Lynn Flewelling's Blog, page 20
May 22, 2012
A little Casket of Souls trivia
One week until CoS hits the shelves! My publisher is featuring Casket on their Pick Five trivia feature. Check it out! http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2012/05/take-five-with-lynn-flewelling-author-casket-of-souls.html
May 18, 2012
The Best Thing About Facebook
. . . is all the funny shit you find there. Like this.
Me and Math
This makes me laugh so hard I can't even read it out loud to Doug. It is so true.
Movie: Dark Shadows
I went to this movie purely out of nostalgia for the old show, which I used to run home from school to watch. It was set in Maine, and had vampires, witches, ghosts. There was just nothing else like it. I'm watching it now on Netflix as I eat lunch and blog. "Cousin" Barnabas has just shown up at Collinswood.
So off we went last night, with low expectations, just to see what Burton and Depp had done with it. Apparently they were both huge childhood fans, as well.
It wasn't awful. In fact, it was quite entertaining and not nearly as campy as I'd expected. The sets were awesome, probably the way Dan Curtis would have done it if he'd had the finances. The cast was very good, too, and the costuming fab, right down to Elizabeth Stoddard's macrame earrings! (You'll have to see the movie to get that.) Bits and pieces of dialog from the series surfaced, too. "But the name Victoria is so beautiful I couldn't bring myself to sacrifice a single syllable." Ha!
I did look for mic booms and camera men blundering into frame as they did in the old show (earning the show the nick name "Mic Shadows), but they didn't go that route. An opportunity missed, Mr. Burton. ;-)
The story itself wasn't bad, though it took considerable liberties with the original story line. Vicky and Maggie are conflated. The old house doesn't exist. But it didn't matter in the thread of this reality. What Burton did was engaging and fun to watch.
There are some nice Burtonisms: The pumpkin patch in the front yard, the shape of Widow's Hill.
The depiction of Maine was fun. Although there wasn't any passenger train service there by the early '70s. The town of Collinswood, the look of the boats and the cannarys was pretty darn good. And thank the film gods that no one attempted a Maine coast accent, ayuh!
Johnny Depp was a hoot. He and Bonham Carter as the doctor were the biggest parodies. The campiness of their performances sometimes jarred a bit, since the rest of the movie was operating on a different level of humor. The vampire on witch sex scene is pretty funny, more of a spoof on wild sex scenes than anything else.
The '70s were brought in more directly in the movie than they were in the show. I particularly liked the scene of Barnabas hanging out with the hippies in the woods. But best of all: ALICE FREAKIN' COOPER performed!!!!!!! The cool thing about Alice is that he's aged well because he always looked like hell. I was such a fan. I guess I still am.
Between the movie and the original show, I still prefer the show in all its dated, low budget, soap opera glory, but if you've seen one, then it's worth seeing the other.
So off we went last night, with low expectations, just to see what Burton and Depp had done with it. Apparently they were both huge childhood fans, as well.
It wasn't awful. In fact, it was quite entertaining and not nearly as campy as I'd expected. The sets were awesome, probably the way Dan Curtis would have done it if he'd had the finances. The cast was very good, too, and the costuming fab, right down to Elizabeth Stoddard's macrame earrings! (You'll have to see the movie to get that.) Bits and pieces of dialog from the series surfaced, too. "But the name Victoria is so beautiful I couldn't bring myself to sacrifice a single syllable." Ha!
I did look for mic booms and camera men blundering into frame as they did in the old show (earning the show the nick name "Mic Shadows), but they didn't go that route. An opportunity missed, Mr. Burton. ;-)
The story itself wasn't bad, though it took considerable liberties with the original story line. Vicky and Maggie are conflated. The old house doesn't exist. But it didn't matter in the thread of this reality. What Burton did was engaging and fun to watch.
There are some nice Burtonisms: The pumpkin patch in the front yard, the shape of Widow's Hill.
The depiction of Maine was fun. Although there wasn't any passenger train service there by the early '70s. The town of Collinswood, the look of the boats and the cannarys was pretty darn good. And thank the film gods that no one attempted a Maine coast accent, ayuh!
Johnny Depp was a hoot. He and Bonham Carter as the doctor were the biggest parodies. The campiness of their performances sometimes jarred a bit, since the rest of the movie was operating on a different level of humor. The vampire on witch sex scene is pretty funny, more of a spoof on wild sex scenes than anything else.
The '70s were brought in more directly in the movie than they were in the show. I particularly liked the scene of Barnabas hanging out with the hippies in the woods. But best of all: ALICE FREAKIN' COOPER performed!!!!!!! The cool thing about Alice is that he's aged well because he always looked like hell. I was such a fan. I guess I still am.
Between the movie and the original show, I still prefer the show in all its dated, low budget, soap opera glory, but if you've seen one, then it's worth seeing the other.
May 17, 2012
Criminal Minds Season Finale
Overall, last night's two hour episode was a snore for me. I did enjoy seeing JJ and her family in play, and Henry is about as cute as a little boy can be, but otherwise I just couldn't seem to connect emotionally with much of it. The two other exceptions were the beginning and the end.
LOVED Reid as Tom Baker/Dr. Who. The fact that this super brain with a sad childhood and few social skills can enjoy something as innocent and fun as cosplay at a SF convention, and that Garcia is as into it as he is and can go with him just delighted me. Can anyone tell me who Garcia was supposed to be?
Also what happened with Garcia and Kevin? I must have blinked and missed it. But was she dancing with him at Rossi's party at the end? I'm confused. Perhaps I dozed off.
Emily, just go already. I've had it with you.
The wedding ending was totally contrived, predictable, and schmaltzy. I loved every minute of it, including Reid doing magic tricks for Henry with the ring.
How To Order Your Signed Copy of Casket of Souls
There seems to be some confusion.
1. Go to this link: http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/lynn-flewelling-signs-sd-060312
2. Click on the "Add to Cart" button
3. Follow directions to get to the "Checkout" page
4. At the very bottom of the Checkout page, there is a box called "Order Comments" This is where you request a signed copy. You can even ask for a specific inscription. (Nothing long, please.)
Have fun!
1. Go to this link: http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/lynn-flewelling-signs-sd-060312
2. Click on the "Add to Cart" button
3. Follow directions to get to the "Checkout" page
4. At the very bottom of the Checkout page, there is a box called "Order Comments" This is where you request a signed copy. You can even ask for a specific inscription. (Nothing long, please.)
Have fun!
May 16, 2012
Casket of Souls Book Signing!
I'll be signing books at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in San Diego on June 3 at 2 pm. See link for details:
http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/lynn-flewelling-signs-sd-060312
Hope to see you there! If you can't make it, call the store and reserve your signed copy. They ship! Internationally, too.
http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/lynn-flewelling-signs-sd-060312
Hope to see you there! If you can't make it, call the store and reserve your signed copy. They ship! Internationally, too.
May 15, 2012
Today's Best Typo
“It’s stacked with mountain trout, my lord. Good fishing in that pond, and a tasty catch, if you care for fish."
Stacks of trout. Yum!
I'm also using the word "muscular" a lot lately. Where's that Thesaurus?
Stacks of trout. Yum!
I'm also using the word "muscular" a lot lately. Where's that Thesaurus?
