up to star sagas more for the heroism, few things even got close to the original Galactica. Yes, I say that fully well knowing that the show truly suffered under the weight of being a weekly TV serial -- which to a degree shows that you can't quite deliver the Star Wars style formula successfully with each episodic installment -- but that doesn't change the fact that Glen Larson and company really gave it an admirable go ... so buckle up for me saying that I preferred the original 'Starbuck' over your socially relevant nonsense.
Hey: diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. That's all this is.
Dirk Benedict was a space explorin' pioneer. He wasn't Captain Kirk. He didn't have a crew. At best, he had a few friends. But what he had was that irreplaceable swagger needed to be one of those grand cowboys in space. He gave the character the necessary edges to show that he wasn't as crisp and clean as his contemporaries but could still be counted on to come blazing to the rescue in the midst of any firefight. He and Apollo were a great team, and the show benefitted greatly from their shared macho charm.
Happy birthday, Mr. Benedict. And thank you for making that trip to the stars so very much worth it.
Look, kids, that well may be the truth, but for those of us who really show up to star sagas more for the heroism, few things even got close to the original Galactica. Yes, I say that fully well knowing that the show truly suffered under the weight of being a weekly TV serial -- which to a degree shows that you can't quite deliver the Star Wars style formula successfully with each episodic installment -- but that doesn't change the fact that Glen Larson and company really gave it an admirable go ... so buckle up for me saying that I preferred the original 'Starbuck' over your socially relevant nonsense.
Hey: diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. That's all this is.
Dirk Benedict was a space explorin' pioneer. He wasn't Captain Kirk. He didn't have a crew. At best, he had a few friends. But what he had was that irreplaceable swagger needed to be one of those grand cowboys in space. He gave the character the necessary edges to show that he wasn't as crisp and clean as his contemporaries but could still be counted on to come blazing to the rescue in the midst of any firefight. He and Apollo were a great team, and the show benefitted greatly from their shared macho charm.
Happy birthday, Mr. Benedict. And thank you for making that trip to the stars so very much worth it.
Zack Snyder.
His name provokes probably as much love and respect as it does hate and loathing ... and, frankly, I've never quite understood why.
Without going into that whole pool of murk, I'll still willing to admit that I'm a fan of his particular theatrical finesse. Yes, yes, and yes: there may be sequences here and there that feel derivative -- sometimes even of his own work -- but no one ever said that all of Hollywood is original. In fact, it should go without saying that a great deal of what makes it to screens big and small is functionally derivative of some of what came before. Still, I'll always argue that Snyder has delivered some of the best visuals in the field of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror whenever he's been tasked with doing so.
And ... for the record? Zack Snyder's Justice League remains one of the single greatest SUPERHERO films in all of filmdom.
Yes. I said it.
Feel free to disagree. That's what life is.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Snyder. You've got a fan in me ... maybe 70-80% of the time.
His name provokes probably as much love and respect as it does hate and loathing ... and, frankly, I've never quite understood why.
Without going into that whole pool of murk, I'll still willing to admit that I'm a fan of his particular theatrical finesse. Yes, yes, and yes: there may be sequences here and there that feel derivative -- sometimes even of his own work -- but no one ever said that all of Hollywood is original. In fact, it should go without saying that a great deal of what makes it to screens big and small is functionally derivative of some of what came before. Still, I'll always argue that Snyder has delivered some of the best visuals in the field of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror whenever he's been tasked with doing so.
And ... for the record? Zack Snyder's Justice League remains one of the single greatest SUPERHERO films in all of filmdom.
Yes. I said it.
Feel free to disagree. That's what life is.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Snyder. You've got a fan in me ... maybe 70-80% of the time.
For folks who may've missed this ... no. I'm not a huge Supernatural fan. I didn't catch the show during its original run on television. In fact, I recall watching the first few episodes and then tuning out because I just didn't feel it was for me. (I won't belabor you with my ongoing issues with TV-grade Horror.) But ... maybe halfway through the show's run ... the wifey discovered it, and so we picked up the few first seasons budget-priced on DVD, slowly making our way through it mostly for casual viewing.
While I think she liked it far more than I did, I still found a great deal of entertainment from the show. It was exceedingly well-made and well-performed, even when some of the Fantasy elements were a bit campy. What truly elevated the show to the mythological heights -- in my humble opinion -- was the relationship of the Winchester brothers, one of which who was played by Jensen Ackles who turns one year older and one year wiser today.
Because we loved the work of the leads, we did hang with it all the way til its bittersweet ending. And like so many I think we were torn with the finale. Sure, it was well-written, and I think it had its good and bad points. Still, I would have rather seen both brothers S-U-R-V-I-V-E as I think the studio truly missed what could've been a greater opportunity to do like shows of Star Trek did before, that be in taking a brief respite and then launch a film franchise. The economics of Horror flicks being what they are, it could've produced a very affordable and yet highly profitable adventure, allowing fans to continue coming to the intellectual property for decades ahead. But ... as it stands?
Well ... it's over. And, yes, that's sad.
Still ... the warmest birthday wishes possible are extended to Mr. Ackles. He's a great talent, and we certainly wish him all the best.
While I think she liked it far more than I did, I still found a great deal of entertainment from the show. It was exceedingly well-made and well-performed, even when some of the Fantasy elements were a bit campy. What truly elevated the show to the mythological heights -- in my humble opinion -- was the relationship of the Winchester brothers, one of which who was played by Jensen Ackles who turns one year older and one year wiser today.
Because we loved the work of the leads, we did hang with it all the way til its bittersweet ending. And like so many I think we were torn with the finale. Sure, it was well-written, and I think it had its good and bad points. Still, I would have rather seen both brothers S-U-R-V-I-V-E as I think the studio truly missed what could've been a greater opportunity to do like shows of Star Trek did before, that be in taking a brief respite and then launch a film franchise. The economics of Horror flicks being what they are, it could've produced a very affordable and yet highly profitable adventure, allowing fans to continue coming to the intellectual property for decades ahead. But ... as it stands?
Well ... it's over. And, yes, that's sad.
Still ... the warmest birthday wishes possible are extended to Mr. Ackles. He's a great talent, and we certainly wish him all the best.
Just like ever, we've reached the end of this shared journey, peeps, and this is the time wherein I remind you that it doesn't really have to end here. There's more -- at 72 trivia topics, that's a great haul -- and you're all encouraged to head on over to the Daily Citation Page for March 1st, 2024 to continue your deep dive. You know what I mean? Continue this 'Make Your Own Adventure' journey and check all of it out. It's what you really want to do.
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you (even more) for sharing ... thank you (even even more) for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to -- yes, yes, and yes -- the rarest of days ... Leap Day ... otherwise known as February 29, 2024.
How's your Leap Day shaping up, hmm? Here's hoping that you're taking this extra day in stride for that's precisely how our galactic overlord intended it ... it's a little 'something something' extra that you'll not see again for a few years.
Get it done, people. Get it done. Especially while you've got an extra day.
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm very very very busy with some extra curriculars this week, helping to prepare some extraordinarily talented high schoolers for an incredible competition this weekend. At this stage of the game, it's really all about fine tuning ... and anyone who has done a fair share of fine-tuning will tell you that it takes an extra bit of effort. In fact, fine-tuning is the kind of thing that uses probably the greatest amount of muscles -- physical and creative -- so it can be very taxing. As exhausted as I am from it, I just remind myself that they're working vastly harder than I am at all of this, so I'll happily persevere alongside them.
Still, I gotta be honest: because this is a day that comes along once in a Blue Moon, it has been an uphill struggle to get as many trivia citations as I'd love to have in there. In fact, I just hit 50 citations this morning, meaning it's taken the better part of ten freaking years to come up with 50 that I felt deserving on the appropriate inclusion ... and that's saying something. While I do have a few more in my archives, I'll likely spend the rest of my free time today hunting for a bit more. I always like to have items on tap for next year, and -- as you might imagine -- that, too, takes some extra digging. So after I finish this post, then I'm off ... until I have to race back to school later today.
How's your Leap Day shaping up, hmm? Here's hoping that you're taking this extra day in stride for that's precisely how our galactic overlord intended it ... it's a little 'something something' extra that you'll not see again for a few years.
Get it done, people. Get it done. Especially while you've got an extra day.
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm very very very busy with some extra curriculars this week, helping to prepare some extraordinarily talented high schoolers for an incredible competition this weekend. At this stage of the game, it's really all about fine tuning ... and anyone who has done a fair share of fine-tuning will tell you that it takes an extra bit of effort. In fact, fine-tuning is the kind of thing that uses probably the greatest amount of muscles -- physical and creative -- so it can be very taxing. As exhausted as I am from it, I just remind myself that they're working vastly harder than I am at all of this, so I'll happily persevere alongside them.
Still, I gotta be honest: because this is a day that comes along once in a Blue Moon, it has been an uphill struggle to get as many trivia citations as I'd love to have in there. In fact, I just hit 50 citations this morning, meaning it's taken the better part of ten freaking years to come up with 50 that I felt deserving on the appropriate inclusion ... and that's saying something. While I do have a few more in my archives, I'll likely spend the rest of my free time today hunting for a bit more. I always like to have items on tap for next year, and -- as you might imagine -- that, too, takes some extra digging. So after I finish this post, then I'm off ... until I have to race back to school later today.
Now ... in all fairness, The Ninth Configuration isn't authentically Horror.
Don't get me wrong. As a film -- one written and directed by William Peter Blatty (he of The Exorcist fame) -- it definitely veers into like-minded territory. But on the face of it Configuration is far more of a dark, dark, dark drama that dabbles with some scenes and ideas that encroach upon Horror themes. It ain't a scary picture, and yet it has a reasonably scary idea for those of us who appreciate genre efforts.
While I'll not go into the full synopsis, the basic premise of the flick that there's this distant kinda/sorta insanity asylum wherein the military's true 'most disturbed' go for care and treatment. The big and short of it is that there's a change in management at the same time that a new inmate or two are welcomed into the facility; and -- without spoiling it -- let's just say that they might've mixed up just who is who. That's all I'll say, mostly because I think it would be entirely unfair to spoil such a significant twist to its ending; but for of us who've seen and were watching closely might've questioned what was transpiring anyway.
Yes, yes, and yes: you can check out the full synopsis on IMDB.com or elsewhere, and they might give you a bit of extra fluff involving why this dabbles with Horror. My point in sidestepping that is I'm not entirely certain the Horror bits are strong enough to warrant the flick's inclusion as widely as it has been in the genre, but -- hey -- that's just my opinion. The Ninth Configuration is still a damn good picture -- one exceedingly well-scripted and performed -- and it gets a solid thumbs up from me. If you haven't seen it, then consider checking it out.
Just be forewarned: it's a bit ... different.
It was first released on this day back in 1980.
Don't get me wrong. As a film -- one written and directed by William Peter Blatty (he of The Exorcist fame) -- it definitely veers into like-minded territory. But on the face of it Configuration is far more of a dark, dark, dark drama that dabbles with some scenes and ideas that encroach upon Horror themes. It ain't a scary picture, and yet it has a reasonably scary idea for those of us who appreciate genre efforts.
While I'll not go into the full synopsis, the basic premise of the flick that there's this distant kinda/sorta insanity asylum wherein the military's true 'most disturbed' go for care and treatment. The big and short of it is that there's a change in management at the same time that a new inmate or two are welcomed into the facility; and -- without spoiling it -- let's just say that they might've mixed up just who is who. That's all I'll say, mostly because I think it would be entirely unfair to spoil such a significant twist to its ending; but for of us who've seen and were watching closely might've questioned what was transpiring anyway.
Yes, yes, and yes: you can check out the full synopsis on IMDB.com or elsewhere, and they might give you a bit of extra fluff involving why this dabbles with Horror. My point in sidestepping that is I'm not entirely certain the Horror bits are strong enough to warrant the flick's inclusion as widely as it has been in the genre, but -- hey -- that's just my opinion. The Ninth Configuration is still a damn good picture -- one exceedingly well-scripted and performed -- and it gets a solid thumbs up from me. If you haven't seen it, then consider checking it out.
Just be forewarned: it's a bit ... different.
It was first released on this day back in 1980.
There's more ... again, not as much as I'd like ... but that's not going to deter me from encouraging each and every one of you from heading on over to that space and checking it out. I think you'll still be pleasantly surprised.
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Good afternoon, gentle readers, and welcome to February 28, 2024 ... or -- as I like to call it -- On This Day In Science Fiction History!
Yes, yes, and yes: I realize not every single citation on the Daily Citation Page for February 28th isn't exactly Science Fiction, but it goes without saying that without SciFi we might not have Fantasy ... and without Fantasy we might not have Horror ... so you take it or leave it, my good folks, that's what I'm sticking with!
Otherwise ... how's your day shaping up?
Mine is going pretty good. As I think I've mentioned, I'm a bit busy this week elsewhere, so these MainPage posts are going to be reasonably infrequent as compared to other times of year. I'm wrapped up in helping some great talent achieve their own impossible dreams this season, and -- as a consequence -- I have to play a little 'give-and-take' with this space. Mind you: SciFiHistory.Net is always on my mind. That will likely never change. But like each of you I have to come and go with the tide during parts of the year, and this is a busy time. I know, I know, I know: you understand. But I felt it necessary to add a few words for posterity's sake.
Yes, yes, and yes: I realize not every single citation on the Daily Citation Page for February 28th isn't exactly Science Fiction, but it goes without saying that without SciFi we might not have Fantasy ... and without Fantasy we might not have Horror ... so you take it or leave it, my good folks, that's what I'm sticking with!
Otherwise ... how's your day shaping up?
Mine is going pretty good. As I think I've mentioned, I'm a bit busy this week elsewhere, so these MainPage posts are going to be reasonably infrequent as compared to other times of year. I'm wrapped up in helping some great talent achieve their own impossible dreams this season, and -- as a consequence -- I have to play a little 'give-and-take' with this space. Mind you: SciFiHistory.Net is always on my mind. That will likely never change. But like each of you I have to come and go with the tide during parts of the year, and this is a busy time. I know, I know, I know: you understand. But I felt it necessary to add a few words for posterity's sake.
Wowza! That Ali Larter? She's certainly a sight to behold, am I right?
Well, she's definitely a lady who has some serious talent, and -- along her way through the entertainment business -- she's definitely made a lasting impression on those of us who worship at the altar of All Things Genre. She burst onto the scene with a pretty commanding role aboard NBC's Heroes -- a weekly procedural that truly lost its way fairly quickly when it seemed like series' creator Tim Kring had no functioning game plan for how it could evolve beyond the first season. But that's not her only contribution to the realms of the Fantastic, and the rough-and-tumble lady can be seen in some solid installments of the Resident Evil franchise of flicks. (I know, I know, I know ... they're not all that great, but her contributions aren't predicated on whether or not there's a good script. Rent still has to be paid, folks.)
Since those happier days on screen big and small, Larter has largely settled into the acting gig pretty well. While it's safe to suggest that she hasn't had a ton of genre work since, I, for one, am hoping that it's only a matter of time before we see her again going boldly where few have gone before. Hers is the kind of presence that just makes things better, and we can always use a bit more of that when series and movies fill up the pipeline.
In the meantime ... Happy birthday, milady!
Well, she's definitely a lady who has some serious talent, and -- along her way through the entertainment business -- she's definitely made a lasting impression on those of us who worship at the altar of All Things Genre. She burst onto the scene with a pretty commanding role aboard NBC's Heroes -- a weekly procedural that truly lost its way fairly quickly when it seemed like series' creator Tim Kring had no functioning game plan for how it could evolve beyond the first season. But that's not her only contribution to the realms of the Fantastic, and the rough-and-tumble lady can be seen in some solid installments of the Resident Evil franchise of flicks. (I know, I know, I know ... they're not all that great, but her contributions aren't predicated on whether or not there's a good script. Rent still has to be paid, folks.)
Since those happier days on screen big and small, Larter has largely settled into the acting gig pretty well. While it's safe to suggest that she hasn't had a ton of genre work since, I, for one, am hoping that it's only a matter of time before we see her again going boldly where few have gone before. Hers is the kind of presence that just makes things better, and we can always use a bit more of that when series and movies fill up the pipeline.
In the meantime ... Happy birthday, milady!
Released on this day in 1992, John Carpenters' Comedy/Horror Memoirs Of An Invisible Man was an uneven effort, at best. Though it seems to strike a positive chord with some in the entertainment press back in the day, I don't recall it exactly being a bit hit at the box office. I do believe that it probably had a better life on home video -- so many of those late 80's and early 90's flicks that came-and-went pretty fast from theaters did come into the black once they were available on VHS -- but, frankly, I'll admit to being more than a tad disappointed with the effort.
To be fair, I know that the feature did earn some really positive attention from the Saturn Awards (which are sponsored by the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror Films). The picture was nominated in four categories -- 'Best Special Effects,' 'Best Supporting Actor,' 'Best Actor,' and 'Best Science Fiction Film' -- and, yet, I'd argue that such praise was more likely doled out because of Carpenters' participation of the entire project. He still had a lot of sway in the industry at that time, and I'd argue a lot of goodwill rolled downhill onto those he put to good use in an otherwise middling affair. Daryl Hannah -- as the love interest -- was good, but, again, I'd find it hard to point to any truly groundbreaking work from any of the onscreen talent.
Some quick reading on Google.com suggests that Memoirs was neither a critical or commercial success, so I could be misremembering things slightly. Again, I recall seeing it on the silver screen and being mostly unimpressed, but I've always admitted my taste in humor and what mainstream gravitates toward rarely coincide. Whatever the case, let's be happy that the invisibility craze continues to ignite the imaginations of storytellers as that's fundamentally what always matters to genre enthusiasts.
To be fair, I know that the feature did earn some really positive attention from the Saturn Awards (which are sponsored by the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror Films). The picture was nominated in four categories -- 'Best Special Effects,' 'Best Supporting Actor,' 'Best Actor,' and 'Best Science Fiction Film' -- and, yet, I'd argue that such praise was more likely doled out because of Carpenters' participation of the entire project. He still had a lot of sway in the industry at that time, and I'd argue a lot of goodwill rolled downhill onto those he put to good use in an otherwise middling affair. Daryl Hannah -- as the love interest -- was good, but, again, I'd find it hard to point to any truly groundbreaking work from any of the onscreen talent.
Some quick reading on Google.com suggests that Memoirs was neither a critical or commercial success, so I could be misremembering things slightly. Again, I recall seeing it on the silver screen and being mostly unimpressed, but I've always admitted my taste in humor and what mainstream gravitates toward rarely coincide. Whatever the case, let's be happy that the invisibility craze continues to ignite the imaginations of storytellers as that's fundamentally what always matters to genre enthusiasts.
"Is that all there is?" you ask.
Why, at this point, folks, you should know that there's always more. I've done the heavy lifting so that you can enjoy taking it easy and breezy, floating through the highs and lows of genre-specific trivia each day. There's likely something in there for everyone, and this is where I encourage all of you to head on over and check it out ...
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Good afternoon, gentle readers, and welcome to February 27, 2024!
How's your Tuesday shaping up for you?
Mine? Why, it's grand, I tell you! Grand!
Now, folks, a little behind-the-scenes info today: Weebly.com ain't exactly playing nice, if you know what I mean. For the last two days, I've had some curious issues with the site hosting company, some of which points to technical issues with the user interface. As an example, I find myself typing posts and properly saving them ... only, lo and behold, when I come back to actually activate the posts live on the MainPage they're showing up curiously empty of any text. So ... disappearing ink? As a consequence, I'm taking things a bit slowly today -- you won't believe the blood boiling in my veins yesterday as about twenty minutes of typing just vanished into the G.D. aether -- so updates might be slim and far between today. I'm having to save content to Microsoft Word files for backup purposes, and -- as you can imagine as well -- that takes a bit of time and slows me down a wee bit.
Thus far this morning, it would appear to be working properly ... but it was working "properly" yesterday until the point arrived wherein it wasn't. Call me cynical, but it's downright frustrating.
However, don't let that information trouble you. I just wanted to give an update for those who do show up each morning expecting some new content. It'll all get up there ... I'm just taking some extra steps to insure that I'm covered in case the weblords eat it all on their own.
How's your Tuesday shaping up for you?
Mine? Why, it's grand, I tell you! Grand!
Now, folks, a little behind-the-scenes info today: Weebly.com ain't exactly playing nice, if you know what I mean. For the last two days, I've had some curious issues with the site hosting company, some of which points to technical issues with the user interface. As an example, I find myself typing posts and properly saving them ... only, lo and behold, when I come back to actually activate the posts live on the MainPage they're showing up curiously empty of any text. So ... disappearing ink? As a consequence, I'm taking things a bit slowly today -- you won't believe the blood boiling in my veins yesterday as about twenty minutes of typing just vanished into the G.D. aether -- so updates might be slim and far between today. I'm having to save content to Microsoft Word files for backup purposes, and -- as you can imagine as well -- that takes a bit of time and slows me down a wee bit.
Thus far this morning, it would appear to be working properly ... but it was working "properly" yesterday until the point arrived wherein it wasn't. Call me cynical, but it's downright frustrating.
However, don't let that information trouble you. I just wanted to give an update for those who do show up each morning expecting some new content. It'll all get up there ... I'm just taking some extra steps to insure that I'm covered in case the weblords eat it all on their own.
I've been told that I don't feature enough individual actors and actors in this humble space, and -- while I might concede that's true -- I'd like to think I do call attention to those who've truly earned their stripes in the realms of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Not every Tom, Dick, Harry, Marcia, Jan, and Cindy deserves (quite frankly) to get a bit of extra coverage, but I do make attempts to provide some balance when and if I think it's warranted.
That being the case ... how about that John Pyper-Ferguson, am I right?
This guy is an amazing, amazing talent that caught my eye back in the early 1990's when he turned up in a largely comic addition to Fox TV's single season serial The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr. His 'Pistol Pete' Hutter was a wonderful recurring bandit, and the guy had a somewhat unhealthy attachment to his six shooter. It was funny portrayal -- one that bordered on parody in just the right balance -- and it couldn't have been done by anyone other than Mr. Pyper-Ferguson.
Since those days, I think his work has been largely more dramatic in nature, and he's definitely turned up in an incredible number of shows, usually in small stints wherein a solid player had to do a bit more with the material given. His turn as a die-hard patriot Tex Nolan was one of the best roles written for TNT's Apocalypse/Drama The Last Ship, and it was equally heartbreaking to see him return after his character's death in a touching finale to the action show. For those of you who haven't seen that series? I'd encourage you to check it out. The last season kinda/sorta veers into questionable territory, but otherwise? Great entertainment.
That being the case ... how about that John Pyper-Ferguson, am I right?
This guy is an amazing, amazing talent that caught my eye back in the early 1990's when he turned up in a largely comic addition to Fox TV's single season serial The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr. His 'Pistol Pete' Hutter was a wonderful recurring bandit, and the guy had a somewhat unhealthy attachment to his six shooter. It was funny portrayal -- one that bordered on parody in just the right balance -- and it couldn't have been done by anyone other than Mr. Pyper-Ferguson.
Since those days, I think his work has been largely more dramatic in nature, and he's definitely turned up in an incredible number of shows, usually in small stints wherein a solid player had to do a bit more with the material given. His turn as a die-hard patriot Tex Nolan was one of the best roles written for TNT's Apocalypse/Drama The Last Ship, and it was equally heartbreaking to see him return after his character's death in a touching finale to the action show. For those of you who haven't seen that series? I'd encourage you to check it out. The last season kinda/sorta veers into questionable territory, but otherwise? Great entertainment.
There's more ... at 64 trivia items strong, there's a lot more ... and this is the point of the post wherein I encourage folks to head on over to the Daily Citation Page and perform your own deep dive. While there's a movie or two celebrating anniversaries today that might deserve a bit of extra coverage, I'll leave that to each of you to explore all on your own.
Most importantly, here's the link ...
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Folks, news reached the SciFiHistory.Net News Desk late yesterday regarding the passing of actor Kenneth Mitchell (1974-2024) from ALS.
While the actor may not be as well known for his work in genre as are others, I do recall him first coming onto my radar with his work aboard CBS's pretty interesting Apocalypse/Drama Jericho (2006-2008). For those of you who missed it (and, based on ratings alone, that may've been a good many of you), Jericho featured the residents of a small town in the heartland of America surviving against what appears to have been a near extinction-level event. When society begins to tatter and fray, these folks banded together to protect one another from the lawlessness and chaos. It lasted for thirty episodes -- it may've even had some life beyond the screen in a book or graphic novel format, though I'm unsure on that point -- and Mitchell was one of the talented players amongst the cast.
Thankfully, the man had other adventures in the realms of the Fantastic. His IMDB.com profile lists such projects as Odyssey 5, Meteor, Ghost Whisperer, Grimm, Tasmanian Devils (2013), Haven, Minority Report, Frequency, Captain Marvel (2019), Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Discovery amongst his resume ... and that's a very impressive run.
Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Kenneth Mitchell. May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
While the actor may not be as well known for his work in genre as are others, I do recall him first coming onto my radar with his work aboard CBS's pretty interesting Apocalypse/Drama Jericho (2006-2008). For those of you who missed it (and, based on ratings alone, that may've been a good many of you), Jericho featured the residents of a small town in the heartland of America surviving against what appears to have been a near extinction-level event. When society begins to tatter and fray, these folks banded together to protect one another from the lawlessness and chaos. It lasted for thirty episodes -- it may've even had some life beyond the screen in a book or graphic novel format, though I'm unsure on that point -- and Mitchell was one of the talented players amongst the cast.
Thankfully, the man had other adventures in the realms of the Fantastic. His IMDB.com profile lists such projects as Odyssey 5, Meteor, Ghost Whisperer, Grimm, Tasmanian Devils (2013), Haven, Minority Report, Frequency, Captain Marvel (2019), Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Discovery amongst his resume ... and that's a very impressive run.
Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Kenneth Mitchell. May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to Monday, February 26, 2024!
I know, I know, I know ... not so loud, am I right? It's Monday, for Pete's sake! Take it down a notch.
Well, yes, it is Monday, but it's yet one more great day to be alive, folks, and I think that's cause for celebration. Get up. Get out of bed. Get to it. Get to work. Buckle down. Make the most of it. You'll be a better person for it, no matter if you think otherwise.
Now, not a lot to report on the homefront this morning. It was a reasonably quiet weekend, so far as activities are concerned, but that doesn't mean I left anything out. I'm on the tail end of a sinus bug -- pretty much the same thing that seems to be going around out there -- and it definitely slowed me down just a tick. Meds helped -- along with a bit of extra sleep here and there -- so let's be thankful for that as well. I did manage to squeeze in a small handful of video screenings over the weekend, and I'm going to make my best attempt to get a few reviews up today. Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes on this space as I'll have plenty to say about them when the time is right.
Otherwise ... I think that's the most of the personal bits. Let's get down to the real business On This Day In Science Fiction History, shall we?
I know, I know, I know ... not so loud, am I right? It's Monday, for Pete's sake! Take it down a notch.
Well, yes, it is Monday, but it's yet one more great day to be alive, folks, and I think that's cause for celebration. Get up. Get out of bed. Get to it. Get to work. Buckle down. Make the most of it. You'll be a better person for it, no matter if you think otherwise.
Now, not a lot to report on the homefront this morning. It was a reasonably quiet weekend, so far as activities are concerned, but that doesn't mean I left anything out. I'm on the tail end of a sinus bug -- pretty much the same thing that seems to be going around out there -- and it definitely slowed me down just a tick. Meds helped -- along with a bit of extra sleep here and there -- so let's be thankful for that as well. I did manage to squeeze in a small handful of video screenings over the weekend, and I'm going to make my best attempt to get a few reviews up today. Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes on this space as I'll have plenty to say about them when the time is right.
Otherwise ... I think that's the most of the personal bits. Let's get down to the real business On This Day In Science Fiction History, shall we?
As the saying goes, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad, and you couldn't get any worse than the Walt Disney Company's adaptation of the much revered Fantasy Classic A Wrinkle In Time, a real piece of cinematic stinkery that was first unveiled on this day back in 2018.
This big budget miscalculation from the Mouse House gave an entire roster of A-list talent to have egg on their faces, and maybe -- just maybe -- such failures are needed from time-to-time to remind both the makers and the would-be watchers that it ain't as easy as pie assembling the usual fare. From what I can recall in the press, it might be safe to suggest that this was the first true D.E.I. attempt behind-the-scenes, and perhaps critical darling Ava DuVernay shouldn't have been the first choice to helm such a daunting adventure. Google.com estimates that the film lost Disney somewheres upwards of $130 million while tarnishing the screen reputations of Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Chris Pine along the way ... and one might think someone would've noticed what a disaster this was before it hit screens.
No, no, and no: yours truly has not seen it, so I cannot attest to any of the film's highs and lows, but I'll also admit I've no real desire to see it. Perhaps on some rainy day down the road I'll take it in for giggles' sake ... should I ever get that brave. If I do, then I'll be happy to share my thoughts on it. For now, these humble words will have to do.
This big budget miscalculation from the Mouse House gave an entire roster of A-list talent to have egg on their faces, and maybe -- just maybe -- such failures are needed from time-to-time to remind both the makers and the would-be watchers that it ain't as easy as pie assembling the usual fare. From what I can recall in the press, it might be safe to suggest that this was the first true D.E.I. attempt behind-the-scenes, and perhaps critical darling Ava DuVernay shouldn't have been the first choice to helm such a daunting adventure. Google.com estimates that the film lost Disney somewheres upwards of $130 million while tarnishing the screen reputations of Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Chris Pine along the way ... and one might think someone would've noticed what a disaster this was before it hit screens.
No, no, and no: yours truly has not seen it, so I cannot attest to any of the film's highs and lows, but I'll also admit I've no real desire to see it. Perhaps on some rainy day down the road I'll take it in for giggles' sake ... should I ever get that brave. If I do, then I'll be happy to share my thoughts on it. For now, these humble words will have to do.
Often, I have to remind readers that I don't often agree with the general consensus. No, no, and no: I don't disagree out of spite or any such tactic. But if I disagree, then I'm willing to back up my position with my impression of any certain project just to show my take is my own.
That said, 1984's Repo Man is another project that I don't quite understand the praise. While its story is an interesting idea and the film boasts an occasional good scene or a bit of good work, I just found it so plain that I couldn't quite get into its subversive vibe. I will admit that I haven't seen this one since the 1980's so maybe it's one I might reconsider at some point. I do recall thinking at the time that the concept was very cool and yet the film didn't quite seem to do much with it. I suppose some of my disappointment could be owed to my expecting something different -- especially with the premise of finding a dead alien body in a trunk -- but what do I know?
Also, I know it's a bit of SciFi satire, and I've personally found that doesn't always ring true for me. But it did have a solid cast, including Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, and Tracey Walter in prime shape, so let's always be thankful for small miracles. If it tickled your fancy, then that's great to hear! That's sometimes the best we can get in return to our time spent with any flick.
That said, 1984's Repo Man is another project that I don't quite understand the praise. While its story is an interesting idea and the film boasts an occasional good scene or a bit of good work, I just found it so plain that I couldn't quite get into its subversive vibe. I will admit that I haven't seen this one since the 1980's so maybe it's one I might reconsider at some point. I do recall thinking at the time that the concept was very cool and yet the film didn't quite seem to do much with it. I suppose some of my disappointment could be owed to my expecting something different -- especially with the premise of finding a dead alien body in a trunk -- but what do I know?
Also, I know it's a bit of SciFi satire, and I've personally found that doesn't always ring true for me. But it did have a solid cast, including Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, and Tracey Walter in prime shape, so let's always be thankful for small miracles. If it tickled your fancy, then that's great to hear! That's sometimes the best we can get in return to our time spent with any flick.
And here we are once again, kiddies, wherein we reach that part of the daily blog wherein I inform you that there's more -- there's a lot more, in fact -- awaiting your discovery. Each and every one of you are encouraged to head on over to the Daily Citation Page and search for that which warms your heart individually, as no one should ever be expected to settle just for my two cents. I'll give them anyway -- 'cause that's kinda/sorta my gig -- but to each his own when it comes to finding the good, the bad, and the ugly in each and every day of our shared existence.
With that, here it is ...
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ