I saw that special, it was well done - the Wonder Woman covers (and interiors) were SO heavy on bondage and phallic designs that the early editions are considered fetish publications now! Her kinky magic lasso was actually made from Aphrodite's girdle (I sh-t thee not) --- checkout "Bound For Feminism" -- http://hoodedutilitarian.blogspot.com/search/labe…
Judging from the Rise of the Apes announcement, the premise of this "prequel" is fatally flawed from the outset - they want the rise in ape intelligence to stem from genetic engineering gone awry. By changing the root of ape ascension from societal to scientific, it becomes just another mad scientist's BEM.
The most powerful and integral aspect of the original conception is that apes wrestled control of the planet by way of avenging oppression, with the only scientific boost (presumably) being the introduction of Cornelius and Zira's DNA into the 20th century gene pool. It would have taken MANY generation for Caesar's offspring to effect any notable genetic influence over the species, so the entire Conquest and Battle was launched by regular old apes, angered by their oppression and inspired by Caesar - no human scientific/genetic manipulation required.
And James "Green Goblin" Franco as the star?! Franco was great in Freaks and Geeks, but I suspect he'll be little more than the next Marky Mark Wahlberg when it comes to the Apes franchise --- — May 23, 2010 11:01 p.m.
The Devil's Backbone
This is essentially a companion piece to Pan's Labyrinth, also by Guillermo del Toro (best known in the English-speaking world from the Hellboy movies). While Labyrinth mixed fairy tale fantasy with a grim war-torn storyline filled with mortally threatened children, Devil's Backbone replaces the fairies with ghosts --- I'd quibble with Duncan's comment "Not at all scary" ---- I would think ANYone would be scared out of their wits by Backbone, not so much from the supernatural elements (which, as in Labyrinth, may or may nor be merely imagined by children- the clues are there for those who seek them) but rather from the horrifying wartime realities portrayed. The unexploded bomb that sits in the middle of the village-slash-stockade is only a portent of the impending horrors to befall most (or rather ALL) of the characters - though the missile itself never explodes, nobody escapes the inevitable and ominous shrapnel of the civilized/educated world exploding into barbarity around them. I rank Pan's Labyrinth among my top ten most-watched and most-obsessed over films. I just today watched Devil's Backbone for the first time, but I have a feeling it'll grace my player several more times this summer --- it's already creeping under my skin and burning its startling imagery into my brain, much like Labyrinth did (and still does).— June 5, 2010 6:02 p.m.
Record-Release Roundup
On June 9 at Soma, the New Archiac are having their Movers & Fakers release party. June 15 is the day Antifogmatic comes out from the Punch Brothers, featuring Nickel Creek's Chris Thile. Also due in June, new full-lengths from Scott West (Austin, featuring star drummer Mick Fleetwood), Echo Revolution (with guest player Wendy Bailey), female-fronted hard rockers Benedictum, ska-heavy Jet West, acoustic troubadour Steve Garcia, electronic noisemeisters Man the Submersible, travelin’ fest-vets the Fabulous Rudies, locker rockers Pillbox Remedy, and a third studio album by onetime indie darlings Destroy the Runner, who just announced an "indefinite hiatus." Other locals with fresh new releases include ladies’ man Greg Laswell (Take a Bow), Collage Menage collaborator Jenene Lambert (Verge of Distortion), Louisa West with Jimmy Patton and Friends (Sambarina), Robin Adler and Mutts of the Planet (Safaris to the Heart: The Songs of Joni Mitchell), Ian Tordella (Magnolia), Fearless in Fairweather, Turbo Teen, Hotel St. George, Burning the Masses, and Vinyl Film.— June 3, 2010 10:24 p.m.
Gillespie, I Have to Return
Quite the inside scoop! Thanks for bringing in this breaking news - I'd love to see followup coverage of the referenced ongoing communication snafus caused by irresponsible radio behavior --— June 3, 2010 midnight
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
I'm frankly amazed that the old Rankin Bass TV movie of The Hobbit hasn't been rereleased to theaters - it's actually a very good summation of what was essentially an entry-level kid's book to begin with. The whole tone of the Hobbit storyline is so different from LOTR that it would probably be a mistake to make a film version that emulates the grim battle-centric Hollywood trilogy. Y'know who SHOULD be doing the Hobbit theatrical - the Jim Henson house. They're putting far too many eggs in their one remaining basket by dedicating so much in-house (and overseas) manpower and $$$ toward their upcoming CGI/muppet Dark Crystal sequel, an idea that makes me wince every time I think on it (which I try not to do too often).— June 2, 2010 8:43 p.m.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Guillermo Del Toro was reportedly hand picked to shoot the LOTR prequel The Hobbit, in two separate film installments. I was more excited to hear this than I was about the big LOTR trilogy itself, as Del Toro is the brilliant madman behind Pan's Labyrinth, the Devil's Backbone, and the Hellboy movies. However, today comes news that Del Toro is off the Hobbit - I'd be hard pressed to think of anyone else capable of pulling it off, and I fear we may end up with Sam Raimi (since he's off Spidey 4) or =gasp= Tim Burton, whose every turd is considered gilt with gold after the surprising success of Alice in Wonderland ---— May 31, 2010 4:01 p.m.
The Last Movie
1971 saw some of the freakin' weirdest movies ever unleashed -- Carnal Knowledge and Klute (for those seeking sex), Bananas and Willy Wonka (for those on drugs), Clockwork Orange and 200 Motels (rock and roll!), and leave us not forget Harold and Maude (suicide played for laughs!), Pretty Maids All in a Row (funny serial killer?), Werewolves on Wheels ('nuff said), and Willard (for who can resist a lovable killer rat?). The late Dennis Hopper went to his grave insisting that this homemade 1971 hallucination was his own Citizen Kane, even as the rest of the world filed it somewhere between Cecil B. Demented and Glenn or Glenda. Hopper felt this way even AFTER he was sober. Few have ever seen this flick, which is really a pity, as it deserves to be seen -- if only to marvel anew at whatever that crazy sheeit was they were smoking in Hollywood back in '71 ----— May 29, 2010 5:31 p.m.
None
Russell Crowe = the Steve Reeves of the new Millennium! If he's lucky, anyway --- looking forward to his takes on both Sinbad and Hercules...— May 27, 2010 10:18 p.m.
The Attack!! Retreats
Singer/songwriter Brenda Xu is also saying goodbye to San Diego, with a May 26 farewell show at Lestat's, before she moves next month to Seattle.— May 26, 2010 2:27 p.m.
At The 99
"...his arms were muscular in that pumping iron sort of way, but the elbow skin was folded, revealing the truth of his years..." I'm impressed with how your writing on this blog continues to evolve and involve, even with topics that few would be able to spice up so well, like a dollar store visit. With each entry, the composition and style becomes more and more - dare I say - engaging. Keep up the good work --— May 24, 2010 6:56 p.m.
None
I saw that special, it was well done - the Wonder Woman covers (and interiors) were SO heavy on bondage and phallic designs that the early editions are considered fetish publications now! Her kinky magic lasso was actually made from Aphrodite's girdle (I sh-t thee not) --- checkout "Bound For Feminism" -- http://hoodedutilitarian.blogspot.com/search/labe… Judging from the Rise of the Apes announcement, the premise of this "prequel" is fatally flawed from the outset - they want the rise in ape intelligence to stem from genetic engineering gone awry. By changing the root of ape ascension from societal to scientific, it becomes just another mad scientist's BEM. The most powerful and integral aspect of the original conception is that apes wrestled control of the planet by way of avenging oppression, with the only scientific boost (presumably) being the introduction of Cornelius and Zira's DNA into the 20th century gene pool. It would have taken MANY generation for Caesar's offspring to effect any notable genetic influence over the species, so the entire Conquest and Battle was launched by regular old apes, angered by their oppression and inspired by Caesar - no human scientific/genetic manipulation required. And James "Green Goblin" Franco as the star?! Franco was great in Freaks and Geeks, but I suspect he'll be little more than the next Marky Mark Wahlberg when it comes to the Apes franchise ---— May 23, 2010 11:01 p.m.