Let the Journey Begin!

In a galaxy a long, long time ago I saw, "Star Wars" in the theaters when it was originaly released! Yes I was one of the many who saw it during it's first weekend and back then and to this day take pride in saying, "I saw it 13 times in the theater!"

I love the film! I loathe to call it, "Star Wars... Episode 4... A New Hope" because to me that's now what that movie was back in the summer of 1977. Back then and to me always it will BE "Star Wars."

Now I know the franchise is just that... a franchise an for a younger generation all of the films are linked together, but I maintain that the first three films: "Star Wars," "Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" are arguably one of, if not these best trilogy's ever made... with the exception of the "Godfather" movies. Both suffer from a weak third film in the series, but together... as a whole... because of the strength of the first two movies in both series, they are for me the tops of the tops!

That being said, I did see the first three movies chronologically in the "Star Wars" saga. And if you've ever met me, talked to me, casually read anything here or on my other blog, "The Inside Skinny" you know in two seconds what I think of those films... I hate, hate, hate them! I wrote an open letter to George Lucas after seeing the first episode and I vowed never to buy the DVD's and had no real interest in seeing the first three films ever again.

But then... oh then came Blu-ray and the inevitable, 9 disc 6 film set. My inner geek salivated at the thought of seeing my beloved films... before I knew, but had hoped he wouldn't... George Lucas "Luca-sise" them, altering things now over how they were originally shot and shown. I am a filmmaker and will go to my grave believing, you make a film with the tools you have in a time and place and that's that. You should NEVER be allowed to go back and alter them, including those filmmakers who are now re-releasing films they made in 3-D!(Don't get me started on that) So that being the case I didn't want anything done to the old films, but simply a new, cleaner version for Blu-ray.

So while I got excited and was tempted to buy the new set, I didn't... but for my birthday my dear friend CP... she doesn't like attention so I'll just call her that... gave me the 9 disc set and I was as giddy as Veruca Salt wanting an Umpa-Lumpa... an Umpa-Lumpa Now!

And now because I own the set, I am going to watch every disc in order and write about my experiences. Today starts that challenge! In mere minutes, I will crack open the seal and begin my quest. I don't know how long it will take or how I will feel about the whole project, but I am looking forward to it! I'm going to call this, "Star Wars, The Gut Test" I'm going to try to wipe away any preconceived feelings or notions about all of the films. I'm going to watch this epic in epic form, disc after disc after disc.

I am excited for this journey and hope you will follow along with me! Now I did debate whether or not to write about this trip here at Ketch-Fraze or at "The InsideSkinny" but the latter is really for Triple Sticks Productions... my company and what I'm doing there so I won't write about this there, but will supply a link on that page to what I write here.

I won't deny... I am a card carrying Star Wars geek and proud of it. I just hope more than anything that when it's all said and done, I don't have to turn in my card and become one of the millions who have lost all hope in what is good and evil in life!

David Lynch: Thoughts Anyone?

Watching a documentary on director David Lynch. A lot of his stuff I dig... A lot I don't get... A lot leaves me confused. But I thought I should watch the film, because as a filmmaker I love anything about "processes." How an artist reaches their spot in what they're creating.

Lynch is definitely an interesting cat and how he works is contradictory than me, but I appreciate his mind and thought process.

"Lynch" the film (2007) is a mix of so many things... And I'm not sure if it helped or not, but his bold approach to film and art is worth seeing.

An Odd Way of Watching...

I realized the other day that I have started to watch series in a whole different way. I love a great series like, "Men of a Certain Age."

But I realized that what I've started to do is not watch them when they're on, but to record the entire season, then go back and watch the series in consecutive viewings. Now that's great in that when an episode ends, you have the next one right there on your DVR ready to go and you don't have to wait to see what happens next. But at the same time, it changes how the feel of what the series is all about and I don't know if that's good or bad.

I think it really started when I wanted to get caught up on "Weeds." I hadn't watched it when it first came out, so I used my Netflix and went through the first 3 series or so back to back to back to back and boom I was caught up and it was so exciting! For me that was the best way to get caught up and watch everything. I watched it all in just a couple of nights. But now, that has continued into how I watch series now.

Don't get me wrong, I love and support series television and hope one day to work in it because I like the feeling of it, but I don't know if watching a whole series in a couple of nights is what I should be doing or should I just be watching each week and getting so excited for what happens next?

Well I don't know yet... but before I make a decision... I still have to get a couple of more series I have on DVR off the machine first! :)

I Love the Process...

I want to give you the heads up about two shows on Showtime right now... Two shows that give you the inside look at the process.

The first is, "The Green Room with Paul Provenza." I love this show... it's so much more than just a bunch of comedians sitting around a table and talking. It's about the process, an inside look at everything from the structure of a joke, philosophy about the business to what is funny. Each week Paul brings in 4-5 people to talk shop and it's a wonderful look at something we all probably wish we could do. You don't have to be a comedian to appreciate it, you turn it on and you're locked in and boom it's over and you find yourself saying, "I could have watched that for hours, why did it end?" And that in and of it self is one of the beauties... just when you want more, it wraps up and leaves you wanted and craving the next show. "The Green Room with Paul Provenza" Thursday nights on Showtime.

Oh and one added bonus... Paul and I are Twitter buddies and he actually answers his own Tweets... maybe one day we'll even get to work together and have a drink or three.

The second show is, "The Franchise: A season with the San Francisco Giants." They're behind the scenes follow the defending World Champions through the start of the season all of the way until it ends. It's an engaging look at a team... and they really are a team as they go through the ups and downs of the season. Very much like Paul's show, this is a show about the process and you don't have to play baseball at all to enjoy it and get a sneak peek at what it's all about.

Thursdays on NBC in the 80s and 90s use to be about "appointment TV"... these two shows are the updated versions of that phrase and whether you watch them live, DVR/Tivo or online... spend some time with them and you won't be disappointed!

And with that... it's off to get in some kind of a workout! Peace

Just wrapped up instructions

Pulled jury duty, on break now, but according to instructions I should expect to be here all day long!

I hope I at least get a good trial.

When Good Casts Get Bad Movies!

My Netflix pick for this week turned out to be the film, "Red." I had a lot of hope for this one, because of the great cast involved: Morgan Freeman, Mary-Louis Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis and more!

You see a cast like that, you read about the film and see it's going to be that old stand by, "We're getting the band back together," kind of a film and you think there is some hope.

But alas, other than Mirren looking sexy as usual, Mary-Louis Parker as more visual candy than anything else because her character was weak and could have been played by anyone... even Kristen Stewart. And the occasional line here or there, "Red" was not worth a selection.

Now as a filmmaker, I have total respect for the art... see some of my other post on Blogger.com at "The INSIDE Skinny" but as an indie filmmaker I just look at all of that talent up on the screen, know how much they are roughly getting paid and then thinking to myself, "If I had just a half day of the craft services budget for that film, I could make movies for 10-20 years without needing another cent!"

So let me throw this out to you... what are some of YOUR favorite or not so favorite films that had great cast, but in the end, let you down with the final product?

An Open Letter to "Glee"

Dear Glee,
You've jumped the shark... and truth be known you jumped it a long time ago. Now I was not a fan in the beginning. I stayed away, fighting the popularity and the urge to be one of the millions. But then, Netflix came into my life and I took a chance and in a matter of a couple of DVD marathons, I was converted. I became a "Gleek!"

My favorite episode to date, is still the football team doing Beyonce. You were creative, interesting, the music worked and it was more than just another show with music in it... you had a place in my heart.

But alas you have fallen... like a prom dress in a cheap hotel with cold duck in paper cups... you have cheapened my pleasure I had for you. There may be hope. You may be able to salvage something moving forward... it won't be easy, but here are some important suggestions to help you find your way again:

1. If you're going to do a special episode it has to be special. It can't be just an extra 30 minutes to add some marginal music and performances but not move the story along at all. Don't make me waste my time sitting through 90 minutes if really all you have is a good 20 mintues at best. (See last week, 26th episode for reference)

2. No Sue... No good! As I "C-IT" Sue Sylvester needs to be in every show. Like any good TV junkie we need our track suit wearing, razor sharp retort firing, perfect foil to "Gel-man" Mr. Shuster in every show. Give me a little or a lot... but give me something!

3. On the opposite end of the spectrum... who decided Brittany needed to be a more thoughtful, flushed out character? She's not... she was perfect just the way she was. Dropping the dumb blonde-isms to perfection... no offense to blonde's everywhere. I miss seeing her in her cheer leading uniform, it's beyond a boy fantasy fetish here, her Cheerio's outfit was her strength. 2-3 really great lines dropped out of nowhere, like a Twitter Bomb per show was perfect... just enough Brittany to keep you wanting more.

Now I know the "itunes" part of the show is working to perfection, but what made Glee so special and so great is that at first music was a part of the show it worked it's way into the stories and was a part of the fabric of the show. Now it just feels like a reason for Fox and "itunes" to just rake in the money from millions of teens and preteens who really should be saving money for college rather than downloading bad... yes I said it... bad Gwyneth Paltrow guest appearance vocals.

If you have a soul... if you have a heart... give me more of the old Glee and less of the Glee-For-Profit. I and the rest of the world, or at least those who watch Glee will thank you.

Sincerely,
A-Fading Away "Gleek"