Monday, May 25, 2015
Frank Herbert's Dune
In the first place Frank Herbert’s Dune is well done, the sequel Children of Dune just doesn’t cut it which is probably why the series ended there. This mini-series is far superior to the 1984 movie version that starred Kyle MacLachlan.
If you’ve seen Run of the Country you won’t recognize the Matt Keesler who plays Feyd. He takes delicious delight in proving the maxim that playing the bad guy is more fun. The naif who played in the aforementioned flick has grown up and spent some time in a gym.
The glowing blue eyes become a bit much after a while. If you live in California the concept of living on a water-deprived planet won’t be so hard to understand. Remember the Sahara was once as lush as the Amazon Basin.
It has now been decades since I read the books upon which this series is based but it seems to me that the perversions of Baron Harkonnen have been extensively cleaned up for television. His loutish firstborn nephew is played to the hilt, the scene showing Paul’s innocent baby smiling at his murderers....
Is having read the book before you see the movie the ultimate plot spoiler? Would anyone who hadn’t have a clue what is going on here?
If you’ve seen Run of the Country you won’t recognize the Matt Keesler who plays Feyd. He takes delicious delight in proving the maxim that playing the bad guy is more fun. The naif who played in the aforementioned flick has grown up and spent some time in a gym.
The glowing blue eyes become a bit much after a while. If you live in California the concept of living on a water-deprived planet won’t be so hard to understand. Remember the Sahara was once as lush as the Amazon Basin.
It has now been decades since I read the books upon which this series is based but it seems to me that the perversions of Baron Harkonnen have been extensively cleaned up for television. His loutish firstborn nephew is played to the hilt, the scene showing Paul’s innocent baby smiling at his murderers....
Is having read the book before you see the movie the ultimate plot spoiler? Would anyone who hadn’t have a clue what is going on here?
Lonestar
It’s Complicated
Major Spoiler Alert
The facts as collected by Sam Deeds Elected Sheriff of a Texas Border Town.
- He was brought in 2 years ago as a white Sheriff with the same surname as his father Buddy Deeds was electable in a town that is now 90% Hispanic, 5% Black, and 5% White.
- As the story begins the bones of a white man are discovered on the grounds of a former desert army base complete with mason’s ring and sheriff’s badge.
- His Father’s predecessor, the corrupt Charlie Wade disappeared without a trace at about the same time as the bones are dated.
- At the same time $10,000 in county funds disappeared.
- At 15 his father forbids him to continue dating his Hispanic girlfriend.
- Her father was murdered by Charlie Wade 18 months before she was born.
- Buddy Deeds bought a restaurant for the girl’s mother.
- The girl was sent to a convent school for her last 2 years of high school.
A side-plot involves the owner of a black night-club whose son moves in as commandant of the local army base and whose grandson noses around.
It has taken me watching this movie on several occasions to deduce all these facts. There is a lot happening below the surface here.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
The Englishman's Boy
This was a border-crossing novel of the old west by Guy Vanderhaeghe. To my discredit I have yet to get around to reading the book but last night I re-watched the DVD.
I could not remember having watched it the first time. The character of the title loses his Englishman in the opening scenes and takes up with a group of wolvers who, in the words of one of the actors in one of the supplements, are not very nice people. The action jumps from a movie set in Hollywood in the present which here is the 70ies, to a cabin on a rundown ranch in California, to a trail ride at the turn of the century as Harry pumps the aging Shorty for his memories of his life on the trail as the boy in question.
This is a better than average Canadian Production in which rival CTV and CBC each apparently had a hand in. A fair number of well-known Canadian actors are involved. There are two major issues. In casting no attempt was made to find actors to play the youthful and aging Shorty who in any way resembled one another. The action jumps from one place and time to another so often it leaves the viewer somewhat confused more than a few times.
I could not remember having watched it the first time. The character of the title loses his Englishman in the opening scenes and takes up with a group of wolvers who, in the words of one of the actors in one of the supplements, are not very nice people. The action jumps from a movie set in Hollywood in the present which here is the 70ies, to a cabin on a rundown ranch in California, to a trail ride at the turn of the century as Harry pumps the aging Shorty for his memories of his life on the trail as the boy in question.
This is a better than average Canadian Production in which rival CTV and CBC each apparently had a hand in. A fair number of well-known Canadian actors are involved. There are two major issues. In casting no attempt was made to find actors to play the youthful and aging Shorty who in any way resembled one another. The action jumps from one place and time to another so often it leaves the viewer somewhat confused more than a few times.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
The Pacific: Fourth time round
What still strikes me most is the utter futility of War. The wasted human effort, the lives lost and ruined, the devastation, the environmental damage. The only true winners are those who own the factories that manufacture the engines of war. Survival is a matter of sheer randomness though some are better at keeping their heads down than others. That same randomness determines whether or not an award for valour is awarded posthumously. The first casualty was shot by his buddies when he snuck off to answer a call of nature and his wasn’t the last such death. Life is never so precious as when one is threatened with losing it. The rush of battle and the euphoria that follows it becomes addictive and one aspect of PTSD is the feeling of futility that follows the loss of that high. Some handle battle conditions better than others and war isn’t kind to philosophers, thinkers and the sensitive. Some have more luck than others including generals whose decisions can fate the death of thousands for a useless objective. Taking the initiative and advancing unannounced can get you hit by your own artillery.
As Basilone discovers fame is a fickle friend. Being rewarded for heroism often involves being lionized for acts of stupidity that one managed to survive and someone took the time to recognize. Survivor’s guilt and the knowledge that others were equally as brave but were not recognized rapidly sets in. There is a distinct irony in being rewarded for the taking of life. The experience of battle too often leaves soldiers unable to feel fulfilled outside the field of battle and there seems to be a fine line between battle heroics and suicide by enemy.
The dropping of the first atomic bombs targeted civilians rather than military objectives but civilians and their livelihoods are always the collateral damage of war. However morally reprehensible the dropping of those bombs may have been there is no question that they saved the lives of untold thousands on both sides. War is state-sanctioned murder. It is frightening to think that some enjoy it. Does labelling someone the enemy any more justification for killing than execution for capital crime. Is deserting an insane field of battle an act of cowardice or a sane act of self-preservation.
The most poignant and compassionate moment in the entire series comes at the end when Sledge’s father expresses understanding for his son’s unwillingness to take the life of another living creature. This is the same man who refused to give his under-age son his permission to enlist and stated the troubled feelings he had at witnessing the lack of life in the eyes of the men he treated in WW#1.
As Basilone discovers fame is a fickle friend. Being rewarded for heroism often involves being lionized for acts of stupidity that one managed to survive and someone took the time to recognize. Survivor’s guilt and the knowledge that others were equally as brave but were not recognized rapidly sets in. There is a distinct irony in being rewarded for the taking of life. The experience of battle too often leaves soldiers unable to feel fulfilled outside the field of battle and there seems to be a fine line between battle heroics and suicide by enemy.
The dropping of the first atomic bombs targeted civilians rather than military objectives but civilians and their livelihoods are always the collateral damage of war. However morally reprehensible the dropping of those bombs may have been there is no question that they saved the lives of untold thousands on both sides. War is state-sanctioned murder. It is frightening to think that some enjoy it. Does labelling someone the enemy any more justification for killing than execution for capital crime. Is deserting an insane field of battle an act of cowardice or a sane act of self-preservation.
The most poignant and compassionate moment in the entire series comes at the end when Sledge’s father expresses understanding for his son’s unwillingness to take the life of another living creature. This is the same man who refused to give his under-age son his permission to enlist and stated the troubled feelings he had at witnessing the lack of life in the eyes of the men he treated in WW#1.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Supernatural Season 9
The movie studio’s restraint in allowing these two well-built studs to keep their clothes on for the most part continues to amaze me. Save for an opening scene a season or so back in which Jared Padelecki is shown working out his frustrations minus a shirt they stay covered. If the show ever had any innocence it has lost it long since. The line between Heavenly Angels and Hellish Demons has long since been blurred.
The season picks up as it moves past the opening episodes and catches its stride. I continue to marvel that the pair can roar across the countryside in that car with the engine growling and not pick up any tickets. Giving it a name, I suppose, would violate Dean’s macho image but he sets more store by that automobile than he does most people. One suspects he does his own maintenance though we rarely see him do more than gas it up.
The writers are not above poking fun at the actors’ personas. Having Jensen converse in dog and offer to smell butts and having the pair embrace their virginity were good for a few laughs. This pair are no angels. Although Angels and Heaven, Demons and Hell play key roles in this series there is nothing remotely religious about it.
The season picks up as it moves past the opening episodes and catches its stride. I continue to marvel that the pair can roar across the countryside in that car with the engine growling and not pick up any tickets. Giving it a name, I suppose, would violate Dean’s macho image but he sets more store by that automobile than he does most people. One suspects he does his own maintenance though we rarely see him do more than gas it up.
The writers are not above poking fun at the actors’ personas. Having Jensen converse in dog and offer to smell butts and having the pair embrace their virginity were good for a few laughs. This pair are no angels. Although Angels and Heaven, Demons and Hell play key roles in this series there is nothing remotely religious about it.
Sunday, May 03, 2015
Indiana Jones and Raider of the Lost Arc
The Indiana Jones canon sprang fully formed in this first outing from the opening theme music that becomes his leitmotif to his trademark battered hat and bull whip. Indy has a dual personality of erudite professor of archaeology and swashbuckling hunter of antiquities. Always laden with special effects and daring stunts the adrenalin rush is one of the series’ appeals. Other conventions are air travels illustrated by a crawling yellow line across a map of the world, side-plots, and a love interest. Always he seems to have a protégé as in Marian here or Short Round or latterly his son Mutt. Given his avowed fear of spiders and snakes the movies are always filled with critters that crawl and slither. Nazi or Russian stereotypes form his favourite villains. At 73 Harrison Ford appears fixed to do Indy Five!
Saturday, May 02, 2015
War Horse
The book is billed as being an anthropomorphized animal short story for children. Although distributed by Disney the movie version is too violent for young children.
What comes through most clearly is the utter futility and waste of war. And the truth of the career advice to actors about appearing in movies with animals and children. Having said that Steven Spielberg directed and produced this film speaks for the production values and the calibre of people he brings with him. For once I have not read the book which forms the basis for the piece. In the end this is the story of a boy and his horse. Many people fail both man and beast but love triumphs in the end. Despite the earnestness with which the story is presented the plot is rather simplistic and transparent.
What comes through most clearly is the utter futility and waste of war. And the truth of the career advice to actors about appearing in movies with animals and children. Having said that Steven Spielberg directed and produced this film speaks for the production values and the calibre of people he brings with him. For once I have not read the book which forms the basis for the piece. In the end this is the story of a boy and his horse. Many people fail both man and beast but love triumphs in the end. Despite the earnestness with which the story is presented the plot is rather simplistic and transparent.
