SPOILER ALERT: Lt. Cmdr. Data defines...friendship

#sttng

#geekbumps 

#geekfeels

Doctor Who - Explained by Craig Ferguson

Looking for a simple, clear and completely awesome

explanation of what is the phenomenon

called, DOCTOR WHO?

"It's all about the triumph
of intellect and romance
over brute force and cynicism."

Well, Craig Ferguson had a few thoughts:

Doctor Who Are You?

It's DOCTOR WHO

It's The Who

It's Pete Townshend

It's "Who Are You?"

Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens - So...many...parodies

It seems like a great time to celebrate a second tease
into Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens

But we can't stop there, can we?

Let the parodies begin!!

Let's start with LEGO's!!!

****************************************************************
Now...let's remember our first tease into a larger universe back in November 2014:

Wow.

That was awesome.

I feel like a little kid.

So...that was 88 seconds, huh?
That seems reasonable for what it was.

Let's watch it again.  Shall we?

Wow...even better the second time.  And the ninth.  And the twentieth.

But surely that can't be all?

Oh...there is a LEGO version of that?  

Ok...

Wow..that's amazing.  

Oh...there's a second LEGO version?

Ok...

Wow...that was even better than the first LEGO parody.

And of course, Saturday Night Live

had to give their take...

And Family Guy couldn't sit on the sidelines:

Oh, there is a Wes Anderson version, too?

Well, that's just crazy enough to work!

Ok...

Yeah...that was perfect.  

I would watch the heck out of that...

after I see the JJ version.

Man...there is only one person who could screw THAT up.

Ok...

Actually, I quite enjoyed the Special Editions

(with a few noted, uh, disagreements).

But I think that version pretty much captured 

the essence of the Special Editions.

But there is so much to see.

I wonder how it would be if there was a version

that gave us a little more time with just one character.

I know...the BB-8 version (you read right):

Heh...that was cute.

You know what else is cute?

Nintendo.

I can't believe so many people 

spent so much time and effort on making parodies

of one 88 second trailer.

I wonder what would happen if someone

spent little to no time or effort.

Even the sweded version is fantastic!

Man...this has all really gotten me 

feeling sentimental for the Original Trilogy.

Oh..they did one in that style, too?

Ok...

If you know of any more...

...please post in the comments.

How many days until December 18, 2015?

#geekbumps

So, you say your friend isn't excited about Ep. VII?

The following is a responds to the Blog Post, "It’s Okay to Not Be Excited for the Star Wars VII Trailer" by Rory Stark on GeekDad.com.

There are a few emotions when someone doesn't "get your thing".

First, let's discuss...why do we even CARE if someone get's "your thing"?  Well, there is a sense of relief when you get to be honest.  If you are hiding a part of you because you are ashamed or worried about ridicule, it hurts.  So, when you find a kindred spirit who shares "your thing" you can relax, lower your guard and just be yourself.

There is sadness that they haven't been exposed to "your thing", especially when they share enthusiasm for some of your "other things."  You got joy from it, and it hurts you to know that there is joy that exists that they do not get to experience.  In this case...it is perfectly fine to give them a recommendation.  I love getting recommendations about movies, TV, books, etc. from kindred spirits.  Just remember...recommend and then let it go.  Once you've brought it up, if they find the time to check it out...they will.  If not, you put it out there, and that's all you can or should do.

However...

...there is the shock when friends with shared interests HAVE experienced "your thing" but it is not "their thing".   You THOUGHT you had a kindred spirit...but now, you realize they may not share your values.  You now wonder if you can really let down your guard around this person.

Well, there is good news.  If they were real friends...it won't matter.  There are so many different reasons why we are tied emotionally to our "things".  Does a movie remind you of a feeling it gave you?  Does a hobby remind you of the person who taught it?  Does a recipe remind you of a particular trip you took?  Does a book remind you of the awe of finding a new way to look at the world?

Your experiences are so specific that it is rare to share commonality with anyone.  Ever try to share a funny experience with someone not present, only to fall flat and conclude with, "Well, I guess you had to be there."

With Star Wars...you had to be there.  You had to be a fan or a kid in 1977.  Otherwise, the old movies will be just that...old.  It was an experience.  And for those who were kids in 1999, I can assure you that for them...the lightsaber dual between Anankin and Obi-wan in ROTS was a much better fight than the duel between Vader and Luke in ROTJ.  (This is incorrect, by the way...but I digress.).  For my son, who is a kid now, Star Wars is The Clone Wars.  He loves Anakin, Obi-wan and Ahsoka as much as the kids of the 70's love Luke, Han and Leia.

My point is that we can not expect people in our lives to share all elements of ourselves.  I have a buddy who loves Lonesome Dove as much as I love Star Wars.  He has seen it so many times, he's got it memorized.  It is "his thing".  I seem to remember enjoying it...but it is not "my thing".  And that's fine.  We are still buddies.  We don't see eye to eye on everything, but we know we can be ourselves without fear of ridicule or threat.  And that is what it's all about.

Episode VII...Spoiler Alert

As for the trailer, here are my thoughts:

• Opening shot and voice over:  Looked and sounded perfect.  Like the overture for an epic.
• Pop goes the Stormtrooper: John Boyega entrance felt like a jolt.  The old music cue from Luke over the Sarlacc Pit was brilliant and following it with new violins reminded me of the tension that Alfred Hitchcock would get from soundtracks in his films.  The sound of a Probe Droid from on Hoth was unmistakable and instantly familiar.  And Bodega's acting...the look on his face and his frantic motions spoke volumes
• R2-FIFA looked both adorable and frenetic.  He was booking across the Tatooine landscape like a being meant to thrive in a desert wasteland.  Did he sort of wink at the audience as he was scurrying by?
• The shiny new stormtroopers.  Familiar but with a noticeable and welcome update.  More frenetic energy.  It took me back to the initial assault on Princess Leia's ship back in 1977.  But instead of seeing the tension build from the perspective of the waiting rebels lining the hallway of the Tantive IV, it was the reverse.
• Daisey Ridley on her Fudgsicle-Speeder could have been lifted directly from the Ralph McQuarrie sketchbooks.  The sound of the engines roaring as she raced off after clearly seeing something truly disturbing was perfect.
• Sleak X-Wing pilot helmet.  Same as the stormtroopers: familiar but with a noticeable and welcome update.  (I am told that the Aurabesh writing on his flight vest is upside down and says, "Pull to Inflate."  But I heard it on the Internet, so I have no idea if it's true.)
• The X-Wings racing along the lake.  It looks like someone was in a fourth vehicle racing next to the three on screen and filming.  Just filming.  Not CGI.  Not a model.  Just three X-wing fighters racing to save the day.  Building the music with deep brass horns was fantastic.
• The Man In Black.  I saw determination.  I saw youthful energy.  And the saber...I saw rage and uncontrolled energy unleashed.  Crackling like an electrical arc rather than an elegant laser.  This was a weapon from a LESS civilized time.  And the side vents took me off-guard.  A little boost, like Nigel Tunfel's amplifier going up to 11.  The bursts from the vents seemed like it was raw power that could not be contained...like flames spewing from the exhaust of a hot rod or belching out of the nostrils of a mighty dragon.
• "The Darkness...and the Light"  The voice-over has weight and texture to it.  The words felt like 3-dimensional solid objects carefully sculpted and crafted.
• And the Falcon...oh, the Falcon.  With the iconic John Williams music cue and the camera desperate to keep up with an expert flier followed by the TIE fighters screeching past, we all became six years old.  Ok..maybe you became a teenager...but there was probably at least of moment of elementary school that surfaced.
• Even the title logo was a warm comforting sight
• And the sudden end of the music as the horrible words: "December 2015" appeared.
• But with the darkness and quiet that followed, I just barely heard that Snap-Hiss of the lightsaber over the sound of my beating heart.

Now THAT'S a teaser!

Shaw versus Christiansen

The point of "Vader's" actions when he saved Luke was that his sacrifice redeemed him.   At that point Anakin returned.  Read that again...Anakin returned.   Literally, the name of the movie was "Return of the Jedi".

The character that Luke saw as played by Sebastian Shaw WAS Anakin.  It wasn't Vader who saved Luke...it was Anakin.   He was Anakin, the whole time.  Luke felt this.  He felt the good in him.

Yoda was wrong.   Darkness and Light are not irreversible paths, but a series of choices.

If Anakin stopped existing at the time of Order 66, then his sacrifice on the second Death Star meant nothing.

That is why it was correct that the Force Ghost was played by Shaw.

From a certain point of view.  ;-)The point of "Vader's" actions when he saved Luke was that his sacrifice redeemed him.   At that point Anakin returned.  Read that again...Anakin returned.   Literally, the name of the movie was "Return of the Jedi".

The character that Luke saw as played by Sebastian Shaw WAS Anakin.  It wasn't Vader who saved Luke...it was Anakin.   He was Anakin, the whole time.  Luke felt this.  He felt the good in him.

Yoda was wrong.   Darkness and Light are not irreversible paths, but a series of choices.

If Anakin stopped existing at the time of Order 66, then his sacrifice on the second Death Star meant nothing.

That is why it was correct that the Force Ghost was played by Shaw.

From a certain point of view.  ;-)

Expectations of Episode VII - Part Three (The Story)

For Expectations of Episode VII - Part 1 (The Tone) see here: http://rosie-verses.blogspot.com/2014/04/rxpectations-of-episode-vii.html
For Expectations of Episode VII - Part 2 (JJ Abrams) see here: http://rosie-verses.blogspot.com/2014/09/expectations-of-episode-vii-part-two-jj.html

Author's note:  The majority of this was written before the announcement of the title of Episode VII to be "The Force Awakens".  But it fit perfectly with what I had in mind for my speculation of the story.  You'll see...

Now onto Part 3 (The Story):
We return to our essay on expectations...already in progress.

So, the biggest question of our Expectations of Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens (other than the ability of Hamill, Fisher and Fird to perform well...of which I have no worries) is the question of what will the story be?

I couldn't or wouldn't even begin to speculate on the specifics of the details of the Sequel Trilogy.  The whole POINT of the Story Group and the reclassification of the established Expanded Universe as Legends was to allow for the final set of movies to be free to develop creatively wherever the best story (given the medium of film) could progress.  In other words...a great story developed over decades of novels may not be engaging or interesting as a cinematic event.

Pragmatists note:  I am under no illusion that a main driver for rebooting the saga is to increase ticket sales.  It is an attempt to eliminate the alienation of the 90% of the population who has NOT been keeping up with the novels.  But I, personally, don't see this as a real issue with Star Wars, as the saga moves forward.  There may have been satisfaction in seeing previously novelized stories, just to see them on the big screen.  But, I  doubt it would do Mara Jade, Admiral Thrawn and the Yuuzhan Vong justice to relegate them to footnotes in a screen crawl.  So we are left with their decision to create Legends and to reboot Star Wars.

It is what it is.  Good decision.  Bad decision.  That is for you to decide.

But, one thing we can agree on is that Episode VII is being created with a blank slate.  Sort of.  Not all of Star Wars was rebooted.  Episodes I to VI remain intact...basically.  In fact, that was the whole point.  Episode VII is meant to seamlessly continue the stories we saw in those films and in the two animated series directed by Dave Feloni.

In terms of long form fiction, the term "canon" is a promise from an artist that moving forward, the stories, characters and settings created will not contradict previously created work.  That's it.  It is not a statement of what is good or bad or exciting or boring.  It is just a statement of where continuity can be expected.  But it is also a statement that is intended to conserve momentum.  The actions in one chapter will have consequences that are felt in the following chapter, which in turn become the actions that have consequences for the next following chapter.

So...when we say blank slate, that isn't quite accurate.  And since Episode VII is NOT being created on a completely blank slate, we, as fans, can use our observations of the in-universe Galaxy That Lucas Built, plus our knowledge of storytelling in general to give us a pretty good idea of what is coming soon to a theater near you.   (Or at least a good guess.  Ok...at least a guess.)

So...what do we know?

We know Star Wars.  (And by Star Wars...I mean the film released in 1977, later known as Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope.)  We know The Empire Strikes Back.  We know Revenge, uh, I mean...Return of the Jedi.  We know The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.  We know the tales of The Clone Wars and we know tales of Rebels.

But there are a few other things that we know about Star Wars.  We know about George Lucas' reverence for ancient storytelling techniques, observations of our own humanity through art and about Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.   I think all of these give us clues as to what will (or should) be the driving themes of Episode VII, VIII & IX.

In 1977, a story "began".  We soon learned that the story that began was actually a story already in progress.  Star Wars was clearly a saga about a Galaxy with not just decades of history, but eons of history.

In 1980, The Empire Strikes Back was released with an opening crawl that indicated that the film being released was Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.  And then, in the re-release on April 10, 1981, we learned that Star Wars: A New Hope, was in fact, Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope. 

Lucas has always indicated that that Star Wars (1977) was only the first act of a larger movie. (Although, he did not know that, so he took bits of the third act and included it in this release, which explains why there were two Death Stars.  But that's neither here nor there.

(For better insight into Lucas' original draft of "The Star Wars", I highly recommend collecting the 8-Issue comic adaptation recently produced by Dark Horse comics: http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-824/The-Star-Wars-1-Nick-Runge-cover.  In it Han Solo is a large green lizard and the primate, fierce Wookies prove a pivotal element in the destruction of the Death Star)

But as for the films as they actually made, the OTHER significant statement about the original intent of the saga, is that Star Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, was the middle of a NINE part saga.  Recently, it has been reported that this is actually a 12 part saga (but the additional 3 episodes were meant to be stand alone films about one facet of the mythology, like just the droids or just the wookies.)

But, from a narrative standpoint, one of the critical components that George Lucas respected and adhered to was the three act story.

• Act 1: Introduce the characters
• Act 2: Put the characters in peril
• Act 3: Solve the peril.

So, how does that basic structure apply to what we have seen in the Star Wars saga?

Let's break down the Original Trilogy:

• Act 1: Introduce the characters (Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope)
• Characters: We meet Luke and Vader.  Luke starts as a child and ends with a demonstration of his bravery.  Vader starts as a villain and ends with a vendetta to regain his honor.
• Setting: The Galaxy is in Civil War.  The Evil Empire is crushing all opposition with a doctrine of fear.  A rebellion has been sparked to restore freedom.  The Evil Empire is thwarted. 
• Act 2: Put the characters in peril (Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)
• Characters: Luke learns that bravery is not enough...patience to develop skills are needed.  Vader defeats Luke.
• Setting: The Evil Empire, while thwarted temporarily at the conclusion of Act 1, remains a powerful, unstoppable force.  The rebellion is unable to stop their advancement and ends on the run.
• Act 3: Solve the peril (Star Wars: Episode VI: Revenge Return of the Jedi.)
• Characters: Luke learns the power of love over hate.  Vader does, too.
• Setting: The rebellion musters all it's strength for a targeted attack on the heart of the tyranny.  The head is severed eliminating the guidance and leadership of the supreme leader and giving the inspiration for a Galaxy to rise up against their oppressors.  The End.

OK...now let's see how the Prequel Trilogy fleshes out:

• Act 1: Introduce the characters (Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace)
• Characters: We meet Ben Kenobi and Anakin.  We meet Palpatine.
• Setting: The Jedi are good. The Trade Federation is bad. The Galactic Senate allows the Trade Federation to be bad because it is corrupt.   The Trade Federation is thwarted.
• Act 2: Put the characters in peril (Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones)
• Characters: Anakin finds fulfillment through his connections to others.  Anakin strives to protection those he is connected to.  Palpatine continues to consolidate power. 
• Setting: The Trade Federation while thwarted temporarily returns as a part of a more powerful, unstoppable force, the Separatist Confederacy .  The Jedi is unable to stop their advancement and ends on the offensive.  The Galaxy is drawn into its greatest existential threat...The Clone Wars.
• Act 3: Solve the peril (Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)
• Characters: Anakin becomes the very thing he has fought so long to vanquish...a danger to those he loves.  In his fear, anger and hate, he gains ultimate cosmic power, but pays the ultimate price...loss of self-determination. 
• Setting: The chaotic forces separating the galaxy are vanquished.  An exhausted galactic populace gains a long awaited peace, but pays the ultimate price...loss of self-determination.

*****************************
So, how does any of this help us figure out what path awaits us as acolytes of the Galaxy that Lucas Built?

Well, let's take another step back and see how our three act methodology applies to the overall saga.  We can think of Episodes I, II & III as Act 1, Episodes IV, V and VI as Act 2 and Episodes VII, VIII & IX as the concluding Act 3.

So, how does the overall story flesh out in this context?

• Act 1: Introduce the characters (The Prequels - Episodes I, II & III)
• Characters: The Galaxy is filled with a vast and diverse population.  Some live a physical existence, while others in tune with the interconnectedness of all life are able to see beyond this crude matter and are partly controlled by and partly control the great Force which connects us all.  Some used these connections to gain knowledge and defense, while others use these connections selfishly to give in to their fear, hate and suffering for personal gain.
• Setting: For a thousand generations, the Jedi were the Guardians of the Galaxy, providing peace and justice for over a thousand generations.  Their counterparts, the Sith, long stifled have lay in wait for their moment to tip the balance to grasp power for themselves.  Balance was returned as the Jedi were reduced to just a few and the Sith just a few.  
• Act 2: Put the characters in peril (The Originals - Episodes, IV, V and VI)
• Characters: A secular, technological dependent society becomes the only source for stability and progress.   As vast as the sprawling Galaxy is, it is only a small place because it's citizens who have a vague sense of a guiding goodness and purpose, they are blind to the larger world that they are all a part of.  Only a few remain who have the clarity, concentration and determination to open themselves up to the Force, an energy field created by all living things. They are blind to how it surrounds us and penetrates us. and binds the galaxy together.  The entities in the galaxy are now disconnected from the Force, and, for the most part, their lives have become disconnected from one another.  But the Force is not dead...it still penetrates all.  The connects are still there, and are valued when found, but the Force is dormant...sleeping.  
• Setting: Dark times have fallen.  Fear, anger and hatred manifest everywhere.  The galaxy has shrunk back from its ancient greatness.  The Light side has held back the darkness, but the Force remains splintered.  But without the darkness, the light is no longer needed...the Force goes dormant...a Galaxy that has evolved beyond a need to connect with the luminous beings that are their true selves.
• Act 3: Solve the peril (The Sequels - Episodes VII, VIII and IX)
• Characters:  The entities in the galaxy remain disconnected from the Force.  It is as if The Force went into hibernation...into sleep.  (See what I did there?) They struggle to repair the connections that bound the galaxy together.  Like a withering vine, life connections have atrophied.  The beings in the Galaxy are splintered and disjointed.  Some long for the connections that The Force embodied...some strive for a more technological approach that turns it's back on The Force.  They see The Force as a dangerous, powerful mystery that inevitably leads to the corruption, fear, anger and hatred.  In both camps, the powers obtained by learning about The Force are spoken only in whispers.  
• Setting:  It is a Galaxy adrift.  A culture of rejection of The Force has led to an underlying sense to lost connections.  The suspicion of the dangers of studying and learning about The Force and our connection to it has slowly begun to unravel reality itself.   The remaining remnants of the Sith see this as an opportunity to re-build without opposition, but the remaining remnants of the Jedi...the Light Side discover the plot to wipe out all connections to The Force and realize that if our connections are truly severed, then life and all of existence will simply cease to be.  It is only by joining with the the Dark Side acolytes that the Light Side Force users can fight back to win the hearts and minds of a Galaxy desperate to stay bound together as one.  The members of the Galaxy learn that they must embrace being open to a larger world while accepting the passion that sparks our drives.  It is the very connections rejected by the Jedi that led to their downfall.  Once the ancient rift is healed, can the nature of The Force be embraced by all opening up true understanding for an entire Galaxy.

Or something like that.

What do YOU think?

Many of the truths

Expectations of Episode VII - Part Two (JJ Abrams)

For Expectations of Episode VII - Part 1 (The Tone) see here: http://rosie-verses.blogspot.com/2014/04/rxpectations-of-episode-vii.html

Now onto Part 2 (JJ Abrams):
In 1977, a story "began" and we started to play.  Every wrapping paper roll became a lightsaber.  My 5-year-old self had every iconic Kenner figure. We knew them all.  From the big three...Luke, Leia and Han down to every "minor" character including Snaggletooth, Hammerhead, R5-D4 and the Power Droid.  But there really weren't minor characters.   Anyone and everyone became a part of the rest of the story.   The expanded story, fueled by our imaginations, our excitement and (what we would later know as) our sense of wonder, Lucas' stories naturally blossomed into an expanded Galaxy...no, an Expanded Universe.  There was no level of detail that went unnoticed.  There was play.

This play was inspired by the movies and eventually by newly Lucas' own created Expanded Universe items like Splinter of the Mind's Eye and the Marvel Star Wars comics (green space bunny, included).  Our imaginations ran wild.  For us "play" was just what would later be called "fan-fic".   Most of us weren't writing them down, but from 1977 on, we began inventing our own tales of the further adventures of Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie.

In 1983, a story "ended", but we continued to play.  As my 10-year-old self, I didn't play with my KENNER toys quite as much as my 5-year-old self.  But, there was still play.

But we also began the discussions.  The years of discussions.  We had six hours of dense, passionate, exciting adventure that we watched and watched and watched.  Each minute, each second of Star Wars was a finely polished gem created with care, patience and craftsmanship.  The level of detail in each moment of the film lent itself to endless discussion, analysis and debate.

And that debate inevitably led from discussing the story that we knew into discussions about the story after that final frame.  This on-going discussion was just a more mature (more or less) version of the playtime we had grown up with.  We were just continuing to speculate on what would be the next adventure for the family of heroes that we had grown to care so much about.

And Lucas continued fomenting the discussion.  With characters from novels like Thrawn and Mara Jade or with characters from comics like a resurrected Emperor or a not-quite defeated Boba Fett, our imaginations just continued to be sparked and delighted.

Jeffrey Jacob "J. J." Abrams  was born June 27, 1966.  He was 10 years old, almost 11, on May 25, 1977 the day that Star Wars premiered to the world.  Here are a few of his thoughts on the release back then:

If you have watched any of his body of work, then you can see that from 1977 on, Star Wars flowed through his veins and his imagination, like an uncontrollable Force.  The themes, style and ethos embodied in the Galaxy that Lucas Built shows up like a leitmotif throughout JJ's career.

The reason I mention this, is that I believe that in his mind, JJ has been writing, crafting and imagining Episode VII since he was 16 years old.  He has worked out every plot point and every character development.  And he has spent a lifetime making film and television to learn and to overcome every technical hurdle for crafting the next chapter of the saga.   I think that whatever gets released to the world on December 18, 2015 will be the culmination of a lifetime of contemplation, inspiration and preparation.  Just like what was released to the world on May 25, 1977.  

Will it change the way we see movies and tell stories, just as Star Wars did in 1977?  Probably not.  Will it have the same sweeping cultural impact?  Again...probably not.

But will it be a worthy successor and natural follow-up to the grandest saga that cinema has ever produced?  My guess is yes.  My guess is that Ep. VII will feel like both an expression of JJ's voice but also it will feel like going back home.

I can't wait.

Cousins?

Oh, Captain, my Captain!

Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

Let's take a moment and discuss some of the pros and cons of spoilers.

Below are a few examples/anecdotes about some interesting spoilers.  All of these are fairly or very old...so they are HEAVILY spoiler laden.  I'm guessing anyone reading this post has seen them all...or at least know the twists.  In order to give you a chance to avoid the below spoilers...before you get to these spoilers, I will be embedding a kick butt photo of Star Wars Kittens.

But before we get to that, I wanted to point out that this post is in response to listening to the Echo Base podcast on ForceCast.net (hosted by Erik Blythe, Eric Geller, Louis Secki and Justin Bolger.  One or two of these fellow geeks (I'm sorry...I can't remember which ones) reported that they got more enjoyment of their first viewing of the movie Revenge of the Sith (May 2005) because they had already read the novelization of Revenge of the Sith (April 2005) before watching the movie.  One said, "I was spoiled up the wazoo and I loved it."  (Awesome quote!)

Anyways...their contention was that this was not a "spoiler" because they still got to experience the narrative flow as intended.  They got their surprises during their reading of the book instead of during their watching of the movie.  This is even less of a potential spoiler, in this case, because so much of the events after Episode III get revealed just by watching Episodes IV, V and VI.  (Please see my thoughts on the "correct" viewing order at: http://rosie-verses.blogspot.com/p/the-definitive-okaythe-highly.html.  Hint: It's 451236...mostly.)

Here is the link to the full podcast episode to listen for yourself: Echo Base #2: Knowing Too Much.

I have to say that I found that to be a fascinating idea! I had read both Jurassic Park and The Lord of the Rings prior to seeing the films, and they greatly added to the experience.  And I agree that this is very different than knowing a big twist from the beginning. However, my short response is that if a film needs a novel to complete the narrative, then it has failed in the medium of filmmaking as a complete piece. But that's okay. It doesn't mean it is bad or is without any merit at all. There was LOTS that I truly enjoyed about Ep. III, but, sadly, the bottom line is that I contend it was not a complete film. (I'll do my best to explain why below.)

But before I go on...let's discuss spoilers, in general.

I will start with a premise.  The premise is that what truly stays with us in our experiences is not the details of an event, but the memory of how the event made us feel.

In a narrative, the satisfaction of a dramatic climax is the result of following the following basic sequential steps:

1. Introduce Characters and Setting.
2. Put Characters in Danger.
3. Resolve Danger.

If this formula is not followed in this order, then there is no tension...no excitement...no emotional connection. There is some flexibility in Steps 1 and 2.  You can start the story by presenting the danger, then introducing the characters & setting.  But the resolution of the conflict must be in the final act.

Goosebumps and Feels

Geekbumps and Feels are those moments: sometimes your hair stands on end...sometimes some dust drifts into your eyes.   Either way they are the moments that stick with you and why we love our stories.

Please comment with any I left out...

Star Wars: 

• Luke looking over the horizon at the twin setting suns.
• The swing over the chasm.
• "Never tell me the odds!" followed by the music crescendo.
• "I love you."  "I know."
• "No...that's not true.  That's impossible. No!  Nooooo!"
• Lando and Chewie fly off with Luke, Leia and the droids watching...then the fleet moves forward...followed by the music crescendo.
• Luke losing it when Vader indicates that he will try to turn Leia.

Star Trek:

• "Ship out of danger?"  "You are now, and will always be...my friend."
• "Of all the souls, his was the most...human."
• Tasha Yar's Memorial Service
• Inner Light
• Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.   Shaka when the walls fell.
• Lorcutus
• Pilot of DS9.  "Why do you keep returning to this moment?"

Doctor Who:

     • Bad Wolf Bay

     • Martha inspires the world to believe in The Doctor

     • Donna's Mind burns

     • The Doctor introduces Vincent van Gogh to the docent (Bill Nighy)

     • "Rory?   Rory who?"

     • "Hello, Stonehenge!!!"

     • Amelia Pond blinks

     • John Hurt saves The Doctor from The Doctor

     • "I've always believed in Santa Claus."

Others:

• ET Dies
• ET Lives
• Independence Day speech
• Indiana Jones loves Marion
• Juliet falling into the shaft during The Incident in LOST
• Hurley remembers Libby in the Flashsideways in LOST
• Hurley sees Charlie in the Flashsideways in LOST

George Lucus on midichlorians

George Lucas in the audio commentary of the 2008 DVD version of Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope: 

"The film was kind of shot from the robots point of view.  I was sort of amused by that...at the time it was a very bold idea to have the first half hour to be mainly about robots.  The only real human character in the first 20 minutes of the movie is Princess Leia. 

My introduction to Kurosawa films were very powerful because it happened in film school and I knew very little about Japanese history at that point.  And when I would get thrown into something like Seven Samurai or Yojimbo or any of those movies, it was like I had no idea what was going on.  

I mean, I could follow the human story, but the culture was completely complex and oblique...and I liked that feeling of being thrown into an environment, you know...trying to get my bearings and still be able to tell a story that made sense.  That you weren't so confused that you couldn't follow it.

I can't stand it when in a fantasy film you just sit around and try to explain how a teleporter works or why.   You know...it's just not what the movie needs to be about."

******************************************************

"I was very keen on making a movie that was like watching a foreign film where you just didn’t know the world you were in.  You just didn’t know what was going on.  You didn’t know the politics.  You didn’t know anything and nothing was explained to you.

So, you were simply thrown into this world and there’s an adventure going on and you have to, you know, get with it, as opposed to a traditional fantasy film where they spend a lot of time sort of explaining everything.

Unfortunately, now I’m in the position of having to explain everything."

Was Yoda the "one" that cheated death? (A Rosie's Revisions Essay)

Ok..let's see where this goes:  In Episode III, Palpatine mentioned that only one person had ever figured out how to use The Force to cheat death.  Many fans assumed that this referred to Darth Plagieus.  I think even some of the legendary Extended Universe novels confirms that Plagieus was the individual who Palpatine was referring to.

But what if it was Yoda who was the being who had learnt to cheat Death?   Maybe that is why there was a Dark Cave on Dagobah.   

In the films, they say that the Sith have been vanquished for a thousand years.  Well what if that was approximate?   With a time gap that long, it would be easy to be off by a few hundred years.   Say that Darth Bane actually started the Rule of 2 not 1,000 years ago, but, say 870 years ago.   (I know this has no correlation in the Legends books about Bane...but I am just going with what is shown in the movies and in The Clone Wars series)

Anyways, if THAT were the time of Bane's life and death, then Yoda could have been among the Jedi who hunted him down and defeated the Sith.  Yoda would have been about 30 years old.

Now, say, during the climax of this final battle to defeat the Sith, Yoda participates with an elite squad of Jedi to eliminate the Sith leader, Darth Bane and the last of Bane's apprentices.  They chase the remaining Sith to the solar system holding Bane's secret sanctum in a cave complex on a distant, uncharted planet called Dagobah.   Bane has selected this planet because although it is uninhabited by sentient beings, it is teeming with life...life that using Dark rituals, Bane tapped into to siphon off of and to strengthen his ties to the Dark Side and, thus, his own power. 

Recall that the cave had parts with formed concrete-like door arches and  relatively smooth walls.  Someone built a lasting structure there ages ago.

Ok...back to 870 years ago...

After a fierce and deadly firefight above the planet, the remaining combatants either landed on whatever solid ground they could find or survived their crashes.  Both sides converged on each other for a final lightsaber confrontation.   

Fierce duels erupted and for days both sides drew on The Force in an all out melee to finally put an end to their opponents.

Eventually, only two remained.   Yoda and Bane.   Although nearing utter exhaustion, the two continued to duel for hours...each knowing the the other's death would bring lasting victory for their side.

Bane finally bests Yoda, cutting a gash in his leg and stabbing the young Jedi Master through the chest and leaves him for dead.   Bane realized that in the aftermath of the slaughter of the Sith at the hands of the Jedi still vast in number throughout the Galaxy, Bane was now alone in the universe. Only through guile and deception could the Sith ever hope to gain enough strength to return to their former glory.

Bane overconfidently whispered his new Rule of Two into Yoda's ear thinking his secret plan would go to the grave with his defeated pursuer to torture him in his last few moments.   Bane kicked Yoda's limp body into the cave and left him in what he believed would soon be Yoda's tomb.

As the sound of the thrusters of Bane's escaping ship fades into the natural muffled sounds of the Dagobah wilderness, Yoda weakly reaches out to The Force begging for a chance to prevent the implementation of Bane's horrors.

He knew that it would be up to him to make sure that the Jedi remain strong enough to be prepared for the return of Bane's followers and the inevitable Revenge of the Sith.  The Jedi must know that the Sith remained and would return someday stronger than ever to get their revenge.

Having no other options, Yoda desperately tapped into the deepest reaches of The Force searching through the Light and then in sheer desperation opened his heart to the Dark for any chance to fight death so he can live long enough to train the Jedi for the coming battles...to watch and wait until the One who has been Chosen to bring balance to The Force is finally revealed.

Yoda sacrifices his own purity with this one ultimate act of Dark Force.  By consuming the vast life forms surrounding him on Dagobah, this dark, unnatural act, which would go on to sustain the Jedi Master's life far beyond his time would imprint The Cave forever with echos of its Dark past.

Yoda's silent torment of his dark sacrifice burned through his every moment for the millennium that follows.   This is how he knew, first-hand, that once you walk down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.   It consumed him.   He wrapped himself in a mask of shame for what he had done, hiding this dark secret from even his closest of allies.

But he carried on knowing that his sacrifice must not be in vain.   He blocked out the Darkness that forever burned at his soul.   He knew that he must live on until he could train the Chosen One...whenever that may be.

Over 800 years passed and he would go on to train generation after generation of Jedi.   Eventually, with the fall of the Jedi after Order 66, he thought that he HAD trained the Chosen One, but because he had blinded himself to the Power he was not able to protect him or to teach him to protect himself for the Dark temptations...until it was too late.

The only thing that protected Yoda during the Dark Times of the Empire during his hiding and exile following Order 66 was his return to Dagobah...the location of his greatest failure and self-sacrifice.  As bright a Light that Yoda was during his long life, there would have been nowhere in the Galaxy that he could hide from one as powerful as Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine would could reach out into the Force and sense others strong in The Force...especially one as strong as Yoda.  The Darkness of the Cave and Brightness of Yoda's Spirit balanced one another and cancelled themselves out,  obscuring him from their distant gazing reaching out through and with the Dark Side of the Force.  From Vader's point of view...Dagobah was a blank...a void...a nothing,  like the rest of the Galaxy.

Just as Obi-wan built a home by the remains of the Tusken Raiders that Anakin had slaughtered to mask himself, so too did Yoda remain hidden from any sensitive to The Force.

In his final hours, after centuries of torment, Yoda realized that it would be Luke who would be able to fulfill the ancient promise of bringing balance to The Force.  He would finally be able let go of his crude matter and with balance restored could finally become one with The Force.

************************
And if Kathleen Kennedy uses this as the story for one of the Anthology films, all I want is a guarantee that Mark Hamill voices Darth Bane under the mask and that I get to go to the premiere and sit next to him.  I will leave it up to Ms. Kennedy to decide between Frank Oz and Tom Kane for the voice of Yoda.  I'd be happy with both.  However...my head might explode if I sat between Mr. Oz and Mr. Hamill at the premiere...so, for my safety, it probably aught to be Mr. Kane.  Nah...if that's how I die...I'd be happy with that.  Either way...it'll be a hell of a night!

Expectations of Episode VII - Part One (The Tone)

What are my expectations the Episode VII?

I agree that one's opinion of the Original Trilogy (OT) and the Prequel Trilogy (PT) greatly depends on your point of view (in other words...how old you were when you saw the films, and in what order).  But there WERE some key differences between the OT and the PT they differentiate between the two eras.   I think the most significant is character interaction and storytelling style.

The characters in the OT related to one another organically.   They were just fun.   Had it only been the 1977 film, Star Wars could have been a one-shot classic like Jaws or The Goonies.   That enough would have locked it in our collective subconsciousness.  But what made the saga so long lived were the pathos and relatable trials of the heroes in ESB and ROTJ.

Luke was shown as he grew as a man from an impetuous, cocky, idealistic youth into a...ok...he was still pretty impetuous, cocky, idealistic and young by the end of ESB, but you could SEE through his many failures (the cave, the ship in the swamp, the duel on Cloud City, etc.) how he gained the wisdom and patience to begin to truly face his demons in ROTJ.   The films SHOWED the steps of his journey and where his turning points were.

Anakin's story never quite left the outline stage.   His story was TOLD to the audience through exposition.   The action on the screen rarely showed his developmental story.   Sure, there were a few sequences that showed his character (pod racer = bravery; Coruscant speeder chase = determination; sand people slaughter = giving in to hate, etc.).  But very little was conveyed more than very superficial concepts.

Lessons from Yoda on Construction Management

In my day job, as a civil engineer, I fill the role of a Construction Manager.  It occurred to me that many of the lessons in Star Wars regarding the nature of the light and dark side of the Force actually makes a pretty powerful metaphor for how a Construction Contract is used to guide a Project to successful completion.

So, I took a few scenes from The Empire Strikes Back with the most appropriate of Yoda's wisdom about The Force and applied it loosely to The Contract.

Lessons from Yoda on Engineering

In my day job, I am an engineer.  (Wow...a Star Wars fan that is an engineer, you say?  No!!)  

It occurred to me that many of the lessons in Star Wars regarding the nature of the light and dark side of the Force actually makes a pretty powerful metaphor for how an Engineer uses the Design as a guide a to envisioning, developing and implementing a project to successful completion.

So, I took a few scenes from The Empire Strikes Back with the most appropriate of Yoda's wisdom about The Force and applied it loosely to The Design.  Sure, some of it's a stretch, but does present a true sentiment...from a certain point of view.

If you haven't memorized the Star Wars movies, as I have here is the scene for reference:

Check it out:

Scene 1: (Is he ready to begin his journey?)

A few inspirational movie moments...

Don't worry...I'll add more later,
so, in no particular order:

Bluto: Was it over when the Germans bombed Peal Harbor? Hell no!

Boone: Germans? Otter: Forget it...he's rolling.

Bluto: And it ain't over now!

Bluto and Otter, Animal House (1978)

The President's Speech

Independence Day (1996)

"I!!  AM!!!  TALKING!!!

Doctor Who's Pandorica Speech

Doctor Who, 11th Doctor (2010)

And while we're at it...how about Sylvester McCoy doing the same speech?

Do...or do not.  There is no try.

Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Size matters not.

Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

You've failed your highness.  I'm a Jedi, like my father.

Luke, Return of the Jedi (1983)

The end of the Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin, The Great Dictator (1940)

Called the most honest 3 1/2 minutes of television

Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom (2012)

(A side note:  I never saw the show.  

However, I've seen this clip MANY times.

What I only saw recently is that in the scene that follows,

Jeff Daniels' character says that he doesn't remember what he said 

because his character was on strong cold medication.

Not sure if this is really part of the story or if it is his character backpeddling.

Either way...it's interesting.)

And Mathew Belinke at www.overthinkingit.com

put this 2 minute montage together.

Truth is Beautiful

Radiolab posted a podcast called "Black Box" on Friday, December 17, 2013.  In it they had stories about mysterious events where an an unexpected outcome occurs because of a hidden process...as if inside a black box.  It is scientific experimentation that reveals the inner workings of these black boxes.

The full podcast can be found here at http://www.radiolab.org/story/black-box/.

The final story was a tale about a married couple, Sydney and Lesley Piddington from Australia.  They were so-called "mind-readers" in the 1950s with an enormously popular radio series where each episode the wife would read the husband's mind via a series his reading of seemingly random selected texts.  The theatricality of the program was clear, and their presentation was delightful and charming.  She would end each broadcast with the simple, mysterious sign-off:  "You Are The Judge."


The Radiolab podcast explored some thoughts on how the trick was done.  Penn Jillette was consulted, but he described his thoughts on how the trick was done as being an "ugly truth".  Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the hosts, concurred that the truth was ugly.  They even went so far to separate the ugly explanation so as to not ruin the trick.  Great emphasis was placed on the fact that discovery of the truth would somehow diminish the pleasure of the experience of listening to the magic show.

The separate podcast segment can be found here: http://www.radiolab.org/theuglytruthyouwerewarned/

But I took some exception to their treatment of the investigation of the trick. In the pursuit of science, there is no such thing as an "ugly truth".  They were defining an "ugly truth" as a truth might be simpler than the expected complicated explanation.  But I say that it is still the truth.  And the truth is always a thing of beauty.

Here are the comments I posted in response to the piece:
******************************************************************

Science is the pursuit of truth through objective observation and logical deduction based on those observations of the real world.

Magic and the supernatural are not bound by objective observation, but depend on trickery to force a subjective, controlled observation.  It is similar to the concept of a Potemkin village.  If you walk down the street, you see buildings.  But the second you walk through a door and explore deeper, you see that it is only a facade.

The entertainment of performance magic is an unstated agreement between the performer and the audience that a lie, within the proscenium, is not only allowable, but is, in fact, expected...anticipated.

I have been a fan of Penn and Teller since their TV special, "Penn and Teller Go Public" aired on PBS in 1985.  (Wow...nearly 30 years!)  They did a great piece in the show about how to light a cigarette in a completely fake way with a combination of coordinated misdirections.  It involved tricks like dropping props into pockets, planting objects hidden in the palm of the hand, using noises and motion to move the viewers eye and attention from one spot to a selected other.  Each act was real, but they appeared to be different than they really were, not because they weren't happening, but because the performer used other actions to prevent the audience from making an accurate observation. 

One of the other things Penn did on the show was to a fire breathing act.  He talked about side shows, sword swallowing and other carnival attractions.  It still sticks with me to this day...but before he did the trick, he pointed out that these things did not involve the same type of trick as the others.  They did not involve misdirection...just perseverance and skill.  He hauntingly pointed out that sword swallowers gag a little bit and sometimes get nicked, and that fire breathers sometimes singed their lips and got sick from swallowing lighter fluid. 

This is the second segment from the show.  It starts with the end of the cigarette lighting/misdirection piece.  The fire eating segment starts at Time 5:38.  You''l have to scroll to it...blogger won't let me cue to the second. (Or at least I haven't figured out how).

I have learned over the years not to trust, Penn Jillette, (in a good way).  So I know even this claim that the sideshow arts are real may have been part of the act with more hidden secrets and misdirection.  But regardless, the point he ended his introduction with before he finally performed the feat of breathing fire was that it we shouldn't only think about HOW the trick was done...but instead, we, as the audience, should wonder about the far more interesting question: "WHY?".

And that is why there was nothing ugly about Penn's explanation.  Even he indicated that he could not know for certain...but he had a good guess.  A speech that Douglas Adams once gave described the following thought exercise.  If you have one witness who sees someone in London at noon and then another witness who sees that same person in Los Angeles at midnight...you can reasonably say that the person took an airplane, but you would be hard pressed to be certain to identify which flight.  You would not attribute it to magic or mystery...but you would still, not know all the details.

Had the story of Sydney and Lesley Piddington been presented on any other forum, none of this would matter.  But this is Radio Lab.  Shows like yours and Sci Friday are an inspiration to the raw power of observation of the real world we all inhabit and the truths revealeda through the scientific method.  And there is even the power of the mysteries that remain even in the midst of the truths discovered.

So, please...do not think that anything is lost or ugly from discovering that a truth that we cling to depends on a certain point of view.  It is the constant pursuit of truth, beauty, freedom and above all else, love that drives us as we, and everyone that has ever been and ever will be share this pale blue dot. 

I am repeatedly drawn back to and humbled by this quote from Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space: “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

So, no truth is ugly.  Truth rises above such concepts. The ugly is only where worth and understanding remains undiscovered.  And it is up to science to never give up the pursuit of truth.  For once the truth is discovered, we receive the gift of beauty, freedom and love.

You are the judge.