Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: The Force will be with you, always.

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  • George Darroch,

    This person was born in late 83, which makes him the early side of Y. I also had conservative parents who didn't like television or science fiction. I didn't see any of the films til sometime in the late 1990s or early 2000s, by which time they really had no impact on me. Meh. Same goes for almost everything else that blew young minds before the year 2000. By that stage I was trying to understand David Lynch, hoping there was something profound.

    The original Matrix though. That blew my fucking mind. I have no idea how well it's aged. My children will have to find out for me, though they'll find the sequels of their own accord. Fight Club came along about the same time and hit me to the floor. Nobody made a sequel, right?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to George Darroch,

    I also had conservative parents who didn't like television or science fiction.

    Wow, that's mean.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    a Dynamo for a Monday…

    lowfi scifi...

    and some rock music…

    putting the Gee in geology!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    I’m not his biggest fan, but really?

    I've only seen Breaking the Waves and that was quite enough. I mean, I... enjoyed?... it, and I still can't hear "Life on Mars" without thinking about it, so obviously there's artistic merit involved, but lord. I think I've decided that I don't need that kind of emotional sucker-punch pretty much ever again. (You know that documentary From the Journals of Jean Seberg, which noted that a bunch of 60s/70s directors seemed really keen on casting their wives in sexually problematic/tortured roles? That always comes to mind when I think of Lars Von Trier.)

    Oh yeah, Star Wars. I grew up in a Star Trek home (to boldly go, people. TO BOLDLY GO) so Star Wars was less of a thing to me than it was to many of my contemporaries. I think I may not have seen them until they came on TV in the 80s, but I do enjoy them, particularly IV and V (in their original format, fuck the added FX. And fuck Jar Jar). Also: Han Solo becomes more and more appealing the older I get. Dayum.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Danielle,

    I distinctly remember a double feature I went to showing Star Wars, followed by Jaws. Pretty big night for a 10 year old.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Danielle,

    but lord. I think I've decided that I don't need that kind of emotional sucker-punch pretty much ever again

    In that case I'd probably recommend that you stay away from Dancer in the Dark.
    I totally agree that his films are...umm.. challenging. But

    nasty little misogynistic troll

    as Craig put it?

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch, in reply to BenWilson,

    Wow, that's mean.

    Nah, it meant I could develop my own tastes. I didn't have to be inflicted with all that is terrible. Though it also meant that I saw Solaris well before Alien. That's the machete order, right?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to George Darroch,

    ...that I saw Solaris well before Alien.

    Hope it was the Russian Solaris
    :- )
    I hear there's an auction of Tarkovskyiana at Sotheby's tomorrow...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to George Darroch,

    Nah, it meant I could develop my own tastes.

    But you don't even know what the A-Team tastes like*. That's abuse.

    *It tastes like shit. But I know that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to BenWilson,

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    To your point re generation-spanning - recently my mother has been intently discussing when my 4 y/o son will watch Star Wars. She showed us the original trilogy growing up, and even came with my brother and I to be horrendously disappointed by Phantom Menace in the cinema. The introduction of her grandson to these films is very important to her :)

    Even forgetting the rubbishness of Episode I, I could never get the "why?" - Episode II was much more of a mirror of IV so it really really should have started there. Then II could have been built around the Clone Wars and shown Anakin's development as a Jedi in the way V showed Luke's.

    So THANKYOU for Machete Order - that is amazing. I'm not sure a 4 y/o will follow narrative/flashback arcs but this has given me the necessary angle on the prequels...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to mark taslov,

    remarkable foresight

    brilliant link

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Irvine,

    One thing I've always wondered... when Ben Konobi says "You can't win, Darth" to Darth Vader before their light sabre duel in IV, is he prophesising on the eternal natural superiority of the light side of the force, in the face of his impending death, or just sledging?

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 242 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie, in reply to Richard Irvine,

    Nah. It's just knowing what how whiny ("It's not FAIR!!!") Anakin from the go he knew a perpetual loser when he saw one. Hence the harsh call.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Richard Irvine,

    Maybe Qigon had bullshitted him about what the afterlife was like, and he really did think that there was more to it than becoming a ghost.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    @Amy Gale

    Since this is my 6666th post, I have to put it here, so that I can execute Order 66 twice on the prequels. I read that entire link of yours. It came to unintentionally parody the prequels in a most ironic way.

    1. It was about 3 times longer than it needed to be
    2. It recycled nearly 100% of what it was inspired by, the DM of the Rings series
    3. I stuck at it with morbid fascination, long beyond the point where I was enjoying it.

    <spoiler alert>
    That said, it had some very clever concepts. The idea of taking a movie series that fanbois hated passionately and making into the ultimate RPG campaign, was inspired. It really does smack of how the scripts were written, as if Lucas did actually game it out with some kids. The gender reversal of the love interests was a fantastic touch, to explain how frikken awfully the respective genders in the actual film were scripted. That they managed to make Jar Jar loveable was brilliant, by handing it over to a little girl to play out.

    The GM who does the opposite of railroading the players through their script is so not how I remember it ever going down, though. I almost felt nostalgic for RPGs, until I remembered how for me it turned out that reading about and imagining playing the game was always a lot more fun than actually playing it. That was what was so clever about DM of the Rings. Mind you, if there had simply been more female humans*, it could have been different. Certainly seemed more fun.

    Thanks for the link. I'll never get that 20-odd hours back :-)

    *ETA By "more" I mean "any that weren't my sister".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac,

    Meh, I can't see why you would find it so important to show kids the movie. No-one sat me down with Citizen Kane at a formative age and said "You must watch this!" I was interested enough to do so when I was an adult.

    As for Star Wars, I was 10 when the first one came out, and we couldn't afford to see it at the movies. We didn't get a VHS until I was 16, and so I saw bits of it then. I'm afraid I wasn't impressed.

    I actually watched the whole thing when I was in my 20s, and from the perspective as a fairly keen SF reader, thought the story was pretty pedestrian and most of the characters banal to annoying. I mean, I know my (younger) brother loved Chewbacca (he was the 12 year old glued to the VHS version), but how many times do you need to see someone in a gorilla suit going "GARARAGH"?

    So yeah, of the right generation, but not every experience is universal when it comes to consuming media. I suppose in terms of kicking off SF movie blockbusters, it was pretty seminal, but we still seem to be stuck with an SF movie oeuvre consisting mainly of effects + bildungsroman + bad-guys-vs-good-guys-with-spaceships-plots, and I'm heartily tired of it.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac, in reply to George Darroch,

    I thought The Matrix (the first) was waaaay better than any of the SW movies. Interesting premise - omg, someone had actually read modern cyberpunk - interesting plot, and some attractive characters (ok, the poker-face on everyone got a bit old). I didn't think the other two movies lived up to the first one's promise - and eh, "messiah" plots bounce off me severely - but there were still some good moments and no bloody ewoks or dudes in gorilla suits.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to TracyMac,

    but how many times do you need to see someone in a gorilla suit going "GARARAGH"?

    He was talking! You can distinctly hear him saying "Goodbye Princess" at the end of Empire.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Attachment

    Lucas in retelling the classical hero myth, I consider it is more than that, profoundly influenced the “lense” through which generation X & Y view their world and for some the world changed as a result.

    Star Wars had a big influence on my two younger brothers, that and Blade Runner, accelerated their already on fire imaginations - the influence of both of these movies lead them, both fanatical model builders and drawers, to pursue careers in design - that Darth Vader shaped their personalties more than just a bit was of concern to me particularly as we grew older they became stronger and taller.

    Personally my only gripe, aside from Ja Ja whom I refuse to acknowledge even exists, was I found the Storm Troopers, as shock troops, to be too clumsy in movies IV, V & VI to be credible, my favourite movie is “Revenge of the Sith.”

    The Star Wars Universe is immense with many tales - not many movies have created their own universe to the degree of Star Wars.

    In my life - in response to personal and current events - I often reference Star Wars, “the force is strong with this one” and “Arise Lord Vader” An example:

    In viewing the reanimation of Lord Tamihere - it will not be Labour’s undoing – JT is more Hans Solo than Sith Lord. - Labour have already risen, the shift in the force is reflected in the opinion polls. I see Shearer as more Sith - Palpatine like - Cunnilife more Jedi.

    Labour embracing a new hope via an old dog – It becomes quite frightening that they could actually be the government – shudder – with a one seat majority – only if John Tamihere holds a seat will balance return to the force. Labour need to strengthen ties with the Greens, the party that is a mixture of Ewoks, Wookies and guilt ridden urbandwellers.

    And so it goes on in a galaxy far far away - the universe of our minds......

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart, in reply to DexterX,

    Jeez, mate - I want your breakfast recipe...

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    May the force be with you - two pots of plunger Coffee - 6 to 8 cups before 8.00 AM.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to DexterX,

    Holy shit man. That's bordering on dangerous dosing!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to BenWilson,

    1000n mg of caffine could kill you. to get that much you have to drink 100 to 200 cups of coffee in an hour.depending on the size of the cup and strength of the brew.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to DexterX,

    1000n mg of caffine could kill you.

    1000mg? ie 1g? At somewhere around 150mg of caffeine in a cup of filter coffee, that's 6 cups. Can't be right, you'd be dead right now. Wiki suggests that 2g of caffeine has led to hospitalizations, though. I don't think going off the toxic dose is especially safe reasoning. It could still be highly dangerous well short of that.

    I was joking, btw. 8 cups is a lot of coffee to drink in a short period of time, but you'd notice if you were feeling unwell. If I drank that much, I'd probably be sick, but my tolerance is down from not drinking plunger coffee, which is pretty much the strongest form.

    It's a bit scary to think that one cup's worth of caffeine is the median lethal dose for a 1kg rat.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

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