Finished Up The Peripheral

The 8-episode season of The Peripheral was based on a William Gibson book, which I have not (as yet) read.  There will be no Season 2, which is probably a good thing.  It was quite well done, though as per usual it was filled with violence, mostly guns of some type, but also plenty of so called hand to hand combat.  The series would appeal to those people who play shooter games on their screens, but the plot is actually quite cerebral.  It kind of takes VR to its outer limits.  Recommended, and I may try to squeeze in a read of the novel.  It is the first of a trilogy, of which two have been published.  The series is showing on Prime.

 

We are now about four or five episodes into the newest Rings episodes, and have met Tom Bombadil.  Nothing too exciting there, but the series is creating some tension in Moria.  We know what lives beneath the mines, down very deep, but the Dwarves are about to find out for the first time.  I'm getting a little sick of Elves and Hobbits, so I'm glad that the Dwarves are there to take up slack.  It is so unfortunate that Prime was not given rights to the Silmarillion.  Instead, Peter Jackson will likely rewrite it all to his taste and show us how brilliant he is.

 

In local news, yours truly survived another journey around the Sun.  Celebrations were centered around food, and since it is also Bilbo and Frodo's birthday, it seems a fitting way to get through the day.  The morning began with home made cinnamon buns.  That was followed at lunch time by spaghetti with vegan meatballs and a wonderful minced veggie topping, all made fresh by Deb.  Then we baked a ginger birthday cake (with decadent icing!), finally sitting down to watch Rings and Peripheral.  I had a quart of very fine Saison ale I had been saving, and sipped it away over a two hour period.  I also treated myself to some extra reading time today (a novel by Dashiel Hammet is currently in my hands)

Autumn returned this morning, and this is to be the final hot day!  We have been doing our training in sunny, very warm temps, despite our early start.  And for the first time in weeks, it is actually raining outside.  The land is quite parched here.  Not much rain, but a little bit.  So tomorrow's strenuous walk should be in a much cooler, possibly even cloudy, environment.

 

We also scored two decent movies this weekend, beginning with Lady In The Lake, also called The Possessed.  It is an Italian b & w thriller from 1965, and features some great off season locations in the Italian Alps.  The mood created by the camera, music, and sounds, especially of a hollow wind in the trees, is very good.  A writer travels there to find a girl he once spurned, but now wants to try a relationship.  She is missing, and then he finds out that she is dead.  The mystery begins there, and doesn't follow much of a normal plot path.  The action and plot centres around a family that owns a large hotel in the town, and they have a lot of local pull and connections.  They also own the slaughterhouse next door.  Would you like a hotel room with a view of a slaughterhouse?  Like a said, this film is a bit different, though not predictable at all.  Recommended.

 

Leaving Mubi soon.  In b & w.

 

A twilight scene from The Possessed, one of many liminal spaces and or times from the film. 

 

Next came Source Code from 2011, a SF thriller that opens with terrific aerial scenes of downtown Chicago.  A wounded American Afghanistan pilot is brought home to continue his service in a different way.  In a confusing opening, he is put on a train to discover who the bomber is that will destroy the train in 8 minutes.  When the train explodes we know nothing of his mission, nor does he.  But it soon becomes clear.  He will have time for more attempts, but each one can only last for 8 minutes.  The film becomes a bit like Groundhog Day, as the soldier gets to replay the scene, fix his mistakes, and try to find the bomber.  The only problem is that the people on the train are already dead, so he is not saving anyone here.  But if the bomber can be identified, then a much worse terrorist incident can be truly prevented.  Another quite good film, and if not exactly nail biting, then it is good SF at least.  The two main characters all also quite likable.

 

Leaving Mubi soon.

 

Mapman Mike

 

 
 

Quiet Holidays

Aside from the one visit that we were able to capture Amanda for, it's been a quiet holiday here at the Homestead.  Especially weather wise.  Lots of fog, very still and very damp air, creating warm dark days and a goodly amount of rain.  We managed one outdoor walk on the Greenway on Boxing Day, and it was a perfect autumn day for it.  Yes, it's still autumn around here, at least for several more days.  Going all the way back to last Friday, we had an all day Solstice Festival by the fireside, with an 8 hour wood fire, the first act of Wagner's Siegfried, plenty of food and drink, reading, napping, and other fun things.  On Christmas Day we watched Prime's Rings of Power, our second viewing of this epic adventure loosely based on Tolkien's appendices to LOR.  Amanda visited the day before Christmas, and we pretty much got caught up on news, enjoying a good visit, our first in far too long.  She is looking after her aging kitty, but is also reentering the world of travel once again with her boyfriend (whom we might actually meet someday!).  A week in Colombia is up next for them.

 

In other news, I talked with Alicia over the holiday, my niece.  She is a corporal in the Canadian Armed Forces, and on January 15th she will be on her first shift in the military police, which she recently joined.  We are all very proud of Alicia and her accomplishments to date.  We will be thinking of her on the 15th!

 

This is turning out to be an interesting period of time for encountering Germanic myths and legends.  Siegfried is Wagner's 3rd opera in his Ring cycle, based on northern and Germanic legends.  This is our 3rd or 4th time through the entire cycle, which we sometimes do all at once, but this time have separated the works by months. The hero has just reforged the broken sword of his father, and is off to the kill a poor dragon.  Tolkien based a lot of his material on the same legends used by Wagner.  And I happened to read a fantasy novel by William Morris this past week, too.  He actually translated several northern Sagas, but The House of the Wolfings, from 1889, is his fictional account of the Goths doing battle with the invading Roman army.  While loosely historical (the Romans never really did fully control the barbarian lands), the atmosphere is steeped in magic, gods, and myth.  We get a close look at how the Goth society was organized into clans, and how they fought together when their way of life was threatened.  They certainly were not simple barbarians, as the Romans thought.  It is a stirring novel, and the first part seems like it could take place in Middle Earth.  The river that runs through the countryside being invaded is called the Mirkwood.  More on this book in my monthly reading summary, coming soon.

 

Most influenced by this novel was Tolkien, and by coincidence we re watched Rings of Power.  We watched the first episode on Christmas Eve, and the rest on Christmas Day.  There are 8 episodes, and each one is riveting, spellbinding, eye-poppingly beautiful to look at, and filled with great acting, sets, costumes, arms and armour, and not to forget those Numenorean ships!  This first series focuses on Galadriel and her attempts to seek out and destroy Sauron.  Needless to say, she has her work cut out for her.  The series was ratings bombed when it appeared because (I kid you not) there are people of colour in major roles.  So trust no on-line ratings.  Still today it is being ratings bombed because, as everyone knows, only white folk live in fantasy worlds.  Next to Galadriel (who pretty much fits the blonde northern fantasy heroine in every respect), the best character is Arondir, an Elf warrior perfectly played by the handsome and statuesque Ismael Cruz Cordoba.  If you cannot imagine a dark-skinned Elf, then don't bother watching, please.  And everything to do with the Dwarves is so unbelievably good that even after watching it twice, I still can't believe it!  The mines of Moiria are extremely well portrayed in their heyday, before the balrog was awoken by the deeper mining activity.  Durin has a Black wife, so beware.  And Numenor has a Black Queen.  And there are Black Hobbits!  Oh, where will it all end?  Hopefully in a second season at least as good as the first one.  This is don't miss stuff for Tolkien fans.  It was a very fun Christmas Day!

 

In regular movie news, well, we often don't watch regular movies, as regular readers of this blog already know.  Our main sources for film viewing are three streaming channels: Criterion, Mubi, and Prime.  None of them are expensive, and we watch dozens and dozens of films each year, mostly on the first two, which feature foreign and experimental film.  Though if you dig deep, there are many great films, big and small, on Prime.

 

Deb's two choices from last week included one of the more interesting films we have seen of late.  You Are Here is a Canadian film from 2010.  It's pretty much impossible to give a plot synopsis, but it involves mysterious found video tapes, and other artifacts, that puzzle a woman.  She finds and collects them on long walks, then categorizes and stores them in an archive.  She eventually intersects with a strange experiment where people are being sent to seemingly random locations, and reporting back to a central control room.  This film could easily be a total mess if mishandled, but somehow the director manages to not only intrigue and puzzle us, but keep us interested as well. Deb thinks it has to do with early AI experiments, while I think it is an attempt to show how the human brain works if consciousness is removed.  Whatever the hell it is, it makes for a strange and somehow wonderful viewing experience.

 

Leaving Mubi Dec. 31st.
 

She also picked a Hollywood film, but one that seems to rise well above the typical melodrama I was expecting.  A Letter To Three Wives dates from 1949, and was directed by Joseph Mankiewicz.  A beautiful woman, whom we never see, lures the husband of one of three women to run away with her.  We get the marriage story of all three couples told in flashback, as each woman, who has received a letter from the mystery woman, reflects on her marriage, and whether or not it is her husband who has left.  The film, though showing a melodramatic core, is filled with more snappy lines and witty dialogue than most Oscar Wilde plays.  Sight gags are also part of the fun, namely the house of one of the women that sits next to a busy railway line.  Each time a train passes, the whole house shakes and all dialogue and action by the inhabitants has to stop.  Starring Jean Crain, Linda Darnell, and Ann Southern as the three wives.  Recommended.

 

Leaving Criterion Dec. 31st. 

 

Lastly comes my first pick of five, as I get my two regular picks for the week, as well as the end of the month film festival choices, three of them.  Back in 1989 we saw a most strange little film called The Magic Toy Shop (1987) at an alternative movie house in downtown Detroit.  We were regular patrons of the Tele Arts programs, though not many other people were ever seen to attend.  It was a bit ahead of its time for Detroit, I think, even though DFT often packed the theatre with slightly more mainstream European films.  Anyway, this film is only available on a very bad print on Youtube, but we finally watched it.  Based on a story (unread) by Angela Carter, it is a very scary look at a domineering man (a very scary Tom Bell) who runs a toy shop and marionette theatre.  His wife and her two brothers help out, but when he accepts three suddenly related orphaned children into his home, things really begin to go awry.  This is one of the strangest movies every made, and likely seen by the fewest people.  It is a horror movie at its heart, but also a very unique fantasy and dark fairy tale.  The toyshop life reeks of severe patriarchy, and the ultimate downfall of the owner will test viewers ability to believe what they are seeing.  As the children say after watching a mind numbing version of "Leda and the Swan" on the small family stage, "I don't like that play."  DO NOT MISS seeing this most unusual film.

Available to watch in a bad print on Youtube. 

 

In the meantime, we are looking forward to seeing the sun again someday.  Perhaps.  As for clear nights, forget it.  We never saw the sun anywhere near or around Solstice, nor this week's full moon.  But on the bright side, I have yet to shovel snow so far this year.

 

Mapman Mike

 

Furnace Time

We test ran the boiler today.  The house was down to 65 F this morning, and it was 40 F outside and there were blustery winds.  We managed to survive till now without heat, but we gave it a good morning blast, which actually lasted all day.  Later we baked pumpkin pies, and Deb made a large batch of soup, which also helped keep things warm.  Tonight it is clear, still windy, and the temp will drop even more than last night.  So we will likely reblast the central heat upon awakening yet again.  The price of natural gas is such that last winter we paid $91 per month on the budget plan.  That pays for our hot water and heat.  However, this year the fee has jumped to $137 per month.  That's more than a 50% increase in the price of gas.  Of course seniors on fixed incomes can easily handle this sort of thing, right?

Yesterday we took an autumnal walk on the local rails to trails path.  It was turning cold, and the wind was up.  There is still corn in the fields, standing at least 5' high, and the stalks rattle in the wind.  The dry spell we have had since mid June continues unabated.  Most of our evergreen trees are suffering, and turning brown.  There is no measurable rain in our ten day forecast.  On it goes.

 

A lone cyclist approaches us on the trail.

This should be a running stream.  Only shaded puddles remain. 

We have just watched episodes six and seven of Prime's "Rings" series.  I thought there were only six episodes, but there are eight.  Last episode is released next Friday.  Six and Seven go together as a pair, featuring a battle and several great losses.  With each episode running close to 70 minutes, and sometimes beyond, there are about ten hours of viewing altogether.  Anything to do with the dwarves continues to be the highlight.  Galadriel is rather one dimensional for a supposedly wise elf, but the lone elf warrior is a truly great character.  The special effects continue to be beyond belief in virtuosity, and with several story lines taking turns, there is never any real boredom.  It's hard to fathom that people are saying that this series moves at a "glacial" pace; usually it's moving too fast for comfort.  These are people raised on Marvel movies, which all seem to take place in fast, breathless motion.  I think Tolkien himself would have been quite impressed with this production.  I'm hoping that the estate is impressed enough to hand over the Silmarillion to Amazon someday.

In movie news, there is only one to report, as we have been watching four different TV series,and still mostly are.  The King of Chinatown is from 1939, and was my leaving Oct. 31st choice for last week.  Starring Ana May Wong and Akim Tamiroff, it is actually quite good, and the plot holds several surprises.  Wong plays a highly regarded Chinese/American surgeon who saves the life of a local bad guy, one who sells protection to Chinese merchants.  But he is not a stereotype, but rather displays a heart and even a bit of soul.  And there are even some Chinese actors playing Chinese!  Likely quite a bit ahead of its time, and not lurid at all.

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st. 

Mapman Mike

 

 

The Rings of Power

But first, the local news.  We are slowly getting through a very busy October.  This week we both had our haircut, long overdue, followed by a trip to the lawyer in Kingsville handling Lois' will.  Still to come are a doctor's visit (me) and my postponed dental cleaning.  Deb also needs to go to her mom's bank, but she is waiting for a call back to book an appointment.  Next week is Lois' Celebration of Life, which Deb is handling (quite well).  Throughout all this I am currently suffering through a bout of poison ivy.  We cleaned up some of our yard a week ago last Saturday.  On Tuesday night, in the middle of the night, I began to itch.  Thinking it was mosquito bites, I applied some cream and carried on.  Two days later, it had spread down both wrists, just past where my work gloves had protected my hands (thankfully).  I've been itching badly for over a week now, with likely another week to go.  Taking Benadryl and applying hydra-cortisone cream.  There are times when it doesn't bother me at all, and other times.....

Back to TV viewing now.  For the first time in my life I am seeing Tolkien brought to film that fully satisfies me.  Prime Video's  Rings of Power is easily the most awesome fantasy epic ever filmed.  We have seen 4 of 6 hour long episodes, with an obvious big battle awaiting.  We have met harfoots (hobbits), men, elves, dwarves, orcs, and many other strange creatures, including a man who arrived via meteor.  We have visited Lindon, home of the western elves, and been to Moria to see the wonder that the dwarves have created.  We have been to Numenor and seen their wondrous city.  In short, the scenery and backgrounds have been non stop jaw droppingly beautiful.  The creators have learned much from Peter Jackson; the detail in clothing, armour, weapons, furniture, tools, and jewelry are unsurpassed.  Best of all there is some music, some elf singing and some dwarf praying.  There is humour, much violence, but also many quiet moments.  It all rings true of Tolkien's writing.  Despite reading some criticism that things move too slowly, they don't.  If anything, things are happening too quickly, and I wish I could linger longer in places.  The Numenorean ships are breathtakingly beautiful, and when we first enter Numenor it is a sight never to be forgotten.  Same with the dwarf mines and their underground city.  And the approach of the elven ship into the western lands is also handled with perfection!  I could go on and on about this series, but suffice it to say I like it very much.  Read the appendices to Vol 3, "Return of the King", and you will see how slender was Tolkien's vision of the 2nd age.  A few paragraphs and a chronology, and the Prime folk have created something as deep and breathtaking as the 7 Tolkien books themselves.  My only complaint is that Galadriel, a slender woman, is  given the power and strength of several giants.  She is tireless, and seems more ninja and Conan the Barbarian than female elf.

We are also making progress with the three other series on Prime: Wheel of Time, Tales From the Loop, and Night Sky.  When those are finished, I will report more fully on them.  All are promising, but so far somewhat uneven in quality.  I'll also report back on the final two episodes of Rings.  Tonight we watch part 5!  Deb's going away movie choice was a strange pick for her.  Called Car Wash, it is from 1976.  The action takes place over a full work day at an LA car wash.  It is a comedy with some drama, and well worth watching.  Richard Pryor pops in with the Pointer Sisters (who do an energetic number).  He is a preacher who preaches about the value of having money!  There are many priceless moments, and the film captures the 70s like no other.  Fun to watch.

It's Criterion run ended on Sept. 30th. 

It's been awhile since I posted a landscape image from the DIA.  Their massive Van Gogh exhibit is now on, though I am not sure when we will get there.  I haven't checked into tickets yet, though I likely will soon.  In the meantime, here is a seasonal American landscape painting I have always enjoyed seeing.  The artist is considered a tonalist, and there are several of his works in the DIA.

Landscape, 1921.  Dwight William Tryon, American, 1849-1925.  Oil on panel. 11.5" x 17.6".

Mapman Mike