Yesterday, I walked onto a Bollywood set.
Literally.
On my way back from McD’s, my apartment building was lit by three lighting/grip trucks. The lights were overpowering the sun.
A commenter on my last article jokes:
I thought : “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” was Robbie Wiliams stuff!
I should issue a couple of corrections to improper attributions in that article.
Me: I’m an innocent.
Mager: I believe you are secretly not innocent.
Me: I have gaps. Me: Hmm… I should blog that.
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Maybe I should have saved this for a Seven Things post, but my first R-rated movie was Quest for Fire. I saw it with my mom.
Here’s what happened.
My dad felt that it would be okay if my brother saw an R-rated movie for his birthday party, but there was no way C—’s mom would allow C— to see Porky’s. But, somehow Quest for Fire was okay because it was “an art film.” My mom had to chaperone my-brother’s-friends-whose parents-weren’t-cool-enough-to-let-them-see-Porky’s… and me.
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My brother finally did catch my first R-rated movie in cable when he was in college. Of course he was shocked because Quest for Fire puts Porky’s to shame.
When he recounted that observation to my parents, I added, “I remember seeing that. I hated it because there was no speaking, only grunting.”
“Haha! You were like nine!”
“That was a horrible movie!” Mom rejoined, “I had to put my hand in front of Terry’s eyes for nearly thing. And he kept shouting, ‘Mommy, mommy are they done pumping yet?’ The whole theatre could hear it. I was so embarrassed.”
Ahh! Quest for Fire—one of those movies that makes you wonder What the fuck was MPAA ratings board was smoking at that night?
A friend sent me this article with the comment, “I think you will enjoy reading this.”
I did. Thanks.
Everything is a Tiny Toy until Wheels touch Earth then Real Size snap back.
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Yes, I still think it’s odd when people clap after the plane lands.
Books as bearable movies have to concentrate on character because there is no time for story. One less movie, one more book..
While researching the previous article, I came across this hilarious quote:
This is a far cry from 1966, originally the Klingons were scotch tape Asians (Fong, 176); White actors given slanty eyes. The Klingon race incarnate all the characteristics that most scare White America. The Klingons are violent, ill tempered, lustful, and drunk. They are on a mission to destroy the peaceful Federation and take over the universe. Finally, they fight to the death preferring death to defeat or capture. One scene from an episode entitled The Trouble with Tribbles almost mirrors a scene from the 1944 film Dragon Seed. In both scenes the evil Asians show up at a restaurant and demand liquor, when they are denied they go on a violent rampage. Often, they are shown eating large hunks of meat off the bone Gengis Kahn style. —“As-liens: The Final Frontier in Depicts of Yellow Peril in Popular Cinema”
I’m so going to have to do this at the next geek event.
“Gotta say, it’s kind of breathtaking what Bush has done to you, the awakening is something to behold!.” —rafaelh, “Well, Of Course.”
The slow transformation of political blogger, John Cole, from a Bush supporting Republican to “Noam Chomsky” really is that. In the linked article, he points out the “settling in for a longer term confrontation with China.”
I think we need to remember how the early Bush administration kept playing cat-and-mouse with the Chinese airspace until an accident happened.
It was pretty obvious then that the idea wasn’t to start a war, the idea was to scare us enough to provide funding on the completely useless national missile defense system. And then, five months later, 9/11 happened and they got their missile defense system budget anyway.
I always found it interesting how the Klingons in Star Trek the original series were the Yellow Peril, then they became the Soviets. I was hoping they’d be the Arabs this time, but it looks like they’re back to being the Chinese again.
Blurb is hosting Lunch 2.0 today on Valentine’s Day!
Reading people’s twitter’s I think
Am I the only single person who loves Valentine’s day?
Oh the gifts, flowers, chocolates, singing telegram, and the the restaurant dinner reservation! I love watching the public trauma this day brings to two people in love. Sometimes it is like a romance sped up. Other times it is a romantic comedy in miniature, but mostly it is a complete disaster—still memorable in a “visit the inlaws” sort of way.
To that last one, I remember how my friend Jay broke up with his girlfriend by taking her to McDonald’s for Valentine’s—given how I love fast food, this would probably be my ideal date. 
I thank that I never have had to privately experience that public trauma. Historo-mathematically, it should have happened—I know that I’ve been in a relationship during some February 14th of the past, but somehow I’ve been spared any compulsion to participate.
Instead, I normally celebrate it by spamming friends and family with an e-card.
Not this year.
[Triumphs of the Human Spirit] Continue reading
An excellent article comparing 300 with the American Citizen-Soldier. Continue reading
