And Now for Something Different

For several years now I have had vague notions bouncing around my skull for a potential trilogy of horror novels. While I have written a number of horror short stories and many years ago even a horror film script I have never attempt a novel of that genre.

The notions bouncing around I like but they had refused to assemble into a full story or even a decent plot; so I just kept them bouncing hoping that someday that they might finally fall into place.

The other, while listening to the Cinema Junkie podcast, something a guest said sparked that final epiphany that I had required. The approach, the theme, and most important of all, the ending of the first book suddenly snapped into focus. I can see how it opens, the general shape of the rising action and stakes, and the new balance that is achieved at the end of the tale.

I am still finishing up work on my military SF book and once that is out the door then I can start outlining and beating into shape the details of my first horror novel.

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Style versus Genre

I fist started seriously think about style versus genre on the subject of film noirand what mattered more to classifying a story as a noir, the content or the stylistic elements. My thoughts have expanded and I find myself looking at other divisions and wondering just how far can this analysis go?

Consider science-fiction, just as with film noirit too seems to possess a slipper definition that comes down a great deal to personal taste. For the most part SF is fairly easy to define, stories in which a technological or scientific advancement or theory plays a critical element in its structure; so critical that if removed the story collapses. The novel and the film The Martianis a perfect recent example of a piece meeting this definition. However at the other end of the spectrum we have a film such as Star Wars, which is a story about space knight, space princesses, and space wizards in a grand conflict dealing with good and evil. While the film takes place in outer space, and the characters utilizes technological weaponry and transportation everything about that tech and setting is fanciful ignoring that facts of science.

The Martianfits if we define SF as a genre with boundaries and rules that delineate what is and more importantly what is not science-fiction. Star Wars fits if we define SF as a style, stories that have the look, feel, and trappings of advanced technology but are unconcerned with valid scientific underpinnings or theories.

Here is the crux of so many debates over what is and is not science-fiction. Some people use the style model while others use the genre one and quite often the people themselves are not aware of their mode of thinking and so when a person of one camp engages in a discussion with someone from the other discord and unresolvable debates follow because at heart they are speaking of two very different viewpoints.

As with all art there is no ‘right’ answer to selecting between the viewpoints and we

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Fascinated by Film Grammar

Many times I have gone to a local Landmark Theater to take in an Art House film and before the feature presentation experienced the chain’s promotional material that ended with ‘The Language of Film is Universal.’ (BTW the idea that Universal Studios never took up this as a slogan is terribly amusing.) Of course Landmark Theaters uses that bit of advertising copy because Art house feature heavily favor international production, but it has the side benefit of being true.

Film has a grammar, cut two shot together and they create a meaning from that context that neither possessed, fade to black and then back up and the audience understands that a lengthy segment of time has passed, have one character look to the right and speaking while cutting to another character looking left and speaking and we draw the connection that they are conversing. (Beautifully demonstrated in The Last Jediwhen Rian Johnson used the simplest film grammar instead of showy special effect to connect Kylo and Rey.) There is a lot to film grammar and I listed only a few possible ways that you can see it; what fascinates me is that it is truly universal.

Take the bit about two shots creating a third meaning. This was explored near the birth of cinema by Soviet filmmaker and theoretician Sergei Eisenstein, looking here as though he inspired David Lynch’s Eraserhead. One of Eisenstein’s more famous experiments involved an actor looking directly into camera with a neutral expression, then cutting from the actor to various other shots of food, death, danger, and so on. When projected for an audience and asked what emotion the actor expressing the juxtaposition of the two images always created meaning where the actor had expressed nothing. Hunger is the next shot was food, horror at death and so on.

This was true not only for the peoples of Russia, but Western Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Again and again we find that the actual grammar of cinema transcends language and culture. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how you are raised, what your religious thoughts and convictions are, film works the same way for you as it does everyone else. It is a staggering thought and example of the commonality of humanity once you strip away the surfaces differences.

The Language of Film isUniversal.

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Noir Night: Fallen Angel (1945)

Technically this was two nights as coming down with a cold I found my late night energy flagging, sending me to bed early on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Fallen Angelis the story of a down on his luck con man, Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) stranded in the California coastal town of Walton without even enough money to buy bus fare out. After helping a pair of fellow conmen running a traveling fake medium show Stanton becomes embroiled with two women, Stella (Linda Darnell) a fiery brunette, tough and no nonsense that nearly every man in town is pursuing, and June (Alice Faye) a sweet, sheltered, blonde who plays keyboard in the church with a large sum of money held by her suspicious guardian sister Clara. Intent on winning Stella with riches, Stanton begins a love affair/con with June. Things do not go as planned and Stanton finds himself on the run from a murder rap.

Spoilers from here on out.

I enjoyed this movie but it is not destined to become of my favorite noirs. My tastes in noir tends towards the darker films with fewer ‘happily ever after’ endings. Sam broken heart in The Maltese Falcon, or Walter Neff’s doomed end in Double Indemnity, these have more punch and more noir than the ones that work out in the end. Sadly, Fallen Angelis one of those with a happy ending. You can nearly hear the production crew flipping back and forth through the production code as the film progresses, shying away from anything that strayed too close to the line and thereby neutering the film.

When Stella turned up murdered I perked up. It was clear that Stanton wasn’t going to be the killer and at first I had pegged the guardian sister Clara. Later as June insisted with conviction that Stanton could not have killed Stella I really hoped that she turned out to be the killer. The sweet quite girl lashing out to keep what was her’s would have been verily cool. You could have still had the arc of Stanton growing as a character and learning to love, but losing it all as they took June off to prison. In the end it turned out to be one of Stella many thwarted admirers leaving Stanton and June to live happily ever after.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

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A Staggering Level of Corruption

People get used to things and what was once unthinking quickly becomes the new normal. Think upon gasoline, if the price were suddenly changed to $2 per gallon their would be cheers when at one time $2 a gallon would have provoked sharp and pain political punishment. This effect is found in narrative fiction as well. For continuing heroes, be they superheroes or slick spies, the stakes have to increase with every adventure or the audience becomes uninterested in the outcome.

With the current political administration we have, less than two years into its run already contracted scandal fatigue. Every single day it seems brings some new crisis, some new scandal, and some new evidence of corruption. The White acts besieged when its allies control both houses of congress.

It is my personal opinion that this is the most corrupt administration since the 19th century. If the stakes weren’t so high this would be farce, instead it is likely to end in tragedy.

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Don’t Confirm Gina Haspel

In general a President should get the people that they want for their administration. Sadly Trumps picks tend to be boot-licker and brownnosers who tell him what he wants to hear. That terrible Cabinet meeting where they all took turns praising the President as he sat there basking in the adulation is a symptom of a very dangerous man.

On a recent episode of the podcast Intelligence Matters the host and the guest, both men who formerly were quite high ranking at the CIA administration advocated for Ms. Haspel’s confirmation. They spoke of her experience, her intelligence, and her commitment to this country. All great qualities for someone wielding terrible powers in the service of their country, but the pair also praised Ms. Haspel as someone who would tell the President ‘no.’

If I had faith that she would act in such a manner I would fully support her confirmation, this president more than most needs strong capable people to tell him ‘no’ and check his worst impulses. Not an easy task to do with the President of the United States, particularly when that President is known for verbal rages when thwarted and who possesses a fragile ego.

Unfortunately Ms. Haspel as already been tested in the manner and she failed. When directed to carried out torture she did so. When directed to destroy evidence of that torture, she did so. From person far less power than a sitting president when did not tell them ‘no.’

Called before congress for her confirmation she dodged and evaded, going so far to refuse to label torture as immoral.

When we select people for power positions, the Congress, the Senate, and so one the most important character trait is judgment. That is the real job we are hiring them for, not to follow public opinion polls, not to be a weather vane for shifting moods, but to render judgment on our behalf.

Ms. Haspel’s judgment has been found wanting.

 

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Brief Thoughts on the Met Gala

Certainly High Culture and Fashion are not my areas of expertise but there area few observations I want to make about the controversy surrounding this year’s Met Gala. At the fund raiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art a number of celebrities wore fashion that was inspired Catholic Regalia. This took place in hand with the exhibition Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.

There have been voices raised protesting that their religion is not an excuse for someone else’s fancy dress. I can understand that viewpoint, though not a member of the Catholic faith, nor of any organized religion, those of the faith feel quite strongly, passionately, and deeply about their beliefs. I can see how it would appear as trivializing one of the core aspects of their identity.

But I also wonder how many of those people protesting the eroticism of these alter regalia gave any thought to cultures beyond their own?

When people think of American Indians one of the most comment images is of the elaborate feathered headdress, or of the tribal dances, but these are part of their religious practices. It is their regalia and that iconography is used for selling products and sports franchises. Do these same people hurt and insulted by the Met Gala speak up in support of the tribes who feel the same way about their culture?

Naturally I do not think that there should be a law on this. The people at the Met Gala have a right of expression, just as those who protest what was expressed. One thing I do believe is that if you are making an argument from principle and then you need to make is fairly otherwise you are simply placing your comfort and your outcomes above those of others.

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Ranking the MCU: Top Tier

Now we come to what I feel are the best films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These last ten years have produced a number of entertaining movies and as I have said before even the lowest ranked MCU entries are still fun exciting movies but it is these four, presented in no particular order, that I think represent the pinnacle of what the studio has achieved.

Captain America: The Winter Solider: Winter Solideris a terrific throwback to the political thrillers of the 70s. Filled with twists and betrayals that echoed across the face of the planet, this movie up ended what was established and expected as constants in the MCU. A particularly bold movie considering it was released shortly after the debut the television seriesMarvel’s: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Not satisfied with all that the filmmakers, screenwriter and directors, also infused Winter Soliderwith a powerful theme about the dangers of trading freedom for security.

Captain America: Civil War: Civil Wargave us the big massive cross over battle which is a staple of a long running line comics. Torn by governmental actions our heroes find themselves suddenly battling each other in the sort of big, splashy, and thrilling manner fans had waited years to see. Before the airport fight in Civil warthe closest fan came to this experience was the fight between Zod and his henchpersons against Superman in Superman II. As with Winter Solider, again the story underneath was representing a powerful theme, the duties of friendship, loyalty, and the terrible corrosive power of secrets. I adore that the third act in this movie was not about a city or a world or a galaxy in danger but about the disintegration of a friendship.

Black Panther: Introduced in Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther’s first solo outing stunned the world. A compelling combination of Afro-Futurism, comic book science-fiction, familial drama, and an indictment of colonialism, Black Panther, proved that a story that was about something, something very sensitive, could not only entertain but also reach millions with ideas that they might never have been exposed to without this film. Breaking box office records and preconceptions this movie is truly one of the finest examples of the power of genre cinema.

Thor: Ragnarok: Including the MCU’s most off-beat comedy as part of the top tier may but an unexpected move but comedies have a long tradition of truth telling. It was the function of the court jester to say what no one else was allowed and in many ways that is the part played by Thor: Ragnarok. Like its brother Black Panther, is a film about something, just with Ragnarok, the timeless themes of family, ones who are born into and the ones we choose, along with the corrosive nature of hidden crimes, is buried under a plethora of gags, farcical characters, and amazing action.

The running commonality among my selection for the best of the MCU movies is the presence of a strong theme. The best stories not only entertain but also illuminate some essential element of the human condition. Some may have notice an absence on this list, Avengers: Infinity War. Infinity War is the fist part of a two part story, when the conclusion arrives in 2019 I’ll slot the singular story in my ranking.

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Ranking the MCU: Part 3

With the Mid-Grade films behind us we move into the Honorable Mentions, those movies of the MCU that are a cut above the rest but do not quite reach the heights that the Top Tier films achieve. I find it curious that each film in this category is initial outing of its particular franchise. Though considering how often sequel fail to match their originals perhaps that is not so much of a surprise.

Iron Man: The first of the MCU movies, the project that was derided in Hollywood, still ranks as one of the better outing. Iron Mancreated the basic template of the MCU movies, establishing that mix of action, character, and comedy that continues to this day as the ultimate crowd pleaser.

Doctor Strange: Expanding the MCU into the supernatural, Doctor Strange, is an inventive cinematic trip. While following the character arc from Iron Man, an arrogant man learns the meaning of his life, Strangelights of the screen with dazzling performances and a third act where a cities to rebuilt instead of destroyed in a massive battle.

Captain America: The First Avenger: Steven Rogers, like Superman, is a very difficult character to write and perform. Unlike many other superhero characters, Steve is in no need to learn how to be good; he is inherently a good man. Too often such characters come off from anywhere Lawful Boring to sanctimonious. The script inThe First Avengercombined with the considerable talents of Chris Evans instead gives us a true hero, someone worthy of not only admiration but emulation as well.

Guardians of the Galaxy: When Marvel Studios first announce their plans for a Guardiansfilm I was among those who thought that had finally bitten off more than they can chew. Characters that were for the most part unknown to the wider public, including a gun-crazy intelligent raccoon, sounded like a film destined to fail. Instead with flair, style, and heavy doses of comedy, Guardians presented us with a new style of hero for the MCU and gave us the most screen-time for upcoming big bad Thanos. After it’s release we are all Groot.

Marvel’s: The Avengers: This film proved that the team-up movie was not only viable but a box office goldmine. Bringing back fan favorite Loki as its principle villain, The Avengers, gave a larger role for S.H.I.E.L.D., robbed us of a fan favorite in Phil Coulson, and mixed larger than life characters and egos in a manner that both entertained and supported their individual natures. The success and events of this movie would echo throughout the MCU up to and including Infinity War.

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Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Part 2

The Mid-Grade MCU movies are solid films without major flaws that tell their stories competently with flair and style that we come to expect from this franchise. Not surprisingly this is the largest number of MCU movies in a single category.

 

Ant-Man: This film is charming with a deft, light tone that makes this one of the more fun movies. I very nearly moved it into the ‘Honorable Mention’ category full the child’s bedroom fight alone.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2: It would have been nearly impossible to be as fresh as Guardians of the Galaxy, and hampered with a required that no major changes can occur due to its placement in the overall multi-film plot Vol 2still manages to tell a compelling story and explore deeper into established characters, putting one on the path to if not heroism at least fighting against the coming big bad.

Iron Man 2: A good solid follow-up to Iron Man, IM2doesn’t suffer from the ‘grab the girl’ cliché as Iron Man 3did, it deepens our understanding of Tony conflicted nature with his father Howard Stark, and broadens the MCU itself.

Spider-Man: Homecoming:SMHis a joy because it brings Peter Parker back home to the MCU instead of suffering intolerable studio dreck produced over at Sony. The decisions top return Peter to a high school student and to skip over one of the most well-known of all origin stories elevates this film. The plotting is a little flabby with one extraneous action set-piece and Peter’s actions are a little too consequences free otherwise this would have floated up into the ‘Honorable Mention’ slots.

Thor& Thor: The Dark World:  Both of these films do a fine job of presenting the mythological/cosmic settings of the MCU. The casting is well done and of course Loki instantly became a fan favorite. Thematically both films are a little flat without greater impact than the characters’ lives themselves. Perfectly watchable with enjoyable performances nothing in these movies either elevates or sinks them. They are very nearly the Platonic Ideal of  Mid-grade in the MCU.

 

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