Culture

Contrasting Views of the Return of the King

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First from Moe Freedman at Occam’s Toothbrush:

I just returned from seeing the latest installment of the Lord of the Rings, and I have to say I just hated the hell out of it. It’s not that I’m not a fan, I am. I’ve seen the first two, and loved the books as a teenager but this one was just way, way, too long.
Peter Jackson decided to tell the story using the faces of his actors and the long, lingering close- ups go on forever.

Second from Ghost of a Flea:

Let’s see… at 3 hours and 12 minutes I figured I would want to stretch my legs at some point but for that first two and a half hours I was completely lost in the world of the film. Rushed, yes, even at three hours plus the story is rushed and abbreviated. I have high hopes for the extended version… there are points where scenes have almost clumsily been removed. At this point, however, I am prepared to give Peter Jackson almost any leeway. If not for the last half hour this would have been the greatest film I have ever seen (and others may be happier with the last half hour).

For those interested in such things the Flea also provides a link to Tolkien’s views on elf sex.

Ties with a Message

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Many of these do not look all that different from traditional designs that I have seen in my father’s or my closet.
But they certainly might make it easier to tell that someone that you have just been diagnosed with..well, take your pick.
Or to wear full disclosure when you are out . Of course, it will look a little wierd if you are a multiple carrier.
Via the Apostropher.

What’s your favorite Peter Jackson Movie?

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Me, right now I am looking for the extended version of The Two Towers to climb to the top. It will be the 3rd Jackson movie that I’ve seen. The first two were Fellowship of the Ring and the short form Two Towers. And soon, perhaps, the last of the Trilogy will make its case. But there is a new challenger.
I have paid no attention to Jackson’s earlier work and today find out that at least one person thinks his early movie Dead Alive is his best:

Come to think of it, “Dead Alive” and “Lord of the Rings” can both be read as a young man’s quest for power through knowing the truth. Call me perverse, but as far as I’m concerned, “Dead Alive” is Jackson’s most personal and convincing work. “LOTR” is more about father figures, where “Dead Alive” is about Mom. And for all the visual splendor of “LOTR,” it seems to me that Jackson connects much more with the Evil Mother than with warring fathers. In any case, “Dead Alive” is certainly my favorite of his movies.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this movie you might want to note the following before heading to the video store:

I don’t want to spoil the film for you, but let me say that unless you’re as fond of zombies as I am you probably shouldn’t see the movie on a queasy stomach. It’s one of the most extreme splatter movies I’ve ever seen.

I don’t think I’ll be watching with my wife.
Via Michael at 2blowhards.

Late Night Reading

This entry was posted in Constitution Culture Domestic Terrorism Late Night Reads Law Enforcement Seattle on by

Mark Kleiman has finished Quicksilver and writes about it. Worth reading no matter where you are in the Quicksilver Process. Me, I’m in hiatus at 180 pages…back to it soon.
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, much maligned on certain talk radio spews, has stood up for the citizens of the US in ruling unconstitutional portions of the 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. See How Appealing and Talkleft for details.
Good Night!