Comments for LesterSmith.com http://lestersmith.com A site by and about a poet, game designer, and Web coder. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:43:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on A&E’s *The Andromeda Strain* (Emphasis on “Strain”) by brucecordell http://lestersmith.com/2008/06/03/aes-the-andromeda-strain-emphasis-on-strain/#comment-11 brucecordell Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:35:08 +0000 http://lestersmith.com/?p=59#comment-11 Thanks for the review; this'll save me a little time. Thanks for the review; this’ll save me a little time.

]]> Comment on A&E’s *The Andromeda Strain* (Emphasis on “Strain”) by Polyhedras http://lestersmith.com/2008/06/03/aes-the-andromeda-strain-emphasis-on-strain/#comment-9 Polyhedras Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:15:51 +0000 http://lestersmith.com/?p=59#comment-9 The whole <i>Dune</i> franchise gets a little muddied in my mind. I read the novel as a teenager, when it was fresh off the presses and sci-fi readers were still pretty rare, then read at least two of the sequels (which I know only because I remember Duncan coming back with those mechanical eyes, something Tim Brown tells me was after the first book) before losing interest. Friends today tell me the novel line starts to lose any semblance of sense after book two or three, and having seen the way publishing works ("Write us some more of the same thing you just wrote, except different---but not too different because we know how to sell only what you succeeded with before," or, to use a metaphor, "let's ride this horse until it's dead, because we don't know if that fresh horse is any good"), I can believe it. As for the original movie, I was delighted on two counts: 1.) They didn't dumb it down much for a general audience (and really didn't need to hand out that glossary), and 2.) my wife, who is an artist rather than a writer, and not so voracious a reader as I, fell in love with it. She became a fan of all things <i>Dune,</i> including the console game, then <i>Dune 2000</i> on her PC, then the Sci-Fi Channel remake of the film (see, I haven't forgotten your original question), and then the <i>Children of Dune</i> series they followed up with. I'd agree with Jenny that the Sci-Fi channel remake of the original novel was as enjoyable as the Hollywood version, and interesting because they were able to devote more time to it, playing up more characters. <i>Children of Dune</i> she wasn't as warm to, largely because of the direction they took Paul's sister---which, given the reported weirdnesses of the novel line, may not have been their fault, of course. So there you go: A fairly long, rambling, and noncommittal answer to your question. Cheers! The whole Dune franchise gets a little muddied in my mind. I read the novel as a teenager, when it was fresh off the presses and sci-fi readers were still pretty rare, then read at least two of the sequels (which I know only because I remember Duncan coming back with those mechanical eyes, something Tim Brown tells me was after the first book) before losing interest. Friends today tell me the novel line starts to lose any semblance of sense after book two or three, and having seen the way publishing works (”Write us some more of the same thing you just wrote, except different—but not too different because we know how to sell only what you succeeded with before,” or, to use a metaphor, “let’s ride this horse until it’s dead, because we don’t know if that fresh horse is any good”), I can believe it.

As for the original movie, I was delighted on two counts: 1.) They didn’t dumb it down much for a general audience (and really didn’t need to hand out that glossary), and 2.) my wife, who is an artist rather than a writer, and not so voracious a reader as I, fell in love with it. She became a fan of all things Dune, including the console game, then Dune 2000 on her PC, then the Sci-Fi Channel remake of the film (see, I haven’t forgotten your original question), and then the Children of Dune series they followed up with.

I’d agree with Jenny that the Sci-Fi channel remake of the original novel was as enjoyable as the Hollywood version, and interesting because they were able to devote more time to it, playing up more characters. Children of Dune she wasn’t as warm to, largely because of the direction they took Paul’s sister—which, given the reported weirdnesses of the novel line, may not have been their fault, of course.

So there you go: A fairly long, rambling, and noncommittal answer to your question.

Cheers!

]]> Comment on A&E’s *The Andromeda Strain* (Emphasis on “Strain”) by MAG http://lestersmith.com/2008/06/03/aes-the-andromeda-strain-emphasis-on-strain/#comment-8 MAG Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:51:33 +0000 http://lestersmith.com/?p=59#comment-8 I loved the original movie. Even on TV with commercial interruptions it was tense and scary. I could've sworn that the original organism had a small pH range which was why the baby and town drunk were the only survivors; the baby's crying did the acid part and the drunk's blood still have booze in it kept the organism at bay. However, it's small wonder the hero was a doctor due to Crichton's medical background. He should've stuck to medical thrillers too since he doesn't know squat about climate change, dinosaurs, the Middle Ages or DNA sequencing. The former was a glaring show of his politics AND ignorance. What's your take on the re-make of Dune? I loved that since it got a better opportunity to tell the larger story of the novel. I like the Lynch movie too yet I know its scope had to be narrowed for film to get a general audience. Trust me, when the usher hands you a glossary before entering the theater, most people roll their eyes. I loved the original movie. Even on TV with commercial interruptions it was tense and scary. I could’ve sworn that the original organism had a small pH range which was why the baby and town drunk were the only survivors; the baby’s crying did the acid part and the drunk’s blood still have booze in it kept the organism at bay.

However, it’s small wonder the hero was a doctor due to Crichton’s medical background. He should’ve stuck to medical thrillers too since he doesn’t know squat about climate change, dinosaurs, the Middle Ages or DNA sequencing. The former was a glaring show of his politics AND ignorance.

What’s your take on the re-make of Dune? I loved that since it got a better opportunity to tell the larger story of the novel. I like the Lynch movie too yet I know its scope had to be narrowed for film to get a general audience. Trust me, when the usher hands you a glossary before entering the theater, most people roll their eyes.

]]> Comment on An Old Guy Discovers Rock Band by Polyhedras http://lestersmith.com/2008/04/24/an-old-guy-discovers-rock-band/#comment-3 Polyhedras Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:38:35 +0000 http://lestersmith.com/?p=28#comment-3 Thanks, Mag. Of course, congratulating me on dropping a butt-load of money on a PS3 console just so I could drop some more money to play one video game feels a little like a back-handed compliment. :-P Or maybe it's just the cost itself that's leaving me feeling like I've been backhanded and mugged. Still, every time I play the pain to the wallet is eclipsed by the fun of hanging with my family and friends. I'm about 19 songs into the game playing guitar on hard now. We finished the PS2 version on medium a couple of times before moving up. On drums, I'm stuck with easy. Singing (when I get a chance; my wife and daughters pretty much hog the mike most of the time) I do on hard. Expert on any of these is beyond even contemplating at this point. The downloadable songs really make a difference. I'm sorry to hear the Wii won't support that feature. And yeah, the Cars will be a great addition. (I'm just happy Harmonix keeps releasing Smashing Pumpkins and NIN songs.) Thanks, Mag. Of course, congratulating me on dropping a butt-load of money on a PS3 console just so I could drop some more money to play one video game feels a little like a back-handed compliment. :-P Or maybe it’s just the cost itself that’s leaving me feeling like I’ve been backhanded and mugged. Still, every time I play the pain to the wallet is eclipsed by the fun of hanging with my family and friends.

I’m about 19 songs into the game playing guitar on hard now. We finished the PS2 version on medium a couple of times before moving up. On drums, I’m stuck with easy. Singing (when I get a chance; my wife and daughters pretty much hog the mike most of the time) I do on hard. Expert on any of these is beyond even contemplating at this point.

The downloadable songs really make a difference. I’m sorry to hear the Wii won’t support that feature. And yeah, the Cars will be a great addition. (I’m just happy Harmonix keeps releasing Smashing Pumpkins and NIN songs.)

]]> Comment on An Old Guy Discovers Rock Band by MAG http://lestersmith.com/2008/04/24/an-old-guy-discovers-rock-band/#comment-2 MAG Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:37:40 +0000 http://lestersmith.com/?p=28#comment-2 Congratulations on the joys of Rock Band! I'm jealous too. I've been wanting to get this game for a while since I've beaten Guitar Hero II, III and Eighties at Medium. RB definitely takes GH to the next level through its flexibility and song list. What I also like is how it's a cooperative game unlike GH's primary functions. We've had several GH parties at friends' houses because they have better TVs but I have four guitars to share. I think RB would better since four people can play together instead of two against each other. Alas, I recently discovered recently that the Wii version will be locked down like the PS2 due to the lack of a hard drive. The expandability is what is RB's big selling point, especially now that the first Cars album in is available for download. You'll have to post pictures of you and your family rockin' out. I want to request "Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age. MAG Congratulations on the joys of Rock Band! I’m jealous too. I’ve been wanting to get this game for a while since I’ve beaten Guitar Hero II, III and Eighties at Medium. RB definitely takes GH to the next level through its flexibility and song list. What I also like is how it’s a cooperative game unlike GH’s primary functions. We’ve had several GH parties at friends’ houses because they have better TVs but I have four guitars to share. I think RB would better since four people can play together instead of two against each other.

Alas, I recently discovered recently that the Wii version will be locked down like the PS2 due to the lack of a hard drive. The expandability is what is RB’s big selling point, especially now that the first Cars album in is available for download.

You’ll have to post pictures of you and your family rockin’ out. I want to request “Go With the Flow” by Queens of the Stone Age.

MAG

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