9.21.2008
The Wild Hunt's Pop-Culture Round-Up
A brief look at happenings in the world of film, television, comics, and novels.
Well, the first episode of the BBC's new series "Merlin" premiered yesterday, what did the critics think? I think it's safe to say that Mark Pickavance at Den of Geek hated it.
"...it’s all over the place. One minute it’s legend, then slapstick, then panto, then drama, horror and then mystery – they missed out the science fiction and western genres, but we’ve another 12 episodes of this for that to be rectified."
Meanwhile, TV Scoop was far more kind.
"...for those of us who were holding our breath and hoping against hope that Auntie's latest Saturday night blockbuster series wouldn't be another turkey like Robin Hood, or, worse, another Bonekickers, that bated breath was released in a rousing cheer of appreciation. This time, they've really pulled it off."
It seems the more you're expecting historical realism or accuracy, the more you're going to be disappointed. Something to keep in mind when it debuts this Winter in America.
Speaking of Brits who practice magic, the Los Angeles Times interviews Alan Moore, author of "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Promethea", "V For Vendetta", and "From Hell" about his upcoming projects and his opinion about the currently-in-litigation film adaptation of his critically acclaimed work "Watchmen".
"Moore has no intention of seeing the film and, in fact, he hints that he has put a magical curse on the entire endeavor. "Will the film even be coming out? There are these legal problems now, which I find wonderfully ironic. Perhaps it's been cursed from afar, from England. And I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come." Moore said all that with more mischievous glee than true malice..."
In addition to cursing Hollywood (a regular pastime for Moore) he also plugs a recent documentary made about him entitled "The Mindscape of Alan Moore", and his upcoming book of magical instruction and history entitled "The Moon & Serpent Bumper Book Of Magic".
While I'm on the subject of Hollywood ruining good stories, Neil Labute thinks his atrocious and wrong-headed remake of the cult-classic "The Wicker Man" is misunderstood.
"The director thought he was taking his personal battle-of-the-sexes theme to its logical extreme by presenting “the uber male nightmare of ‘Here’s an island of women, and this is what happens when they rule the world.’” But many folks couldn’t get past Nicolas Cage in a bear suit. “I’d been very used to polarizing people, and there would be as many benefactors as detractors, but people sort of got together on that one and said, ‘You know what? I think we’re all in agreement. We just don’t care for this,’” LaBute reflected matter-of-factly."
He thinks the film, like the original, was simply marketed wrong. With that I can only agree, Labute's remake should have been marketed as a comedy. In a separate interview, Labute actually disses the original Wicker Man, proving he just didn't "get it".
"I love this movie, love the ending, but it's not that well made. The songs are goofy. I can do something else with this."
Well, he certainly did "something else" with it.
In a final, not-really-pop-culture note, go check out the saga of an angry Wiccan taking down a scam money-for-spells online site. This one has it all, multiple identities, drama, intrigue, and pro-anorexia ties!
"FastSpells.com is a scam website that claims they will cast Magick on your behalf for various sums of money. They claim to be able to find you love, give you an abortion, cure your cancer, grant you immortality, and change you sex organs. No, I'm not kidding about any of those."
Make sure you read the comments, here. It looks like his expose has resulted in the offending sites being taken down by the scam-artists.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: Alan Moore, Comics, Merlin, movies, pop-culture, Television, The Wicker Man
Comments:
Every day I see these televangelists, they sell prayer cloths and mini vials of miracle spring water promising God will fulfill their financial needs and wishes.
*God put five thousand dollars in my bank account!* (after I got my miracle spring water hallelujah).
Oh no, not "selling", *free with your donation*
I was outraged, then entertained. I take fastspells.com as a complement, it is a sign that we Wiccans have hit the big time mainstream! ...well almost.
But we did get acknowledged by Whoopi Goldberg on the view last week!
Anywhere there is a belief and a need, there will be someone filling it, for profit.
Snake oil anyone?
To add to your pop culture post, It was just announced that Nicholas Cage has signed on to a new supernatural Thriller about 14th century Knights transporting a reported witch who is accused of causing the Black Plague.
Doesn't that sound like fun?
omg. What IS IT with Nicholas Cage and BAD WITCH MOVIES!?
Not surprising that Neil Labute didn't "get" the original Wicker Man or even think it terribly artful. This film has been called the Citizen Kane of horror films by Cinefantastique magazine, and its cult following is as much for its quality as its quirkiness. Labute's only notable artistic contribution to cinema is his unabashed misogyny which sometimes feels like a witty piece of social commentary, but more often like a messy explosion of masturbatory self-expression.
I actually think LaBute's not wrong about one thing, in that I don't consider the original Wicker Man to be a horror film either. Still, I suspect his comments about it not being well made say more about him than they do the film.
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Every day I see these televangelists, they sell prayer cloths and mini vials of miracle spring water promising God will fulfill their financial needs and wishes.
*God put five thousand dollars in my bank account!* (after I got my miracle spring water hallelujah).
Oh no, not "selling", *free with your donation*
I was outraged, then entertained. I take fastspells.com as a complement, it is a sign that we Wiccans have hit the big time mainstream! ...well almost.
But we did get acknowledged by Whoopi Goldberg on the view last week!
Anywhere there is a belief and a need, there will be someone filling it, for profit.
Snake oil anyone?
To add to your pop culture post, It was just announced that Nicholas Cage has signed on to a new supernatural Thriller about 14th century Knights transporting a reported witch who is accused of causing the Black Plague.
Doesn't that sound like fun?
omg. What IS IT with Nicholas Cage and BAD WITCH MOVIES!?
Not surprising that Neil Labute didn't "get" the original Wicker Man or even think it terribly artful. This film has been called the Citizen Kane of horror films by Cinefantastique magazine, and its cult following is as much for its quality as its quirkiness. Labute's only notable artistic contribution to cinema is his unabashed misogyny which sometimes feels like a witty piece of social commentary, but more often like a messy explosion of masturbatory self-expression.
I actually think LaBute's not wrong about one thing, in that I don't consider the original Wicker Man to be a horror film either. Still, I suspect his comments about it not being well made say more about him than they do the film.
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