As you can probably notice by the absolute lack of updates in the past two weeks, I'm a wee bit late with the next chapters is Apocalipsis. The next sections are written, but between the general weirdness at the office (DDoS attacks, security issues and other instances of fire raining down from the sky) and a series of small personal issues, I haven't had time to properly review them or edit them. Hence, they have been delayed until probably October.
I've once again started wondering why I insist on writing, and once again came to the same conclusion: I like stories, and I like storytelling. Whether it is from a great Roger Zelazny book (are there any other kind?) such as Lord Of Light, a well-narrated computer game like Gabriel Knight or a good movie like Fight Club, stories enthrall me.
It is because of this that I have this thing about going to the movies. Not just watching them, but the experience of sitting down in a darkened theater not knowing what to expect from a film - just as good computer games are created to be interactive, most movies are meant to be watched that way.
Unfortunately, movie releases lately have stunk so much that they forced me stay away from theaters in general, and more recently, made The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen look not that bad by comparison. Dialogue delivery sucks ("They're in-DES-trucktible"), it's horribly predictable and Norrington just can't get an action scene filmed properly, but it has some endearing characters (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) as well as the underappreciated Richard Roxburgh. And while I'd like to say that it's head and shoulders above Hulk, that's not saying much. This could have been a really good movie in the hands of a more competent producing team - one that wasn't so insecure as to feel forced to include an US character and such howlers as the handing-over-the-century scene.
If you have a chance, of course, it's actually much better to try and get your hands on a copy of Roger Zelazny's brilliant and funny A Night on the Lonesome October, which is probably the closest influence of Alan Moore's comic. As my friend Ernesto pointed out, the movie just isn't worthy of lighting a candle to October.
I must say, I was extremely surprised when I realized that the movie I had enjoyed recently the most was Pirates of the Caribbean, a (ye gods!) Jerry Bruckheimer movie. If that isn't a sign of the upcoming apocalypse, I don't know what is.
Posted by Ricardo at September 26, 2003 09:04 AMThat makes two of us. "Pirates" is actually refreshing, light-hearted fun; reminds of more innocent movie-hero times. I could never expect that from Mr. Bust-the-Whole-Block Bruckheimer.
I agree that LXG is not good, but it could be a lot worse; it's got some interesting visuals, and a handful of interesting characters despite the (hardly avoidable) superficial treatment and the Hollywoodian Rule breaking Alan Moore apart (said rule being, "In an international venture, an American character *must* save the day").
I should say up front that I never got near the theater before completely dumping any hopes for an Alan Moore _adaptation_. I knew all along what to expect. In the end, maybe I could get sad, but not disappointed. And I ended up enjoying the ride. Despite the sadness.
Posted by: Ricardo at September 29, 2003 01:36 PM