#229: Riddick/Pitch Black, Futurama, Listener Calls

Podcasts Galactic Watercooler
#41

Huh. Angel was my favorite Whedon creation, and I loved Forever Knight too, at least for the first 2 seasons (never warmed to the replacement partner. Her last words were the only interesting thing she ever said); but still recoil at the mention of vampires. (Notwithstanding the quickie review I just posted of Cronin’s The Passage over in the book discussion threads - every now & then I do try to expand my horizons.) I have to admit I think I tend to turn on things when they’re really over-exposed, and not give the later things as much of a chance.

Wasn’t it Neil Gaiman who said in an interview he likes vampires better as a spice than as the main course? They work better for me that way too.

#42

I know that there are a lot of vampire fans out there in GWC land. I’m glad that you like it. Epsecially since there seems to be so much content out there right now.

However, it is not my favorite thing. I tried out True Blood during it’s first season and I found myself getting bored with it. I’ve also recently tried to plow through the first two Twilight movies for my teenaged daughter. The first movie was difficult until I got to Vampire Baseball. I haven’t taken the time to put the second one in the DVD player yet, and I haven’t seen the third one in theaters yet wither.

Maybe, like Chuck, I don’t like Horror that much. Maybe seeing Tom Cruise as a vampire ruined the genre for me forever. IDK.

But I do know Shootette loves the buggers. And it sounds like the Rev. Sean also likes the vamps (or maybe it’s just the good looking female vampires in Twilight). I know lots of GWCers are loving True Blood.

But I can honestly say that I tried it out. I don’t dislike vampires. It’s just not my favorite thing. Maybe if I try it again in 5-10 years I’ll like it. In any case, thank you GWC for recommending it. So far it is the ONLY recommendation that I haven’t loved. I’d say that’s a pretty good track record, don’t you?

~Shooter Out

#43

I have been resisting the urge to comment on vampires, but have finally had to surrender to the inevitable… Sorry Snean, but I am going to have be on the dislike side of the fence for Twilight. I dislike glittery vampires. Much of it started with Anne Rice’s Vampire chronicles, and the nice guy vampire syndrome.

The vampires of the Blade and Underworld movies generally vexed me, and the latter more so. While I am never going to deny the pleasure of watching - frame by frame - Kate Beckinsale’s bottom in tight PVC, the idea didn’t work for me. She was a “death bringer” (Assassin?) against werewolves with humans ignorant of this secret war. So Selene chooses to run around in a tight PVC catsuit, with guns blazing. I swear ALL GUYS IN A FIVE MILE RADIUS could pinpoint exactly why she was!

Sorry, I had to ge that off my chest…

Anyway, I far prefer the vampires in Near Dark and Innocent Blood: cold blooded killers, and pretty much what you would expect from a creature that has to drink blood survive. For me, it seems more logical to me. As logical as you can be when writing about a supernatural creature of the night…

#44

The best vampires for me were the ones in “The Hunger”, played by David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve. Granted the film is a bit slow, but at least the vamps were believable - seemed like everyday ordinary people, not like a collection of models headed off to a goth-fetish rave (Underworld) or sparkly (Twilight). Forever Knight was also very good AFAIC with it realistic type vampires - hiding in plain sight, acting very normal, not like a group headed to some Corset Fashion Show with DJ Raven plying the best in euro-house from Ibiza…

#45

I agree, I like the less fetishised version of vampires, as it gives a sense of realism. WHile I highly appreciate the sight of Kate Beckinsale off to a Goth-Fetish, it isn’t very subtle, which is what I expect vampires to be…

#46

Chuck, I’m just wondering here, but I was listening to your response to the Harry Potter Trailer listener call by Carl from Hawaii (Wolf Wolf, buddy), and you were spectulating how they are going to show a trailer without major spoilers. Maybe I have a different perspective since I’ve read all the books, but is it really considered spoilers since the material is already out there in books? Or were you just referring to the masses that haven’t read the books and are only watching the movies?

#47

I would go with the theory of people that haven’t read the books, plus I like to go into a film blind even if i know the source material (most marvel films,etc). I like to be surprised by the interpretation and I don’t like the trailers that last 10 minutes. I prefer the one scene, fade, second scene, fade, coming soon type teaser trailers…Ones that wet the appetite.

#48

Me too. Spouse loves horror films, and I just don’t enjoy the genre. Vampires, zombies, etc., just aren’t alluring to me, either. We don’t all have to like everything :slight_smile:

#49

Ah yes, ‘Near Dark’ I can’t believe I forgot about that one… That was a good one, besides; almost half of the cast of ‘Aliens’ was in it!:slight_smile: I also just remembered another low budget but interesting take on vampires I enjoyed, ‘The Forsaken’. And of course for sheer over the top gore and campiness ‘Dusk till Dawn’ is still among the top, if you like that sort of thing.

‘Fright Night’ was refreshing because it was not afraid to poke fun at the genre, and it did not take itself too seriously. Anyways, Vamps are fun, but too much of anything is still too much. I prefer my movies, and my horror the way I like my cuisine. A little bit of everything… like TAPAS. Lots of small portions of varied flavors and textures. Not HUGE endless portions or the same thing over and over with just a different sauce covering it…

Does that make sense?

#50

So I’m finally watching Pitch Black. Heckuva cast. Has two really good also-ran actors from the era, including one of my favorites. Radha Mitchell, blonde captain-by-default Carolyn, was in a swell indie flick called High Art in 1998, which was Ally Sheedy’s last major role. It’s great commentary on the art-commerce-interpersonal politics subjects.

Security guy William J. Johns – who can effortless subdue Riddick at will (so far) – is played by Cole Hauser, who had standout minor roles in Dazed & Confused and Good Will Hunting. Shame he never got the right vehicle to reach the A-list.

And who could forget Keith “Imam” David from the 1990 Charlie Sheen-Emilio Estevez garbage-men dramedy Men at Work?

//youtu.be/v/M5SxhL-QVU0&hl=en_US&fs=1

#51

Just going to jump in the vampire discussion here. When a person grows up watching Buffy and Angel and reads an Anne Rice novel or two, the last thing they think they’ll be doing is reading a story involving “sparkling, nice” vampires. Seriously? I laughed my butt off when I actually read it because in the book they talked as if it was so “scary” for them to be outside. Whatever, it’s not why I read the series. It’s for the vampire baseball, Alice and Jasper’s story and the wolf pack.

To each his own though. I admit, I hate most horror films.