Film

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

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For the uninitiated, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is based on a series of humorous science fiction novels written by the late Douglas Adams. I am obviously a fan of science fiction but must start this review by admitting that I am a Hitchhiker virgin. I have read nary a word of Adams’ famed series. I hang my head in shame. Considering the fact that Douglas Adams was a writer for the Monty Python troupe makes it doubly shameful that I have never visited his universe. I admit this only for the sake of saying that I cannot compare the movie to the books. Despite not having read the novels I have been looking forward to this movie with great anticipation. Unfortunately in today’s cinematic world unbridled excitement often equals disappointment once the film begins to roll. I’m happy to say that attending last night’s opening was not a disappointment.

The opening scene of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an important one. It is the barometer by which I personally judged this film. When the opening music had faded and I heard the last “so long and thanks for all the fish” I knew that I would like this movie. The humor is vaudevillian and Pythonesque and at the same time includes a line of dry humor that runs throughout the whole of the film. The thumbnail version of the plot is that the earth is about to be obliterated to make way for a galactic superhighway and our hero, Arthur Dent, is unsuspectingly wisked off to strange new worlds by an old friend who turns out to be from outer space. Bathrobe on and towel in hand Arthur’s adventure commences and continues until the dolphins come home.

The casting in this movie was terrific. Arthur Dent was played to stunned British perfection by Martin Freeman. The character of Dent was an enjoyable hero to connect with as he was truly an average everyman who could be heroic when he needed to be. Zooey Deschanel, a favorite since hearing her incredible singing voice in Elf, plays Trillian, our heroes’ “one that got away”. Zooey is great as a very real, down-to-earth heroine. Mos Def is also great as Arthur Dent’s friend and rescuer Ford Prefect. Sam Rockwell takes on the role of Zaphod Beeblebrox, President of the Galaxy to annoying, self-centered, and brain-dead perfection. Rounding out cast is a relatively short but important performance by Bill Nighy (Slartibartfast) and the the excellent voice acting of Alan Rickman as the chronically depressed robot, Marvin.


(inhabiting the body of Marvin is none other than Willow Ulfgood himself, Warwick Davis)

The special effects in this movie are terrific. The spaceship and planetary effects are obviously done with the very best of today’s technology and, in my opinion, are at their best near the end of the movie during the initial performance of Bill Nighy (no spoilers!!!). Where I think this movie shines is in the art department. The design of the ships and their interiors has a very 80’s feel to it which complements the time period in which Adam’s wrote the novels. (Hitchhiker was published in 1979). Adams’ novels are a spoof of the conventions of science fiction and I see this humor in the design, costume, and special effects choices that were made for this movie. In simple terms this movie looked like I thought it should look.

As I said in the beginning I was not disappointed with this movie. There were several laugh-out-loud moments and both myself and the audience responded in kind. The sublte, dry, and sometimes stupid humor was also very entertaining. I attended the movie with someone who had read the books and he was very pleased with what they were able to accomplish in a 2 hour movie. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a movie that Douglas Adams was trying to have made for many years. Unfortunately Adams died tragically of a sudden heart attack in May of 2001 at the young age of 49. Douglas Adams was hailed as a both a brilliant novelist and a pioneer in the use of radio and the internet. He was developing the website h2g2 which the BBC has continued with since his death. The h2g2 website is “the unconventional Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. It’s like an encyclopedia, only better because all the entries are written by people like you!” On this site they also “collect the best in factual writing on all manner of subjects, from comic books, films and pop music to historical figures, scientific discoveries and introductions to different religions”.

I’m looking forward to reading the novels of Douglas Adams to flesh out this universe that I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to. I’m also looking forward to reading Don’t Panic, a biography of sorts by Neil Gaiman that not only speaks about Adams but also about how this world he created came into being. I hope Douglas Adams would be pleased with this rendering of his creation as I know that I was.

In closing I give this movie one enthusiastic thumb up:

and I say thank you, Douglas Adams.


( Douglas Adams 1952-2001)

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That’s Incredible!

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Jeff and I had been talking about getting together for some time now and last night we decided to meet at the new Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ in his neck of the woods. OK Joe’s is barbeque that is worth flying into Kansas City for, so if you’re ever here…go there! We had originally planned to attend a movie until Jeff found an advertisement in the paper offering a free talk on animation at the local community college by the head of the story team for The Incredibles.

The subject matter and the price were just too good to pass up.

We arrived and were soon joined by Jeff’s friend Mark. As we were sitting there I looked to the front and immediately recognized Mark Andrews from the making-of features on the Incredibles DVD.

I was very excited as Mark was very fun and quite animated himself on the DVD so I knew we were in for an entertaining evening. Mark Andrews was also joined by Brenda Champan.

Brenda has done story boards for many Disney movies including The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, was the Director for Prince of Egypt, and is now senior story artist on Pixar’s upcoming release, Cars. As Jeff pointed out afterwards, Brenda’s calm but entertaining personality was the perfect complement to Mark’s exuberance. Here is a link to the Johnson County Community College press release of the event.

They spoke about story and the structure of story and used examples from several different films. They also showed examples of how story boarding was used and shot for Snow White vs. how it was used and shot for The Incredibles. They both shared personal experiences and talked about the use of computers in animation. They were both very funny and Mark Andrews was as wild with his gestures and movements in person as he was on the Incredibles DVD. And speaking of The Incredibles and the DVD, if you haven’t seen everything on both discs then you are missing some wonderful entertainment. Not only is The Incredibles one of the best superhero movies out there, the extras are terrific.

The thing I found most entertaining on the extra disc was the short documentary “Vowelette” by Sarah Vowell, the voice behind Violet.

Sarah Vowell is a quirky young lady who is actually a well-known radio personality featured on This American Life on National Public Radio. Sarah is an admittedly bizarre young lady who has a fascination with Abraham Lincoln and is currently finishing up a book on Presidential Assassinations. It was so bizarre to watch her talk and hear Violet’s voice coming out of her mouth.

The extra cartoons, the bloopers, the making-of features…everything on that extra disk is top-notch.

We had a really great time and the crowd asked some very good questions in the Q&A afterwards. Most entertaining was the young girl who asked if they felt their jobs were important since they aren’t the ones who do the actual animation. It was very funny!

Afterwards Jeff invited me to his domicile where he showed me his original comic book pages and other collectibles while I drooled jealously all over the basement floor. I doubt that I’ll be invited back however as I kept him up talking until after 1 in the morning and almost let his cat escape into the cold dark night!

Thanks Jeff, it was a good idea and I had an Incredible time….(you could see it coming, couldn’t you?) 😉

Music

Sex and Violins

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A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
~Albert Einstein

Good ol’ uncle Albert had many a thought-provoking idea and I would be hesitant to argue with him on most points. Theory of General Relativity? I’m right there behind you Al! Theory of Special Relativity? You go Al! I’ll even grant you that the above equation for happiness is almost correct…however, in response to your query ‘what else does a man need to be happy?’ I would have to answer this: A Woman! And if the violin in said quote is actually played by the fairer sex, happiness is a forgone conclusion!

What is it about women and the violin? In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing the character Benedick makes the observation “Now, divine air! now is his soul ravished! Is it not strange that sheeps’ guts should hale souls out of men’s bodies?” I’ve loved the violin since I can remember making a conscious choice on the matter. Whether played in true classical fashion, as a down-home fiddle, or somewhere in between my soul is indeed haled by the violin. There is something so inherently sexy about a woman playing a violin. I love my wife exactly as she is….but if the science behind the Matrix were real I would insist that she download a violin virtuoso program immediately. If the Matrix technology was real I would also download a program into my own noodle that would keep me from saying anything along the line of “I wouldn’t change anything about my wife except…” This post then is a celebration of the women whose violin/fiddle playing I adore!

Ireland is one of those places that I long to visit and its music is magical. Sharon Corr has helped bring Irish music to the pop culuture scene.

The Corrs are one of my favorite bands. I enjoy Irish music and The Corrs melodic, up-beat tunes as well as the more melancholic ballads are flavored with traditional Irish folk sound. They harmonize together so beautifully and Sharon’s violin, along with Andrea’s tin whistle, infuses their music with the history of Ireland. This brother-sister team is considered “Irish pop culture’s first sex symbols” and its easy to see why as they are all attractive.

Their parents must have amazing genes! I own the Best of the Corrs DVD and watch it frequently. You can watch 3 of their latest videos in the “The Music” section on their website. Click on “TV Videos” in the upper right of that section to find them. Several videos can also be seen on Launch.

While on the Irish theme I bring you Mairead Nesbitt.

Mairead is part of the touring group Celtic Woman and is a marvelous little powerhouse on the violin. On the recommendation of a friend (Thanks Pat!) I recently purchased the Celtic Women DVD and was blown away! The production was beautiful and the performances were incredible. On the Celtic Woman website you can click on the manhattan records player, found here which will launch a viewing window. When it loads click on Watch Videos in the lower left hand corner and the select “The Contradicion”. It is a two-part violin piece that starts with a beautifully melodic tune and ends with a jaunty Irish jig. If you don’t watch anything else linked to in this post, watch this one because she is incredible. I love how Mairead skips around on stage, flipping her hair as she plays. Her bright green eyes and infectious smile make her a joy to watch.

The European phenomenon Bond literally personifies the idea of Sex and Violins,

an idea that is explored in this article which shares the title of my post. (I knew my title wasn’t an original idea but didn’t think I’d find something of the same name while researching this post!) Their music is unique and entertaining and they play some of the coolest looking stringed instruments that I’ve ever seen. I own two of their CD’s and really enjoy them both. Their lastest video can be found on the main page of their website. While obviously cashing in on their sex appeal these four women are extremely talented and they’ve done wonders in bringing classical music to a younger generation. Their passion and skill is evident when you watch them play. Bond has recently released their latest album, Classified.

A little bit closer to home is Alison Krauss and her band Union Station.

Alison Krauss is simply amazing. I had a chance to see Alison Krauss and Union Station performing this concert on PBS a year or so ago and I was mesmerized. I had heard Alison Krauss before but never really listened and while watching this I was drawn in by both her voice and her violin. That DVD really showcases her bluegrass sound. Several videos can be seen on her website however I think she truly shines in the live performances where you can actually watch her play.

Staying in the country vein brings us to Martie Maguire.

Martie is, of course, one third of the Dixie Chicks. I’ve always enjoyed the Chicks’ brand of country music and especially enjoy Martie’s playing. The fiddle portion of Cowboy Take Me Away is one of my favorites as is the foot stompin’ tune Sin Wagon. I’ve always suspected that watching the Chicks live would yield some amazing fiddle artistry.

A few years ago I discovered Lili Haydn.

Rolling Stone called Lili’s music “an impassioned mix of classical, pop, rock and funk” and is a very good description of her sound. Lili both sings and plays the violin to create a truly unique musical experience. Lili Haydn is likely one of the best violinists that you may have never seen…or at least don’t think you’ve seen. She has played the violin with Sting, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and Tupac. Lili Haydn played the violin on Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring in Josh Groban’s recent PBS concert. The way they shot her playing was amazing as was their interpretation of this beautiful song. More recently Lili can be seen playing the violin in a Folger’s commercial. You can hear a sample of Lili’s haunting voice and incredible violin skills when you open her website as her song Unfolding Grace begins playing automatically.

And last but certainly not least is Lucia Micarelli.

I came across Lucia’s music last year when searching the internet. Lucia Mircarelli has also performed with Josh Groban. Touring with Josh as part of his music ensemble has resulted in standing ovations and an ever-growing fan following. Lucia began learning the violin at age 3 and it is obvious that she has had years of training when you hear her play. You can hear songs from her debut album on her website (click play in upper right hand corner) and can view a video collage shown to the tune Nocturne here. Nocturne is a hauntingly beautiful song and is the first thing I ever heard Lucia perform.

And that’s the tour of the violinist vixens whose music captures my soul. There really is nothing as beautiful as a well played violin. And despite the fact that my wife doesn’t play violin I do love her dearly because:

Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin – it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring.
~S. J. Perelman

Its a fun quote…I had to put it in somewhere!!!

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Death Masque

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Roughly once a year ye ol’ place of employment throws together some sort of family-oriented shindig and this past Saturday was the latest. This year’s event had a Mardi Gras theme so some sort of mask was in order. I haven’t ever been to an actual Masquerade

though I dream of attending one some day at which fancy dress and exquisite masks are donned by all.
Anyway, we went out to our local craft store and picked up supplies. I looked at the blank white mask in my hands and immediately thought of Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe. I took Valspar American Tradition Plasti-kote “Fire-Engine Red” paint, some stick-on jewels, a little acrylic black paint, mixed in some procrastination and this is what emerged:

The picture on the left cheek is a picture of Death,

one of the 7 Endless in Neil Gaiman‘s epic Sandman comic series. The swirl underneath the right eye is also inspired by Death. I free-handed the POE logo from the Poe Museum as the space needed something….it actually should have been bigger but after several failed attempts at forging Poe’s signature in that spot I was ready to be finished…the paint brush has never been my friend! The Masque of the Red Death mask completed I decided the family should have at least some thematical symmetry so I headed over to the local Hot Topic for some poseur-goth shirts.


(the beacon of innocence is Jessica of the Jimmy’s House / Percolations family…I kind of look like a red-face Michael Myers! 🙂 )

Trying to stick with the death theme I chose an Umbrella Corporation shirt for myself (I was doubly proud of the choice as the Death character on my mask is holding an umbrella).

Mary wore a Lenore tee.


(watch her closely and she’ll surprise you)

Lenore is the disturbingly funny comic book creation of Roman Dirge and is one of my favorites. Check out this site for some twisted Lenore flash animated shorts. I recommend Li’l Bunny Foofoo, Li’l Ballerina, Fugly Duckling and Mr Gosh.

Tori wore an Alice-in-Wonderland shirt sporting this image:


(I found this to be very funny considering it was a party for mental health workers!)

I’ve been a fan of the darker Alice-in-Wonderland stuff since playing American McGee’s Alice several years ago.

This was such a great, psychotic, creepy PC game. You can watch a really great trailer for the game here that has a crazy, whispered “we’re all mad here” at the end that gives me chills.

The party was enjoyable and today my mask was gifted to the 15 year old son of my Administrative Assistant who was coveting it throughout the evening. In researching Death pictures I came across this very entertaining site (click picture):

According to this site, in normal mode, my day of demise is set for Monday, September 2, 2041. The optimistic view has me soldering on until Tuesday, October 4, 2061. I’ve noticed through several trials that my normal date of death does not change but my optimistic date fluctuates. For some highly entertaining reading I suggest you click on the Dead Letter Office and read the archives of email that have been sent to the creator of this site. There are some easily-offended, stark-raving maniacs out there! I realize that this is a slighly morbid idea but it is done in the spirit of fun! Come on people!

In closing this post I’d like to point out that today marks the date in 1792 that the guillotine was used for the first time in France. Happy Anniversary!

The Artisan Series

Artisan Series

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I frequently mention artists and authors on this site and have posted a few times about those who I particularly enjoy. There are some creators that I feel are a cut above the rest. Not because of their global popularity or name recognition but because their craft has stirred something in me. Reading their books or viewing their art has made a deep emotional connection with me and inspires me to cast off fear and dive into the creative pool. I don’t know that I can adequately describe why their work makes a connection with me but it has. I spent several days thinking about how I could differentiate these special craftsmen/craftswomen from the many artists that I enjoy and I’ve decided to create a category entitled The Artisan Series. The Latin roots of artisan are: ars–art, artus–skilled in the arts, and artre–to instruct in the arts and I feel that this word is an accurate description of the type of people these creators are. Although some of the artists that I’m considering for this series are authors and some are two-dimensional artists, there are some who actually craft things 3 dimensionally and I liked that the more traditional use of artisan really encompasses the work that they do.

I want to share these artists with you. I remind you of my statement in the description of this site, “…I hope to share many of the things that I am interested in with those who have similar interests as well as maybe open people up to things they didn’t know they were interested in”. I don’t expect you to have the same reaction to these artists that I’ve had…that is one of the great joys of art is that the way it is experienced is unique to each viewer. Go to the sites, share your opinions with the creators on their sites and, as always, feel free to express yourself on this site.

The above being explained I am now happy to bring to you the first in this series. I’m very excited about this first artist and am looking forward to sharing my excitement with you. And so, without any further ado, I bring to you: The Artisan Series….

Eclectic Musings of a Renaissance Geek