movie review: John Carter of Mars

I really needed to write this review a week ago, because the details are already starting to drain away. On the other hand, longer reflection has added some new insights into my movie-going Burroughs experience. First off, I really REALLY enjoyed the movie. And hadn't expected to. It was in my opinion actually an improvement on Burroughs in many ways, although in other ways not. I talk of Burroughs, because this movie is based on a book (rather series of books) by ERB that I read as a youngster. Actually, rather young, perhaps 12 or 14. As a sci-fi friend of mine noted, the title was very unfortunate. The books were titled such things as "A Princess of Mars" and "Gods of Mars" and "Warlord of Mars." My friend insightfully said that just about any of those titles would have been better. However, I respect their choice, which suggests to me their acknowledgment of their own artistic retelling of Burroughs, which I find very honorable. However, I have no idea if that was the actual reasoning, and I suspect flawed marketing. Buroughs wrote adventure stories. Sometimes he was dismissive of his own writings as not artful and even "dampool tales". But this feeds directly into why I don't mind seeing his stories retold by moviemakers. His intention was never art for arts sake, but fun entertainment. The improvements were as follows: 1) A needed humorist element added to his works, which is perhaps merely a modernist updating. 2) A needed personality added to the character of John Carter. The hero of the Mars books was rather one-dimensional, as I recall (only vaguely--remember I read these books in my childhood). In fact, all of ERB's heros across many storylines are pretty much the same. Which, I suppose, might not be a criticism but rather saying Burroughs knows what he writes well, and stuck to it. However, I do criticize. 3) A desperately needed modern heroine for the Mars story. In the books, she was little more than a royal damsel in distress, as I recall (perhaps mistakenly) 4) A personality and charater for the above heroine. 4) A modern interpretation/solution to the whole "astral projection" thing in the origial Burroghs books. You see, they were written in the 1910s or thereabouts, as I recall, and can't be held accountable for their errors of the period. Remember, at one time blood-letting was a widely respected medical practice. The creators of the movie seem to have been wider Burroughs fans that merely the Mars books, or of books at all. I am pretty sure a story point was solved using a device from the black-and-white Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies, the Escarpment. There may have been another, relating to the Elephant's Graveyard. But that one I am rathat dubious of. Hardly worth mentioning. And yet I did mention it, didn't I? Things I didn't like: 1) The toad-dog 2) Burroughs as a character 3) The introduction of the John Carter character, with the telegraph office, just didn't seem a good early introduction of his charater (my thoughts).

Free fiction by 'Song of Kwasin' author

http://meteorhousepress.com/2011/09/28/kwasin-and-the-bear-god-read-the-opening-scene/ http://cpcarey.blogspot.com/2011/10/free-fiction-read-opening-scene-of.html

I haven't read anything by this author yet (Christopher Paul Carey, author of Exiles of Kho and more) and I am anxious to do so (you see, I've ordered one of his books, Gods of Opar - Song of Kwasin, and am exited about others). But, let me share my find. It's only a teaser and prints for me at 4 pages.

http://meteorhousepress.com/exiles-of-kho/

Sauratown Mountains of North Carolina

Like many mountain ranges in the North Carolina (and anywhere else with mountains) small ranges are often poorly understood or even unknown by those living quite nearby. The Sauratown Mountains (locally pronounced "sour town")definitely fall into this category. Adding to the confusion there is a the Sauratown Mountain, besides the other well-known Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountains. These are all part of the same small chain, although many locals have no idea. (In all truth, does it much matter to most people when looking at one of the spectacular viws?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauratown_Mountains I myself had no idea until I saw a sign at Hanging Rock State Park in the last few years.

I would encourage a person to also look at the Brushy Mountains, the Uwharries, and the South Mountains.

Costa Rican tea - Mondaisa's Digextivan

http://www.mondaisa.com/tes.php?cat=02&te=02-002

I highly recommend this herbal tea, besad on no medical information but just my enjoyment. If I recall it had licorice, which although I don't enjoy it as candy, it makes wonderful tea. It appears you can order it online easily through Paypal, although I have not done so. It makes me wonder if the price combines with international shipping charges, although I suspect there is an American importer-merchant.

Gods of Opar, etc.

I am very excited about this book, so excited I may have bought it in the heat of the moment for way too much money. Impluse buying is so sadisticly seductive. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1596064714/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=12047119164&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=838606568281534187&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_1mzm8414hy_e http://www.subterraneanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=farmer08 From Barnesandnoble.com: Editorial Reviews Publishers Weekly The late Farmer (1918–2009; Riverworld) wrote two novels paying tribute to and expanding on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the outline of a third. This outline informs Carey’s development of a story that focuses on exiled Kwasin, the “strongest man in the world,” and his battle against King Minruth of Khokarsa. Kwasin marries and loses a queen, meets the persistent bard Bhako, and adventures with the king’s rebellious daughter, Awineth. True to its roots, the latest entry is fast-paced, often violent (Kwasin’s enormous battle-ax is a major character), and filled with pulp tropes. Fans of Farmer’s original series will appreciate this repackaging and enjoy the finale, both in tone and because of the closure it provides. Likewise, fans of Burroughs, H. Rider Haggard, and other pulp authors will find the entire collection an accessible and enjoyable throwback. (May) Publisher: Subterranean Press Publication date: 4/28/2012 Pages: 576

Hmm, this is interesting: apparently there will be a book Exiles of Kho, (featuring a sirrush on the cover if my guess is correct, complete with a single horn!) http://cpcarey.blogspot.com/2012/02/gods-of-opar-update.html http://pjfarmer.com/khokarsa/khokarsa.htm http://meteorhousepress.com/exiles-of-kho/ http://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1937.html Reminder to self: I need to blog about Job Hunt Woes: Being a Buttmonkey. You see, as one of the better examples, as yourself: does your boss say "Would you like to work Saturday?" "Can you work Saturday?" "Will you work Saturday?" or "I need you to work Saturday."

Short on time

I don't have hardly any time today, or any other day these days. I found work, and I am working 6 days a week at around 54 hours a week. But, until I get time to actually post: http://www.theangellawfirm.com/Unemployment-FAQs.shtml http://www.awesomestories.com/flicks/national-treasure/olmec-glyphs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lordosis_behavior http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/legal-faqs/labor-employment/north-carolina/ http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/459660.Raymond_Foye

Congrats Reykjavík!

I was listening to NPR breifly this morning, I think to a re-broadcast of BBC, and they had the current president of Iceland talking to them about the (suprisingly successful) financial recovery in his country following the collapse of the banks.

Congrats is two-fold:

The Icelanders didn't succumb to international pressure (or international folly) in bailing out the banks with government funds and the "too big to fail" concept. Just because everyone else jumped off a cliff like panicked antelope, they didn't need to.

Icelanders did put their former president on trial for the lead-up to the financial collapse. Or rather are in the process. Whether he is actually even a little at fault or not, I have no idea. But I wish America took that kind of resolve, and also I wish our government knew some accountability rather than all their formal bribes and self-interest-over-short-sightedness nonsense. In my opinion, every congressman involved in the bail outs should be forced to resign.

I read recently that Edgar Allen Poe was decidedly against the idea of democracies. He appears to have favored a constitutional monarchy more than anything. I found that fascinating.