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You've made some changes since the virus caught you sleeping
Okay. Things I have done in the last couple of weeks that have not stressed out my life.
In my latest quest for fanfiction of quality, read the first volume of Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and rented Stephen Frears' Mary Reilly (1996). The first of these I liked immensely, such that I am now looking for the next volume; the second didn't quite focus as I think it was intended to, but at least I have now seen John Malkovich and his Jekyll and Hyde were quite acceptable to me.
Also rented Jim Henson's The Storyteller (1987), about which only good things can be said. I'd seen two or three episodes before with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
spectre_general and his wife, but I sort of went on a bender and watched all nine episodes in a night: fortunately, it is impossible to overdose on John Hurt. The number of random character actors who populated that series impresses me. I even spotted Jason Carter—I frankly hadn't thought he'd ever been anyone other than Marcus Cole.
Met some friends in the Yale Bookstore for a few minutes of random browsing, only to discover a five-actor reading of a local playwright's retelling of A Christmas Carol was in progress near the magazine racks; I came in around the Ghost of Christmas Present and stayed to the end, and had a very nice conversation with the actor who had played Scrooge (and who looks like a character actor from the 1930's) afterward.hans_the_bold more or less had to drag me out, because the bookstore was closing, but we repaired to HGS and watched The Hunter (1980), which features Steve McQueen in his last role and a very young LeVar Burton as a supporting character. Yes, of course I watched Reading Rainbow religiously as a child.
Rented The Corpse Bride (2005), because I am under the general impression that I need more Tim Burton in my life, and loved it. I have now had "The Remains of the Day" stuck in my head for over forty-eight hours.
Caught the last third of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) on television, which reminded me again that quite possibly the character for whom I feel the most sympathy in the entire trilogy is Admiral Piett. I had not realized, however, that he has such a fanbase. This is actually kind of awesome.
Had sushi tonight with a friend who is a divinity student, and conducted a conversation about trinitarianism, grace, and salvation without exploding. Also, tempura-fried ice cream.
The story I'm writing forgreygirlbeast's Sirenia Digest has mutated: I thought it was first-person futuristic, but it seems in fact to be third-person steampunk. Yeah. No recent influences there. Excuse me while I blame Nikola Tesla.
In my latest quest for fanfiction of quality, read the first volume of Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and rented Stephen Frears' Mary Reilly (1996). The first of these I liked immensely, such that I am now looking for the next volume; the second didn't quite focus as I think it was intended to, but at least I have now seen John Malkovich and his Jekyll and Hyde were quite acceptable to me.
Also rented Jim Henson's The Storyteller (1987), about which only good things can be said. I'd seen two or three episodes before with
spectre_general and his wife, but I sort of went on a bender and watched all nine episodes in a night: fortunately, it is impossible to overdose on John Hurt. The number of random character actors who populated that series impresses me. I even spotted Jason Carter—I frankly hadn't thought he'd ever been anyone other than Marcus Cole.Met some friends in the Yale Bookstore for a few minutes of random browsing, only to discover a five-actor reading of a local playwright's retelling of A Christmas Carol was in progress near the magazine racks; I came in around the Ghost of Christmas Present and stayed to the end, and had a very nice conversation with the actor who had played Scrooge (and who looks like a character actor from the 1930's) afterward.
hans_the_bold more or less had to drag me out, because the bookstore was closing, but we repaired to HGS and watched The Hunter (1980), which features Steve McQueen in his last role and a very young LeVar Burton as a supporting character. Yes, of course I watched Reading Rainbow religiously as a child.Rented The Corpse Bride (2005), because I am under the general impression that I need more Tim Burton in my life, and loved it. I have now had "The Remains of the Day" stuck in my head for over forty-eight hours.
Caught the last third of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) on television, which reminded me again that quite possibly the character for whom I feel the most sympathy in the entire trilogy is Admiral Piett. I had not realized, however, that he has such a fanbase. This is actually kind of awesome.
Had sushi tonight with a friend who is a divinity student, and conducted a conversation about trinitarianism, grace, and salvation without exploding. Also, tempura-fried ice cream.
The story I'm writing for
greygirlbeast's Sirenia Digest has mutated: I thought it was first-person futuristic, but it seems in fact to be third-person steampunk. Yeah. No recent influences there. Excuse me while I blame Nikola Tesla.
no subject
Huh--I'd not heard of that. Sounds interesting.
Is the series ongoing or finite?
Technically, it's considered ongoing, but Moore's having his usual tangled troubles with publishers.
According to the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen), the next part is supposed to take place in the 1950s. There's an interesting comment by Moore about the possible inclusion of William S. Burroughs' Interzone and characters from Jack Kerouac's On the Road.
Not counting the prequels, the last time I saw any of Star Wars was in high school, and my memories are fond but fragmentary.
Ah, I envy you being able to go to them that fresh.
It made me wonder how many other random character actors were floating around these films.
I marvel sometimes at the amount of good actors in those movies. Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing in the first film, a movie the studio considered a big risk . . . The interiors were mostly shot in London, so the British cast members were drawn from a bigger pool. In the second movie, director Irvin Kershner made a conscious decision to make the Imperials predominantly British and the Rebels American.
You might enjoy this (http://impstherelentless.com/tek9.asp).
no subject
You might like it very much; at least, I'd recommend you give it a try. It's essentially alternate history to Stoker's Dracula, in which the main characters fail terribly in their efforts to destroy Dracula—specifically, they are unable to prevent him from turning Mina in Chapter 21—and he not only survives, but fathers the race of vampires in England that Van Helsing so feared. ". . . He is experimenting, and doing it well. And if it had not been that we have crossed his path he would be yet, he may be yet if we fail, the father or furtherer of a new order of beings, whose road must lead through Death, not Life." Of course, since it's alternate history to fiction, all sorts of other fictional characters are allowed to enter the picture; Dr. Jekyll gives expert testimony on the biology of vampires, Inspector Lestrade has turned in hopes of sharpening his policeman's senses, Lord Ruthven is Prime Minister. And historical ones, as well. The central mystery of the book revolves around the identity of this 1888's Jack the Ripper—a murderer of vampire prostitutes, whom the newspapers have nicknamed "Silver Knife." There are two sequels, The Bloody Red Baron (1995), set during World War I, and Judgment of Tears: Anno Dracula 1959 (1998), set exactly when the title says it is, and a handful of short stories farther along the timeline. I believe a fourth novel is in the works, but this may be only wishful thinking on my part.
Ah, I envy you being able to go to them that fresh.
I'd known about the movies before then; I'd just never seen them. Maybe a few bits and pieces on television or at friends' houses, but nothing that really made an impression. I did have a stuffed-animal Ewok as a small child, but damned if I knew what it was. I think I just accepted it as as species of slightly scary-looking teddy bear.
Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing in the first film, a movie the studio considered a big risk . . .
I love Alec Guinnesss.
(Okay, back to our regularly scheduled conversation . . .)
In the second movie, director Irvin Kershner made a conscious decision to make the Imperials predominantly British and the Rebels American.
I'd wondered if that was deliberate, or just a side effect of casting for people who looked the part. Is this is the case in the other two movies also?
You might enjoy this.
My life is imploding into fandom all of a sudden . . .
no subject
You make it sound very good. I'll add it to my list, although I'm still reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, so that gives you an idea of my reading speed . . .
I think I just accepted it as as species of slightly scary-looking teddy bear.
Hehe. They are the intergalactic Neanderthals of teddy bears.
I'd wondered if that was deliberate, or just a side effect of casting for people who looked the part. Is this is the case in the other two movies also?
No--in the first movie, it was pretty random. Though I think the impression of the Imperial officers being British may've been enhanced by Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin. The third movie had Piett and a vague carry over from Empire of the scheme, but I do remember at least one American Imperial officer on Endor.
My life is imploding into fandom all of a sudden . . .
Just you wait until I finish the "Moving Nameless" fan fiction--you'll be exploding.