tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post4472580778550571272..comments2023-12-18T23:20:31.042-06:00Comments on Scriblerus Club: A Very Strange Failure: Some Thoughts on The Last Jedi.PrisonerNumber6http://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-40399795166218483472018-11-06T19:24:58.121-06:002018-11-06T19:24:58.121-06:00I would say the Zahn trilogy is definitely worth t...I would say the Zahn trilogy is definitely worth the read. Also, i would recommend the Dark Empire audiobook. It features Billy Dee Williams as Lando. I'll have more to say on that one later on.<br /><br />ChrisC.<br />PrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-79210457419570140762018-11-06T07:00:22.859-06:002018-11-06T07:00:22.859-06:00And definitely see "Quick Change!"And definitely see "Quick Change!"B McMolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02706178983936146307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-76595468003239448242018-11-06T07:00:11.362-06:002018-11-06T07:00:11.362-06:00I always thought Weird Al should have done a parod...I always thought Weird Al should have done a parody of "What About Bob?" set to Heart's "What About Life." Sometimes I (attempt to) amuse my wife with improvising such a thing - it's been one of my "Dad Jokes for Husbands" for years. I enjoy that movie. <br /><br />You guys inspired me to hunt through my boxes for the Star Wars EU books I have. I've never read any of them, but I have that trilogy of short stories (Tales from Mos Eisley, Jabba's Palace, of the Bounty Hunters), the Bounty Hunters war trilogy, the original Zahn trilogy (Heir to the Empire and the 2 that followed), X Wing Rogue Squadron and X Wing Wedge's Gamble.<br /><br />If I were to focus on any of them, which should I read?B McMolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02706178983936146307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-20044406104796014522018-11-05T21:14:45.623-06:002018-11-05T21:14:45.623-06:00Haven't seen quick change yet, though it is on...Haven't seen quick change yet, though it is on my "to watch" list.<br /><br />ChrisCPrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-83868325580040744012018-11-05T20:41:55.915-06:002018-11-05T20:41:55.915-06:00I think it's a movie that nobody dislikes -- b...I think it's a movie that nobody dislikes -- but for whatever reason, it does feel like it's been forgotten. Which is strange; it was a hit at the time, and by all rights ought to be considered a classic. I mean, Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Frank Oz ... what's not to like?<br /><br />I also like the movie that was sandwiched between this and Ghostbusters 2. Nobody remembers that one: Quick Change. But it's a lot of fun.<br /><br />Incidentally, I agree about the decision to NOT have C'Baoth be a Kenobi clone. It's an interesting idea, but I kind of enjoy when stories like this make their universe bigger. Having that character be a Kenobi makes it smaller. For the same reason, I don't need or want Rey to be a Skywalker, a Kenobi, a Calrissian, a Palpatine, or anyone other than a girl from nowhere.Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-23069874995907769622018-11-05T20:15:35.272-06:002018-11-05T20:15:35.272-06:00Just remember.
"What about Bob", like &...Just remember.<br /><br />"What about Bob", like "Ghostbusters 2", is one of those sadly neglected in Bill Murray's illustrious career, if ya ask me.<br /><br />ChrisC.PrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-34397579793811305472018-11-05T20:13:17.809-06:002018-11-05T20:13:17.809-06:00C'baoth, yeah, that's the guy. Timothy Zah...C'baoth, yeah, that's the guy. Timothy Zahn released an annotated version of "Heir" a while back. He said he wanted to make the character an actual insane clone of Alec Guinness's character, believe it or not. The higher ups told him it was a bad idea, though he kept fighting for it, for a while.<br /><br />The idea sounds a bit interesting on paper, however, I don't think it's something you could pull off. I think it would have just confused and upset people a bit too much. Since I can't find any real complaints about the books as published, I'd say the higher ups made the right call, this time, at least.<br /><br />ChrisC PrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-16022506629595826712018-11-05T19:54:02.689-06:002018-11-05T19:54:02.689-06:00I'd read about "Heir to the Empire" ...I'd read about "Heir to the Empire" in advance of its release. I don't remember how soon after that I got a copy, but it was either on release day or very soon thereafter. I was on a day trip to Atlanta with some friends; if I'm not mistaken, we went to see "What About Bob?" while we were there. I think this was also the trip where I first found a copy of the "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack -- on cassette! -- to buy after looking for it forever. Good times.<br /><br />I remember thinking the guy on the cover -- Joruus C'Baoth, right? -- looked like a Kenobi, too. He wasn't, but I remember thinking he was kind of cool anyways.Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-86873227938663921192018-11-05T19:45:57.250-06:002018-11-05T19:45:57.250-06:00I can remember where I was when I first spotted a ...I can remember where I was when I first spotted a copy of "Heir to the Empire". It was in a chain called "Book Stop", one of those old brick and mortar franchises that got pushed out of the market (not that I'm bitter or anything!).<br /><br />The copyright date for "Heir" says it was released in 1991, so that must have been when I ran across it. It featured images of the Big Three, plus an image of a guy who looked like, but really wasn't Obi Wan Kenobi. I think my reaction was a mixture of, "Huh, whuuhhhh?", and, "Hmm, I wonder what that's about". Pretty inauspicious as far as taking an interest is concerned, but it seems to have paid off.<br /><br />I have a bit more to say about the EU in a future post. This is one of those deals that seem to take on a life of their own, I'm afraid. Overall, I'm in favor of it, though I'm not without criticisms, but none of them have been like the ones I've had for "Dis-Wars". <br /><br />On some other level of the Tower, the bad guys of the "Thrawn Trilogy" would be voiced by either Benedict Cumberbatch or John De Lancie, and Christopher Loyd respectively.<br /><br />As for animated adaptations, well...:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN_CP4SuoTU<br /><br />Also:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib_4A2CG2Ag<br /><br />ChrisC PrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-79096777035747293172018-11-05T19:12:48.966-06:002018-11-05T19:12:48.966-06:00Speaking of Thrawn, I'm reminded of one of the...Speaking of Thrawn, I'm reminded of one of the frequently-cited reasons why the new Star Wars movies are disliked: their discarding of the EU. I can't consider myself an EU fan, exactly; but I was at one point in time, and I can pinpoint for you precisely when that point in time began -- the day "Heir to the Empire" was released. That book was a BIG deal, because it seemed that there were never going to be any more Star Wars movies, and Lucas had publicly stated (or so I remember it) that these were the legit sequels. <br /><br />I haven't read any of those books in a long time, but "Heir to the Empire" and its two followups were thrilling as can be at the time. And some of the other books and comics that came after were just as good. Eventually, I dropped off the bandwagon; the quality dipped significantly, plus there were just too many of them to keep up with. But I retain a fondness for the best of that stuff, even though I don't really remember much about them.<br /><br />So for all that to be tossed out kind of is a tough pill to swallow. I get it. But adapting them into movie form was impossible given the ages of the original actors, so that was never going to happen; plus, it's just not how movie franchising works.<br /><br />That said, I would still be in favor of Disney someday making a series of animated movies based on the best of those EU stories. Or, someday when the inevitable reboot of the entire saga happens, maybe those could be used to fuel a different take on Episodes VII-IX. Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-16098564101163765322018-11-05T06:53:59.411-06:002018-11-05T06:53:59.411-06:00I feel I'm missing some jokes with that traile...I feel I'm missing some jokes with that trailer, but I chuckled a few times.<br /><br />Some of the things I've read about the new SW movies really perplex me. Like, the idea that making "so many" standalone movies is a bad thing or what not. That one got started and then became part of an echo chamber and it just seemed to never make any sense. Who cares how many standalone movies they make? I don't understand that one. If you don't want to see it, don't go see it, sheesh; problem solved. But this was like an actively debated topic, day in and day out.<br /><br />Anyway, to be completely honest, I really have little interest in new iterations of both Star Wars or Star Trek. I wish everyone well. There's a type of Star Wars fan (the "OMG MY LIFE IS COMPLETE NOW THAT THERE'S NEW STAR WARS!" social media poster) that depresses, annoys, and kind of offends me all in equal measure. I overstate / exaggerate. I DO wish everyone well, including this sort of SW fan, it's just a posturing I'll never understand. B McMolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02706178983936146307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-32755571463873931292018-11-05T03:30:17.342-06:002018-11-05T03:30:17.342-06:00My argument on these would be:
(1) Ackbar isn...My argument on these would be:<br /><br />(1) Ackbar isn't a character; he's a makeup and a voice. He's lucky he even got to be in these new movies.<br /><br />(2) The "Mary Poppins" thing is actually one of my favorite parts of the movie. Leia is blown out into space, presumably dead. But no, her Force powers -- can't call 'em Jedi powers, exactly, I guess -- kick in and she literally plucks herself out of death's clutches. In this moment, she reveals herself to be MASSIVELY powerful, but in a very different way to any other Force-sensitive we've ever seen. I'll admit the staging of it does make her look a wee bit like Mary Poppins, but I'm unable to see that as a negative thing.<br /><br />(3) Pretty much the only things I didn't like about "Rogue One" were Forrest Whittaker, CGI Tarkin, and CGI Leia. I get why you'd swing for the fences with those digital characters; I'd also argue that if you couldn't do better than that, you should probably just recast.<br /><br />Otherwise, though, good flick. <br /><br />It's certainly not universally popular, though. My friend Trey (who passed away this summer at much too young an age) thought it was a complete bore.Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-47946248014143059232018-11-04T23:50:46.260-06:002018-11-04T23:50:46.260-06:00Spoiler alert. Ol' Ack takes the dirt nap and....Spoiler alert. Ol' Ack takes the dirt nap and...Mary Poppins in Space. I wish I was making that up.<br /><br />As for "Rogue One", I knew something was wrong when the main cast took their final bow, and instead of tears in my eyes, my thought was something like, "Wait, huh?.....(snorts) Jerks."<br /><br />At least someone got a good parody trailer out of it, though:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKttQ35tiac<br /><br />ChrisCPrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-7442263432846173312018-11-04T19:35:40.152-06:002018-11-04T19:35:40.152-06:00I haven't seen TLJ but TFA hasn't aged wel...I haven't seen TLJ but TFA hasn't aged well in my head. (And I didn't see SOLO or ROGUE ONE, either.)<br /><br />Interesting parallels drawn with Rommel and Eisenhower and Washington, though. I'll keep that in mind when I eventually sit down to watch it. B McMolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02706178983936146307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-87616096316371069012018-11-04T04:49:11.453-06:002018-11-04T04:49:11.453-06:00The entire internet is one big minefield, so far a...The entire internet is one big minefield, so far as I can tell. but the subject of Star Wars does seem to be especially dense with mines these days, no doubt about it.Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-13524021968959872062018-11-04T04:40:04.095-06:002018-11-04T04:40:04.095-06:00Well, at least you got more out of it than I did.
...Well, at least you got more out of it than I did.<br /><br />I'm still not entirely finished with this series, yet thankfully, the finish line is somewhere in sight.<br /><br />I'll get to future posts in this series soon enough, right now I'm just giving this post some more time me to see what kind of responses it generates. I wouldn't be surprised if I just walked into a minefield.<br /><br />C'est la vie.<br /><br />ChrisC.PrisonerNumber6https://www.blogger.com/profile/03156430802462353459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917612005522287441.post-51875945331620078712018-11-04T04:23:16.697-06:002018-11-04T04:23:16.697-06:00In my opinion, it's the third-best movie in th...In my opinion, it's the third-best movie in the franchise, behind only the first two.Bryant Burnettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01189356171455609865noreply@blogger.com