Saturday, January 20, 2007

You Fill Me With Inertia...


Can't wait for April!
Recent bizness...

I haven't commented very much on films recently - mainly since I haven't had time or the interest to actually make it to the theatre to see anything currently playing. A good part of time was spent with DVD sets of the second seasons of CARNIVALE and DEADWOOD, both of which I enjoyed immensely; CARNIVALE especially, since the first year took a bit too long to get things in motion - the second year is a big improvement... too late, of course, to save the show from being cancelled. I wish they'd worked out a deal similar to DEADWOOD's impending conclusion after the third year - doing a couple of television movies to wrap things up.

I promise to get back to some film commentary very soon... and speaking of films, the Screenland Freakshow has posted a schedule up for their debut month.

The first REALLY good novel of 2007 is THE TERROR by Dan Simmons - and it's NOT a horror novel, despite the title. I didn't like his last book, OLYMPOS very much - after the strong build-up of ILIUM, it seemed like weak filler, and I suspect a third volume will see the light of day in the near future.

Currently waiting to hear if I'll be on a project shooting in March. It just got announced that KS lost an Anthony Hopkins film that wanted to shoot at KU - due to no tax incentives, the production company will shoot at U of Colorado at Boulder.
Bummer, Man


I just discovered this item on Laughing Squid earlier in the week...

Now I know how Baby Boomers felt when they realized the 60's were over.

Well, not really... but it's still very weird for me. I stumbled upon The Cacophony Society several months after moving to San Francisco in mid '89 and was on the periphery of events that eventually morphed into Burning Man Inc. -- I was at the gathering at Baker Beach and remember clearly the cops allowing the Man to be raised, but not burned; and I was one of the attendees in '91, when the amount of people on the Playa topped out at about 250 and things were anarchic, but not crazy-dangerous. Fun and exciting and wonderful as it was, I felt no need to repeat the experience.

I've written about John Law earlier, so it's pretty clear where I stand regarding his character. It's obvious that this was no rash action. Take the time to read the documentation provided - it makes crystal clear the motives for his action. And his argument for making Burning ManTM public domain is sound, although I couldn't help picturing a prankster smirk on his face as he typed it up.

Not that I have any stake in BM in any way, shape or form - I know that there are those who've attended recent BMs who've gotten something out of the experience... but I also think that when you're at the point where you become a punchline for a Microsoft commercial, it's time to Kill The Man - at least as he exists in this aspect and let Him be reborn in some other fashion.

What makes me sad... well, sadder - is that all the recent events cloud further my memories of things like this (made before the Spectre of The Man began its corrupting influence). But that just makes it more special, I guess, to be able to remember.