Why couldn't George do this with Star Wars?
So, THX-1138: The Director's Cut.
Now, bear in mind that I haven't watched the original THX in many a year, and that the VHS copy I did see then was full screen. But I have to say after watching the newly re-mastered, and yes, fixed like the Trilogy, THX DVD, that I honestly couldn't see anything that was so new that it was out of place. The remaster is so pristine that the new footage, wherever it was, blends in so well with the original footage (unlike the Trilogy.)
THX is the story of a dystopian future, far removed from that of Star Wars. Beyond that, I'm not sure I could properly relate the plot. It's very abstract, and I read two different plot summaries on IMDb, neither of which seemed to describe what I saw on screen. I will say that the first half of the movie is kind of slow, but it picks up in the second half when it becomes slightly more of a straight chase film. Robert Duvall does a good job of conveying the confusion of someone who has been dead to the world for so long that everything just seems wrong when he begins to come out of it, and I'm still not sure what exactly Donald Pleasance's character was supposed to be.
The extras are good. There is a vintage making of, called "Bald", in which Duvall and Maggie McOmie, the female lead, have their heads shaven for the role. McOmie's expressions as they cut her hair are priceless. There's a new making of, featuring Lucas, Walter Murch(Lucas' co-scripter), Matthew Robbins, Francis Ford Coppola(who produced), and the cast. There's also an entertaining documentary short about Coppola's doomed American Zoetrope studio experiment, and the original theatrical trailer as well as new trailers. Overall, worth picking up if you like Lucas, or if you like your future dystopian.
---------------------------
Watching the Showtime fight card. Wladimir Klitschko's attempt to come back from the bizarre loss to Lamon Brewster in May has been stopped by a clash of heads in the fifth. As we wait on the scorecards, the ringside doctor is explaining that the cut on Klitschko's head is down to the bone. Prior to this, Klitschko was struggling as it was, so if he loses to DeVarryl Williamson, it's another blow to his rapidly diving career.
In the earlier matches, Jeff Lacy got a TKO win over Syd Vanderpool in a match that was pretty even. Vanderpool did a pretty good job of staying with "Left Hook", and Brendan will probably disagree with me, but I think the ref called the TKO too soon. I think Vanderpool probably could have stayed in the fight after a standing 8. Lacy is now the first of the 2000 U.S. Olympians to win a belt(the IBF Super Middleweight), and fought well enough, I suppose.
Kassim Ouma beat Verno Phillips in a match that was probably the match of the night, though Ouma pretty much dominated Phillips up one side of the ring and down the other. The only negative for Ouma is that he was unable to put Phillips down in the 11th or 12th when he had a clear opportunity to do just that. Instead he won a unanimous decision and the IBF Light Middleweight title.
Back to the main event; and it's a split decision. 49-46 Klitschko, 48-47 Williamson, and 49-46 Klitschko. I don't think that's quite accurate, as it was a much closer fight then two out of three by three points, and if it had gone further, who knows. But the important thing for Klitschko is that he salvages, for the moment anyway, his flailing career.
The fight I wanted to see, of course, was on PPV this week. Hopefully, HBO will run it next Saturday, or maybe during the week this week. That fight is the Trinidad/Mayorga fight, which Boxing Central is calling the possible Fight Of The Year. Apparently Mayorga went down for the first time ever. Come on HBO, show me the fight and not for $49.95 either~!
Showtime's next big fight show is November 6, with their ME being Kosta Tsyzu/Sharmba Mitchell. I can't see Mitchell not winning this fight, as Tsyzu isn't nearly the fighter he was before he got hurt, and he hasn't fought since beating Jesse James Leija back in January of 2003. Mitchell, on the other hand, is one of the most entertaining guys to watch at 140. Mitchell and Tszyu fought in 2001, and Mitchell was ahead on two of the three scorecards before having to throw in the towel in the seventh due to a knee injury. As former SCSU rugby coach and my high school religion teacher Mike Guzzio would say, "It's either gonna be close, or you're gonna need a calculator."
-------------------------
Evidently there's a Smackdown PPV tomorrow night. I will not be watching, as I have to work. I may download it, but with the main event being The Undertaker vs. JBL in a Hearse match, I may well just pass. (Honestly, can we come up with either a new gimmick or some new ideas for gimmick matches for the Undertaker? Casket, Hearse, Buried Alive? All done, done, done. How about a "Loser gets an Queer Eye makeover" or something?)
Feh.
Now, bear in mind that I haven't watched the original THX in many a year, and that the VHS copy I did see then was full screen. But I have to say after watching the newly re-mastered, and yes, fixed like the Trilogy, THX DVD, that I honestly couldn't see anything that was so new that it was out of place. The remaster is so pristine that the new footage, wherever it was, blends in so well with the original footage (unlike the Trilogy.)
THX is the story of a dystopian future, far removed from that of Star Wars. Beyond that, I'm not sure I could properly relate the plot. It's very abstract, and I read two different plot summaries on IMDb, neither of which seemed to describe what I saw on screen. I will say that the first half of the movie is kind of slow, but it picks up in the second half when it becomes slightly more of a straight chase film. Robert Duvall does a good job of conveying the confusion of someone who has been dead to the world for so long that everything just seems wrong when he begins to come out of it, and I'm still not sure what exactly Donald Pleasance's character was supposed to be.
The extras are good. There is a vintage making of, called "Bald", in which Duvall and Maggie McOmie, the female lead, have their heads shaven for the role. McOmie's expressions as they cut her hair are priceless. There's a new making of, featuring Lucas, Walter Murch(Lucas' co-scripter), Matthew Robbins, Francis Ford Coppola(who produced), and the cast. There's also an entertaining documentary short about Coppola's doomed American Zoetrope studio experiment, and the original theatrical trailer as well as new trailers. Overall, worth picking up if you like Lucas, or if you like your future dystopian.
---------------------------
Watching the Showtime fight card. Wladimir Klitschko's attempt to come back from the bizarre loss to Lamon Brewster in May has been stopped by a clash of heads in the fifth. As we wait on the scorecards, the ringside doctor is explaining that the cut on Klitschko's head is down to the bone. Prior to this, Klitschko was struggling as it was, so if he loses to DeVarryl Williamson, it's another blow to his rapidly diving career.
In the earlier matches, Jeff Lacy got a TKO win over Syd Vanderpool in a match that was pretty even. Vanderpool did a pretty good job of staying with "Left Hook", and Brendan will probably disagree with me, but I think the ref called the TKO too soon. I think Vanderpool probably could have stayed in the fight after a standing 8. Lacy is now the first of the 2000 U.S. Olympians to win a belt(the IBF Super Middleweight), and fought well enough, I suppose.
Kassim Ouma beat Verno Phillips in a match that was probably the match of the night, though Ouma pretty much dominated Phillips up one side of the ring and down the other. The only negative for Ouma is that he was unable to put Phillips down in the 11th or 12th when he had a clear opportunity to do just that. Instead he won a unanimous decision and the IBF Light Middleweight title.
Back to the main event; and it's a split decision. 49-46 Klitschko, 48-47 Williamson, and 49-46 Klitschko. I don't think that's quite accurate, as it was a much closer fight then two out of three by three points, and if it had gone further, who knows. But the important thing for Klitschko is that he salvages, for the moment anyway, his flailing career.
The fight I wanted to see, of course, was on PPV this week. Hopefully, HBO will run it next Saturday, or maybe during the week this week. That fight is the Trinidad/Mayorga fight, which Boxing Central is calling the possible Fight Of The Year. Apparently Mayorga went down for the first time ever. Come on HBO, show me the fight and not for $49.95 either~!
Showtime's next big fight show is November 6, with their ME being Kosta Tsyzu/Sharmba Mitchell. I can't see Mitchell not winning this fight, as Tsyzu isn't nearly the fighter he was before he got hurt, and he hasn't fought since beating Jesse James Leija back in January of 2003. Mitchell, on the other hand, is one of the most entertaining guys to watch at 140. Mitchell and Tszyu fought in 2001, and Mitchell was ahead on two of the three scorecards before having to throw in the towel in the seventh due to a knee injury. As former SCSU rugby coach and my high school religion teacher Mike Guzzio would say, "It's either gonna be close, or you're gonna need a calculator."
-------------------------
Evidently there's a Smackdown PPV tomorrow night. I will not be watching, as I have to work. I may download it, but with the main event being The Undertaker vs. JBL in a Hearse match, I may well just pass. (Honestly, can we come up with either a new gimmick or some new ideas for gimmick matches for the Undertaker? Casket, Hearse, Buried Alive? All done, done, done. How about a "Loser gets an Queer Eye makeover" or something?)
Feh.
posted by Jon M. at
11:34 PM
2 Comments:
Actually for whatever it's worth I pretty much agree with you on the timing of that ref's call on the TKO. I think had the fight continued Lacy would have broken Vanderpool down (once the movement went, he was going to follow), but calling the fight before the first knockdown was pretty arguable. Not a robbery, not the call I would have made, is probably the best summation.
A Fab Five Makeover Match.
Sweet freaking Christmas.
You should be working for Vince. Any red-blooded wrestling fan LIVES for the humiliation of these poor devils...and what, pray tell, could be MORE emasculating?
Ok, other than having to play a prissy imitation of The Warrior. That's bad, too.
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