Can't you see in my handwriting, the curve of my G, the longing?

[sovay]

My poem "Ibis, Scribe" (Mythic Delirium #13) has been nominated for the 2006 Rhysling Award, Short Poem. I'm frankly surprised, because it's one of my oldest poems, and I like to think I'm always improving. (If you're very unlucky, I might post some of my earliest attempts one of these days. Can we say "reads too much Eliot," boys and girls?) That said, I'm not at all displeased. Finding out someone likes my work always and truly makes my day.

Taking a cue from time_shark, I cast my votes in the Locus Online Poetry Poll: the best science fiction / fantasy / horror poems of 2005 and all time. The choice is impossible and my tastes are idiosyncratic, but for all-time best I put down:

Phyllis Gotlieb, "ms & mr frankenstein" (1978)
Joe Haldeman, "January Fires" (2001)
Jane Yolen, "Beauty and the Beast: An Anniversary" (1989)
Mary B. Campbell, "A Case of Mistaken Identity" (1989)
Rika Lesser, "The Stonecutter at Norchia" (1983)

Only one of these poems is a Rhysling winner; two of them have never (so far as I know) been claimed by the speculative poetry community; but all impressed themselves powerfully on me when I first read them, and the same each time I re-read. And if nothing else, maybe I'll inspire someone else to read these poets. They're good stuff.

A chance sighting of the novelization of the upcoming film adaptation of Alan Moore's V for Vendetta (it's like the multiple variants of an oral tradition, only not) had "This Vicious Cabaret" on loop in my brain all yesterday. There's sex and death and human grime / In monochome for one thin dime / At least the trains all run on time / But they don't go anywhere . . . I'm still waiting to see whether V for Vendetta will be a film I want to see. I read the comic in the dealer's room at Boskone last year and loved it, and the film does contain Hugo Weaving and John Hurt. But while I consider The Matrix a near-brilliant film, I had only to see its first sequel to conclude that the Wachowski Brothers had seriously slipped. And Alan Moore has not been well-served by screen adaptations. (*cough*The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen*cough*) Still, I am currently considering going to see Nanny McPhee—a film that has received distinctly mixed reviews—solely because it contains Derek Jacobi. John Hurt must deserve the same courtesy . . .

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_jb/]

I just reread the comic, and it blew me away again.

It's a shame they couldn't bring it out this November - the hype for the 400th anniversary of Guy Fawkes' attempt on the Parliament would have done all their advertising for them in Britain. It was suposed to have oppened on November 5th, too - now they say March. The studio says they weren't finished post-production, but other rumours say that they felt it was still too soon to the London bombigs to make a film which begins with the hero blowing up the houses of Parliament. (Not Guy Fawkes', of course - that was a medieval hall, with an undercroft, now a parking lot. The current buildings are nineteenth century, and these are the ones V takes out.)

[deadcities-icon.livejournal.com]

And, uh, didn't Moore have a falling out with Joel Silver and Los Bros. Wachowski over V for Vendetta? I seem to recall that he wants nothing to do with the film.

But Natalie Portman is gorgeous and fearsomely talented, so I'll probably watch it. Especially if they can capture some of David Lloyd's style - mostly the color palatte, actually.

[spectre-general.livejournal.com]

Alan Moore wants nothing to do with movie adaptations at all actually, though it seems like a catch 22. He hates hollywood for making stupid movies, but won't actually get involved to make a decent one himself.

Not that they'd let him.

But yes, he read the script and hated it. Then they did a press conference that said he loved it. So he pulled his name from the picture and refused the royalties. One wonders why he sells the rights at all any more.

[sovay]

But yes, he read the script and hated it. Then they did a press conference that said he loved it.

That sounds bad all around, yeah . . . What were the changes to which he objected? Or was it the whole aesthetic? I didn't bother to pick up the novelization, but I've been assuming nobody did anything so cracktastic as shift the setting to the United States, for example.

[spectre-general.livejournal.com]

Not exactly... It was in Britain. But apparently the writers didn't feel it necessary to learn anything about Britain, or perhaps even talk to someone from there to learn about the way the country works, their culture, and any of the thousand differences that make one nation different from another. Instead they just did America with an accent.

Let alone changing the ending to have everyone in London dressed as V for some reason. But I'm sure there were other reasons.

That said, I love the propaganda-esque Freedom! Forever! posters. and Alan Moore's favorite movie is Performance so what does he know?

[sovay]

That said, I love the propaganda-esque Freedom! Forever! posters.

Those are pretty damn cool.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I spoke to David Lloyd at Angoulême recently; for what it's worth, he recommends the film.

[gwynnega]

John Hurt must deserve the same courtesy . . .

::nods::

That film comes out the day I fly to London. Maybe I'll see it there!

[sovay]

What are you flying to London for?

[gwynnega]

To visit friends, have a long-overdue vacation in one of my favorite cities, and do a bit of last-minute research for my novel!

[sovay]

Awesome. Enjoy!

(Does this mean there will then be finished novel?)

[gwynnega]

I'm hoping the novel will be close to finished by the time I go to London, and that I can complete it soon after!

[time-shark.livejournal.com]

I'm frankly surprised, because it's one of my oldest poems, ...

Okay, okay, so I sat on that one for a long time, no need to rub it in... ;-p

[sovay]

*whistles innocently*

; )