2006: Paprika

Since I usually make a post for the assigned movies, here it is. I first saw Paprika in Dr. Steilings History of Comics and Graphics Novels class back when I was a freshman. We only watched 15 or 20 minutes, this of course meant I have to buy the movie since back then I only pirated music. I own Paprika and I watch it every one and a half years, maybe, as I do with the other movies I own.

I like Paprika. 

Narrative in Gaming

I don't particularly know where I want to take this discussion; as such, and in line with most of my other posts this will turn out to be somewhat of a mess.

Most games have a story; story being a sequence of events. Every game I play has a story, even Minecraft has a story. As for the games that I play or have played most if not all of them are not story driven, they were not made to be narrative based experiences. The Warcraft universe has a huge overarching story and tons of other stories that are told throughout the various Warcraft games and in the  novels; even when the latest expansion pack for World of Warcraft is trying to have a more narrative experience it still can't compare to games that do because it dones't need to. Compared to books or cinema that's one thing that makes games special is that the story isn't as important. Certainly it's important if you want the game world to have depth, but a game can get by being superficial if it's still fun to play.

Some games have narrative, assuming I know the difference between narrative and story. Game like Dear Esther, Journey, The Walking Dead, or anything else on the list of games I haven't played. However, just maybe, I've played a game that was a little heavier on the narrative compared to Minecraft? Let me think... Amnesia the Dark Descent is kind of narrative based, right? You might say, "Shawn, what about Dragon Age: Origins, or the Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Games? Those are narrative based and you've played them". Yes, but I didn't play them for the narrative, which is why I brought up Amnesia. 

What does Amnesia offer for gameplay? Walking, puzzels, reading letter, soiling your drawers. Compared to other games I've played, this game lets me use a greater percentage of my brain putting the story together since I don't have to worry about shooting anything. That might be my point. Although I never finished playing Amnesia so my perspective could be skewed.

Medium is the Massage

Initially I listened to the record mp3 of Medium is the Massage. This turned out to be just short of sensory overload, but that could be from my insistance on multi-tasking. I then read The Medium is the Massage an Inventory of Effects and skimmed over a few of the other provided texts.

To extend McLuhan pushes us is an obvious direction, towards the internet. A significant extension of self that didn't existis as we know it during his time. However, I know I'm not the only person who will come to this conclusion (also consider I've looked ahead to those who have posted before me). That being the case, I'd like to speak of the most infamous of imageboards -- 4chan.

The beauty of 4chan as a medium compared to other social networks, posts, threads, boards, and such is its levels of anonymity. Compared to sites like tumblr or reddit where you go by an alias, on 4chan you're only a number. The site is most know for the random board /b/. This is the (self-proclaimed) heart and soul of the internet, it might as well be considered a basement full of fat neck-bearded misogynistic homophobic racist white males with content that follows in suit. HOWEVER, the massage is determined by the medium and not the content. Since it's not about content I'm free to return to the topic of anonymity: because of the anonymous nature of the site, it is the most perfect extension of the human psyche.

Here is something I wasted to much time on that doesn't help illustrate my point. Behold:

A shot in the dark perhaps?

Lolita Response

"Why do you think I have ceased caring for you, Lo?" "Well, you haven't kissed me yet, have you?" Inly dying, inly moaning, I glimpsed a reasonably wide shoulder of road ahead, and bumped and wobbled into the weeds. Remember she is only a child, remember she is only —

This takes place shortly after Humbert picks up Dolores from the camp.

I collected roughly a bakers dozen of quotes while finishing Lolita. I say, “finishing”, but that refers to almost two thirds of the novel. Some I picked simply because I found them humorous, and while I would like to include them at the end of my response I could not use them because they held far too little relevance to the message of the story.

            Reading Lolita (granted that this is H.H.’s perspective and we are not to trust him) I see Dolores Haze as the dominant individual in the relationship. That power, she seized from Humbert through one of the three traditional means, sex. Assuming we can trust Hum, she initiates many of the cases of sensual and sexual interaction. As the story progresses and Hum becomes more and more paranoid and anxious Lo gains more and more power. While that passage doesn’t reflect it, Lo does also know the consequences of Humberts actions, and she knows the reality of the monster he is. However, it seems she uses that to joke and taunt Humbert; I think that would serve to back up my claims that she has a fair amount of control in the relationship.

            Humbert, in this passage and in the story as a whole knows full well the reality of what he is, Lo is, and the repercussions of his actions. Humbert is a weak man controlled almost completely by his sexual urges. Dolores is his idol, and she holds his leash is somewhat of an equal and opposite way to which he holds hers. Humbert does know full well what he is, and having to live that lie to its fullest with Lo strains him. This drives him further down a path of madness, anxiety and paranoia. At least further down that path than where he was when he met Lo.

            Perhaps reading Lolita’s topic was too easy for me, in that the subject matter was not as bothersome as the constructed social expectations would have them. It could be because I know this to be a work of fiction, and that I know the reality of some of these types of situations can be much worse. It could just be that I find it easy to look past things. If you ignore Humbert’s friendly reminders that he is a monster, then it’s almost easy to forget that he is a monster. I may be wrong to feel this way, but the thing that bothered me the most about Humber was his willingness to drug Lo and her mother. Shame on you Humbert, that’s just uncouth.

            Unfortunately it’s time to list off my collection of humorous quotes. There were many, but the shortest ones will fit nicely. Let’s begin shall we:

“Slowly her head turned away and dropped onto her unfair amount of pillow.”

I may have laughed out loud on this one.

“I was unbathed, unshaven, and had had no bowel movement.”

Humbert was still human, afterall.

“Oh, look, all the nines are changing into the next thousand.”

I remember the simple joy of when our family van hit the two hundred thousandth mile. Memories.

Radio, Superman: Clan of the Fiery Cross (1946)

Four hours of audio, one quarter of that is advisement for Kellogg's Pep Cereal and Grow-Pup dog food.
The entire story takes place over 16 episodes, each with two or three or one thousand advisement breaks.
With cereal receipts like The Pep Pyramid. There were two others but I don't remember them, and I care not to listen a second time to find out what they were. I am thoroughly sick of Pep Cereal adds.

Gatsby: The Screen Play, It's something.

FADE IN:

EXT. BUCHANAN RESIDENCE - AFTERNOON

Tom ushers Nick into a large room marked by open French windows on both ends. Inside sits a couch, upon is two young women.

TOM BUCHANAN, A STIRDY STRAW HAIRED MAN   AND WHAT SOME MAY CALL AN ASS.

Well, go inside.

INT. BUCHANAN RESIDENCE - AFTERNOON

DAISY BUCHANAN, A WHITE WELL TO DO LADY SITTING ON THE COUCH, LEGS CROSSED. LAUGHING EVERY SO SLIGHTLY AS SHE BEGINS SPEAKING.

I'm p-paralyzed with happiness.

DAISY, LAUGHS AGAIN PULLS NICK CLOSER MURMURING TO HIM AND MOTIONING WITH HER EYES TO THE WOMEN SITTING NET TO HER.

This is my good friend, Miss Baker.

NICK, LOOKS OVER MISS BAKER, BUT RETURNS HIS ATTENTION TO DAISY.

DAISY, RECLINES BACK ON THE COUCH.

Nick, pray tell, how was your trip here to the east?

NICK

As any should expect, although, I stopped in Chicago to spend time with some friends. They all wish you their love, Daisy.

DAISY, EXCITED, SMILING.

They do miss me then?

NICK

The whole town is desolate without you. All the cars have left the rear wheel painted black as a mourning wreath, and there's a persistent wail all nigh along the north shore.

TOM, HAVING CLOSED THE WINDOWS MEANDERS ABOUT THE ROOM.

DAISY, TURNING TO FACE TOM.

How gorgeous! Lets go back Tom. To-morrow!

DAISY, TURNING BACK TO NICK.

You ought to see the baby.

NICK

I'd like to.

DAISY

She's asleep now. she's three years old. Surely you've seen her before Nick?

NICK

No, never.

DAISY

Well, you ought to see her. She's-

TOM, RESTS HIS HAND ON NICKS SHOULDER AND INTERRUPTS DAISY.

What you doing, Nick?

NICK

I'm a bond man.

TOM

With who?

NICK

James, James Bonds. 

TOM, DISMISSING NICK.

Never heard of them.

NICK, SHAKEN BUT NOT STIRED BY TOMS RESPONSE.

You will, that is, if you stay in the East.

TOM, GLANCING AT DAISY THEN BACK TO NICK.

Oh, I'll stay in the East, don't you worry. I'd be a God damned fool to live anywhere else.

MISS BAKER, SUDDENLY INTERRUPTING.

Absolutely!

MISS BAKER, YAWNS AND STANDS UP.

I'm stiff, I've been lying on that sofa for as long as I can remember. 

DAISY

Don't look at me, I've been trying to get you to New York all afternoon.

MISS BAKER, MOVING TO GRAB A COCKTAIL.

No, thanks! I'm absolutely in training.

TOM, CONSUMING HIS DRINK IN ONE FELL SWOOP.

You are! How you ever get anything done is beyond me.

MISS BAKER

You live in West Egg don't you Nick? I know somebody there.

NICK

I don't know a single-

MISS BAKER, INTERRUPTING NICK.

You must know Gatsby.

DAISY

Gatsby? What Gatsby?

MISS BAKER

The Gatsby.

Tom wrangles his arm under Nicks, compelling out of the room.

FADE OUT:

Silent Films: The 20's

The Navigator ('24)
Initially I was irritated with the movie, it would seemed to just be two wealthy and helpless lovers struggling to get by on a boat. When the first night happened, my views changed. With the bedroom scene where the lady tries to throw the creepy sailor painting overboard and instead it gets hooked on the outside and swings in front of the mans window. That was hilarious, it made watching this worthwhile.

Pay Day ('22)
A Charlie Chaplin short. Slap-stick humor, not bad overall.

A Girl in Every Port ('28)
Starring Louise Brooks, need I say more.

I began to watch two other movies that were hosted on Netflix. One was Diary of a Lost Girl ('29) because who doesn't love Louise Brooks. I also started Metropolis ('27). I couldn't finish either of them because they were both fairly long movies and it is very hard to watch a silent film and multi-task. I would look a way for a couple seconds and would become completely lost.
However, the sets were very impressive in Metropolis, I will say that.