Items of interest: Remakes, hobbits, gay marriage, tax sniping, human divide and Phelps-woes

[misscam]

Sky One wants to remake Blake's 7?

Okay, there's been some fairly smashing revivals of older sci-fi shows - Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica - but I still feel my mind do a firm double-park in the "Hell NO"/"Oh, bollocks" spaces. Prove me wrong, Sky?

del Toro to direct The Hobbit, it seems, as well as one other movie...

The second will be an original story focusing on the 60 years between the book and the beginning of the Rings trilogy at which point my brain went "uh oh". Original story? I already feel fear.

Majority of voters support the new marriage bill in Norway.

(This being the bill that makes marriage gender-neutral - we already've had a form of civil gay marriage for over a decade already.) I am not surprised the voters for the Christian People's Party is the main exception. Then again, since that party gets only 6% of the vote, they're welcome to it. They're also the only party to be against abortion, but they don't talk too loudly about that since then Norway would be all Bitch, please.

Wesley Snipes gets three years in jail for tax offences.

... DO NOT CHEAT THE TAXES ARE YOU INSANE. The various tax bodies of the world are freaking hardcore. Do not kid with them, they carry forms and the righteous indignation of the lawful tax payers.

A study suggests humans might have started down the path of evolving into two separate species before merging back into a single population some 100,000 years ago.

Two species of humans... How would that have gone, one wonders. Extinction for one, dominance for the other? Co-existence, peacefully or otherwise? Hmm-hmm.

How to do a U-turn.

Perhaps fandom could learn a bit there, yes. My favourite is still what gets quoted in the comments: "When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do, Bushsir?"

Aww, having money issues, Freddie boy?

When some evolution-deniers always make a fuss about being related to apes, I'm always tempted to go "You're upset about being related to apes when you're sharing a genepool with Fred Phelps?" Seriously, I'll take apes any day. At least they manage to make sense now and then. And be more dignified.

An old meme repeated, because it's fun:
Ask me to take a picture of something in my life and I will.
(Perverted requests will be ignored. Because I am no fun.)

WEEKEND.

Comments

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

Okay, there's been some fairly smashing revivals of older sci-fi shows - Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica - but I still feel my mind do a firm double-park in the "Hell NO"/"Oh, bollocks" spaces. Prove me wrong, Sky?

When I was ten years old, I had two goldfish called Jenna and Blake. Obviously, being a geek started early. I'd be very interested in looking at a remake, but yeah, you have the risk of it being very lame indeed, rather than awesome.

[denorios.livejournal.com]

I'm kinda 'hmm' about the idea of a second movie set between the Hobbit and LOTR. On the one hand, 'original story' oh hell no, but on the other there's enough material in the appendices to flesh it out, I think, with Sauron and the Wizards driving him out of Mirkwood and the last King of Gondor and I think it could be quite promising! As long as Aragorn's in there somewhere. *grins*

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I fear the lame greatly. Sure, there are some fab revivals, but knowing how badly TV can fail and thus tarnish the original, I feel myself weary. but we shall see.

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

There was also some talk about remaking Logan's Run at one point, which instilled the same YAH!/OHNOES! feeling in me, lol!

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I would actually like to see some of the stuff in the appendixes filmed, I really would. So of the stuff that happens in Mirkwood has potential to be awesome. But on the other hand... A lot of what was "original" in the LotR movies just didn't work for me, so I fear the writing a bit.

Eh well, we shall see.

[sinneahtes.livejournal.com]

I've got that same "uh-oh" reaction to the second movie (related to the Hobbit), though more because of fandom than the idea of it, heh.

How about a picture of the inside of your fridge (or cabinet/pantry/other food storage place)?

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

The idea of a B7 sequel series has been kicking around since the end of Series Four. Darrow himself has said he'd be interested in turning up for it, although whether this would be as a background mastermind or a cameo is debatable. Half the B7 fanfic is about What Happened Next.

A remake... I dunno. While the themes and characters are certainly revampable, a lot of the punch of the original came from the times it was broadcast in and the comparative state of SF TV which had come before. Thirty years on, the field is a lot wider and (especially recently) deeper. While the techniques certainly exist now to bring Blakes 7 roaring across the screen in full CGI-supported glory, it would be going up against viewers' comparisons with Firefly, the new BSG, and so forth. Not to mention comparisons with its original version.

I will freely admit that it's by no means impossible to recreate an old show for the 21st century and do it well. Look at Doctor Who. I just don't know if B7 is something that needs to be redone.

[cincoflex.livejournal.com]

O I dunno--I think I'd like a remake of Blake's Seven. I know that probably brands me as heretical in your eyes, but part of the reason the remakes you've mentioned have had success is that the actors participating in the productions know their characters, and take some personal interest in the stories. While there's a chance that a remake could be a disaster, sure, I prefer to look at all the *possibilities* in casting and plotting for such an undertaking.

There has always been an optimistic element in Sci-Fi even in spite of gritty and negative scenarios.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I have never seen the original. Do I fail?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I think I've forgotten how scary LotR fandom could be. Luckily for me?

Heh, I'll see what I can do.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm a bit on the fence about it. I mean, I've loved several remakes, but as you say, shows are a product of their. What worked then doesn't always carry well, and staying true to it while managing to adapt it to something new as well is a delicate balance.

but since I love some remakes, I would give it a chance.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I love the remakes of BSG and Doctor Who. I'd never call anyone heretic over such a thing, heh. My initial reaction is just dubious. I'm not convinced it would be great - but that doesn't mean it isn't possible it could be.

Maybe I just have low expectations for television.. ;)

[skybound2]

Okay, the Wesley Snipes thing? Ouch. That's some harsh sentencing for failing to file tax returns. The fact that the judge gave him that harsh of a sentence because he's famous and he wants to make an example of him is really wrong. There are so many worse things that people (celebrities included) do, and they DON'T get such a harsh sentence, that it's just ridiculous.

The speciation thing: There has been talk along those lines for a little while, as I recall. It's one of those really interesting topics that it's really hard to see how it could have turned out. But, given how we (humans) historically reacted to other races and cultures when we encountered them, I'm thinking that the outcome wouldn't have been good, and might have resulted in the near genocide of one of the species.

I AM working on your layout by the way :-)

[furius.livejournal.com]

del Toro confirmed it!

I'm so happy for reasons I don't even understand. A trace of nostalgia perhaps? The release dates for the two movies will be about a decade apart.....I may have spent all my enthusiasm already...

At least there's the LOTR Appendix to prop up the plot for the "second movie." though which character will they follow is somewhat a worrying puzzle...but I have faith in the man who directed Pan's Labyrinth.

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

As I have never seen the original B7, I am as neutral as Switzerland on that particular subject, but the idea of an "original" Tolkien movie scares me. There is enough in Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy that I am still slightly miffed about.

And can I see a pic of your bookshelves, please?

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

That "original story" thing has been around at least since the third movie came out, and yes, it's had some of us worried for a while. I like del Toro, but aaaagh original story. Taken from the Appendix? I doubt it.

[theyellow-daisy.livejournal.com]

Can I see a picture of where you keep your dvd's/movies

[elfie-samurai.livejournal.com]

The second will be an original story focusing on the 60 years between the book and the beginning of the Rings trilogy.

Oh, GOD. Cinematic fanfiction. This could be brilliant, but it also runs the risk of being aweful...

[klose.livejournal.com]

See, the RotK film could pass of for fan fiction as it were, so I'm not sure how much I trust PJ & Co with this 'original story' business. Apparently they filmed scenes where Arwen was actually at Helm's Deep and all sorts of other things, so I have a feeling my ideas will not be... congruent with theirs. Well, I hope I'll be proven wrong. :) I'm still looking forward to The Hobbit itself, and del Toro's touch - Pan's Labyrinth was brilliant.

"You're upset about being related to apes when you're sharing a genepool with Fred Phelps?" Seriously, I'll take apes any day.
LOL! And yes, I completely agree. :/

Also, the meme - I'd like to see a picture of what you see when you look out your window in the morning. :)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

He's gonna appeal, so I guess we'll see how that goes. Sounds like he was being extremely dumb about it all, but yeah, I dunno about three years in jail. Suspended, maybe.

There is a lot of tax evasion out there, which is Not Good.

Mm. It is possible that's what we did to the Neathdertals after all - genocide, possibly somewhat unintentional by simply competing for the same resources. Humanity hasn't exactly been gentle through the ages.

Yay! But I still insisting on paying you something - we can debate what :P

[misscam.livejournal.com]

It could be brilliant - I'd like to see Gandalf carry at least some of it. Just because I trust Ian McKellen to be smashing at it.

I'm crossing my fingers.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Hoo yeah.

I'll be making a picture post with the requests over the weekend - I'll include that ;)

[everysecondtues.livejournal.com]

Ask me to take a picture of something in my life and I will.
BOOKSHELF. Why yes, I do have a bit of an obsession.

I am not enthusiastic about the possible sequel/original story. I'm not certain how I feel about del Toro directing The Hobbit. I loved Pan's Labyrinth, but I'm hoping they won't have the same feel at all.

[crackpig.livejournal.com]

(Perverted requests will be ignored. Because I am no fun.)

Curses.

[aka-paloma.livejournal.com]

When some evolution-deniers always make a fuss about being related to apes, I'm always tempted to go "You're upset about being related to apes when you're sharing a genepool with Fred Phelps?" Seriously, I'll take apes any day. At least they manage to make sense now and then. And be more dignified.

Ahhhh, that resulted in my first LOL of the day. Thank you. That laugh was much needed.

[mthespinner.livejournal.com]

Pic request-bookshelves, always (because I am a geek.)

I have said for at least the last twenty-five years that after the people to whom I am related, a troop of respectable baboons would be a marked improvement. Think of those poor souls who go off to research their family tree-and find that they are related to Phelps. It is almost worse than being related to Oswold Mosely!

[ficlefemale.livejournal.com]

Pic request: Your favorite outfit, and the inside your fridge.

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

No, it just means that I shall sniffle about being older than you. *g*

[fondued-jicama.livejournal.com]

I think I will cry if they don't use the same cast members for these new LotR movies. I mean, that is personal preference and all, but Bilbo didn't age between "The Hobbit" and LotR, and neither did Gandalf; as for the follow-up about Aragorn, I don't believe he would have aged much, either, being ninety and still looking young.

So I'm just very nervous, and I hope they will take on the same actors, if they want to be involved again. And hopefully they will.

As for it being original material... well. Here's hoping there is only so far they could botch up something. I'm more optimistic about all the interesting things they could do; I'll have to see what it's looking like when they get closer to being done.

[lotus79.livejournal.com]

Weekend!

I go back to work Monday. :(

Everyone wants to see your bookshelf, hahaha. I would like to see your computer. Long enough shot so I can see the surroundings you're in when I talk to you. And if I can be sneaky and ask for two... I'd like an outside shot. Because whenever I picture Norway there is naturally tons of snow in my imaginings, so I would like to see what it looks like in Spring. ;)

I stayed up much too late last night and so I am sore and feeling crap today. I should get drunk instead; cos alcohol doesn't give me hangovers, but staying up sober does. Boo.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Psst, I uploaded a new Mulder&Scully pic which is so.shiny and I want in layout please?

[skybound2]

Ohh, that IS shiny :-) I'll be sure and use it!