1) I hate how directors can let you down. I now find it difficult not to transfer my loathing of Domino - a film physically painful to watch - onto all of Tony Scott's other films. Like any director, he uses certain stylistic topoi, but in Domino everything is turned up far past 11, and the very sight of any now sets my teeth on edge. And I loved Man on Fire, Spy Game and True Romance so very much it feels daft to let one bad film ruin them, but nevertheless: there you go.
I feel the same way about Ed Zwick. Glory is a fantastic tearjerker-true-story about the Civil War's first all-black regiment. He's since duplicated the film's broad pattern in The Last Samuri and Blood Diamond and appears to have (though I haven't seen these, so I could be wrong) in Legends of the Fall and Defiance. I'd be curious to see someone who is read up on reading race to tackle his ouvre, because I find them increasingly sinister viewing experiences. In particular,
Even if I'm overreacting - and I don't think I am, because for a real-life concern to spoil my viewing experience, it can't be very subtle - nevertheless, from an artistic standpoint he has made some very, very similar films.
In the mean time, forgot how much I loved Glory, and am nervous to watch it again. What if I don't love it any more? What if I do?
2) I continue to work on my Doctor Who Tarot pack, but it's beginning to cause me trouble.
The usual disclaimer: I believe Tarot "works", but not through supernatural forces. Humans are just inclined to see patterns, which isn't to say they don't have positive applications. They're also pretty.
First problem: the idea of doing a pack is an aide memoire. Tarot cards are built of big, general meanings and when trying to understand those meanings, many just leapt out at me in Doctor Who terms. The problem is, I've since found other ideas seeping into unclaimed cards - particularly after the ill-advised Blake's 7 readings afternoon. It was hilariously accurate, but some of the concepts have stuck - the Empress and the King of Wands are totally ruined, I can't look the same way at the Two of Cups and the Seven of Wands is the Blake-y-est card ever. Shifting those ideas is difficult, and in a way, unecessary - I do now remember those cards. But it still defeats the integrity of the pack if I cave to it. Tricky...
Second problem: it's throwing up some alarming statistics. Honest truth, I don't do favourite Doctors - I enjoy them and their eras in different ways depending on my mood. I certainly don't do least favourite. Nevertheless, there they are - as I always suspected - as I try to balance the pack 9-ways fairly. Why nine, you ask - well, Eight only had 90 minutes on screen and it's hard seeing Eleven as part of an arc yet. While certain Doctors instantly conjure up helpful concepts, having long been slapped with labels, he's still an intriguing mess - so I can't make blanket statements about his character in the same way. I'm trying hard to crowbar him in, but ultimately, I will be replacing older cards I'm unsatisfied with Eleven as I start getting an idea of Where He Fits In.
Arguably, some concepts are far more apt to translation than others. The battle-scarred Ninth Doctor regaining his drive is one. Five's cheery optimism being crumpled like a paper cup is another. Any and all pre/post regeneration episodes are a third. The Master, UNIT and the Valeyard are useful shorthands for overweeing pride, society and inner-darkness. But there also some glaring, embarassing holes showing an obvious lack of knowledge or interest, some in very unexpected places, and I'm going to have to work overtime at rectifying them.
Unfortunately, I'm starting to accept there is one era that bounces off me like pain in a Neurofen advert. It doesn't feel real. The camerawork feels duff. I've never fallen for the companions. There's nothing intrinsically worse than any other, there are some fab concepts - and the Doctor in question is beyond reproach - but it just doesn't work on me. It always feels like I'm just watching the television, and not even in a campy fun way.
And thirdly: there are cards causing me nightmares: there are some concepts which are in Tarot, but rarely if ever in Doctor Who. In particular, the 10s, 6s and 4s which typically represent relaxation, success and settling down into a happy home life. Plus, I've only seen 50% of the Doctor Who - and I know the answers to some missing cards are in those episodes I've yet to see. And from the Tarot end, there the Court Cards, cards I've never understood at all.
I feel the same way about Ed Zwick. Glory is a fantastic tearjerker-true-story about the Civil War's first all-black regiment. He's since duplicated the film's broad pattern in The Last Samuri and Blood Diamond and appears to have (though I haven't seen these, so I could be wrong) in Legends of the Fall and Defiance. I'd be curious to see someone who is read up on reading race to tackle his ouvre, because I find them increasingly sinister viewing experiences. In particular,
Even if I'm overreacting - and I don't think I am, because for a real-life concern to spoil my viewing experience, it can't be very subtle - nevertheless, from an artistic standpoint he has made some very, very similar films.
In the mean time, forgot how much I loved Glory, and am nervous to watch it again. What if I don't love it any more? What if I do?
2) I continue to work on my Doctor Who Tarot pack, but it's beginning to cause me trouble.
The usual disclaimer: I believe Tarot "works", but not through supernatural forces. Humans are just inclined to see patterns, which isn't to say they don't have positive applications. They're also pretty.
First problem: the idea of doing a pack is an aide memoire. Tarot cards are built of big, general meanings and when trying to understand those meanings, many just leapt out at me in Doctor Who terms. The problem is, I've since found other ideas seeping into unclaimed cards - particularly after the ill-advised Blake's 7 readings afternoon. It was hilariously accurate, but some of the concepts have stuck - the Empress and the King of Wands are totally ruined, I can't look the same way at the Two of Cups and the Seven of Wands is the Blake-y-est card ever. Shifting those ideas is difficult, and in a way, unecessary - I do now remember those cards. But it still defeats the integrity of the pack if I cave to it. Tricky...
Second problem: it's throwing up some alarming statistics. Honest truth, I don't do favourite Doctors - I enjoy them and their eras in different ways depending on my mood. I certainly don't do least favourite. Nevertheless, there they are - as I always suspected - as I try to balance the pack 9-ways fairly. Why nine, you ask - well, Eight only had 90 minutes on screen and it's hard seeing Eleven as part of an arc yet. While certain Doctors instantly conjure up helpful concepts, having long been slapped with labels, he's still an intriguing mess - so I can't make blanket statements about his character in the same way. I'm trying hard to crowbar him in, but ultimately, I will be replacing older cards I'm unsatisfied with Eleven as I start getting an idea of Where He Fits In.
Arguably, some concepts are far more apt to translation than others. The battle-scarred Ninth Doctor regaining his drive is one. Five's cheery optimism being crumpled like a paper cup is another. Any and all pre/post regeneration episodes are a third. The Master, UNIT and the Valeyard are useful shorthands for overweeing pride, society and inner-darkness. But there also some glaring, embarassing holes showing an obvious lack of knowledge or interest, some in very unexpected places, and I'm going to have to work overtime at rectifying them.
Unfortunately, I'm starting to accept there is one era that bounces off me like pain in a Neurofen advert. It doesn't feel real. The camerawork feels duff. I've never fallen for the companions. There's nothing intrinsically worse than any other, there are some fab concepts - and the Doctor in question is beyond reproach - but it just doesn't work on me. It always feels like I'm just watching the television, and not even in a campy fun way.
And thirdly: there are cards causing me nightmares: there are some concepts which are in Tarot, but rarely if ever in Doctor Who. In particular, the 10s, 6s and 4s which typically represent relaxation, success and settling down into a happy home life. Plus, I've only seen 50% of the Doctor Who - and I know the answers to some missing cards are in those episodes I've yet to see. And from the Tarot end, there the Court Cards, cards I've never understood at all.
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