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am probably going to get flamed for this, but, oh well! I would like to make a stand regarding Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith. It is not that good. Although the
special effects were magnificent, there were far too many of them. The acting (with very few exceptions) was very wooden ... from actors (e.g., Natalie Portman) that I know can do a heckuva lot better! And the script reads like a checklist of plot points, none of which were really connected to each other in any form of emotional or logical flow. All in all, not a very satisfying piece of art, all around. And that's just the sh ... uh, stuff (lets stay PG-13) that
happened on screen.
If I really want to start a rant, let's talk about all the marketing overexposure. I saw it once.
The original Star Wars (1977, A New Hope), I saw 15 times. On a $3 a week allowance, plus babysitting money. I remember sitting with my father, who had cheered loudly,
saying, "This is the movie I was looking for when I sat through all those lousy Flash Gordon serials! At last!"
The current one I will not bother to see again. I may not even buy the DVD when it comes out. I didn't buy the first two, either. My father (now in his mid-60s) says he's only going to see it "because I've come this far, and maybe only when it comes out at Netflix."
George, (1) you need to let someone else write the script, (2), you need to let someone else direct, and: (3), forget the (bleepin') merchandising for once, willya!? This used to
be a series with a heart and soul. Now all there is to see is one of those supermarket machines where you put in 50 cents and try to grab a toy with a mechanical claw; neither very amusing or satisfying.
Jessica S. Lucens
lucens(at)earthlink.net
am writing to [A.L. Sirois] with regards to your recent review of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds Collector's Edition. As much as we understand reviews which, of course, is the right of the reviewer to say what he/she feels, do you not feel that when an album does come with a "history," it is only fair to at least present such "history" somewhere in your review, as well as for the review to contain accurate information?
However, your review ignores both Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of TWOTW "history" and additionally has a number of inaccuracies, which I ask you to consider amending, without comprising your views about the work itself.
As part of its "history," you have failed to mention that perhaps you are in the minority of those who it didn't appeal to, considering it has already sold in excess of 13 million records worldwide. Perhaps even most relevant are the awards it has won—2 Ivor Novellos (the
most credited composer/lyricists award in the U.K.) and the USA Best Recording In Science Fiction and Fantasy, with the judges that included George Lucas, Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg. In fact, there is a letter within the booklet (which is 80 pages and not 76, as you have suggested) of the collector's edition from Mr. Spielberg, who states that JW's Musical Version of TWOTW would make a rather special film.
Regarding the disco beats, that was the "groove" of the day, and the one thing Jeff Wayne has gone out of his way through the years to explain is not to elevate his work to that of a rock opera. It was meant to be a musical interpretation with (hopeful) critical and commercial appeal, which it did, and continues to do—your review aside! The original double album charted in the top 10 or higher in 22 countries, 11 of them #1, and has been translated into German, Spanish and Latin American Spanish.
TWOTW has also had international hit singles ("Forever Autumn" and "The Eve of the War"), including the combined success of reaching No. 1 in approximately 14 countries, and been re-interpreted countless times through the years via the club route.
On a musical level, therefore, it has repeatedly proven itself as a complete work of 96 minutes over two albums, had hit singles and continually gets re-invented in the club world and survived the test of time. You can't ask for more when it comes to musical acceptance, and Sony BMG and all the other companies Jeff Wayne is now involved with wouldn't be giving it the backing it is getting in 2005 without such commercial and critical acceptance throughout these many years.
TWOTW even topped the Apple iTunes chart last July 2004 without any promotion, which even Sony BMG have no idea how it happened other than the continual excellent word of mouth it has retained.
Also, of all the versions ever done of TWOTW (you refer to it as WOTW, which is Paramount's title, but not H.G. Wells', nor J.W.'s), the musical version has been credited as the one (and only one) most true to H.G. Wells' in storyline, setting and period of time. And that's not just the media who have said it, but the family of H.G. Wells.
Further, clearly you didn't read the bios, as you wouldn't have made the remarks about TWOTW writer Doreen Wayne as you did. What is fact, is by the time Doreen Wayne adapted TWOTW she already had a couple of books published; one of them was very successful in the U.K. book charts, and she contributed regularly to major newspapers and magazines. Doreen also adapted Two Cities, the West End musical based on Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities that was nominated for an Evening Standard award (now the Olivier Awards) which ran at the Palace Theatre, London. She had several different major media (film and TV) commissions lined up as a result of her adaptation of TWOTW but succumbed to cancer following a losing battle against the disease.
I emphasize your right to review TWOTW as you have, but, on the balance of fairness, I thought you might consider the above as well as a small selection of how the 1978 album release was met by the press, and may agree it was a very good start for the album.
"Gripping, almost spell-binding—it deserves consideration for a Grammy." —William D. Laffler, United Press International (USA)
"One of the most unusual, but musically brilliant albums ever to be produced." —Bill Ayres, On the Scene—Melbourne, Australia
"A colossal enterprise carried out brilliantly by a multi-talented composer, musician, journalist and producer. A masterpiece of its genre." —Romandie Hebdo, Switzerland
"A history making recording of epic proportions. It immeasurably outstrips any comparative recording in standard of music, dramatic impact and quality of engineering, mixing and effects." —Daily Mercury, Queensland, Australia
"Wayne's composition and orchestration is elegant, comprehensive, melodic throughout and succulent to the most diverse of tastes." —Les Murray, The Sun, U.K.
"It's a work of genius." —Tele Mustique, France
Finally, I note your review is aligned to the SCI FI Channel, which, as background information, has supported Jeff's TWOTW on a number of occasions with "specials" about it, and during a week of celebrating the numerous interpretations of TWOTW, used the music from the Musical
Version as the accompanying soundtrack.
For further information about Jeff Wayne and his work, please go to: www.thewaroftheworlds.com
Jonathan Smith
HGWELLS1898(at)aol.com
Reviewer Al Sirois responds:
It's well to note that all that was made available to me for review were the CDs themselves in blank envelopes—no packaging and no booklet. An Internet search turned up no other works attributed to Doreen Wayne. I went by the provided information from the record company for the page count, etc. As for my opinion of the work—well, I'm entitled to that.
Best,
Al
am constantly impressed by the soundtrack reviews of A.L. Sirois. His musical descriptions of the scores he has reviewed reveals much about the music, and to some extent, the
composers. It is obvious, Mr. Sirois has a formal education in music. As a professional musician myself, and as an ardent lover of film music, I would be very interested in learning of Mr. Sirois' musical background. As well, if at all possible, I would enjoy corresponding with Mr. Sirois and exchanging my views on film music, a genre which I consider as being often underrated and overlooked.
Alex Mousso
zantimisfit(at)webtv.net
irs: I'd like to say in reference to Tapati McDaniels' letter ("Joan Needs to Be Resurrected") that Joan of Arcadia did not seem to me to have been very well publicized. The letter refers to its having run two seasons but I have just been becoming aware of it recently, and I learn that, just as I'm about to watch it for the first time, it's being taken off the air. It sounds like I have missed something I would have liked watching. Better publicity for shows seems to be a crying need in the entertainment industry. For the sake of viewer interest, why not say something about a show besides "Here's the latest blockbuster"? (Which was not said about Joan of Arcadia; almost nothing was.)
MaDaniels says also that Touched By An Angel does not have much to put across about "a God we never saw." Well, it helps to have it on the air at all—part of seeing God is watching others demonstrate for Him, a sort of advance perception. The show does that well by expressing pretty clearly who and what it's about. By the way, the episode of that show that had the child Satan on it was quite apocalyptic, and put across a vision of God in the modern world with great success, I think.
On another topic in the latest issue, the review by Al Sirois mentions "Lizzie" in the same paragraph as a statement about Richard Burton. Is the reviewer unaware that Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were once a highly publicized couple? He might want to watch his references.
John Thiel
thiel(at)dcwi.com
Assistant Editor Brian Murphy responds:
Thanks for writing in, John. Just so we're all on the same page: Al Sirois mentions the classic-rock band Thin Lizzy in his review and, while Elizabeth Taylor was indeed coupled with Richard Burton for a time, Al's mention was most definitely not a reference to their relationship, but rather to the aforementioned rock band. Hope this clears things up for you!
Best,
Brian
ust as James Cameron's special edition of Terminator 2: Judgment Day would have been more appropriate for a conclusion to the Terminator film franchise, so can the same be said for his equally respectable special edition of Aliens. Indeed the happy ending for Aliens was needlessly ruined by the disappointment of Alien 3. The scene reintroducing Newt (Carrie Henn) and revealing the origin of her trauma, the doomed colony's first contact with the aliens, is one of this version's best additional scenes. I was especially pleased with the revelation of Ripley's first name, Ellen, revealed by Ripley herself to Cpl. Hicks (Michael Biehn). Jenette Goldstein (Vasquez) is still most unforgettable as another one of the Alien universe's heroines. Sigourney Weaver's Oscar-nominated performance as Ripley remains the most rewarding contribution of Mr. Cameron's triumphant mission of bringing to life the first and most satisfying sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien. Perhaps if Mr. Scott made his director's cut of Alien as extensive as Aliens is now, his re-release might have been reasonably more successful. Alien 5, just as Alien Resurrection did, is bound to have tough competition in the struggle of the sequels. This time, it's war.
Michael Anthony Basil
mike.basil(at)sympatico.ca
hat a perfect example Eric Vogel made ("Sex Is Part of a Profitable Formula"), when he said, "I would still watch the show if the sex and language were less overt, my brother and dad who often tune in to sci-fi shows for just those elements would not." Has U.S. society degenerated to such a level that people actually tune in to SF TV for a cheap thrill? If so, then the reason for the preponderance of poorly written scripts, and plot abuse of characters such as Starbuck and T'Pol, stands revealed. Why bother trying to appeal to the head, when you can target the groin?
Not that I would bar the use of sex, romance, eroticism or love. All of which can all be used as plot elements without pandering to gibbering buffoons with a mental age of 15. The writers of the X-Files, for example, and later the ill-fated series Prey, both used sexual attraction in subtle, dark and thrilling ways, without ever turning their cast into walking masturbation aids.
Mr. Vogel also said, "Next time you're watching the Cylon temptress and Dr. Baltar get it on, just remember that that scene is paying for the rest of the episode." I sincerely hope that he is wrong, because if he is correct then U.S.-based SF TV is sinking into a quagmire of juvenile,
meaningless crudity. Material which has absolutely nothing to do with the joy of human beings expressing themselves sexually. Perhaps it is a sign of greater ills, and a society on the edge.
Lulli Doppler
lulli(at)minx.co.uk
n response to Mr. Louis Sivo's letter ("Creators Have Rights, Too"), yes, the creators most certainly do have rights! But do you not also agree that they have an entire plethora of mediums from which to choose so that they can actually present their material in a variety of different ways? What an opportunity!
You know—agree, disagree or indifferent to the general topic, one has to admit that there are more opportunities to present one's material than ever before. There are how many different variations on DVDs alone? And in spite of what some of the readers have derived from my letters, there are certain mediums that I believe are untouchable and even sacred.
Television is not one of them. The fact that television networks can, and do, butcher shows for commercials is proof enough that I am not the only one that thinks that.
All I am saying is that I would just like to watch a good show like Battlestar Galactica on the non-premium SCI FI Channel and not have Baltar masturbate in front of me. Why is that such a difficult concept? Is there some reason that can't be put in the extended-DVD version for those that will get a kick out of it?
Joan of Arcadia and Sue Thomas, FBEye were canceled. I am down to SG-1, Atlantis and Monk. I have every right to bang against the "walls." But don't worry, Mr. Sivo. I never run with scissors and I always wear clean underwear.
Julie Bicking
bickj(at)hydrosoft.net
am fascinated with Ms. Bicking's issues ("Rights Are Worth Standing Up For") with Battlestar Galactica. Although I myself am not a huge fan of the show (more of a Farscape fan, personally), I nevertheless appreciate it for what it is: an adult science-fiction show. That is why it is shown at 10 p.m. at night, when your kids are supposed to be asleep. Currently, there are numerous children sci-fi shows on the air, including that God-awful Pokemon, with adult-oriented matter clearly a minority. Kids don't really appreciate live-action science fiction, as many a show's dead carcass can attribute. Thus I do not fault the writers and producers of BSG for going after their core audience demographic (25 to 40). As for wholesome science fiction, the SCI FI Channel has lots of that material on air (e.g., The Incredible Hulk reruns) that should satisfy your PG-rated tastes. Personally, I have grown up, and it's good to see that sci-fi has grown up with me.
Mucomba Millar
mucomba(at)yahoo.com
was encouraged in reading Ms. Catanzaro's note "Parents Must Be the Ultimate Judge.". I agree that we, as parents, must decide what is appropriate for our children. After watching Revenge of the Sith, my wife and I concluded that we would not even consider purchasing the first three episodes on DVD. Unfortunately, my children did see the movie. On the positive side, though, they were both disturbed by several of the scenes and felt that the movie would have been better without them.
One point to Mr. Olenick's note "We Must Make Our Own Choices": Do explicit sex and foul writing make a show more interesting? There are shows that are quite popular without going there.
Which brings me to the comments of Mr. Vogel's post "Sex Is Part of a Profitable Formula." Sex may sell, but it's not the only thing that sells. Stargate SG-1 does little more than suggest at intimacy. Farscape, Star Trek: TNG and Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 are some other popular SF series that didn't need to be explicit in sex or use colorful metaphors as part of regular conversation to get their ratings. Other non-SF shows have success without these hooks as well, Monk, Law & Order, Nero Wolf Mysteries and many others. The shows that are successful for a very long time hold an audience based on quality writing of interesting stories. Though there are some shows that use explicit behavior as a major plot feature do achieve notoriety, they are few. My concern is not necessarily that BSG uses them, which I think they really don't need to, but that the use may be to the detriment of the series. The focus should be on telling a good and interesting story that people will debate the issues that the characters confront, not on how to fit another sex scene in each week's episode. SF should make us think, not just drool.
Matt Seibert
matthew_seibert(at)hotmail.com
've been reading with interest the ongoing debate about smoking, sex and Right vs. Choice in reference to Battlestar Galactica. Many points have been made, and many opinions espoused.
The one thing nobody seems to have mentioned, however, is the realities of military life. Whilst I have never been in the military, I know several people who have served in the Army, the Air Force or the Navy. Their usage of our modern-day equivalent of "frack" shows up in most sentences, almost as a part of punctuation. It has certainly surpassed the Great Australian Adjective in terms of frequency. Their sex drive is certainly powerful, if only half of their reminiscences are true. Most of them smoke, and all of them drink.
So, when it comes down to it, is it unsurprising that a bunch of stressed-out military personnel smoke, drink, have sex and swear? The BSG crew are, after all, human. Most of them, anyway.
And for all of those knowledgeable etymologists out there, what precisely does "frack" mean? Perhaps we can get it into the next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Nick James
twitchimus(at)gmail.com
his is a delayed and perhaps jaded reaction: I figured out why Fox skipped the final episode of Tru Calling. No, I don't believe it was because they were focused on sweeps. I think it's so they can hawk a never-been-seen episode when they bring out the DVD set of the series. It gives them more "enticement" (aka leverage) with their key audience. Devoted fans are more likely to buy the set with a never-aired episode. So I think the episode was not aired because it served Fox better not to.
Barbara Goldstein
psifidoll(at)comcast.net
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