From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V4 #150 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Saturday, May 22 1999 Volume 04 : Number 150 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: (OT) The Phantom Menace ["Stephen M. Tilson" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 04:44:55 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: (OT) The Phantom Menace Dear /\lloy, I waited the requisite 24 hours for someone else to come forward with this, but it was a no-show - so here goes. Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure, good fortune, and privilege of attending an opening day screening of "The Phantom Menace" courtesy of the good graces of our own Lord Stemish. Thank you, Brian. This will *not* be forgotten, ever. What a blast! The venue was one of San Francisco's remaining single screen large format theaters, the Coronet. Comfy seats, plenty of legroom, and lurid decor. Classic. The line snaked around a parking lot and half a city block, and was populated by some of the strangest humanoids on Earth (this *is* San Francisco, after all). Of course there were your requisite Darth Vaders and Obi-wans, but much more spectacular were the folks dressed as Darth Maul (black/red zig-zagged face paint with small horns - lots of them - on a similarly black/red bald pate). Once inside the theater the games commenced in earnest: light-sabre fights staged by various members of the audience down in front of the screen where there was plenty of room for swordplay and shenanigans. The rest of the audience cheered for the Jedi and booed the Sith (those Vader guys are Sith Lords, btw). Some of the swordplay was quite elegant and majestic - especially in the dim-lit room. I thought of Kurosawa. I casually noted that there were about *ten* speakers lining each side wall. We had plenty of time to stock up on junk food before the curtain drew back and the cheering began anew. After some mostly moronic trailers for movies we'll see on video someday, the moment we've been waiting for occurred... When the star-field appeared and then the well-known STAR WARS logo came up with a crescendo of the trademark music THE CROWD WENT WILD! It was a roar the likes of which hasn't been heard this side of a Rolling Stones concert on a hot Saturday night. WooHoo! The beginning of the film has a familiar look and feel with the preamble retreating towards the vanishing point, and then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Well, you didn't think I was gonna tell, did you?!? The movie was great! I believe that none but the most cynical will go away disappointed. Oh, there may be a little too much of this and not enough of that, but clearly The Phantom Menace is a worthy addition to the Lucasfilms cannon and to the Star Wars saga. Worth special mention are: Natalie Portman's costuming and hairstyles (or are those more appropriately called props?). Fantasticly sumptuous and intricately detailed to the Nth degree. Best surround sound ever. Do I really need to mention the special effects? Thoughtful foreshadowings of the rise of the evil empire. Disturbing revelations of the origins of Anahken Skywalker, his relationship with Obi-wan, and the... I'd best not say. Hmmmm. Make you think, it will. /\/\iles ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 10:27:42 +0100 From: "Terry Overall" Subject: Re: Alloy: (OT) The Phantom Menace >>I believe that none but the most cynical will go away disappointed. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and have been waiting for this movie for what seems an enternity so I guess you could say I'm not a StarWars/Lucas basher. I too had the honour of seeing The Phantom Menace on it's opening day, which was a real bonus for me as it was the day that I was flying back to the UK after a three week vacation in Florida. I wouldn't say that it was a brilliant movie, merely a good one and as a Star Wars buff you don't know how difficult it is for me to say these words. The visual effects/sound are superb and certainly the first reel is 100% Star Wars but as the film wore on I kind of got the feeling that 'something was missing'. Basically, without giving the movie away, the plot was pretty weak as was the acting and the bulk of the characters are bland and nowhere near as appealing as those in the original trilogy. And they didn't give anywhere near enought screen time to the Sith Lords who were, in my opinion, the most interesting characters on screen (however fleetingly). Don't take my word for it though...go see this movie. It's a good 2 hour slice of entertainment, just don't expect a movie classic. TEL ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 14:16:26 EDT From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Alloy: I've finally got it!! I'm so thrilled! Those dear little pixies of sparkling good fortune have finally allowed me to get my hands on a wonderful Thomas Dolby interview I've been yearning for!!! The magazine has been up for auction at eBay a few times (Musician, May 1984), but every single time, I was outbid for it at the very last second by someone laying down immense sums of cash (I couldn't possibly compete!). Well today the weather is incredibly beautiful here, so I decided to go for a walk & eventually happened past a music store downtown which I'd never been in before. On a whim I decided to see if they could get me a Fishman transducer for my cello - and it turns out they can order me one when I'm ready :) - but what else should I find but a few small stacks of magazines from the 80's for $1 an issue, right next to the register. And what should be the third magazine down from the top of the pile, but my sought-after, beloved issue of Musician with Thomas himself on the cover!! I'm so happy :) !!! I've just got home, and I can't wait to sit down & read the interview thoroughly. From what I've picked up from just scanning through it, they seem to discuss a lot of the creative aspects of his work which I'm really intensely curious about. Of course, when I left the music shop I had to glance through the interview while walking home and the first thing I set eyes on is this quote: "My stage show? Well, it's kind of like being dragged backwards through a car wash with a bag over your head. And that's before you even find your seat." LOL!! God I adore him :) I nearly fell in the bushes when I read that! Another thing that caught my eye was the mention of his personal system for writing out musical ideas & depicting sound textures - not in standard notation but a sort of heiroglyphic. I'd love to see this. I wonder if he still uses such a system or can he work from his head without needing to write things down? Anyway, I can't wait to read the whole thing & get the pictures & quotes up onto my page. This will be a fun one. Though I'm suspicious of this 'Morgan Roberts' who's interviewing him...! Robin T ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 09:20:50 -0700 From: Kathleen Truelove Subject: Re: Alloy: (OT) The Phantom Menace I totally agree. My hubby and I saw this movie late last night. I was quite impressed with Phantom Menace. It stands up to all the hype surrounding it. I encourage everyone to go see this movie when they can... May the force be with you, always.... Kate;-) Stephen M. Tilson wrote: > Dear /\lloy, > > I waited the requisite 24 hours for someone else to come forward with > this, but it was a no-show - so here goes. > > Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure, good fortune, and privilege of > attending an opening day screening of "The Phantom Menace" courtesy > of the good graces of our own Lord Stemish. Thank you, Brian. This > will *not* be forgotten, ever. > > What a blast! The venue was one of San Francisco's remaining single > screen large format theaters, the Coronet. Comfy seats, plenty of > legroom, and lurid decor. Classic. > > The line snaked around a parking lot and half a city block, and was > populated by some of the strangest humanoids on Earth (this *is* San > Francisco, after all). Of course there were your requisite Darth > Vaders and Obi-wans, but much more spectacular were the folks dressed > as Darth Maul (black/red zig-zagged face paint with small horns - > lots of them - on a similarly black/red bald pate). > > Once inside the theater the games commenced in earnest: light-sabre > fights staged by various members of the audience down in front of the > screen where there was plenty of room for swordplay and shenanigans. > The rest of the audience cheered for the Jedi and booed the Sith > (those Vader guys are Sith Lords, btw). Some of the swordplay was > quite elegant and majestic - especially in the dim-lit room. I > thought of Kurosawa. I casually noted that there were about *ten* > speakers lining each side wall. > > We had plenty of time to stock up on junk food before the curtain > drew back and the cheering began anew. After some mostly moronic > trailers for movies we'll see on video someday, the moment we've been > waiting for occurred... > > When the star-field appeared and then the well-known STAR WARS logo > came up with a crescendo of the trademark music THE CROWD WENT WILD! > It was a roar the likes of which hasn't been heard this side of a > Rolling Stones concert on a hot Saturday night. WooHoo! > > The beginning of the film has a familiar look and feel with the > preamble retreating towards the vanishing point, and then . . . > > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > > Well, you didn't think I was gonna tell, did you?!? > > The movie was great! I believe that none but the most cynical will > go away disappointed. Oh, there may be a little too much of this and > not enough of that, but clearly The Phantom Menace is a worthy > addition to the Lucasfilms cannon and to the Star Wars saga. > > Worth special mention are: > > Natalie Portman's costuming and hairstyles (or are those more > appropriately called props?). Fantasticly sumptuous and > intricately detailed to the Nth degree. > > Best surround sound ever. > > Do I really need to mention the special effects? > > Thoughtful foreshadowings of the rise of the evil empire. > > Disturbing revelations of the origins of Anahken Skywalker, his > relationship with Obi-wan, and the... I'd best not say. > > Hmmmm. Make you think, it will. > > /\/\iles ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 16:41:35 -0700 From: "Jennie Bolton" Subject: Alloy: Re: back again...(off) Charles writes: > Were it not for being able to >watch my beloved Indiana Pacers in the NBA playoffs, I would have been >completely bonkers right now. Hey hey! Go pacers! Cheers, Jennie <-- a Pacers fan since the day they traded Detlef Schrempf for Derrick McKey; and notice - since that trade, have the Sonics gone anywhere in the Playoffs? NO! The Pacers, on the other hand, have made it to the second round at least, each and every year. Hmmmm. PS Sorry about your car. ____________________________________________________ Jennie Bolton, Research Chemist Northwest Fisheries Science Center · Vice-Chair, Pionus Breeders Association ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 19:23:59 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time) From: Brian Clayton Subject: Re: Alloy: I've finally got it!! Hey, good for you, Robin! Gee, I scanned that article a few years ago. If only I knew you wanted it so badly.... :) That interview is, of course, the source of my favorite signature... BC - --- Brian Clayton "Anyway, it's not me that's mad, it's the rest stemish@kumr.lns.com of the world. Aaaaaaaahh!" -- TMDR ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V4 #150 ***************************