Thursday, October 23, 2008
Obama Vs. McCain: Far From Over
The presidential elections are less than two weeks away. Many of the polls would have us believe that Obama has this thing in the bag. Others tell a different story. I prefer not to trust them altogether and see what happens. I do have a feeling that McCain is losing this, just by watching his campaign and the attempts of those who support him focus (comically) on the wrong issues. Some of that is changing, though it may or may not be too little too late.
Steven Stark dreams up a nightmare scenario* that could easily come to pass if those of us who want to see the Republicans gone for a little while take for granted that we've won. It's scary, and plausible. And the first time I've been inspired to make a (small) financial donation to the Obama camp.
*Tip of the hat to James Hudnall
Steven Stark dreams up a nightmare scenario* that could easily come to pass if those of us who want to see the Republicans gone for a little while take for granted that we've won. It's scary, and plausible. And the first time I've been inspired to make a (small) financial donation to the Obama camp.
*Tip of the hat to James Hudnall
Monday, January 30, 2006
Purple Rain, Purple Rain
Couple of nights ago I dreamt Prince was trying to kill me. I don't remember why. I only remember the end of the dream. Prince had a gun, and he was gonna bust a cap upside my head. I manage to get a door in between me and him, but it didn't seem like it was gonna be enough. It seemed hopeless, but I was optimistic that there was some way out. Luckily, the cavalry came to the rescue in the form of "Morris day: NYPD".
End of dream.
I figured it was time I dusted off the Purple Rain DVD I bought in 2004 and give it a look see. I'd watched Graffiti Bridge and Under The Cherry Moon not long after I bought them, and made it a point to watch them first because they would likely pale in comparison to the movie that made Prince a star. Though I took a look at some of the special features on disc two, I hadn't before yesterday, watched this DVD. It's also been years since I watched the film in any form, despite being a huge Prince fan. The VHS copy I bought when it first came out (one of the first films released at a "sell through" price of $19.95) was loaned to someone I barely knew and was never returned. A DVD was released by Warners, but was full screen. While I'd been willing to put up with that shit with video tape, it wasn't happ'nin' for me on DVD, so I avoided that copy.
In 2004 Warners decided to put out some decent editions of Princes movies (except Sign O' The Times - available through amazon.ca) and I bought them all (except Sign*).
Purple Rain stars Prince as the son of an ex-cop turned failed musician (Clarence Williams III reprises his role as Linc Hayes from the Mod Squad, now known by his stage name, Francis L.). Linc spent a short career doling out beatdowns during the sixties and apparently suffered a breakdown of sorts. He retired from the force, settled down with some chick he must've met on a case and moved to Minnesota. He tried to leave the violence behind him, but he finds, not only do old habits die hard, but also that his son may inherit his curse, despite his efforts to raise him as a girly-man.
Visually the film is quite the spectacle (thanks to director Albert Magnoli), with Prince doing what he does best; sing, play guitar, dance and being a complete ass to the people around him. His acting would be easier to criticise if not for Appolonia Kotero and Jill Jones. In their defence, they do look hot (who was the chick next to Jill Jones during Computer Blue?) and I don't remember complaining about them when I saw this movie three times in 1984. Morris Day was potentially a star in the making, but didn't live up to that potential. Ditto Jerome Benton. If Morris had played Christopher Tracey in Under the Cherry Moon, that would'a been the shit.
Yes, this is Prince's film, but to me, this is a standout role for Clarence Williams III, who shows a willingness to commit 300% of his energy to Francis (Linc) Hayes despite an obviously shitty script. Good actors make bad movies all the time. Rare is the thespian who treats every role as though it were gold, and Clarence Williams III is that thespian.
Anyway, I recommend Purple Rain. Get the two disc special edition. The other one is crap.
*January 21st, 2008 - I now have the Canadian disc of Sign O' The Times and it is magnificent. Much better than I remember it being.
End of dream.
I figured it was time I dusted off the Purple Rain DVD I bought in 2004 and give it a look see. I'd watched Graffiti Bridge and Under The Cherry Moon not long after I bought them, and made it a point to watch them first because they would likely pale in comparison to the movie that made Prince a star. Though I took a look at some of the special features on disc two, I hadn't before yesterday, watched this DVD. It's also been years since I watched the film in any form, despite being a huge Prince fan. The VHS copy I bought when it first came out (one of the first films released at a "sell through" price of $19.95) was loaned to someone I barely knew and was never returned. A DVD was released by Warners, but was full screen. While I'd been willing to put up with that shit with video tape, it wasn't happ'nin' for me on DVD, so I avoided that copy.
In 2004 Warners decided to put out some decent editions of Princes movies (except Sign O' The Times - available through amazon.ca) and I bought them all (except Sign*).
Purple Rain stars Prince as the son of an ex-cop turned failed musician (Clarence Williams III reprises his role as Linc Hayes from the Mod Squad, now known by his stage name, Francis L.). Linc spent a short career doling out beatdowns during the sixties and apparently suffered a breakdown of sorts. He retired from the force, settled down with some chick he must've met on a case and moved to Minnesota. He tried to leave the violence behind him, but he finds, not only do old habits die hard, but also that his son may inherit his curse, despite his efforts to raise him as a girly-man.
Visually the film is quite the spectacle (thanks to director Albert Magnoli), with Prince doing what he does best; sing, play guitar, dance and being a complete ass to the people around him. His acting would be easier to criticise if not for Appolonia Kotero and Jill Jones. In their defence, they do look hot (who was the chick next to Jill Jones during Computer Blue?) and I don't remember complaining about them when I saw this movie three times in 1984. Morris Day was potentially a star in the making, but didn't live up to that potential. Ditto Jerome Benton. If Morris had played Christopher Tracey in Under the Cherry Moon, that would'a been the shit.
Yes, this is Prince's film, but to me, this is a standout role for Clarence Williams III, who shows a willingness to commit 300% of his energy to Francis (Linc) Hayes despite an obviously shitty script. Good actors make bad movies all the time. Rare is the thespian who treats every role as though it were gold, and Clarence Williams III is that thespian.
Anyway, I recommend Purple Rain. Get the two disc special edition. The other one is crap.
*January 21st, 2008 - I now have the Canadian disc of Sign O' The Times and it is magnificent. Much better than I remember it being.
Labels: dreams, DVD, movies, music, music video, nostalgia, Prince
Monday, February 14, 2005
Dream of halos and water
Earlier this morning, after breakfast, I think, I went back to sleep and dreamt I saw the Twin Towers with clouds shaped like halos above them. Something seemed weird about the city, aside from the fact that the World Trade Center shouldn't be there anymore. In dreams I'm a little slow to pick up on details like this. All the buildings were lined up wrong. Manhattan seemed kinda like a box in that four sides were (or seemed to be) of equal length, but also like a mountain in the way smaller buildings were lined up in the row in front of the towers, and larger ones (which shouldn't exist either) lined up in the row following. They didn't rise up to a point or anything. The second or third row behind was the largest and that's where it leveled off.
I was seeing this from an Island (Ellis?) across from Manhattan when I realized that there was no land underneath the buildings, only water. I looked around, got a creepy feeling, and just as I was about to attempt to escape, I was submerged in a torrent of water.
I was seeing this from an Island (Ellis?) across from Manhattan when I realized that there was no land underneath the buildings, only water. I looked around, got a creepy feeling, and just as I was about to attempt to escape, I was submerged in a torrent of water.
I once had a dream that the city was litterally falling to pieces. This was before 9/11, but I don't believe it, nor this one, to be a premonition.
Labels: dreams
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