Muse by Craig Ranapia

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Muse: The High Aesthetic Line

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  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Is this the right time to say I liked the book?

    It's never the right time, but as that great thinker Sly Stone says different strokes for different folks.

    I wish in that instance Ihimaera had plagiarised someone whose style extended beyond choosing socks -- Edmund White's semi-autobiographical trilogy A Boy's Own Story, The Beautiful Room is Empty and The Farewell Symphony. Or even E.M Forster's Maurice -- which could most charitably be described as Lady Chatterley with fifty percent more cock.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to Mikaere Curtis,

    The thing I appreciated most about ep I to III was the propensity of the jedi to problem-solve using light-sabres. Oh, and the fact that clones are all Jake The Musses.

    What I personally find hilarious (and it's surely relevant to the discussion about racial stereotypes above) is that Mandalorians, and by extension, Jango and Boba Fett and all Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers, are depicted in canon (from the time of the release of Episode II anyway) as having a New Zealand accent.

    True, the accent hasn't always been delivered convincingly (see the Mandalorians in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I & II) but there's still this odd moment when I've though, "Oh wow, so that's how I'd sound saying that!"

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    Steve Gray has a scathing review of Nights in the Gardens of Spain

    Do you reckon he's read the book (or knows there is one, or who wrote it)?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ngaire BookieMonster, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    I can forgive the whole "princess" thing because as a five year old the coolest thing about Leia was right from the beginning she didn't exactly act "princessly".

    At the foot of Mt Te Aroh… • Since Nov 2009 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    Yes, what happened with Amidala was the most annoying part of Eps II and III. Her character actually follows a steady downward path from Ep I. From Queen, to princess, to councillor, to barefoot and pregnant, locked away, to a pleading ex, to dead (from despair?? FFS). But in some kind of way it makes sense within the context of Anakin's rise to power, that her condition is a consequence of her involvement with him. They could have done so much more with it, though.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Duane Griffin,

    Hey Craig, delurking briefly to say it is cool to see you on the PA front-page, and I'm looking forward to reading your stuff.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 21 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to BenWilson,

    But in some kind of way it makes sense within the context of Anakin’s rise to power, that her condition is a consequence of her involvement with him. They could have done so much more with it, though.

    Her death as a consequence of his fall, that makes sense. Stripping her of everything she was and had achieved before killing her...not necessary. Or good story-telling. But doing more with it would have required giving her a thematic arc beyond being Anakin's baby-mama, the kind of story Lucas doesn't seem to be equipped to tell.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Ngaire BookieMonster,

    I can forgive the whole “princess” thing because as a five year old the coolest thing about Leia was right from the beginning she didn’t exactly act “princessly”.

    YEah, but the weird thing is that Naboo has an elected monarchy -- with term-limits, no less. (Why the frak do I know this shit? Can't remember my own cell-phone number but this...)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to BenWilson,

    I think the main problem is that Lucas was trying to mirror the performances of Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, who were both (let us not forget) incredibly young at the time of shooting Episode IV. What's remarkable is that Fisher in particular gave a weighty, assured performance that made her seem far older than she was. Casting Portman as her "mirror", and having her end her arc at around the same age that Fisher ended Leia's was always going to make things tough on Portman, and she simply struggled. (Although she still did ten times better than Christiansen, who never quite understood that there is a difference between acting angry and acting evil.) It's odd that Lucas managed to write such a good, strong role for a female character in Leia, especially given the context of the rest of his work.

    I guess this gets to the core of why I disliked the prequels so much-Darth Vader's fall, to be meaningful, should have been the result of a mature man's conscious decision to betray everything he previously stood for. If Anakin had been 20 at the time of Ep I, and 40ish around the time of Ep III, the actors playing him and Padme could have really mined the depths of the drama inherent in their relationship from the perspective of two adults whose relationship has crumbled under the strain of their conflicting roles in a dynamic political environment, instead of a highly unconvincing tanty by a teeenager with a metal hand.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Looking forward to regular-ish reviews delivered in your inimitable style.

    I can forgive the whole “princess” thing because as a five year old the coolest thing about Leia was right from the beginning she didn’t exactly act “princessly”.

    And didn't do jury service, it seems.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    I thought the antonym pairs were: fangirl, fanboy; fangurl, fanboi.

    Which you all are.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Rob Hosking,

    And didn't do jury service, it seems.

    Is that Sarah Palin?

    Whoops...

    I thought the antonym pairs were: fangirl, fanboy; fangurl, fanboi.

    ... superstar DJs, here we go?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    YEah, but the weird thing is that Naboo has an elected monarchy -- with term-limits, no less. (Why the frak do I know this shit? Can't remember my own cell-phone number but this...)

    There are plenty of them, apparently. Why do you know? See above ;)

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Or even E.M Forster's Maurice -- which could most charitably be described as Lady Chatterley with fifty percent more cock.

    Maybe its that then; some sort of straight-boy cock upper-limit? It'd explain why I like drag queens too!

    I think the main problem is that Lucas was trying to mirror the performances of Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, who were both (let us not forget) incredibly young at the time of shooting Episode IV.

    I think this is a key part of the explanation; the actors were better in the first trilogy. A friend's theory is that despite the patent silliness of the first three movies, the actors played it straight plus there were fewer gags to take you out of the moment whereas the second three lacked actors who could pull off the drama.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Ngaire BookieMonster, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    But Leia was an Alderaan princess (Alderaanian?).

    Cell phone numbers are nowhere near as cool. :D

    At the foot of Mt Te Aroh… • Since Nov 2009 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • Ngaire BookieMonster, in reply to Paul Williams,

    there were fewer gags to take you out of the moment

    Heh. Until you see Star Wars meets The Muppets.
    (Sorry, I have no idea how to embed these things)

    At the foot of Mt Te Aroh… • Since Nov 2009 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    Mr 5 just described Ewoks as "man-eating teddies". Would that they were really so cool.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Ngaire BookieMonster,

    I have no idea how to embed these things

    You just paste the whole link (including the http at the beginning) into your comment and the site does the rest automagically.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Maybe its that then; some sort of straight-boy cock upper-limit? It'd explain why I like drag queens too!

    Wow, I wandered off to make a cup of coffee and it occurred to me that I'd set myself up for someone to speculate how the limit was measured; appearances or centermetres... but... nothing... phew.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Ngaire BookieMonster,

    Heh. Until you see Star Wars meets The Muppets.

    Cool. I used to love Pigs in Space but my favourite segment remains the Swedish Chef (who, I'm told by a Swedish friend, is known as the Finnish Chef in Sweden).

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Lea: we lived in the Berkeley/Oakland for 20 years - there is 'local' drama on TV - the problem is it's all filmed in LA - there seems to usually be at least one cop show full time (currently Monk, used to be that Cheech/Don Jonson thing, ...) and a sitcom about half the time

    Of course they're all filmed in LA sound stages with outdoor scenes occasionally cut with a pic of SF.

    What there really isn't is viable local TV except occasionally for public TV (sadly kqed sucks at that with the one wonderfull exception of 'Tales of the City') any non networked station is in for a quick financial demise (just look at CH 4 when it lost its NBC affiation)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Her death as a consequence of his fall, that makes sense. Stripping her of everything she was and had achieved before killing her...not necessary.

    I was more suggesting that even choosing him could have been played as a fatal flaw in her character.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Wow, I wandered off to make a cup of coffee and it occurred to me that I'd set myself up for someone to speculate how the limit was measured; appearances or centermetres... but... nothing... phew.

    I had work to do.

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to Ngaire BookieMonster,

    Heh. Until you see Star Wars meets The Muppets.
    (Sorry, I have no idea how to embed these things)

    Or even better, The Star Wars Holiday Special.

    It's quite possibly the funniest/most terrible thing I've ever seen. My girlfriend and I still make regular in jokes about "Itchy" and "Lumpy" eating "wookie-ookies".

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Wow, I wandered off to make a cup of coffee and it occurred to me that I'd set myself up for someone to speculate how the limit was measured;

    The workers who would liberate us all from our sexual repressions and life denying neurosis in the works of Lawrence and Forster should be considered as human Higgs bosons -- their existence is entirely theoretical, but they explain absolutely everything. More or less.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

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