tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85602150385602577912024-02-20T03:48:31.972+02:00flicks, floppies n' dead treesperiklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560215038560257791.post-15671253611332119352013-04-13T16:09:00.004+03:002013-04-13T21:50:59.993+03:00Oblivion as a Charlton Heston movie mashup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_(music)" target="_blank">A mash up or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another.</a>"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphmOsTYyChKUmpR8CWfQIn2-VAtqcnch92BSgE1LJFlryZtS0QhqA9lAI-jRsTtGlDstKcnrSERMQMUSG9viiYBw52UpQo6I8ivS_ToLT0rDNUZ1pDwujmLDHPwfd5e9EqdI3Nb3Oobw/s1600/Oblivion-poster-tom-cruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphmOsTYyChKUmpR8CWfQIn2-VAtqcnch92BSgE1LJFlryZtS0QhqA9lAI-jRsTtGlDstKcnrSERMQMUSG9viiYBw52UpQo6I8ivS_ToLT0rDNUZ1pDwujmLDHPwfd5e9EqdI3Nb3Oobw/s400/Oblivion-poster-tom-cruise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are few <b>good </b>Science Fiction movies lately, that I should be grateful for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1483013/combined" target="_blank">Oblivion</a>. Stunning visuals, intriguing setting and a steady pace are the main <i>theme</i> of Sci-Fi films coming out this last decade. The most apt description of <b>Oblivion </b>(<i>at least for this film buff</i>) is, a <b>Charlton Heston</b> Sci-fi mash up. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063442/combined" target="_blank">Planet of the Apes</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/combined" target="_blank">Soylent Green</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067525/combined" target="_blank">The Omega Man</a> had the same connection: the angry-lone-survivor (<i>portrayed by Heston</i>) fighting his way through a dystopic land. And this is what that movie riffs on. Survival and vengeance. The remnants of New York city <b>monuments </b>(<i>Planet of the Apes</i>), the hero in constant <b>agony </b>(<i>Soylent Green</i>) and the nuclear <b>couple </b>(<i>The Omega Man</i>), are <i>this </i>mash up's vocals. </div>
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The supporting cast (Freeman, Coster-Waldau and Bell) is dwarfed by Cruise's macho acting and each actor offers only a snipet of the character that could probably be developed in the original <b>Comic Book</b>,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHTWRZEmtYp8ZUI-wgQsmsRNQH7-JEtadeVsubEmcDcahDrTKUU9Wtqn43JCQMKKekI4JGq2OP3Jv24XZN9KKxgLEjBMHZAi-9VTGtJy5sJZc5se7tCdgur1QIv9cFoX-Wz67upMtcfQ/s1600/ob1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHTWRZEmtYp8ZUI-wgQsmsRNQH7-JEtadeVsubEmcDcahDrTKUU9Wtqn43JCQMKKekI4JGq2OP3Jv24XZN9KKxgLEjBMHZAi-9VTGtJy5sJZc5se7tCdgur1QIv9cFoX-Wz67upMtcfQ/s400/ob1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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...which never was:</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24px;">Radical Comics allowed me to continue working on the story by developing a series of images and continuing to refine the story more over a period of years. Then I basically used all that development as a pitch kit to the studio. So even though we really never released it as an illustrated novel the story is being told as a film, which was always the intention.</span>"</div>
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According to <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/04/12/oblivion-based-on-the-non-existing-graphic-novel/?fb_action_ids=10151409021283207&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582" target="_blank">Bleeding Cool</a> (<i>who offered an <a href="http://i.imgur.com/KY4wky4.jpg" target="_blank">advanced preview</a> of the "comic" a long time ago</i>), due to a screenwriter's strike, the film was suposedly developed as a Graphic Novel, that was <i>then </i>going to be adapted for the screen, just to keep the film's hype alive. </div>
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Something similar happened with Aronofsky's <a href="http://www.vertigocomics.com/graphic-novels/the-fountain" target="_blank">The Fountain</a>, and his forthcoming <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/01/17/darren-aronofsky-planning-comic-book-hoping-to-turn-it-into-a-film/" target="_blank">Noah</a> film. I just happen to prefer <b>Aronofsky</b>'s <i> films</i> after all...</div>
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periklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560215038560257791.post-47707568090977127142013-04-11T03:56:00.001+03:002013-04-11T04:07:30.023+03:00Sun-Earther Iain El-Bonko Banks of North Queensferry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The sad news about Iain Banks are reported on <a href="http://friends.banksophilia.com/" target="_blank">the official blog</a>:<br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I am officially Very Poorly. [...] </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">So it looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last. [...]</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">This website was set up so family and fans can leave messages for me and check on my progress.</span>"</div>
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His book feel like <i>real </i>people to me. Some make you uncomfortable just being in the same room with ("<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1228424.Use_Of_Weapons" target="_blank">Use of Weapons</a>"), others I will visit again like long-lost relatives ("<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68772.Espedair_Street" target="_blank">Espedair Street</a>").<br />
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My first contact with hiw writings was his "A Few Notes on the Culture" essay. <a href="http://www.vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm" target="_blank">Read it</a> and see if you'd like to become involved with his <i>sublime </i>writings.<br />
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And this is how I choose to remember him:<br />
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periklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560215038560257791.post-83943641116813595912013-04-01T22:40:00.000+03:002013-04-01T22:45:59.797+03:00(The) Star Wars and Alternate History<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Today's news of a <a href="http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1304/01/starwars.jpg" target="_blank">comic book adaptation</a> from George Lucas' 1974 -Star Wars/ First Draft-, titled "The Star Wars", brought back memories, and thoughts of <i>what-might-'ve-been</i>. <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/03/31/dark-horse-to-adapt-george-lucas-original-concept-the-star-wars-into-comics-wondercon/" target="_blank">Many</a> <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/03/31/the-unused-stories-and-characters-from-george-lucas-unproduced-the-star-wars-scripts/" target="_blank">reports</a> later, it seems that Dark Horse Comics is going back to that <i>relic</i>, <a href="http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/04/wc13-dark-horse-to-adapt-lucas-original-star-wars-draft/" target="_blank">adapting it in 8 issues</a> this fall (<i>September 2013</i>). The initial look of SW owes much to Ralph McQuarrie's concept art, which seems to be the direction this adaptation is taking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My first glimpse of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/movies/ralph-mcquarrie-artist-behind-star-wars-dies-at-82.html?_r=2&" target="_blank">Ralph McQuarrie</a>'s work on Star Wars was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Star-Wars-Universe/dp/0553374842" target="_blank">The Illustrated Star Wars Universe</a>. His visionary work on Threepio (influenced by Lang's <i>Metropolis</i>) and the iconic lightsaber duel between <i>diver-suit-armored</i> <b>Skywalker </b>and <i>undead-android</i> <b>Vader </b>were lost on my 12-year-old brain. More than 15 years later his work seems like a piece of alternate history demanding to happen. Lucas filmed <b>THX 1138</b> as a nod to dystopic fiction (<i>1984</i>) and <b>Star Wars</b> as an homage(<i>?</i>) to the <i>Flash Gordon</i> serials. If <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_(entertainment)" target="_blank">Jaws</a></i> never happened perhaps Star Wars would have been closer to McQuarries' and Lucas' <i>original </i>vision. Fingers crossed that the DH adaptation will be <i>that </i>good...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is a gallery of Ralph McQuarrie's Star Wars:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.druillet.com/" target="_blank">Druillet</a>'s vision of Star Wars:</span></div>
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<br />periklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560215038560257791.post-8882470830306918582013-03-31T16:57:00.001+03:002013-03-31T17:12:51.557+03:00Fan-films and the Franchise"<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This is what we laughingly refer to as a plan, right?</i></span>" - <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lenny Nero from "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RoOs-S_JVI" target="_blank">Strange Days</a>"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">These are strange days in the film industry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Franchises long forgotten don't seem to die (<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRLwoMXaZHQ" target="_blank">hard enough</a></i>), while newer ones are <i>slaughtered </i>in the box office. The recent <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbCfqGsXu3M" target="_blank">Dredd</a> film, a vigorous and faithful adaptation of the eponymous <i>anti</i>-hero, offered a glimpse of what could have been. The film's producer <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/03/26/dredd-2-short-film/" target="_blank">confirmed</a> that there won't be a Dredd sequel, but an officiallly-unofficial-non-profit-fan-film (like the Thomas Jane-<b>Punisher </b>short, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpK0wsnitc" target="_blank">#DIRTYLAUNDRY</a>) is eventually going to happen.</span><br />
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The<b> Dredd fan-film</b> has actually happened a while ago, in the form of Judge Minty:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And blogging about franchises and pipe dreams, the <span style="color: #990000;">Games Workshop</span> properties (that is Warhammer & Warhammer 40K) have been a fan's <i>wet dream</i> for a long time. Or ever since Peter Jackson proved that he could make <i>his </i>come true. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhiGXKmRY4w&list=UU-gZ_FnccdB178cNM3Oq6Fg&index=8" target="_blank">Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie</a>" had the same fate with Dredd, if not worse, due to its nonexistent cinematic release. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Two Warhammer 40K fan-films (both, still in production) have surfaced:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"<a href="http://thelordinquisitor.com/" target="_blank">The Lord Inquisitor</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">and "<a href="http://lordoftraffic.com/pauldoucet/" target="_blank">Exterminatus</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And while some franchises are about to release their <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1905041/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4" target="_blank">Nth ยบ</a> sequel, others seem to be in the state of <b>Fight Club</b>, where we shall "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2lmFCqbJcI" target="_blank">not talk about</a>" them...</span></div>
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periklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560215038560257791.post-17551994460214974252013-03-30T16:31:00.001+02:002013-03-30T16:31:05.521+02:00Never too late<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3448FsrOz8qVd1ZUy_KFKJIPPsq8XQwapK5H18ZWafQr20fZFzcwfc84-CapyfgYeo8c46Yhrbm_z0G1x7azZpmDDtRWfzNeOx9VkXcrkW_bORao9woJaMfY4XSCeoe8G0lj7BhRoVY/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-07-29-01h26m45s195.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3448FsrOz8qVd1ZUy_KFKJIPPsq8XQwapK5H18ZWafQr20fZFzcwfc84-CapyfgYeo8c46Yhrbm_z0G1x7azZpmDDtRWfzNeOx9VkXcrkW_bORao9woJaMfY4XSCeoe8G0lj7BhRoVY/s320/vlcsnap-2012-07-29-01h26m45s195.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0679174/combined" target="_blank">The Prisoner</a></td></tr>
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periklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13801666124965454125noreply@blogger.com0