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June 30, 2006
Jobs Warped by the Media
The Nanny Diaries created A skewed view of nannies as a profession. One would think, given the hoopla this received, that young women who were nannies only worked in tony neighborhoods, pulling down fat salaries and not working very hard.
This morning’s USA Today reminded me about this with their Money cover story about Nannies for CEOs. There are now going to be teens across the country who read about free cars and salaries nearing $100,000 and presume all nanny jobs are like that.
Not true at all.
Since Katie was six months old until she was about 13, we employed nannies. For the most part, we used agencies that represented girls from America, switching in the final years to the Au Pair program, which imported girls from Europe.
We did our best to interview them by phone, check references, and be as diligent as possible. Such efforts probably meant the difference between the horror stories that make the headlines now and then and our experiences. Given the length of time, we probably went through more nannies than the average family.
We went through nannies at a good clip at one point, more through circumstances than anything else. There was the nanny who quit on her first day because she couldn’t live in a house that condoned Playboy, and the one who arrived only to tell us she needed back surgery and barely lasted three weeks. We had one quit because she felt the mother shouldn’t be working and expected us to be rich (because she believed the press, not the agency).
We had one hired away from us by a rich family in Greenwich only to hear later that not only did she watch the kids but was made to clean the mansion and wasn’t happy about it.
In exchange for a weekly salary far closer to the minimum wage than an executive’s, plus room and board, they came to experience a different part of the country and help us care for the kids. The kids were the priority but we expected help with dinner prep and paid extra for nighttime or evening baby-sitting.
Still, we got wide-eyed girls who found the Northeast exciting or overwhelming. Some couldn’t get up in the morning, some needed constant lists, but none were out and out terrors.
As the kids got older we switched from full-time live in help to summer live-=in help to merely after school help, weaning the family of the need for a fifth person.
Shows like Super Nanny and movies like Nanny McPhee also skew the view that nannies are a godsend, arriving to wrangle children, substituting parenting for daycare. We had kind, loving nannies who worked wonders with the kids, and some who handled one better than the other.
The reality, as usual, is much different from the way the profession is depicted in mass media. People pursing the profession need to read beyond the headlines and know exactly what type of situation they’re entering into.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 02:59 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 28, 2006
Reviewing Superman Returns
I was invited to a screening of Superman III last night and enjoyed the experience. First, it was terrific seeing friends and former co-workers, playing catch-up and all that. Second, I got to see Jeff Rovin, my new boss, since he left his personal Fortress of Solitude to come for the screening. Third, the Loews AMC on 34th Street is a nice theatre so was very comfortable.
Superman III isn’t as much a remake of the Robert Vaughn/Richard Pryor misfire as it was a reimagining of Superman the Movie. Director Bryan Singer was clearly channeling Richard Donner’s interpretation of the classic super-hero and there were many terrific touches throughout the film that brought a smile to my face.
On the other hand, for every nice subtle nod to the past, there were whole chunks of the first feature reshot for the new film. For example, it was wonderful seeing the photo of Glen Ford on the Kent mantle place. But the number of lines lifted from the first film got to be too much. We get it, it’s the same world from the first two features, it’s just five years later and really, not too much has changed.
The Kent Farm is gorgeous when the sun is on the horizon. Check.
Lois is endangered in an aircraft. Check.
Lex Luthor wants to recreate real estate so he can own it and gain power. Check.
The story had all the right themes, good doses of action and a final threat directly tied to the title character. What is lacked though was the necessary internally consistent logic to keep us from scratching our heads. How the Kryptonian crystals are used, how the kryptonite hurts and weakens Superman, and the entire threat to the Eastern seaboard comes and goes at the writers’ whim. From a pacing point of view, the half hour finally the action-packed climax, sags and people start to look at their watches. There’s really no final moment; it sort of just ends.
(And now I’ll talk about the key spoiler moment that has been given away elsewhere and is not really a spoiler to those who know anything about the movie.)
Lois has a child and it’s implied at one point that Superman is the father. Then we’re teased for the next hour as to whether or not it’s true. At no point is it stated so on camera. At no point are we given an explanation for the one super-powered moment attributed to the kid (nicely played, by the way). But let me be clear: this fundamental change to the Superman mythos, the one original addition to what came before, doesn’t work. Not because it’s a child out-of-wedlock or Kate Bosworth looks too young to be a mom, but simply because it’s off to the side. More of the film should have been about this rather significant plot point. Lois doesn’t address how she intends to raise a potentially super-powered child, Clark/Superman doesn’t offer emotional, financial or other support, nor does he even seem to consider sharing the news with his mother, who knows something about raising a child just learning to use his powers.
Towards the end, in a film filled with people repeating their own lines from previous films or repeating lines from other character, Singer and the writers missed a sure bet. As Superman stands over the sleeping child, he repeats lines from Jor-El. What should have happened was his mixing lines from Jor-El as well as Jonathan Kent, an indication of the influence both men had on the man Kal-El has grown to be. “The son becomes the father and the father the son” could have been beside “You’re here for a reason” and audiences would have been more satisfied. Or at least this audience of one.
What worked for me were the powers. I believed. I thought the flying was the best movie flying of all time, casual and effortless. Superman’s use of multiple powers such as flying and heat vision showed a man experienced and confident in his skills. Even his frequent use of speed was well handled, especially showing the heat friction as he gained speed, breaking the sound barrier (nice visual touch and amazing it hadn’t been done on screen before).
What didn’t work for me were several characters and the casting. No, I don’t mean the lovely cameos by Noel Neill and Jack Larson, a nod to the rich heritage of the character. But Parker Posey either looked grim or sad and was given absolutely nothing to do. Her character was entirely unnecessary to the film so one wonders why the indie star even bothered.
Kate Bosworth was not Lois Lane. Lois is driven, career before all else, gutsy and determined. Kate was too young to be a successful career reporter who happened to have a 5 year old son. She looked too young on her own and looked too young when paired with both James Marsden and Brandon Routh.
Routh made for a convincing Superman and Clark Kent. Like Singer channeled Donner, Routh clearly played it like Christopher Reeve. He was leaner and perhaps not as handsome, but pulled off the dual identity quite well.
Kevin Spacey surpassed Gene Hackman as Luthor because Donner had Hackman play the character comically while Spacey used some of that to shade his villain. He had the right dose of rage against the “alien” and their fight was everything you wanted to see between the two.
Frank Langella had the right gravitas, if not the right amount of bluster, as Perry White and Eva Marie Saint didn’t have enough to do (her entire sub-plot with James Karen will have to wait for the DVD). Sam Huntington’s Jimmy Olsen is fun and James Marsden reminds us he can act after being criminally neglected in X-Men 3.
I was smiling a lot through the film, cheered at times and grimaced at others. I liked it but wanted to love it and as a result, am ultimately disappointed by what could have been.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:23 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack
June 27, 2006
You Just Never Know
Sometimes you just never know what will trip you up.
At last night’s RTM meeting, we were looking at 10 or so items and several could go on the consent calendar, speeding things along. We made an appointment, approved odds and ends and even had an item fall off the agenda thanks to successful negotiations between the town and a property owner.
We were looking at an 8:30 wrap-up, which would have been great. I was definitely tired after the first day back in the commuting world (more on that later in the week).
So, we got to the supplemental item on the Call. It was some adjustments to the language of our town’s pension agreement with the Police and Firefighters’ unions, allowing retirees to consult with the town and earn some bucks without jeopardizing their pensions. It was a revenue-neutral bit of business and came to us because the Charter insisted the RTM had to approve any changes to the language.
Well, that seemed innocuous enough. But then one after another, people got up to question why this was coming before the body. Why was the RTM adjusting pension provisions and wasn’t this going to put us no a slippery slope, projecting some future time we might raid the pension fund in a dire emergency?
Then it came to light that the Charter specifically called for any change to the pension agreement be subject to actuarial review before action by the Board of Finance before it appeared before the RTM. That seemed to flummox the town officials, especially the relatively-recently appointed new head of HR.
Caught flat-flooted, it was first seen as revenue neutral so our town attorneys didn’t feel it merited the actuarial review, which would cost the town some dollars. HR just wanted to make sure the two guys owed money got it before too much longer. Our moderator looked ready to throttle the next representative that slowed the night up even further.
A motion had been made to form a committee to study this which was replaced by tabling the item until the following meeting, allowing the town to figure out if this fell under the Charter or not.
As we wound down, it was becoming clear that yet another member of the Republican Party was making statements and sounding like a candidate for First Selectman come the 2007 election. That certainly made things interesting if you take the long view.
By 8:55, we tidied things up and called it a night. But, not before we finalized the Ordinance Committee charged with writing ordinances based on a Blue Ribbon Committee’s report on town zoning issues. I’m one of the five on the Committee so I’ll be experiencing what it’s like to write the law.
We repaired to the Angus for our traditional “socialable Soda” and I was heartened to see it a more bi-partisan crowd, than usual. While we continue to have philosophical differences, at least we can discuss it civilly with smiles and good humor.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 03:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 23, 2006
Taking Stock
As the week winds down, I find myself looking at the weekend as the weekend before work. It’s not that I haven’t been working, but this is more structured lifestyle, one I am accustomed to.
Tomorrow we have a party for Robbie’s Graduation and we’re crossing our fingers that the weather stays dry between 1 and 8 (give or take).
I’ve been winding up projects and touching base with my various editors and publishers so I figured it’s a good time to update the irons in the fire:
Completed and Awaiting Publication
Matthew Daemon, SOS, Weekly World News (final four installments to go)
Cool Careers Without College for People who Love to Organize (Rosen Books)
“The Landing Party”, Star Trek: Constellations (Pocket Books)
“What Teens Can Do in Fairfield”, Fairfield Magazine
Essay for untitled Wonder Woman collection (BenBella Books)
Delivered to Editor and Awaiting Edits or Proofs
In the News: Suicide Bombers (Rosen)
Cutting Edge Careers: Artificial Intelligence (Rosen )
“Troubleshooting”, Star Trek: Corps of Engineers #2 (Pocket eBook)
14 essays in You Said What? (William Morrow)
“Ghost Hunting” in untitled Phantom anthology (Moonstone Books)
“Steel and Chrome” in untitled BattleTech anthology
Writing Projects
Actionopolis novel – currently being written
Essay for untitled Spider-Man collection – delivered to editor, awaiting comment
Profile for The Cooperator -- possibly dead (and it’s not my fault)
Profile for The New Jersey Cooperator -- delivered to editor, awaiting comment
“Winter in Fairfield”, Fairfield Magazine -- researching
Media tie-in novel collaboration – awaiting Licensor comments on plot
Media tie-in comic book – revised pitch to editor
Custom comic book – samples with editor
Media tie-in novel – first pitch nixed, researching to try again
Media tie-in book – Publisher investigating license
Media tie-in book 2 – Publisher investigating license
Media tie-in book 3 – Awaiting contract and details to announce
Original novel – revising proposal
Non-Fiction book collaboration – prepping outline and sample chapter
Editing Projects
Dark Forces -- Written by Keith DeCandido, art by Gene Gonzales; first script being written, character designs in the works
6 unannounced projects – all need artists, offers out to artists; all in various stages of development
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 03:26 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 22, 2006
My Son, the Graduate
End of an era.
That’s how it occurred to me and Deb as we took our places in the grandstand at the High School last night.
However, the theme of the evening was First Class. Three years ago, Robbie’s sophomore class became the first class to take possession of Fairfield Ludlowe High School. The building had, to many of them, been the Roger Ludlowe Middle School, so after a year’s break, they were returning to familiar halls plus the unfamiliar sounds of construction.
The notion of separate but equal was the promise from the Board of Ed to the community but to the Class of ’06, it was a promise unfulfilled those first weeks. Finally, unhappy with feeling ignored, they staged a protest on November 20, 2003 and got their points across.
Clearly, this was going to be a class that would speak its mind. And they did in the following months and years as they put their imprint on the school, picking House names, schools colors, mascot and the like. No doubt there are plenty of unrecorded traditions and protocols that only the students know and that’s fine.
But, three years after taking the school and not having role models or mentors, they blazed a path, taking the subsequent grades with them and a path has been blazed. That path led to the football field last night for the Graduation Exercises. As these things go, it was a classy evening, filled with some rambunctious moments and some terrific words. Headmaster Nancy Larson, clearly beloved by the student body, gave a terrific speech complete with engaging story to keep the restless students entranced.
Deb scored us seats high up on the 50 yard line and she set up her tripod and digital camera and was able to snap away with abandon. With my mother beside us, we cheered and clapped throughout the night. It was fitting that Robbie marched on to the field next door to his friend Brooke. They’ve been like brother and sister since kindergarten and the completed the journey together.
After the recessional, we were taking pictures on the field. We had one eye on Robbie and one eye on the crowd so we could snap him with friends or favorite teachers. And there she was. We suspected she might be there. When Robbie was in second grade, he was blessed to be taught by Mrs. Betty Mulholland, who was wonderful with all the kids. It was her final year before retirement, but because she felt a special connection to the class, she turned up when they graduated elementary school and middle school. Now, despite living in Florida, she was there to see her final class graduate high school. No surprise, she was crowded with people but recognized Robbie instantly and reached up to give him a big hug.
Robbie’s spent his entire educational career in Fairfield and now it has come to an end. He’s ready for the next step, pleased with what he has accomplished and as I stated last week, we couldn’t be prouder of him.
It’s going to feel weird no longer performing the routine of public school parents, dialing to check for Snow Days or planning life around the school events calendar. The enormity of this milestone only hit Deb during dinner last night but it’s been building all year and now he is a graduate.
We pause this summer before the next chapter begins.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 02:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 20, 2006
Ch-ch-changes
I am returning to the world of full-time employment.
On Monday, I will move from freelancer for Weekly World News to being their new Production Manager. I’ll be working for Jeff Rovin, a long-time colleague and friend, who was the first to reach out to me with an offer of work in the days following my departure from DC. He’s been upgrading the paper, adding comics material and getting folks like Joe Kubert, Mike Kaluta and John Byrne to do illustrations.
When I arrive to start my new role, which will evolve and be clarified once I settle in, I’ll be working alongside my even older friend, Paul Kupperberg, who got hired away from DC to be their Senior Editor.
I will have to stop writing for the newspaper but it’s a fair trade off. I’ll continue to have Matt Daemon by-lines through July and then the feature will change and new hands will chronicle his off-the-wall adventures.
I will continue to do freelance writing and editing but obviously being far more judicious in what I accept to do. After all, it’s back to train rides, night and weekends depending on the work. This does mean I will continue to package comics for Platinum Studios (and I’m still seeking artists). Fortunately, I have either completed a large number of outstanding assignments or have comfortable deadlines for the things I am writing.
This is all very exciting and came very quickly. Most days I get an e-mail from Jeff suggesting a story idea or showing me an edited version of a previous piece. Just over a week ago, I got one with the job opportunity and things quickly fell into place.
I have been gratified and touched by the outpouring of support and friendship from those who spoke up in those dark days at the beginning of the year. I was also pleased to see the amount of work I managed to produce filled my time and pushed me in some new directions. It wasn’t all bad, being in the home office 8-9 hours a day.
On the other hand, having the full-time job does settle certain uncertainties when it comes to things like paying the bills and launching Robbie on his college career in the fall.
Stay tuned for reports from the new office.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 12:32 PM | Comments (18) | TrackBack
June 16, 2006
New Public Service
Since 1999, I have been serving on Fairfield’s Parking Authority, feeling the five-man committee needed at least one active commuter to be represented. Since then, I have worked alongside some very dedicated people, many former commuters. We’ve overseen a round of new leases for the commercial ventures renting space in our buildings and spent over $500,000 in renovating the two main station buildings.
There was a lot of good stuff done, especially considering there’s relatively little we can do to ease the parking congestion at the station.
Since January, I have not been an active commuter so when opportunity knocked the other week, it was time re-evaluate where I sit.
As long-time readers of this space know, I have many bones of contention to pick with Cablevision. These include packages offered, fees charged, channels not carried and lousy customer service.
Today I was officially appointed as one of five Fairfielders on the Cable Advisory Board for Area 2. I’m replacing Larry Kaley, who said he was getting tired from his numerous commitments and was looking to cut back, Since Larry and I are both RTM reps from District 8 this is more of handoff than anything else.
For Fairfield, this comes at a time when a new committee to control and improve the town’s use of the public access channels is being formed. While serving on the RTM means I can’t serve on the new committee, I’ll be in a position to at least support and aid them.
Right now I’m arriving just as the franchise agreement for Cabelvision and its public access third-party provider, Sound View, is up for renewal. At the first hearing on the subject last week, I entered a letter into the record, objecting to Sound View’s involvement and instead preferring the town of Fairfield regain direct access to the three channels set aside for the public, the schools and the local government.
This should be either a lot of fun or incredibly frustrating. Stay tuned.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 12:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 14, 2006
My Son, the Scholar
We’re into the home stretch, about to close another chapter in our life.
Today, Robbie completed his final full day of classes as a High School student. Finals begin tomorrow and one week from today, he’ll be a graduate.
Today was also the final day of Aquaculture, the magnet school he has been attending as part of his studies for the last three years. I can easily tell you that this program was the turning point in his academic life so I see it ended with mixed feelings.
When he first told us about it in the spring of his freshman year, he was a struggling student who had been mainstreamed out of special ed. He didn’t have the coping skills and work ethic to really dig into his studies, nothing seemed to motivate him and we were rather worried about what the future might hold for him.
To see him excited about something, even marine biology, gave us hope. We attended a meeting to hear more about it followed by an Open House at the school, just over the border in Bridgeport. He’d attend each morning, along with kids from two other schools, and bus back to Fairfield in time for the rest of his academic schedule. He’d miss things like Gym, Health and Homeroom but it was a good tradeoff if it meant he could learn something.
Walking through the school, and seeing him get excited by the prospects gave us some hope so we signed him up.
He had some terrific teachers, made some friends from other towns but more importantly, Robbie got motivated, and interested. (He and some students accompanied a beloved teacher for a day trip across the Sound to Port Jefferson during Spring Break – must be some teacher!) Thanks to one teacher Robbie really perked up and finally figured out he’d like to train to become a high school science teacher.
His grades overall improved, his attitude and his work habits also improved dramatically. (It wasn’t until the end of 10th grade, beginning of 11th, that I also turned myself around academically so the parallels between father and son remain eerie.) He got into the schools he wanted and remains on track.
Yesterday, at the Aquaculture Awards ceremony, he was shocked to be called to the stage to receive their highest scholarship for Best Academic Achievement. Three years ago, we never would have imagined that possible.
Our pride in him and his hard effort remains immeasurable.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 02:51 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
June 12, 2006
More on Freelance Editing
Allow me a moment to elaborate on the freelance editing I’ve been mentioning over the last few weeks.
Platinum Studios is an intellectual properties company that licenses other content or generates their own with an eye towards leaping from the four-color page to movies and television. They’ve had some success already with the European series Jeremiah that wound up a series on Showtime.
Look at their website and you see all manner of concepts from humor to crime to science fiction and even a nascent shared universe of costumed crimefighters. Something for everyone and Hollywood is paying attention.
They’re gearing up to finally get a number of their properties into print later this year with a ton to follow in 2007. Up until recently, my former DC colleague Lee Nordling has been the Executive Editor, solely trying to wrangle something like 100 projects. Too many for anyone to handle without losing their mind (or in Lee’s case, hair). Anyway, we started talking back in February about my helping the company in some capacity.
It started with some proofreading, which exercised some muscles I hadn’t used in a while and gave me a feel for what they were producing.
Then, right before Memorial Day, I was invited to freelance edit Ghosting, a project that corporate moved to the top of their To Do list. It had a script but needed an artist and someone who could shepherd it. I read it over and accepted.
No sooner did I say yes, then the corporate office called and asked me to take on another project, this time one in need of a writer. I liked the concept for Dark Forces and signed on. As I write this, I have six projects to handle and it’s an interesting feeling.
I was asked how I could do this without an office environment. There will be trade offs. I certainly can’t sit with a book designer or stand over a marketing person’s shoulder. I can, though, read scripts on screen and check art files from the home office. With the advent of the Internet and digitalization, it gets easier. Or so the theory goes.
In some cases, I am reading full scripts and giving notes, and in one case will be asking for a total rewrite. In others, I have been seeking artists. Eventually, I’ll have to start hunting colorists but fortunately, not yet.
While at DC, I could open up an on-line program and access any freelancer’s address and phone number so I could acquire work. If I was looking for something new, every office had a slush pile of submissions. Here, in my home office, I have neither and have to hit my network of contacts. The nice thing about that is I am getting back in touch with colleagues I haven’t had occasion to chat with in ages. Some have led to offers of work, some have led to nice conversations and referrals to other people.
Still, I need artists and as it stands, I won’t be at the summer shows to haunt Artists’ Alley to seek talent. So, let me try something for a little while: I’m looking for artists, preferably those who pencil and ink or do tight enough textured pencils that we can color from. For my tastes, I am looking for people who draw fairly realistically, can do convincing looking people, places and objects. Most of this material is set in the world outside your window and the comics needs to reflect that. If you think you’re as good those now being published by DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, IDW, etc., then send me a few jpegs to PlatinumSamples@hotmail.com. Who knows?
More on the process of freelance editing as time passes by.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:17 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 11, 2006
This and That
Wow, the sun finally came out and stayed out for more than a few hours. It allowed me to unclog a gutter, plant some stuff for Deb and clean her office window.
It’s been a quiet weekend with some household stuff getting done. Given losing Tuesday to Mystery Trekkie Theatre rehearsal and Wednesday to some family obligations, I put in quite a few catch up hours the last two days. As a result, I no longer feel behind schedule and can approach Monday strong.
There’s more follow-up calls and e-mails to handle, tracking down job leads and freelance assignments. There’s the weekly Weekly World news output plus an assignment due Friday that is starting to prove difficult – I’ll explain once it resolves itself.
I give Robbie credit. He and a team participated in the annual Relay for Life fund-raiser over at his high school. From 7 p.m. last night through 7 a.m. this morning, he or the others were walking the track, piling up the hours to earn the money donated. He came home exhausted, collapsed into bed and slept until 11:30 and is taking it easy most of today. I’m proud of that commitment to a good cause.
Kate cantored at Church all weekend so while waiting for her to return this afternoon, so we could work out, I actually began drafting my story for Actionopolis, something that was on this month’s agenda. Got chapter one done so that’s a good start.
We also started watching the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Bleak House which is nicely done. It is certainly one of the joys of the DVR, being able to stockpile this stuff and watching it at our leisure. With two hours to go, we have a fairly good idea where it will wind up but it’s well-acted and well-photographed, although the modern day editing is a bit jarring.
And look at that, the Mets’ pitchers have come to life. The Cuban defectors – El Duque and Alay Soler – pitched back-to-back complete game wins over the Diamondbacks. It comes when I was beginning to worry about the relief pitching corps as well as at a time when the bats seem hot. I can only hope they stockpile some wins and build their lead. It’s certainly a good time to be a Mets fan.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 09, 2006
Not a Bad Week
A few years back I wrote three essays for You Did What?, a collection looking at serious missteps that would provoke that reaction from any sane individual. For example, I wrote about the introduction of New Coke and the failed rescue attempt of the Iranian hostages.
I had a lot of fun working with editor Bill Fawcett and Brian Thomsen, the book came out from HarperCollins, and is still for sale for those interested.
Recently, Bill called out of the blue and while catching up, he invited me to pitch to his next project. This one, coming from William Morrow in Spring 2007 is entitled You Said What? and is more of the same. In these 1000 or so word essays we explore some of the great lies, misstatements and non-statements throughout history.
I have written 14 of these essays for the collection, including pieces on James K. Polk’s misstatement to Congress that led to war in 1846, the great P.T. Barnum, Grover Cleveland’s secret cancer surgery, John Keely’s etheric energy and other wonders. I just today heard back from Bill with his edits. I was very pleased to see how little line editing was done and now look forward to the finished product.
Beyond that, I’ve accepted a little more freelance comics editing and have discovered how challenging this can be without my DC rolodex and a slush pile to sift through. It has, though, put me back in touch with several comics colleagues which has been a bonus.
And today I have finished the first draft of my Spider-Man essay for BenBella’s SmartPop series so it’s winding up a productive week.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 03:58 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 06, 2006
A Sign of Summer
It’s summer time. Normally, people can measure it by the onslaught of popcorn movies clustered around Memorial Day. Me, I can measure it by when we rehearse for Mystery Trekkie Theatre.
MTT has become a fixture at Shore Leave as Peter David, Mike Friedman and I rip off the format of Mystery science Theatre and ridicule the lesser episodes from Star Trek. So far we’ve done episodes from all four franchises, avoiding Enterprise because shooting fish in a barrel is way too easy. Last year, we deviated from the norm by skewering the unaired ABC pilot to Alexander the Great starring William Shatner and Adam West (I kid you not).
The routine is that we start discussing which episode to mock when we see each other at Farpoint in February. We then make dupes of the episode and review it, setting a time for a meeting. In the past, we’ve normally done it at a DC conference room, but that wasn’t going to work this year for obvious reasons.
So, this morning I boarded the Bridgeport to Port Jefferson ferry and was picked up on Long Island by Peter. Mike arrived at his palatial mansion a little while later and we more or less got right to work. As usual, we feel into our routine: Peter prepares the opening skit, I take the master set of notes and Mike eats.
Over the course of 2-2 ½ hours, we worked our way through the 45-50 minute episode, constantly playing “can you top this?” and reversing the tape to check timing and to see which joke plays better. We find running gags and some that just make us giggle incessantly. We had some fine deli sandwiches to keep us going and were very satisfied that once again, we had a winner.
I now have to type up our final gags and we’ll do a run through sometime at the con, plus rehearsing the opening with T.A. Chafin, our perpetual Mad Scientist.
This year, we’re getting the final programming slot on Sunday afternoon. Normally, the local theatre troupe puts on a showcase performance, usually a musical parody of some genre production. Apparently, after doing shows for Farpoint and Balticon, they needed a summer off so we got moved to the afternoon – make your travel plans accordingly.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 05:47 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 03, 2006
Last Stand in Review
Like Jean Grey, I am of two minds with regard to X-Men: The Last Stand. As a long time comics reader, I saw all the source material being morphed, used and wasted to form the sausage that is this movie. And, like a good, well grilled sausage, it’s tasty but ultimately not necessarily good for you.
Sticking with the comic book fan perspective, it was terrific to see the Danger Room, hints of “Days of Future Past”, a Sentinel, more familiar mutants from Madrox to Callisto, and nice bits of business with the movie mutants we’ve gotten fond of. It was neat to see Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men storyline make it to screen (ironic considering Joss did an unfilmed draft of the first film) along with Dark Phoenix.
Also, as a comics fan, we know the source material and how the characters were originally handled and we see so many errors, missteps and wasted opportunities. Jean Grey a victim of MPD rather being possessed by a cosmic spirit that resurrected her after a noble sacrifice? The needless deaths of core characters?
Now, switch gears to being a film fan that liked the first two films and only knew of the X-Men as part of the pop zeitgeist. The movie doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense. First of all, characters come and go without introduction, show up and then get dispatched without necessarily moving the story forward. The entire rescue of Mystique sequence is wholly unnecessary to the film unless it’s to show us what an unsympathetic bastard Magneto can be.
Magneto, with all his powers, his growing army, and his goal of homo superior being the majority race on Earth has to hide his army in the forest like Robin Hood? Callisto has some neat skills but is never named and seems to earn Magneto’s trust way too easily. And why is he showing any loyalty to just Mystique as opposed to any of the mutants he was allied with in the first two films? Also, why is Pyro suddenly his Number Two? He’s an impetuous, untrained, ahem, hothead.
Jean giving in the Phoenix side of her personality seems to radiate energy without purpose. She isn’t even seen to struggle with it until her hormones kick into gear. At no point does the audience understand if Phoenix-Jean wants something or is just raw, unchanneled power, proving Xavier right all along.
Which brings me to the debates between Xavier and Magneto. It’s become expected to see them debate the issues but this time it was done without any warmth, wit, charm or originality. It’s all arguments we’d heard before and don’t understand why they remain cordial when they both conveniently arrive to coax Phoenix-Jean to their side. Magneto is horribly handled from overly melodramatic at times all the way to sympathetic when he shows his concentration camp tattoo.
It’s plot over character in emphasis and the plot doesn’t hold up or make enough sense to make the audience care. Things make little sense such as how long it takes to get anywhere. For example, Magneto moves the Golden Gate Bridge during daylight but is ready to invade the building in total darkness – what happened in between? And there was a total lack of suspense when Michael Murphy’s Warren Worthington II is tossed over the side of the building. What character we get is all surface, without any interesting dialogue. The various triangles are a passing nod to the lovely soap opera elements of the Claremont-era X-Men but it’s all for nothing. All the characters sound the same, except maybe Wolverine, and that ahs more to do with Hugh Jackman’s acting chops than the material. (And I have to acknowledge that Kelsey Grammer as Beast is terrific and the best new thing about the film.)
Speaking of plot, while the action is fun at times, the climax fails. I’ll let Keith DeCandido explain, as snurched from his review: ““But the biggest problem in the whole thing was the confrontation with Jean. Never mind the fact that Logan's obsession with Jean is way in excess of his lustful infatuation in the other two films, there's the simple fact that a) the ending is ripped off from Van Helsing's finale, and you're in big trouble if you're reduced to that, and b) why did Logan have to stomp toward her anyhow? All they had to do was put Leech near her and the fight was over!!!! They spent the whole movie showing us that Leech negates powers and was the basis of the cure. They just two minutes earlier showed him zapping Kitty and the Juggernaut. So why not use him against Jean? Hell, why didn't Logan jab her with one of the needles filled with the serum instead of stabbing her to death?”
As you know by now, stay through the credits for the last scene. Then, as you wander out of the theatre, ask yourself what purpose the moment serves beyond shock value.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 06:02 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 02, 2006
As Another Week Ends
Weird week.
In addition to the normal work that’s been happening, I’ve suddenly started taking on some freelance editing chores which meant exercising a set of muscles I haven’t used in a while. Once I have deals in place I’ll talk more about them but I have to say, it’s certainly nice to be invited back to comics.
Meantime, I’ve wrapped up a few things that need a polish and will be delivered on Monday. On the other hand, something I wrote back in April now is back in my lap for another pass to alter the tone and this will prove challenging.
On the municipal side of life, I have been asked to participate in two related committees that may mean changes to my other town obligations and I’m weighing what to do. However, I have also taken time to help them write their committee charter. I’ve also written a letter challenging renewal Sound View’s contract with Cablevision to provide Fairfield with public access programming. Again, more on that later, but you can imagine anything involving Cablevision has my interest.
Family and house stuff have also led to the week feeling more disjointed than usual. Couple that with a sudden wave of humidity and you can imagine it’s less than comfortable. The good news is we’re finally in gear with planning for Robbie’s Graduation Party, only a week or two late.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 06:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack