Coopernundrums » Coop’s Views

2011 a Space Odyssey

JayCooper — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:38:45 +0000

I know. I know. The title of this article is rather salacious. You will soon find that this has very little to do with the Stanley Kubrick film.

This has been a terrible year for me. I really feel like this was a throw away disaster of a year personally and from a media standpoint as well. I can’t think of a single sci-fi flick, horror movie, or TV show that was a whiz-bang world mover for me. In lieu of this I thought I would close out the year here on the site with a post about some sci-fi series that tug at my heart any time I even just so much as hear mention of them. Here goes. This is my list of favorite Science Fiction TV series of all time.

The Twilight Zone

Not only one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever, it’s one of the best shows of all time. Rod Serling hosted the show from 1959 to 1964. Each week, he featured a usually creepy, sometime witty, show that ranged from alien invaders to time travel. This show is in many ways the show that launched a thousand ships, or rather careers, actors, writers and special effects artists.

Dr. Who

No sci-fi show list is complete without Dr. Who. The series started in 1963 and featured several men as the doctor – a time traveling, eccentric alien – and his comrades. Sure, many of the monsters were terribly cheesy, but it is a classic nonetheless. The show was canceled in 1989, made a brief return in a TV movie in 1996 and then was fully resurrected and came back into production in 2003. It continues today

Lost in space

“Danger Will Robinson, danger!” For three years and countless reruns after, we watched the Robinson family survive against scary and hilarious beings that threatened their existence. The family, as the title implies, was hopelessly lost in space because of a sabotage effort gone awry thanks to Dr. Zachary Smith. The program aired from 1965 to 1968.

Star Trek

The original Star Trek, which aired just three seasons from 1966-69, fell from the number 1 spot on the list to number 2. Yes, perhaps it didn’t feature the best acting, or most compelling story plots, but it was a show that set the standard for future space epics since. The show is also more popular today than it was when it first ran. The show went on to inspire several movies, several spinoffs, and hordes of fans.

BattleStar Galactica

The 1978 series ‘”Battlestar Galactica” is a fantastic story of 12 colonies destroyed by a race of mechanized beings called Cylons, who are bent on destroying civilization. Commander Adama, played by the late Lorne Green, leads a rag-tag fugitive fleet across the galaxy in search of the lost 13th tribe, who settled on a planet called Earth. The great cast included Dirk Benedict as Starbuck and Richard Hatch as Apollo.

Buck Rogers

A 20th century astronaut, Buck Rogers (played by Gil Gerard), is on a space mission when his shuttle runs into a cosmic anomaly. Buck’s frozen in suspended animation until he’s revived 500 years later. From 1979 to 1981, we watched as Buck helped solve future Earth’s dilemmas. And, of course, we couldn’t leave out the lovely Erin Gray as Colonel Wilma Deering. The show also taught us that spandex is in ample supply in the 25th century.

The Six Million Dollar Man

Those famous words, “We can rebuild him, we have the technology,” explain how astronaut Steve Austin (Lee Majors) becomes the “The Six Million Dollar Man.” Austin is mutilated after a crash and a secret government agency replaces his now departed parts with super powerful mechanical limbs. Austin uses his new superhuman like powers to solve crimes and catch bad guys. Look for the classic episode when he battled Sasquatch, or Big Foot. The series began in 1973 and resulted in a spinoff series called the “Bionic Woman.”

(The original) V

This miniseries was nearly 20 years ahead of “Independence Day.” In 1983, sci-fi loving Americans were glued to their sets to watch the Visitors in the miniseries “V.” It followed the classic aliens plot — aliens come to Earth to help humanity, but actually want to steal the planet’s natural resources. A regular show followed this miniseries, but never quite lived up to the original.

Alien Nation

Alien slaves, bred to be super intelligent and strong, crash on Earth. These “Newcomers” are assimilated into society. The show focused on one of them, George Francisco, who becomes a police detective partnered with a human cop, Matthew Sikes. They fight crime, learn to respect each other’s cultures, and fight the new bigotry between humans and aliens.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

This series is on many people’s list as the best sci-fi show of all time. It nearly made our number one spot, too. The show featured a great cast that evolved throughout its seven seasons, from 1987 through 1994.

So there you have it. My picks for the greatest Sci-Fi TV shows ever. Am I close? Let me know.

A Christmas Carol …about Hats

JayCooper — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:11:28 +0000

Every year at this time I watch several versions of A Christmas Carol. It is my favorite show during the holidays. The period in which the story takes place has forever fascinated me. If you are like me the most glaringly obvious sign that a story is taking place in this period is the clothing. Waistcoats, triple breasted vests, high collars and of course the top hat were staples of the day.

The first silk top hat, made from silk shag (a form of plush), was made in 1793. It is not without some measure of controversy that this is credited to one hatter by the name of George Dunnage of Middlesex County in England. The style was never referred to as top hat back then. They were referred to as beaver hats, and Dunnage’s hat made of silk was called ”an imitation of beaver”. Thus the silk top hat came into being. Usage of the actual term top hat did not become popular until later in the 19th century. Dunnage’s father Benjamin was in the ribbon trade, which put George in the place to be knowledgeable of the silk trade. Dunnage and a business partner, Thomas Larkin, went into business together under the name Dunnage & Larkin and patented the manufacturing of silk hats until they disbanded the company and went their separate ways in 1818.

Men wore top hats for business, pleasure and formal occasions. A pearl gray color was worn in the daytime, black colors were used for day or night. They were popular primarily due to making the wearer feel taller, handsomer and suave. If men did not don a top hat you can bet they had some style of hat on. It was a demanded fashion. Men, rich or poor, would not be caught dead without a hat on.

Today, top hats are used for all sorts of special occasions. From weddings to racing events, men can be seen wearing these statuesque hats. Around 1980 the making of silk plush top hats ceased, due to the expense of the materials and the making of new looms. For this reason the antique top hat market has seen a rise in recent years. There are also several companies who craft top of the line top hats of newer materials. While still maintaining the grand look of old, the originals will always remain as a symbol of nobility, status, and sophistication.

I personally will always see Ebenezer Scrooge wearing his top hat along with the Mad Hatter, Uncle Sam, Abe Lincoln, Fred Astaire and of course Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat. Yes that’s right they are all sitting in a room playing poker and eating peanuts and cookies. Seriously!

Happy Holidays!

Gloriously Hedonistic Annual Jaunt

JayCooper — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:23:06 +0000

It’s that time of year again. The gloriously hedonistic annual jaunt through that labyrinth filled with religious land mines called XMAS. As I get older I have noticed that I loath xmas more and more each year. I find that as soon as the turkey is all gobbled up, my mind begins an old internal struggle. Should atheists ignore xmas or celebrate It?

I know that many do generally because they always have and don’t want to change. Some even say that it should be replaced by a more inclusive, general holiday. Part of me feels that all such holidays should be ignored by atheists altogether. A more humane holiday should be global and universal, equally relevant to all humans, regardless of their cultural heritage or where they live.

The idea that xmas is a purely christian holiday is actually a myth perpetuated by the majority that happen to actually be christians. (link to post on this here) Many atheists don’t believe that Jesus existed, and those who do don’t regard him as having been anyone special. No atheists are christians, so why bother participating in such a holiday? It’s arguable that participating makes christianity seem more popular than it really is, not to mention giving christians an unjustified ego boost.

I feel that atheists celebrating xmas can often cause more harm than good by arming conservative evangelical christians with the perceived argument that America is essentially a christian nation. The more popular and important christian holidays are in America, the easier it is to claim that there is something about christianity which is fundamental to America’s culture. It’s not a very good argument and this isn’t very good support for it, but why offer them even this bit of help?

Long ago I lost the struggle being an atheist parent who celebrates xmas, weather or not to perpetuate the Santa Claus myth. This required me to lie to my kids. Yes, it is a lie. There’s not a nicer way of describing what one does when telling small children that Santa Claus visits every house on the planet delivering presents to children via a flying sleigh pulled by “magic” ruminants. If I had it to do it over I would have left this out of my children’s lives Aside from the joy of engrossing oneself in pure fantasy I find no value in it. In fact in many ways I feel it may even be a mild form of indoctrination. There are always very strong incentives to do what other parents are doing. Not celebrating xmas and not telling kids about Santa could have caused my children to be ostracized from others above and beyond what simply being an atheist tends to do already. At the same time, though, the numbers of religious minorities who also don’t participate are increasing, thus increasing the numbers of kids who are “different.” Being different isn’t easy, but who wants to be a hypocrite just to fit in?

One possible reason for atheists to celebrate xmas is that it has become increasingly secularized over time and there is little sign of the process stopping soon. Arguments against xmas remain, but atheist participation in xmas actually helps serve the cause of removing it from its various christian and pagan roots. There are good reasons why many christians are upset over the current state of christmas, and those may be good reasons for atheists to keep the changes in motion.

Some folks will read this and think it is an attack on a cherished holiday. Others may take away that I am a hard-line non- conformist that wants to openly besmirch christianity in general. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I enjoy all the pagan, secular aspects of the holiday. I just don’t like the feeling of being under fire that comes along with its observance.

Prolonged Halloween Effects

JayCooper — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:40:53 +0000

What would Halloween be without Horror movies? I wouldn’t be very fun for adults. Now let’s think a bit about what makes a Horror movie so damned scary. The story is most definitely a key element. A spooky soundtrack and good Foley adds to the experience. These aren’t the reason we go to a Horror flick. It’s the special effects for most of us.

In honor of Halloween I have for you my list of the best FX artists in Horror.

Lon Chaney

Due to his ability to portray an endless variety of characters, Lon became known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces.” Chaney was famous for both his commitment to his roles and his artistry applying makeup. He professed that his stock in trade as “was in makeup and the art of pantomime.”

Most famous for:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera, Mr. Wu, London After Midnight

Jack Pierce

The Universal Studios Master who’s diminutive stature may be the reason he turned to effects work in the first place. Jack gave us many of the movie beasts we have come to love.

Most famous for:

Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolfman, White Zombie

Robert Kurtzman/Gregory Nicotero/Howard Berger (KNB Studios)

These fine fellows founded KNB Studios in the 1980′s and have been involved in so many films off and on since that its tough to separate out the individuals achievements of each. Rest assured they have had their collective hands in hundreds of your favorite horror flicks.

Most famous for:

Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Nightmare on Elm Street 5, Scream, In the Mouth of Madness

Giannetto De Rossi

Lucio Fulci’s gore master from the late seventies and early eighties made the walking dead amusing and disturbing in ways never seen on-screen. Fans of zombie flicks should be familiar with his grotesquely-realized gags such as pierced eyeballs and flesh-eating spiders.

Most famous for:

Zombi, Dune, High Tension, Conan the Destroyer

Carlo Rambaldi

Rambaldi has the distinction of being the first special effects artist to be required to prove that his work on a film was not ‘real’. Dog-mutilation scenes in the 1971 film A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin were so convincingly visceral that its director, Lucio Fulci, was prosecuted for offences relating to animal cruelty. Fulci would have served a two-year prison sentence had Rambaldi not exhibited the film’s array of props to a courtroom, proving that the scene was not filmed using real animals.

Most famous for:

E.T., Alien, Dune, King Kong, Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Tom Savini

You know Savini’s work if you have watched movies in the last 30 years. He is a true master in every sense of the word. His effects brought us some of the most realistic zombies around. Savini’s artistry was actually born from real-life experiences following a stint as a combat photographer in Vietnam in the late ’60s. As a result he came to understand the non-Hollywood-ized details of real death.

Most famous for:

Dawn of the Dead, The Burning, Friday the 13th, Creepshow

Dick Smith

Smith Smith pioneered the method of applying prosthetics made from foam latex in small pieces as opposed to the standard of applying a latex mask as one solid piece.Smith’s technique allowed the actor to have a wide range of facial expressions, making the makeup appear more natural. Despite initial criticism from many professional makeup artists at the time, Smith’s makeup techniques proved to be superior. Today, the standard of applying prosthetics are those that Smith invented.

Most Famous for:

Scanners, Taxi Driver, Altered States, The Godfather, Amadeus, The Exorcist

Rob Bottin

A protege of another famous FX artist in this list at the tender age of 14, founder of his own studio at 18 and Oscar winner. Bottin is without question one of the best. Few can boast the résumé Bottin has crafted. If his only credit had been John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi/horror classic – on which he worked for 57 grueling weeks straight – Rob Bottin would still be hailed as one of the greatest special effects artists in the history of cinema.

Most Famous for:

The Howling, The Thing, The Fog, Cantina Scene in Star Wars, Legend, Mimic, Fight Club

Rick Baker

As a teen, Baker began creating artificial body parts in his own kitchen. His first job was assisting another great FX artist on the set of the Exorcist. He has gone on to teach multitudes of other artists the trade and win more academy awards than any other in his field to date. He is responsible, in my opinion, for the greatest werewolf transformation ever captured on film. he is particular noted for his ability to recreate realistic animals, especially great apes.

Most Famous for:

Its alive, American Werewolf in London, King Kong, Star Wars, Videodrome, Thriller music video, Harry and the Hendersons, Hellboy, the list goes on and on.

Stan Winston

When picking from the two grand old masters of FX, Winston wins over Baker in my book, but its a super close call. Winston passed away in 2008 but in his nearly 60 years in the field he gave us pure unadulterated magic. From killer robots to giant dinosaurs, cursed monsters to evil Aliens. Winston was the first to truly break FX ground when computers began to take over the world.

Most Famous for:

The Wiz, Terminator parts 1 and 2, Aliens, Monster Squad, Pumpkinhead, Edward Scissor hands, Jurassic Park, Wrong turn, Constantine, the list goes on and on and REALLY on.

Halloween Humor 2 – BOO again

JayCooper — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:15:29 +0000

No It’s Not a Zombie

JayCooper — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:42:42 +0000

On all hallows eve the creatures of the night roam the earth in search of candy and fun. Little do they know that they are acting out stories that have permeated our society since the middle ages. Anyone watching TV or movies knows all about Zombies. I, however, find revenants much, much scarier. What’s that you ask? What is a revenant? Well, let me enlighten you.

The term revenant usually means a sentient creature whose desire to fulfill a special goal allows it to return from the grave as a creature vaguely resembling an intelligent zombie. The word revenant comes from Latin and French, revenir, “to return” and in French, “revenant” means “returning”. The belief in such creatures rose in England, and gradually spread across Europe during the High Middle Ages where they were accompanied by stories of other horrific monsters. The folklore of these cultures depicts many kinds of animated dead which, unlike traditional zombies, seem to retain both free will and intelligence. Unlike vampires, revenants do not drink blood.

There are generally two accepted reasons for why a revenant returns after death.

The most common reason is revenge. These types of spirits rise from the grave in order to exact justice for being prematurely or unjustly killed, almost always in an untimely manner. While generally benign in nature these spirits are an overall nuisance and annoyance that must be dealt with. Ridding oneself of such a creature involves allowing or aiding the monster to serve its justice. Once done they simply return to their final resting place peacefully never to rise again.

A more sinister reason for a revenant to rise is essentially for hate and evil’s sake alone. These monsters are said to terrorize friends, family, neighbors and places causing as much pain and. Most often these beasts appear because the person who died suffered terribly as they struggled with death, or they themselves were very evil in their life, concerning themselves with only their own pursuits of greed, lust, corruption and murder. These revenants must be utterly destroyed by either burning their remains until even the ashes are gone, or by cutting off the revenant’s head, sprinkling it with holy water, and burying it on holy ground.

The physical description of a revenant varies wildly depending on the circumstances under which the spirit was created. In all cases the creature is ghastly to behold ranging from animated skeletal remains to partially decomposed corpses. Some revenants even look just as they did in life, save a strange grave like pallor. No matter the horrid condition of the beast a damp, black, utterly oppressive sense of death and cold accompanies it.

Now that you know more, do you think you could tell the difference between a revenant and a zombie?

Let’s hope you never have to.