Wisdom of the Sages
Episode VI
Summer 2009
Hello People of the World;
Sorry to post a bit late this month. Been way too busy the last couple of weeks. Video editing, video rendering, video capturing, video shooting, all the stuff that makes me smile when I do it. Until the frickin’ PC decides to not cooperate. I stayed up all night consistently for five days straight only to have the whole affair come to nothing. Chickens. So, I’ve been very diligently trying to catch up on my sleep.
When I told one of my co-workers, that in preparation for this video I pulled a few all nighters, they asked “You edited all night?”
To which I responded, “Oh, I was supposed to edit?” Hah. Anyway, sorry for this long intro. I’ve nothing to gloat about this month. (You say “Thank God.”) A lot of stuff seems to be happening in the world. But that can be said of any day really. Summer is here, or at least it feels like it, as some people have said. I dunno, it’s cool one day then warm like it cannot make up its mind.
I prefer cool weather. I have a permanent cardigan sweater around my mid-section that makes everyday a stuffy day. Even the rain of late has not lessened the heat. It is a soupy kind of feeling to walk about in the sunless sky and the humidity makes everything stick. And on that lovely mental image:
Let’s get started, shall we?
:[ First Item of the month: So murdering a Doctor from a Abortion Clinic is Pro-Life how?
:[During the campaign for the Presidential elections last fall, I espoused that no matter who we vote into office, regardless of their political party affiliation, we were still electing a politician into office. People would shrug me off and say things are different and it’s time for a change. But here’s a prime example of why I would say that: President Barack Obama’s Indefinite Detention CLICK HERE.
Did you notice the comments espousing how Maddow is whining about Obama, that the media honeymoon is over and all such nonsense. To me, she’s doing what media should be doing, what it should have been doing. Presenting a neutral voice that is critical of any current administration. Something the Media forgot to do during the last administration. Yeesh, people, get it straight. Yeesh, indeed.
:[ LeBron James’ behavior after losing the Eastern Conference Finals… I guess he pouted because the Cavaliers lost the Eastern Conference Final to make it into the NBA Finals against the Lakers. He stormed out of the arena, not speaking to his teammates, or to the Media. Wait, I thought he got a pass in his bad behavior because he makes a lot of baskets.
And now that the Lakers FINALLY won without Shaq, can we please be quiet about it? Thanks.
:[ Redshade Productions Update: All right. Looks like I am going to roll forward on a few projects. (I know, finally!) First, “Interviews with the King”; I finally, FINALLY got his permission to post the first two videos. So, look for those soon. Regardless of any production schedule I have shot one or two things from “Hamlet”, mainly, the speech from Act 3, scene 1. Oh, and speaking of Hamlet:
Well, looks like I am not the only one tackling the Bard's most famous play. Hollywood has decided to make its own version of "Hamlet" with Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer, Into the Wild) attached to star. According to the Hollywood Report the film will be set in contemporary American and packaged as a "suspense thriller". Here's the kicker, “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke is slated to direct.
So, what does this mean for my own DV, full-text, full-length version also readying to start?
Absolute fuck-all nothing.
I am plowing ahead in spite of this development. Maybe, even, to spite it.
What I am attempting, really has never been done. Sure, Branagh did a full version back in 1996, but he had the backing of a major studio of the time. I, however, only have my creativity and good friends willing to help. Besides, if you look at all film versions, they all do the same thing, which is something I will not do. They do not apply filmistic sensibilities to the drama and dialogue. In, fact, they cut it down to fit a film.
I have some people interested in helping out. I am refining the look and setting of the piece. I have the opening all typed out and will continue to work it out. If you wish I will post those pages soon. Let me know what you think, what you can contribute. Why Oh Why must people steal my ideals.
“But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
-WB Yeats.
THREE KINGDOMS has stalled in this flurry of activity of late. But I promised myself to have a first draft by the end of July. Of all these, I think I am happiest about the Elvis project because people who have seen the teaser trailer for that have been asking about it.
:[ Another giant of the Entertainment Industry passed away a while back. Sorry that I have not covered this until now, it was just so shocking and sudden (So much so, that I deal in redundant phrasing, apparently.), that it took some time for myself to adjust to a world without this star somewhere in our Universe. So, let us observe a Moment of Silence for this Entertainment Legend.
:[ Pet Peeve of the Day #1: The term “Popcorn Flick” has been creeping into the message board and reviews lately. Come on people, you like a movie or not. I have noticed that people tend to use this term when they like a movie that most people hate. “Yeah, I thought it was a good popcorn flick”, bullshit, or the word “Entertaining”, yeah, sure. Movies are supposed to entertain you jerk. If not, why see them? Yeah, I went to see it because I want to buy light bulbs. “Popcorn Flick” & “Entertaining.” These words are for pussies who cannot commit to a straight forward opinion in a movie because their intellectual egos won’t allow them to like a silly movie without that escape hatch of labeling.
People have rushed to the defense of Quentin Tarantino’s two latest crapfests by describing them as such. (Yeah, I said that, and I mean Kill Bill and Death Proof.) While I am looking forward to “Inglorious Basterds”, I feel that he is just making gimmick movies, sort of a “Spot the Homage’s” Drinking Game. But Basterds is looking like a rip off of Samuel Fueller’s work. I hope I am wrong and he delivers.
Everything eventually de-evolves into gimmick films: look at some scary concepts like Friday the 13th, Halloween, or A Nightmare on Elm Street. All perfectly capped off with an ending, all self-contained films. Yet, soon they took the concept out of the movie and shoved gimmick in its place. Never retaining the strength of the original idea. Take “Halloween” for instance, a great concept; a mentally deranged brother returns home to try to kill his sister. Scary. But then, they had to keep explaining why he was “evil”. He wasn’t evil. He was fucking crazy. Then, Michael Myers in the hospital, then Michael Myers chases his niece. Then, Michael Myers as the instrument of a Celtic Death Cult, yeah, for real. Shoot, they put Jason Voorheves in fucking space! They kept bringing Freddy back despite his being a murdering pedophile, and pretty soon, he was fight Jason! Gimmicks!
It would be like making a sequel or prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing and having the alien take over Los Angeles while fighting MacReady’s son (Played by Shia Labouf.). On that note:
:[ I read an article in Entertainment Weekly that the “grown-up” film was dying in an era of sequels, prequels, superhero, and robot movies. I say just get all that money to real independent moviemakers and you’ll see a ton of original ideas.
:[ From Yahoo News: Bryce Harper is 16 and can hit farther than most pro baseball players. Jesus, this is accomplishment? How about curing cancer, or saving lives, dying for your country? UPDATE: He’s quitting high school to go pro. Who didn’t see that one coming? Nothing like the exploitation of your kids to prove the American Dream still exists.
:[ SUV Vs. Cyclists – the old debate, my same old answer. People love to, love to, LOVE TO complain about all the frickin’ bicyclists and their haughty attitudes and how they crowd the lanes and make a general nuisance because we are all NEEDED RIGHT AWAY in our cars.
People tend to forget, and I will do my best to keep reminding them, that we drive huge machines of steel, aluminum and plastic, speeding up to 75mph or faster, never once thinking that we are throwing a two ton machine around, something that has the capacity to kill a human being instantly when struck by our cars. Yet, we have the arrogance to complain about a snide biker, whom seems to be killed with little or no consequence. Meaning, if you can afford to drive an SUV, you have the right to run over and kill bicyclists.
:[ David Carradine found dead… in a Thailand closet. That’s all I have to say about that.
:[ Pet Peeve of the Day #2: People who say they don’t hate. I do not trust people who say that they “don’t hate”. Saying you don’t hate is like saying you have no skin. Everybody feels it. Otherwise how can we know love without knowing hate? The real problems arise when we express our hatreds violently, but we all feel it.
:[ Two US journalists went on trial in North Korea. This is virtually ignored by the press and the Obama Administration. I’ll bet if they both looked like Miss California Trump himself would be there mounting a rescue… (hehheheheheheh, I said “mounting…”)
So, they were convicted and sentenced to 12 years hard labor. And it is suspected that their release will be used as a bargaining chip with the inevitable showdown with North Korea and it new nuclear arms footing. And still nothing in the major press. Instead we get Palin versus Letterman, that fake couple that pouts a lot getting interviewed by Al Roker, more Miss California, and the Lakers winning.
:[ A Senator tries to pass an amendment proclaiming 2010 as The Year of the Bible. It failed of course. Why do people have the hardest time with the separation of church and state? People tend to forget that while “America” was founded on Christian principles, it was NOT, however, founded on the Christian Religion. Or else we would be living under a Theocracy.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-religion. I am very aware of how being part of a religion can build in oneself a moral compass of right and wrong. (Not good and evil, those are never meant for strangers to dictate to you, remember that people.) I am very aware of how religion can bring comfort to those whom feel lost or without purpose. I am Roman Catholic. I was raised Roman Catholic. As a youth I learned right and wrong through the church. This idea that to stop attending mass makes you less Catholic, or less good, even “evil” is absurd.
Yet, we keep assuming the Forefather’s wanted a Christian country. No, they wanted a free country. And if you think about it, we are still a long fricking way from that. Yes, I am very aware of how many freedoms we do have. But getting your taxes taken out of your paycheck is taxation without representation.
The Forefathers of this country knew that you had to gain your moral compass from religion, at least, but also that you should never let your religious beliefs impede in doing what is good for all men who are created equal.
:[ Funny, that we can re-interpret what we think the Forefathers meant when it comes to Free Press and Free Religion, “…the pursuit of Happiness”, yet we are so certain that the Forefathers meant that the Right to Bare Arms means hording automatic assault rifles and cannons. Hah.
Can someone point out where in the Constitution that says we CANNOT check your background to ensure that a sane person will be able to protect his family? (Before you answer, a criminal record is a matter of public record. Which is why your employer has right to see it before they decide to hire you. Kind of sad that Carl’s Jr. takes more caution about the safety of people than a gun show or the NRA.)
:[ I also find it kind of sad that an entire generation’s only experience with learning about Native American cultures is Taylor Lautner….
:[ Derrick Rose getting a pass on his education for being in the NBA. I guess the rumor is that he had someone else take his SAT tests for him. Isn’t that cheating? I guess it’s all right because he skipped college to play Pro basketball. One journalist said it shouldn’t matter ‘cause he makes a lot of baskets. Reverse Slavery, I tell you. His spot in college is given to some rich guy’s nephew, who will buy his way into the Presidency. Meanwhile, Rose will be disgraced because of this rumor.
:[ Overheard, one particular Talk Radio host complaining about the new emissions restrictions and how the government was going to force us to all drive those “little beanie cars”, which many anti-environmentalists are against and trying to prove as unsafe. How the hell is a little tiny hybrid car any less safe that the cars we drive now. Going back to my cyclist item, the cars we have are over two tons of steel, aluminum and plastic and we hurtle them along of speeds up to 100 miles an hour, if we can get away with that, never thinking that at that speed a wreck is devastating.
People forget that more people die from car wrecks that any other cause. Yet, cars are not outlawed. So much for the safety of our citizens. Besides, if this talk radio host cannot drive his giant car or SUV, how else he going to overcompensate for his tiny… um, golf clubs. I guess this particular host has absolutely no faith in American Ingenuity. Traitor.
:[ From the “This Just In” File: Doctors Groups are ready to protest ANY healthcare changes made by the Obama Administration. Imagine that, the highest paid position in the medical field complaining that the President wants to insure healthcare to all citizens. Hell, isn’t that just common sense to want to make sure everybody can afford healthcare and not just the wealthy. What do doctors do anyways but feel you up, look at files, and have the nurses do all the hard work of ACTUAL HEALTHCARE? So, much for the Hippocratic Oath.
:[ Last Item of the Month: Analog TV just went the way of the dodo this weekend. I am without TV now. Which is fine by the way. I pay for Internet and can watch shows on my computer. But, I have noticed that we have to pay for TV now, whether through the Internet or satellite companies. Hmm, I wonder who pushed the whole HDTV thing to begin with? We even have to buy Digital converter boxes to watch what goes out over the air.
You heard me right, TV IS NO LONGER FREE!!!! First, bottled water, now digital TV. Man, soon, we’ll be swiping credit cards (or maybe Palm Crystals?) to flush the toilet. And you know what? They will make us want to do that. Scary, huh?
And on that lovely mental image; that will do it for this month. Again, I invite comment, opinion, and dissension. It’s okay to further an opinion. Really. No one reads this anyway. It’s not like you’re running for office. Just do it.
Until Next Time; “Uh, no.”
© 2009 Ernest M. Whiteman III
