Topic: EEK (Read 17086 times)

bk · « **on:** October 17, 2004, 11:58:55 PM »

Well, you've read the notes, you know whereof they speak, you know from whence came eek, and now it is time for you to post until the cows squeak. And come home, of course. To it, I say.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2004, 12:29:09 AM »

I do not really like or read science fiction. I do read and like a great deal of fantasy. What science fiction I do read is very unsciencey science fiction. Stuff like Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars series which are really nothing more than interplantary fantasy swashbucklers. Errol Flynn in space.

But they are not my favourite fantasy. As far as Burroughs go, Tarzan is a much greater fantasy icon. I also like the dark, moody poetry of Robert E. Howard, creator of Kull, Conan, and his best creation Solomon Kane. Conan Doyle also had some interesting excursions into fantasy.

But my favourite fantasy of all time is SHE by H. Rider Haggard. I have about thirty different variants of the novel (including two firsts), which stirs deep, deep waters...as do most of Haggard's fantasies -- things like The World's Desire, Red Eve, Alan Quartermain, so many others...Haggard is my favourite writer, probably.

A. Merritt and his wonderfully florid prose I find quite evocative. Things like A FACE IN THE ABYSS; CREEP, SHADOW, DWELLERS IN THE MIRAGE...they're like poetic fevre dreams.

I'm a big, big fan of English writer, Terry Pratchett, creator of the hilarious Discworld series...witty and smart books.

Though I prefer his mysteries, Fredric Brown's dabblings into Sci-fi and fantasy are entertaining, as all his writing is...often very brief and witty.

Cornell Woolrich, also a mystery writer, also had some interestng forays into fantasy that embrace his compelling prose style.

I'm a sucker for Sax Rohmer and his Fu Manchu novels and his other thrillers of orientalism.

One of the most exquisite writers of fantasy I've ever read is the little-known Thomas Burnett Swann. Died early. His books use mythology as his tapestry. His prose style is gorgeously poetic and his tales are heartbreaking, powerful, moving, and simple. Titles like DAY OF THE MINOTAUR, MOONDUST, WILL O' THE WISP, WHERE IS THE BIRD OF FIRE...wonderful, wonderful stuff!

And then of course, there is my pal Harlan Ellison...whose works transcend confining labels like science fiction & fantasy.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2004, 02:37:11 AM »

Hmmmmmmmmmm.......whaddup, dog?

Although none have really came up to my imagination when I read them, the films made of H.G.Wells novels and a couple of the Jules Verne's books were good.

I like the original TIME MACHINE and 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. I think JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH starts out okay...and I like the cast.

I liked ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT, but I don't think it was based on a particular book.

I guess of Wells' books, my favorite movie of them would be the original THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Ben · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2004, 04:51:43 AM »

Hello and belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dan-in-Toronto!

I was not on at all yesterday. After a full day of work Saturday and a bit of a computer problem when I returned home, I didn't feel like getting computerized at all.

I did purchase a new winter coat yesterday. Anthony and I went to Burlington Coat Factory (a discount clothing emporium) and I found a very nice Field and Stream winter piece marked down from $89.99 to a very nice and affordable $39.99. I'll take it! Lots of pockets for gloves and hats and what nots and full of warmth.

We have turkey cutlets, green beans and wild rice for dinner last night. Dessert was a pumpkin/chocolate chip bread with coffee (for me) and tea (for Anthony).

TomofOz, welcome back! So glad you had a good time and thanks for the beautiful postcards. I needs must get back to France to see those gorgeous villages, and to meet our own Francois.

Another very busy day at work so I won't be around much. I'll pop in when I can.

Ben · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2004, 04:52:30 AM »

Oh, yes. TOD. I'm afraid I'm not much of a science fiction fan so I have nothing to report. Though, as I mentioned, I will continue to pop in when I can.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2004, 04:53:19 AM »

Good morning, all! I am sorry about missing Chat last night, but I recall one around 3 weeks ago hat seemed jammed with people. Perhaps an alternative solution might be once a month, every two weeks? I can't be helpful since I've missed both last week's and this.

Sci Fi and Fantasy Books: I was never crazy about reading Sci Fi either, DRCharlesPogue, and some of my favorite fantasy as an adolescent, although I preferred mystery as I matured, were the following books:
PETER PAN
THE WIZARD OF OZ
THE LAND OF OZ
ON BORROWED TIME
ALICE IN WONDERLAND & THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
THE ILIAD
THE ODYSSEY
THE TIME MACHINE
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
Several of the Tarzan books, whose titles I've long forgotten
Hawthorne's WONDER BOOK & TANGLEWOOD TALES, which retold myths as fairy tales
As an adult, I found I preferred mystery, early Stephen King, and Victorian ghost stories, but I did discover two wonderful pieces of fantasy:
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
TIME AND AGAIN

Favorite films:
THE TIME MACHINE (George Pal)
FORBIDDEN PLANET
RETURN TO OZ, which combines THE LAND OF OZ with OZMA OF OZ
ON BORROWED TIME
THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD (Korda)
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, still one of my favorite Disney films

Emily · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2004, 05:06:12 AM »

Today is the day that my parents are getting the GYNORMOUS spruce tree that sits next to our house cut down. In recent years we've been told over and over again that it was TOO close to the foundation and therefore what the tree-cutter downer called a "nuisance tree".

I don't know... I've never been nuisanced by a tree.

As I post, there are several dozens of people in a big crane getting ready to start climbing and, I imagine, cutting.

Poor tree... it's been nice knowing you

beckon · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2004, 05:27:09 AM »

TOD

I am not really a fan of fantasy pieces, unless you count stuff like Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass, Wizard Of Oz, and fairy tales (which I have a great fascination for). But I don't think that is what the TOD is about.

And I am definitely not a fan of sci-fi. 2001 is about it and I am not even that crazy about that film.

I just really wanted to check in, post, and say hello.

So...Hello!

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2004, 05:58:06 AM »

BK--how about "Sup, dawg?" I've heard that one bandied about a lot.

Welcome back, DR Tomovoz! And thank you for the postcard from the edge.

TOD: I was, for a number of years, a huge sci-fi fan. This was during the 70s when I was in high school. I devoured stuff by Issac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Herbert, etc. I subscribed to Analog, which was a wonderful monthly fiction digest that had beautiful cover art. I even wrote a story or two myself. But for one reason or another, I eventually grew away from it. I think the last sci-fi I've read was Arthur C. Clarke's 3003, and that only because someone gave me an autographed copy.

But I still enjoy fantasy lit. C.S. Lewis, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert Howard, Tolkein are classical favorites. I also like the Harry Potter books and just about anything written by Neil Gaiman. And I've been a comic book fan for (urk!) almost forty years.

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2004, 06:22:18 AM »

I'm not really into sci fi, but I did enjoy Ira Levin's THIS PERFECT DAY which has never been filmed but should be.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2004, 07:01:36 AM »

DRELMORE - how could I forget about ON BORROWED TIME? Whew!

MBarnum · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2004, 07:26:31 AM »

For books I usuaully prefer mysteries and bios but of the few sci-fi novels that I have read I enjoyed one called THE BIG EYE which I read when I was in high school. I still have the book somewhere. Another one, which I read recently, is THE DAY THEY H-BOMBED LOS ANGELES...it is one of those dime novels from the 50s and was lots of fun. I have several other sci-fi paperbacks from the 50s and 60s but have not read any of them as of yet.

MBarnum · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2004, 07:29:10 AM »

Panni, you dinner last night with the former police officer sounds like it would have been fun! I can only image the interesting stories he had to tell.

In November I will hopefully be having lunch with actor Cal Bolder. He was a Los Angeles motor cop for 14 years and I am looking forward to hearing his stories! In fact he was "discovered" by a talent agent who he was ticketing for speeding! LOL!

Matt H. · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:02:16 AM »

I am not a fan of science fiction books at all. I've never read any of the DUNE series or much of Bradbury or Arthur C. Clarke's works though I taught various short stories by them for years and always enjoyed those. Just would never think to pick up one of their books for pleasure reading when there are so many mysteries out there that would be a much stronger lure for me. (And I love non-fiction/research books even more than mysteries.) I also taught THE TIME MACHINE and 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA during my teaching career and liked those, too (though I found their film versions more fun.)

The only sci-fi fiction I ever remember consciously going out and buying to read was CHROME which featured a gay cyborg, an intriguing premise which I wanted to see in print. I remember liking it all right, but it didn't bowl me over or make me want to pursue other sci-fi books.

Now, strangely or not, I do enjoy sci-fi films. Adore FORBIDDEN PLANET probably above any other sci-fi film, and Pal's THE TIME MACHINE isn't far behind. 2001 is a fascinating film to just let wash over you, and the first two STAR WARS movies (parts IV and V, that is) are well made and fun adventures.

Matt H. · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:06:34 AM »

For fantasy, THE WIZARD OF OZ, both book series and the musical film, will always be at the top of my list followed by PETER PAN in its original novel and its Disney incarnation and the musical stage version by Styne-Comden/Green and Charlap/Leigh. I have not seen yet last year's live action PETER PAN (waiting for it to come on HBO/Showtime/Starz), but I look forward to seeing it.

I love the HARRY POTTER films, but I have not been overly fond of the books. I stopped midway through the third one and will not read any more of them. I'll see the films instead so the surprises contained in them won't be ruined or I won't be disappointed in the omissions/alterations from the original sources.

Jennifer · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:14:12 AM »

Re: last night's debate over Eric Benet. I will concur with DR Panni. He is good looking. But those pics did not do him justice at all.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:23:32 AM »

I can't believe I forgot the Harry Potter books! I have all 5 first editions staring me in the face. I love them. I've never read, and have no desire to read, the LORD OF THE RINGS, but I should have included them as favorite movies. I can't wait for the expanded RETURN OF THE KING!

I just returned from my surgeon and my surgery is finally set for next Tuesday, 10/26. I will be an ambulatory patient, they'll knock me out, and perform surgery on the abscess to allow it to heal. By Thanksgiving, I should be over all of this mess including the therapy on my back to resolve (hopefully) the problems in my leg. I'm off now for the pre-op tests. A bientot.

Matt H. · « **Reply #17 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:45:45 AM »

And I forgot LORD OF THE RINGS! My gosh, what marvelous fantasy films. I love them all but particularly the first and third editions. I, too, am waiting breathlessly for the expanded edition of THE RETURN OF THE KING.

Jennifer · « **Reply #18 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:46:30 AM »

Wow Brooke Shield's getting raves in WT:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10182004/entertainment/32132.htm

Jennifer · « **Reply #19 on:** October 18, 2004, 08:53:26 AM »

Question for anyone who saw the recent Man Of La Mancha revival on Broadway.

I saw the musical last night for the first time. And I was wondering if the show is always done the same way.

Is he always in prison re-enacting the story of Don Quixote?

Elan · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:20:04 AM »

Let me put in another voice for Terry Pratchett's Discworld series... hysterically brilliant, and he's only gotten better as he's gone along (which is truly frightening, considering that there's some 30 books in the series to date). A recent favorite of mine is Michael Stackpole's Once a Hero, which I thought was generally superb. I've recently gotten into graphic novels, and Neil Gaiman's Sandman simply outshines nearly everything I've ever read in the fantasy genre.

As for movies that were well-done: I think that The Princess Bride might be as good an interpretation of a fantasy book as I care to see on screen (not being the world's biggest Lord of the Rings fan, I've never seen any of the movies, so forgive me for not having an opine on them). Not literally transcribing every chapter (as the first two Harry Potter movies did, to their detriment, IMHO), but finding cinematic equivalents for the literary style of the original, that movie has had the lovely wife and myself quoting lines for years.

bk · « **Reply #21 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:35:51 AM »

Yes, the jail framing device is always part of Man of La Mancha.

I never read much sci-fi, but did enjoy a book called Gateway by Frederick Pohl, and some of Ray Bradbury's stuff. I also enjoyed Frederic Brown's occasional foray into that terrain.

Matt H. · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:47:31 AM »

The internet is kind of slow this morning. DOn't know if it's really busy or if it's just my telephone line that's slow, but almost every site takes a little longer to come on today, and I've gotten more connection failure messages today than I can remember.

Matt H. · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:49:14 AM »

I still have not watched last Wednesday's LOST. Not sure if I can get to it today either, but if not today, tomorrow for sure. Want to be ready for this Wednesday's installment (even thoughI'll have to record it, too; I'll be AFOOTing.)

bk · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:51:50 AM »

Everything working fine here in the City of Studio, internet-wise.

bk · « **Reply #25 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:52:07 AM »

And might I just ask where in tarnation IS everyone?

bk · « **Reply #26 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:53:01 AM »

Very gray out again today - I tend to sleep later when it is gray out, so I may have to start consciously trying to get up earlier than I have for the last couple of days.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #27 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:55:00 AM »

Oh, Ray Bradbury.....DANDELION WINE.....especially the stories about the strangler, the mailman, and lime vanilla ice cream.... I always wanted to see it done as a GOOD movie, but I also like SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, but didn't like some of the movie as much.....

Oh, and the story of the grandmother who loved to put new shingles on the roof every spring.....

Jrand73 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 18, 2004, 09:55:44 AM »

Rainy and stormy here today, and tomorrow they say. Better than ice and snow.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #29 on:** October 18, 2004, 10:01:47 AM »

Even if you don't like science fiction - if you like lovely stories and especially stories about growing up in the midwest....you will like this book.

When an eleven year old's best friend is moving away, they spend their last night together in the town park playing "statue" and the boy "freezes' his friend and tells him he can't move and can never leave.....

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Author Topic: EEK (Read 17086 times)

Ben

Ben

MBarnum

MBarnum