THE MT VOID
Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
09/20/02 -- Vol. 21, No. 12
El Presidente: Mark Leeper, mleeper@optonline.net
The Power Behind El Pres: Evelyn Leeper, eleeper@optonline.net
Back issues at http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper
All material copyright by author unless otherwise noted.
To subscribe, send mail to mtvoid-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe, send mail to mtvoid-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Topics:
Administrivia
Hugo Winners
TV Show on Science Fiction
Rodeo 101 (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
S1M0NE (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
THE FOUR FEATHERS (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
ONE HOUR PHOTO (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
DEVDAS (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
===================================================================
TOPIC: Administrivia
The reason the last few issues all had the same mailing date
(19 August 2002) even though they had different internal dates is
that we were on vacation for almost four weeks. The issues were
prepared and sent to yahoogroups.com ahead of time, and each week
someone "approved" that week's VOID for transmission. Thanks to
Rob Mitchell and Steve Goldsmith for doing this while we were
gone. [-ecl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: Hugo Winners
Best Novel: "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman (Morrow)
Best Novella: "Fast Times at Fairmont High" by Vernor Vinge
("The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge", Tor)
Best Novelette: "Hell Is the Absence of God" by Ted Chiang
("Starlight 3", Tor)
Best Short Story: "The Dog Said Bow-Wow" by Michael Swanwick
("Asimov's" 10-11/01)
Best Related Book: "The Art of Chesley Bonestell" by Ron Miller
& Frederick C. Durant III (Paper Tiger)
Best Dramatic Presentation: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
of the Ring"
Best Professional Editor: Ellen Datlow (SCI FICTION and
anthologies)
Best Pro Artist: Michael Whelan
Best Semiprozine: "Locus", edited by Charles N. Brown
Best Fanzine: "Ansible", edited by Dave Langford
Best Fan Writer: Dave Langford
Best Fan Artist: Teddy Harvia
Best Web Site (one-time Hugo only): Locus Online, Mark R. Kelly
editor/webmaster (www.locusmag.com)
John W. Campbell Award: Jo Walton (second year of eligibility)
[Charlie Brown announced that he was stepping down as editor of
"Locus". Dave Langford declared "Ansible" to now fall into the
category of semiprozine.]
===================================================================
TOPIC: TV Show on Science Fiction
The History Channel os showing "Fantastic Voyage: Evolution of
Science Fiction" on Saturday, September 28, from 8:00 PM-10:00 PM
(EDT), repeating at midnight. The description is as follows: "For
centuries, we've been hypnotized by tales of scientific
speculation, alien invasion, and future fantasy. From the
pioneers of science fiction to the dime novels of the 1930s, from
the atomic age and its B-movies to the age of Trekkies, our
Fantastic Voyage combines surprising stories, visionary
personalities, provocative ideas, and colorful visuals to salute
the history of an enduring and important genre. Includes
interviews with William Shatner, Roger Corman, and Paul
Verhoeven." (Well, okay, may that last sentence fragment isn't so
promising.) [-ecl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: Rodeo 101 (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
The last few weeks I have been writing editorials about Western
themes. These articles have been inspired by our recent trip to
the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. We had never been to a rodeo.
In fact, not being sports-minded I figured you would just about
have to pay me to go to a rodeo. That is essentially what
happened. We were to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial near Rapid
City South Dakota. The admission to the memorial was one price,
but the admission to the rodeo they were having on the grounds
was cheaper and included, as a bonus, free admission to the
memorial. Effectively, if you are going to the memorial they
will pay you to also take tickets to the rodeo. Not a bad price.
But I was not sure exactly what to expect from a rodeo.
We were there about an hour early, having finished up at the
memorial sooner than expected. We sat on the bleachers in front
of the arena watching the cowboy types gallop horses around and
look attractive to the opposite sex. It is an outdoor arena,
basically just a fenced-in area like a corral. There are some
wooden beams to sit on and some bleachers. Every once in a while
they would herd cattle across the arena into a stall on the far
side. At about 15 minutes before the start of the show it was
time they clear the arena. The loudspeakers played country
western music for the crowd. Stravinsky just would not due for
this particular occasion. Then comes 15 minutes of introduction
of people present, talk about rodeo, and the Star Spangled Banner
before they got to the real festivities.
The first event was the bucking horses. They put on him a lofty
rough-looking cowboy who looked like he could go the distance.
The first horse bucked this rider in just about four seconds. I
couldn't get the binoculars to my eyes fast enough to watch before
it was over. The second rider lasted almost twice as long. The
third one broke something, but not the horse. The fourth stayed
on until the buzzer. The score was 3 to 1, horses leading cowboys
(an interesting reversal). Fifth rider was another washout. The
sixth also stayed until the buzzer, got kicked off but could not
get his hand free. He was dragged all over the arena by a horse
in rightful indignation. Eventually the horse decided he has
proven his point and let the man go. The claim over the
loudspeaker was that the rider was OK. I guess the show must go
on. During the action a bunch of people from the crowd had run
forward to try to help if they could, and some got injured
helping. Six riders so far and three nearly got killed. They
play tough in the West.
Calf roping went better. The rider has to rope the calf, jump off
the horse, grab the calf, turn him over, and tie the feet
together. One guy was nearly in trouble as his horse pulled on
the rope at the same time the calf did. He was almost cut by the
rope. A bunch of the ropers missed the calf's neck. Sounds good
to me. Save the calf a stiff neck. Every once an a while a
rodeo clown broke in with a vaudeville-style joke. I turns out
this guy was considered to be a really good clown. At least he
had a good reputation but the jokes were very old and
exceptionally painful.
Steer wrestling has a guy chase a steer on horseback and jump from
the horse and flip the steer to his side. Sometimes the cowboy
can't catch up with the steer. Sometimes the steer throws the
cowboy. Sometimes the steer bounces on his side and jumps up
again. They let him leave the arena then. He trots away with a
look that says, "Well, what the hell was that all about? I've been
in my share of bullshit in my time but this thing takes the
cake." Excuse the bovine French. Many of them really were
brought up in a barn.
There are ads on the side of the corral for things like insurance
and smokeless tobacco. Each has a banner and when the time comes
for their ad the announcer delivers it and a female rider of
stunning magnificence rides horseback around the arena with the
banner. There is something weird about a cowgirl with a banner
for insurance. It just is not old west enough.
The next event is women's calf roping. Women don't have to tie
the calf. Roping is enough. This is to redress injustices by our
forefathers. Also the ladies and the calves prefer it that way.
The calves run as fast as they can right for the exit and they
generally know just where it is. It would take you or me a few
minutes to find the exit, but the calves are experts. I guess it
is part of the job and they are professional calves. They know
they don't like the arena. The men also have a breakaway roping
event, but they have steers, not calves. Again it is the
injustices of the forefathers thing. A roper is from Pierre.
Here they pronounce it "Peer." Every once in a while one of them
wants to pronounce it correctly, but they get him to stop with
Pierre pressure.
I have to admit that most animal sports I don't care for. I don't
see much sport in cruelty to animals. The rodeo isn't perfect,
but it does not appear to be overly cruel either. In breakaway
roping the animal just runs across the arena. Coming from someone
who gets bored with football and baseball almost instantly, rodeo
is a more appealing sport.
The Barrel Race has women riders run a loopy path in the fastest
time. The main object is to get through in the shortest time with
the dizziest horse.
The second bull in bull riding bucked his rider then refused to
leave the ring. It took him several minutes to get off-stage. I
think he liked the limelight. Whatever. The last event was bull
riding. This is where men ride the Brahma bulls. The nice thing
about that event is I was sure of getting an action photo if I
just waited. Everyone gets thrown. A Brahma bull is one heck of
a mean stack of roast beef.
If there was more evidence of pain to the animals I might have
been a little more negative. I wouldn't want to go to a Spanish
or Mexican bull fight, for example. My high school Spanish book
had pieces about bull fighting and talked about the people "who
make the mistake of feeling sorry for the bull." That is a mistake
I myself would make every time. But almost all of rodeo seemed to
be just roughhousing with cattle. It rarely gets more rough than
what I used to do with my dog. If it ever got worse than that it
was happening behind the scenes. [-mrl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: S1M0NE (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: A Hollywood director tired of pandering to the demands of
spoilt brat actresses uses a new computer program to create an
entirely digital actress who can be commanded to just follow his
will. Andrew Niccol creates a sort of dual to his THE TRUMAN SHOW
in which the world is real and the character is not. The result
is an often clever satire of popular culture. Rating: 7 (0 to
10), +2 (-4 to +4)
In a comic reworking of FRANKENSTEIN, a film director tired of
having to deal with prima donna actresses and actors tries an
alternative. Victor Taransky, played by Al Pacino, gets an
opportunity to use a secret computer program that allows him to
create a digital image of a non-existent actress named Simone.
Simone is really short for "Simulation One." Simone is purely an
extension of Taransky, completely in his control, but that does
not mean that the whole project does not get out of control as
this new actress becomes a hot popular craze.
The film was written, produced, and directed by Andrew Niccol.
Niccol previously wrote and directed GATTACA, my choice for the
best science fiction film of the 1990s. He also wrote THE TRUMAN
SHOW. That latter was about a real person in a totally artificial
world. This film has a totally artificial person in a real world.
There are several large gaps in the plot logic. The largest is
that the film glosses over the studio financial arrangements with
a non-existent actress. Some of what is done with computers in
this film also seems unrealistic considering what the capabilities
of computers are ever going to be.
Rachel Roberts accepted the uncredited title role. In the credits
it is claimed that Simone is played by Simone. She is supposed to
be playing an amalgam of several great actresses. She allows her
acting to be totally the opposite of the genuineness of those
actors. Similarly the films that Taransky makes with Simone seem
strangely dull and stylized to be the great popular successes the
plot requires these films within the film to be. Though it is
interesting in this Frankenstein story that she was in her own way
pieced together from dead people. Pacino has a great time and
shares it with the audience. He plays his role with just a light
touch of schizophrenia as he speaks the lines to be repackaged for
Roberts's lips. In some cases he actually argues with Simone in
much the way that Anthony Perkins argues with his mother in
PSYCHO.
This is an amusing satire of the Hollywood star system. While
this film is no GATTACA it does make for a fun, science fiction
comedy. I will rate it a 7 on the 0 to 10 scale and a +2 on the
-4 to +4 scale. [-mrl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: THE FOUR FEATHERS (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: The seventh film version of A. E. W. Mason's THE FOUR
FEATHERS compromises some of its integrity to be a more Hollywood-
ish story than the novel told. Nevertheless it makes for a
rousing adventures with some possible comment on current events.
You can never get enough of this kind of rousing historical action
adventure. Rating: 7 (0 to 10), low +2 (-4 to +4)
The new film version of 1904 novel by A. E. W. Mason, THE FOUR
FEATHERS, has been directed by Shekhar Kapur (ELIZABETH) and
released by Miramax. This is the seventh film adaptation, with
predecessors going back as far as 1915. Zolton Korda directed the
most familiar version in 1939 and, incidentally, a remake entitled
STORM OVER THE NILE in 1955. For history buffs the film is a
pleasure in the first two acts, but it works too hard at dumbing
down and Hollywoodizing the ending, so it falters in the third
act.
Set in the 1860s, it is the story of five friends (Harry, Jack,
William, Edward, and Tom) in the British Army assigned to Sudan
with the British troops to combat the followers of the Mahdi, a
powerful and charismatic Islamic leader. One can see this film
with no special knowledge of history, but it will serve the viewer
better to have seen Basil Dearden's film KHARTOUM or better still
to have read a little about the period. The film has several
references to Charles Gordon, the character played by Charlton
Heston in the film KHARTOUM.
The five men, friends from the academy rugby field, are assigned
to the troops sent to engage the Mahdi's forces at the time Gordon
is fighting to hold Khartoum. However, Harry (Heath Ledger) has
great personal doubts about the military incursion and resigns the
army rather than be sent. His friends as well as his fiancee
accuse him of cowardice. William, Edward, Tom, and fiancee Ethne
each give Harry a white feather symbolic of cowardice. To restore
his honor, prove his courage to himself, and to protect his
friends Harry privately travels to Sudan, a sort of self-appointed
secret agent.
The timing of this production is interesting as there are several
distinct parallels between the Middle East politics then and now
and the film does what it can to play them up without taking too
strong a stand on current Middle East policy today. Initially
Harry does not believe in the British involvement in that remote
part of the world. Whether he changes his mind and whether the
British involvement is ill-advised is left to the viewer. Clearly
however, the British are just not properly prepared for warfare of
this type.
The film suggests it is folly to send an army to a part of the
world where instant death can lie behind any rock in order to
defend a national policy which here seems predicated mostly on
vanity. Certainly there is more politics in this film than in
Zoltan Korda's 1939 film version. In addition, some modifications
seem have been added to Hollywoodize the story, mostly to make it
more politically correct and to provide an ending that would sell
well. The role of Abou Fatma is quite different in the book and
the film. In the book Abou is a stealthy Arab, previously of
Charles Gordon's staff, who moves behind the scenes. In the film
he is a black tribesman, not of Arab origin. This is an
interesting change, however, since in the Sudan the struggle is
largely blacks against whites. Abou Fatma is played by Djimon
Hounsou of AMISTAD and GLADIATOR.
Where this film improves on previous versions is in the nice
visuals. One goes from a recreated England with constant gray
skies and a 19th century steam engine in the streets to the bright
and dry Sudan. It is a powerful contrast. Some of the battle
scenes are also spectacular, though perhaps assisted by CGI.
This is not an ideal film version of THE FOUR FEATHERS, but it is
most enjoyable. Historical epics are getting rare again and this
one comes like a breath of fresh air. I rate it a 7 on the 0 to
10 scale and a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
The novel has been re-published in a film edition in paperback or
may be found on-line at
{http://www.blackmask.com/books33c/fourfeathers.htm}. [-mrl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: ONE HOUR PHOTO (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Robin Williams turns in a superior performance as a
discount store photo clerk who becomes obsessed with a single
family. This is not the most original plot, but the acting is
good and the situation is strange enough to keep the audience in
suspense. Rating: 7 (0 to 10), low +2 (-4 to +4)
Robin Williams who recently played a killer in INSOMNIA plays
another social predator, a loner who with unusual motives stalks a
family in ONE HOUR PHOTO. Sy Parrish, a clerk and developer at
the photo department of a discount store, has little life outside
of his job. At the end of the day he eats fast food and then
returns to his family which currently consists of a gerbil in a
cage. He truly leads a life of gentle desperation. His
loneliness has built to an obsession with one family of customers,
the Yorkins, that he dreams of being part of. They know him only
as "Sy, the photo guy." He tracks their lives through the photos
they bring to be processed. He sees in this family the perfect
relationships that are missing from his own life. He fantasizes
that he is Uncle Sy, a much loved member of the family.
The film traces his obsession, his own philosophizing about the
Yorkin family and the meaning and role of photography in American
life. Writer-director Mark Romanek has given us a stylized and
somewhat creepy portrait of a person on the margins of society and
whom many of us sees every day and never gives a second thought
but who lives with private demons nobody suspects. Williams fits
perfectly into the role looking nondescript and almost fading into
the background. While the plot progresses with very deliberate
speed, it has a constant electrical tension. Telling the story in
flashback may limit where the story can go, and where it does go
is an overly familiar cliche. On the way there are some nice
stylistic touches. Romanek likes to use shelves in the discount
store to express emotions. When things are bad for Sy a tracking
shot has Sy walking quickly down an aisle. The shelves appear as
rays into his arms along which things seem to be thrown at his
body. When he decides to take action he does an about face and
now the objects are coming from and out of him. Later in a dream
he stands among empty shelves. He is dressed in white and appears
to be an angel with the shelves forming his wings.
The film reminds one of the stories of Yukio Mishima crossed with
the film PEEPING TOM. TAXI DRIVER may also come to the viewer's
mind as we hear Sy's thoughts. ONE HOUR PHOTO is less than
totally original and has some minor errors, but it still is a
creepy and moving character study. More than in any other film,
including INSOMNIA, Robin Williams shows that he has the ability
to be a really great character actor. I rate ONE HOUR PHOTO a 7
on the 0 to 10 scale or a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale. [-mrl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: DEVDAS (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: What is at least the fifth film version of this love
story is the most lavish and expensive Hindi film ever made. The
pace is slow, but the production design and the musical numbers
are exquisite. Two lovers torn apart by their families have a
tragic destiny. If you are not used to Hindi film, this is a good
one to start on. Rating: 7 (0 to 10), low +2 (-4 to +4)
DEVDAS is based on Saratchandra Chatterjee's novel and has been
filmed (at least) four times previously. This fifth version is
directed and co-written by Sanjay Leele Bhansali, as only his
third feature film. DEVDAS is, however, the most expensive Hindi
film ever made. Anyone who has seen the film is unlikely to doubt
that it had a big price tag. Even with low Indian production
costs and salaries, there is what has to be a lot of money up on
that screen. The settings are huge mansions and much bigger
palaces with incredible use of colors and fabrics. Rare is the
song that does not have a row of dancing girls in the background.
This production is lavish all the way, even if the pacing is a
little slow, almost operatic. I swear that twenty-five minutes of
the three-hour film is spent with characters just talking with
exaggerated joy about how excited they are that family member
Devdas (Shahrukh Khan of ASOKA and HEY RAM) is returning from
London.
The story takes place in the late 1800s. Devdas has studied law
in London for ten years and is now returning to his home in India.
And what a home it is, a huge mansion provided by his father, a
respected judge who has been knighted by Queen Victoria. Devdas
wants to see all his family but is most anxious to see Paro, his
childhood sweetheart and neighbor. All is happy until Devdas and
Paro announce their love for each other. Devdas's mother trusts
her son, but Paro's parents and the judge are all desperately
opposed to the match. Paro's parents think that the beautiful
young woman can catch a richer man and the judge thinks that
marrying Paro will be marrying below his son's station. Devdas's
sister seems to just hate them both and also wants to break up the
couple.
Paro marries a man who can give her a palace. Devdas has made
friends with a courtesan and lives in a fancy brothel. But even
then the story is not over. There is more tragedy to come for the
couple. The story touches on many things. The importance of
status, of money, and the status of courtesans in India all enter
into the story. The plot develops slowly, but there are some
spectacular scenes.
Visually the film is reminiscent of the more exquisite scenes of
THE CELL, though to very different effect. We have a view of what
must be the most beautiful red light district in the world lit up
at night. We see a palace's celebration of a festival of the
goddess Durga, also in beautiful detail, design, and color. The
color red seems to run through the entire film, in some cases
literally in a repeating image of henna dyed feet leaving red
footprints on white marble.
DEVDAS is the kind of film that Rogers and Hammerstein would have
made had they been Indian. I rate the film a 7 on the 0 to 10
scale and a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale. [-mrl]
===================================================================
Mark Leeper
mleeper@optonline.net
Had I been present at the creation, I would have
given some useful hints for the better ordering
of the universe.
-- Alfonso the Wise
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Sell a Home with Ease!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/SrPZMC/kTmEAA/MVfIAA/J.MolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
mtvoid-unsubscribe@egroups.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/