More Pirates this Summer

I got a chance to see “The Pirates of the Caribbean 2” a couple of weeks ago.

Though I was too lazy to do a blog on it until now. My fault, really. Figures it’ll take me a while to get my thoughts worked out.

It’s not a bad movie. Actually I enjoyed it very much.

Though it does feel like a vehicle movie for actor Johnny Depp to sink his teeth in. He does hit it on the head once again with his portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow. Nothing too glamorous. You have to remember that pirates aren’t very friendly people. They’re ugly, thieving rapists pillaging the rummages of the seas. Hell, they probably smell like a cheap rug too.

There are plenty of good moments I do like. Especially the bit with Sparrow getting out of prison by use of a coffin in the waters. Then his shooting the bird on top of that as he tried to get out of his confined space. Row, row, row, Johnny Depp.

There’s another bit I liked where the old Black Pearl Crew were prisoners on the native island… and they’re trapped in the ball hanging from a fierce height. It takes ingenuity and wits to find a way out of it. I always did admire that in people: avoiding the use of violence to find a way out of a tight spot.

Orlando Bloom can be a good actor as you can see here. But the film really belongs to Depp. There’s no mistaking it. The reason why I liked the first film because there was a good cast ensemble. There were different interesting characters so the story can split up into different, threading plotlines. Here, the second film does rely heavily on Depp’s performance. It needs to include the other actors as well.

However, the visual realization of the creature from beneath the abyss, from below the depths of the waters, was very well conceived by the filmmakers. Its mammoth, hateful looking eye and the flapping tentacles as it reached its way out of the darkness is a direct influence from H.P. Lovecraft’s work.

In fact, the old Providence scribe did hate seafood… he detested it so much that many of his works were strange hybrids from the sea. You can see for yourself in his story “Shadow Over Innsmouth.” The creature in the Pirates movie stems from a collective fear of the unknown… the Kraken, in all its horrible glory, very nearly overshadowed the film itself, pulling helpless ships into destruction with one fallen swoop.

People do have a fascination for pirates. These pirates during the times were an ugly creed… looking for their bounty, their filthy lifestyles leading to the habits of stealing and killing for nameless treasures. This is perhaps why the Pirates films do very well at the box office. There’s still an interest for it. Even the Pirates museum in Oshkosh not too long ago did very well with audiences. People have a great affinity for the ugly.

You have to invest a lot in this film. Because you learn that there’s a cliffhanger at the end. You’ll have to wait for another year before the third, and probably final, film comes out to round off the trilogy. If you don’t mind the wait, then you’ll enjoy the second installment.

Then comes the bad bits. It’s not a perfect film. You wonder why Capt. Jack Sparrow is made a god on the natives’ island. You have to wonder what the British government wants with Davy Jones’ heart. Why is that? There are a lot of questions still needing answered. Perhaps that is what the third film is for.

So far I do like the film series. I wouldn’t mind holding out for the next one. If they can make a film that delivers. There’s too much room for disappointment. But then again, I could be wrong. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!

Cowboys and UFOs

If you haven’t seen The Adventures of Country Brisco Jr., you’re missing something.

It’s a fun show. Not a classic. But there’s still plenty of good storytelling plus enough science-fiction gimmicks to satisfy the imagination. With a lot of heart to it. A western backdrop filled with cowboys, horses, and a UFO?

The show stars lantern-jawed Bruce Campbell as Country Brisco Jr.—bounty hunter for hire and a real hoot as the Harvard graduate, lady-smooching, gun-totting hero who always finds himself on the side of justice. More often he finds himself in a heap of trouble.

The series offers an excellent cast ensemble with Julius Carry who’s always funny as the bounty hunter rival Lord Bower (Laaaawwwarrd Bowler, that is), John Astin as an inventor Professor Warwick, Christian Clemenson as Socrates Poole… and as the parched-faced mastermind John Bly is Billy Drago—who is actually in real life a really nice guy!

You can’t forget Comet the horse. This four-legged beastie is sometimes overly sensitive and quite possibly the guy always getting Brisco out of a tight squeeze.

You’ll find it all here with good action sequences and enough humor to keep this series a lightweight, entertaining saga. Plus an over-all story arc about a spiky orb that may or may not be sent by alien beings to fulfill a destiny of the lone cowboy County Brisco Jr. who in turn set out to finish his father’s work. Bringing in the John Bly gang.

There’s a pretty good string of stories. Some of the highlights include the first few episodes using S-F gadgets such as a steel tank that crushes towns which a metal grace. There’s also “Senior Spirit”—a terrific tale about father and son bonding and gun polishing. Bruce Campbell brings all his trademark skills and crack-up faces from the Evil Dead movies to the small screen. Another good one is “Brisco for the Defense.”

There are some hilarious moments throughout the series you have to watch out—small, fun moments like Brisco, acting as sheriff, pulling over two speeding horsemen and putting them through a drinking/driving test. Several inventions were thrown in such as the motorcycle, the rocket and hot air balloons.

This really reminds me of the grandfather of wild west/science fiction genre back in the 60s—the Wild Wild West starring William Conrad and Ross Martin lasting from 1965 to 1966. In fact, both shows share many common elements in its love for gadgets and tongue-in-cheek gunfights.

I enjoyed the fact that they used a gadget from the pilot episode, the rocket, to destroy the steel tank in “No Man’s Land.” Look for a couple of Star Trek connections in that episode such as Denies Crosby and the guy who played Khan’s son from Star Trek II: The Wraith of Khan.

The disc set boasts the entire 27 episode run of the series, plus booklet with the Campbell notes alongside which are a crack up to read. You can never really get away from the signature humor courtesy of Campbell and his misfit gang of heroes and sidekicks.

The eight DVD set was released on July 18 for the selling price of $80 at the local Best Buy stores. $65 if you’re an early bird like myself who got it during the first week of its release. Yeah, I'm a geek. Sue me.

But you won't regret getting this.

It’s sadly an underrated show. It’s been overlooked by both the audience and the network—cancelled after never really getting its feet off the ground.

But it’s still cult goof. A smallish gem. Take a ride into the wild west Campbell style and treat yourself a lot of laughs. It’s like Captain Horatio Hornblower in the western. Though plenty o’ creative sparks to it. Now did anyone ever figure out what the hell’s that orb is really for?

Who Gets A New Assistant

The second season of Doctor Who series comes to a drastic close on July 8. A very powerful and emotional story affecting both the Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler.

Sadly enough, Rose played by the very lovely Billie Piper won’t be seen anymore in upcoming episodes. It’s true that she may be even more difficult to replace than the title character himself. Being so popular and all. There’ll be large shoes (or heels in this case) to fill.

She’s probably the most beloved companion since Sarah Jane Smith back in the 1970s. Now there’s an awkward absence in the series that will take some getting used to. One companion has been named already as Freema Agyeman, already an established actress on television. Best of luck to her.

Rose has been the anchor to the viewers while traveling with the last of the Time-Lords. In many ways, we are very much like her. We’d like to get rid of our jobs, travel abroad into universe waiting to be explored, filled with alien worlds. We’d all like to be independent. We'd like to forget our worries. We saw through her eyes. She was our point-of-view.

The only problem with Rose is that, if given a chance, she would never leave the Doctor. She loves him too dearly. She doesn’t want to go back to the routine, idle setting of normal life. She wants something more. You can see the clear devotion to him during the episode “Parting of the Ways.” How she talks to her mother and boyfriend Mickey over a restaurant counter—she wouldn’t be able to handle everyday life.

Season Two’s “Doomsday” is a farewell to Rose Tyler. She has to be separated forcibly from the Doctor—and she does this by risking her life. The great walls of parallel worlds will keep them apart. There is no way for the Doctor to be able to see her again. Or vise versa.

Their last scenes together makes for excellent drama—the emotional punch of the story is the fact that Rose will never see this boundless traveler. You can tell David Tennant as the Doctor and Piper are both strong actors. They have their strengths. It shines through in their last moments together.

But she needs to stay away from the Doctor. Even her mother said once that she is slowing changing… she’s not becoming human anymore. Rose puts herself in danger recklessly, always staring in the face of threats with a mere shirk She was becoming more like the Doctor. She’s been away from earth far too long.

This episode features two of the Doctor’s greatest enemies in the form of the Daleks and Cybermen. There was a risk that the story could be a fan’s wet dream bringing these two familiar monsters into a shoot-‘em-up fest. Surprisingly, it works well as a back-story here—overshadowed by the Rose’s eventual departure. She now resides in a world where her father is still alive, living day-by-day with her mother and Mickey.

They are now a family thanks to the Doctor’s efforts. Rose has her own life now.

If I were writing the show myself, I probably would’ve made the Doctor travel on his lonesome for a few episodes. Without Rose. Perhaps he’ll go into a downhill slide as he begins to go through a separation trial… unable to cope without a companion, he becomes darker, more dangerous, returning to his original roots that made Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor a man without care.

He is, after all, the last of his own people. I think revisiting his brooding side would make an interesting story. Cutting to the core of his wounded soul.

It’ll be interesting when Who gets a new assistant. She’ll have to prove herself. Because Rose will be sorely missed by many. Her innocence has always been a touch of humanity that we’re all aware of.

Piper at the Gates of Dawn Syd Barrett Dead

Not sure if you have heard, but Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd passed away Monday. Poet, seer, recluse, visionary, the songwriter who veered the Pink Floyd during the late 60s.

His songs had some science fiction qualities in them and fantasy elements. His reference to Dan Dare and pschedelik stirrings gave breath to the band for the first album "Piper at the Gates of Dawn."

We would not have the same Pink Floyd if it were not for Barrett. Several songs were direct reference to the guy... songs like "Wish You were Here" and a few songs off "The Wall" talk about him. He was more than just another brick in the wall.

There were several lines like "... got a little black book with my poems in, got a toothbrush and a comb" were actual descriptions of Barrett's belongings. Of course, the reference "Wish You Were Here" was an actual wish the band had... wishing he was here for his inspiration.

The album "Dark Side of the Moon" was, literally, an inspiration of his madness... the whole beginning of it with the thumping sliding into crazed laughter. Everything plunged during his apparent madness that had been the cause for his departure. There was one time when he locked his girlfriend into his bedroom in 1967 and when one of his friends recalled his seeing "little people in the corner" were more symptons of his slow desendency into madness.

It was not a sudden thing. But a gradual thing... the hero of "The Wall" was a spitting image of him, the characer of Pink.

I'm sure that Roger Waters, co-founder and bass player, will take his death the hardest because they were both long-time friends. I don't remember if they knew each other since they were kids, but I know for sure they were peers since teenagers.

It is no exaggeration when I say that the band would not be the one we know if it weren't for him. Several of the band albums continued to refer back to him. He was a definite poet of his generation. While his guitar playing wasn't in the same class as, say, Jimi Hendrex, his playing certainly spirals from an intense creativity, his constant searching for the right sound... even noise was music to him.

If you listen closely to the song "See Emily Play," with the slicing in his editing, and you can hear the chop chop of music, that's because he's constantly shifting and butchering his own work.. he was never happy with his music so he goes back and re-edits the whole damn thing not one, but a dozen times, never assuredly satisfied with it. Musican David Bowie later covered this song.

The guy was the pinnacle of creative spark... and when it was his time for this troubled genius to leave, the group's had to drop "the" from "the Pink Floyd" to reflect his departure. His presence was never actually exorcised by the band... instead, they took his departure into something of a reccurrent theme.

Wish You Were Here? Sometimes, yes. He was someone that couldn't be easily replaced. We're talking about the original lead singer and songwriter... he wrote the stark majority of the album "Piper at the Gates of Dawn." When he wasn't writing hard rock n roll, he was composing ditty fairy tales that seems childish, but the simplicity, the oddity was there. And that simplicity was also the inspiration for later Pink Floyd albums...

They were lucky enough to find David Gilmour who replaced and continued to bring the unusual sound that made the band unique.

Listen to the first song of the Dark Side album, and you will notice that it is this same simplicity that works.... "Breathe... breath in the air... what makes you think I care... leave... don't leave me..." Those are brilliantly simple lines, yet give so much poetry in those few, simple lines. Roger Waters was right in keeping his lyrics simple.

Syd Barrett was the most reclusive of the band members, staying at home with his mother, occasionally coming out to paint, the only sign of his creativity that was a hold-over from his stirring days of Pink Floyd. But he was, in many ways, the ghostly presence of the Pink Floyd… now, he is. He died at the age of 60.

Superman Returns

No worries. Superman is alive and well. And living in Metropolis.

During last week’s opening $52.2 million weekend, the film returns with a glossier, more up-to-date Superman who now dominates the big screens. Without forgetting about the old movie series which began in 1978.

Director Brian Singer tossed out another opportunity to do an X-Men movie in favor of something more recognizable… Superman. The comic book icon has been around for generations and he does represent something greater, something bigger.

He represents America.

You can tell he’s an experienced director. He cares about his characters. He loves developing people through dialogue and their personality. He gives Metropolis a soul.

There is another thing. The film offers biblical images and themes: Superman Returns is about redemption. And a hero reborn.

You see the biblical scene when Superman finally returns to earth and falls into his mother’s lap: it looks exactly like the Virgin Mary holding Jesus in the cradle of her arms. Other film scenes returns to this theme which sets it apart from the other superhero type films… the images of him above the skies with his outstretched arms resembles the savior on the cross. I'm surprised they didn't show a painting of the Last Supper anywhere in the film's background.

Singer understands his characters. More importantly, he understands the dynamics of comic books. How they work.

The director doesn’t throw away the prior history of the film series. There are several references to the Christopher Reeve version. Brandon Routh is dead on in his part. His quirky smiles, the awkward charm. It’s all there. He passes for a younger Reeve. It’s an excellent homage to the old films. In fact, the current actor received his blessing from Christopher Reeve’s wife before she passed away.

And here’s the kicker which knots both film series together. Marlon Brando once again is revived as Superman’s biological father. There’s apparently a lot of unused footage of Brando from the old film series according to Singer. There are plenty of opportunities to return to Brando in the next installment of Superman. The current film only touches on the explanation of why Superman left earth five years ago. We know that he returned to where Krypton supposedly is. There’s a reason as to why Superman explored that unknown territory in space.

Lex Luther played by Kevin Spacey is an interesting portrayal. Funny without going overboard. He can mean bad business when he wants to. He’s far more malicious in this with overtones of meglomania. Yes, he’s still bald. But Luther gets to kick Superman around in the most brutal way that reminds one of Jesus’ perilous journey to the cross.

There’s also the nice throwaway music piece from John Williams that truly brings the both film series together. The bombastic resonance, with its intense buildups, works on-screen… it’s a dependable piece of music. Nothing can go wrong with it. I found myself actually shedding a couple tears while the music flooded the theater.

I like to think that Christopher Reeve would have approved of this film. It’s a good homage. You don’t try to forget old history. You should build on it.

Had Singer made a complete remake of Superman, there would've been too many comparisons. He played his cards right by keeping the old history of previous films.

I was lucky enough to see the film down in Madison movie screens with a group of friends… the big IMAX screens works wonders for the Superman film. About twenty minutes of it is in 3-D which makes for unique experience.

In some ways, it’s very appropriate for Superman. The flying sequences are very well done. You can believe Superman flies again. With heart and soul.

I believe Superman fans will be happy with this film. You don’t feel cheated as you watch the film where a man takes to the skies like a messiah to the heavens. You can have something new while still get a little something old. I look forward to the next film. Now I'll have to keep watching the skies...