All posts by Carl V. Anderson

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Scott…and Skywalker?

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(Scott, far left, pictured with various friends in Las Vegas and Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill)

September 3rd was the birthday of one of my best friends, Scott. I had waited to post mostly because I didn’t have a recent picture and knew I was going to meet him in Tulsa a week and a half ago and might get a picture then. Little did I know that I would get such a great picture!

Scott, a NYC resident, was in Las Vegas in the days prior to our Tulsa trip with his friends for the opening of their Broadway hit Avenue Q in Las Vegas. I got a call Thursday September 8th asking me to guess who he was hanging out with. It turned out to be Mark Hamill and his wife. They were staying at the same hotel and they ended up spending part of the evening together. Being less than a year younger than me Scott also grew up a Star Wars fan. While I have always been partial to Han Solo, his childhood hero was Luke Skywalker. That being the case this chance meeting was a special geek moment for Scott, eventhough I imagine he managed to present himself with great decorum and didn’t regale Mark Hamill with bad “Luke, I am your father!” impressions.

I met Scott in 1987 during my freshman year of college in Tulsa, OK. I had moved there from a small town in Nebraska and was quite miserable being away from friends and family. I had called home saying that I was not going to come back after Christmas break but was instead going to go to a college in Nebraska. This was sometime prior to Thanksgiving. My mom said that this was ‘okay’ but said she would pray that I would find a good friend before that so I would stay. Soon after I ‘met’ Scott. We had actually had a class together all semester, Oral Communications, but I hadn’t noticed him. He can correct me if I’m wrong but I believe he came to my attention when he was giving a speech and mentioned in his speech that Madonna was a slut. It was an unexpected and quite hilarious moment and we became fast friends after this. So Scott was either an answer to prayer, or a great curse, I don’t know which. Just kidding! Scott likes to remind me and others that he believes he is solely responsible for me finding my wife. Since I had found a good friend I returned after Christmas break and soon after met Mary who had been home the previous semester caring for her ill mother. A year and a half later we were married. Thank you, Scott! 😉

Scott has been a terrific best friend with whom I’ve had some of my most memorable moments. Scott is a director in NYC and as such sees a great deal of theatre. I have been able to see two of my favorite Broadway shows with Scott, Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables in addition to many others. I have met Tori Amos twice, in Tulsa and Seattle, thanks to Scott. On our first trip to NYC to visit Scott my wife and I were able to go up in one of the towers of the World Trade Center, a very special memory now considering the 2001 tragedy. I could go on and on about cool things Scott and I have done together but more important than those things he has been a very special friend who encourages me to get outside of my comfort zone and do things that I might not do otherwise. In addition Mary and I have fallen in love with his family members in South Carolina and Tulsa and have adopted them as our own. And of course there’s that little thing about meeting my wife.

For those who’ve managed to read this far I would be remiss in not sharing another memory. Scott and I were in a Health class in college and we were taking timed tests to see how many push ups, etc. we could do in a minute. Scott was holding my feet and counting while I was doing sit ups. As he counted “25, 26, 27…” I unexpectedly let out a very loud fart which halted the class as everyone burst forth with laughter. It was an embarrassing but extremely entertaining moment.

Please join me in wishing Scott a belated but very Happy Birthday! I love you dearly and our friendship is a very integral part of my life. Thank you for all the memories and for your honesty and encouragement. You are the best.

On a related note, on September 3rd, 1937 Orson Welles produced, directed, and starred in Les Miserables, the first radio play to be produced by the fledgling Mercury Theater group.

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Ahoy, mateys!

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‘Tis international Talk Like a Pirate Day! I expect the lot of ye to go to your places of employment garbed in all your pirate finery, prepared to pepper your conversations with the salty dialogue of the pirate! Spend the day lootin and pillaging. Answer every other question with the phrase “Arggh!”. Do not hesitate to tell your co-workers to “swab the poopdeck” and make sure that you threaten at least three peers that you’re going to make them “walk the plank” before days end. If your boss annoys you then you may want to intimate that you’ll soon be sending him to “Davy Jones’ locker”. If you’re feeling reckless refer to your significant other as a “saucy wench”. Feel free to take a peek at the Pirate Glossary if you need help filling your day with pirate lingo.

Really want to get into the Talk Like a Pirate Day festivities? Go and get yourself a pirate name and you’ll be the envy of all!
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Tonight’s entertainment should be a reviewing of Pirates of the Caribbean, one of the best pirate movies of recent date. Late last week I sat down to watch Peter Pan with my daughter.

I hadn’t seen it and was quite impressed. The actor and actress who played Peter Pan and Wendy were both wonderful and Jason Isaacs was entertaining as Mr. Darling/Captain Hook. The special effects were first rate! If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it, especially on this piratical day!
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For the literary pirate I recommend:

I purchased The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists: A Novel for Mary for Christmas last year and it was hilarious fun. A Monty Python on the high seas…with scientists, of course.

For those buccaneers who prefer their books with less words and more pictures I point you to Scurvy Dogs. This five issue comic series is one of the funniest comics I’ve ever read. Chock full of good pirate and monkey fun!
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Don’t be a bilge-sucking blaggard…go forth a speak like only a true pirate can! And tell ’em Sealegs Bonney sent ye!

Film

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

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It should be no surprise to anyone who reads this blog that I have been impatiently waiting for the release of Tim Burton’s latest film, Corpse Bride. I have mentioned it numerous times. It is not slated to open until Friday, September 23rd so I was thrilled to receive a call from my wife over the weekend telling me that Jeff had set aside advance screening tickets that were sent to the comic shop. Last night Mary, Tori and I joined the unique crowd that only a film like Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride could draw.

I am a fan of all things Tim Burton, with a few exceptions, but my favorite is The Nightmare Before Christmas. I did not see this in the theatre when it was released in 1993…my first viewing was somewhere around 1999. Growing up as a fan of the stop motion animated work of Rankin and Bass in the Christmas specials Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer I had an immediate affection for Nightmare. It has been 12 years since Tim Burton has given us a stop motion film and the wait has been too long. If you have been one of those in waiting, however, you won’t be disappointed.

Calling to mind the tales of Edgar Allan Poe and the artistic visions of Charles Addams and Edward Gorey, Burton and company infuse Corpse Bride with a macabre sensibility entirely fitting for this season of the year and yet the film maintains a sweetness that is sure to make it treasured for years to come. Corpse Bride is loosely based on a Russian folktale and is penned by John August, Caroline Thompson, and Pamela Pettler. For those who have not seen the trailer the story opens on the night before a shy young man named Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp) will be entering into an arranged marriage with Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson). A series of mishaps leads young Victor to the woods outside of town where he finds himself wed to the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter). Grave-centered hilarity ensues as Victor finds himself in the underworld, desperately wanting to return to Victoria’s side. It would be spoiling it to tell more, suffice it to say that there is more going on in the land of the living and the land of the dead than meets the eye. The characters are all very fun and the voice actors are terrific. The inclusion of Christopher Lee as Pastor Galswells and a character who is an homage to Peter Lorre in both look and voice are a treat for those of us who enjoy classic horror films. And who else but Tim Burton could make you fall in love with a stuffed, Frankenstein-ish rag doll in one movie and a decaying corpse bride in another?

Tim Burton provided character sketches and then turned character development over to Carlos Grangel who skillfully designed a host of characters wonderful in their uniqueness and yet all quite obviously Burtonesque. The characters in Tim Burton’s animated films are brought to life with the use of puppets. The puppets are 3 dimensional works of art that are manipulated a millimeter at a time and shot frame by frame in a process that can take several hours to shoot a few seconds of film. There is a tactile quality that can only be achieved with this kind of animation. The fact that the sets and characters exist and can be touched and manipulated makes the film feel more real. Despite the use of digital techniques to render some parts of the film it is amazing how much is actually done with stop motion. I sat in awe as I watched the corpse bride rise from the ground, her veil and gown flowing around her, only guessing at the commitment and talent needed to achieve such wonderful effects.

The sets are fantastic. The land of the living employs a muted, monochromatic color scheme that is in direct contrast to the vivid, bright colors of the land of the dead. The color schemes point are symbolic of the level of “living” that is going on in each world. Attention to detail and subtle nods to Burton’s influences can be seen throughout the film which encourages multiple viewings in order to catch all the things you might have missed. The film is a visual feast for those who enjoy the look of a Tim Burton film. I cannot wait for the DVD to watch the behind the scenes of the making of the sets for this film.

Burton once again turns the musical reigns of the film over to Danny Elfman. In addition to writing the music Elfman also provides the voice of Bonejangles, the Skeletones’ band leader in the Ball and Socket Pub. Danny Elfman takes criticism for the similarities of his music from film to film but that similarity of style and feel is what I like about both Burton and Elfman. My criticism with the music in this film is that there aren’t as many great songs as there are in A Nightmare Before Christmas. With the exception of the song when Victor enters the underworld there is a lack of memorable numbers in the film. I was hoping for a lover’s lament similar to Sally Nightshade’s song in NBX but the corpse bride’s is simply not as moving. That’s not to say that the music isn’t good but it pales in comparison to its predecessor. Of course that’s just my opinion, my daughter left singing the chorus of one of the songs and had the exact opposite view of the music than I did!

The only other criticism I had is that the film is very short. At 78 minutes it was over much too fast, especially considering the fact that I have to wait a few more weeks in order to enjoy it again. Ironically I believe that the length of the film will be one of its strong points with critics as the story is faithfully served in that time and Burton packs the most into each frame of the film.

Once again Tim Burton has crafted a marvelous work that will have fans of A Nightmare Before Christmas hoping they don’t have to wait 12 more years for another stop motion animated film. An abundance of visual and verbal humor combined with a very poignant story should provide enjoyment for all but the very youngest of viewers. The many and varied characters are thoroughly engaging and they populate a world that is a joy to behold. This is a film that I will treasure almost as much as I treasure Nightmare and one that I will definitely see again while it is in theatres.

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Are You Ready….

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Yes I Am!!!

In true championship fashion the two-time defending Superbowl Champion New England Patriots defeated Randy “Look at me, look at me” Moss and the Oakland Raiders 30-20 to open the 2005-2006 NFL season. And it couldn’t come soon enough!

This summer has been one of personal struggle for co-workers and extended family members which have profoundly effected us and made the summer seem longer and much more taxing than previous summers. While some of the situations continue I personally find it comforting that fall is on its way and we as a family will be able to spend more time enjoying the outdoors and allowing the beauty of God’s creation to assist with some much needed healing.

And football is a part of that process. I like no sport as much as professional football and I’m so thankful it is finally here! The love of this sport goes back to the 3rd grade when I picked up my copy of Boy’s Life magazine with Roger Staubach on the cover and immediately became a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Living in Kansas City I have of course become a Chiefs fan but I still have a soft spot for the Cowboys and actually like a number of other teams as well. I’ve taken a break from fantasy football this year and am planning on just watching for the fun of the game this year and recharging for a possible return next year.

I’m off to Tulsa to visit a few friends and will return late Monday night. If you don’t hear from me before then, that is why. Have a great NFL opening weekend everyone and my condolences to the football widows.

Fantasy

The Knight and The Wizard

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As profound of an experience as I’ve just had with these two books I’ve decided to write a joint review on Gene Wolfe’s two-book The Wizard Knight series, The Knight and The Wizard.

At 74 years of age Gene Wolfe is considered by many authors and readers to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, science fiction and fantasy author alive today. Over the years I have heard friends and favorite authors alike sing the praises of Gene Wolfe, particularly for the four books that make up his The Book of the New Sun series. Considering the reading experience I had just had with The Time Traveler’s Wife (review here), I had resigned myself to the fact that it would be a long time before I was so enthralled with another book. I could not have been more wrong nor more pleasantly surprised when I decided to give Gene Wolfe a try and picked up The Knight.

These stories center on a teenager who takes a walk in the woods in the “real” world and through a series of seemingly innocent actions finds himself no longer in America but in a magical realm consisting of seven levels of reality. Unable to remember entirely who he is or how he got to this new realm he is soon given the name Able and in his heart the desire to become a knight begins to grow. A meeting with an Aelf Queen named Disiri results in this young boy being turned into a man of heroic proportions. A man whose destiny is to find a fabled magical sword named Eterne, the finding of which he believes will allow him to return to Disiri whom he loves above all else. And so a quest begins that will take the reader along with Able of the High Heart as he travels through various planes of this realm meeting aelfs and dragons, kings and queens, knights, gods, goddesses, ogres and many others too numerous to name.

Taken as I’ve written it one could easily say that all this has been done before in many other fantasy stories. What makes this different is that Gene Wolfe takes all these archetypes of fantasy and creates a tale told in a wholly original, fascinating way. These stories are written in the form of a letter from Able to his brother Ben in the “real” world. Despite his body-changing experience with Disiri, Able remains but a boy in a man’s body and his narration is told in the voice of a teenager. A teenager who knows there are memories that have been taken from him and realizes that a part of his quest will be to discover more about who he is and why he has been taken to this realm. Told as a letter the reader realizes that time has passed but doesn’t know how old Able is when he is writing this letter. In this “letter” Able casually references events that have happened to him but that won’t occur until much later in the narration thus giving the story depth and intrigue. The reader is made to wonder where this brother Ben is and does he get this letter that Able is writing and how did this all occur in the first place. These and other mysteries make for a compelling read.

It is very hard to describe Gene Wolfe’s writing style as it is like nothing I have read before. It is obvious that there is a classic mythology and folklore running throughout the story and it is written so well that one is tempted to do research to see if this mythology exists or if it was simply made up in Wolfe’s imagination. Although there is a linear progression to the story Wolfe does not write everything in a dry “this happened and then that happened” format. Instead the reader is sometimes given sketchy or incomplete information from the narrator that is fleshed out later on. This makes for a more intelligent, thought provoking read and compels the reader to continue on devouring the books to see what happens next. Though written only a few years ago these books had the feel of classic literature in the vein of Dickens or Stoker and yet Wolfe’s voice is quite unique.

The Wizard completes the tale that was abruptly ended with The Knight. In The Wizard Sir Able is older still and the voice in which he continues his letter shows the effects of his time and adventures in this realm. In The Wizard Wolfe strays from his first person narrative at times to show what is happening to other characters. Early on Sir Able indicates that the part he is writing about others has been relayed to him by someone present and the reader assumes that this continues to be the case as it happens later in the tale. The Wizard is a more action oriented tale than The Knight, containing accounts of battles with many and varied residents of the seven realms.

Both The Knight and The Wizard are wonderful examples of the craft of bookmaking as well. The hardcover editions have raised lettering and embossed images with wonderful paintings done by artist Gregory Manchess. Inside the books each beginning chapter page has a pencil illustration done by Manchess, and they are lush, detailed, and amazing. I love a book that is put together well and these are two marvelous examples.

At its heart The Wizard Knight series is a love story. A story in which a young man choses to be a knight and sets about on a quest to become one and win the love of a the woman who fills his every thought and inspires his every action. During the quest he meets many characters who make a profound difference in his life as well as a number who are profoundly changed by meeting him. Through it all Wolfe writes a tale in which you quickly become attached to many of the characters and although the end of the tale is quite satisfying it leaves you saddened that you have to leave this world and these characters behind. I have not done these two books justice at all in my reviews. They are truly fascinating and inspiring and thought provoking. I literally could not put this story down and read both 470ish page stories in a very brief period of time. These are amazing books and I highly recommend them.