Wednesday, January 30, 2013

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.

Monday, January 28, 2013

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.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

2011: Midnight in Paris

I find it an interesting decision to not provide subtitles when french was spoken (at least I don't remember them if they were there, forgive me if I am wrong); it places us in the same pot as the protagonist (assuming we don't speak French).

Sex and time travel. I have to question the mechanic for time travel, it left a few holes that I think should be addressed.
Facts proposed:
1. Vehicles required for backwards time travel (with the possible exception of the spy), this limits time travel to periods that have such technology. You can't go back before the wheel.
2. Time moves at a one to one pace; meaning that by 2020 you could only go to 1930 because the gap is fixed, unless it's instead determined by the wishes of the traveler.

The return mechanic is the biggest hole in this entire scenario. Initially it would seem to force the return at a particular time or at the end of social engagement. This would mean it would be impossible to stay in the past. Yet we know can't be the case because the spy did not return.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Mr. Bibs and the Island of Giant Cocks


“Good day reader” said the lady in front of you while directing her attention towards the fourth wall.
“My name is Claire Fitzgerald,” she continued in an ever so crisp tone. Her hands hold a small picture album, a title engraved or pressed or however such a craft is done into the leather cover that makes up the album. The titles read the same as the title atop this page. She slowly pulled the album up to her face, hiding all but her eyes.
“Let me tell you a story” Claire says smiling wryly, or at least you would assume so because that was how she sounded, but the album still covered her face.

            With those words a mist encircles you, it may not be obvious but this is completely safe, in all likelihood you are about to experience a flashback of sorts.
“This story begins on August 4th, 1910 in a small port city known as Port Angeles.” Said Claire.
“Mr. Bibs and myself were to set out on an adventure that evening. Mr. Bibs was a sporting young lad who enjoyed running and playing, though he especially enjoyed hunting fowl. He had heard legends of an island in the south of Alaska that had large game birds. His aunt having recently passed, Mr. Bibs found himself with a large sum of money. That was why we were in Port Angeles, to acquire gear and a ship,” said Claire, now begging to open up the album.
“I met Mr. Bibs out by one of the piers, greeting him when I arrived.”
“Meow” said Mr. Bibs, being the flirt that he usually is.
“There were two ships available for purchase: a small fishing boat called Svava, and a fair sized ferry called the Princess May” said Claire, showing you a photograph of the two ships docked at the pier.

“Mr. Bibs always went big, or home… and since he was hunting large fowl it only seemed appropriate to him to get the larger of the ships. At this point I tried to talk him down but he would not hear a word of it. We loaded up the ship and set out.” Said Claire, turning the page of the album showing a picture of Mr. Bibs shouting commands down a metal tube to the engine room.



“He always had to be in charge, even though he had never captained a ship before,” said Clair, but she was interrupted by you. How rude. At this point you ask a question regarding the fact that Mr. Bibs is a kitten. You find it odd but Claries body language shows how completely normal it must have been for a millionaire kitten to try and captain a ship.
“Of course Mr. Bibs was a kitten,” Claire continued, “that’s rather a silly question reader, I don’t see why it was necessary to bring up. Do you mind if I continue now, hopefully without your interruptions?” With that Claire tuned the page again showing the Princess May stuck upon some rocks, you decide it’s best not to comment, you know very well that this happened because a kitten was at the wheel.



“We reached Sentinel Island,” said Claire, who then paused, but then continued first by correcting herself.
“We beached upon Sentinel Island, this was not out end destination, but the larger island nearby was. Luckily it was close enough to paddle to in the life rafts. Mr. Bibs was determined to hunt the large fowl and no stranded ship would deter him. As we neared the island we heard the cries of many a rooster on the wind. This indeed was the fabled island of giant cocks.” Said Claire while motioning with her hands, as if to express how large this birds actually were. You try to keep a straight face as she continues,
“When we reached the shore Mr. Bibs jumped right off the raft and ran straight away into the woods. I cried after him but to no avail. The crew of the Princess May and I set up camp on the shores. Shifts were taken during the night but Mr. Bibs did not return, though we knew he was all right. He was a kitten after all; this gave him quite the unfair advantage, some would dare to say it was an acute advantage.” Said Claire. You give her a look of disapproval because you don’t like Puns. You do however know that puns are one of the highest forms of wordplay and comedy and a normal individual would appreciate such a joke.
“The next morning a red sun rose, we knew blood had been shed that night. With a rustling and a purring Mr. Bibs sprung from the forest onto the shore dragging three large rooster behind.” Claire says while showing you yet another picture. You disregard the painted backdrop.


“It was incredible, I was so proud of my Mr. Bibs.” Claire says to you, then looking off into the distance, lost in thought. You decide not to bring her back to reality, since you suspect she was never there to begin with.









Monday, January 7, 2013

1999: Topsy-Turvy

Much to long to watch on a monday night when I would rather be doing other things.
That's not to say I suffered through it, but when depicting turn of the century theatre I'd have to pick the Moulin Rouge movie (even with its questionable accuracy to the music that would have taken place in such a time).

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Like a bad 3D movie, that is now how I view 1939 movie of this story. We have this glorious new technology! We must use it, make the slippers ruby instead of silver! Not that I care all that much, and these types of changes are to be expected when crossing media.

One thing that does bother me about the book is how conveniently obstacles are resolved. I don't feel as though Dorothy earned anything, or grew as a character, she never faced any chalenges that she had to over come on her own (with the exception of the Wicked Witch, but even then the witch wasn't that wicked and Dorothy beat her unintentionally . When it first started to bother me was when the Wicked Witch first started to send out her minions. When the wolves attacked the tinman killed them all, I'm fine with this, but the way it plays out. I am supposed to assume that the wolves formed a nice line and attacked one after the other? It's as though the tinman stood in one spot just swinging his axe and the wolves simply ran into it. The same goes with the other encounters. It feels to convenient for Dorothy to have thrown the water bucket on the witch. Who does that? Sure the witch took her slipper, but splashing a bucket leaves everyone wet. What was the point Dorothy?

Another thing, the Wicked Witch is a terrible slave master. It sounds as though Dorothy is free to go about and do whatever in the castle along with the chores the witch had her do. You can't break a lion if your servants continue to feed it after dark. What was the witch thinking? Giving Dorothy so much freedom. I'll give her being afraid of water for it is life threatening, but afraid of the dark? Really? She's not a good villain as far as I'm concerned.