It’s here. The friendly neighbourhood postie just dropped off the much-anticipated hardcover copy of Adrian’s novel. In the words of the immortal Homer, “whoo hoo!”. And now, I read.
Only a few days left
Only a few days left until The Two Towers is released on video. I won’t buy it, of course–I’ll wait until the extended version comes out later this year. Until then, I’ll watch the original edit for the second, third, and possibly tenth time.
Anyone up for a Two Towers vid party?
Link: www.thetwotowers.com.
Heinlein in Dimension
Fans of science-fiction writing and specifically Robert Heinlein may find this link interesting. It’s a critical analysis of the works of Robert Heinlein, entitled Heinlein in Dimension, by Axelei Panshin.
Star Wars
I tried to watch Star Wars when it was on tv yesterday, but I couldn’t do it. Two reasons:
- It was the “special edition”, which means Lucasarts messed with it digitally, and
- It was pan-and-scan, rather than widescreen, which irritates me to no end.
When George Lucas and his digital wizards churned out the special edition, they inserted all kinds of unnecessary scenes and made changes that actually ruined scenes. For example, remember that scene in the saloon, where Han shoots Greedo, the bounty hunter? In the special edition, Greedo shoots first, but inexplicably misses Han’s head by a foot. That completely ruins Han’s introduction as a morally dubious smuggler. Over the course of the original three movies, his character develops into someone almost respectable (“General Solo”). That’s a good story. But Lucas had to bugger it up.
The CG animals and droids in the Mos Eisley scenes do nothing but upstage the action in the foreground. Why is it necessary to have a snorting, mooing lizard in the background when the storm trooper pops up from the bottom of the frame to say, “Look sir, Droids”?
As for pan-and-scan, it should be abolished. If the cinematographer composes an image for a wide screen, it ruins the movie to show only half of the composition.
I’ve read recently (I can’t remember where) that Lucas will never release the original Star Wars edit on DVD. All I have to say to that is Harrumph. Somebody smack that guy over the head. Once for the three “special edition” edits of the original trilogy, and twice more for inflicting Jar-Jar on us and ruining the mystique of the Force by introducing these midi-chlorien creatures (however you spell it).
Oh well. At least Princess Leia is easy on the eyes, as they say.
Cubey’s movie reviews
“Boredom made me do it,” is my excuse for the two sci-fi DVDs that I rented last night.
Solaris (2002) – George Cloony, Natascha McElhone
If you enjoy action-packed space adventure, don’t see this movie. Solaris is suspenseful, thought-provoking, and beautifully-filmed. However, I would have enjoyed it more had I not been made to look at Cloony’s bare butt. Natascha McElhone did her usual beguiling-smile-acting, but no buttage from her. For the surprise ending where the aardvark leaps out of Cloony’s stomach, I give it seven cubicles out of ten.
Stranded (2003) – Vincent Gallo
This action-less Spanish movie about NASA astronauts on Mars reminded me why I hate watching badly-dubbed movies. The DVD had the original Spanish audio track, but didn’t have English subtitles. The acting was terrible, the dubbing was worse, and the casting choices baffled me. The woman who played the mission’s captain could barely walk in a space suit, let alone act. I give it one cubicle out of ten.