11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Letting Fairy Tales Live (A Fairy Tale Enthusiast's Dilemma)
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Oops. It's an essay.Consider yourself warned regarding the wordage!
So, in the last post I wrote this:
I totally feel her dilemma. I've grappled with this for many, many years and still have an uncomfortable dual response to fairy tales appearing in film, TV and even books. Let me digress for a moment to explain some realities made clear to me in my time in Hollywood:
(I'll get back to actual fairy tales right afterward, I promise!)
When I finally got to work for Disney Feature Animation - a dream of mine since I was small - reality quickly came crashing in: I discovered, no matter what the official press, the company wasn't truly interested in honoring fairy tales or a tradition of good storytelling. At the end of the day it's run on dollars (how much they could ultimately make) and the "wow" factor that would dazzle both the public and the executives in charge of handing out the jobs and the money to make movies. The people in charge were not interested in someone who could help with development by offering research insight and access to avenues they may not have considered. Ironically, they thought they were, but challenging people on a production schedule quickly proved where the focus was and why as a result there was so much confusion. It was a club, it was exclusive and it was run on dollars, not on ideals. That was heartbreaking to realize for the little girl inside who had planned to help Disney make the best fairy tale films in the world. I quickly went from dreaming big and driven by ideals to scrambling to fit in enough to keep my job and survive. (You'd be astonished at the number of people who have, not only good ideas but excellent skills and are still in "workhorse" jobs.)
Surprise, surprise, most of Hollywood runs this way. Sure directors, writers and others lucky enough to be allowed creative input may start out with noble aspirations for a special story or project but that tends to get swallowed pretty quickly in the day-to-day reality of trying to get - and keep! - a job (and, for those a couple of rungs down the ladder, just trying to keep feeding their families). I'm not saying great things don't happen. Nor am I saying there aren't people who aim for the ideal and have a strong sense of respect. I know they exist as I've been lucky enough to meet a few of them but the reality is most people really are just trying to keep their jobs, just like the rest of the population. (The current economy has made that abundantly clear.) The challenge these storytellers have is to keep working while trying to hold on to their unique vision (often with both fists and all their teeth!). No one sets out to make a "bad" movie (one that the public hates or is indifferent to and doesn't earn good dollar return). Unfortunately, unless you are independent or a powerful enough force in Hollywood that you can do things entirely your own way, the story you wanted to tell is rarely the one that makes it to the end/screen (or the starting gate as far as the public is concerned). It turns out that even "bad" movies are hard to make.
It's a tough business and I've gone from being highly critical of films using fairy tales to assessing them by the following criteria: Would I have been proud to have been part of that production? I have high standards so the answer isn't "yes" as often as you might think but it is "yes" far more often than it used to be. And "yes": I still want to do what I can to encourage excellence and truly resonant storytelling with regard to fairy tales in entertainment.
So, regarding Snow White and the Huntsman: would I be proud if I could add that project to my resume? The answer is "yes". Absolutely. Could it have been better? Absolutely. But that's not the point. In some ways I've come full circle and am back to being excited when fairy tales are used, period. It's a very odd feeling and something I have to remind my cynical, critical self to be aware of, especially right now.
The tales can't "live" without being retold by "common" people (ie. those who haven't made them their life and focus) because they belong, not just to linguists and writers but to average Joe's and Jane's. This is often very tough for people who love fairy tales!
Regarding SWATH, however, it's clearly a (pure) fantasy film* and one could argue that its very essence as such puts it in a different category from the sorts of tales the Grimms were collecting and retelling. Movie making is a much different business than working with tales everyday people tell and retell. That doesn't make it irrelevant though. In one sense it's reverse "popular" storytelling (in the sense of the types of tales and storytelling the Grimm Brothers were trying to preserve). Only a select few (the movie's creative team and writers) work on the reworking of a story and set up a "buzz" via teasers and other marketing to get people thinking about their product (that's right: "product", not "story" as you might at first think), the object being to capture the imagination of the public and get them talking about a story/movie and ultimately spending some of their hard-earned money on it. It's not until you see what sticks or how deeply it invades the lives and thinking of the public afterward (ie. what, if any, impact it has long term on popular culture) that you can truly see if there's been an evolution in a tales understanding or a "new" culture-wide reaction to a tale or tale-type.
I would suggest that the serial form of ABCs Once Upon A Time, for all its many short-comings and cringeworthy moments has still managed to capture the public's imagination over the long term and is one form the Grimms might have seen more as carrying on the oral/evolution of fairy tales than any blockbuster movie. While I personally have more than a few issues with the show regarding its use of fairy tales (yes, my precious! Told you I have this dual response), one thing that's clear is how it has encouraged widespread change in how people think about fairy tales and what wonder tales in general are. None of the concepts are new and there have been many far better written/filmed/etc ways in which fairy tales have been retold over many, many decades but it's rare that those have had such a wide impact (much to the chagrin of the fairy tale community). For every amazing Angela Carter work we've been blasted by (eg.) Little Mermaids and yet it turns out both are relevant for their effect on general thinking about fairy tales as well as for keeping fairy tales alive. The cross-cultural impact of Once Upon A Time (and other contemporary entertainment using fairy tales which only serve to bolster OUAT's impact again) is undeniable and impressive, especially considering that the "princess culture" which has remained, until recently, the current reigning popular consideration of fairy tales.
Are fairy tales "breathing" today? Most definitely. It's just that how they're "growing" isn't always how we'd wish, despite our best efforts to encourage all those ideal qualities we believe tales should retain. (Sound familiar parents?) Art and other vital "cultural organisms", for want of a better term, are fickle that way. Prof. Zipes discusses this dilemma of the need for popular culture to mesh (or sometimes clash) with history in order to let tales "keep living" in his new book The Irresistible Fairy Tale, which I am currently reading and plan to review. (I can't wait to get to the chapter titled Fairy Tale Collisions which discusses what's happening with fairy tales in art and entertainment right now.)
Snow White - the tale, the character - definitely has something to say to people in 2012. There's a reason she's the "it" girl of the year. Any other year Snow White - in these exact retellings and incarnations - may not be as well received but there's something about the tale that's filling a needed gap right now. What that actually is, is up for debate. I think it depends on who you are and what your situation is that impacts what you take away and retain from a story in particular. For Snow White, right now, it would seem that many aspects of her tale have things to say that are relevant to many different people. That's very interesting and points to something significant in the "life" of a tale.**
One thing that is clear from current adaptations is that familiar fairy tale characters appear more relatable to adults and grown-up situations than they did when Disney was the "king of the fairy tale". Again, it's nothing new but what I'm seeing is that adults who previously dismissed fairy tales as something only belonging to their childhood are suddenly connecting the dots and finding adult relevancies. While that's not news to anyone who's studied fairy tales it's a significant change for everyone else.
There's no doubt the film Snow White and the Huntsman has its own slants. Whether it is relevant or not to men and women today is another issue. Some people will see it as a film about the need for strong heroines. Others will see a message saying women can't do really anything of consequence without acting like a man (or a very scary witch). Others still will see it as good will win out in the end if you persist while for others it will reinforce the idea that fairy tale values are unrealistic and unattainable without the perfect vessel (which in this film is the beautiful, powerful yet still virginal Snow White). Each of those, in their own way, is valid. At the end of the day, though, the film is pure entertainment first and foremost. While we can critique it and dismiss or embrace it, what the public overall see it as saying in 2012 - and how it affects their lens on fairy tales in the longer term - is yet to be determined.
*Unlike, for example, Pan's Labyrinth which, while clearly embracing fairy tales and a fantasy, has solid real world elements and is therefore more akin to a wonder tale than a purely fantastic film.
** In the case of this film (SWATH), the fact that the leading lady of the Twilight phenomenon (who gives up all ambition and her sense of self for a boy) was cast in a very non-passive*** role as Snow White (almost a polar opposite of her Bella Swan character) may have more to do with how fairy tales affect the "Twilight generation" rather than the fact that it's "Snow White" but that's a whole other discussion right there.
*** I've used the words "non-passive" instead of the more correct "active" for clarity here. Being active is more than doing action-hero stuff. Unfortunately, it's quite possible to be a passive action-hero. When I say "non-passive" I mean it has to do with a strong sense of identity, facing fears and forging forward for what you believe.
Oops. It's an essay.Consider yourself warned regarding the wordage!So, in the last post I wrote this:
...that's one of those difficult things about fairy tales. We have to let them go and watch how they evolve, even when the outcome is not what we would choose or hope for...It's something I've been thinking about a lot with all the various incarnations of tales and familiar characters popping up all over the place this past year and then on the release day post for Snow White and the Huntsman, Christie wrote this comment:
I have mixed feelings about this film. Its promise to be visually stunning and the re-worked storyline are intriguing but pouty, post-Twilight Kristen Stewart as Snow White does not speak to me. Part of me approves mainstream Hollywood peeking into the wealth of fairy tale material we all know is there, and part of me wishes we could keep it to ourselves in our community, where I know it will be properly appreciated.
I totally feel her dilemma. I've grappled with this for many, many years and still have an uncomfortable dual response to fairy tales appearing in film, TV and even books. Let me digress for a moment to explain some realities made clear to me in my time in Hollywood:
(I'll get back to actual fairy tales right afterward, I promise!)
Note: I've always worried about saying these things on the blog because I'm concerned it might impact my future employment in the entertainment industry when I stop being a stay at home mum and can go back to work BUT my respect for (most) people working in film and animation has only increased with the dose of reality that changed my outlook, so here goes. I hope my previous and future colleagues understand this has only made me more in awe of most people who continue to work regularly in the field and still aspire to producing something truly excellent.
When I finally got to work for Disney Feature Animation - a dream of mine since I was small - reality quickly came crashing in: I discovered, no matter what the official press, the company wasn't truly interested in honoring fairy tales or a tradition of good storytelling. At the end of the day it's run on dollars (how much they could ultimately make) and the "wow" factor that would dazzle both the public and the executives in charge of handing out the jobs and the money to make movies. The people in charge were not interested in someone who could help with development by offering research insight and access to avenues they may not have considered. Ironically, they thought they were, but challenging people on a production schedule quickly proved where the focus was and why as a result there was so much confusion. It was a club, it was exclusive and it was run on dollars, not on ideals. That was heartbreaking to realize for the little girl inside who had planned to help Disney make the best fairy tale films in the world. I quickly went from dreaming big and driven by ideals to scrambling to fit in enough to keep my job and survive. (You'd be astonished at the number of people who have, not only good ideas but excellent skills and are still in "workhorse" jobs.)Surprise, surprise, most of Hollywood runs this way. Sure directors, writers and others lucky enough to be allowed creative input may start out with noble aspirations for a special story or project but that tends to get swallowed pretty quickly in the day-to-day reality of trying to get - and keep! - a job (and, for those a couple of rungs down the ladder, just trying to keep feeding their families). I'm not saying great things don't happen. Nor am I saying there aren't people who aim for the ideal and have a strong sense of respect. I know they exist as I've been lucky enough to meet a few of them but the reality is most people really are just trying to keep their jobs, just like the rest of the population. (The current economy has made that abundantly clear.) The challenge these storytellers have is to keep working while trying to hold on to their unique vision (often with both fists and all their teeth!). No one sets out to make a "bad" movie (one that the public hates or is indifferent to and doesn't earn good dollar return). Unfortunately, unless you are independent or a powerful enough force in Hollywood that you can do things entirely your own way, the story you wanted to tell is rarely the one that makes it to the end/screen (or the starting gate as far as the public is concerned). It turns out that even "bad" movies are hard to make.
It's a tough business and I've gone from being highly critical of films using fairy tales to assessing them by the following criteria: Would I have been proud to have been part of that production? I have high standards so the answer isn't "yes" as often as you might think but it is "yes" far more often than it used to be. And "yes": I still want to do what I can to encourage excellence and truly resonant storytelling with regard to fairy tales in entertainment.
So, regarding Snow White and the Huntsman: would I be proud if I could add that project to my resume? The answer is "yes". Absolutely. Could it have been better? Absolutely. But that's not the point. In some ways I've come full circle and am back to being excited when fairy tales are used, period. It's a very odd feeling and something I have to remind my cynical, critical self to be aware of, especially right now.
The tales can't "live" without being retold by "common" people (ie. those who haven't made them their life and focus) because they belong, not just to linguists and writers but to average Joe's and Jane's. This is often very tough for people who love fairy tales!
Regarding SWATH, however, it's clearly a (pure) fantasy film* and one could argue that its very essence as such puts it in a different category from the sorts of tales the Grimms were collecting and retelling. Movie making is a much different business than working with tales everyday people tell and retell. That doesn't make it irrelevant though. In one sense it's reverse "popular" storytelling (in the sense of the types of tales and storytelling the Grimm Brothers were trying to preserve). Only a select few (the movie's creative team and writers) work on the reworking of a story and set up a "buzz" via teasers and other marketing to get people thinking about their product (that's right: "product", not "story" as you might at first think), the object being to capture the imagination of the public and get them talking about a story/movie and ultimately spending some of their hard-earned money on it. It's not until you see what sticks or how deeply it invades the lives and thinking of the public afterward (ie. what, if any, impact it has long term on popular culture) that you can truly see if there's been an evolution in a tales understanding or a "new" culture-wide reaction to a tale or tale-type.
I would suggest that the serial form of ABCs Once Upon A Time, for all its many short-comings and cringeworthy moments has still managed to capture the public's imagination over the long term and is one form the Grimms might have seen more as carrying on the oral/evolution of fairy tales than any blockbuster movie. While I personally have more than a few issues with the show regarding its use of fairy tales (yes, my precious! Told you I have this dual response), one thing that's clear is how it has encouraged widespread change in how people think about fairy tales and what wonder tales in general are. None of the concepts are new and there have been many far better written/filmed/etc ways in which fairy tales have been retold over many, many decades but it's rare that those have had such a wide impact (much to the chagrin of the fairy tale community). For every amazing Angela Carter work we've been blasted by (eg.) Little Mermaids and yet it turns out both are relevant for their effect on general thinking about fairy tales as well as for keeping fairy tales alive. The cross-cultural impact of Once Upon A Time (and other contemporary entertainment using fairy tales which only serve to bolster OUAT's impact again) is undeniable and impressive, especially considering that the "princess culture" which has remained, until recently, the current reigning popular consideration of fairy tales.
Are fairy tales "breathing" today? Most definitely. It's just that how they're "growing" isn't always how we'd wish, despite our best efforts to encourage all those ideal qualities we believe tales should retain. (Sound familiar parents?) Art and other vital "cultural organisms", for want of a better term, are fickle that way. Prof. Zipes discusses this dilemma of the need for popular culture to mesh (or sometimes clash) with history in order to let tales "keep living" in his new book The Irresistible Fairy Tale, which I am currently reading and plan to review. (I can't wait to get to the chapter titled Fairy Tale Collisions which discusses what's happening with fairy tales in art and entertainment right now.)
Snow White - the tale, the character - definitely has something to say to people in 2012. There's a reason she's the "it" girl of the year. Any other year Snow White - in these exact retellings and incarnations - may not be as well received but there's something about the tale that's filling a needed gap right now. What that actually is, is up for debate. I think it depends on who you are and what your situation is that impacts what you take away and retain from a story in particular. For Snow White, right now, it would seem that many aspects of her tale have things to say that are relevant to many different people. That's very interesting and points to something significant in the "life" of a tale.**
One thing that is clear from current adaptations is that familiar fairy tale characters appear more relatable to adults and grown-up situations than they did when Disney was the "king of the fairy tale". Again, it's nothing new but what I'm seeing is that adults who previously dismissed fairy tales as something only belonging to their childhood are suddenly connecting the dots and finding adult relevancies. While that's not news to anyone who's studied fairy tales it's a significant change for everyone else.
There's no doubt the film Snow White and the Huntsman has its own slants. Whether it is relevant or not to men and women today is another issue. Some people will see it as a film about the need for strong heroines. Others will see a message saying women can't do really anything of consequence without acting like a man (or a very scary witch). Others still will see it as good will win out in the end if you persist while for others it will reinforce the idea that fairy tale values are unrealistic and unattainable without the perfect vessel (which in this film is the beautiful, powerful yet still virginal Snow White). Each of those, in their own way, is valid. At the end of the day, though, the film is pure entertainment first and foremost. While we can critique it and dismiss or embrace it, what the public overall see it as saying in 2012 - and how it affects their lens on fairy tales in the longer term - is yet to be determined.
*Unlike, for example, Pan's Labyrinth which, while clearly embracing fairy tales and a fantasy, has solid real world elements and is therefore more akin to a wonder tale than a purely fantastic film.
** In the case of this film (SWATH), the fact that the leading lady of the Twilight phenomenon (who gives up all ambition and her sense of self for a boy) was cast in a very non-passive*** role as Snow White (almost a polar opposite of her Bella Swan character) may have more to do with how fairy tales affect the "Twilight generation" rather than the fact that it's "Snow White" but that's a whole other discussion right there.
*** I've used the words "non-passive" instead of the more correct "active" for clarity here. Being active is more than doing action-hero stuff. Unfortunately, it's quite possible to be a passive action-hero. When I say "non-passive" I mean it has to do with a strong sense of identity, facing fears and forging forward for what you believe.
From Wicked Witch to Snow Queen + Disney's First Official "Frozen" Blurb
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Disney have just (re)announced that their doing their take (the quote is "loosely based") on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen, to be titled Frozen.
We already knew Kristen Bell was to be the Gerda equivalent (now revealed as "Anna") and now it's just been announced that the Tony Award Winning Actress Idina Menzel, who first played Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked, will step into the shoes of the Snow Queen herself.
How will it play out? Disney have also just released their first official blurb for the film to give us some insight:
I don't know about you, but to me it seems that this premise is so "loose" in comparison to the classic (and dearly loved across the globe) fairy tale that it's just about lost. I have no problem with Disney making an fantasy animated feature film with lots of snow and an icy queen - they should. It'd be beautiful and they certainly have both the artistry and the tech to support a big vision BUT to say it's based on a fairy tale and essentially claim this is the new Snow Queen when it has almost nothing in common with the original (based on the official tidbits released this year)? That seems wrong. It's one of those few times I wish there were some form of copyright on the literary tales that say "you cannot liken your work to the original without using x% of the plot, characters and acknowledging the source material in the opening credits..." But then, that's part of why Disney use fairy tales in the first place, isn't it? They can do whatever they like.
From Entertainment Weekly:
So there you have it. A CG musical using the very marketable phrase (as far as Disney goes)"fairy tale". We know Disney's been having a huge internal reshuffle with one of their most loved and recognizable (read "bankable") veteran animators, Glen Keane, departing in March this year but it seems as if they've been hard at work in an effort to show they remain undaunted and are barreling along into production on (another) new version of this old project. Considering they still attract much of the world's best in all the various talents I have no doubt it will be a beautiful, magical and wonderful film. But will it feel like The Snow Queen we know and love?
Although fairy tales can have their elements and plot points changed more than you'd think and still remain "recognizable" it requires more than just having a character with one key characteristic for that recognition to happen. (Eg. just because a girl in a film puts on a red hat, or even a red cape and hood, does not automatically make it a Little Red Cap tale.)
I will be watching to see what, if any, fairy tale elements are in the film at all, as well as what it will do to the public perception of HCA's Snow Queen.*
I couldn't help but stifle a snigger, though, when I read the summary of the announcement by Bleeding Cool, since it's what everyone's been thinking but I hadn't seen put so boldly in print until now:
Frozen is currently set for a Winter holiday release in the US during November 2013.
Note: All images shown are concept art by Paul Felix for an earlier version of Frozen (still then called The Snow Queen). One of these are from current development art.
*Interestingly, I've noticed the fairy tale of Rapunzel, as published by the Grimm's in Household Tales 200 years ago this year, is remaining largely intact in the public minds. Tangled, and all it's various marketing, didn't have the usual effect of very near eclipsing the classic tale in the public mind at all. It would seem that Disney's title change, in addition to other things, did indeed distance it more than intended from the classics tie-in they were hoping for.
Disney have just (re)announced that their doing their take (the quote is "loosely based") on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen, to be titled Frozen.We already knew Kristen Bell was to be the Gerda equivalent (now revealed as "Anna") and now it's just been announced that the Tony Award Winning Actress Idina Menzel, who first played Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked, will step into the shoes of the Snow Queen herself.
How will it play out? Disney have also just released their first official blurb for the film to give us some insight:
In Frozen, a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, so Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) must team up with Kristoff, a daring mountain man, on the grandest of journeys to find the Snow Queen (voice of Idina Menzel) and put an end to the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like extremes, mystical creatures and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.
I don't know about you, but to me it seems that this premise is so "loose" in comparison to the classic (and dearly loved across the globe) fairy tale that it's just about lost. I have no problem with Disney making an fantasy animated feature film with lots of snow and an icy queen - they should. It'd be beautiful and they certainly have both the artistry and the tech to support a big vision BUT to say it's based on a fairy tale and essentially claim this is the new Snow Queen when it has almost nothing in common with the original (based on the official tidbits released this year)? That seems wrong. It's one of those few times I wish there were some form of copyright on the literary tales that say "you cannot liken your work to the original without using x% of the plot, characters and acknowledging the source material in the opening credits..." But then, that's part of why Disney use fairy tales in the first place, isn't it? They can do whatever they like.
From Entertainment Weekly:
The movie, of course, will have a musical element, with original songs by Broadway’s Robert Lopez (a two-time Tony winner for Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon) and wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez (who worked with him on Disney’s 2011 Winnie the Pooh.)
The digitally animated feature will open in November 2013 and is being directed by Chris Buck (Tarzan, Surf’s Up) and produced by Peter Del Vecho (Winnie the Pooh, The Princess and the Frog).
So there you have it. A CG musical using the very marketable phrase (as far as Disney goes)"fairy tale". We know Disney's been having a huge internal reshuffle with one of their most loved and recognizable (read "bankable") veteran animators, Glen Keane, departing in March this year but it seems as if they've been hard at work in an effort to show they remain undaunted and are barreling along into production on (another) new version of this old project. Considering they still attract much of the world's best in all the various talents I have no doubt it will be a beautiful, magical and wonderful film. But will it feel like The Snow Queen we know and love?
Although fairy tales can have their elements and plot points changed more than you'd think and still remain "recognizable" it requires more than just having a character with one key characteristic for that recognition to happen. (Eg. just because a girl in a film puts on a red hat, or even a red cape and hood, does not automatically make it a Little Red Cap tale.)
I will be watching to see what, if any, fairy tale elements are in the film at all, as well as what it will do to the public perception of HCA's Snow Queen.*
I couldn't help but stifle a snigger, though, when I read the summary of the announcement by Bleeding Cool, since it's what everyone's been thinking but I hadn't seen put so boldly in print until now:
So, Disney are going from Tangled to Frozen. Surely there needs to be a third in this series. I suggest Bloated, maybe. Or how about Punctured? Muted? Sodden? Burnt?Heh.
Frozen is currently set for a Winter holiday release in the US during November 2013.
Note: All images shown are concept art by Paul Felix for an earlier version of Frozen (still then called The Snow Queen). One of these are from current development art.
*Interestingly, I've noticed the fairy tale of Rapunzel, as published by the Grimm's in Household Tales 200 years ago this year, is remaining largely intact in the public minds. Tangled, and all it's various marketing, didn't have the usual effect of very near eclipsing the classic tale in the public mind at all. It would seem that Disney's title change, in addition to other things, did indeed distance it more than intended from the classics tie-in they were hoping for.
Brave Father's Day Tribute/Promo
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I couldn't resist posting this, even though it wasn't officially in my way-too-long "must post" list until a minute ago...
One of the things I'm loving about this new fairy tale is the portrayal of the family: it's intact! Although it's about a mother and daughter and their push-pull relationship, here there's a father too and neither parent appears to be distant/absent. In fact the family dynamic and their individual relationships with Princess Merida are central to what the story is all about. I'm really liking this aspect.
Is it weird to remark, though, that this portrayal of Merida's dad is exactly the kind of mother I would like to be to my son? (Except maybe a couple of hundred sizes smaller?) ;)
Enjoy!
I couldn't resist posting this, even though it wasn't officially in my way-too-long "must post" list until a minute ago...One of the things I'm loving about this new fairy tale is the portrayal of the family: it's intact! Although it's about a mother and daughter and their push-pull relationship, here there's a father too and neither parent appears to be distant/absent. In fact the family dynamic and their individual relationships with Princess Merida are central to what the story is all about. I'm really liking this aspect.
Is it weird to remark, though, that this portrayal of Merida's dad is exactly the kind of mother I would like to be to my son? (Except maybe a couple of hundred sizes smaller?) ;)
Enjoy!
CW's Beauty & the Beast Extended Preview
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Playing catch-up...
In case you missed it, here's the 5 minute extended preview of CW's Beauty and the Beast scheduled to premiere in the US in the Fall:
The 5 minutes looks very much like an entire episode edited down to its main scenes, which is disappointing. What's left to tune in for if you've seen it all? Let's hope there's more to it other than "Why was my mother murdered?".
In the premise details, the post-9/11 Iraq War reference (military experiments make a beast out of a man) isn't as completely hokey as expected but I still have major reservations - especially since we end up with a very clean-faced broody guy with a not-at-all-authentic-looking scar placed just "so". Perhaps it's just that the writing is too obvious for me. ("You're like a superhero!") I'm hoping they're not going to state the obvious for the audience every time. Scratch that. I hope they don't do it again. If they want any of the cop procedural demographic they're going to have to write smarter, harder and use far more subtlety. Hopefully the actors are good enough they will get the message across without needing to utter the subtext but it's an important risk to take if you want to be a memorable series.
On the flip side, one of the promos says "All men have a dark side... but not like this" and in this case I truly hope they mean what they're saying. In order to make this show interesting we're going to really need to see the monster inside the man*- and hopefully the monster isn't typical either. The Beast we're seeing just looks conflicted about his transformations, ashamed of his appearance and rather hormonal - ie broody. Not exactly an attractive quality in a leading man (or woman).**
Regarding the actors, it's nice to see a more mature Kristen Kreuk. Except for the flashback, she works better than I thought she would with that little edge to her. I think I even caught glimpses of some character layering in there (fingers crossed). The Beast, on the other hand, is unfortunately rather forgettable. I don't even have the sense that he's had first hand experience of a real war, let alone anything else he's working through. Let's hope that was just due to editing for this clip.
The thing I'm really missing in this preview from the original series? All the underground stuff and that vague sense of fantasy just out of reach. That was what captured my imagination then and makes me remember it now - a whole other world right under our feet. I must admit I had little patience with the series in the 80's - it was too slow and angsty for me - but I kept trying to tune in from time to time to get another glimpse of the hidden world.
One more peeve - the promo image/poster. Ugh. The actors look like they were shot separately and 'shopped together - no chemistry at all. I know they were directed like that but the result is you can almost overlook the fact that there's a guy standing next to "Detective Catherine Chandler". He looks completely replaceable. And it doesn't say Beauty and the Beast to me at all.
Maybe I'm being harsh but I expect more from people using fairy tales (I wonder if the writers and creators actually went back to the tale or completely took their cues from the original series?) and also from any type of police procedural or reference to any war we've had friends and family fight in. These are the days post-CSI and 24, which raised the standard for details and suspense. Since almost everyone reading this blog will remember the Twin Towers falling on 9/11, no matter what country you were in, any reference to that has to have substance. It's not a vague historical point in time to hang a plot point on but a very real wound for too many people today. Ironically, this is what fairy tales are very good at helping with but you have to be very smart about it as well as honest while still being respectful. That's not an easy job. While I would sincerely love for that rabbit to be pulled out of CWs hat my expectations will likely remain low on that point.
Right now the only reason I'd be tuning in is because of the fairy tale connection but it's early days yet. There's much more promo-ing to come so hopefully we'll get a real carrot sometime before the Fall season starts. You never know: a rabbit might just appear.
* Eg In Buffy, we saw all this angst and unrequited love happening but it was really when Angel and Buffy finally got together and Angel turned Bad with a capital "B" that things got very interesting - and mythic. For the first time we saw this "person" be truly evil. Although he had the reputation of being the baddest of the bad, we didn't really believe it till he turned into an actual killing machine and became a very real threat to his one true love. Because bad should be BAD and not be sitting on the fence. There's no point to a story if there's no real threat, no conflict. Fairy tales are very clear about that!**Even the Angel paradox got tiring after a while, despite seeing him get his evil on, first hand.
Playing catch-up...In case you missed it, here's the 5 minute extended preview of CW's Beauty and the Beast scheduled to premiere in the US in the Fall:
The 5 minutes looks very much like an entire episode edited down to its main scenes, which is disappointing. What's left to tune in for if you've seen it all? Let's hope there's more to it other than "Why was my mother murdered?".
In the premise details, the post-9/11 Iraq War reference (military experiments make a beast out of a man) isn't as completely hokey as expected but I still have major reservations - especially since we end up with a very clean-faced broody guy with a not-at-all-authentic-looking scar placed just "so". Perhaps it's just that the writing is too obvious for me. ("You're like a superhero!") I'm hoping they're not going to state the obvious for the audience every time. Scratch that. I hope they don't do it again. If they want any of the cop procedural demographic they're going to have to write smarter, harder and use far more subtlety. Hopefully the actors are good enough they will get the message across without needing to utter the subtext but it's an important risk to take if you want to be a memorable series.
On the flip side, one of the promos says "All men have a dark side... but not like this" and in this case I truly hope they mean what they're saying. In order to make this show interesting we're going to really need to see the monster inside the man*- and hopefully the monster isn't typical either. The Beast we're seeing just looks conflicted about his transformations, ashamed of his appearance and rather hormonal - ie broody. Not exactly an attractive quality in a leading man (or woman).**
Regarding the actors, it's nice to see a more mature Kristen Kreuk. Except for the flashback, she works better than I thought she would with that little edge to her. I think I even caught glimpses of some character layering in there (fingers crossed). The Beast, on the other hand, is unfortunately rather forgettable. I don't even have the sense that he's had first hand experience of a real war, let alone anything else he's working through. Let's hope that was just due to editing for this clip.
The thing I'm really missing in this preview from the original series? All the underground stuff and that vague sense of fantasy just out of reach. That was what captured my imagination then and makes me remember it now - a whole other world right under our feet. I must admit I had little patience with the series in the 80's - it was too slow and angsty for me - but I kept trying to tune in from time to time to get another glimpse of the hidden world.
One more peeve - the promo image/poster. Ugh. The actors look like they were shot separately and 'shopped together - no chemistry at all. I know they were directed like that but the result is you can almost overlook the fact that there's a guy standing next to "Detective Catherine Chandler". He looks completely replaceable. And it doesn't say Beauty and the Beast to me at all.
Maybe I'm being harsh but I expect more from people using fairy tales (I wonder if the writers and creators actually went back to the tale or completely took their cues from the original series?) and also from any type of police procedural or reference to any war we've had friends and family fight in. These are the days post-CSI and 24, which raised the standard for details and suspense. Since almost everyone reading this blog will remember the Twin Towers falling on 9/11, no matter what country you were in, any reference to that has to have substance. It's not a vague historical point in time to hang a plot point on but a very real wound for too many people today. Ironically, this is what fairy tales are very good at helping with but you have to be very smart about it as well as honest while still being respectful. That's not an easy job. While I would sincerely love for that rabbit to be pulled out of CWs hat my expectations will likely remain low on that point.
Right now the only reason I'd be tuning in is because of the fairy tale connection but it's early days yet. There's much more promo-ing to come so hopefully we'll get a real carrot sometime before the Fall season starts. You never know: a rabbit might just appear.* Eg In Buffy, we saw all this angst and unrequited love happening but it was really when Angel and Buffy finally got together and Angel turned Bad with a capital "B" that things got very interesting - and mythic. For the first time we saw this "person" be truly evil. Although he had the reputation of being the baddest of the bad, we didn't really believe it till he turned into an actual killing machine and became a very real threat to his one true love. Because bad should be BAD and not be sitting on the fence. There's no point to a story if there's no real threat, no conflict. Fairy tales are very clear about that!**Even the Angel paradox got tiring after a while, despite seeing him get his evil on, first hand.
Pixar's "Brave": Release Day
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Today's the day. It's the "other" big fairy tale movie of the year, by which I mean the other movie which will have an effect on how people view fairy tales this year and how movie studio and TV series executives will consider spending their money with regard to other fairy tale fare. Personally (and despite all you will read in the next post) I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.
Here's a clip to whet your appetite:
Pretty, yes? And moody in the best way. It's going to look amazing on the big screen.
The clip reminds me of Secret of Kells but then it probably should - and the association is a good one. Brave will be very different in many ways, of course, but there's no doubt it will be beautiful too.
Today's the day. It's the "other" big fairy tale movie of the year, by which I mean the other movie which will have an effect on how people view fairy tales this year and how movie studio and TV series executives will consider spending their money with regard to other fairy tale fare. Personally (and despite all you will read in the next post) I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.Here's a clip to whet your appetite:
Pretty, yes? And moody in the best way. It's going to look amazing on the big screen.
The clip reminds me of Secret of Kells but then it probably should - and the association is a good one. Brave will be very different in many ways, of course, but there's no doubt it will be beautiful too.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
[Poem] Pavlov's Menagerie Ruminates
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Well, better this than life
In an electrified rat cage,
Hugging Harlow's wire mothers,
Getting stuffed in Schrödinger’s lethal boxes
Or getting launched into low orbit
To bathe in cosmic rays for the Kremlin
Because I couldn't sign fast enough
Or cuddle a kitten in front of a camera.
Navigating the thin-walled maze
Between best friend
Or mad moments like Cujo
I've still got most of my original equipment.
I'm fed.
One ring, and my belly goes hollow
As the average human soul.
Lately, I gnaw on memories more than substance
But I'm still not a sheep,
And no one begs for my vote.
From On the Other Side of the Eye, 2007
Well, better this than life
In an electrified rat cage,
Hugging Harlow's wire mothers,
Getting stuffed in Schrödinger’s lethal boxes
Or getting launched into low orbit
To bathe in cosmic rays for the Kremlin
Because I couldn't sign fast enough
Or cuddle a kitten in front of a camera.
Navigating the thin-walled maze
Between best friend
Or mad moments like Cujo
I've still got most of my original equipment.
I'm fed.
One ring, and my belly goes hollow
As the average human soul.
Lately, I gnaw on memories more than substance
But I'm still not a sheep,
And no one begs for my vote.
From On the Other Side of the Eye, 2007
Interviewed at Strange Horizons!
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I was interviewed by Yuk Ki Lau a few months back and now it's come out this month at Strange Horizons: http://www.strangehorizons.com/2012/20120625/Lau-a.shtml. In it we talk about many different things, particularly speculative poetry, the Vincent Chin case, the Secret War for Laos, Miss Minnesota and Kung Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals, among other things.
Strange Horizons is a Utah-based non-profit speculative fiction magazine established in 2000 and still going strong. Check out the rest of their articles and stories if you get a chance!
Strange Horizons is a Utah-based non-profit speculative fiction magazine established in 2000 and still going strong. Check out the rest of their articles and stories if you get a chance!
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Alternate History and Secret History
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There's already been significant commentary about how to read Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter with plenty of what we might expect in response. "It's a popcorn blockbuster, so throw out hopes for historical accuracy," although I might venture to say it's more historical than Mel Gibson's The Patriot or Air America.
For me, the old hamster wheel is spinning as I remember that there's a difference between alternate history and secret histories. Alternate histories follow a 'what-if' proposition regarding certain conditions and a pivotal set of events that diverged to create a different world than what we have today.
A secret history, on the other hand, would look at the modern world we have, and grounded in that, present a story of things that happen behind the scenes. A 'set the record straight' kind of tall tale. A core challenge is that as we move forward with so much documented and recorded, it's harder and harder to make a modern-era secret history, although the X-Files, Foucault's Pendulum and other works often helped give rise to the form.
Looking at the retro-futurism of steampunk, the futuristic past that never was, is a whole different set of considerations as well.
From a speculative poet's point of view, all of it is of course a delicious challenge. A particularly grueling proposition might well be: How do you create an alternate secret history scifaiku? Can you convey a secret alternate past in 17 syllables?
But having come from a country mired in the Secret War for the better part of the 20th century, this raises questions for those of us whose histories were not as well documented, or in some cases, deliberately obfuscated. Amidst a historical climate of propaganda, disinformation and the fog of war, as Napoleon so famously coined it, Lao American writers, among others, will be challenged by these forms. Both in the research and the creating of new works.
As it is, many Lao American writers are influenced at least in part by the 5 precepts of Lao Buddhism, which includes a high regard for the truth. So writing fiction in general, when time could be spent recording the past before it's lost, can be a tricky situation. Yet, since so much of the historical record was lost as it was, those of us who write need methods to seal in the cracks to hold a narrative together. Enter fiction, and perhaps more often, secret histories.
The global readership is an interesting challenge because it seems a working knowledge of general history from a mainstream perspective is sorely lacking. Asking someone to correctly order the Civil War, World War I, World War 2, the Korean War and the Vietnam War is hard enough. What is an author to do when they want to tell an alternate history of Czarist Russia, or a secret history of Laos told from the Hmong or Tai Dam perspective?
If I was editing such a story, you can probably guess that I'd throw it out if they just shoe-horned in paragraphs of what 'really' happened. I'm from a school of thought that says the burden is on the reader to familiarize themselves with, say, a decolonized version of Filipino history if they then also want to tackle a steampunk Filipino narrative. I dislike the idea of writers having to do double duty.
Dr. Martin Stuart Fox discussed the importance of Laos being in the position of facing multiple histories. With over 160 different ethnic communities who live within our borders, each of them has had different experiences and memories of what were significant events shaping our society. Wheels within wheels that sometimes contradict each other. Some are Royalist views, others are Neutralist or Pathet Lao views. One man's hero is another man's villain. But without working at even partial reconstruction, future generations won't have much of a chance to judge for themselves. But that gets into a much larger discussion for another time.
I imagine that by the end of it all, Lao American writers will probably veer to a middle ground of explaining some of what 'the truth' was, but only enough to bring us up to speed. History is written by the victors is the old maxim. But a civilized world also makes space for the alternate perspectives.
But in the meantime take your bets on the follow-up to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Personally, I'm rooting for a Franklin Pierce: Vampire Slayer story. "The Union at Stake!" or something. Or Teddy Roosevelt and the Werebears.
For me, the old hamster wheel is spinning as I remember that there's a difference between alternate history and secret histories. Alternate histories follow a 'what-if' proposition regarding certain conditions and a pivotal set of events that diverged to create a different world than what we have today.
A secret history, on the other hand, would look at the modern world we have, and grounded in that, present a story of things that happen behind the scenes. A 'set the record straight' kind of tall tale. A core challenge is that as we move forward with so much documented and recorded, it's harder and harder to make a modern-era secret history, although the X-Files, Foucault's Pendulum and other works often helped give rise to the form.
Looking at the retro-futurism of steampunk, the futuristic past that never was, is a whole different set of considerations as well.
From a speculative poet's point of view, all of it is of course a delicious challenge. A particularly grueling proposition might well be: How do you create an alternate secret history scifaiku? Can you convey a secret alternate past in 17 syllables?
But having come from a country mired in the Secret War for the better part of the 20th century, this raises questions for those of us whose histories were not as well documented, or in some cases, deliberately obfuscated. Amidst a historical climate of propaganda, disinformation and the fog of war, as Napoleon so famously coined it, Lao American writers, among others, will be challenged by these forms. Both in the research and the creating of new works.
As it is, many Lao American writers are influenced at least in part by the 5 precepts of Lao Buddhism, which includes a high regard for the truth. So writing fiction in general, when time could be spent recording the past before it's lost, can be a tricky situation. Yet, since so much of the historical record was lost as it was, those of us who write need methods to seal in the cracks to hold a narrative together. Enter fiction, and perhaps more often, secret histories.
The global readership is an interesting challenge because it seems a working knowledge of general history from a mainstream perspective is sorely lacking. Asking someone to correctly order the Civil War, World War I, World War 2, the Korean War and the Vietnam War is hard enough. What is an author to do when they want to tell an alternate history of Czarist Russia, or a secret history of Laos told from the Hmong or Tai Dam perspective?
If I was editing such a story, you can probably guess that I'd throw it out if they just shoe-horned in paragraphs of what 'really' happened. I'm from a school of thought that says the burden is on the reader to familiarize themselves with, say, a decolonized version of Filipino history if they then also want to tackle a steampunk Filipino narrative. I dislike the idea of writers having to do double duty.
Dr. Martin Stuart Fox discussed the importance of Laos being in the position of facing multiple histories. With over 160 different ethnic communities who live within our borders, each of them has had different experiences and memories of what were significant events shaping our society. Wheels within wheels that sometimes contradict each other. Some are Royalist views, others are Neutralist or Pathet Lao views. One man's hero is another man's villain. But without working at even partial reconstruction, future generations won't have much of a chance to judge for themselves. But that gets into a much larger discussion for another time.
I imagine that by the end of it all, Lao American writers will probably veer to a middle ground of explaining some of what 'the truth' was, but only enough to bring us up to speed. History is written by the victors is the old maxim. But a civilized world also makes space for the alternate perspectives.
But in the meantime take your bets on the follow-up to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Personally, I'm rooting for a Franklin Pierce: Vampire Slayer story. "The Union at Stake!" or something. Or Teddy Roosevelt and the Werebears.
[Research] Visitors from Lao Hell
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An interesting article has cropped up at the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute by Patrice Ladwig entitled "Visitors from hell: transformative hospitality to ghosts in a Lao Buddhist festival."
While I don't have access to the journal, for those of you who do, I'd say check it out and let the rest of us know what you think of it.
However, the abstract reads as:
"In Lao Buddhism, each year during the ghost festival, disembodied and hideous spectres are believed to be released from hell and enter the world of the living. This crossing of an ontological boundary, and the subsequent interaction of humans and ghosts, can be understood as a process of establishing hospitality in which both guest and host are transformed. The hospitality encounter can here simultaneously trigger an ontological shift of the ghost's position in Buddhist cosmology, but also contribute to the ethical self-cultivation of humans as hosts. Ghosts as guests can escape hell, receive a new body, and re-enter the cycle of reincarnations, while humans can practise a Buddhist ethics of hospitality based on the confrontation with a horrifying and pitiful species of beings."
Sounds like a great read!
While I don't have access to the journal, for those of you who do, I'd say check it out and let the rest of us know what you think of it.
However, the abstract reads as:
"In Lao Buddhism, each year during the ghost festival, disembodied and hideous spectres are believed to be released from hell and enter the world of the living. This crossing of an ontological boundary, and the subsequent interaction of humans and ghosts, can be understood as a process of establishing hospitality in which both guest and host are transformed. The hospitality encounter can here simultaneously trigger an ontological shift of the ghost's position in Buddhist cosmology, but also contribute to the ethical self-cultivation of humans as hosts. Ghosts as guests can escape hell, receive a new body, and re-enter the cycle of reincarnations, while humans can practise a Buddhist ethics of hospitality based on the confrontation with a horrifying and pitiful species of beings."
Sounds like a great read!
China's Space Program: A waste?
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An interesting article was posted on IO9.Com noting a Wall Street Journal columnist who asked if China's human missions were a waste of time and resources compared to developing technology for unmanned projects, etc. The WSJ doesn't really take into account really long-range thinking and development, in my opinion. But I also have a bias given my enthusiasm for a Lao space program.
The image here is from REUTERS/ Xinhua/Ren Junchuan:
The image here is from REUTERS/ Xinhua/Ren Junchuan:
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Brave Father's Day Tribute/Promo
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I couldn't resist posting this, even though it wasn't officially in my way-too-long "must post" list until a minute ago...
One of the things I'm loving about this new fairy tale is the portrayal of the family: it's intact! Although it's about a mother and daughter and their push-pull relationship, here there's a father too and neither parent appears to be distant/absent. In fact the family dynamic and their individual relationships with Princess Merida are central to what the story is all about. I'm really liking this aspect.
Is it weird to remark, though, that this portrayal of Merida's dad is exactly the kind of mother I would like to be to my son? (Except maybe a couple of hundred sizes smaller?) ;)
Enjoy!
I couldn't resist posting this, even though it wasn't officially in my way-too-long "must post" list until a minute ago...One of the things I'm loving about this new fairy tale is the portrayal of the family: it's intact! Although it's about a mother and daughter and their push-pull relationship, here there's a father too and neither parent appears to be distant/absent. In fact the family dynamic and their individual relationships with Princess Merida are central to what the story is all about. I'm really liking this aspect.
Is it weird to remark, though, that this portrayal of Merida's dad is exactly the kind of mother I would like to be to my son? (Except maybe a couple of hundred sizes smaller?) ;)
Enjoy!
Maleficent: Behind-the-Scenes First Look
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You've probably all seen the image of Angelina Jolie in her Maleficent horns that's sweeping around the internet, right?
Just in case you haven't, here she is:
Well there's more, including a couple of tidbits I find interesting:
1) looking at the behind-the-scenes photos it's not actually clear that the horns are part of the outfit Maleficent has styled to intimidate and amp her evil presence. instead they actually look as if they're part of her. If it turns out they are "hers" I must admit I have LOTS of sympathy kicking in for the character already. (And for Jolie as she fields the bazillion "horny" headlines about to explode in the media.)
Since Ms. Jolie told EW a few months back to liken the plot treatment of Maleficent to that of Wicked (in having sympathy for the traditional villain as you learn her story and see how she got to the place we know her best), now knowing there's a possibility the horns are supposed to be as real on her as they are on the cattle, my mind immediately goes to Greek myth. She may just be the most gorgeous minotaur the world has ever seen.
You must admit, when we saw Maleficent in the Disney movie we immediately thought "demon" (despite that the horned headdress was perfectly in fashion back in the day that particular film was [vaguely] set). Even for this film you'd think "demon" (or the intention to appear rather more demonic and therefore ultra scary) would be more obvious but with the cattle at her back she gives far more of the "tragic figure" air than of the initial "must-be-put-down evil spawn" vibe.
2) These behind-the-scene shots from Dread Central show her in the British countryside in full dress, surrounded by a herd of cattle. They look like Highland Cattle specifically (a very beautiful breed with serious looking horns). Anyone up on their ancient tales should be sitting up a little straighter with the appearance of a whole herd of cows backing Maleficent as she gets her magic on.
I have to wonder at the role of the herd and what part they play in her magic. (She looks like she's busy doing something magically intimidating in the shot at the head of the post, don't you think?)
I admit I am partial to fairy tales like The Black Bull of Norroway and I never quite forgave Jack for selling Milky White for some magic beans. When you see how cattle were revered in ancient times it's no surprise they can be magical in the correct context. It's all wishful thinking that this aspect is even hinted at in the film I'm sure, but script writer Linda Woolverton can surprise with her layering and she won't have chosen the cattle by accident or whim. I'm curious to see what the significance is.
Maleficent is set for release in theaters on March 14, 2014. (2014! I'm guessing they have a lot of special effects work to do.)
Note: If you've never hugged a cow, you're missing out on an amazing life experience. Put it on your bucket list. I highly recommend it.
 |
| Behind-the-scene shot, filming Maleficent in the UK |
Just in case you haven't, here she is:
Well there's more, including a couple of tidbits I find interesting:
1) looking at the behind-the-scenes photos it's not actually clear that the horns are part of the outfit Maleficent has styled to intimidate and amp her evil presence. instead they actually look as if they're part of her. If it turns out they are "hers" I must admit I have LOTS of sympathy kicking in for the character already. (And for Jolie as she fields the bazillion "horny" headlines about to explode in the media.)
Since Ms. Jolie told EW a few months back to liken the plot treatment of Maleficent to that of Wicked (in having sympathy for the traditional villain as you learn her story and see how she got to the place we know her best), now knowing there's a possibility the horns are supposed to be as real on her as they are on the cattle, my mind immediately goes to Greek myth. She may just be the most gorgeous minotaur the world has ever seen.
You must admit, when we saw Maleficent in the Disney movie we immediately thought "demon" (despite that the horned headdress was perfectly in fashion back in the day that particular film was [vaguely] set). Even for this film you'd think "demon" (or the intention to appear rather more demonic and therefore ultra scary) would be more obvious but with the cattle at her back she gives far more of the "tragic figure" air than of the initial "must-be-put-down evil spawn" vibe.
2) These behind-the-scene shots from Dread Central show her in the British countryside in full dress, surrounded by a herd of cattle. They look like Highland Cattle specifically (a very beautiful breed with serious looking horns). Anyone up on their ancient tales should be sitting up a little straighter with the appearance of a whole herd of cows backing Maleficent as she gets her magic on.
I have to wonder at the role of the herd and what part they play in her magic. (She looks like she's busy doing something magically intimidating in the shot at the head of the post, don't you think?)
I admit I am partial to fairy tales like The Black Bull of Norroway and I never quite forgave Jack for selling Milky White for some magic beans. When you see how cattle were revered in ancient times it's no surprise they can be magical in the correct context. It's all wishful thinking that this aspect is even hinted at in the film I'm sure, but script writer Linda Woolverton can surprise with her layering and she won't have chosen the cattle by accident or whim. I'm curious to see what the significance is.
 |
| Note the Maleficent stunt double in the background |
Note: If you've never hugged a cow, you're missing out on an amazing life experience. Put it on your bucket list. I highly recommend it.
CW's Beauty & the Beast Extended Preview
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Playing catch-up...
In case you missed it, here's the 5 minute extended preview of CW's Beauty and the Beast scheduled to premiere in the US in the Fall:
The 5 minutes looks very much like an entire episode edited down to its main scenes, which is disappointing. What's left to tune in for if you've seen it all? Let's hope there's more to it other than "Why was my mother murdered?".
In the premise details, the post-9/11 Iraq War reference (military experiments make a beast out of a man) isn't as completely hokey as expected but I still have major reservations - especially since we end up with a very clean-faced broody guy with a not-at-all-authentic-looking scar placed just "so". Perhaps it's just that the writing is too obvious for me. ("You're like a superhero!") I'm hoping they're not going to state the obvious for the audience every time. Scratch that. I hope they don't do it again. If they want any of the cop procedural demographic they're going to have to write smarter, harder and use far more subtlety. Hopefully the actors are good enough they will get the message across without needing to utter the subtext but it's an important risk to take if you want to be a memorable series.
On the flip side, one of the promos says "All men have a dark side... but not like this" and in this case I truly hope they mean what they're saying. In order to make this show interesting we're going to really need to see the monster inside the man*- and hopefully the monster isn't typical either. The Beast we're seeing just looks conflicted about his transformations, ashamed of his appearance and rather hormonal - ie broody. Not exactly an attractive quality in a leading man (or woman).**
Regarding the actors, it's nice to see a more mature Kristen Kreuk. Except for the flashback, she works better than I thought she would with that little edge to her. I think I even caught glimpses of some character layering in there (fingers crossed). The Beast, on the other hand, is unfortunately rather forgettable. I don't even have the sense that he's had first hand experience of a real war, let alone anything else he's working through. Let's hope that was just due to editing for this clip.
The thing I'm really missing in this preview from the original series? All the underground stuff and that vague sense of fantasy just out of reach. That was what captured my imagination then and makes me remember it now - a whole other world right under our feet. I must admit I had little patience with the series in the 80's - it was too slow and angsty for me - but I kept trying to tune in from time to time to get another glimpse of the hidden world.
One more peeve - the promo image/poster. Ugh. The actors look like they were shot separately and 'shopped together - no chemistry at all. I know they were directed like that but the result is you can almost overlook the fact that there's a guy standing next to "Detective Catherine Chandler". He looks completely replaceable. And it doesn't say Beauty and the Beast to me at all.
Maybe I'm being harsh but I expect more from people using fairy tales (I wonder if the writers and creators actually went back to the tale or completely took their cues from the original series?) and also from any type of police procedural or reference to any war we've had friends and family fight in. These are the days post-CSI and 24, which raised the standard for details and suspense. Since almost everyone reading this blog will remember the Twin Towers falling on 9/11, no matter what country you were in, any reference to that has to have substance. It's not a vague historical point in time to hang a plot point on but a very real wound for too many people today. Ironically, this is what fairy tales are very good at helping with but you have to be very smart about it as well as honest while still being respectful. That's not an easy job. While I would sincerely love for that rabbit to be pulled out of CWs hat my expectations will likely remain low on that point.Right now the only reason I'd be tuning in is because of the fairy tale connection but it's early days yet. There's much more promo-ing to come so hopefully we'll get a real carrot sometime before the Fall season starts. You never know: a rabbit might just appear.
* Eg In Buffy, we saw all this angst and unrequited love happening but it was really when Angel and Buffy finally got together and Angel turned Bad with a capital "B" that things got very interesting - and mythic. For the first time we saw this "person" be truly evil. Although he had the reputation of being the baddest of the bad, we didn't really believe it till he turned into an actual killing machine and became a very real threat to his one true love. Because bad should be BAD and not be sitting on the fence. There's no point to a story if there's no real threat, no conflict. Fairy tales are very clear about that!**Even the Angel paradox got tiring after a while, despite seeing him get his evil on, first hand.
Playing catch-up...In case you missed it, here's the 5 minute extended preview of CW's Beauty and the Beast scheduled to premiere in the US in the Fall:
The 5 minutes looks very much like an entire episode edited down to its main scenes, which is disappointing. What's left to tune in for if you've seen it all? Let's hope there's more to it other than "Why was my mother murdered?".
In the premise details, the post-9/11 Iraq War reference (military experiments make a beast out of a man) isn't as completely hokey as expected but I still have major reservations - especially since we end up with a very clean-faced broody guy with a not-at-all-authentic-looking scar placed just "so". Perhaps it's just that the writing is too obvious for me. ("You're like a superhero!") I'm hoping they're not going to state the obvious for the audience every time. Scratch that. I hope they don't do it again. If they want any of the cop procedural demographic they're going to have to write smarter, harder and use far more subtlety. Hopefully the actors are good enough they will get the message across without needing to utter the subtext but it's an important risk to take if you want to be a memorable series.
On the flip side, one of the promos says "All men have a dark side... but not like this" and in this case I truly hope they mean what they're saying. In order to make this show interesting we're going to really need to see the monster inside the man*- and hopefully the monster isn't typical either. The Beast we're seeing just looks conflicted about his transformations, ashamed of his appearance and rather hormonal - ie broody. Not exactly an attractive quality in a leading man (or woman).**
Regarding the actors, it's nice to see a more mature Kristen Kreuk. Except for the flashback, she works better than I thought she would with that little edge to her. I think I even caught glimpses of some character layering in there (fingers crossed). The Beast, on the other hand, is unfortunately rather forgettable. I don't even have the sense that he's had first hand experience of a real war, let alone anything else he's working through. Let's hope that was just due to editing for this clip.
The thing I'm really missing in this preview from the original series? All the underground stuff and that vague sense of fantasy just out of reach. That was what captured my imagination then and makes me remember it now - a whole other world right under our feet. I must admit I had little patience with the series in the 80's - it was too slow and angsty for me - but I kept trying to tune in from time to time to get another glimpse of the hidden world.
One more peeve - the promo image/poster. Ugh. The actors look like they were shot separately and 'shopped together - no chemistry at all. I know they were directed like that but the result is you can almost overlook the fact that there's a guy standing next to "Detective Catherine Chandler". He looks completely replaceable. And it doesn't say Beauty and the Beast to me at all.
Maybe I'm being harsh but I expect more from people using fairy tales (I wonder if the writers and creators actually went back to the tale or completely took their cues from the original series?) and also from any type of police procedural or reference to any war we've had friends and family fight in. These are the days post-CSI and 24, which raised the standard for details and suspense. Since almost everyone reading this blog will remember the Twin Towers falling on 9/11, no matter what country you were in, any reference to that has to have substance. It's not a vague historical point in time to hang a plot point on but a very real wound for too many people today. Ironically, this is what fairy tales are very good at helping with but you have to be very smart about it as well as honest while still being respectful. That's not an easy job. While I would sincerely love for that rabbit to be pulled out of CWs hat my expectations will likely remain low on that point.
Right now the only reason I'd be tuning in is because of the fairy tale connection but it's early days yet. There's much more promo-ing to come so hopefully we'll get a real carrot sometime before the Fall season starts. You never know: a rabbit might just appear.* Eg In Buffy, we saw all this angst and unrequited love happening but it was really when Angel and Buffy finally got together and Angel turned Bad with a capital "B" that things got very interesting - and mythic. For the first time we saw this "person" be truly evil. Although he had the reputation of being the baddest of the bad, we didn't really believe it till he turned into an actual killing machine and became a very real threat to his one true love. Because bad should be BAD and not be sitting on the fence. There's no point to a story if there's no real threat, no conflict. Fairy tales are very clear about that!**Even the Angel paradox got tiring after a while, despite seeing him get his evil on, first hand.
Pixar's "Brave": Release Day
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Today's the day. It's the "other" big fairy tale movie of the year, by which I mean the other movie which will have an effect on how people view fairy tales this year and how movie studio and TV series executives will consider spending their money with regard to other fairy tale fare. Personally (and despite all you will read in the next post) I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.
Here's a clip to whet your appetite:
Pretty, yes? And moody in the best way. It's going to look amazing on the big screen.
The clip reminds me of Secret of Kells but then it probably should - and the association is a good one. Brave will be very different in many ways, of course, but there's no doubt it will be beautiful too.
Today's the day. It's the "other" big fairy tale movie of the year, by which I mean the other movie which will have an effect on how people view fairy tales this year and how movie studio and TV series executives will consider spending their money with regard to other fairy tale fare. Personally (and despite all you will read in the next post) I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.Here's a clip to whet your appetite:
Pretty, yes? And moody in the best way. It's going to look amazing on the big screen.
The clip reminds me of Secret of Kells but then it probably should - and the association is a good one. Brave will be very different in many ways, of course, but there's no doubt it will be beautiful too.
Pixar's Brave to Change the Fate of Princess Culture?
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While it's a given that Brave will be a beautiful film it is interesting to see the smattering of mixed reviews surfacing in its debut week. There are the expected rave reviews and gushing over the lush animation and the feisty red-headed princess but there's been more than a little criticism too.
Why? Three theories:
1) Merida got upstaged
Pixar was a little late to the theater with their feisty heroine this year. Since we've had Hunger Games and Snow White and the Huntsman provide audiences with larger-than-life kick ass girl-women, seeing Merida do much of the same is, sadly, a little like deja vu, despite that this is the first family film in that vein where the others were mainstream (or perhaps teen-stream).
2) Too much hair
There's waaaay too much emphasis on all this hair! Maria Tatar recently linked to an article and it seems Ms. Tatar has the right of it when she noticed the topic continually returning to Merida's hair. It's what everybody - creators and marketers - seem focused on. Hair! A quick story to illustrate: my husband is currently working in downtown Hollywood and, in his words, this is what he saw:
3) Change your fate. Or not.
Even more importantly, it would appear the entire story has already been told in the promotional fare and there's really nothing more to Princess Merida than we've seen. Although she's feisty and defies convention she doesn't really have a direction or drive once she's able to do all the things she wants. In other words, we have a princess who is behaving like, well, a princess. There's no saving her people, the world or anything else going on. She makes a mistake and has to repair the damage she's done but, in reality, though she grows closer to her mother, nothing much else appears to change.
There's an interesting article in Time published today, titled: Why Pixar's Brave is a Failure of Female Empowerment. Unlike the writer, I don't have a problem with Merida being a princess. Nor do I have a problem that she has to deal with the marriage issue. For the era, that was primarily what princesses were useful for: forming alliances by joining in marriage and producing heirs. How she deals with that is where she has to show her individuality. What is a problem, though, is the lack of both growth and of personal purpose by Merida, beyond the crisis (of her own making).
From the article:
There's one other issue that appeared in the comments regarding the grilling Brave gets in the article. I feel for the parents who are tired of every movie needing to "be a good example" for their children when all they want is good, clean entertainment. I would wholeheartedly agree except for one major thing: the marketing push and resulting peer pressure from the toy angle (even four year olds will influence their peers with regard to what is "cool"!) really does speak as loudly, often louder, than the most conscientious parents. and that's when a kid hasn't even seen the movie! When the best way for a child to recapture their personal movie experience is through a toy or book with the same images, that's the "message" that will sink in and stay.
What if the marketing for Brave was more gender-neutral, or perhaps aimed more toward tomboy-girls and boys at most, rather than at the princess culture girls? Instead of exiting El Capitan with giant red-orange wigs what if each kid got a sword or bow and arrow? (No floaty blue dresses in sight either, thank you.) Do you think the boy my husband saw would have been keeping himself so carefully separate from his "wimminfolk" then? I don't think so. I think he'd be (happily) trading blows and bruises with his sister, complete with sound effects of turning into a bear of which his sister would no doubt (happily) match him roar for roar.
There is one other interesting observation by a few of the commenters on the article that I want to highlight too. I'll quote the shortest one:
One thing I do agree with the writer on, though, is that I hope Brave does well - really, really well actually. Why?
1) I would like to see more lead heroines from Pixar. With the marketing force of Disney behind them, Pixar does have a great influence on kids. I'd like to see what other female leads they come up with and hope that the results are as "groundbreaking" as everyone's been hoping Merida would be.
2) I'd like to see more fairy tale fare handled by Pixar (and Disney) story people, especially now that the public view on fairy tales has changed somewhat.
While it's a given that Brave will be a beautiful film it is interesting to see the smattering of mixed reviews surfacing in its debut week. There are the expected rave reviews and gushing over the lush animation and the feisty red-headed princess but there's been more than a little criticism too.Why? Three theories:
1) Merida got upstaged
Pixar was a little late to the theater with their feisty heroine this year. Since we've had Hunger Games and Snow White and the Huntsman provide audiences with larger-than-life kick ass girl-women, seeing Merida do much of the same is, sadly, a little like deja vu, despite that this is the first family film in that vein where the others were mainstream (or perhaps teen-stream).
 |
| The "Brave" wigs |
There's waaaay too much emphasis on all this hair! Maria Tatar recently linked to an article and it seems Ms. Tatar has the right of it when she noticed the topic continually returning to Merida's hair. It's what everybody - creators and marketers - seem focused on. Hair! A quick story to illustrate: my husband is currently working in downtown Hollywood and, in his words, this is what he saw:
This morning when I came out of the Hollywood/HighlI think this scene is a good example of the response we're seeing all over. Despite how strong, feisty and brave Merida is, with marketing campaigns like Target's stating: "Look pretty and be brave, too" we've diluted anything important the film may have had to say. But that's not the whole story either.and station I saw, walking down the street in front of me, two women with a little girl and a young boy. Both women had curly, curly long red-orange hair and the girl was carrying a chunk of red-orange hair. This seemed a bit odd to me until I realized that they were walking away from the El Capitan theatre and were wearing "Brave" wigs. The boy was having nothing to do with the females and was walking apart from them. He had no wig.
3) Change your fate. Or not.
Even more importantly, it would appear the entire story has already been told in the promotional fare and there's really nothing more to Princess Merida than we've seen. Although she's feisty and defies convention she doesn't really have a direction or drive once she's able to do all the things she wants. In other words, we have a princess who is behaving like, well, a princess. There's no saving her people, the world or anything else going on. She makes a mistake and has to repair the damage she's done but, in reality, though she grows closer to her mother, nothing much else appears to change.
There's an interesting article in Time published today, titled: Why Pixar's Brave is a Failure of Female Empowerment. Unlike the writer, I don't have a problem with Merida being a princess. Nor do I have a problem that she has to deal with the marriage issue. For the era, that was primarily what princesses were useful for: forming alliances by joining in marriage and producing heirs. How she deals with that is where she has to show her individuality. What is a problem, though, is the lack of both growth and of personal purpose by Merida, beyond the crisis (of her own making).
From the article:
The best parts of Brave are the scenes involving the changed Queen Elinor, now a gigantic bear. But despite a lot of superficial talk of fate — “Our fate lies within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it” — her physical metamorphosis represents the main transformation. Other than deciding her mother isn’t so bad, Merida doesn’t really grow. She’s simply extended her time as a tomboy, another archetype, less a girl than a stereotype of a kind of girl. “It wasn’t clear to me what her arc was,” Orenstein (FTNH ed: author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter) says. “What is it that we are imagining girls moving toward here? ‘I get to ride around on a horse all day’ isn’t really enough. That isn’t going to take her anywhere. There wasn’t a desire to do something.”
This wouldn’t feel so vaguely unsatisfying if Brave were just one of many Pixar movies that featured a strong female lead. It’s the absence of others that turns the spotlight on Brave. And having a princess protagonist isn’t inherently bad. It’s just that she is so chapter one of what girls can be — and so many other Pixar movies skipped most known chapters and moved on to whole new volumes. (FTNH: bold emphasis mine)You can read the whole article HERE.
There's one other issue that appeared in the comments regarding the grilling Brave gets in the article. I feel for the parents who are tired of every movie needing to "be a good example" for their children when all they want is good, clean entertainment. I would wholeheartedly agree except for one major thing: the marketing push and resulting peer pressure from the toy angle (even four year olds will influence their peers with regard to what is "cool"!) really does speak as loudly, often louder, than the most conscientious parents. and that's when a kid hasn't even seen the movie! When the best way for a child to recapture their personal movie experience is through a toy or book with the same images, that's the "message" that will sink in and stay.What if the marketing for Brave was more gender-neutral, or perhaps aimed more toward tomboy-girls and boys at most, rather than at the princess culture girls? Instead of exiting El Capitan with giant red-orange wigs what if each kid got a sword or bow and arrow? (No floaty blue dresses in sight either, thank you.) Do you think the boy my husband saw would have been keeping himself so carefully separate from his "wimminfolk" then? I don't think so. I think he'd be (happily) trading blows and bruises with his sister, complete with sound effects of turning into a bear of which his sister would no doubt (happily) match him roar for roar.
There is one other interesting observation by a few of the commenters on the article that I want to highlight too. I'll quote the shortest one:
I'd appreciate if films with female leads had adequate male character. I don't understand why "female empowerment" films have the need to portray men as incompetent goofs.They have a good point and there's more in the comments expanding on it too. The presence of a "strong" female character does not exclude the presence of strong men. The now go-to standard in family films (making the men less competent to make the women appear more so) isn't good for boys, for assertive/kick-ass girls OR for the princess set. I'll let you read the debate (and rants) for yourself.
One thing I do agree with the writer on, though, is that I hope Brave does well - really, really well actually. Why?
1) I would like to see more lead heroines from Pixar. With the marketing force of Disney behind them, Pixar does have a great influence on kids. I'd like to see what other female leads they come up with and hope that the results are as "groundbreaking" as everyone's been hoping Merida would be.
2) I'd like to see more fairy tale fare handled by Pixar (and Disney) story people, especially now that the public view on fairy tales has changed somewhat.
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Nak legends
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In Lao folklore, the guardian Nak often live in streams, and desecrating them can have significantly unpleasant outcomes, particularly in the form of sickness and diseases such as cancers, kidney problem, and skin problems. Leprosy has been suggested as a possible Nak affliction. Offenses can range from urinating or defecating in a Nak-inhabited stream, or washing one's dirty clothing in waters sacred to the Nak. Presumably, other forms of pollution would also incur their ire.
From a speculative writer's perspective, there are rich veins of possibilities to consider when writing about them. For steampunk writers, it raises some interesting questions of how the Nak might respond to industrial pollution and the introduction of new and strange materials not normally found in their waters.
However, I would also caution writers to treat them respectfully, especially writers of Southeast Asian heritage.
In Lao folklore, the guardian Nak often live in streams, and desecrating them can have significantly unpleasant outcomes, particularly in the form of sickness and diseases such as cancers, kidney problem, and skin problems. Leprosy has been suggested as a possible Nak affliction. Offenses can range from urinating or defecating in a Nak-inhabited stream, or washing one's dirty clothing in waters sacred to the Nak. Presumably, other forms of pollution would also incur their ire.
From a speculative writer's perspective, there are rich veins of possibilities to consider when writing about them. For steampunk writers, it raises some interesting questions of how the Nak might respond to industrial pollution and the introduction of new and strange materials not normally found in their waters.
However, I would also caution writers to treat them respectfully, especially writers of Southeast Asian heritage.
Lao Artist Spotlight: Jack Sananikone
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Among the leading emerging Lao American speculative artists is Jack Sananikone of Canada.
He has aspired to become a Concept Artist in the video game industry, and presents a number of his sketches online at http://www.behance.net/jacksananikone. A graduate of Sheridan College majoring in Illustration, he has been working in the apparel industry as a Senior Graphic Artist for several years.
Hopefully we'll see more of his work in the future!
He has aspired to become a Concept Artist in the video game industry, and presents a number of his sketches online at http://www.behance.net/jacksananikone. A graduate of Sheridan College majoring in Illustration, he has been working in the apparel industry as a Senior Graphic Artist for several years.
Hopefully we'll see more of his work in the future!
[Poem] Imperious
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In the end, I'm a minor beginning
Of a love for small empires.
Tiny kingdoms who don't
Outwear their welcome.
Short reigns, minor abuses,
Powers and scandals that
Don't tip the earth off her axis.
The kind only daffodils
And mayflies seem to master
Before becoming one again
With wet stone, hoary space
That a single atom (with some luck)
Can convert into an entire new galaxy
Who won't remember us, like a callow child
Playing in the bluegrass before the rain.
From On the Other Side of the Eye, 2007
In the end, I'm a minor beginning
Of a love for small empires.
Tiny kingdoms who don't
Outwear their welcome.
Short reigns, minor abuses,
Powers and scandals that
Don't tip the earth off her axis.
The kind only daffodils
And mayflies seem to master
Before becoming one again
With wet stone, hoary space
That a single atom (with some luck)
Can convert into an entire new galaxy
Who won't remember us, like a callow child
Playing in the bluegrass before the rain.
From On the Other Side of the Eye, 2007
10 artists from Basel Art Fair
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The Daily Beast recently highlighted 10 artists from the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland. Gabriele Basilico's photos of architectural works we'd normally consider brutalist stood out the most for me.
What do we make of his efforts to find elegance in such structures? It stands as an intriguing question considering the architecture of many buildings near Vientiane, Laos constructed around Social Realist principles, or something like the Patuxai monument.
The London-based trio known as Troika also caught my attention from this group, but I was not particularly enthralled with many of the other selections. They made great effort, but from the photos shown, not much that I would return to with great curiosity.
You can see more of Gabriele Basilico's work at: http://www.gabrielebasilico.com
What do we make of his efforts to find elegance in such structures? It stands as an intriguing question considering the architecture of many buildings near Vientiane, Laos constructed around Social Realist principles, or something like the Patuxai monument.
The London-based trio known as Troika also caught my attention from this group, but I was not particularly enthralled with many of the other selections. They made great effort, but from the photos shown, not much that I would return to with great curiosity.
You can see more of Gabriele Basilico's work at: http://www.gabrielebasilico.com
China's Space Program: A waste?
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An interesting article was posted on IO9.Com noting a Wall Street Journal columnist who asked if China's human missions were a waste of time and resources compared to developing technology for unmanned projects, etc. The WSJ doesn't really take into account really long-range thinking and development, in my opinion. But I also have a bias given my enthusiasm for a Lao space program.
The image here is from REUTERS/ Xinhua/Ren Junchuan:
The image here is from REUTERS/ Xinhua/Ren Junchuan:
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari
To contact us Click HERE
WHERE: Dana Point Harbor
ADDRESS: 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA 92629
WHEN: May 28, 2011 - May 29, 2011
WEBSITE: www.lagunabeach.com/dolphinsafari
PHONE: 949-488-2828
ADMISSION: $55 per adult / $35 per child ages 3-12
Come sail with Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari's on our hi-tech sailing catamarans year round, with its exclusive Eye-to-Eye Underwater viewing POD™. Daily trips to see dolphins, up to 5,000 strong, leap and play right off our bow, migrating Gray whales December through April and Blue Whales May through November. See them below, too, with our underwater video camera, hear them on our hydrophone. Celebrity and Certified naturalists make this exciting excursion educational and entertaining, too. Homemade triple-fudge brownies make this a one-of-a-kind adventure unforgettable. You can see a live feed from our boat, the first and only place in the world where you can view Whales and Dolphins Live right from your computer during our daily Dolphin & Whale Watching excursions at whalewatchingtv.com!
Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari offers you the opportunity to get close to and view the exquisite California dolphins and California whales, as well as California Sea Lions and other beautiful sea creatures. Southern California whale watching can be one of the most peaceful and exciting adventures of your lifetime. We leave from our ocean view 'Dolphin Deck', one of the prettiest spots in Dana Point Harbor and take you on a 2 1/2 to 3 hour ocean adventure. Dana Point harbor is just 12 minutes from downtown Laguna Beach. Captain Dave Anderson is an Award winning filmmaker and experienced Marine naturalist who has been leading dolphin trips and whale watching from Dana Point since 1995. He has also created and produced the award winning documentary "Wild Dolphins and the Whales of Southern California ". Call Captain Dave's to book your dolphin and whale safari and enjoy your awesome once-in-a- lifetime experience!
Private charters are also available for larger groups and can include our regular dolphin and whale watching excursions, as well as traditional and sunset sails, team building activities and massage/martini relaxation sails. Please call for details.
ADDRESS: 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA 92629
WHEN: May 28, 2011 - May 29, 2011
WEBSITE: www.lagunabeach.com/dolphinsafari
PHONE: 949-488-2828
ADMISSION: $55 per adult / $35 per child ages 3-12
Come sail with Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari's on our hi-tech sailing catamarans year round, with its exclusive Eye-to-Eye Underwater viewing POD™. Daily trips to see dolphins, up to 5,000 strong, leap and play right off our bow, migrating Gray whales December through April and Blue Whales May through November. See them below, too, with our underwater video camera, hear them on our hydrophone. Celebrity and Certified naturalists make this exciting excursion educational and entertaining, too. Homemade triple-fudge brownies make this a one-of-a-kind adventure unforgettable. You can see a live feed from our boat, the first and only place in the world where you can view Whales and Dolphins Live right from your computer during our daily Dolphin & Whale Watching excursions at whalewatchingtv.com!
Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari offers you the opportunity to get close to and view the exquisite California dolphins and California whales, as well as California Sea Lions and other beautiful sea creatures. Southern California whale watching can be one of the most peaceful and exciting adventures of your lifetime. We leave from our ocean view 'Dolphin Deck', one of the prettiest spots in Dana Point Harbor and take you on a 2 1/2 to 3 hour ocean adventure. Dana Point harbor is just 12 minutes from downtown Laguna Beach. Captain Dave Anderson is an Award winning filmmaker and experienced Marine naturalist who has been leading dolphin trips and whale watching from Dana Point since 1995. He has also created and produced the award winning documentary "Wild Dolphins and the Whales of Southern California ". Call Captain Dave's to book your dolphin and whale safari and enjoy your awesome once-in-a- lifetime experience!
Private charters are also available for larger groups and can include our regular dolphin and whale watching excursions, as well as traditional and sunset sails, team building activities and massage/martini relaxation sails. Please call for details.
Sawdust Art Festival
To contact us Click HERE
WHERE: Sawdust Art Festival
ADDRESS: 935 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
WHEN: June 24, 2011 - August 28, 2011
WEBSITE: www.sawdustartfestival.org
PHONE: 949-494-3030
The Sawdust will feature the fine art and craft of over 200 Laguna Beach artists and is sure to be the highlight of your summer adventures. Join our email list to receive Sawdust updates and special offers.
Art enthusiasts, collectors, and novice artists have come to the Sawdust since our beginning in 1966 for our mix of fine art and craft. Media include hand-blown and fused glass, painting, jewelry, surf art, ceramics, clothing and textiles, wood and metal sculpture, scrimshaw, photography, and so much more.
Our artists are eager to share their creative process with you so please feel free to ask our exhibitors questions, take an art workshop, and enjoy our live art demonstrations.
ADDRESS: 935 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
WHEN: June 24, 2011 - August 28, 2011
WEBSITE: www.sawdustartfestival.org
PHONE: 949-494-3030
The Sawdust will feature the fine art and craft of over 200 Laguna Beach artists and is sure to be the highlight of your summer adventures. Join our email list to receive Sawdust updates and special offers.
Art enthusiasts, collectors, and novice artists have come to the Sawdust since our beginning in 1966 for our mix of fine art and craft. Media include hand-blown and fused glass, painting, jewelry, surf art, ceramics, clothing and textiles, wood and metal sculpture, scrimshaw, photography, and so much more.
Our artists are eager to share their creative process with you so please feel free to ask our exhibitors questions, take an art workshop, and enjoy our live art demonstrations.
To contact us Click HERE
Beachfront vibe. Upscale luxury. Pure Laguna Beach.
Imagine kicking back in your own personal beachfront oasis. The Surf Cabanas here at Pacific Edge will take your day at the beach to another level!
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Whatever your perfect beach experience is, the Surf Cabana will probably have it. Pacific Edge has an ideal beachfront setting with Beach Sherpas and Cabana Girls to attend to your every need: lounge chairs, towels and umbrellas, cocktail orders or delicious eats from The Deck Restaurant!
If you feel like turning up the energy, we have that covered as well, Pacific Edge offers a VIP Cabana Host to assist you in planning a fun-filled day from spray-tanning to massages to a fun filled cocktail party all in the comfort of your beachside, air-conditioned cabana!
The Deck, a new dining experience at Pacific Edge, is where it is at! The ultimate beachfront dining experience, The Deck is located steps from the sand with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean offering classic beach fare and a breathtaking setting. The Deck is open from 11:00am - 10:00pm daily.
Guests can reserve a Surf Cabana for up to 8 guests from 10:00am to 10:00pm daily by calling 714-965-4447 for rates and availability.
Imagine kicking back in your own personal beachfront oasis. The Surf Cabanas here at Pacific Edge will take your day at the beach to another level!
Whatever your perfect beach experience is, the Surf Cabana will probably have it. Pacific Edge has an ideal beachfront setting with Beach Sherpas and Cabana Girls to attend to your every need: lounge chairs, towels and umbrellas, cocktail orders or delicious eats from The Deck Restaurant!
If you feel like turning up the energy, we have that covered as well, Pacific Edge offers a VIP Cabana Host to assist you in planning a fun-filled day from spray-tanning to massages to a fun filled cocktail party all in the comfort of your beachside, air-conditioned cabana!
The Deck, a new dining experience at Pacific Edge, is where it is at! The ultimate beachfront dining experience, The Deck is located steps from the sand with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean offering classic beach fare and a breathtaking setting. The Deck is open from 11:00am - 10:00pm daily.
Guests can reserve a Surf Cabana for up to 8 guests from 10:00am to 10:00pm daily by calling 714-965-4447 for rates and availability.
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