“Harmony”
So, GIlding is digging the new Toyota Prius commercial “Harmony.” The concept is clever and organic and graphic.
Below are two versions of the commercial and lastly is the making of:
Racebending
So Mr. Gilding is particularly up in arms about this newest cinema development, and even Gilding has to agree that his outrage isn’t the ramblings of a crazed artist, but is in fact justified.
M Night Shyamalan has taken up filming the wildly popular animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, originally a Nickelodeon show. The show, of which Shyamalan’s film is based, featured Asian characters in a fantasy setting inspired by and following some cultural aspects of a variety of Asian cultures. The characters fight with East Asian martial arts style, have Asian features, dress in clothing from Asian cultures, and write with Chinese characters. In short, it was an inspiring cartoon for many Asian American children as it broke from the predominantly white American media. The Gilded Duo’s own niece and nephews found a particular kinship with the animated series being that the characters looked like them and held to many of the Asian traditions that they themselves grow up in, even living in America.
But on December 9th, 2008 the lead roles were cast for Shyamalan’s upcoming film The Last Airbender and all of them were cast as white actors. That started a barrage of protests, from the creation of websites like RACEBENDING.COM to outraged blog posts like the one written by Margaret Cho.
And to add insult to injury, here’s some comparison pics for you:
Above, the characters from the animated series: Katara and Sokka, siblings from the peaceful and oppressed Water Tribe; and Zuko, prince of the tyrannical and genocidal Fire Fire Nation.
Above, the most recent casting form the film: Nicola Peltz as Katara, Jackson Rathbone as Sokka, and Dev Patel as Zuko (though originally the role of Zuko was cast as Jesse McCartney, a blond haired, blue-eyed pop singer).
Gilding has to agree with the ensuing protests. Movie houses have been notoriously spoken of in Asian communities for their inaccuracy in casting Asian specific roles with any ole Asian culture — such as casting Korean of Thai extras to play the parts of Vietnamese actors in Vietnam War era films — you know, because hiring locals of the film’s location is so much easier than actually hiring Vietnamese people, showing no understanding of the cultural relativeness that they are all different peoples and don’t look as much alike as they think they do. While this is most certainly a slight, casting white for Asian is a serious offense.
Efforts to stop or delay the film’s production until casting is changed to accurately reflect the culturally relevant necessity of casting Asians for Asian roles is underway. Petitions are circulating; even one available at RACEBENDING.COM. Paramount, and other movie houses, need to understand that perpetuating stereotypes and denying the cultures of the world are not acceptable. The message being sent is that being Asian isn’t OK, it’s somehow less. That’s not the message Gilding wants sent to her niece and nephews.
There are some amazing responses by Asian Americans on Margaret Cho’s blog that Gilding encourages reading.
George Carlin had It Right, and the Kings of Men
So, yesterday’s Mass was about the 10 commandements, and Gilding thought, yeah, George Carlin had it right.
And while we’re on religion. Kings premiered on NBC last night. This show is an interesting mix of the perils of a capitalist run govenment with those of biblical proportions standing behind a monarchial rule. Think Henry VIII meets Big Oil…oh wait, that was Bush, wasn’t it…just minus the obvious brain-to-speech impetiment. Short synopsis, Kings is a modern-day soap about a hero who rises to become the King of his nation; based on the biblical story of King a David.
But the religious overtones don’t stop there and the writers cleverly mix these with a blending of modern era history and current affairs — and this is the Lit major in Gilding.
There is, of course David, the hero so still aptly named and in the premier episode he faces off with Goliath, the giant made literal in the form of a tank and metaphorical in the soldiers of the opposing side he faces down in the midst of a war. Add to that the opposing “country” is named Gath (i.e Goliath of Gath, one of five city states of the Philistines) while the King Silas’s own “country” is named Gilboa (i.e. Mount Gilboa, the setting used by the Books of Samuel for the battle between Saul and the Philistines). Couple that with his last name being Shephard, a little shake and a stir and you have the liberator of the fold from a once good turned strayed King.
Then there is King Silas Benjamin. Biblically, Silas was a missionary companion to Paul and Timothy, but pre-Chiristianity, “Asilas” (the pre-Roman Italian language for “Silvanus” the original version of “Silas”) was an Etruscan leader and warrior-prophet who plays a prominent role in assisting Aeneas in Virgil’s epic poem the Aeneid. This Silas is an embodiment of both, a former war hero cum chosen leader by God via a crown of butterflies. As for Benjamin. It is of Hebrew origin, meaning “son of the right hand” and in Biblical story was the 12th youngest and most beloved son of the patriarch Jacob and Rachel. Also, Saul, the first King of Israel, was the son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin. But then there are the more modern connotations of the name, think Benjamin Franklin, favored President of American history, inventor and mover of modern technology. The King embodies these attributes as well, having the magnetic personality and orating skills of Franklin and Hitler combined.
Much like the Biblical King Saul, who was rejected by God for his corrupt act of keeping some of the loot after defeating the Amalekites, Silas is also rejected by God for following the demand of his capitalist backer to attack Gath even after signing a peace treaty with them, thusly ending the war, because of the capitalist’s venture interests in the profiteering off of the war.
And then there is Jack, King Silas’s son. Consequently, Jack is of Old English origin. In its French form, Jacques, the name may be taken from its then Hebrew Jacob which means “he who supplants.” As of the permier episode, the King’s son is already on the track to usurping his father.
And as for that crown of butterflies, a major symbol used in the series. The butterfly in popular culture is a symbol of rejuvination and regeneration. A potent mixture when placed in that of a living crown — the crown being a symbol of royal power and authority. Like the sceptre, the crown is a visible badge of office, granting the wearer the absolute right to rule — to rule was often held to be divinely inspired. Not surprisingly, the “crown of butterflies” was formed by Monarch butterflies, and, of course, the series is dealing with a monarchial rule. But a deeper symbolism of the butterfly is rooted in its defense strategy. Living off the dietary sustenance of milkweed only, the butterfly becomes distasteful, shielding them against almost all predators that soon learn to avoid them after attempting to eat them.
Needless to say, the show is an analytical feast. The storyline is interesting, well written and thoughtful as well as thought provoking. The mix of biblical story with that of modern overtones makes the idea quite plausible. And conspiracists will love the undertones of slippery slope possibilities that our approaching capitalist run government will lead us down this path. Some stats on the show: it is directed by I Am Legend helmer, Francis Lawrence, and its creator, Micheal Green, is the writer of Heroes. The show isn’t overly religious, despite its inspired story and powerful Biblical symbolism. It incurres the use of classic’s characters such as the voice of conscience to the morally dubious Silas, portrayed by a preacher, and a historian, whom the writers employ as their outlet to voice the history, sub-plot lines, and access to interaction with their fans via the King’s website on NBC.com. And at the same time it isn’t an overly political satire, even though it employs a Dick Cheney-esque character out for bloody war for financial reasons (hence the previously mentioned King Silas’s capitalist invester). While some remain confused about what kind of show Kings is, Gilding says its both, its all, its modern drama meets series meets all the fine aspects of the classics wrapped into a bundle that promises to remain entertaining as long as it continues to live up to the smart, thinking show that it provided with its premier. So, writers of Kings, don’t fuck it up.
United States of Tara
Loving screenwriter Diablo
Cody, her new Showtime
series, from producer Steven
Spielberg, the United States of
Tara, is as sardonic,
psychotic, and hilarious at is
expected of this brilliant writer.
Never a dull moment with this
writer, the United States of
Tara follows the life of
housewife Tara Gregson who
struggles with her dissociative
identity disorder. Having
decided to take a break from
her medication regimine to discover the real cause of her disorder, Tara’s alternate personalities re-emerge: wild and flirty T who 15 year old teenager bitterly trapped in a 40 year old body; 50’s housewife Alice who obsessively and overbearingle strives for the perfect June Cleaver household; and loud, homophobic, beer-drinking, camoflage wearing Vietnam war Vet Buck. Tara is supported by her calm and level-headed husband Max, who has torturously taken the vow not to sleep with her alters, though urging him to break this solemn vow is T’s personal goal. Also supporting her is her two children, a somewhat troubled teenage daughter, Kate, and quirky but good-hearted son, Marshall. Her sister, Charmaine, however, is not so supportive, often expressing her doubt about the validity of Tara’s disorder and often playing the protagonist trying to sweep the husband right out from under Tara.
Full of the complexities of human nature, family, relationships, and thrown in a mix of the zanny, psychotic, and the too good to be made up, the United States of Tara more than lives up to Cody’s reputation. This is definitely a series for the sick at heart.
With a Little Embalming Fluid Under the Hood
Built by Barris
Kustom Kars, the
Munster Koach was
made from three
Model T bodies,
coming to a
whopping 18 ft long.
To accommodate
the five members of
the Munster Family
– and meet their
specific
requirements
(there, that’s a nice
way of putting it) –
Barris used a 133
inch frame and a
1927 Model T fiberglass body was grafted into a six door touring roadster. Each family member had their very own compartment, including a laboratory for Grandmpa Munster and a handsome cab rumble seat for Eddie.
The brass radiator and fenders were hand-formed, the velvet interior a suiting “blood red,” the paint-job was done in a Black Pearl Gloss so glossy its stunning sheen could be understood even in black-and-black film, and in 1964, it cost a mere $18,000 to build.
And despite its life meant for studio lots, the Munster Koach was built for power, boasting a 289 Ford Cobra Engine from a 1966 Mustang GT, Jahns high performance pistons, ten chrome plated Stromberg carburators, an Isky cam, and a set of Bobby Barr racing headers. The Munster Mobile reached a top speed of 150 mph (0-45 in 7.2 seconds; 0-60 in 10 seconds; 0-80 in 15.4 seconds), and got three miles to the gallon of embalming fluid.
Link: AACA–The Munsters | Munster Coach
Father’s Day Doctor Who Style
First broadcast on May 14, 2005, the episode Father’s Day marks the first appearance of Rose Tyler’s father, Pete Tyler, in the television series Doctor Who. Played by Shaun Dingwell, Pete Tyler would later reprise his role in the 2006 series as Pete from a parallel universe.
In this episode the Ninth Doctor brings rose to 1987 to witness her father’s death, but when she prevents his death from happening, the monsterous Reapers are unleashed upon the Earth, leaving the Doctor utterly powerless.
But no worries. No Fathers had to die nor Reapers had to be unleashed on the actual Father’s Day in 2004 as the episode aired one month and five days earlier.
Link: Wikipedia–Father’s Day
Darkly Discussing Dexter
Ahhhh, “Dexter.” That civic serial killing extraordinaire. The Showtime series based on the novels of Jeff Lindsay, rose to the ranks of greatness during its second season. Though this comes as no surprise as Gilding was positively enamored with the first season. And while the writing was great, one cannot discount the fantastic portrayal of this serial killer who kills other whackadoos even more depraved than him by actor Michael C. Hall, who made believable a written character into a face that is Dexter, a bizarre and twisted hero.
In season two we watch Dexter’s self-actualization from conflicted serial killer simply following the “Laws of Harry,” to a man embracing his crazy, ingenious, ironically blood-phobic, civic serial killer extraordinaire ways. Killing the depraved with a single roll of plastic wrap and an electric bone saw. That is, of course, after confronting them with their crimes. Not moral to kill a man if they don’t know what crime they’re being punished for, after all. Seriously, what would Harry do.
And as a character brought to life, Hall’s portrayal of Dexter takes us on this journey of moralist to newfound hedonist with a side quirk of sexual awakening (think 15 year old boy in 30 year old body, able to fuck in multiple bounds). Yet, there is still always that little bit of the repressed Dexter, the Dexter from season one built out of the moralistic, psychologically conflicted clay that Harry molded him from that lets you never forget the Dexter we grew to love.
Interestingly enough, while the first season was primarily based on the first novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, of Lindsay’s series, the second season’s storyline did not follow the plot of Lindsay’s following book. Though it did hold similarities to the second novel in the series, Dearly Devoted Dexter. The third season of Dexter is planned to premier on Showtime September 30th, though it has not been said whether this season will follow its own plot or go back to its roots, and the third novel of the series, Dexter in the Dark.
So now Gilding is at a quandary. Does she read the novels and live blissfully in the knowledge that Dexter the novel is to be followed by new adventures of Dexter the Showtime series. Or is she doomed the live her viewing exploits constantly comparing the show to what she knows happened in the book soooo did not just happen the way they shot it. Haahhhh..::sigh::..
Links: Showtime–Dexter | Random House–Dexter
A View and Counting
Belvedere Castle, built as a folly upon Vista Rock, the second highest natural elevation in Central Park, New York City, was used in exterior shots of Count von Count’s castle on Sesame Street.
A gothic dwelling with stained glass windows, the castle’s furnishings include the pipe organ, and a sumptuous canopy bed where the Count counts sheep. Other residents include Fatatita, the Count’s cat, and, of course, bats.
Link: Wikipedia– Belvedere Castle
Photo, “Belevedere Castle at Night,” by Joe Josephs.
That’s Smurfy!
Oh, bestill a Gilded Lily’s smurfy heart! To commemorate the Smurfs turning 50 this year, a new movie deal and an invasion of more female characters will hit the big screens. Ahhh, little blue gnomes in digital high-resolution projection, stadium seating, and digital surround sound, its Gilding’s childhood wish come true–well, one of them at least.
“Smurfs — known in the original Belgian comic strip as Schtroumpfs — will mark 50 years with a series of new comic adventures, statuettes, an exhibition at Brussels’ cartoon museum, a set of commemorative stamps and, in a reflection of changing times, more females in their mushroom cottage village.
Nine Culliford, the widow of Belgian cartoonist Peyo who was instrumental in choosing the color blue, argued that her husband Pierre had never been overtly political, but avidly read the newspaper and made his creations address current themes.
Notable among them was the 1973 story of the conflict between northern and southern clans divided by language, echoing the ongoing dispute between Belgium’s Dutch-speaking north and French-speaking south.
The 50th anniversary could also mark a return for Johan and Peewit, the characters that first stumbled across the vibrant village and the curious “Smurf” language in “The Magic Flute” cartoon album in October 1958.”
Artwork by: The Wife via waynesantos.com
Link: Smurfs braced for movie and more females, Yahoo.news
Doll Face
A machine with a doll face mimics images on television screen in search of a satisfactory visage. Doll Face presents a visual account of desires misplaced and identities fractured by our technological extension into the future.
Link: andrewhu
The Starter Wife
Gigi Levangie Grazer is a Hollywood insider who writes clever, sharply observed novels about the promised land of big money and bigger egos.A relentless satirist, Grazer doesn’t cut anyone — herself included — any slack. And she delights in brushing shoulders with the grasping, self-absorbed types who are part of the entertainment capital and her work.”The Starter Wife,” her 2005 best-seller is a sexy, savvy, and wickedly funny novel, and is the basis of a six-part miniseries that debuted Thursday on USA Network. It runs through June 30.
There are starter jobs, starter cars, starter houses, and then there are starter wives. Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”) stars as a studio boss’ wife who is abruptly edited out for a younger woman when her husband, Kenny, dumps her by cell phone, and, in turn, is shunned by her social circle. Lose your status, lose your life, Molly Kagan learns — and maybe find yourself.
Though her nine-year role as the wife of a semifamous Hollywood studio executive often left her dry and she never fully embraced the “status” (according to Kenny), Molly has grown accustomed to the unique privileges afforded by Tinseltown’s brand of power and wealth: reservations at Spago on a Friday night; beauty treatments; line-jumping at Disneyland with her daughter and Ugg-wearing celebrity offspring. And despite the fact she had consented to name their daughter Jaden in a (failed) attempt to lure Will Smith to one of Kenny’s productions,Molly believed she and Kenny were different from other Hollywood couples. She never thought she’d be a starter wife. But now that her marriage is over, her phone isn’t ringing, her mailbox is empty, and it’s only through a faux pas by her world-class florist that she learns her husband has upgraded: Kenny is dating a pop tartlet.
With images of Kenny’s ‘tween queen everywhere she turns, Molly seeks refuge at her best friend’s Malibu mansion for some much-needed divorce therapy. Soon she’s associating with all the wrong people, including a mysterious hunk who saves her from drowning, the security guard at her gated community, and — God forbid — Kenny’s boss, one of Hollywood’s better-known Lotharios.
With her signature wit, sassy style, and cameos of the rich and famous — and wannabe rich and famous — Gigi Grazer tackles the most delicious and dastardly details of a divorce and recovery, Hollywood style.
*Note: The novel is far more cynical and darker than the series, some characters names as well as their occupations have been changed from their original, but the series has received approval and is in fact closely worked with in screentwriting with the author. Both are well worth investing their time on for a little girl time.*
