Say whatever you want to in the comments to this post -- random, off topic thoughts, ideas, suggestions, questions, recommendations, criticisms (which can be anonymous), surveys, personal news, self-promotion, requests to be added to the blog roll and so on. If a week goes by and I have failed to add you to the blog roll TELL ME TO DO IT AGAIN, and KEEP TELLING ME UNTIL IT GETS DONE. I can be lazy about updating the non-post parts of this site.
Two new idea for free form comments: 1. you can use this space to re-ask me questions you asked me before that I failed to answer because I was too busy (but now might not be). That is often the reason I fail to get back to people, and on a blog, after a few days, the comments thread dies and I just kind of forget about it. Let's use this space to fix that, because it does need to be fixed; I look like a jackass sometimes, leaving people hanging. I will TRY to respond to any questions here. 2. You can use this space to comment on posts that are old enough that no one is reading the comments threads anymore. For example, if you thought of a great quote for the great quote commonplace book, but now no one is reading that, you could put it here.
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15 comments:
I've just started reading your How to Read Superhero Comics and Why, largely upon Streebo's recommendation. Thank you for this book. I know that it will help me take my own writing to the next level. Until now, my thinking has been pretty much locked into Campbell and Jung.
As for my own recommendation, I am finding JMS's Thor to be interesting so far.
Krik: i am glad you are reading my book, but let me warn you -- it is very precocious. At this point it kinda needs to be supplemented with the blog, which is better, faster, and powered by and Oxford Doctorate.
I'm curious, then.If you were writing the book circa 2007, what would be different?
I am very much enjoying the blog, though I'm avoiding analyses of books that I've not gotten to yet.
Kirk: that is a pretty big question, but the short answer it that it would be more like this blog, and that it would have more of an emphasis on quality rather then theory. Also the blog quotations would be better digested. And it would be 2/3 the size.
Hey Kirk! Keep your dictionary on your bed stand as you make your way through that baby!
Geoff is way too modest. His book is an important work. The theories put for were much needed - at least in terms my own understanding of superheroes.
But I digress - since it's free form comments day - I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to shill for just a bit.
I'm excited because I finally uploaded my first ever preview scene from my full length feature horror film this week! W00t!
I know most of the readers on this blog are not horror fans - but this is a relatively tame scene. There is no nudity, gore, or ultraviolence - but it's still kinda scary.
Comments and critique are welcome.
C for Chaos Preview Scene.
I'll agree with Streebo - the book brought me to the blog and then to blogging itself. It made me realize that there were people who can take their fun seriously without resorting to name-calling.
Also, a kid's joke - I was racking my brains until my wife smacked my in 'em and reminded me of the joke we taught our three-year old, Kayla:
What did the scarf say to the hat?
You go on ahead; I'll go around.
Bergman and Antonioni dead - your thoughts on the men, the work, etc.?
is it just me, or does it kinda sound like geoff did the voiceover at the end of "the dark knight" teaser? they could've cut that from one of his cgs appearances.
geoff- have you checked out "reading comics" by douglas wolk?
Man, I really gotta get a copy of Geoff's book sometime. I actually found the blog by other means, but I like his writing a lot, and it's always cool to say you "know" the person who wrote an actual published book/comic/whatever.
Kirk: for "blog quotations" read "block quotations".
Streebo. Thanks.
Mark: I also forgot a joke, which is not exactly a kids joke, but is has that same "so stupid it is funny" quality. They used it on Dr. Katz once: "Doctor I'm crazy. I think I'm a tee-pee. I think I'm a pop-tent. I'm a tee-pee. I'm a pop-tent" :: "you know what your problem is? Your too tense [two tents]".
NU: no thoughts just now.
Scott: I am going to have to find that. I wish someone would hire me to do something like that.
Matt: that does make the whole blogosphere fun.
Before the weekend is over, I plan on having a Bergman Tribute Marathon by watching Wild Strawberries, Virgin Spring, and The Seventh Seal.
Bergman on IMDb.
I'm in the process of re-watching all of Tarantino's movies. What do you think of his earlier stuff- in particular what do you think of Jackie Brown? I think it's still my favorite. My gut tells me that you weren't as wild about it as Kill Bill.
Tarantino is so much identified with a certain set of superficial qualities -- absurd violence, language, the rejection of chronological storytelling, pop culture reference, the soundtracks -- that it is easy to miss what I think are actually his most important aspects -- the guy is one of the great storytellers (direct, confident, and simple in the best sense of that word) of our time, and has a way with actors that is unreal; I have never seen a child on screen as natural as BB in Kill Bill.
That said I loved Jackie Brown, because it is unpretentious, and highlights these other qualities, like the ability to get the best out of actors and storytelling (how great is simple, mature, inter-racial romantic relationship in that film?). It is a kind of shibboleth -- like Kill Bill vol 2, it culls out people who just like Tarantino for the violence. An appreciation of Jackie Brown is the mark of a REAL Tarantino fan, I think.
I was waiting until Geoff weighed in with his answer - I'd like to say that Jackie Brown was as radical to Tarantino as Tarantino was to cinema in 1992/1994. I remember saying that QT can't change the face of film every time out - he's got to make some movies, plain and simple. And if that was "just" a Tarantino "movie", then we were going to be in good hands.
Also, Jackie Brown finds QT dealing with certain emotions for the first time, but without cloying sentimentality.
For ages I couldn't put my finger on why I liked Jackie Brown so much. And then I realized that that is why. Because it's good, simple, character-driven storytelling.
I find it interesting that most accounts of meetings with Tarantino (usually from fans but also interviewers) describe him as superior, rude, yet he seems to get on great with actors, judging by the performances he gets out of everyone. And not just the big names either - his use of incidental and background characters/actors is in my book rivalled only by the Coens, and even then for different purposes.
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