tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278698672024-02-21T14:34:05.377+01:00Domesticated WordsComment, interviews, articles and reviews for animation, art and fantasy by Commercial Artist and BacktoFrankBlack organiser, James McLean.James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-79512972822524228362011-11-22T16:16:00.000+01:002011-11-22T16:16:42.386+01:00James McLean on Back To Frank Black<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div id="summary_highlights" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interview by </span><a href="http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Patrick Munn</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on <b>Back to Frank Black</b> - the campaign for the return of Millennium's Frank Black.</span></div><div id="summary_highlights" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;">James McLean, founder and Co-Project Manager for Back To Frank Black, talks to us about the campaign, the support they have received and more.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><i>Shorty after running our series of articles on XFilesNews, I was contacted by one of the two project managers behind the website Back To Frank Black. The site is devoted to seeing the central character of <span style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Millennium</span>, Frank Black, resurrected in one form or another. To see if this was possible I spoke with <a href="http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/will-there-ever-be-a-millennium-movie-a395525" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #336666; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">contacts at 20th Century Fox and FX</a>, who stated that a <span style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Millennium </span>project was not on their "radars" at the present time. Shortly after that, I wrote a fairly in depth <a href="http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/a-look-at-back-to-frank-black-a396025" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #336666; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">article on the campaign</a> and its history. Just this past week I had the chance to interview James McLean, one of the campaign’s two project managers, about their origins, their upcoming book and more.</i></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><i><br />
</i></div><h3 class="dynamic" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>So, James, you are one of the two project managers for Back To Frank Black. Can you tell us what that involves? What do you tend to be doing on a day-to-day basis?</i></h3><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><i>A lot of it is planning. There is a lot of planning, some stuff doesn’t work. But there’s a lot of reacting to issues and trying to build on them. We don’t have a big staff, so it’s not really about co-ordinating people; it’s about co-ordinating the direction of the campaign.</i></div><span style="background-color: white; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="font-size: 12px;" />Read more at Suite101: <a href="http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/james-mclean-talks-about-back-to-frank-black-a397057#ixzz1eRo8WpM3" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003399; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">James McLean Talks About Back To Frank Black | Suite101.com</a> <a href="http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/james-mclean-talks-about-back-to-frank-black-a397057#ixzz1eRo8WpM3" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003399; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">http://patrickmunn.suite101.com/james-mclean-talks-about-back-to-frank-black-a397057#ixzz1eRo8WpM3</a></span><br />
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</div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-13059963813408151362011-11-09T15:54:00.000+01:002011-11-09T15:54:23.151+01:00My Name is Earl movie? Jason Lee says please!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19nOrtX-XM92wbWqplCmBOmp1EEJ9zsSrH8I0eSukF58cx7XrU2mhWAqvo8EmjFh6Z3u0W_E4RG7CF-Mf8p7bCP6XRQMgbzUf7and7eqzKKP3Vkv30qZ07nY_ixoNPHAMFeJ2/s1600/MNIE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19nOrtX-XM92wbWqplCmBOmp1EEJ9zsSrH8I0eSukF58cx7XrU2mhWAqvo8EmjFh6Z3u0W_E4RG7CF-Mf8p7bCP6XRQMgbzUf7and7eqzKKP3Vkv30qZ07nY_ixoNPHAMFeJ2/s200/MNIE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Several sources have reported Jason Lee's interest in returning to <i>My Name Is Earl</i>, a show I hold with great affection.<br />
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<a href="http://onthereadcarpet.com/">OnTheReadCarpet.com</a> reported on Jason's positive hopes just last week and prior to that <a href="http://uk.eonline.com/news/watch_with_kristin/jason_lee_on_my_name_earl_movie_its_time/270861" target="_blank">Eonline quoted Jason</a> on his belief that its just not him behind a revival but creator Garcia himself:<br />
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<i>I've talked to Greg and even if we have to get a small guerrilla crew together and kind of make our own thing and put it on the internet, we definitely want a closing. Whatever we can do to sort of finish the list, I feel it in the air, it's time. A movie? Fantastic.</i><br />
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<i>My Name Is Earl </i>was a four season show about a criminal called Earl Hickey looking to reform through his misunderstanding of karmic nature, seeing that doing good things begets good things and bad things begetting bad things. He creates a list of all the bad things he's done and looks to cross each off (one a week as episode scheduling goes). It was a gentle, smart and slightly over the top comedy from<i> Raising Hope</i> creator Greg Garcia. It was cancelled at the end of its fourth season leaving the show on a "to be continued" cliffhanger.<br />
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A few years since that rather unfair cancellation (viewing figures, while not top of the league were reported to be fair), looks like Jason is trying to stir support in seeing the show return. Really worth a look if you haven't. Some form of conclusion is required.<br />
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Do good things, and good things happen - hopefully those holding the cards will feel the same.<br />
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</u></i></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-77364646197744212572011-10-26T00:49:00.000+01:002011-10-26T00:49:41.345+01:00Back To Frank Black book announced!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik52WRkxFnPbjkAGIf9N791_62HB_6eZ3YnfZaJU7QnJcizca4pq5p6XNkGKzmoXimDs9fPZrD2cl1YLnUtlJzRwmH_42DsgsbSsEDNmVFyQ-So0uG014LFgh7Cb3U2NQTqot2/s1600/B2FBBook001a-281x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik52WRkxFnPbjkAGIf9N791_62HB_6eZ3YnfZaJU7QnJcizca4pq5p6XNkGKzmoXimDs9fPZrD2cl1YLnUtlJzRwmH_42DsgsbSsEDNmVFyQ-So0uG014LFgh7Cb3U2NQTqot2/s1600/B2FBBook001a-281x300.jpg" /></i></a></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span></i><br />
<div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><i>Announced on the 15th Birthday of Millennium's first episode, Pilot, Back To Frank Black announce a book of Millennium and the campaign to bring it back!</i></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><i>I'll be doing some illustrations for the book as well as contributing as a writer.</i></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;">October 25, 2011 — Fourth Horseman Press is proud to announce <em>Back to Frank Black</em>, an upcoming book based on the Fox television series <em>Millennium</em>(1996-1999) and produced in association with the titular campaign to return its protagonist and television’s greatest criminal profiler, Frank Black, to the screen.</div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><em>Back to Frank Black</em> offers fans of <em>Millennium </em>a hitherto unprecedented volume of material exploring this landmark series. The book features original essays from a number of authors with in-depth knowledge of the series—including Joseph Maddrey, co-author of Lance Henriksen’s autobiography <a href="http://notbadforahuman.com/" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;"><em>Not Bad for a Human</em></a> (2011), and media critic <a href="http://www.johnkennethmuir.com/" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">John Kenneth Muir</a>—as well as exclusive material from the cast and crew, much of which is drawn from the wealth of interviews that the Back to Frank Black campaign has conducted for its distinctive series of online podcasts.</div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><em>Back to Frank Black</em> will be edited by Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon, publishers for Fourth Horseman Press and consultants to the Back to Frank Black campaign. The book will be made available in both print and digital editions with an expected publication date of early 2012. The collection will not be sold for profit and all proceeds will be donated to Lance Henriksen’s preferred registered charity, <a href="http://www.childrenofthenight.org/" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">Children of the Night</a>. For the latest news on the book’s release, visit <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">backtofrankblack.com</a> or follow the Back to Frank Black campaign on <a href="http://twitter.com/back2frankblack" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BacktoFrankBlack-Campaign/109517928483" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a>. Publisher’s updates will be made available at <a href="http://www.fourthhorsemanpress.com/" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">fourthhorsemanpress.com</a> as well as on Fourth Horseman Press’s <a href="http://twitter.com/4thHorsePress" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> and<a href="http://www.facebook.com/fourthhorsemanpress" style="color: #bb0000; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> feeds.</div></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-85803715075306055782011-10-20T22:21:00.000+01:002011-10-20T22:21:26.696+01:00Latest PodKast from Kasterborous.com with James!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span">Another PodKast for Kasterborous.com. Myself, editor Christian Cawley, associated editor Brian Terranova and guest Vworp Vworp! editor Gareth Kavanagh.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/podkast-series-6-summary/">http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/podkast-series-6-summary/</a></span><br />
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In their words not mine:<br />
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<i>"The podKast with a “K” goes retrospective this week as we cast our eyes and our minds (not to mention your ears) back across the whole of Series 6, with our special guest, Vworp Vworp! editor Gareth Kavanagh.</i><br />
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<i>In the past we’ve done round table discussions as articles, but this time around we thought it might be better to give our listener the chance to experience the thoughts as they’re shared, rather than in edited form.</i><br />
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<i>We go into detail on a number of interesting points, such as the Tessalecta, the Lodger TARDIS, Steven Moffat’s broken promise of a proper death in The Impossible Astronaut and his choice of writers, as well as mulling once more on Alex Kingston and River Song and judging what can be gained from Series 6 going forwards into 2012.</i><br />
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<i>Now we’re well aware that we might be going into some contentious territory with some of these observations, but with the benefit of Gareth Kavanagh’s presence (a gentleman fortunate enough to run his own pub and host weekly screenings of Series 6) we get a unique insight into what general, non-Whovian viewers might have felt about the 2011 episodes…"</i></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-15462793478994703202011-10-19T18:35:00.000+01:002011-10-19T18:35:17.575+01:00Archive: Interviewing Hayden Black and Laura Silverman!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">One from earlier this year - an interview I did with TV Show comedy <i>Goodnight Burbank</i> creator Hayden Black and show's lead actress Laura Silverman for <i>Doctor Who</i> website <a href="http://kasterborous.com/">Kasterborous.com</a>. <i>Goodnight Burbank</i> was at time of the interview airing on Hulu.com though more recently its been picked up for cable. For more information on <i>Goodnight Burbank</i>, visit <a href="http://www.goodnightburbank.com/">www.goodnightburbank.com</a>. To hear the podkast, follow the link!<br />
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<a href="http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/03/goodnight-brubank/">http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/03/goodnight-brubank/</a><br />
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The Kasterborous.com podkast is a weekly event - I tend to appear most weeks! Occasional interviews, but mainly opinion pieces on the TV show, Doctor Who!</div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-84316191632340567722011-10-19T18:28:00.000+01:002011-10-19T18:28:17.464+01:00Interviewing John Kenneth Muir!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A podkast for Kasterborous.com interviewing John Kenneth Muir can be found on the Kasterborous website.<br />
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John Kenneth Muir is an award-winning author of an impressive 22 reference books and guides to popular film and TV series in the sci-fi, comedy and horror genres. Most importantly for our purposes, John is also the creative force behind the celebrated and the popular media blog, Reflections on Film and Television –<a href="http://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/" style="color: #18a5d3; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Reflections on Film and Television">reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com</a>– and writer of ”A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television” and ”A History and Critical Analysis of Blake’s 7″.<br />
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John's a lovely gent and I consider him a good friend - worth a listen. He talks about his feelings on Doctor Who and his worth of an author and love of TV and film!<br />
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<a href="http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/the-podkast-with-a-james/">http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/the-podkast-with-a-james/</a></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-71565503041476607332011-08-01T23:52:00.000+01:002011-08-01T23:52:18.942+01:00Sky's No Limit for "One Piece" Third Season!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<h2 class="newsArticleText" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.toonzone.net/news/articles/36448/skys-no-limit-for-one-piece-third-season">Originally Posted at Toon Zone <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">03-01-2011</span></a></h2><h2 class="newsArticleText" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhTPpNcQwnzndWbXVPZF21yIpFgEfNyGdpzWFFhalABBLLqc6xXYjPAenMEK7NaMXGqOj7hmdN1R8cJxr_zm38zhMlPjic5FcmMAXby58nkBEEGH6O_VqQsduhPGRhXOJva1U/s1600/Op3_T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhTPpNcQwnzndWbXVPZF21yIpFgEfNyGdpzWFFhalABBLLqc6xXYjPAenMEK7NaMXGqOj7hmdN1R8cJxr_zm38zhMlPjic5FcmMAXby58nkBEEGH6O_VqQsduhPGRhXOJva1U/s1600/Op3_T.jpg" /></a>One Piece Third Season has the show reaching for the sky, which was a relief for both myself and you, the dear reader; with any luck it will save you from another <i>One Piece</i> review filled with the usual load of half-baked sea-faring puns. This time you've got half-baked sky puns instead. How lucky are you?</h2><h2 class="newsArticleText" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;"><br />
Before I begin, I must clarify this review was mildly hindered by what I would call a pirate of the Post Office, and the first screener was lost to some m'hearty ho-ho-ho and a bottle of rum bastard. But I have since managed to watch the episodes on the boxset, which in the case of the Skypiea arc is more than necessary.<br />
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Third Season Voyages One, Two, Three and Four take the crew of the Going Merry into and through the giant Skypiea arc. As such, I'd say if you're new to <i>One Piece</i>, you really need to get all four box sets to enjoy the full depth of this tale. As I mentioned, the first screener was lost to me, and I did try to start on the Third Season Second Voyage box set, but it was very hard to get into the story from that opening episode. Not impossible, but this is a story that really requires you purchases all four segments.<br />
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"So what the hell is the story?" I hear you cry, waving that plastic cutlass and pinging your false eye-patch. Well let me divulge, m'hearties.<br />
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After suffering one of the Straw-hats usual rum encounters, in this case, a large ship falling on top of them from the clouds, Luffy gets it into his head that he wants to find Sky Island, a place of legend, a place – unsurprisingly – set high in the clouds. Much to Nami's disgust, the crew seem to go along with this lunacy, and the first box set is very much the prelude to their discovery of this world above the blue sea.<br />
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The second box set, contrary to the opinion of those suffering narrative blindness, opens with the crew having reached Skypiea and branded criminals. From here they find themselves thrust into trails and sacrifices in the name of god Eneru.<br />
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The third boxset sees the Straw-Hats battling the trials of the priests of Eneru and an all out civil war in the clouds. The Straw-hats go searching for a fabled gold city while having to face off both sides of the civil conflict as well as the god Eneru himself. Finally the forth boxset takes the war onto a new level of epic as the civil unrest gives way to Eneru's sky armageddon resulting in a spectacular conclusion and heart-felt slither of backstory.<br />
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It's a rather incredible tale that doesn't tip-toe around theological icons, but neither does it particularly acknowledge any in great depth. The question of whether the people of the sky are angels, or whether Eneru is God, is adeptly handled, used solely as an early narrative mystery rather than explored in any really profound way.<br />
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That is not to say the story is superficial nor shallow, nor that the question of whether the crew are up against God is passed by. These questions are neither milked or danced around, leaving <i>One Piece</i> to explore a story arc that Western cartoons might be a little uncomfortable with, but without feeling out of sorts. This is <i>One Piece</i> through and through.<br />
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After quite a few light simple stories and story arcs, the return to the epic adventure is welcome. I enjoyed the smaller tales of the later Second Season, particularly after the dense and colourful action of Alabasta, but now it felt like the time to enjoy something deeper. The story of the Sky isn't as politically real nor as emotionally driven as Alabasta, nor does it explore such a rich and complex society, but <i>One Piece</i>'s talent is to take the show into different modes without feeling inconsistent. Yes, this story erupts into civil war like Alabasta; yes, it carries the usual mix of absurd adversaries, each a milestone towards the final battle. But beyond that it doesn't follow the same rules.<br />
<br />
Simply said, well over one hundred episodes in, closer to two hundred, and <i>One Piece</i> still feels fresh.<br />
<br />
How so? It plays with character dynamics for a start, splitting the characters off into less usual groupings: several times we see the groups split into different teams, letting the heroes bounce off each other in different ways. Robin, of course, is the latest crew member and has really had little time devoted to her. This arc gives Robin scope to push on in her own personal tale and get her squarely into some action.<br />
<br />
Do we see any real changes to the group? Well, Nami feels a lot more isolated in this arc, fighting against her captain and fate with equal futility. Chopper is depicted as being far more cowardly than before, making even Ussop seem a hero in comparison, despite Chopper's devil fruit powers. If there is any criticism in this story it's perhaps the overly desperate need to keep Luffy out of the action. Alabasta de-powered Luffy by playing him in an environment he had no experience over, and in this story he tends to spend most of it in the wrong place, lost or trapped. One could argue that this all adds to the tension, while others might suggest it creates a feeling of contrivance. This is particularly prevalant in box sets three and four. We're talking large segments of Luffy being kept out of the story. In fact, it was particularly interesting to see Luffy's frustrating vine entrapment on box set four given the forewarning voice actress Clinkenbeard gave us on one of the second season's commentaries. Yes Colleen, now that I've seen it, I share your pain.<br />
<br />
Which leads us to the commentaries and the box sets themselves. As always, each box set is neatly presented with one episode commentary and a "marathon" feature for those who like to take their episodes in one gulp. The presentation is simple and effective, though I wish the disk numbers were a little less teeny!<br />
<br />
As for the commentaries themselves, they remain lightweight fun. Commentaries by dub teams can be a hit-and-miss affair. The US staff aren't involved in the creation of the show, which limits a great deal of the insight they can offer into characters and backgrounds. But that's not to say these aren't worth listening to, simply that if you've been following the <i>One Piece</i> commentaries you'll be familiar with some of the questions being asked. That being said, with the Skypiea arc being the first <i>One Piece</i> story the US crew worked on, there is some fresh material here for veteran commentary listeners. However, subject matter isn't really the meat of any of these commentaries. It's fortunate <i>One Piece</i> has such a vibrant and candid cast and crew to keep the commentaries entertaining regardless of the topic. I very much enjoyed hearing the perspective of relative Straw-Hat newbie Stephanie Young (Robin) on the Second Voyage set, and the Fourth Voyage set has a great, funny slice of banter between ADR Director Michael McFarland, John Michael Tatum (Eneru) and Colleen Clinkenbeard (Luffy).<br />
<br />
So again, <i>One Piece</i> does good. I have to say I never noticed any massive changes in quality between this new arc, given it was the US voice crew's first go at <i>One Piece.</i> It all feels consistent, which is testament to their skills. I listened to one box set on the Japanese dub, and as I've said before,<i> One Piece</i> is one of the few exceptions where I think the dub surpasses the original VA crew. The US team do a fantastic job at bringing these characters to life.<br />
<br />
Third Season Voyages 1–4 are a fantastically addictive affair. Buying all four will give you the complete Skypiea story, and in my experience it's watchable for all. If there is one anime that you can probably get friends, lovers and family into, it's <i>One Piece. </i>I have an 84-year-old grandmother who actually watches these screeners! If you ever feel a need to explain your love for Japanese animation to any of those who mildly concerned with your addiction, <i>One Piece</i> is good material to defend your honour! You certainly couldn't go wrong with the Skypiea arc! Humourous, poignant, creative and filled with cliffhangers that have you craving for more. Give in to your reservations. They say every cloud has a silver lining, but the story of Skypiea suggests otherwise. Both figuratively and literally, the clouds of <i>One Piece</i> are pure gold.</h2></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-44665579930450097532009-11-01T03:55:00.003+01:002011-08-01T22:39:42.247+01:00Halloween Podcast with Jimmy Boy McLean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-weight: bold;">More BacktoFrankBlack - should have a Black Jack review up soon. In the meantime, more James Podcasts!</span><br />
<br />
Great to speak to Kett - lovely man, and our wonderful friend, Murv (MR Sellars) the paranormal author! Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bm/_vxpHWKt6nqE/StydhvyyYOI/AAAAAAAAATw/QEeyIZIOJ9I/s1600-h/8933_156543233483_109517928483_2587342_31548_n.jg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394359656773738722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkinjm2K0LHWCpZpjGoA6yyWC39WO05UCupj1bN9v7guHFUTiN8Q2Djw96m6lTA9kxObt3lvbJyqOoxgNc70d6FACOvIUb4wjyn9sNR6HmasezSQVb6f6OhkNEJXbNP8fJLnsO/s320/8933_156543233483_109517928483_2587342_3144548_n.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 282px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 210px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Millennium Group </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ses</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">sions</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via our website <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">AND on ITunes!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9MabsTJk7NIYDi-70zcoWrrvrhW5aKk3oMTVtJyvCFCdyit8QQQK8IVajckJ1XJo1E37wy5TjmqslMuNL2yyz4GckAZ3z3WU8to2eX0TYfLVb-aCxQuz0VY4McOtvbo18Swb/s1600-h/promo2small.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<center><span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen to the Mp3 on the BacktoFrankBlack Stream or download using the links below!</span><br />
<embed allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/MGS_Halloween_14.mp3" height="56" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" wmode="transparent"></embed></center><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">To </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">download fr</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">om BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br />
<ul><li>For a high quality podcast: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/MGS_Halloween_14.mp3">Right click here and select "save link a</a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/MGS_Halloween_14.mp3">s.." (approx 57MB 60mins)</a></li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">There is no enhanced version for this episode due to technical difficulties. The full MP3 will be available from ITUNES instead of the M4B</span><br />
</li>
</ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 135px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" target="new" /></a><br />
<ul><li>To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for <span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends <span style="font-weight: bold;">ThaDarkSideVibe</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Spooktalkular</span>)</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions 14: MILLENNIUM - The Curse of Frank Black!</span><br />
<br />
In this episode of the Mill<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivurpbJ2TkJ3OMbNW5aP98BUtmZ3j_axdDtBTeWJvKt21_YEr-S-fMUA5eId9pFS_VyJkJd67FJ_0roh-EBYZ5lgGh87uM2b6UBPOwcWzjAeNxfLjiGPnontZWA2SVW17FTNSU/s1600-h/images.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394359738738663746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivurpbJ2TkJ3OMbNW5aP98BUtmZ3j_axdDtBTeWJvKt21_YEr-S-fMUA5eId9pFS_VyJkJd67FJ_0roh-EBYZ5lgGh87uM2b6UBPOwcWzjAeNxfLjiGPnontZWA2SVW17FTNSU/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 136px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 109px;" /></a>ennium Group Sessions series, the focus is Curse of Frank Black as BacktoFrankBlack's Curse of Frank Black comes to an end. Jim interviews Kett Turton, the once kid actor who told the ghost story in Frank's basement before Troy and Jim launch into a Curse of Frank Black discussion with Kett and Millennium fan/Paranormal author, MR Sellars!<br />
<br />
This free podcast is available on a weekly to fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br />
<br />
With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Send your letters and postcards to FOX:</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
<br />
STEVE ASBELL<br />
Twentieth Century Fox<br />
10201 West Pico Blvd.,<br />
Bldg. 88, Room 132<br />
Los Angeles, CA 90035#</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">PLUS: British fans, see Kett live! </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">"Moliere or The League of Hypocrites" by Mikhail Bulgakov.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Running from Nov. 24th - Dec. 19th at the Finborough Theatre.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Details at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG! </span></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-79500370593900845422009-10-24T20:05:00.001+01:002011-08-01T22:40:03.956+01:00Free podcast with some free James McLean!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Been a while - but here's a new post! Gasp. Another podcast. Gasp. Listen if you like. Gasp.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">MILLENNIUM GRO</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">UP SESSIONS</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> 12:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Millennium Group Ses</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">sions 13</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 180%;">FlashBack</span><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXNn2DLg0BkVvNr1Z9kifSUA-8PsJMnwzstncAs2w4hdRcqzb7e9Ef84FYZJBHcHI421N8R04l0SIo7VQbHas8NoXAt7pMDTBf2k2nZd-gSNkLtJcSmftx9Eqf_v31MsK9-Ks/s1600-h/8933_156543233483_109517928483_2587342_3144548_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396242868838661970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXNn2DLg0BkVvNr1Z9kifSUA-8PsJMnwzstncAs2w4hdRcqzb7e9Ef84FYZJBHcHI421N8R04l0SIo7VQbHas8NoXAt7pMDTBf2k2nZd-gSNkLtJcSmftx9Eqf_v31MsK9-Ks/s320/8933_156543233483_109517928483_2587342_3144548_n.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 282px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 210px;" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Millennium Group </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">S</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">es</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">sio</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ns</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via our website <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">AND on ITunes!</span><br />
<br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: left;">With Troy at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Flashback Horror</span> convention in Chicago, giving our flyers and coordinating with Mr Henriksen, this week's podcast is a retrospective affair.<br />
<br />
In Millennium Group Sessions #13, Jim and Troy introduce a flashback of their own, back to their first aired podcast together on <span style="font-weight: bold;">ThaDarksideVibe</span>, Troy's own podcast. This podcast aired before the Millennium Group Sessions began and was very much the catalyst for the podcast you listen to now.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwrcuhOkNc7VEN40RLFcCwUerdZiQJ9TB-_5hH6ATcSPOcMffRt1aTOUreaYlF8wC3DiC8Ucyf1H-QxFCNcOlO5ZuMqc11SO8NQorkxADGTlq6n8aierHVj4swzLwR9zxt8ky/s1600-h/podcast.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396243112257873138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwrcuhOkNc7VEN40RLFcCwUerdZiQJ9TB-_5hH6ATcSPOcMffRt1aTOUreaYlF8wC3DiC8Ucyf1H-QxFCNcOlO5ZuMqc11SO8NQorkxADGTlq6n8aierHVj4swzLwR9zxt8ky/s320/podcast.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 135px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></span></a><br />
So because we've not been able to do a full show this week, because it tentatively ties in with the Flashback Weekend convention, and of course, because its just a bit of fun, we offer you this slice.<br />
<br />
Can't say I've listened to it myself since it aired, so I can't attest for quality (or whether we've progressed since then), but I hope you enjoy it. It is of course, all about <span style="font-weight: bold;">Millennium!</span><br />
<br />
In the meantime, don't forget to check the Back2FrankBlack twitter account for updates from Troy live at the convention!</div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TO HEAR THIS PODCAST FOR FREE!</span><br />
<br />
Three methods are available:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Listen to the podcast streamed through the blog audio player below!</li>
</ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><embed allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/MGS_Flashback_13.mp3" height="56" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" wmode="transparent"></embed><br />
<ul><li>Download the MP3 of the podcast to your computer by right clicking the following link and selecting "<span style="font-weight: bold;">save link as</span>": <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/MGS_Flashback_13.mp3">RIGHT CLICK HERE</a></li>
</ul><ul><li>Subscribe to ITUNES and have the podcast automatically download to your computer on release! Simply download ITUNES, sign up for an ITUNES account for free and then search for "Millennium Group Sessions" in the ITUNES store. Click "subscribe" to get the free podcast as soon as its available!</li>
</ul></div><br />
Send your letters to FOX!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">STEVE ASBELL<br />
Twentieth Century Fox<br />
10201 West Pico Blvd.,<br />
Bldg. 88, Room 132<br />
Los Angeles, CA 90035<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next week: </span>Halloween with style! Jim interviews Kett Turton, the ghost story teller from Curse of Frank Black as part of our Curse of Frank Black week! Tune it - a lot of fun!</div></div></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-31252684801759712722009-08-11T14:01:00.003+01:002011-08-01T23:00:53.128+01:00James speaks to Lance Henriksen!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">More interviews - this time with Lance Henriksen. A great guy - and a great interview. Well worth the time. Excuse my little monologue at the end - beyond the genuine need to rally support, I think half a glass of wine had got my lips flapping somewhat..<br />
<br />
If you're reading this, and no doubt you are to be reading it, then please leave a comment on the <a href="http://bringbackfrankblack.blogspot.com/2009/08/lance-henriksen-speaks-to.html">backtofrankblackblog</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen to the Mp3 on the BacktoFrankBlack Stream or download using the links below!</span><br />
<embed allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Sessions_Lance_Henriksen.mp3" height="56" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" wmode="transparent"></embed></center><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">To </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">download fr</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">om BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br />
<ul><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Sessions_Lance_Henriksen.m4b">Click </a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Sessions_Lance_Henriksen.m4b">here! 21MB 88 mins)</a></li>
</ul><ul><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Sessions_Lance_Henriksen.mp3">Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 81MB 88 mins)</a></li>
</ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 135px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" target="new" /></a><br />
<ul><li>To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for <span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends <span style="font-weight: bold;">ThaDarkSideVibe</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Spooktalkular</span>)</li>
</ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ70vTg11YUMrn2zqQro8EOn75DtzHde3UaW2AwDXxQ5ywgQ4D5Uyk_eKG7HoMGswPfXpg8sYY-RgYJb4__FN6V-sde2ukzjt0sL6z0b-DypuE_xmsL02smr_xgyDHYiIeZ_lg/s1600-h/lance.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367995868961905490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ70vTg11YUMrn2zqQro8EOn75DtzHde3UaW2AwDXxQ5ywgQ4D5Uyk_eKG7HoMGswPfXpg8sYY-RgYJb4__FN6V-sde2ukzjt0sL6z0b-DypuE_xmsL02smr_xgyDHYiIeZ_lg/s400/lance.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 166px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions SPECIAL: LANCE HENRIKSEN</span><br />
<br />
In this special episode in the Millennium Group Sessions series, Troy and Jim speak to Frank Black himself, LANCE HENRIKSEN.<br />
<br />
In this special and free podcast, Lance speaks about his time on the show, how he sees the future of Millennium, Aliens, Jordan and of course, the man we want back, Frank Black. There is also a cameo guest appearance in the interview! You don't want to miss it!<br />
<br />
This free podcast is available on a weekly to fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br />
<br />
With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!<br />
<a href="http://millennium-thisiswhoweare.net/cmeacg/actor_profile.php?name=Kimberley%20Warnat" style="color: #ffcc66;" title="View Kimberley Warnat's Cast Profile."><br />
</a></div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-55271223764838825012009-07-27T13:18:00.003+01:002011-08-01T23:01:05.179+01:00James (and Troy) interview Jon Polito!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A plug for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ba</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">cktoFrankBlack</span> interview with Jon Polito that's just been released. A few comme<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RLqYPe1Fxjp03beJOnr_cYrgkn40Lp57octsIr48TnJa80U0KPnDqHAZoyHGmnGZA4DU4q45OhdPmqbo8tMS1mYVYJy56cWiaf8vbrv62kyRByjNIHb_2yW48NBPLYWv7Ui9/s1600-h/Copy%2520of%2520new%2520publicity%2520picture%25202006.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363110866741985346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RLqYPe1Fxjp03beJOnr_cYrgkn40Lp57octsIr48TnJa80U0KPnDqHAZoyHGmnGZA4DU4q45OhdPmqbo8tMS1mYVYJy56cWiaf8vbrv62kyRByjNIHb_2yW48NBPLYWv7Ui9/s200/Copy%2520of%2520new%2520publicity%2520picture%25202006.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 160px;" /></a>nts before the press blurb...<br />
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I've always been a massive, massive, massive fan of Homicide Life On The Street, particularly it's early seasons where the cast choices made for a very real show. The decision to pull Polito on the basis he wasn't a charismatic character was the first signal of Network pressures damaging the show's integrity.<br />
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Thankfully the scenes Polito's character <b>Det. Steve Crosetti</b> had in the first two seasons were strong and worthy of both the show and the real-life police man Terry McLarney whom Polito's character was based on (at least from what I read of McLarney in the show creator's original study of the Baltimore police department).<br />
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So it was a thrill to interview Jon for his work in Homicide AND his GREAT work in Millennium. Certainly the most endearing guest character in the show and a real boon to the episode Omerta. A cold blooded killer, come anti-hero, come genuine hero - Eddie Scarpino is a delight to watch and I'm so glad that the man behind the character was as charming and captivating to interview as he was to watch.<br />
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Enjoy.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Press Blurb!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcHqG99g61A1f3gFCNkPvA2nR0SNhxvZEhHc9TTkaU_W2z_EvXt0ALW8A_tZTNhxXDqdwRap6HsuhFGMBrQRXFr_W1s5wuuzLJ1sx45MI2ag0ANv7PjUcWX9_vKsa6ySTVf6U/s1600-h/BTFBOmerta.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360265474142769058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcHqG99g61A1f3gFCNkPvA2nR0SNhxvZEhHc9TTkaU_W2z_EvXt0ALW8A_tZTNhxXDqdwRap6HsuhFGMBrQRXFr_W1s5wuuzLJ1sx45MI2ag0ANv7PjUcWX9_vKsa6ySTVf6U/s320/BTFBOmerta.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 241px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Millennium Group Sessions</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via our website <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">AND on ITunes!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Please download our free podcast to support the campaign and the guests who have graciously </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">contributed their </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">time to the campaign!<br />
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To </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">download fr</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">om BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br />
<ul><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-06_Omerta_Part_1.m4b">Click her</a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-06_Omerta_Part_2.m4b">e! 20MB 80 mins)</a></li>
</ul><ul><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-06_Omerta_Part_2.mp3">Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 73MB 80 mins)</a></li>
</ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 135px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" target="new" /></a><br />
<ul><li>To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ba</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">cktoFrankBlack</span> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends <span style="font-weight: bold;">ThaDarkSideVibe</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Spooktalkular</span>)</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bac</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions 07 - Omerta Pt 2</span><br />
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In the seventh episode in the Millennium Group Sessions series, Troy and Jim speak to Omerta guest star <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jon Polito</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Homicide: Life On The Street, Miller's Crossing, The Big Nothing</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>) and talk about his prolific career and his love for Millennium. It's a fun, informative and charming interview. Expect an abridged version on the blog in the future along with a great hi-res image of Jon on set.<br />
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Also, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Millennium Group Sessions #7</span> has more news, updates and informal chat with your hosts Troy Foreman and Jim McLean.<br />
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This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br />
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With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!</div>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-14824006976138121852009-07-15T02:57:00.005+01:002009-07-15T03:01:02.330+01:00Introducing "Harvey"'s fairy tale character: Elwood P Dowd<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQOKTBWJAaWTOTHDp5zFRnJ5ezhuBEUHFbox2Z3HreFvm1Xo-YvyG2WuLEdaWXDBAfJllr8oG_MQmjMyV2cFn7kAsnM_t-QhQmpgQHsSsj3uIjAm1cRZ5nnz_2nxHgz5qxdcV/s1600-h/MV5BMTQ5NjA0ODE2OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTgxNjUyMQ@@._V1._SX100_SY140_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQOKTBWJAaWTOTHDp5zFRnJ5ezhuBEUHFbox2Z3HreFvm1Xo-YvyG2WuLEdaWXDBAfJllr8oG_MQmjMyV2cFn7kAsnM_t-QhQmpgQHsSsj3uIjAm1cRZ5nnz_2nxHgz5qxdcV/s320/MV5BMTQ5NjA0ODE2OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTgxNjUyMQ@@._V1._SX100_SY140_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358500654134998418" border="0" /></a><b><span style="font-style: italic;">Spotted this on IMDB - a review I wrote three years ago. I actually found it fascinating to read given the time between now and then has left me with no real recollection of writing this nor which angle I chose to present in the commentary. Funny how fickle the brainbox can be.<br /><br /></span></b><p> This is a delightful film. Jimmy Stewart's Elwood is a timeless character. When we live in a world which is constantly looking forward or backwards, Elwood P Dowd is a character who reminds us how perfect our lives would be if could live in the now, enjoying the singular moment. It is Dowd's ideology as much as his "imaginary" friend that makes "Harvey" so captivating.<br /><br />Of course, Elwood Dowd could be far less perfect than we imagine. The back story seems to imply he undertook some sort of personality shift seven years back (he says he took life seriously for thirty five years, he is now forty two as I recall). From the events he describes on his first encounter with "Harvey", his recalled dialogue infers this event was after his character transformation. Considering how his big sister, Veta seems to feel their mother should have warned her about Harvey when she moved in, it seems unlikely it was his mother's death that caused any sort of dramatic character alteration.<br /><br />So Dowd's character - for some reason - shifted from normal to unique. His life now is simplistic yet to himself, very busy. He spends a lot of times hanging around in bars meeting people. To him, that's a vocation, and with life itself being such a rich tapestry of character and history, who is one to argue? His approach to each day is structured on much repetition. His dialogue and mannerisms are very uniform and repetitive. His approach to all people remains equal. Elwood does initially give the audience the impression of someone who has had suffered breakdown, as someone who probably isn't quite normal. But as the film reminds us, when "normal" is actually quite nasty and stressful, would those "normal" people see being so very nice as a mental deficiency? The film doesn't dwell on the question as to whether or not Dowd suffers from mental illness. It could be character just was hit by some amazing epiphany seven years earlier. Unlike more contemporary offerings, it's not interested in what makes us who we are; it is more interested in what we are at present.<br /><br />While it's clear that Elwood was never always as simple and gracious as he is now. The film doesn't concern itself with any catalyst for this change; in fact, it seems to deliberately avoid talking about it. The beauty in "Harvey" is that Elwood is as much a fantasy character as the mischievous "imaginary" Pooka Harvey himself and in my opinion, just as fascinating.<br /><br />The timeless character of Elwood is solidified by the play/films disinterest in creating a resolution for his identity, even if all the unhappy people attempt the contrary. I prefer to see the change in Elwood as being an epiphany rather than a breakdown. It just seems to suit his almost fairy tale perfection. He doesn't see the bad in others. All behaviour has its reasons and all actions can be dealt with positively. Even when confronted with selfish concerns, he sees the lighter side. While the film doesn't leave any doubt to whether Harvey exists or not, it does leave the audience to make up it's mind on Elwood. That to me is the beauty of this film. The actual fairy tale character is definitive, but Elwood isn't. Is he a drunk? Again, personally, I don't feel he is. He never shows any behaviour indicative to a drunk. He goes and has a drink when he meets people as part of a ritualistic pattern, but the alcohol never pertains importance to him beyond that. Again, if we take Elwood's almost fantasy built persona - something we would all want to aspire to - to be able to socially drink very regularly without dependence seems quite fitting. That's my opinion, but really it's up to you to decide.<br /><br />So I think, deep down, we would all want to be Elwood Dowd. Not so much for the Pooka invisible friend, but simply because his existence shows us how life ought to be taken. This is of course, an impossibility given the responsibility of today's lifestyle. Life is too complicated for an existence firmly entrenched in the present and while we have to accept that we can't be like Elwood, it would be nice to think we can try.<br /><br />For me Mary Chase's "Harvey" presents a dream existence made manifest, and that is very much thanks to Stewart's beautifully performed Elwood Dowd. </p>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-17124028141839232592009-07-13T10:31:00.001+01:002009-07-13T10:31:46.474+01:00Surgical Spirit: "Black Jack" Volumes 2, 3 and 4 Get a Clean Bill of Health!<strong></strong><span style="font-size:78%;">For Toon Zone News<br /> 06-19-2009,<br /><br /></span><hr size="1" noshade="noshade"> <a href="http://news.toonzone.net/image.php?imageID=5412&___r=%2Farticles%2F30212%2Fsurgical-spirit-black-jack-volumes-2-3-and-4-get-a-clean-bill-of-health"><img src="http://news.toonzone.net/images/2008-12/blackjack2/blackjack.jpg" alt="Image" align="right" border="0" vspace="3" hspace="5" /></a>There are some books simply too good to review— books that really don't require the help of some meager assessor; that are happy enough to stand tall without third party endorsements. In essence, there are some books that make my job more without meaning than I could ever succeed at.<br /><br />Vertical have been hot on the presses releasing more of their <i>Black Jack</i> collection. <a href="http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=27140" target="_blank">Toon Zone reviewed volume one</a> earlier in 2008 and here we are again with volumes two, three and four putting me back in the hot seat looking for something more discerning to say about this range of graphic novels other than "Well, <i>Black Jack</i> is simply brilliant, innit?"<br /><br />Of course the quality of <i>Black Jack</i> is hardly a secret. Written by manga's legendary godfather, Osamu Tezuka, <i>Black Jack</i> is the long-running series of short stories that follow the extraordinary feats of surgery performed by an unlicensed Japanese doctor of the same name. The tales frequently carry a moral or sociological message, usually catalyzed by some emergency requiring Black Jack's surgical skills. (Black Jack's universe seems to exist on an abundance of car and HGV crashes throughout the four volumes.) The stories drift between resolutions of hope and despair, often ending on an abrupt coda.<br /><br /><i>Black Jack</i> plays on a breadth of drama that weaves a tale around both simple and complex characters types. More often than not, Tezuka turns his critical eye upon the medical profession, taking the opportunity to pull the strings on a variety of doctor and intellectual stereotypes and making them dance to his satirical melodies.<br /><br />Simply put, <i>Black Jack </i>is a joy to read. Aside from a few visual elements that prove a reminder of its vintage status, the stories remain relatively timeless. One story in volume three called "Your Mistake" requires a spool based tape recorder as a central prop—a reminder of the days before cassettes, CDs and digital downloads. You can read volume four without a single reminder of the time differential between ourselves and the author—only a few footnotes give away some of the minor satirical swipes at his contemporaries in Japanese manga.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.toonzone.net/image.php?imageID=5413&___r=%2Farticles%2F30212%2Fsurgical-spirit-black-jack-volumes-2-3-and-4-get-a-clean-bill-of-health"><img src="http://news.toonzone.net/images/2008-12/blackjack2/blackjack2.jpg" alt="Image" align="left" border="0" vspace="3" hspace="5" /></a>The age of <i>Black Jack</i> does raise a question: how can a book dealing with a medical surgeon first written over thirty-five years ago possibly carry any significant value to today's society? Strangely enough, many of the stories are indeed significant, particularly to our current climate, to coin a relevant pun. In volume two we have "Assembly Line Care" which questions the balance between bedside manner and hospital efficiency; "Where Are Thou Friend?" is about the malady that is mankind upon the planet. Volume three's "Dingoes" questions the ravages of mankind on the animal ecosystem and in "Shrinking" we seen theological faith struggle against secular humanitarianism as our medicines save more people only to see others die under surplus demand upon resources. All of which are contemporary issues, all of which Tezuka was querying three decades ago.<br /><br />Of course, many of the <i>Black Jack</i> stories simply stand the test of time by centering on the timeless moral issues. The question of euthanasia for instance is neatly explored in volume three's "Two Dark Doctors". The internal struggle between the family unit is a popular theme, and Tezuka enjoys examining blood relationships through a some surprising facets. In volume four we have a trilogy of family plights; "Burned Doll", a tale of a gangster's willing sacrifice for his son; "Lost and Found" focuses on dying wife and mother and her family's desperate plight to raise the funds to save her, and "Heart of a Giant" looks at the risks a parent will put on his ill son for the sake of fame and fortune. Whether it be a broad sociological question or a very personal tale, Tezuka opens up the tender wounds found between human fragility and social morality.<br /><br />While the stories avoid being trapped in the past, it's perhaps Black Jack's fantastical ability to perform feats of surgery that prevents the reader from questioning the book's contemporary relevance. Black Jack can graft skin, re-attach limbs and even transplant bodies in ways no one can, and this little zest of fantasy completes the timeless illusion.<br /><br />As always, Tezuka's artwork is an eclectic blend of caricature and incredibly textured linework. The testament to his work comes in the decades of imitators who have drawn from his skills. His sequential narratives are almost faultless in visualization and pacing. There is little change within the artwork between the three volumes—Tezuka's style for <i>Black Jack</i> is very much set from the start. In fact, the only evidence of change comes in volume four where there is a tiny modicum of self-referential humour that leaks into the story and visuals. It seems by the forth volume, Tezuka has become very aware of the restrictions of Black Jack's story format and occasionally lampoons it—but never to the detriment of the tale itself.<br /><br />Vertical have continued their unique and quite understated approach to the book design. The stories are bound with a stylish blend of block color and line art. The black and white stories themselves are laid out well with handy notes that help decipher the underlying cultural ambiguities—and, in one case, inaccuracies—to Tezuka's work.<br /><br />To look for fault in <i>Black Jack</i> would be just that: looking—no, <i>hunting</i>—for faults, just for the sake of a balanced review. There is no critical balance to be found in <i>Black Jack</i>; it's simply damn good. If I were to impart a little personal ego into this review, I read volume four after having a wisdom tooth extraction—and there is nothing better to dull jaw discomfort than tales of people suffering far greater than yourself. Forget drugs, <i>Black Jack</i> was a great chemical substitute. Take that as my medical diagnosis. Now, go prescribe yourself a copy—or three!James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-75627519870182519892009-07-06T16:11:00.000+01:002009-07-06T16:12:38.910+01:00"One Piece": Straw Hats off to Third and Fourth Voyage<span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.toonzone.net/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">For Toon Zone News</span></a><br /> 06-15-2009, </span> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade"> Sailing forth, undaunted by the near-infinite number of episodes to come, I am lured in by <i>One Piece</i>, as a sailor is lured by a siren. The <i>One Piece: Second Voyage</i> DVD boxset ended on a nail-biting cliff-hanger, but and now we're back to finish off season one (and begin season two as well!) with <i>One Piece: Third Voyage</i> and <i>One Piece: Fourth Voyage</i>.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.toonzone.net/image.php?imageID=5399&___r=%2Farticles%2F30144%2Fone-piece-straw-hats-off-to-third-and-fourth-voyage"><img src="http://news.toonzone.net/images/2009-06/onepiece/t-onepiece3.jpg" align="right" border="0" vspace="3" hspace="5" /></a>For those less in the know than me, <i>One Piece</i> is an anime serial authentically translated from its manga origins. It regales with the tale of a young pirate who seeks to sail the dangerous Grand Line in search of the fabled One Piece. Possessing this treasure is said to rank you as "King of the Pirates". Along the way, Luffy picks up (and occasionally drops off) a menagerie of odd crewmates, the Straw Hats, each with a curious longing and particular ability. The first season establishes his core crew through its run of forty-seven episodes.<br /><br />My research has only been recreational, but it appears to me that the differences between show and comic, in content and style, are few and far between. In the early stages of the story (yes, the <i>Third Voyage</i> starts at episode 27, and that is very early for <i>One Piece</i>) we are still exploring our central characters. This hero exploration doesn't end until half-way through the fourth box-set with Nami's arc.<br /><br />What makes this show such a popular affair is hard to pin down. I doubt it is a widespread interest in pirates; aside from <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> (a film that owes its success more to a blend of Disney ride and Depp than the pirate genre), pirates don't tend to be popular in contemporary media. Yet somehow <i>One Piece</i> succeeds in breathing life into a genre that has shown very little measure of success since Jim Hawkins set sail for Treasure Island. I think the magic ingredients don't come from any single element. <i>One Piece</i> is a multiplicity of originality, great characters, action, drama and humour—and it's never quite clear where or how the story is going to go from episode to episode.<br /><br />As much as I'd like to find an excuse to criticise <i>Third Voyage</i> (and thereby at least look like I am fulfilling my criteria as an objective and non-biased reviewer), but I really am hard pressed to find anything to complain about, and those things I did find are rectified in the fourth boxset. For instance, the go-happy theme tune that continues through the third boxset—which I've always disliked—disappears during the fourth. How can you fault a show that clearly not only performs, but reads minds?<br /><br />Well, <i>Third Voyage</i> does suffer from an incidental and unfortunate dearth of Luffy, who spends a great deal of the set traveling from plot arena A to plot arena B. So the middle episodes of <i>Third Voyage</i> do feel a little empty—but a diamond remains a diamond no matter how you cut it. Moreover, Luffy's adventures at the beginning and end of this set carry more energy and zing that the bastard child of sugar and caffeine. <i>One Piece</i> is more than Luffy, but I doubt it would be quite as unique and memorable without him.<br /><br /><i>Third Voyage</i> is a strong collection of episodes that delves deeper into the world and the central characters of <i>One Piece</i>. The back-story to Nami proves surprisingly tragic; the Fishmen are seemingly unbeatable as an adversary; and there are deep pockets of humour found everywhere. And who cannot but feel a surge of pleasure when Luffy takes his passion for his crew to the nth degree in some violent and often shockingly bloody manoeuvres?<br /><br /><i>Fourth Voyage</i> manages to excel even <i>Third.</i> This final first season boxset carries a brilliant run of stories. Partly this is because the series begins to move away from the more formulaic stories it has featured. After the <i>Fourth Voyage</i> wraps up the Nami story-arc, we are given an unusual yet relevant array of single character episodes that not only give our heroes but the audience too a little time for recuperation. In fact, we even move away from the crew for the first time and focus on the antics and situation of other <i>One Piece</i> characters. I found this change both refreshing and enjoyable—particularly the escapades of Captain Buggy which at one point made me, dare I say it, "LOL".<br /><br />The final adventure on the disk (and the beginning of second season) brings the crew to the last town before the Grand Line and again the formula is shattered somewhat by a whole menagerie of storylines, character moments and comedy. Furthermore, this arc avoids the battle-come-verbal sparring contest and—<i>shock horror</i>—Luffy doesn't save the day as usual. So there some very surprising twists as the show progresses into its second term that pretty much demolishing the only criticism I've been able to muster in fifty-three episodes.<br /><br />The DVD packaging for all the Voyages remain consistent throughout, and again the marathon option is present so you can watch the show without credits and recaps. As with the previous two boxsets, there is a single commentary track on each boxset—both are highly enjoyable. <i>Third Voyage's</i> commentary is with the buoyant Eric Vale (Sanji) and the<i> Fourth Voyage</i> features the lovely Luci Christian (Nami). Both are hosted by ADR director Mike MacFarland. While mentioning the voices, a quick kudos to the whole of FUNimation's voice cast for <i>One Piece</i> who deliver their lines with little difficulty managing to bridge the show's dramatic spectrum. <br /><br />As I'm sure 80% of those reading this knew before myself, <i>One Piece</i> is really the king of anime. It's a wide, open genre, but I don't think I've experienced such a consistent gem from the East. It can be funny, it can be very bloody (strutting in its naked, uncensored glory) and strangely poignant.<br /><br />Hyperbole as my friend, this is the magnum opus of Eastern anime, neatly drawing from all the necessary attributes of drama to make a solid, unbeatable package. If you didn't know it already, this is a show that keeps going from strength to strength and one day may become a street corner substitute for the narcotics trade. Yes, gushing aside, it's that good. Go score yourself some <i>One Piece</i>.James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-84411682971555188692009-06-25T10:01:00.006+01:002009-06-25T10:07:22.901+01:00James (and Troy) interview Klea Scott!This was a great interview. The wonderful, talented and oh-so-charming Klea Scott, chatted to Troy and myself for nearly an hour and a half. Time shot by. She really does take the reins for this interview and imparts lots of juicy, fun and candid information about her career, Millennium and of course, Lance Henriksen (whom she worked with closely on Millennium for those silly people not in the know).<br /><br />Monday brings another big interview. Along with Troy we'll be interview X-Files and Millennium writer/producer/legend, Frank Spotnitz. A little bit excited about that.<br /><br />A couple of reviews will be blogged during the week that I did for Toon Zone. Need to add some variety to La Blog methinks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">La Plug:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SjvIXnC0G5I/AAAAAAAAAiU/uovlvE8xQvg/s1600-h/BTFBFromTheStars.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SjvIXnC0G5I/AAAAAAAAAiU/uovlvE8xQvg/s400/BTFBFromTheStars.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349089290375928722" border="0" /></a>Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to inform you of a very special edition of our <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html" targer="new">Millennium Group Sessions Podcast</a> to be released on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 21st June</span>. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0779455/" target="new"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Klea Scott</span></a>, E<span style="font-style: italic;">mma Hollis</span> herself, spoke exclusively to <span style="font-weight: bold;">BackToFrankBlack</span> about her recollection of her time on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Millennium</span> for the first time since she provided the Season Three DVD commentary almost a decade ago.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SjvHboixOxI/AAAAAAAAAiM/bXfZzKABNgM/s1600-h/BTFBStars.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 241px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SjvHboixOxI/AAAAAAAAAiM/bXfZzKABNgM/s400/BTFBStars.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349088259986242322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We, as fans, owe a debt of gratitude to the sheer exuberance Klea still has for Millennium and for the way in which she has rallied to support this campaign and here's where you can help. Use your Blogs, Twitter accounts, Myspace pages and more to tell all you know about this very exclusive scoop.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Let everyone know, Klea Scott is in the house!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">download from BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>For the enhanced image complimented podcast for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Session_Special_Klea_Scott.m4b">Click here! (19MB 75 mins)</a></li></ul><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Millennium_Group_Session_Special_Klea_Scott.mp3">Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 69.5MB 75mins)</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To download from ITUNES</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ThaDarkSideVibe</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 2);">Spooktalkular</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">)</span></li></ul>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-3917643667318753592009-06-15T11:07:00.003+01:002009-06-15T11:15:43.532+01:00BacktoFrankBlack Podcast #4 - now out!<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxDoKLPPsX442nq_jjgmX_gYwcr-O4lIM4TKAXWyF-Pxt_WsXIywpks55w0Robr2ukUnuNskw6925j7p2UfdKSioQ1NW6AXG9_w3MMr6EHla9lHJokPkfwnPXgsTotnmxCzwc/s1600-h/BTFBPodcastEpisodeFour.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxDoKLPPsX442nq_jjgmX_gYwcr-O4lIM4TKAXWyF-Pxt_WsXIywpks55w0Robr2ukUnuNskw6925j7p2UfdKSioQ1NW6AXG9_w3MMr6EHla9lHJokPkfwnPXgsTotnmxCzwc/s200/BTFBPodcastEpisodeFour.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347194863525128274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Another podcast comes your way. This one was fun - and despite having had to listen to it several times in post, I've enjoyed it. I hope you will too.<br /><br />Troy did a wonderful job slicing this together, removing a terrible killing silence I created in the interview. Austin was a man after my own heart (or am I a man after his - that sounds almost romantic). Check out his music at myspace: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/acidengine">www.myspace.com/acidengine</a>.<br /><br />Done some wonderful little interviews still waiting to be released. The sexy <span style="font-weight: bold;">Keegan Connor Tracey</span> (missed out on doing a video cast for that lovely lady - she'd done her hair for it too!) from BSG/Millennium, the bubbly, smart, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Klea Scott</span> (Millennium), the laid-back wisdom of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Michael Buie</span> (Millennium) and my all time favourite, the amazing, cheeky and charming <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jon Polito</span>.<br /><br />In other news, news in which doesn't have me abusing this blog to promote the BacktoFrankBlack podcasts, will have some reviews I did for Toon Zone up shortly, including the humourous School Rumble, the wonder of more Black Jack and the fantastic, hilarious, sea-faring antics of One Piece. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /><br />Time for <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">La Blurb:</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >free</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" > download via our website </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >AND on ITunes!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Please download our free podcast to support the campaign and the guests who have graciously contributed their time to the campaign!<br /><br /><br />To </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >download from BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br /><ul face="verdana" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-04_HeWhoLaughsLast.m4b">Click here! (20MB 73 mins)</a></li></ul><ul face="verdana" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/b2fbepisode4.mp3">Right cli</a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/back2frankblackepisode3.mp3">ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 69.5MB 73mins)</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >To download from ITUNES</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ThaDarkSideVibe</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 2);">Spooktalkular</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">)</span></li></ul><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" alt="" target="new" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >: Millennium Group Sessions 04 - Comedy</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >In this forth episode, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tr</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">oy Foreman</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jim McLe</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">an</span> give you, the potenti</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >al endearing listeners, a podcast that looks at the most controversial of all the topics Millennium dealt with: comedy! Looking at episodes like "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense</span>" and "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Somehow Satan Got Behind Me</span>" Troy and Jim will be discussing the pros and cons of the comedy within the show and speaking to Millennium's only character to have urinated in a cup of coffee - the multi-talented <span style="font-weight: bold;">Austin Basille</span> will be speaking about Millennium, Hollywood and beyond! Expect</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" > the usual news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" > - including a very new way to support the campaign! (90 mins)</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" > - </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >PLUS - Podcast BLOOPERS, keep listening to the end.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >With </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >ITUNES</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;" >, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" ><br /></span>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-45844868680865652172009-06-05T14:47:00.003+01:002009-06-05T14:54:40.142+01:00BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions - PODCAST #3!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGksxsw_U6aEZvwQez73ETn-wtpcGzkPr5qAQK2Q3VFTGQsx1wxfSLe-dyeo1hL3EgiuBHMx54PmhFKCQ50Q8gevGRjSXhuwdxC1Vm5Irs2x11b3xtFVtVbn7-QyGtXIKYlE7H/s1600-h/BTFBPodcastEpisodethree.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGksxsw_U6aEZvwQez73ETn-wtpcGzkPr5qAQK2Q3VFTGQsx1wxfSLe-dyeo1hL3EgiuBHMx54PmhFKCQ50Q8gevGRjSXhuwdxC1Vm5Irs2x11b3xtFVtVbn7-QyGtXIKYlE7H/s200/BTFBPodcastEpisodethree.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342134297486311346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Before the blurb, may I say this was a great podcast to do. Had a lot of fun with Murv (author MR Sellars), who was a wonderful and insightful guest - with lots of insight into the real life process of criminal behaviour.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Some great interviews to come. Recording Klea Scott (Emma Hollis from season three), in her first audio interview since the DVD set this weekend, we have two more interviews in the can (with two fantastic interviews!) and Keegan Tracey (Ometra and more recently Battlestar Galactica) lined up next week! Very exciting, a lot of fun! Please download and throw us your feedback!</span><br /><br />***<br />BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via our website <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">AND on ITunes!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">download from BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-03_%20TheGift.m4b">Click here! (22MB 90 mins)</a></li></ul><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/back2frankblackepisode3.mp3">Right cli</a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/back2frankblackepisode3.mp3">ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 89MB 90 mins)</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><li><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">ThaDarkSideVibe</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Spooktalkular</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">)</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" alt="" target="new" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions 03 - The Gift</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">In this third episode, Tr</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">oy Foreman and Jim McLe</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">an give you, the potenti</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">al very dear listeners, podcast glimmering with Frank and Jordan's special gift! We have paranormal thriller writer (and self-confessed Millennium fan AND BacktoFrankBlack supporter) MR Sellars in for a chat, a chance to win the Jordan's gift inspired Millennium homage DVD, Millennium Apocalypse (region 1) and of course,</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">. (90 mins)</span><br /><br />This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br /><br />With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-35347122412421004342009-05-17T16:01:00.002+01:002009-05-17T16:06:28.232+01:00James and Troy Foreman interviews Marshall Bell for BacktoFrankBlack<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrRKVSsxV9y5vPm6DMqOJC8J6s5DZKhi8Kmb3ds6OmwUlkkFY294qWFWdkcGKuz2sCy6kFAYZvN_DPQG4Wn_p85K5O4STBRFdmYJUmhiSVebrVYqNTaBiWpC9DJzTjhUzi-24/s1600-h/BTFBPodcastEpisodeTwo.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrRKVSsxV9y5vPm6DMqOJC8J6s5DZKhi8Kmb3ds6OmwUlkkFY294qWFWdkcGKuz2sCy6kFAYZvN_DPQG4Wn_p85K5O4STBRFdmYJUmhiSVebrVYqNTaBiWpC9DJzTjhUzi-24/s200/BTFBPodcastEpisodeTwo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805460169840466" border="0" /></a><span>For <span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack</span>, myself and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Millennium Group Sessions </span>host Troy Foreman got together to interview <span style="font-weight: bold;">Marshall Bell</span> - who you may recall as "the guy with the repellent mutant attached to his stomach" in Total Recall, or "the general who screams and whines before being jellified by a passing bug in Starship Troopers", or simply from many of his onscreen TV and film roles ranging from "House MD", to "Stand By Me". </span><span><br /><br />It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we have a few technical problems during the interview, but Marshall was wonderful. He patiently helped us through these unforeseen problems and was an absolute joy. Big soccer fan too - spent the seventies living in London. I warmed to the gent very quickly.<br /><br />Anyhow, the relevant promo spiel is as follows:<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via our website <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">AND on ITunes!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-02-Legion.m4b">Click here! (24MB 97 mins)</a></li></ul><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-02-Legion.mp3">Right cli</a><a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/Back2FrankBlack-02-Legion.mp3">ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 87MB 97 mins)</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">ThaDarkSideVibe</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Spooktalkular</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">)</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcast.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fR8Ky5USFLLzr9E-18OqZGaeRFTZITdv_QtDbr8ZinmC0MmvgUZmPsrnG18wZbVUAmByI8a6oSbhc3t6Dk0TT4VTSBYCoDIK37hlwIqg0sZ4i_A2jbYG_eB5LLArodteKiuZ/s200/podcast.gif" alt="" target="new" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336805575679109154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions 02 - Legion</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">In this second episode, Tr</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">oy Foreman and Jim McLe</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">an give you, the potenti</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">al very dear listeners, podcast brimming with Millennium's Legion! We have Legion himself, The Judge - actor Marshall Bell in an exclusive BacktoFrankBlack Interview, a chance to win a signed photo of Legion incarnate, Lucy Butler, AKA Sarah Jane Redmond, an informal discussion about Legion in season one by Jim and Troy and of course,</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">. (97 mins)</span><br /><br />This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br /><br />With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-68645937016612508562009-05-04T12:25:00.005+01:002009-05-04T17:53:34.586+01:00Jim and BacktoFrankBlack go all Podcasty!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/Sf5FeOTNVFI/AAAAAAAAATk/kNk0OXZqn60/s1600-h/BTFBPodcastEpisodeOne+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 263px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/Sf5FeOTNVFI/AAAAAAAAATk/kNk0OXZqn60/s400/BTFBPodcastEpisodeOne+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331775394390299730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions</span>, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by myself, good old Jim McLean, is now available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> download via <a href="http://bringbackfrankblack.blogspot.com/2009/05/backtofrankblack-millennium-group_03.html">BacktoFrankBlack.com</a> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">AND on ITunes!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com</span><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers (sound and images also works on apple quicktime - this version will also play as a simple audio recording): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/B2FB_MGS-01_Pilot.m4b">Click here! (15MB 60 mins)</a></li></ul><ul style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"><li>For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/podcasts/b2fbep1.mp3">Right click here and select "save link as.." (60MB 60 mins)</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">To download from ITUNES</span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">BacktoFrankBlack</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">ThaDarkSideVibe</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Spooktalkular</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">)</span></li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzKTwlC3BkdIE-L8l_1iIU9VFM38emClR6twBz0G42XyD9CiRzOuMJ9IjhbUI7ZJABD60UuSYFx3BsMTZzXmN1xakfnB8QlnDyIK1iRNChXjgLqJ0h9KqdVSVqiUDmmVuzYMx/s1600-h/ouronatamer+copy2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzKTwlC3BkdIE-L8l_1iIU9VFM38emClR6twBz0G42XyD9CiRzOuMJ9IjhbUI7ZJABD60UuSYFx3BsMTZzXmN1xakfnB8QlnDyIK1iRNChXjgLqJ0h9KqdVSVqiUDmmVuzYMx/s200/ouronatamer+copy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331760770420744946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">BacktoFrankB</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">lack</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Millennium Group Sessions 01 - Pilot/Pilot</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">In the pilot episode, Tr</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">oy Foreman and Jim McLean give you, the potential very dear listeners, information about th</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">e campaign's background, news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium a</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">nd</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> a frank, informal chat about the pilot episode of our favourite TV show. (60mins)</span><br /><br />This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.<br /><br />With <span style="font-weight: bold;">ITUNES</span>, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!<br /><br />***<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In related news, I've just finished recording a podcast with the wonderful Spooktalkular team that will be released later this week. It was a great little session between myself, Troy Foreman (of BacktoFrankBlack/ThaDarkSideVibe) and <a href="http://www.spooktalkular.com/">Spooktalkular</a> hosts Frank and Laura. Watch for further updates - it really was a lovely chatty session. Informal and a lot of fun!<br /></span>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-76102832246339633042009-04-26T09:35:00.006+01:002009-04-26T10:14:40.901+01:00Farewell Geocities and the Golden Age of the Internet Hippy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mqEoXponwPbaUrqkziCKzAyqFvuEEpNHHzvYSiA4Uh4OXVLatrsUFMqPlr_meFQHWxPNNXD_bI-BB_o2gITfvw_UKDQmvvOXkBlkHL27zn9scybtPh-_VVdYdXPgLPHA-3kE/s1600-h/geocitie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mqEoXponwPbaUrqkziCKzAyqFvuEEpNHHzvYSiA4Uh4OXVLatrsUFMqPlr_meFQHWxPNNXD_bI-BB_o2gITfvw_UKDQmvvOXkBlkHL27zn9scybtPh-_VVdYdXPgLPHA-3kE/s200/geocitie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328926012246970578" border="0" /></a><a href="http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/04/geocities-to-close-after-15-years-of-aesthetic-awesomeness.ars">It seems Geocities has had its day</a>. Commence the jeers, cheers, sneers and general derision for a web host that really did mark the golden age of the amateur on the then labelled "Internet Superhighway".<br /><br />Yes, the amateur was then in full force on the digital dial-up highway. He didn't have a car per se - because cars cost money. He preferred to sit on the hard shoulder with his flask of weak cordial. A presence - perhaps sometimes a hindrance - to the baby-boon commerce of the Internet.<br /><br />Geocities will be remembered primarily for its banners, very short bandwidth and welcoming arms to the unqualified, thrifty web-designers. Pop-ups were abound, as were flashing tickers, animated Spider-Man gifs, neon green hit counters and of course, ugly "comic sans ms" font. They were "teh" terrible of their time; scorned for their cheap (and by cheap I mean free) offerings, laughed at by passers-by who soon learned to expect better.<br /><br />But then, they were also so very wonderful. They really were the epoch of fan-free-fun on the net, before the hosts and servers who allowed these fans to have so much fun realised they had no revenue to let them do it for free. Soon enough all free web hosts would be filled with banners and Geocities was forced to offer more popups. The service became even more unbearable - quite surprising it has survived this latest commercial age of the Internet for so long.<br /><br />However I would liken this era to a music festival - where everything is amateurish, muddy and generally awkward yet occasionally the province of something quite cool, nifty or informative. If you sifted through the oddball crap on Geocities you would find some interesting facts and cool gubbins. Who can forget searching through Geocities (or its rival, Angelfire - still alive) for landmarks dedicated to your favourite shows? The slow download their 600x480 wallpapers? The strings of wav files that would be composited onto your Windows 95 desktop theme? It was simple. It was a laugh. It was the age of the Internet Hippy.<br /><br />Furthermore, as a web designer born from that era I owe a lot to the simple builders of Geocities and Angelfire. I built my first website on Angelfire (a band site). I built a massive LEXX resource called "The Squawkers Guide to Lexx" on Redrival (before it was forced into the banner revenue game). I built "EagleKen's Lonely Homepage" (a site dedicated to Gatchaman/Battle Of The Planets) on, well, it might have been Geocities - I really can't remember. I know the first illustration platform back at Uni was on Geocities - and was proof that if you knew a little about webdesign, you could create a simple, inoffensive Geocities site.<br /><br />But like so many, I grew up. On leaving Uni I had transferred to the big boys with a decent paid webhost and domain name. Fan sites, those half-assed shrines of naff, began to die out as the truly dedicated upped their game and forked out a little for bandwidth and those who couldn't be arsed, well, time sapped the fun of the fan-shrine from their dial-up connections...<br /><br />.. or took their design talents to the early days of MySpace. Another story perhaps.<br /><br />But there are still some good Geocities websites out there. May I recommend you to my favourite Geocities site, dedicated to a film with very few sites to its names but surprisingly many more fans than you'd expect (I work with two colleagues who have separately confessed their love for this particular movie in the past few months). The film is called<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Hole"> The Black Hole</a>. <a href="http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/6822/">The site is here</a>. Enjoy this nostalgic slice of the Internet-as-it-were before it is as-it-isn't in the very near future.James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-76900221447422902132009-04-15T10:07:00.003+01:002009-04-15T10:16:58.329+01:00Podcast Interview with Moi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0UiHy6F_n0IGojAFxbFWDD-h0p6ielhNcHSC_yfQquSUmBBOJ3uuqNbKJU5vHJOl5tJDcgqUEtnKa4HnrgUnhTa74e7504xEYhdORsPkLfQRKD8gusvu_AUIjVKKH8HGqogi/s1600-h/_thb_Screenshot014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0UiHy6F_n0IGojAFxbFWDD-h0p6ielhNcHSC_yfQquSUmBBOJ3uuqNbKJU5vHJOl5tJDcgqUEtnKa4HnrgUnhTa74e7504xEYhdORsPkLfQRKD8gusvu_AUIjVKKH8HGqogi/s200/_thb_Screenshot014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324844243037998178" border="0" /></a>I took part in a rather enjoyable informal chat with the host of <a href="http://thadarksideblog.blogspot.com/">ThaDarksideVibe</a> podcast, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Troy Foreman</span> to chat about <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> and<span style="font-style: italic;"> BacktFrankBlack</span>. It was an Easter Monday affair and I must confess to not being on the ball as I should. Naturally I'll blame my infamous dodgy memory (as those who know me can attest to), and my recent drug addled recuperation from my wisdom tooth extraction (which those who know me will attest I stopped taking the pills earlier this weekend and expose this bogus excuse).<br /><br />Either way, we myself and Troy have a good 45 minute natter across the seas on the subject of <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span>. We're looking at the possibility of working with Troy again on a podcast dedicated to BacktoFrankBlack - time will tell whether that idea comes to fruition.<br /><br />I'm talking to horror magazine <span style="font-style: italic;">Rue Morgue </span>on doing a small feature on the campaign along with Lance Henriksen. Again, early stages - for those who wanted to hear what I think without actually having to hear me. I understand such a perspective totally - you have my sympathy! In the meantime, support Troy's podcast and suffer my dulcet tones on the following direct MP3 link!<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://media.libsyn.com/media/thadarkside/vibe55.mp3">Download the podcast directly (MP3)</a><br />Visit <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://thadarksideblog.blogspot.com/">ThaDarksideVibe</a>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-68978743482140522822009-04-13T14:21:00.002+01:002009-04-18T14:31:01.980+01:00BacktoFrankBlack offering an X-Files book prize!<a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/">BacktoFrankBlack</a> is giving away <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-X-Files-Behind-Myths-Movies/dp/1933784725"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The C</span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-X-Files-Behind-Myths-Movies/dp/1933784725"><span style="font-style: italic;">omplete X-Files: A guide to the M</span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-X-Files-Behind-Myths-Movies/dp/1933784725"><span style="font-style: italic;">yth and the Movies" </span></a><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Matt Hurwitz</span> and endorsed by Millennium creator<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Chris Carter </span>to TWO lucky winners who can offer a humorous caption to the following picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SczbhmFeuGI/AAAAAAAAAPU/nza9S1H3fyU/s400/BTFBCaptionCompetition.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TcHpxKcjGVE/SczbhmFeuGI/AAAAAAAAAPU/nza9S1H3fyU/s400/BTFBCaptionCompetition.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="mailto:info@backtofrankblack.com">Email BacktoFrankBlack.com your suggestion</a> before the end of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday, (update: they've announced their winner - <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/news.html">check their blog!</a>) </span>to win a hardback copy of this fantastic X-Files book! Third place will get a copy of the indie movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium Apocalypse</span> (region 1).<br /><br />Worth a try, n'est pas?<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://bringbackfrankblack.blogspot.com/2009/03/lights-camera-caption-exclusive-btfb.html"><br />Click here for BacktoFrankBlack.com's entry terms and conditions</a></span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-X-Files-Behind-Myths-Movies/dp/1933784725"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></a>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-18464543032454342022009-04-11T19:58:00.007+01:002009-04-11T20:49:48.433+01:00Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5b12buhOaV77M-7G0b3LT47anqQ9Uj5jRMPYWWQontCNF7y33eNYFmxO8ssho8esRfLX7KAKFT_6RMiW96hid291hdHJx2RQ-9NExqadaS6r_RdOyEE8qqMSs-zofvz_8hiNf/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5b12buhOaV77M-7G0b3LT47anqQ9Uj5jRMPYWWQontCNF7y33eNYFmxO8ssho8esRfLX7KAKFT_6RMiW96hid291hdHJx2RQ-9NExqadaS6r_RdOyEE8qqMSs-zofvz_8hiNf/s400/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323513809079691714" border="0" /></a>Cut to the Chase Meridian : can't say I enjoyed this.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Planet of the Dead</span> is a story that very much relies on the audience falling for the Doctor's one-off companion, Christina (Michelle Ryan). If you didn't fall for this cat-woman homage, there really wasn't much else in the episode to engage you. The other characters (who as usual for RTD, felt authentically British) were relegated to the bus leaving us with Christina and the Doctor - oh and some flies. Hate to sound stuffed with snark, but the flies carried more charm than Christina. Really - they were great!<br /><br />Cards on the table - I hate sounding like a grumbler,<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>but</span> (and there's always a 'but') can we have a female character that doesn't have to constantly compete with the Doctor for the audience's attention? It seems each companion has to spar with the Doctor to prove they are made of equal awesomez as the 900-year-old Time Lord. When one goes, the next has to come and fill those same shoes. Having the occasional companion look the Doctor in the eye is super - having companions occasionally do this makes that moment stand out more, but it seems each companion or major female guest star has to find a way to do just this. So by the time Christina appears ready to prove how she's not going to be ordered around by a very competent and rather superior being, she's sort of lost the dramatic edge.<br /><br />I suppose we should blame society and our churlish, sexist social regime that we have to constantly reminds ourselves exists no more by adding aggressive or challenging female role model to buck past trends (which on consideration, isn't exactly a bad thing). It's just in way, this ideology limits the female character types to fulfil the companion role. I mean, men can be charming like Captain Jack, or eccentric like Malcolm (Lee Evans), UNIT's scientific advisor, or just excitable like Adam (Dalek) without having to prove to the Doctor - and through the Doctor, the audience - that they are valid, contemporary role models. In a way, it seems lead female characters are pigeon holed as bolshy and confrontation to prove they are no longer being pigeon holed as weak and submissive. Is there no middle ground?<br /><br />In fact, I think this episode would have been far better with just the Doctor and the bus load of Ordinary. Yes, the Ordinary were far more likeable, believable and enjoyable to watch than Christina. We had a spectrum of London types and they were all very well played. They rooted the audience in the dilemma very well indeed - unlike Christina's character who was a boob laden pastiche on Bond and Thomas Crown - who just dragged you away from the tension. She was too unbelievable.<br /><br />What? Unbelievable for a man travelling around time in a police box? Yes, sir - unbelievable. One oddity is something an audience can invest in. We can accept a Doctor, or a James Bond or a Batman. But when they have an equally unbelievable sidekick, who is just as amazing, it starts to become a little farcical.<br /><br />Strong sidekicks aren't always a 'no' of course - in the right context they can be beneficial to a story in my humble ungodly opinion, but I think the desperation required to sustain the situation in this particular tale required the supporting cast to be believable - and that includes the companion.<br /><br />I'm sure many people loved this Special - which is great. I'm not here to berate RTD's production (or personal talent) as crikey, they don't half get enough flack from fandom as it is. I just feel I have to be honest and say this didn't fulfil my <span style="font-style: italic;">Doctor Who</span> criteria. But given I'm neither The Family or The Kids - the two key demographics for this story, I'm not the stat type to take priority. I'm just saying as a member of the audience, I found it slow, predictable and, thanks to Ryan's character, slightly cringe worthy. It's a ghastly thing to say when people have worked so hard and I don't mean to smear any of the cast and crew's talent, but it just didn't work for me. Heck, I found Lee Evans Malcolm enjoyable - and he's a gent whose on-screen presence normally drives me to the ceiling (as did his father, Norman Wisdom). I didn't enjoy the lame robbery opening (can we not put <span style="font-style: italic;">Mission: Impossible</span> behind us now?), the barren middle bit (barren for those of us neither lusting or loving Christina and the Doctor's dynamic) or the triumphant ending (that felt smug and superfluous). Though I have to say the portents of things to come were very exciting - matched with a wonderful shot of brooding Tennant.<br /><br />So a little disappointed. I'm a big fan of the New Who productions, so if you are just reading this blog on a random web-surf, don't mistake me as someone who generally whine about the show (yet persists in watching it so they can whine some more). Loved the last season so perhaps I just don't do Easter Specials! And for the first time, I have to say I really didn't enjoy Gold's soundtrack - dear lord, I've fallen right off the Who bandwagon this time. Someone hoist me back up.<br /><br />Well. Thirty minutes and its <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Dwarf</span>. Let's see if the night continues this trend. I hope not!<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);font-size:85%;" ><br />EDIT: Who writer<a href="http://beasthouse-lm2.blogspot.com/2009/04/thumbnail-review-planet-of-dead.html"> Lawrence Miles has far more to say on this topic and more candidly</a>. Have to say I find myself agreeing with his points and feeling utterly awful for doing so.</span>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-87155042372591420162009-04-09T23:19:00.005+01:002009-04-10T14:44:31.660+01:00Cancelled too soon: Firefly, meet Millennium.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w243/kasarbi/images.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 91px; height: 123px;" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w243/kasarbi/images.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Those who regularly suffer this output will be aware of the campaign I keep pushing for the return of <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span>'s Frank Black. Others may have equally suffered my recent <span style="font-style: italic;">twabber</span> (a jabbering monologue as vacuous as twitter but with no word limit) on <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlestar Galactica</span>. Some poor fools will have suffered both.<br /><br />Well rest assured, the tippity, tappity, tuttery tick of my fingers against keys translates to a topic devoid of Cylons or Legion.<br /><br />Well, almost anyway.<br /><br />A neat, uncomfortable wisdom tooth extraction has lead to two vital occurrences this very week. The first is the increased necessity for painkillers, resulting in some wobbling and sleeping, the other is a marathon viewing of Whedon's <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span> show, its sequel <span style="font-style: italic;">Serenity</span> and the comic book segue <span style="font-style: italic;">Those Left Behind</span>. For those who aren't familiar with the show - bloody well go and get all manner of familiar with it. It's essentially the daily life of Han Solo with a more glib and earthy penmanship; a gang of mercenaries who struggle to survive in the outer edges of a solar system inside their much loved bucket of bolts, Serenity.<br /><br />In some respects, <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span> suffered juxtaposing ailments. The former got three brimming, excellent seasons but was robbed a satisfying resolution, while the latter was robbed of more than half a season but got a wonderful epic conclusion. Put the two together and you'd have the most righteous slice of television brilliance known to man since, well, <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlestar Galactica</span>.<br /><br />That being said, perhaps what makes <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span> so great is that it is short. Thirteen stories plus a film. In some ways it seems grossly unfair that it was cut off so early - even with the fortunate luxury of a feature film, this show had so much to say, but one could equally say that thirteen tales is enough for most forms of storytelling. We're never bummed out Hamlet never got a sequel or that Frodo didn't manage to showcase his exploits beyond Middle Earth. We don't get upset that Stoker didn't pen ten odd more encounters with Dracula. When all said and done, a book series that managed to whip out thirteen tales would be considered most generous - possibily even excessive.<br /><br />But with television, we want more. Arguably this is understandable - we look to Firefly as a serial, we look to Macbeth as a single tale. With books, the time it can take to read a single good novel thoroughly you could have watched a good few episodes of a TV show. Three quarters of an hour isn't that long when it comes to storytelling - and that's our standard television serial format.<br /><br />However, we don't look to serialised films with such a warm grace. Naturally there are factors which made film a whole different pot of ingredients, but whatever the factors that make a franchise of film often weaker than a single outing, the fact is we don't appear to look at ten odd hours of storytelling on television as a bigger enough investigation of a particular universe - or in Firefly's case, a particular 'verse.<br /><br />The obvious answer is the basis of comparison. I'm not a fan of <span style="font-style: italic;">Stargate</span> - as a genre comparison - and yet it has gone on and on and on. Whoopie for its fans, but for those of us who didn't find pleasure in the show and have watched shows that were pleasurable drop by the wayside, its understandable that we speculate to what Firefly could have had.<br /><br />But then I have to remind myself - of those who did manage to get what <span style="font-style: italic;">Stargate</span> had (or at least more than half a season) and see what happened to those shows as a result. Did longevity eat into the show's quality and thereby its legacy? It's an age old question - do you suffer the inevitable duds of a longer show for the sake of the gems that might be cut? Or do you simply enjoy the short and sweet of a single, well crafted season?<br /><br />Invariably, as with all things from my gob, the answer is somewhere in the middle. I can't think of any show that lasted any more than five seasons that hasn't shown a dip in quality. Likewise, I can think of many shows which had potential that you knew was present but was never had the opportunity to prove it. Knowing Whedon's talent and the sheer craft of <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span>'s 'verse, I'm sure the show had much to prove. Wouldn't it be great to swap over DVDs with an alternate universe - show a world which had five seasons of Firefly<span style="font-style: italic;"> Serenity</span> film and for them to show us their four extra boxsets? I'm sure they'd be as fascinated in <span style="font-style: italic;">Serenity</span>'s quick wrap as we would be in their extended franchise.<br /><br />In the end, I know I would have happily suffered some duds for more <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span>, just as I am happy suffering <span style="font-style: italic;">Thirteen Years Later</span> in <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> for the sake of over fifty episodes, but if I was honestly rational with myself, I'd say that <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span> is like reading a book while <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> will always remain a unfinished project (unless we can do something about that - see <a href="http://www.backtofrankblack.com/">backtofrankblack.com</a>). For all the potential Whedon's show lost, it had something so special that is so much missed from <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> - it had an ending. Okay, not a definitive ending (Whedon wasn't that dumb), but the film it got gave the show closure the series never could offer. That closure is important. I can watch Firefly, enjoy the variety in stories, the colour of the characters and the wonderful workmanship of its world safe in the knowledge that like a good book - like all good things - it has an end that will satisfy. I can enjoy the episodes without looking at the clock knowing I'm getting closer to being ripped away from the story, its tale unfinished.<br /><br />With <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly/Serentity</span> we have a beginning, middle and end - thanks to the film's focus on the River's arc. The show opens on Simon and River's début on ship, we watch the crew and passengers adapt to their new dynamic and it finishes with this family actually making a difference - whether that difference is long-lasting we don't know, but that doesn't matter. The show has been giving meaning by the significance of its final outing.<br /><br />Of course there may be more from <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly</span> in the future. With the commerce of cult being so unpredictable these days, its never too late for a return (look at <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Dwarf</span>, brand new back on TV tomorrow for the first time in over a decade - and given then ending of the last season, in need of a return). If there isn't, I'm good with that. For me, <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly/Serenity</span> make the book - I'm not desperate for a sequel. But with <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span>, well, that's a different story. That show needs an end.<br /><br />Hell, every show needs an end of some sort - but there are a few quality shows in particular that need it more than others. I'm forever grateful to <span style="font-style: italic;">Firefly's</span> fandom for pushing so we got some form of closure on that wonderful show. I'm just hoping that <span style="font-style: italic;">Millennium</span> might have the chance of the same.James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27869867.post-9607634676565633952009-04-02T16:35:00.015+01:002009-04-03T16:19:21.604+01:00Illusions of Truth: Storytelling in Battlestar Galactica<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTH3hQ_BhNHeuDYczqe7LI2IsLXyNG2jhWnVuc27-QkxHdoHNFpCWLARQOXoBlsrC-Owpvea5l6CUewL9qW4Ad_OYRBHrbAmYxk-b5W0FQfKBPe99tkkAMhKlWGms-o1khibS/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTH3hQ_BhNHeuDYczqe7LI2IsLXyNG2jhWnVuc27-QkxHdoHNFpCWLARQOXoBlsrC-Owpvea5l6CUewL9qW4Ad_OYRBHrbAmYxk-b5W0FQfKBPe99tkkAMhKlWGms-o1khibS/s400/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320124074624693378" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Just to add to my lengthy commentary on the finale of </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Battlestar Galactica</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">, a tweet from Amazo <a href="http://paulcornell.blogspot.com/">Paul Cornell</a> took me a </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" href="http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2009/04/mind-meld-battlestar-galactica-finale-draft/">wonderful collection of comments about BSG from established writers and journalists.</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);">Each author offers his reaction to the finale and ponders where they'd have taken the show if they were the creative mastermind behind it.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);"> Some polarised views there, but one strand of thinking is prevalent throughout - and that's the problems in writing a show with a fluid future; where nothing is set and everything is in flux.</span><br /><br />I think this is a particular problem with BSG given the show states from the start that - within its fictional universe - the enemy "has a plan". This infers the storyteller has conceived a concise narrative prior to the story when in the case of <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlestar Galactica</span>, it does not.<br /><br />There is no doubt that while a pre-constructed formula to any story is technically constrictive and unbending to new ideas, but for an audience it carries a comfortable hierarchy with the storyteller - we like to feel a world is real even if its conceived, and our brains prefer that conception to have been molded before we embark on a tale. Bottomline, we like to be lead on a journey rather than taking the journey hand in hand. We prefer the storyteller to have control of the whole experience rather than in the case of BSG (or at least to some extent), a pawn to the eddies created by the story.<br /><br />A rather general overview I admit - particularly in the aspersions to the BSG creative process which, to little surprise, I played no part in. Speaking generally again, a clear benefit of a a fluid storyline is the ability to expand and contract on what works and what doesn't as the story grows. Furthermore, the creative process is exciting and dynamic - it can respond to the notions and ideas of the audience and shift, staying one step ahead. So I'm certainly not berating such an approach to storytelling. If we look at BSG again, the shifts in season three seem to me to very much be based on where the show has been and an effort to find places it hasn't - and I think New Caprica and the Final Five were a brilliant way to re-engage the audience after two seasons. I think this is the strength of fluid storytelling - it allows the story maker to let the show progress at its own pace rather than a preplanned one. I recall RDM saying he was happy bringing the show to an end after four rather than five seasons because he felt the show had naturally covered its ground quicker than they'd anticipated.<br /><br />Equally, while I'm not looking to berate the fluid approach, I'm not looking to champion structure. Look at Babylon 5, when the show was uncertain whether it would get its year 5 on its pre-planned arc, it was forced to compress the structured storyline into one season leaving season four feeling overtly compressed with two major cumulative wars and season five rather vacuous.<br /><br />I would say the best work (as with all things) finds a middle ground, one where the storyteller has a plan and his willing to reinvent it if needs be. With Moore's show, I think that middleground is lost. Certainly they seemed to have a flavour of what's to come, but I felt in season four that some of the resolutions didn't match the notions that presented them. And one can't help feel that when you walk the fluid path, you let the show help dictate the outcome more than pre-formed structure. In other words, you create the impact then worry about the aftermath when it comes time and in the interim watch the story flow carefully letting that help inform the creative process.<br /><br />That all being said, I think many of the critics in the linked page are overtly critical, forgetting that the niggles are not what BSG was about - it was about characters (which arguably is the opposite of Moore's previous work on Star Trek which was infamous for technobabble and crossing its tees). So I think certain fixations in the responses to BSG are unfair and largely irrelevant. Those who wanted a big expose on the Head Six or Starbuck's mystery should have sensibly seen that such ethereal revelations would be tonally impossible. The show was never about definitives and like life, tried to keep things grey. There was never going to be big explanations aside from one: God Moves In Mysterious Ways.<br /><br />And I like that. The ambiguity and almost arbitrary love/hate the universe has for its souls, and the process it leads them is as inconclusive and as uncertain as theology has painted in a dozen cultures. How often as the Lord in the Old Testament acted in a way that for an omnipotent being been considered rather elaborate or needlessly pedestrian. Why did God put that particular fruit tree in Eden? Why did he seem surprised when Man took a bite from his fruit? Why was he not aware of the serpent's plans? He's omnipotent isn't he? And like theology, BSG's higher powers work in odd unexplained ways. Starbuck's narrative journey is extremely non-sensical (as Saxon points out in the article), but that seems very theological to me. From my understanding, gods in most religions rarely move directly from A to B, but prefer a more colourful and memorable route.<br /><br />But I guess the real crux of these negative comments isn't whether as an audience we can "buy" these explanations, but a resentment to knowing they were never planned and as such we wonder whether there was the opportunity to do something better.<br /><br />I think people are open to improvised storytelling - I'm certainly not against the medium, but I think unfortunately Moore's candid remarks on the fluid approach to the show worked against the show itself. His professional honesty was both commendable and insightful but practically it did damage the credibility of the story itself. For example, I thought some of the choices for the Final Five were very clever when the finale to season three aired. We'd seen Tyrol's connection to Boomer, his irrational fear of being a Cylon exposed with Brother Cavel and his instincts bringing him to the Temple of the Five. As soon as I discovered than none of that was planned to lead us to him being a Cylon, but was retrospective in its decision, the twist lost its impact. I still loved the twist and the impact of the revelation, but it did lose some of its sparkle. I guess we can cope with being hoodwinked by the mysteries of the narrative - in fact its what we watch for; we enjoy the anticipation of the big reveal. But we don't enjoy being hoodwinked by the smart retrospective eye of the writers - despite the fact it presents a different and no less impressive approach to creative writing. Both approaches look to find creative solutions to creative problems. Both approaches are manipulative in intent, but one we find it easier to stomach one technique over another.<br /><br />Overall this approach never truly spoilt the show for me. After all, however they resolved the Final Five, that scene when the five were revealed will always be magical. And given the mandate of any television serial is to entertain in the moment and not to create perfect continuity nor even a perfect seamless serial, I think BSG was wise to involve fluidity into its process.<br /><br />After all, audiences look more and more for story arcs within their television, yet the industry remains ever cutthroat to dips in performance. Maybe fluidity is the key to keeping a show relevant, adaptive and thereby responsive to its viewers. Maybe by on-the-spot tailoring of a show's masterplan will the epic remain relevant. While <span style="font-style: italic;">Babylon 5</span> managed to luck out on five seasons, it could be considered the success was a commercial fluke against the many odds. Perhaps BSG's successes and failures mark the future of epic fictional television storywriting. Pitching a show with a five year arc is not going to woo any investor, but pitching a show where your long term arc is as expansive as the viewing figures dictate - that sounds like the future of television and I look forward to seeing new shows build on BSG successes and failures just as BSG did on the sci-fi epic success of <span style="font-style: italic;">Babylon 5</span>. The future is indeed, bright.<a href="http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2009/04/mind-meld-battlestar-galactica-finale-draft/"></a>James McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883672062720983648noreply@blogger.com0