[The image above (like the one at the bottom of this post) is from a design by Paul Lasaine for an abandoned version of Moby Dick developed by Dreamworks, directed by the Brizzi brothers. You can see several more images at his blog. The plan was to tell the story from the whale's point of view; a fascinating idea that the studio didn't want to follow up.]

I’m planning to post updates here on Spectacular Attractions about the two forthcoming adaptations of Moby Dick , along with notes about earlier versions. It’s something I’m distracted by at the moment, so this is an outlet. If anyone has further information than I can gather from the Web, please add comments below.

Here’s some of what we know so far. Timur Bekmambetov, director of Wanted is signed to direct a massive-budget version for Universal Pictures, which will begin shooting once he’s finished making Wanted II. From what I can tell, it sounds like they’re inspired by the graphic-novel aesthetic of 300, which preserved the pictorialism of Frank Miller’s original text but, for my money, made it too pristine and over-designed to be emotionally engaging. The script has been written by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage. You may find Cooper’s statement enticing: I find it kind of ominous:

Our vision isn’t your grandfather’s ‘Moby Dick’. This is an opportunity to take a timeless classic and capitalize on the advances in visual effects to tell what at its core is an action-adventure revenge story.

To that end, they’ve removed Ishmael’s first-person narration. This means that we can see lots more scenes of Moby Dick trashing other ships, without being limited to one character’s perspective. But Ishmael’s narration is always subjective, questionable – part of the drama of reading Moby Dick is feeling the distance between literature and experience. You can feel the narrator’s urge to communicate every detail of what he sees, but you can also feel the mystique of folklore, the tingle of secondhand reports of a sea monster. Seeing more of Moby Dick undermines some of the mythic structure of the novel, in the same way that remaking Jaws with lots of close-up views of a CGI shark would throw away what made it frightening in the first place. But obviously, it’s too early to judge. Certainly, Melville’s book provides plenty of opportunity for awesome spectacle, but it would be a shame if that came at the expense of its ability to create a detailed picture of life on a whaling ship, or the complex psychology of its narrator.

First up, though, Mike Barker is directing another adaptation for TV (produced by Germany’s Tele Munchen Group) with a budget of over $25,000,000, with William Hurt as Ahab, Charlie Cox as Ishmael, Gillian Anderson as Elizabeth, Ethan Hawke as Starbuck, Apocalypto’s Raoul Trujillo as Queequeg, plus Eddie Marsan and Donald Sutherland.  It’s written by Nigel Williams, who scribbled a damn fine script for HBO’s Elizabeth I with Helen Mirren, and used to write episodes for Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: let’s hope he’s still got some of that knack for tale-spinning. There’s quite a bit of teasing info, and lots of photos from the set, at the website of  Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, where the film finished shooting last month: it was dressed to look like 19th-century Nantucket. I’m afraid you’ve already missed it, but there was an auction of props used in the film: see here for pictures.

On her blog, Gillian Anderson hints at a harmonious set with good relations amongst the cast, but also that it was “cursed”:

Anyhoo so here is LAX and on my way to the welcome drizzle of London before the welcome sunshine of somewhere else and time just flies and flies and I wish I could tell you what I’m doing next but I can’t and Oh there was Moby Dick which was so much fun and such a great group of people not least of which was the director Michael Barker who is an angel of a man and Ethan (Hawke) and Charlie (Cox) and then William (Hurt) and oh my Donald Sutherland who I would give my left anything to properly work with again. It was blessed. Well, and cursed but I won’t go into that.

I think we would want an adaptation of one of the most monumental literary expressions of reckless obsession to require similar levels of anguish to recreate. That’s probably a silly superstitious belief, but there’s a strong mythos that surrounds the big productions that run into difficulties. It would seem cheeky to remake Moby Dick with too much ease, when it took Melville so much effort to drag out of his mind, condensing his arduous seafaring experiences into a gargantuan statement of the awe and danger of nature. It is scheduled for completion early in 2010.

How odd that we’ll get two adaptations in such a short space of time. The differences between them will, I hope, prove interesting and illuminating on the topic of transitions from literary to screen media.

• Barker’s film also shot in Lunenburg, Novia Scotia in October. See here for some Flickr photos taken of the sets, and you can find comments and images about the shooting from blogs such as Legs and Wings (especially impressive images, including a revealing glimpse of greenscreen) and RV Mirror. Any more? Just let me know.

I’m watching the Black Friday Law & Order marathon on TNT. Suddenly I’m missing the X-Files marathons I used to watch on Thanksgiving Day. Twelve hours of Mulder, Scully, the Cigarette Smoking Man and the paranormal. I would tilt the TV on the shelf so I could see it from the dining room table where I set up all my scrapbook stuff. Then I spent all day scrapping and watching X-Files. The first year I made eight pages, and I’m pretty sure I made as many the next year. It was my own little Thanksgiving tradition.

Here is the debut of Lindsay Carl’s X-Files review on Heath’s World.  Lindsay is a Film List podcast listener who has sent me some great genre Top 10 lists.  AS we continued to talk, she has recently started to watch the X-Files.  Oh yes, for the first time!  To get a fresh perspective on the amazing TV series, I asked Lindsay to write her thoughts as she explores each season.  Lindsay will contribute to Heath’s World as she completes each viewing of an X-Files season. 

Remember, there are a lot of X-Files fans out there.  Especially the ones who watched the show from the beginning.  So for someone watching the show for the first time in 2009, it may not have the same effect.  Or will it?  So go easy.  But all is fair in love and the X-Files.  And remember, the truth is out there……

Lindsay is the first blogger I have brought on to the site.  So check out her debut below, X-Files Review : Fresh Eyes.

LINDSAY’S X-FILES SEASON 1 REVIEW :

I am thrilled that Heath asked me to contribute to his blog in
discussing my first viewing of The X-Files. So first things first:
Heath, thank you for the opportunity, and for suggesting this show to
me in the first place!

*Note: I apologize in advance for my love of commas, semicolons,
parenthesis, brutal honesty, and sarcasm =)

I began watching Season 1 this of The X-Files this October, not
knowing much about the show other than what the title suggests. In the
pilot episode, I got a better feel of what the premise would be: Agent
Fox Mulder (probably the coolest name ever, next to Wolfgang Puck) is
an FBI special agent who has been assigned a special set of
unexplained or mysterious cases called the X-Files. Agent Dana Scully
is assigned to work with him on these cases, but is a woman of
science, and completely opposes belief in the supernatural. This
premise alone struck interest in me.

The first unavoidable thing I noticed was how dated it was; in
quality, special effects, and the atrocious 90’s attire. But this is
entirely my fault for watching it a decade too late, I suppose. My
first reaction: Ahhh! Fox Mulder’s hair is SO 90’s that it hurts. And
don’t even get me started on Dana Scully’s dated, shoulder-padded
trench coat. But once I got past that, it got better.

A suggestion to any other new, first-time watchers, DO NOT base your
opinions on the Pilot; or the first several episodes for that matter.
Here are some episodes that really stood out to me (for better or
worse):

Deep Throat (Ep.2) – I wasn’t a big fan of the pilot, but this
episode was far more my style. I have a special place in my heart for
government conspiracies, and this one delves into the possibility that
the government is already WELL aware of UFOs, to the point where
similar vehicles are being tested at an air force base.

Conduit (Ep. 3) – Not much to say about this one. It was a little
TOO sci-fi for me; definitely straddled the line between sci-fi and
ridiculous. But seeing ‘Horace Goodspeed’ made me smile.

Ghost in the Machine (Ep. 7) – I watched this one twice. The first
time, it didn’t keep my attention at all. But I really liked it the
second time. It reminded me of ‘Wargames’, which is one of my favorite
movies of all time. I love the idea of computers becoming so highly
intelligent that they can outsmart humans. We can certainly see this
happening now: computers get smarter, and people get dumber =)

ICE (Ep. – This was by far my favorite of the entire season. I
liked that it had the sci-fi aspect, but the idea of a creepy
prehistoric parasitic outbreak really isn’t beyond the realm of
reality.

EVE (Ep. 11) – I wanted to like this episode. I really did. But it
was just way too unrealistic for me. And the acting of those little
girls just got under my skin.

Gender Bender (Ep. 14) – As much as I disliked EVE for being too
unrealistic, on the contrary, I loved this one. The creep-factor was
awesome! There is something extremely disturbing to me about a group
of people who live outside of society, but in a good way. This episode
really pulled it off.

Shapes (Ep. 19) – For what it’s worth, I really noticed a big shift
in acting abilities with the characters in this episode. They cast the
supporting actors very well, which is something I kind of had a
problem with in past episodes. I also had big laughs when Mulder and
Scully tried saying ‘Mr. Goodensnake’ with a completely serious face.
Also, when the famous LOST line, “DON’T TELL ME WHAT I CAN’T DO!!!”
made a cameo.

Darkness Falls (Ep. 20) – I loved this episode for the same reason I
loved ‘ICE’. The realism in the idea that insects could take over the
world. I am actually surprised they haven’t already! Very good concept
overall.

Tooms (Ep. 21) – At first, I felt cheated when I realized that this
was a ‘part 2’ of a previous episode. But I enjoyed this episode much
more than its previous counterpart. They go a little deeper into the
relationship between Mulder and Scully on a much more personal level.
Scully showed a lot more personality than in episodes passed. Also
Tooms licking his fingers after picking up that decomposing rat:
grossest thing EVER! It was awesome.

The Erlenmeyer Flask (Finale) – This episode certainly hooked me,
for sure. It ended with an excellent cliffhanger, and it left me
wanting to see more. And again, the government conspiracy plot was
really interesting to me. The ONLY part I disliked was seeing the
monkey in cages, which made me shed a tiny tear. I also noticed that
the intro was different. Usually, the words “The Truth is Out There”.
In this episode, it said “Trust No One”. If this was an attempt to
peak interest in the viewer, it certainly worked for me. It leaves me
wondering if maybe season 2 will have this ‘trust no one’ theme. But I
guess we will see!

There are some general qualms I had with the show. First, I do not
understand this desexualization of Scully. She is a gorgeous woman,
and it seems as though they completely disregard this. She is always
so serious, unfeminine, unemotional, and ‘all business, all the time’,
it’s sometimes hard to watch. But I did notice that she breaks out of
her ‘beige trenchcoat’ of a shell  a little more at the end, and I
really hope her character develops a little more going forward.

The constant ‘serious-face’ glances between Mulder and Scully in every
episode EVERY time someone else is talking is a bit much. I understand
they are trying to dramatize the situation, but it’s overkill at
times. The fact that I watched two or three episodes at time may
contribute to this, making it seem like it happens a lot more often
than it really does.

And as I had mentioned before, the acting was often pretty horrible.
Although I could tell that Duchovny and Anderson are getting a lot
more comfortable in their roles and with each other toward the
seasons’ end. However, the rest of the casting could still use a
little work. I am guessing that the funding for the show will increase
in seasons to come, and better actors can be afforded.

I know, I know. I have a lot of complaints. I guess this might come
from the fact that I have been exposed to LOST which is the best show
in the universe. Yes, the UNIVERSE (What’s that saying about filet
mignon and bologna?) BUT alas, I am very excited to get into season 2
and continue watching. It is overall a very interesting concept as a
whole, and extremely entertaining. And I am confident that some, if
not all of the issues I do have with the show will be eliminated as
the series progresses.

Thanks for reading!
~Lindsay (youllshootyoureyeout)

X-Files – Voglio crederci è un film del 2008, diretto e cosceneggiato da Chris Carter, in collaborazione con Frank Spotnitz.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Chris Carter | David Duchovny | Gillian Anderson | Amanda Peet

For everyone who already frequents my blog, my blog is now featured on Haligonia.ca, a local website that features all sorts of local content, which is pretty damn’d awesome if I may say so myself. I am thrilled to welcome a whole new fleet of Haligonians to the wonderful world of Glen Matthews.

And now, to welcome said fleet.

Every good blog (and let me tell you, my blog is effing awesome) has a general theme. This blawg’s theme is me, The Glen Matthews. But what do I do? I am an actor! Fun, right? SO the purpose of this blog is to invite you to follow me in my various exploits in the film industry!

This is my headshot. I like it, it covers up my self-loathing very well!

Most notably, I worked on MOBY DICK, featuring Ethan Hawk, William Hurt, Gillian Anderson, and a bunch of other actors who are much prettier than me (click here for blog entries regarding Moby Dick). A couple of weeks ago, I worked on Cory Bowles‘ second short film RIGHTEOUS, which of course, I blogged about. Last year, I went to Sundance Film Festival with the short film TREEVENGE (blogged the entire adventure to Park City, Utah here) directed by Jason Eisener, who is currently in pre-production for his first major motion picture HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, to be shot here in the Spring.

Impressed? You shouldn’t be, it’s merely a series of lucky encounters & mind-blowing coincidences that make quantum physics look like a set of building blocks.

You can check out my page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glen-Matthews/) where you can watch plenty of videos of me doing things, and determine whether or not you can tolerate me enough to become a fan of mine. I implore you to do so, it improves your life!

All that I hope to do is offer a definitive timeline to accompany my raise to fame & riches (lots of riches), and my inevitable battle with Ellen Page for Halifax’s affection. I invite you to follow my adventures in the film & theatre industries and live your life vicariously through mine.

-Glen

PS. This entry was riddled with truthy sarcasm. The worst kind.

PSS. Seriously, please like me.

Let’s start by refreshing your memory with one caveat, turn down the sound when you watch the opening credits the first time:

It is appropriate that the Youtube video is a crappy recording of the title playing on a TV. You know, the titles stayed in this form from Season 1 until Season 8, when Duchovny left. At that point they changed it because they had to change it. That’s right, they liked that opening title sequence. It was “perfect” for the show. To examine this belief let’s run through the sequence:

Main Titles: Looks good so far. Pretty ominous. The contrast between the black and the out of focus white slash leaves you feeling uneasy.

Now we have a grainy shot of a UFO and we zoom in real close. What does this tell us? This show is about aliens? We have crappy production values? Get ready for us to talk a lot about a big conspiracy, but only deliver shitty explanations akin to this hoax-ass looking video?

Next we have a star chart(?) with a dark hand moving across this. Is this supposed to get me in the mood for mystery because I don’t know what the fuck the chart is of or what that hand is doing? Are aliens navigating? Is a human navigating an alien ship? How does this relate to the grainy hoax-ass video I saw just a few seconds ago?! This looks like an ad on public access for some hackneyed psychic. I lub you (this is an inside joke, if you don’t get it that is okay, but if you do get it consider us friends).

Now we have one of those static balls that makes your hair stand on end. Oh WOW! IS MY HAIR GOING TO STAND ON END BECAUSE YOUR SHOW IS SCARY AND BLOWING MY MIND ALL THE TIME?!?!?! Yes, 1993 was a long time ago, but how was this static ball mysterious to anyone?

Someone getting his face stretched in a fun house mirror. Is this a director cameo? ARE ALIENS DOING IT!?

Now we have two seeds mirroring each other and growing quickly. Time lapse photography = “Paranormal Activity.” Holy God! The plants are growing too quickly, we need to breed some kind of alien human hybrid and we are going to abduct American citizens to do it!

Close up of Duchovny’s FBI badge. Back on firmer ground. The FBI is involved! We can definitely get behind that kind of show.

“Government denies knowledge” of some kind of after image on a grainy video camera. Is this show going to be some kind of fake documentary, all wobbly camera angles and screaming shadows? DID THE ALIENS TAKE THE AFTER IMAGE MAN AND THE GOVERNMENT ISN’T TELLING US ABOUT IT!!!!!!?????!!!!!

Again with the badges, but this time it is Gillian Anderson’s. I want to take a brief aside here to say that she is as hot as you remember, but not until season 3. Although within the first couple episodes of the series they have her in her underwear and I swear she took a bath at least once an episode in season 1. In season 4 she gets a tattoo on her lower back and the tattoo sequence is actually a butt sex scene. Tattoo as metaphor for Agent Scully’s first experience with butt play.

Shot from season 1. You might be a little confused because the Youtube video is recorded on a TV, but the shot in the credits also looks like Chris Carter just set up a video camera in front of a TV playing an X-Files episode and then used the video tape to make the credits.

Falling silhouette into blue hand with red proximal phalanx (yeah I looked it up, so fucking what?). This looks like someone trying to make a cave drawing using a computer.

Eyeball. What an innovative way to depict the mysterious!

Dark mountains, fast clouds, “The Truth is out there.” This is the part of the title that really stuck with people and became the show’s slogan. This is because everyone was so relieved to finally be done with this crappy montage of unrelated images. These credits look like they were put together by an earnest high school freshman in his first month of video editing. Well, third month of video editing, some of those pictures dissolve into each other pretty smoothly. In any case, I’m rewatching the X-Files right now and I’m loving it, except for the titles. Usually I skip over them, but the other night I watched them and was left, once again, with a sense of wonder at just how terrible they are. I saw more interesting photo montages on my college ex-girlfriend’s idle computer screen.

Now watch the credits again with the volume on. Thank God for the music. The music hits the mood and atmosphere of the show perfectly. That music can make any image mysterious. You could put pictures of kittens or babies (no cheating and using those creepy babies dressed as fruit or vegetable pictures though) to that music and I would feel a little uneasy about what I had just seen. If I had the editing software I would take the kittens dressed as puppies sequence from Conan and put it to the X-Files theme and when I was done watching it I would feel like the kitten puppies were part of some deep rooted interstellar conspiracy. Thank God for that music.

Hello Readers,

I’ve got two pretty important questions for you to ponder today.

1. Is it considered spousal abuse to punch a husband for saying his wife reminds him of Tara Reid?

and

1. Is finding out your husband thinks you are similar to Tara Reid grounds for divorce?  

Let’s take a look back, friends, at how the story began . . .

It was a beautiful autumn day in Pennsylvania.  The husband and I were driving in the car to do a little grocery shopping.  Folks were raking the leaves from their yards.  Children were playing football in the school yard.  Butterflies were holding wings as they flew away.  Squirrels were kissing. 

Then, the husband and I made a left turn down a dark path.  I’m not quite sure why or how, but we started talking about celebrities. And then we started comparing people we know to celebrities, and eventually, the conversation got around to us.  I know what you’re thinking — Don’t do it!  — But we did.

I asked the husband who he thought I was most like in the celebrity world.  I admit I set myself up for the horrendous revelations that ensued, but it never occurred to me that of ALL the celebrities in THE ENTIRE WORLD, my husband would compare me to . . . TARA REID!  EE! EE! EE! EE! (Psycho music).

So, I asked him, “Exactly in what way?  Exactly.”  And he responded that he’d recently read an article about her, and she reminded him of me.

Why?  WHY?  WHYYYYYYYYYYY?

And then he said, “I thought you’d like that.”

Why?  WHY?  WHYYYYYYYYYYY?

Then I thought maybe just maybe he was kidding.  “No,” he responded.

But I guess the real question is Is this really how he sees me?

What I know about Tara Reid

1. She was in American Pie and a couple of other movies, but she hasn’t been cast in a major role in four or five years.  By most accounts, her career is over.
2. She’s a big partier (aka a big drunk).
3. She was friends with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
4. She’s a fallen star who is the butt of many alcohol-related and bad-plastic-surgery jokes.
5. She’s blond and looks/acts perpetually stoned/drunk.

So then I thought maybe he doesn’t really know who Tara Reid is.  Maybe he’s thinking of someone else, but thinks it’s Tara Reid.  When I was in college, The X-Files was the rage, and guys used to say I looked like Scully.  Then when Kate Walsh joined Grey’s Anatomy, folks said I looked like Addison.  Aside from the red hair, I don’t think I look like either one, but TARA REID?   I don’t get it. 

And then I made another mistake.  As I was trying to wrap my brain around this idea, it occurred to me that he might be thinking of a CHARACTER that Tara Reid played, so I asked, “do you mean Tara Reid, the actress, Tara Reid, the person, or a character that she once played – like in American Pie?”  He replied “the person.”  And just like that, he plunged the knife further in my heart and twisted and turned it until my insides lay naked on the floor.

TARA REID???  REALLY?  Of all celebrities, he compared me to Tara Reid?  TARA REID???  What man compares his wife to Tara Reid — and thinks it’s a compliment?  HOW CAN THIS BE??  Eight years I’ve given to this man, and he likens me to Tara Reid. 

What I Know About Me That My Husband Apparently Doesn’t

1. I’ve never been in a movie, but I work and have worked since I was sixteen.  And other than the three months during the winter of 2001 that I was unemployed after a layoff, I have always worked somewhere doing something.
2. My hard partying days ended when I met my husband, and my hard partying days were kind of soft by just about everyone’s standards.
3. I don’t know Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan or anyone like them.
4. Other than college (which doesn’t count), I don’t think anyone has anything negative in the alcohol realm to say about me, and all of my parts are original.  Thank you very much.
5. I’m a red head and am completely sober most of the time (although I do get drunk eyes in photos when I wear contact lenses, and I do drink wine every night – but not a lot – really.).

I’ve been thinking about this Tara Reid conversation for four days, and I still don’t get it.  The husband couldn’t/wouldn’t explain it, and he hasn’t mentioned it since.  BTW, it took him about thirty minutes to realize he made a mistake in comparing me to Tara Reid.  He really thought it was a compliment.

I’m left with many questions, three of which are

1.  Does my husband really think I’m a washed up, messed up drunk?
2. If so, what should I do about it?
3. Is being likened to Tara Reid a compliment after all?

One more note:  I’m sure Tara Reid is a lovely person and has many fans, family, and friends who adore her.  I have nothing against her in any way.  I’m sure she is a nice person and probably donates time and money to charity.  This post in no way is intended to hurt Tara Reid in any way or cause her harm. 

Until next time . . .

A British writer struggles to fit in at a high-profile magazine in New York

I have to admit that I did quite want to see this last year when it came out at the cinema. I cannot remember my reasons, but do remember hearing that it was not that good. I am not the biggest Simon Pegg fan and do not find him as funny as he is made out to be. I was rather disappointed with “Hot Fuzz”, any way I decided to give this film ago. My first points on it are that I can actually imagine English guys behaving in the way Pegg does when he moves to New York and the American’s not really getting his behaviour. I actually loved the singing of “England” when he was drunk and then falling off the small stage, but slightly embarrassed at the same time.

Sidney Young (Pegg) is the writer who is trying to fit into life at the New York magazine. I have to admit that the first night he gets there on the dance floor’s in a few bars is very amusing and meeting Alison (Dunst) practically straight away. Then finding out the next day that she also works at the magazine. However, over time no-one really likes Sidney and Alison is pretty much the only one who will talk to him. Obviously you can see where their friendship is going to go . . . But Sidney is “in love” with Sophie Maes (Fox) who is an up and coming actress breaking through into the big time, being nominated for awards and entering the spotlight. He really wants to be with her and eventually does get the chance but is she really who he wants?

While this was not as bad as I first expected it to be, it was still lacking something. I guess it was all pretty obvious the direction it was going in.

I always think movies about behind the scenes with actors/actresses and the whole celebrity phenomenon is quite risky as you do not actually know how true it is, and do you really want to know exactly what it is like behind the scenes? Somethings are often better off not being known. You do not know how tongue in cheek they may or may not be.

I cannot really see this being a movie I will want to see again very soon. It did not really pull me into it with anything in particular.

It has been next-to-impossible for me to access the Internet while here in the Maldives, so apologies for the lack of posts. One of the amazing things about being “unplugged” is how much time seems to stretch and proceed at a much more luxurious pace (in spite of a lot of very un-luxurious rain). We haven’t turned on a TV once–a huge thing for us. So often while traveling, the TV is just a reach out for familiarity–and you end up watching re-runs of some show you didn’t care enough about to tune in for the first time.

One show that fans tend to watch over and over and over again, is The X-Files. Former cast members and creators of the David Duchovny/Gillian Anderson supernatural/sci-fi/freaky deaky show (sometimes as campy and absurd as anything on the air) are reunitinf for a November 14 event to raise money for their chosen charities.

Actress Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully), actor Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner), executive producer/writer Frank Spotnitz, and executive producer/director Rob Bowman (currently executive producer and director on ABC’s hit “Castle”) reunite to talk all things “X-Files” and answer questions from fans (like the rumors about an X-Files 3 movie and the 2012 mythology that could make a whole new series). This is a rare opportunity for fans and filmmakers to get together to explore and discuss the process of making this iconic television series, ask questions about the panelists’ new projects, and raise money for some very worthy causes.

Tickets for the Q&A event are now available at http://www.ibginc.org/tickets. Proceeds will be donated in support of the participants’ chosen charities, including The Santa Monica-UCLA Rape Treatment Center, Off the Street Kids (aiding yung, marginalized people of South Africa), Fezeka, and Children of the Night (rescuing American children from prostitution). Check out those links to find some truly important charities.

Tonight I was lucky enough to attend a screening of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 Horror classic Nosferatu at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, BC.  Full disclosure: I have previously blogged about this film here and here.

If you haven’t been, the Orpheum is a large theatre fashioned in the grand old style of Vaudeville.  It opened in 1927, which may not seem old to you Europeans out there, but by Vancouver-standards, 1927 is practically prehistoric.  It was the perfect setting for a couple thousand costumed-Vancouverites to fly their fright flags.

The best part: this screening happened to be accompanied by a live performance of the film’s score courtesy of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.  And, breaking a few stereotypes in the process, many of the musicians in the orchestra joined in the costumed mayhem.  Some highlights: a violinist in full lobster costume, two oboists in full Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle attire, a rainbow-afroed violinist and cellos featuring grim reaper scythes sprouting from the ends of their stems.

Also: the conductor of this performance happened to be named Gillian Anderson, which is hilarious if you were an American tv-watching child/young adult in the 90s.  No, it was not Agent Scully conducting the orchestra, but I think Ms. Anderson missed a huge chance by not dressing up as such.  You can’t tell me she hasn’t seen the X-Files.  As if she had anything better to do during the show’s ten-year run.

Really though, Gillian and the VSO did an incredible job.  I found myself as mesmerized by sight and sound of their instrumentation as by the titular vampire on the screen.  I particularly enjoyed the man operating the giant bass drums, because you could tell something frightening was about to happen whenever he assumed the ready position.

There was a costume-contest as well, which was deservedly won by a couple dressed as “Van Gogh painting Sunflowers”.  The dude was Van Gogh (with a bloody ear, duh) and the girl was the painting.  She had a canvas strapped to her with a hole cut out for her face, which was painted to blend in with the painting.  It was pretty good.  My date and I went as Linda Blair and Max von Sydow from the Exorcist, but we weren’t even among the finalists.  I can only conclude that our costumes were so realistic and terrifying that the judges couldn’t bring themselves to taint our mastery with a silly costume contest.

Today I checked a link a mate on Twitter made, and I found it very funny: welcome people to the Sci-fine: Geekdom’s Baddest Babes!

A few comments on that girls: a lot of them are not very hot, as Princess Leila, but other are really interesting… Here are my three favorites:

First of all: Claudia Black. She’s absolutely my favorite. Before reading that article in the Maxim webzine I haven’t realized she was also in Pitch Black; as a matter of fact, I know her from Farscape (which I saw only a couple of episodes) and Stargate SG-1 (followed all the 10 seasons). I really loved her character of Vala Mal Doran.

My second choice: Milla Jovovich. I watched all the three Resident Evil movies, but above all I loved her interpretation of Joan of Arc. Even my girlfriend likes her, unbelivable.

And third: Gillian Anderson. I inserted the Wikipedia link for completeness, but if you don’t know who she is, shame on you!

A really hot babe is also Tricia Helfer from Battlestar Galactica, but I hated her sexy character of Number Six/Caprica (not for her interpretation!), so she’s not in my first three

If you’re not a Sci-fi fan, I’m linking some videos of the show mentioned above, just to have an idea.

Have fun!

Stargate SG-1

Joan of Arc

X-files

Battlestar Galactica

The actress, the glamour model, the presenter and the musician – but which ones do I love and which do I love to look at because it makes me feel better about myself and thankful for what i’ve actually got…?

Slim Women I would love to look like

Eliza Dushku

LOVED her in Buffy, loved her MORE than Buffy. Craved her curves, long legs, kickass ass and gorgeous hair. Also the reason why I still own a copy of teen flick travesty ‘Bring it On’. WANT!

Gillian Anderson

She’s gorgeous, classic, timeless AND a ginger… which I have been considering making a return to (am naturally brunette, but spent much of my Uni days as a fake ginge). She’s got to be somewhere around the 40-years-old mark by now and my God, she’s still got it, my OH will also attest to that!

Dita Von Teese

As Gok would say (or as Kevin Bishop BEING Gok would say) “It’s all about the confidence…” She’s my confidence icon. She’s glorious, gorgeous, womanly and amazing. Flawless skin, incredible figure and absolutely amazing in every way. She’s just perfect, and her clothing ranges and underwear ranges are to die for. Glamour models take note: THIS is how you do it… with absolute class and beauty.

Holly Willoughby

Little blonde busty bombshell girl next door. Thoroughly likeable, great fashion sense and always smiling – she’s like a real-life Tinkerbell. One of the celebs out there who genuinely give blondes a good name.

Katy Perry

She’s sooo pretty, quirky, natural. Can do dressed up or dressed down, has a tiny waist to die for but has boobs and a bum and a beautiful face. She may have kissed a girl and liked it but she also managed to tame serial womanizer Russell Brand – and you can see why! GORGE!

Slim women who can stick it

Cheryl Cole

She’s got a very beautiful face but so so so very painfully thin. Also, after last week’s show she is quite possibly the most irritating and ridiculous person who ever adorned that X Factor stage. And I sat through that scary red PVC performance by those twins who are named after a telly psychic. Give me Dannii’s figure any day. Worth it? Not really.

Victoria Beckham

Oh Vicky Vicky Vicky… why oh why do you insist on being the postergirl for Twiglets? Knobbly, with an overdone gravy browning effect. No doubt that lemon you’ve been consistently sucking on since 1994 has helped to keep your weight down – but come on love, surely it’s time to spit it out and have some chips. You deserve them!

Katie ‘Jordan’ Price

Cut price more like. I don’t know any other woman in this great wide world of celebrity who spends so much money on looking so cheap.

Sad thing is, if you look at pictures of her before all the surgery and general insanity kicked in, she was beautiful – see?

Fearne Cotton

Once tweeted that she was off out in a multi coloured romper suit and wondered how many paps would snap her in it. It’s worth despising her for that sort of self-indulgent faff alone. Is best mates with lovely Holly Willoughby, but doesn’t look like she takes any likeability tips from her seeing as she’s always photographed when her slapped-arse face is chewing on a wasp. Maybe it’s time for an apple or something a bit sweeter.

Alexa Chung

Scraggly arrogant broomstick of a woman who seems to think that Big Issue Chic is all the rage. Fail!

O badalado blog The Daily Beast publicou uma entrevista com o ator David Duchovny – o Agente Mulder - na qual o astro afirma que gostaria que os próximos filmes de “Arquivo X” trouxessem de volta a perseguição alienígena que marcou a série na TV.

Quem acompanhou a série sabe que os espisódios se dividiam em duas vertentes: extraterrestres ou mitologia. Esses últimos basicamente traziam à tona assuntos como paranormalidade, lendas urbanas dentre outros.

Apesar de alguns dos melhores episódios serem os mitológicos, foram os alienígenas que fizeram Arquivo – X  se tornar uma das mais vistas – e mais longas – série da história da televisão americana. Basicamente, os ‘homens verdes’ estão há anos – infiltrados no alto escalão do governo americano – preparando uma invasão ao planeta Terra. Para tanto realizaram desde abduções (como a da irmã do Agente Fox Mulder) até pesquisas com armas químicas.

O primeiro longa Arquivo – X, o filme seguiu na linha  onde  Mulder e Scully (Gillian Anderson) tentavam evitar a invasão alienígena. O segundo, porém, Arquivo X – Eu quero acreditar tentou a vertente mitológica-policial e não teve muito sucesso. Primeiro, porque porque “>porque “>parece um grande episódio, com, inclusive, referências a acontecimentos da série. Segundo, porque o público para esse tipo de assunto termina ficando mais limitado.

A volta do ETs ao ‘Arquivo X’, se de fato acontecer, pode ser uma retomada, mas não é a solução de todos os problemas. Os roteiristas ainda não conseguiram acertar a mão no texto, sempre  muito enigmático para quem não acompanhava a série pela televisão.

Uma pessoa que jamais viu a série  pode perfeitamente depois de assistir qualquer um dos dois longas ter mais perguntas que respostas sobre a história, por exemplo:  como e porque essa dupla ( tão diferente um do outro) foi formada e  que estranho relacionamento existe entre eles? Por que o FBI mantém um departamento que odeia tanto? De onde vieram esses nerds-cientistas-paranóicos que ajudam Mulder e Scully de vez enquando? E por aí vai…

Quem via a série sabe a resposta para todas essas questões levantadas, mas esse público, por mais numeroso que seja, não garante centenas de salas de cinema cheias, por semanas e mais semanas e , portanto, não são garantem uma sequência de longas.

Adriana Chaves

David Duchovny afirma que gostaria de fazer mais um filme

Em uma entrevista com o blog DailyBeast sobre o sucesso da série de TV Californication, David Duchovny foi assombrado mais uma vez com perguntas sobre o futuro de Arquivo X no cinema.

"Em relação ao próximo filme, o que eu gostaria de fazer, se tivermos uma chance, é retornar ao coração e à alma da mitologia da série, que são as conspirações de ufologia. Acho natural que Arquivo X tenha mais um filme em 2012, então vamos ver se a gente consegue realizar", disse.

Sobre a recepção pouco calorosa a Arquivo X: Eu Quero Acreditar, Duchovny disse que "ficou feliz com o filme". "Tenho muito respeito por Chris Carter [criador da série] e toda a equipe de roteiristas."

O produtor Frank Spotnitz também quer a volta dos alienígenas

Enquanto isso nós fãs continuamos esperançosos em ver nossos velhos Mulder & Scully de volta. Basta saber se a Fox acataria o projeto…

So this guy named Phelim McAleer goes to the premiere for some pack of lies envirodrama that says how flying is the worst thing you can do for global warming. He is a film maker and a former journalist so he gets into the press box where he asks the director and some of the actors how they got to the premiere. Of course the lying hypocrites flew there, a couple of the actors actually admit it but the overall response. They throw him out. Then they block his camera from seeing anything in the public area.

This is the standard response from the libs. When you disagree with their BS they silence you, at all costs. It has always been their last line of defence against the truth. Look, I know it’s hard and you feel like a fool but I have taken to turning their tactics right back on them with great success. I have a booming voice and I can out volume most libs, so I do. They don’t like it. They revert to calling me a nazi, which I enjoy turning on them. They really hate that. I’m just sick of their crap. I have watched my entire life as they have eroded my freedoms away, like so much sewage rolling over a rock, and now I’m saying enough. Whatever, I mean whatever, I’ve got to do to stop them I will now be doing.

Education is one of the worst things you can do to a lib. They like to think they are superior to your mouth-breathing carcass when in reality they are often fools and idiots. Sometimes the stupidity and hypocrisy that spews out of them in astonishing and so easy to turn on them and this is a perfect example of that. To see them in all their hypocritical glory click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-cvK9vxA6M

this is a two-part interview from 2008 with actor gillian anderson, x-files’ agent scully…as if you didnt know. i have to say, this woman is either a fantastic flirt, or just a terrific actor (or both?)

notice the way she effortlessly interacts with one of tv’s biggest goof-offs, and seems completely approachable…all the while being hugely, gorgeously pregnant. i love, love love her laugh. until i heard it here, i dont think i had ever heard her laugh before. i guess agent scully wasnt exactly a cut-up…but agent mulder wasnt a laugh-a-minute either was he?

any comments about the x-files, scully, and any feminist themes of her character or the show are welcome. or…anything else you want to say!  i could google the “feminist themes of the x-files” and list some other bloggers opinions here, but i would rather know what you think. personally, i always noticed how the story-lines revolved around mulder’s life and his work…once and awhile they did a story around scully’s personal life, and it was striking. thats how i knew they didnt really do them a whole lot (sometimes you just dont notice these things until they are made painfully obvious?) remember the one where she gets a tattoo? (she ends up regretting it, and almost dying). or the one where she runs into an ex-lover in the hospital…and his daughter is still pissed at scully for the affair? 

yes, the three times scully’s sexuality is addressed on the show, once she almost dies; one was ancient history; and the third isnt really addressed at all, but for the fetus left behind by agent mulder in the last episodes.

i have seasons 1-6 on my i-pod, and i also noticed, when watching them sequentially, that scully was always getting kidnapped in the early seasons of the show. i mean really. how many FBI agents have even been kidnapped once, let alone a bunch of times? scully also quite noticeably gets a makeover sometime around season 4. gillian anderson herself has mentioned this makeover several times in different interviews: she says that basically, she wasnt paying attention to the way she looked, and someone in wardrobe was asleep at the wheel until they had been on the air for awhile and someone said “do you really want to look like that?” that signaled the end of the pastel pumps and shoulder pads, and the beginning of flattering hair styles and dark, unbuttoned, and fitted suits.

part two is below. enjoy!

Here’s to 9 long seasons of unresolved sexual tension and of you
always arriving on the scene 5 minutes after the aliens have taken off.

(David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson)

Picture by: dunno source Caption by: Falconer via Advanced Lol Builder

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