CESS: “ My vision is flickering. I think I need to see a doctor.
The following day after the doctor’s appointment.
CESS: “ The doctor tells me that my retinas might detach and if they do I have to rush to the doctor ASAP! “
FLIM: “ How would you know if your retinas detached? “
CESS: “ My eye sight would have this flashing white light. If that happens I should rush to the hospital and they might save my sight. The sooner it is treated the bigger the chance I won’t go blind. And no blows to the head. One blow could sever them. ”
FLIM: “ I may be a charming scoundrel and a devil may care, not to mention charismatic Villain but one thing I don’t do is beat you up! “
CESS: ” You gave me one a year ago.”
FLIM: “ WITH THE PILLOW? IN A PILLOW FIGHT? YOU’RE THE ONLY WHO INSTIGATES A PILLOW FIGHT AND YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT GETTING HIT!
CESS: “ Still…”
FLIM: “ My dear…in a pillow fight as in any mock battle you cannot put restrictions on which part you would not be hit! Combat is a random event! Read the ART OF WAR! Strike anywhere! In the heat of battle I don’t run a mental catalogue of your frailty points. On the contraire! Those vulnerabilities would be exploited! Besides in a fight it’s not the logical part of the brain that works it’s the reptilian side…OBDULA OBLONGATA! “
CESS: “ No more pillow fights, then!”
FLIM: “Great…now what to do on Saturday nights! “
I consulted my sister who happens to be, forgive me for boasting, one of the most eminent PATHOLOGIST in the country today what she thought.
DR CESS: “ She’s right any blows to the head could sever them.”
FLIM: “ How about instantaneous braking? Our idiot driver brakes aggressively all the time. “
DR. CESS: “ Hmmmmmm…that too I guess. Just minimize any surface tensions on her head. Her retinas are totally strained as of now. Legally she is blind… with her grade.”
Back in the house.
CESS: “ I think it’s inevitable. I will go blind. How can I take care of the baby? How could I see her grows up?
FLIM: “ You wont go blind! Your eyes are just tired. Just relax.”
CESS: “ If my retinas detached then I have to be within striking distance of a hospital.”
FLIM: “ So that means no more out of town trips. I should carry around an empty plastic cup.”
CESS: “ For what? “
FLIM: “ Well if your eye pops out I’d run after it and pack it in ice! “
CESS: “ The retina detaches not the eyeball! In the doctors clinic there was a man who had his retina severed when he was just scratching his eyelid. And there was another patient who had his detached when he sneezed! “
FLIM: “ Makes you think how frail the human body is!”
CESS: “ What if the baby wants me to read her, fairy tale stories. How am I going to do that? “
FLIM: “ Don’t worry! I can record your voice reading out aloud all her books and when she wants you to read her one, you just pop in a tape! “
CESS: “ What if she wants sleeping beauty and I slip in Cinderella?”
Then we both started laughing. But I really feel sorry for Cess. And I started wondering how is it going to be if she does go…. AH FUCK IT! I’ll just be there, white plastic cup in hand.
CESS: “ Maybe I should start filing the office reports in Braille! “
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Aside from making films and video and whatever lies in between I love to cook as well.
Strangely the people I do know, the good cooks are mostly male. Well in my generation at least. Occasionally I would swap recipes with my actors, or producers. The cameraman would from time to time give me a few pointers on how to make coffee carpenter (karpentero style), which is plenty of sugar and milk. Sometimes I find it baffling that he does not just buy a milk shake but if you go to the latest coffee hangout I have a sneaking suspicion that his recipe for coffee is now a standard mix.
Most of the time when I come home from a shoot, dinner is either cold or whatever is left wouldn’t be much. So I’d whip out my time honored FLIM NUKED RICE. This recipe is only used when you come home late at night and youre stuck with ingredients that are already there!
The ingredients are as followed.
ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE FRIDGE OR IN THE CUPBOARD WOULD DO!
Next deep-fry olive oil for about 10 minutes over a small fire.
Then chop up some garlic. The more garlic, the better!
Then fry the said garlic till it turns golden brown!
Then follow it up with four balls of onions! Yes! Smell the aroma!
Beautiful isn’t it!
Then take out the refrigerated rice and crushed it with your bare hands. Till they separate into tiny granules! Sprinkle some water to hasten the process
Then you dump it into the olive oil.
I said Olive oil because a lot of people are health nuts but if you want it to be really delicious, use the cooked pork oil that your housemaid used when she deep-fried those pork chops last month!
I tell you that would be truly divine.
Then get a slab of butter and throw it on top of that steaming heap.
We usually stock a lot of Spam and mahling for unwanted visitors. Now if you don’t have that, Vienna sausage would do. Chop it up into tit bits and have a second fire going and fry those suckers yeah!!!! But save the Vienna sausage juice that usually accompanies it …we’ll use that later!
Get your worstecher sauce or if you like the local variant, knorr seasoning and dab your
Fired rice with it while it simmering.
Your fired sausages would be golden brown by now. So dump it and the oil that used into the friend rice!
Now we also have canned mushrooms in the cupboard. If you don’t then you should start lecturing your wife for not having a fully loaded cupboard. You can never tell if an atomic bomb suddenly drops from the sky or a coup happens in the last minute. I don’t see a rationale person running to the supermarket to do some last minute shopping while fifteen pound shells are exploding all over the place.
Anyway back to the mushrooms. Fry it too on the separate frying pan! While that’s happening get four eggs and scramble those! Don’t forget to put some salt into it!
I don’t know about you but I always have a bottle of wine beside the kitchen so I’d put swish of that in! Trust me it adds some exotic flavor to your eggs. I mean how long have you been eating eggs right…this would give you an extra boost from your mundane egg eating days!
Now when your eggs have foamed… drop it on the fried mushrooms. Let it settle for a minute or two and then mash it all over!
Then dump the egg mushroom mix into the second pan! Mix the entire thing! And open a can of beer, you’re set!
It beats eating re heated food anytime. At least you actually cooked it. And the best part is hearing the maids bitching in the morning about the giant mess you left…
Strangely the people I do know, the good cooks are mostly male. Well in my generation at least. Occasionally I would swap recipes with my actors, or producers. The cameraman would from time to time give me a few pointers on how to make coffee carpenter (karpentero style), which is plenty of sugar and milk. Sometimes I find it baffling that he does not just buy a milk shake but if you go to the latest coffee hangout I have a sneaking suspicion that his recipe for coffee is now a standard mix.
Most of the time when I come home from a shoot, dinner is either cold or whatever is left wouldn’t be much. So I’d whip out my time honored FLIM NUKED RICE. This recipe is only used when you come home late at night and youre stuck with ingredients that are already there!
The ingredients are as followed.
ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE FRIDGE OR IN THE CUPBOARD WOULD DO!
Next deep-fry olive oil for about 10 minutes over a small fire.
Then chop up some garlic. The more garlic, the better!
Then fry the said garlic till it turns golden brown!
Then follow it up with four balls of onions! Yes! Smell the aroma!
Beautiful isn’t it!
Then take out the refrigerated rice and crushed it with your bare hands. Till they separate into tiny granules! Sprinkle some water to hasten the process
Then you dump it into the olive oil.
I said Olive oil because a lot of people are health nuts but if you want it to be really delicious, use the cooked pork oil that your housemaid used when she deep-fried those pork chops last month!
I tell you that would be truly divine.
Then get a slab of butter and throw it on top of that steaming heap.
We usually stock a lot of Spam and mahling for unwanted visitors. Now if you don’t have that, Vienna sausage would do. Chop it up into tit bits and have a second fire going and fry those suckers yeah!!!! But save the Vienna sausage juice that usually accompanies it …we’ll use that later!
Get your worstecher sauce or if you like the local variant, knorr seasoning and dab your
Fired rice with it while it simmering.
Your fired sausages would be golden brown by now. So dump it and the oil that used into the friend rice!
Now we also have canned mushrooms in the cupboard. If you don’t then you should start lecturing your wife for not having a fully loaded cupboard. You can never tell if an atomic bomb suddenly drops from the sky or a coup happens in the last minute. I don’t see a rationale person running to the supermarket to do some last minute shopping while fifteen pound shells are exploding all over the place.
Anyway back to the mushrooms. Fry it too on the separate frying pan! While that’s happening get four eggs and scramble those! Don’t forget to put some salt into it!
I don’t know about you but I always have a bottle of wine beside the kitchen so I’d put swish of that in! Trust me it adds some exotic flavor to your eggs. I mean how long have you been eating eggs right…this would give you an extra boost from your mundane egg eating days!
Now when your eggs have foamed… drop it on the fried mushrooms. Let it settle for a minute or two and then mash it all over!
Then dump the egg mushroom mix into the second pan! Mix the entire thing! And open a can of beer, you’re set!
It beats eating re heated food anytime. At least you actually cooked it. And the best part is hearing the maids bitching in the morning about the giant mess you left…
Saturday, April 10, 2004
Last Tuesday I hitched my way to Robinson’s early in the morning to watch THE PASSION. I have been really excited to watch it ever since I first read in the net that MEL GIBSON was doing a CHRIST movie.
I have seen tons of biblical movies. They’re my personal favorite. Anything that has sword sandals and togas. Most of them are historical or biblical stories and then theirs the occasional RAY HARRYHAUSEN VARIANT that would have GIANT BRONZE MEN and monsters! COOL!
Some of my friends already warned me to bring a Kleenex or two. I told them that are what the long sleeve is for.
The screening ended at around 1:30. It ‘s not a film that I recommended that you start the day with.
But I love the movie.
It’s a SPLATTER PUNK JESUS CHRIST flick!
But what would you expect when the director of the film is MAD MAX.
And the best part is that its earning hundreds and millions in the box office. Leaving the film executives scratching their heads because they refuse to distribute the film or produce it and declared that it won’t make a penny.
The problems in Hollywood now are that the film executives are running the studios. They based the marketability and the decision of producing a movie on …what else, MARKET RESEARCH.
Your idea must have a pre-cursor or hit film that grossed millions to ensure the go-signal.
So when you pitch you do something like this.
FLIM: “ OK this is an action adventure movie that has a strong supernatural flavor.”
FILM EXECUTIVE: “ Uhm…I don’t get it.”
FLIM: “ its RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK MEETS THE EXORCIST.”
FILM EXE: “ Hey that’s good. Raiders is one of the top grossing films of PARAMOUNT and has big revenue in the DVD market and the EXORCISTS. That baby went thru the roof even after the seventh re-issue!”
So its no wonder that when you watch Hollywood films they have a factory look and they have factory directions and a factory ending.
There was a time when film studios were run by filmmakers. Producers like DAVID O SLEZNICK were very gifted and talented individuals who knew inherently if a film is good not because of the money it would generate but by the substance and the story. He was the one who was personally responsible for bringing in ALFRED HITCHCOCK from ENGLAND
SLEZNICK created pictures that were classic gems like REBECCA, GONE WITH THE WIND and DUEL IN THE SUN.
The invasion of lawyers of marketing people into the higher echelons of Hollywood started around the late 70s. That coupled by the seeping in of television executives and mid management level people started the creative stranglehold of Hollywood produced movies.
So imagine how difficult it is to pitch a film when the bottom line is that it should gross 100 million in the domestic release alone.
For every trashy A-1 movie concept that was released, there were twenty great and original films that were trashed and thrown in the waste bin.
When Lucas pitched STAR WARS NED TANEN of UNIVERSAL pictures rejected it because there was no precedent and claimed it wont make any money.
I wonder how he is holding up right now. It’s amazing how things work. You pitch an idea and the studios would predict that it wouldn’t make any money and show you to the door. So you opt and produce it on your own. Then it becomes a box office hit because it’s unique and not the dime a dozen products out there. So you know what happens next? The studios that refused and damned your idea would now rush and climb over each other to duplicate and copy your film.
That’s what happened to STAR WARS. Universal initially passed it off and when it made money they created BATTLESTAR GALACTICA even going as low as getting JOHN DRYSTRA, STAR WARS special effects supervisor to make their product more STAR WARISH.
PATHETIC.
And that’s what’s going to happen to THE PASSION. In a few months there will be several biblical films on the production slate.
PETER’S PASSION
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
THE ADVENTURES OF MARY MAGDALENE IN THE CITY OF SODOM
PILATE’S HYGENE
And the unauthorized sequel to THE PASSION, which of course would be entitled THE RESURRECTION.
I have seen tons of biblical movies. They’re my personal favorite. Anything that has sword sandals and togas. Most of them are historical or biblical stories and then theirs the occasional RAY HARRYHAUSEN VARIANT that would have GIANT BRONZE MEN and monsters! COOL!
Some of my friends already warned me to bring a Kleenex or two. I told them that are what the long sleeve is for.
The screening ended at around 1:30. It ‘s not a film that I recommended that you start the day with.
But I love the movie.
It’s a SPLATTER PUNK JESUS CHRIST flick!
But what would you expect when the director of the film is MAD MAX.
And the best part is that its earning hundreds and millions in the box office. Leaving the film executives scratching their heads because they refuse to distribute the film or produce it and declared that it won’t make a penny.
The problems in Hollywood now are that the film executives are running the studios. They based the marketability and the decision of producing a movie on …what else, MARKET RESEARCH.
Your idea must have a pre-cursor or hit film that grossed millions to ensure the go-signal.
So when you pitch you do something like this.
FLIM: “ OK this is an action adventure movie that has a strong supernatural flavor.”
FILM EXECUTIVE: “ Uhm…I don’t get it.”
FLIM: “ its RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK MEETS THE EXORCIST.”
FILM EXE: “ Hey that’s good. Raiders is one of the top grossing films of PARAMOUNT and has big revenue in the DVD market and the EXORCISTS. That baby went thru the roof even after the seventh re-issue!”
So its no wonder that when you watch Hollywood films they have a factory look and they have factory directions and a factory ending.
There was a time when film studios were run by filmmakers. Producers like DAVID O SLEZNICK were very gifted and talented individuals who knew inherently if a film is good not because of the money it would generate but by the substance and the story. He was the one who was personally responsible for bringing in ALFRED HITCHCOCK from ENGLAND
SLEZNICK created pictures that were classic gems like REBECCA, GONE WITH THE WIND and DUEL IN THE SUN.
The invasion of lawyers of marketing people into the higher echelons of Hollywood started around the late 70s. That coupled by the seeping in of television executives and mid management level people started the creative stranglehold of Hollywood produced movies.
So imagine how difficult it is to pitch a film when the bottom line is that it should gross 100 million in the domestic release alone.
For every trashy A-1 movie concept that was released, there were twenty great and original films that were trashed and thrown in the waste bin.
When Lucas pitched STAR WARS NED TANEN of UNIVERSAL pictures rejected it because there was no precedent and claimed it wont make any money.
I wonder how he is holding up right now. It’s amazing how things work. You pitch an idea and the studios would predict that it wouldn’t make any money and show you to the door. So you opt and produce it on your own. Then it becomes a box office hit because it’s unique and not the dime a dozen products out there. So you know what happens next? The studios that refused and damned your idea would now rush and climb over each other to duplicate and copy your film.
That’s what happened to STAR WARS. Universal initially passed it off and when it made money they created BATTLESTAR GALACTICA even going as low as getting JOHN DRYSTRA, STAR WARS special effects supervisor to make their product more STAR WARISH.
PATHETIC.
And that’s what’s going to happen to THE PASSION. In a few months there will be several biblical films on the production slate.
PETER’S PASSION
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
THE ADVENTURES OF MARY MAGDALENE IN THE CITY OF SODOM
PILATE’S HYGENE
And the unauthorized sequel to THE PASSION, which of course would be entitled THE RESURRECTION.
Saturday, April 03, 2004
This is on top of the MUST HAVE LIST. Unfortunately it contains the special editions instead of the original cuts. I hate the special editions. The spfx enhancements shouldn’t have been retouched it reflects the cutting edge technology that they had way back in 77. I don’t see RAY HARRYHAUSEN going back and redoing his incredible films. The most he did was to re-time and color correct the restoration. Unlike the full renovation that LUCAS did.
But if you have access to that kind of technology, wouldn’t you go back to re do and tinker with your previous work?
Fix the glitches and some of the minor stuff but do not alter the story structure LIKE GREEDO FIRING FIRST!!!!
HAN SOLO FRIED GREEDO as soon AS THAT GREEN SLIME FINISHED HIS TREATH! Without flinching an eyebrow. That shows how cunning and ruthless the corellian pirate is. But now he’s an American cowboy. YOU HAVE TO GET SHOT FIRST BEFORE YOU FIRE BACK, SELF DEFENCE AND ALL THAT CRAP!
I’LL HOLD ON TO MY LASER DISC COLLECTION. They’re going to be priceless someday. Because it contains the original cut of all three films.
Lucas should have just included them in the four discs set collection as a streaming branching option.
Ahh well we cant have everything now can we?
Personally I’m thinking of remastering my earlier work BATTLE OF CONCEPCION AGUILA. Beef it up with some CG jets dive bombing and some pyrotechnic effects.
Originally I just shot model planes that I threw across the camera and some wire work.
My missiles were made out of pentel pens and plastic what have you’s
The trouble with viewing your works in the past is that it was done by a different person.
And now is being viewed by somebody else. You cringe on some shots and wonder why did you ever let it get into the release stage.
But then those works are very important. It reflects your growth as a person, as a filmmaker or a painter. These works are time capsules of an era long gone. The most you can do is preserve the original and do your alterations and brand it as a special edition. OR a re-imagining if you will. I won’t have the gall to call it a special edition if I do tinker with it. I’ll call it VERSION 2 or something.
Friday, April 02, 2004
Last Monday I wandered into landmark and saw the rare BATMAN retro action figure!Yikes! I QUICKLY grabbed it and inquired if there was anymore. The saleslady said that it was a leftover from last month’s delivery. So I walked out and proudly carried my latest catch. I then went to CIBO and bought a TIRAMISU cake and sat down to admire and priss on my latest acquisition.
The sculpting was incredible and the detail work, …wow! I stopped collecting toys almost a year ago. I just didn’t find anything worth collecting. I have two criteria’s for
Getting a figure.
1.The character must be someone or something that I grew up on. Well not just a character but also any item from my pop cultural passes. Such as the BATMOBILE from the 60’s ADAM WEST /BURT WARD series. Or the SEAVIEW and the MINI SUB from THE VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.
2.The toy must be hard to find. Otherwise why would make your collection special when you can hike up to the nearest mall and just buy it off the counter. (Most collectors would disagree with me on this, but this is my criterion! Having a hard to find toy does not only boost your collection and your pride but it also makes it terribly easy to sell it in a higher price.
But the real reason I think is, if the toy or item is hard to find it makes the search and quest more interesting. Panting and pining over an object is a much more interesting endeavor than actually acquiring the thing.
I knew that then and I know it now. Sitting in the coffee shop in just a space of over twenty minutes the elation and excitement I initially felt began to subside. Now the Holy Grail shrank before my eyes and became what it really was…a toy for 6 year olds.
Well I told myself, I still have a very rare toy. Until I walked into another toyshop and discovered 3 more BATMAN retros.
FLIM: “ I thought these were rare!
STOREKEEPER: “ They are. We just got lucky.”
FLIM: “ Ok, I’ll buy them all.”
As I went home. The feeling of hunting down the sole surviving BATMAN RETRO didn’t feel so special when you’re lugging in 3 more. Hell There’s always EBAY.
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