That's what my girlfriend says when I announce that I'm off to the computer and tap-tap-type my way into the night when all sensible human beings are asleep. BAH! Sleep is for the WEAK!
Err, right. Anyway, I was going to go find a convenient internet cafe or Kinko's or something over my lunch break and fire off a quick nonpolitical post, except that, well, I saw my local Barnes & Noble bookstore. It had the latest Orson Scott Card Alvin Maker book. That threw all thoughts of lunchblogging out the window.
It also had the Extended Version (henceforth known as the 'Real' version) of The Two Towers. That's why I'm posting so late. And, let me tell you:
(For the three people in the USA who read blogs and have skipped the LotR series: spoilers below)
Great googley moogley: I had forgotten just how incredibly neat some of those effects were*. I mean, Gollum, that was freaking fantastic how they did that, down to having him tug at Frodo's freaking sleeve, man, and you don't even realize how freaking cool that was until after he stops doing it. Then there was that bit with the Balrog and Gandalf, where Gandalf is all, "Right, as*hole, now that the mortals are out of the way, time to get freaky. You think you're all that as a fire spirit? I'll show you fire spirit, Sparky. I'll fire spirit your sorry Morgothian ass all over Khazad-dum..." OK, not as screamingly omigod as Gollum, but still cool. King line of the first night's viewing, though, comes from my girlfriend when we saw the Winged Riders for the first time: "Yeah, let's see you drown this motherfu*ker in the river."
I know, I know: I don't deserve her.
So, fanboy on LotR, or fanboy on Alvin Maker (which is only suffering by unfair comparison: it's pretty good), or fanboy on my next gotta-buy DVD (Pirates of the Caribbean, of course), or fanboy - or fangirl, or whatever other designator you like - on whatever you feel like fanning about. This is A Geek Thread, brothers and sisters, so get down with your funk-nerdy selves.
Moe
*General coolness of the film I remembered. The best mass combat scenes - which, drool drool drool, have been expanded - I not already remembered but anticipate, assuming I can wait until tomorrow to watch them.
One of my posts may have subconsciously inspired by a Dumbledore speech in Harry Potter. (runs and hides).
Are the new scenes good? I may watch it when my husband is out of town.
But today my geekiness is focused on being proud to be a citizen of my state and a supporter of my presidential candidate.
Posted by: Katherine | November 18, 2003 at 11:13 PM
"Are the new scenes good?"
So far, yes: nice little additions, for the most part. Nothing earthshaking.
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 18, 2003 at 11:32 PM
Man, Moe, that was like a Code 4 geekout. But I'm right there with you - or will be, as soon as Amazon GETS OFF ITS ASS AND GETS ME MY GODDAMN DVD WHICH I ORDERED 5 MONTHS AGO!!!!!!
Phew. If the additions are anything like those made to the first one, they are mainly connective tissue, context, minor curlicues on the narrative that weren't strictly required to keep the story moving. Considering where TT ends, and how much farther we have to go, I'm thinking that the expanded DVD of Return of the King is going to be eight and a half hours long.
My prediction regarding the theatrical release is that it will take them all of five minutes to cross the Mordor plain once they come down from Cirith Ungol, as opposed to the bleak, hopeless hundred-odd pages it took in the book.
Posted by: st | November 19, 2003 at 09:14 AM
I dunno... while it's still a good story, I think Alvin Maker has been on a downward trajectory since 'Red Prophet'. Alvin was just more interesting when he was still learning his powers, and Verily Cooper's actually character seemed better developed in the original poem than in the books. This reminds me - does anyone know if the original Alvin Maker epic poem is available anywhere besides 'Maps in the Mirror'? I want to compare it to the series, but don't want to shell out fifty bucks to buy the hardcover when I already have the short stories on paperback... particularly when I have that money earmarked for my LOTR DVD.
Damn, did I just outgeek Moe on this one?
Posted by: George Jong | November 19, 2003 at 11:41 AM
"I dunno... while it's still a good story, I think Alvin Maker has been on a downward trajectory since 'Red Prophet'."
This was pretty good, all things considered: it tossed in a couple of interesting things about what was happening elsewhere in the continent. The Mormon-influenced aspects of the whole thing are getting a bit more obvious, too. I don't criticize - Catholicism pops up a lot in my own geekstuff, after all.
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 20, 2003 at 12:18 AM