Tag: Movies

Women and Children, first…

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So I was watching Titanic the other night. I love that movie. I’ve seen it like 50 times. It’s one of those movies that you start it and when the credits roll, you’ve not realized that 3 hours has passed. It’s that good of a movie. They don’t make movies like that anymore.

Yet, when the ship starts to sink…Spoilers!…I always chuckle a bit when the crew yell, “Women and children first…women and children here!” Because I flash forward to today and think how that doesn’t happen anymore. I know I know, ships now have the capability to save everyone so there’s no panic of going down with the ship. I know this because I took an Alaskan cruise several years ago and the first thing we did was life boat drills that first night. Everyone was calm and there was a fine organization to get us all in the boats. The women and children had no fear that their husbands and fathers would not be sitting right next to them.

Yet, we have lost that noble and chivalry of the past. I’m not saying I want people to perish in a tragedy of a ship sinking. But with equality laws and a new social norm of everyone is equal, I do not see anyone place a preference on another demographic before themselves. Nope. It’s everyone for themselves attitude. A selfish attitude more likely.

So I laugh. I find it funny. Feminists yell and bark that women suffered so much in the past. (and I’m not smart enough to argue that) but I do counter: “but you ladies always survived tho and us men died.” And I think it would be hilarious if we could actually flip the roles today. I wanted the crew chief to yell, “Men first. Men here now!” We want some compensation for all those centuries of letting woman and children go first. Just sayin….

And just because we have advanced to the ability to insure no one dies on a Caribbean cruise and there’s enough life boats for all, that we can’t still be honorable and let women and children go first! Be kind. Be humble. Thanks for reading….

0

I just watched Super/Man…

Posted on by CV Whitfield

… and this film was a massive pull on the heart.

Superman is my favorite super-hero. I have 1000s of Superman comic books. It’s possible the reason this true because I saw Superman: The Movie in 1978 when I was six-years-old. I have faded memories of reading the comics at my grandmothers house, lying in the floor with the air conditioner blowing cool air over me and the comic pages. I remember holding the pages down so they didn’t turn on their own. I also have a memories of gazing at an image from the movie (the one below) and wishing there was a real Superman. I even prayed and wished I could be Superman.

To say, this film impacted my life is an overstatement. I bought the trading cards, the comic books, the soundtrack on vinyl and recorded the moving off the ABC Sunday Night Movies on VHS. I still have the VHS tape and the movie is in rough shape as I know I wore out that magnetic tape long ago. I recently found a digital copy of that ABC screening (it had scenes that weren’t in the theatrical cut) and watch it once a year.

So, back to the Christopher Reeve story. It saddened me in 1995 when Christopher Reeve suffered his riding accident that nearly took his life. I prayed he would recover. I’d be dishonest if I didn’t wish his recovery was because I wanted him to return to the role. Most of us comic geeks hoped that he’d return and maybe even team up with Michael Keaton in a cross over movie. It was just fan boy fantasies as movies like that weren’t as common as they are now.

I think the film brings great awareness of his life and struggles. I learned much about the man behind the Superman that I didn’t know. I also hope that the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation continue to fund medical research to hopefully find a remedy to spinal cord injuries. To see what Christopher went through was hard. He may not have had the physical strength of Superman but he had the determination and bravery of Superman. To see his children remember those horrifying days and years of recovery brought tears to my own eyes.

If you get an opportunity to watch the film and I insist you do see this documentary, you’ll see that Christopher Reeve had the support of many Hollywood celebrities, premier politicians and even some Presidents of the United States. A bill was even signed into law by President Barrack Obama to set aside roughly $150 Million dollars to do more research into spinal cord injuries. And I tried hard not to bring my own jaded emotions to this part of the film.

I know I’m cynical and as I get older it doesn’t get any better. So, we have something that impacts thousands of Americans, millions of people worldwide, and the US Government only sets aside $100 million bucks?! Why isn’t this more. Especially when we send billions to other nations. We sent $100 Billion dollars to the Ukraine alone in the last year. So yes, this is why I look at Congress and that President with disdain. It disgusts me that they send that kind of money funding a war that doesn’t benefit us. And they praise and expect us to cheer and give standing ovations because they got a minor $100 Million dollars for something thats much more important than foreign wars that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. (Ok, enough of the politics!)

But you’ll now understand why I have little faith in our respected leaders.

Please go see this documentary. Please donate money to the cause.

Be a Superman!

0

Are we just a bunch of ….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

….pansies!

Seems like everything has a warning label nowadays! Geez!

So, I was going to watch a movie last night and the movie had a warning- no not that it had adult language or nudity – but there are flashing images. Say what!? Huh isn’t that the point of movies is images being flashed onto a screen? Ok, I’m not stupid. Maybe there’s a rave scene, explosions or a violent lightening storm and maybe that would cause someone to go into a seizure? How’d did people survive these movies for the last 75 years? Or were hundreds of people flipping out and flopping around on the theater floor that I’m not aware of?

I’m in a restaurant and now menus have these tiny little warnings: peanut, gluten dairy, pork, and vegetarian. Again how’d people survive 20 years ago when ordering a hamburger, house salad or a big plate of pancakes?

Or have we become so passive to make excuses for dumb people? If you have a food allergy or a weakness to flashing lights, shouldn’t that be on you? I mean, it’s bacon! It has pork in it. the pancakes have gluten so don’t order ‘em! And if you have a food allergy that will kill you why do you think a restaurant is your best option to have a meal? I can’t stand the karens that go to an Olive Garden and proceed to ask the waitress if they can make the meal to order—Cesar salad hold the Cesar, fettuccine, but can you hold the sauce since that’s got milk in it and just make it butter noodles, as long as the butter was churned on the seventh holy day of the third moon, and add the chicken, if the chicken was free range and humanly slaughtered—. Or the lady at the table telling the waitress to take back the garden salad because it had croutons because she can’t have gluten! OMG! Pick the damn things off! I don’t like tomatoes but I don’t send the salad back I eat around them. And a breadcrumb is not a deadly virus or radioactive waste. It don’t work that way!

Either way, I think people should man up and worry about yourself vs making everyone worry about you!

0

The significance of time….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

No, I won’t hit you with a quasi-technical and philosophical word salad!

But, seems like the significance of time for politicians is tremendous growth and change. I’m speaking a bit more finite and referring to my local city government. In their eyes, simple, familiar, normal, same-ol’ same-ol’ are not good things.

That small farm or open space is better served with an apartment complex or strip mall or the new concept of urban living -with restaurants and shops below, and luxury apartments above.

The city councilwoman smiles and praises things like “progress” and “economic development” and “diverse and engaging communities.” Yet I only see more traffic, rising costs, more taxes and regulations. I see more and more people fill our once small out of the way neighborhood. It almost feels suffocating. There’s lines to get into stuff where there wasn’t before. A calm Sunday is no different than a busy Monday.

I admit that I may be a bit of a hypocrite or maybe it’s more that I’m getting older and my preferences and attitudes have changed. Twenty years ago I may have praised the addition of another Starbucks in the neighborhood. Or may have even hoped for a Target or McDonald’s in short driving distance. But that definitely has changed.

I ran from home to live in the big city. Although really big cities scared me (like New York or Chicago) so I chose Denver. It was big but still felt hometown-like 30-years ago. Now I feel like it’s Los Angeles of the mountains. I wanted someplace bigger as a young man (a kid really). That’s because I grew up in a town where Kmart was the only option for most things and there was no comic or game shops in sight. Movies rarely came to our two theater town. The to-do thing on a Friday night was to go to the high school Football game or cruise Main Street.

When you’re young you want the progress and the technology. Now that I’m older , I’m tired of the change. And the technology down right scares me more and more. “The machines are taking over!”

Maybe I’m just missing the old days. I miss TV shows coming out every week instead of dropping all at once. I miss newsstands. I miss Furrs Cafeteria. I miss the days when the future might be a better place than now the fear of the future will be worse and most likely more expensive place.

I definitely need to figure out this significance of time thing for sure….

0

Disney Has An Identity Problem!

Posted on by CV Whitfield

Disney is being dragged down by the poor management of its executives and the leadership of their CEO. Bob Iger is a narcissistic megalomaniac. He doesn’t care about being the custodian of Walt Disney’s dream and company. He simply wants to use the company for his own personal gain. This is evident with the recent expose on how Iger backstabbed Bob Chapek. But that’s not my point here….

The company is now infested with DEI hires, college-aged activists and greed hungry millennials that want to be rich with very little work effort. If they weren’t working at the biggest entertainment company in the world, they would be TikTok influencers or Youtube personalities. And that’s not a compliment.

I remember a day when Walt Disney was still alive. I remember a day when Disney (as a company) invested time and money to protect its identity and intellectual properties. I remember the day when Disney Corporation would sue a grade-school teacher for painting a mural of Mickey Mouse on her classroom wall. I remember the day when Disney Corp. would not allow business to put product out before a street date and/or send representatives to inspect store displays and retrieve old signage. I remember when you could produce a movie about Cinderella or Alice; but if they even wore the same color blue dress, Disney would swoop down and have lawyers racing to file the lawsuits. Back then, Disney protected its stories and its characters.

Fast-forward to today. I don’t think Disney knows how to do this anymore. I don’t think they understand what it means to protect an IP or product. I don’t think their Imagineers know how to care about the classic icons and characters. Disney has an identity problem. Is it a company that wants to make money? by protecting its legacy and massive library of movies, TV, comics, cartoons and music? Does it want to continue its long legacy of telling classic stories children and adults love? You can take the old animated features and make them live-action but you have to make them look familiar. You have to make these productions standout out as Disney productions and just not a cheap knock-off or low budget public domain effort.

I could show this image to 100 people and 100 people would know this is Walt Disney’s classic Snow White.

Disney has a difficult and ambitious task to keep their stories from being smothered in clones or copy-cats. The original story of Schneewittchen by Brothers Grimm in 1812 is now public domain. The public domain status means that the story’s original elements, such as the magic mirror, the poisoned apple, and the concept of the Evil Queen and the seven dwarfs, can be used freely by anyone without needing permission or paying royalties. I could write a new version today and Disney couldn’t do anything about it. But what Disney does have the power to do: is protect this version!

So why would they produce this? Why does anyone at Disney think this new version looks or projects Disney as the image above it? To be honest, this looks like a K-mart knock-off. Nothing in this image makes me think Disney. The colors are not right. The digital dwarfs do not look like the animated versions. So why would any logical, intelligent Disney executive approve this and not have issues with it.

Are any of these images from the Disney Classic? Everyone would say NO!

There’s nothing wrong with new artistic interpretations of the classic story. The last two images are very beautiful and wonderful fresh takes on the classic fairytale. Yet none should be done if you’re trying to protect a very specific version nor wanting consumers to buy your merchandise and see your movie when it comes to a very specific representation of your product.

Disney has failed again. But in this case just on simple business aspect. Maybe new leadership is needed to remember that they aren’t in the business of creating ridiculous spoofs of their library but generating revenue and continued interest in the products that have kept Disney a household name for nearly 100 years….

0

Toys ….suck today!

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So, when I enter a Wal-mart or Target, the first place I go is the Toy aisles .

For the last few years, I’ve noticed that the aisles and shelves seem to be a bit thin. It’s quite common to find many pegs and spots just empty of product. We all know that Target stock is always scarce. Yet, now I see this at Walmarts. Why is this?

  1. Today’s toys are very rarely supported by an active TV shows or Comic Books. Yes, every freakin movie gets some kind of toy tie-in but half the time, I don’t think they do any target research to see if kids even want these toys. TV shows and Comic books allow for continued story telling and allows the property to stay in the kids minds for years. With the exception of Star Wars (which is an anomaly), no movie has support a toy line successfully more than 6 months after the movie is released. In the 80s, we had great toy lines He-man and Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe- TV shows. The 80s and 90s gave great Marvel and DC superhero toys – Comic Books. In the 90s, Batman: The Animated Series supported a figure line – TV show. Good Star Trek can give you a nice collector toy line, i.e. the 90s Playmates line – TV show. But today, we only have Star Wars – weak sequel movies – Jurassic Park / World toys – movie – and toys for the remake of Space Jam..
  2. Today’s toys are just too damn expensive. The average action figure price is $9.99. And if you go for the larger 6 inch figures, those go for $19.99 or more. What kid is spending their allowance on this? What parent is spending this to give their child the toy when asked? Honestly, they are not! These toy lines are supported solely on adult collectors. This is why that many of these big box stores are now putting toys in two spots in the stores. Some go in the Toy Aisle and some go in another section for collectibles. Can action figures be cheaper? I would exclaim why not! Hot Wheels have been less than .99 cents for 30 years. Not only do kids love cars, but you can buy dozens of these cars for only a few dollars more than an action figure. Even many nice car toys in the 1:64 scale can price from 3.99 to 7.99. Today, they have the RE-RELEASE of He-man and Masters of the Universe figures. Walmart price is $14.99. They were only $4.99 in 1982. And I remember that was expensive because Star Wars and G.I.Joe were about $2.99. Again, these aren’t toys, but adult collectibles.
  3. Today toys companies are run by morons. Outside of a few long term favorites like Hot Wheels, Barbie and the anomaly that is Star Wars, what action figure toy has been on the shelves for so long? None. What action play toy has been a staple of the Toy Aisle? None. Why hasn’t any toy company actually invested in creating a toy line that will stand the test of time? This is what Mattel did with He-man in the late 70s and early 80s. It was to be a competitor of Star Wars. Instead, these companies lazily rely on movie properties. They are willing to pay millions of dollars for licensing instead of creating a strong IP internally. Take Hasbro for example. They own the G.I.Joe brand solely. Yet, this company has constantly failed on making this toy line successful. It has always been plagued by short supply with the releases in 2007 and again in 2020. Why weren’t these figures filling pegs? Every figure sold would put full profit into their pocket. Instead, they continue to pump out Star Wars figures and pay the 50% to Lucasfilm. The same folks that run these companies clearly don’t research their market.
  4. Today toys can’t compete with video games. Bullshit, I say. I disagree with this statement that I constantly hear when I discuss these very topics. I see kids in the toy aisles wanting toys — like Legos, Action Figures, Nerf Guns and Barbie dolls. Children don’t invest all their time in just video games. Yet, you need to give them a good toy for a good price and they will sell. And the gravy on the steak would be the adult collectors who would buy them too. Yet, first these companies need to MAKE TOYS. Fill those pegs and work on distribution and market research.

Okay. Thats today’s thought on Toys. I could discuss this and these topics for hours.

To all those that want good toys…. Good hunting!

0

Star Wars….other possibilities….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

With the Skywalker Saga (as they are calling the core Star Wars movies nowadays) storyline coming to an end with Episode IX, I dream about the possibilities of what could have been.

I want to get my thoughts and opinions down on digital paper. When Lucasfilm sold to Disney I was very optimistic about the future of Star Wars. Unfortunately, my optimism was cut short with the release of the new ‘sequel’ trilogy of films. And the basic destruction of the expanded universe cannon. I will clarify that I never expected the expanded universe to become the stories of any new movies. Yet, I hoped that they would at least try to blend in. The reason I stand by this: Lucasfilm took such care and consideration of any and all post ROTJ stories. Thus, I figured George Lucas essentially approved it all. Yet, the films are truly the only ‘true’ cannon. Thus, if Mr. Lucas would have changed his mind, then that would be acceptable and understandable.

In this process, I hope it makes sense. I hope my thoughts and ideas are clear and find a audience. I think the narrative of my opinions would have made in some regards better Star Wars movies. I believe this as I would have written my Star Wars from the aspect of the known source material and universe. I would not have made decisions on the risk and ridiculous hope of ‘pleasing audiences’ and being ‘diverse’.

I think its best if I start from the beginning….

0

Snake-Eyes Solo Movie….no thank you!

Posted on by CV Whitfield

Again, Hollywood has no clue. Yet, I still blame Hasbro too. Because Hasbro could oversee and control the out come as they “own” the property.

I’ve never understood the motives of film writers and producers that have (literally) the easiest job when it comes to adapting a iconic 80s property. The backstory is there. The characters are there. Heck, the fans and viewership is already there! All you have to do is come up with a great story! How hard is that?

But noooo. Producers and writers have to come in and F*#k it all up. Why? I truly believe its because they have absolutely no clue about the actual source material. Either this is complete ignorance or simply a matter of no respect. Because its all about the money.

Thus, if these producers (or Hasbro) had any clue, they would not be moving forward with a Snake-Eyes solo movie. Snake-Eyes is a product of G.I. Joe. G.I. Joe is a team. G.I. Joe, in definition, is a group of diverse characters with unique skill sets that work together to defeat Cobra, a terrorist organization determined to rule the world. Snake-Eyes excels when he’s fighting alongside Duke, Scarlett, Roadblock and Tunnel Rat.

Honestly, Snake-Eyes is a bad-ass character and he’s freaking awesome. But I don’t want to see him in a movie by himself. He needs his supportive cast. And if you bring even one of those characters, or a member of Cobra (i.e. Storm Shadow) then it’s a G.I. Joe movie. Why not just make that one?

There’s over 200 stories in the form of comic books. Its okay to use those as the basis for a good story – a great story. Yo Joe!

0

Look to Role Models….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

As a young aspiring writer back in the 90s, I constantly looked up to other successful writers for direction.

Back then, I was mostly looking to write for stage and screen. I may have dreamed about writing a novel or something but my true dream was to be produced as a playwright or screenwriter. I was in Film School when I realized that to succeed in writing films I must mimic those great film makers and screen writers. I went so far as to write the exact same way as George Lucas wrote his movies. When, I learned that George writes only on yellow legal pads, I immediately went to Office Depot and bought a case of yellow legal pads. I wrote my next 2 plays on nothing but yellow legal pads and then transcribed them into a Word-processor in the computer lab.

I took a seminar with John Patrick Shanely – the screen writer of Moonstruck and Joe Vs. The Volcano – at CU and couldn’t believe I could be so lucky. It was open to Film Makers and Creative Writing majors and I called the reserve line before I could finish reading the flyer. Sitting there with him for a few days, I wanted to know how he wrote. Call me funny, but my questions weren’t philosophical. I wasn’t asking him what made him a better writer. But how he physically wrote. Did he plot things via an online? Did he block it out with index cards? Does he handwrite his writing on paper first or just type it directly it into the typewriter or computer? I do recall him giving me a weird look each time I asked him a question. Not the: what-are-you-smoking-weird look, but that of a curious mind. Almost as he was trying to understand my intent.

So, that’s how I wrote in the 90s. I’m not sure if that was successful as I didn’t get anywhere. But I don’t regret it. Yet, I’ve learned since, just write. Write. It doesn’t matter if you use a pencil. It’s not important if you write everything with a pen. Some just sit at the keyboard and let it flow out.

I will admit. I still like to use pen and paper to throw down ideas and outlines. Yet, I’m also trying to be more electronic and do it all digital. That’s why I bought a iPad Pro with Apple Pencil. But I think I may just be too analog and old school….

0

Done. Done.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So, this project started nearly 8 years ago. We’ve been working on plots, theories, direction, and characters. A project that reunited friends for over 20 years to create something amazing.

So, we had everything ready to write in November. I sat down. With hundreds of pages of notes and research.

It started taking shape. Then December happened. No work. January, very little done. Then, I pushed into overdrive in February and I got it done.

We returned to the retreat in the mountains. The script is done. We are reading through the first draft. There will be two more passes and then….

0

Is it possible….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

…to write 30 pages of a screenplay in one day?

I may have done it. What is that really? about a 30 minute scene. or 1/4 of a movie?

I’m not fooling anyone. These pages aren’t going to set for shoots. So I know that I will do a few more passes over it.

But I’m impressed!

0

“Doctor, Oscar is Flatlining!”

Posted on by CV Whitfield
photo courtesy of Hollywood Reporter

Let’s be blunt. The Oscar broadcast is dying. Eventually it will be dead.

Facts are hard to dispute. The numbers are falling. There’s several factors for this.

In the last 24 hours, the Academy has released that several awards will be presented during commercial break. And for some ridiculous reason, “professionals” are now throwing tantrums of how this destroys the work these people do. Really?! It doesn’t undermine their work. It’s a freaking award show. I don’t recall box office numbers aiding in what is considered the best movie of a year. No, its a closed group of peers that vote. A movie can win best picture that only had a box office draw of $22M. Yet, something like Avengers can bust records at $1.5B. (Oh, its because Avengers was on 4K screens and the best picture was only on 207–uh, no.). There’s a reason the best picture is on 207 screens. Because the average movie going audience wouldn’t go see it. Does it make it a better movie? I guess it’s a matter of opinion and certain points of view….

This isn’t the reason the Academy Award show is declining. The real reason: THE INTERNET!

Yes, its the World Wide Web. And honestly, I believe the show will be exclusively broadcast stereaming on an Academy website very soon. Now, why is it dying? I read an article several years ago and I can’t recall who wrote it or where it was published, so I apologize as its not my intent to disrespect that intelligent soul. Yet, that person predicted why the Oscars would die. And they were right. That person predicted that the use of Social Media would destroy the viewership of the Oscars. It’s coming true.

The reason people watched the Oscars was because it was a way to see your favorite stars outside of the movies. They wanted to see the glamour and the glitz. They wanted to see their favorite actors arrive on the carpet and talk to the reporters. It made these stars more earthborn more relatable. Something magazines couldn’t do. Now, we have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These actors are watched by millions everyday. They know what they eat. They know when they run to the grocery store. Why would I want to watch a 4 hour show on them sitting and clapping?

And don’t get me started on the Polictical Correctness and Identiy Politics that Hollywood seems to be infatuated with lately. This hurts the bottom line although they can’t see it through their moral righteousness. BEFORE you send me hate mail (email), I speak honestly as a consumer of movies and someone that is currently trying to make them. Movies made me who I am. I love it. Yet, I don’t think a contrived award show dismantles the hard work we all do. That’s just the gravy, baby!

0

Last minute …. greatness!

Posted on by CV Whitfield

For as long as I can remember. I have been a procrastinator. I always say I’ll get an early start and if you work slowly there will be plenty of time to complete the project.

Sounds good on paper. Yet, I don’t think I’ve ever done that.

Then, suddenly, the deadline approaches. What seemed like an eternity just a few days ago, is now being questioned if it’s enough time at all. The rush is on. Every hour is now focused.

And so here I sit. Same ol’ same ol’. The script is due by the 15th. The project started sometime in November. Technically, I should finish a couple days earlier so it can be reviewed and one last edit. Is it a problem that about 40 pages shy of the needed amount? Wait, thats about 10 pages a day, right? I can do that.

As I said, this is typical for me — school papers, miniature painting competitions. Those stressful last minute pushes to get things done have worked well. I’ve always gotten good scores or awards. So perhaps I work best under pressure and in those last minute rushes, I succeed with greatness. Well, cross your fingers and wish me luck….

0

It’s not the size ….

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So I spent most the day writing but my spoils of the day’s progress was only a page and a half.

Granted I was working on a script vs prose. Yet I think screenwriting is just as hard. Writing a scene has to be blocked out, rehearsed, reviewed and then rewritten. Every detail is critical. Writing a novel or even a prose short story lends for some embellishments. The script, on the other hand, can’t relish in this outcome.

The script is in every sense a poem. It’s poetry for the camera and filmmaker. The writer must convey a voice for the story. The words create the tone and substance. Scripts just like any other written form has an identity and can be very unique. Not to say, I’ve read very dry scripts and I’ve read very descriptive ones. Neither was done incorrectly. Yet if there’s something added that doesn’t resonate reasonably in the scene then it shouldn’t be on the page.

So, 1.5 pages today …. tomorrow will be a day for more until that magic 120 is reached!

0

Losing Faith…. pt. three.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

In the documentary, George gives some interesting insight on his film making philosophy. One of those insights: “you don’t have to spend much film time to create an environment.” George continues to say that sci-fi movies are notorious to do this to show off the amount of work and it slows the pace of the movie. Star Wars pulled this off. Perhaps it was simply there wasn’t a budget to do it. Yet, it worked as he said. I don’t need a 3-4 minute fly-over of Manhattan to get a sense the characters are in a big city. But when it came to the prequels, I found George was showing off more and more of the environments: Coruscant, Naboo, etc. The magic of CGI and digital paintings made them great eye candy but the feel of the movies changed.

George also stated, “my effort was to use less exposition and tell the story cinematically.” Again, the prequels are riddled with dialog to tell us where the action is going. The dialog is there to enrich the story – not tell us what we’re looking at: “They went up the ventilation shaft.” “There’s a problem with the main reactor!” Both were just seen only seconds ago. Either George thought we weren’t so bright or he was catering the story to a different audience (more on that later).

The Force was also one of the big issues with the Prequels. George needed to somehow convey that Anakin is more powerful in potential than other Force users / Jedi. But how do you do that? Simple. You make it a scientific explanation. In the previous Trilogy, The Force was a mystical entity, a source for a faith and religion. Yet, in the new Trilogy, it’s all about how many microbial parasites you have in your blood. More exposition. Dialog could have easily fixed this – would have benefited the story not try to explain it. I think this tarnished the mystery and power of The Force.

In the original expanded canon, it was told that Anakin Skywalker married a young queen. This was the mother of both Luke and Leia. We never got a name nor a true definition of her royal line. We really didn’t need it. The mystery was sorta interesting. Yet, now we have the opportunity in the Prequels to explore her character. Yet, is she really a Queen. No. George’s personal political opinion interfered with the fantasy. She needed to be elected to the position because an elected official seems more moral, right? Again, this failed the overall story in a galaxy, far, far away. And by the time she was married to Anakin and gave birth she was no longer a Queen but a simple Senator.

That last example could also lead into another one: changing the previous known canon. In Return of the Jedi, Luke asks Leia if she “remembers her mother, her real mother?” This clearly points to the idea that Leia as well as Luke and Han know she was the adopted daughter of Bail Organa. Could it just be an error in the writing and Luke is projecting his own knowledge toward Leia? Possibly. But why didn’t Leia freak out and say “what do you mean, real mother!?” By the time we got Revenge of the Sith, Padme Amidala died in child birth. So how could Leia possibly remember her. (I know fans have tried to explain this as Force memory) But why did it happen in the Prequels? George could have easily supported what he’d already told the audience.

These are just some examples. Next time, I’ll propose alternatives….

to be continued….

0

Losing Faith…. pt. two.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

In 1983, Star Wars was finished with the release of Return of the Jedi. The hero’s journey was complete. The redemption of the father was successful and freedom was restored to the Galaxy.

Ten years passed. In 1993, George Lucas, finally pleases fans, stated he would return to do another Star Wars movie (starting a new trilogy). A couple years later, we got some hard evidence that he’s writing and producing this new movie. History noted that the release of The Phantom Menace (in 1999) was the most anticipated movie of all time. Being part of it, I would agree. George’s new movie could have never made a dollar but he would’ve still come out a billion dollars richer just in food and toy merchandizing. I don’t recall a time, then or since, that I saw the Star Wars logo more – Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Burger King ran promotions that had bobbles to collect while we bought value meals no one wanted. Companies like: Hasbro had action figures, Pepsi had collector cans, and Applause had vinyl statues. Not to mention, bed sheets, coffee cups, toothbrushes notepads, keychains, tennis shoes. I bet there was motor oil, toilet paper and dishwasher detergent.

I saw the movie at midnight. I actually saw it 7 times that first day. I loved it. I couldn’t get enough of it. Maybe I was just so desperate for Star Wars I took what I got and loved it on first sight alone. I watch it often – even 20 years later. It isn’t that bad. But, there are a few flaws in it. There is also several flaws in the other two films that would conclude the Prequel Trilogy.

There’s a Star Wars video that I’ve seen nearly as many times I’ve seen the movies. It’s called From Star Wars to Jedi, The Making of a Saga. For me, it was the quintessential behind the scenes documentary and the inspiration for my own creative theory and projects. It was the first time, as a kid and later as an adult, to get insight on George’s philosophy on the story and production. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a better one even today. The only better historical device for the films is the books written by J.W. Rinzler. I recommend any fan to watch.

Where did George go wrong? Well, ….

(to be continued….)

0

Losing Faith…. pt. one.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

George Lucas started creating his Star Wars in 1973. After several years, he would finish it with its release on 5/25/1977. He based it on his inspiration of movie serials, like Flash Gordon, and others movies (Kurosawa) as a child living in Modesto California. His enjoyment at the theater is one of the most obvious reasons why George entered film school back in the mid-1960s. He studied anthropology and literature, researched many aspects of mythology, like the works by Joseph Campbell’s Power of Myth and Hero’s Journey, in his quest to tell great stories and the eventual creation of his galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars wasn’t straight up science fiction. It was more fantasy set in a universe with technology greater than our own. The story didn’t go so far as to convenience the audience the believability of the technology. Instead it was a simple story of good vs. evil, family truth and the hero’s journey that just happened to have starships. Star Wars was really just a sword and sorcery tale – the first one on film. We had swords: lightsabers. We had sorcery: The Force. Although we had this concept in literature with the likes of JRR Tolkien, there really wasn’t any movies. Not until the 1980s would films be made in the genre later dubbed: Sword and Sorcery! (the rise of D&D also helped but that’s a different topic)

During the creation process, George created fantastical situations like swords of light, armored troopers riding lizards, and sensing presences and life. We just got them. It wasn’t explained how or why it was. We didn’t care (at least my child self). The creator – the author – saw these things and believed them. The story worked because of it. In a sense, it was magic….

to be continued….

0

You Must Believe.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

As a writer, I struggled for so many years and worried over so many stories on whether the details were realistic. Could the events happening in the story really happen? Would the characters really do this? Does the law of physics allow this object to move like that? Which one is better: fission or fusion? Can a horse jump that high?

When you’re writing science fiction, the science really makes me stress. I’m not a scientist and I’m not the smartest crayon either. But I do have an interest in learning. Science intrigues me and fascinates. I’m not so good on the math or the equations but I can usually grasp the basics. I want the details to be realistic yet not embarrass myself either. And it can’t just be techno-babble either. I feel when I do that it does sound a bit too Star Treky.

Like, I stated it took a long time to overcome the hurdle. My own grounded mind kept my stories plagued with believability. When you read a story, or watch a movie, you sometimes have to suspend your disbelief. This is true and exists as the author and creator of the work. Before I completely learned this, I just started writing fantasy or science-fantasy. This allowed me to make it up. I’ve returned to writing science fiction but I’ve decided I’ll research it the best I can, but in the end, it is my tale.

Hint: the writer just has to believe the story. It doesn’t always have to make sense. It doesn’t have to meet some set of rules or laws. It just has to be fun. It just has to entertain. So if you believe a man can fly or a ship can travel between the stars, it’s not important that you explain it. Just tell the story!

(This theory is why I think some films and books fail. Something that I think George Lucas may have lost. More to come on that….)

0

World’s Finest: analysis.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So, I wrote how history was different in the mid 90s and we had the awesome luck to have a Superman and Batman movie in 1995 with Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton. The geek world would have truly rejoiced if that had happened nearly 25 years ago.

Yet, I also want to point out that the movie back then would have been completely different than what we finally got in 2016. It would have been a positive and heroic journey – a team-up in every sense of the term. Back then, we wanted movies that inspired. Movies to look up to. We wanted reassurance that the world is still great – where good defeated evil. Our super-heroes were symbols of hope and perfection. They were role-models. We wished we could be like them. Superman was super because he didn’t represent the stereotypes but instead represented righteousness. The character taught us morals and ethics. Then, this changed….

Somehow, the studio (publisher too) in charge of our favorite characters (more specifically my favorite character: Superman) needed to be part of the modern status quo. He/Them is/are flawed. Superman needed to have inner demons. He needed to question everything and everyone around him. Johnathan Kent thought him he couldn’t trust anyone so why would anyone trust him, and vice versa. We got a Superman in the post 9/11 world (you know, where parents sue the Kents because Clark could have endangered lives when he actually saved them. No one blames the tire. Or the guys at the garage for putting faulty tires on the bus. The parents should be thankful instead they call him out. It’s not a positive scene anyway you look at it.) This is a world where Superman should be feared. A Superman with all due respect was not super. This disappointed fans. They even tried to force feed us hope stating his S was Kryptonian for the very word. (Not just a family crest but a perfect time for some moral lessons). Superman wasn’t there to save kittens from trees and stop jewel thieves. Instead he was running from his destiny. How’s that sending a message of hope? Oh well.

Batman was now introduced not as a dark, lone vigilante but an aging cynical man that feared Superman. Not only fear him, but to blame him for the rain of destruction on Metropolis or more specifically the Wayne Building in Metropolos (say what? That’s convenient). The entire point of Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman was for everyone (not just the characters in the film but the audience) to fear Superman. Why? Is it just the time we’re in today or does someone think that he’s more interesting as flawed, unpredictable, scary, powerful alien. In Superman II (1980), Superman battled General Zod (and his henchman). That Metropolis had its citizens cheering Superman, supporting the fight even though it was causing millions in property damage. Heck, they even tried to take on Zod when they thought Zod had killed him. In the new version, citizens of Metropolis are blaming Superman for bringing evil to our planet. They blame him for wrecking the city – they demand justice. They are inconvenienced. They have no loyalty. Everyone seems out for themselves. It’s a world where they demand security but forgot that it takes people to risk their lives for it. They forget how Superman is there to unite – to save them. Now, it’s politics and pointing fingers. We can’t just have simple heroes anymore. No. We must be skeptical. We must reject the ideology. We have lost faith in truth, justice and the American way!

The 1980s (filmatically) was an era of hope and positive community. The movies were fun. They made us laugh. They made us cry. They were great movies because we’re still talking about them to this day. I just feel like the post 2010 movies are more about dividing and trying to direct blame at our faults than working together to over come them. Maybe its just me but I felt we’ve definitely lost something not only in society, our culture, but our pop-culture too. I’m curious if anyone in 20 plus years will be still talking about Man of Steel or Justice League. They may be it wont be the same….

0

Worlds Finest.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

So, let’s pretend that history was slightly different.

It’s 1990. The world has just experienced Batman as a big budget (and dark) movie masterpiece. Fans are rejoicing and dancing in the streets. We’ve not been this excited since …. well, I don’t know…. but its BIG!

The intelligent minds and businessmen at Warner Brothers green light a sequel. Duh. Who wouldn’t, right? So work begins immediately on the next chapter. They call it Batman Returns. (Not sure why this was the title since its not like he went anywhere. Maybe they could have called it Batman Strikes Back. Nah, what’s he striking back at? It’s not like he lost at the end of the first movie. Maybe, Batman Again! Yeah, we get Batman AGAIN! That’s kinda dumb. It’s the title that doesn’t so much refer to the movie itself but to the audience to tell us, “hey! Batman RETURNS!!! Go buy tickets!”) [back on topic] The movie starts production but there’s one tiny difference….

Batman saves Gotham again. Bruce Wayne finds a stray black cat and he thinks of Catwoman with one life left. We pan up to see the Bat Signal and Catwoman pop her head up. Then the clouds of the signal are broken by something zooming through them. We cut to the credits. After a couple minutes the credits are interrupted – fade in to Wayne Manner. The Batmobile blasts out of the Batcave. A blur of red and blue flies into the frame and block the Batmobile – which slams on the bat brakes! We cut back to the thing blocking Batman’s path – It’s SUPERMAN! Christopher Reeve’s Superman. His blue eyes look down at the Batmobile as the roof slides open to see Batman poking his head out. Wide shot of Superman and Batman. Superman speaks, “Batman – or should I say Bruce Wayne (x-ray vision folks) – I need your help in Metropolis. I’ve got a problem right up your alley. See, there’s this little problem with an old Kryptonian computer….” Cut back to the credits. Fade out.

The style is beyond its time. But don’t discard it. Let’s also move forward on the assumption Superman III never happened in 1983 (or the bad Superman IV: Quest for Peace in 1987). Because the original story plot for Superman III was meant to be a story about Brainiac but due to budget constraints and a studio that demanded Richard Pryor be in a Superman film, we got what we…got. Warner Bros. begins production on the next block buster super-hero movie for release in 1995. The title: WORLD’S FINEST: Superman & Batman. Today, you could have just stuck to World’s Finest, but in the 80/90s you had to put the characters in the title or no one would know it was a Superman and Batman movie.

1995. World’s Finest opens starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton in a double bill, and the fans go crazy. The movie breaks records. It destroys the 1993 record for Jurassic Park. Revolutionary special effects from Industiral Light & Magic creates a marvoulous Brainaic. Batman works to hack into the system and manipulate the ex-Kyptonian computer program. And Superman flies in just at the right moment to fling Brainaic and his ship toward the Sun! It sets up for a new status quo for super-hero films. And the world rejoices!

Oh I wish that were the way things went. Fanboys have always dreamt of a Reeve/Keaton team-up. It would have been stunning….it would have been legendary!

0

1989.

Posted on by CV Whitfield

If you had the privilege of living in 1989, then you experienced the very first massive Block Buster summer. Being a kid, it was geek overload. And it was a historic event that should be talked about more often.

First, this was the summer of sequels: Ghostbusters II, Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade, Back to the Future II, Star Trek V, Lethal Weapon II, License to Kill (Bond 16), Karate Kid III, Friday the 13th VIII, and Nightmare on Elm Street 5! That’s a lot of sequels for any year.

Not to mention, we got great movies like: Batman, Dead Poets Society, When Harry Met Sally, The Abyss, and yes, Weekend at Bernies! That’s not even the entire list. Just my favorites.

There was no internet. No social media. The only way to get a heads up on things was to read Starlog magazine or Variety. Sometimes you could watch TV and catch an episode of Entertainment Tonight. Lastly, word of mouth – maybe you had a friend that had a cousin who’s roommate was working as a grip on the film production. Sometimes, when I think back to that time, I’m surprised I found out about anything.

It was Starlog magazine and comic fanzine called Comic Scene where I first heard of the film Batman. Seeing that first image of Michael Keaton in the batsuit in front of the Batmobile, I was mesmerized. I remember just staring at it for hours (literally). I was just so happy and excited at the same time. This definitely was not the old TV series. I just wanted to talk about it so I drove to the local comic book store. (And in a small town, I don’t remember too many folks that were geeks like me).

I remember that the casting was not accepted by fans. Many really were worried that although it looked dark, it was going to be another campy version of Batman (the casting of Michael Keaton – who was considered a comedic actor). Now that I think about it. It wasn’t that much different than today. We still voiced opinions. We still griped. We still complained. Yet, the only difference was: it was you and 4 of your friends not a sea of millions of digital voices. I do recall that I was quite positive the movie was going to be everything we could want. It was going to be just as good as Superman (1978) – which was my favorite super-hero film of all time – then and now. (I understand that up till 1989, there wasn’t many of them. But still…)

That was a summer of sounds too. It felt like no matter where you went you heard the song On Our Own by Bobby Brown or Batdance by Prince. I know it sounds odd when I say, when I hear those songs even today, I’m transported back to 1989. My body is connected to that year. Even crazier, I feel like I can perceive the year, smell it, touch it. It’s hard to explain. Yet, I see specific moments – as if part of me is still there.

If the 1980s had to end on a bang, I would say it did. Technically, it was more like an explosion – a death start-like explosion!

(More 80s to come….)

0