Fans of "King's Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild will enjoy this further exploration of U.S. involvement in the saga of the Belgian Congo.
If you happen to read it, please leave an Amazon review with your thoughts about it. Cheers!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Buy me! Read me! Review me! Part II
Please go over to Amazon where you can buy "Running From Recognition..." a historical essay I wrote about the United States' involvement in the infamous "scramble for Africa" in the Nineteenth century.
Fans of "King's Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild will enjoy this further exploration of U.S. involvement in the saga of the Belgian Congo.
If you happen to read it, please leave an Amazon review with your thoughts about it. Cheers!
Fans of "King's Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild will enjoy this further exploration of U.S. involvement in the saga of the Belgian Congo.
If you happen to read it, please leave an Amazon review with your thoughts about it. Cheers!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
EFF YOU MYSPACE!!!
The new Myspace launched earlier this month and deleted all of the blogs from the original Myspace. Myself and other dedicated old school bloggers lost hundreds of entries. I'm not at all pleased about losing years worth of writing nor very happy about the rather insurmountable obstacle this puts in front of my effort to preserve my old Myspace entries on this blog.
Had Myspace at least had the courtesy to notify me of their impending blog purge, I would have been able to figure out a way to pull all my posts off before they were lost for all time.
Oh well, the mission continues...(I'll continue migrating my old Metroblog DC posts to this space).
Had Myspace at least had the courtesy to notify me of their impending blog purge, I would have been able to figure out a way to pull all my posts off before they were lost for all time.
Oh well, the mission continues...(I'll continue migrating my old Metroblog DC posts to this space).
Sunday, June 23, 2013
MAN OF STEEL (2013) - HOW IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED [SPOILERS]
[WARNING: The following contains SPOILERS]
Those who know me, know how vehemently I dislike Zach Snyder/David Goyer's new take on Superman in their film MAN OF STEEL. My main problem with the film was the lack of impact that the destruction of Metropolis (and Smallville) had on the character of Superman. Observing this destruction (which he contributed too by recklessly fighting Zod) should have been the final part of the arc of Kal El becoming a fully realized Superman.
Those who know me, know how vehemently I dislike Zach Snyder/David Goyer's new take on Superman in their film MAN OF STEEL. My main problem with the film was the lack of impact that the destruction of Metropolis (and Smallville) had on the character of Superman. Observing this destruction (which he contributed too by recklessly fighting Zod) should have been the final part of the arc of Kal El becoming a fully realized Superman.
I
think I would have liked the movie a lot more if they cut the Drone
scene out and inserted the following two scenes between screaming over
Zod's death and Clark showing up to work at the Daily Planet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAN OF STEEL (2013) -- ALERNATE ENDING -- BY: MICHAEL DARPINO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INT. -- TRAIN STATION -- DAY
Superman screams while cradling Zod's corpse.
CUT TO:
EXT. -- CITY STREETS -- DAY
Superman's inhuman scream echoes through the devastated
streets of Metropolis.
Random shots of dazed survivors trying to help each other.
They all pause and slowly stand up. Everyone turns looking towards the
direction of this unearthly roar.
CUT TO:
Lois Lane
hears Superman's roar and her eyes widen as she realizes what must have
happened.
Lois runs in the direction of the roar.
CUT TO:
INT. -- TRAIN STATION -- DAY
Superman's scream ends. He slowly looks up form Zod's
corpse.
The family Superman saved from Zod, cower in the corner,
terrified by Superman's roar. The Father impotently tries to shield his son
from Superman with a bear hug.
Superman sees this, glances left and right at the
destruction littering the train station. He rises.
Superman walks past the family towards the exit.
SUPERMAN
I'm
sorry I scared you.
CUT TO:
EXT. -- STREET IN FRONT OF TRAIN STATION -- DAY
The street is filled with rubble from collapsed and
partially collapsed buildings. Random survivors stand in small groups looking
at the front of the train station.
Superman emerges from the train station's main entrance and
stands at the top of the wide, stone stairway.
Superman surveys the street. He sees crushed cars. Huge
chunks of broken concrete and twisted rebar. People screaming in pain on the
ground. His eyes well up with tears.
Lois arrives in the street from off-screen.
LOIS
Oh…Clark.
Superman glances at Lois, then his eyes fall on a little
girl cradling her unconscious father's head in her lap. She is crying and looks
up at Superman. She screams but there is no sound.
Superman winces. He lowers his head in shame.
Lois starts up the stairs.
Superman takes off into the sky!
CUT TO:
EXT. -- SWING SET ON KENT FARM -- DUSK
Ma Kent
weakly swings back and forth.
Superman lands in front of her.
She stands and goes to him. Superman is crying. They hug.
MA
KENT
Clark. What's wrong?
SUPERMAN
I
failed them, mom.
Ma Kent
wipes a tear from his check.
MA
KENT
No,
you didn't Clark. You saved them all. What
kind of talk is that?
SUPERMAN
No,
not all of them. Half of Metropolis has been destroyed. Countless lives lost.
All while I was half a world away.
MA
KENT
No
one could have been in two places at once, Clark.
You did your best.
SUPERMAN
Did
I?
MA
KENT
I
know you Clark. Of course you did…
SUPERMAN
That's
just it mom. I could have done more…I know I have it in me to never let so many
innocent people be hurt ever again. Next time, I have to fight smarter, try
harder, do better. If I can't, then I really don't belong here.
Ma Kent
proudly looks up at her son.
MA
KENT
Well
let's pray there isn't going to be a next time.
SUPERMAN
We both know there will be.
MA
KENT
Clark, you can’t save the world on your own. Bad things
are going to happen. You can’t control that.
Superman stops hugging Ma Kent. He steps back and looks at
her with new confidence.
SUPERMAN
I've
only begun to figure out the limit of my powers, Mom. I know I am capable of so
much more. I promise I won't let what happened to Smallville or Metropolis
happen again.
MA
KENT
I
believe you, Clark.
SUPERMAN
Why?
MA
KENT (with tears of pride in her eyes)
Because you're Superman.
CUE SUPERMAN THEME…
FADE TO BLACK:
FADE IN:
INT. -- DAILY PLANET OFFICES -- DAY
Clark Kent
arrives for his first day of work…
FADE OUT.
THE
END
Not On My Watch
I’m pretty sure I saved a lady from being kidnapped tonight. I went
to the Hoffman Center AMC to see ‘Bug’ (which was freakin’ awesome) and
then snuck in to see ‘Spiderman 3′ again. So I was leaving the theater
around 12:40 at night. The place was a ghost town and the parking lot
was only a third full (with my car sitting alone way in the back). Most
of the cars were parked near the theater.
I entered the parking lot and saw a car sitting in the lane between two rows of parked cars. There was a guy standing in the driver side door, the passenger and rear-passenger doors were open too. A woman was leaning out of the rear passenger door. Both people at the car were watching another guy wrestling with a woman between two parked cars.
I looked around and realized we were the only people in the lot. At first I thought they were just playing around but then the woman broke free. She started to desperately run away but got grabbed again. The guy at the driver’s door started his way around the car to join in.
That’s when I yelled, “Are you all right?!”
The guys froze and the woman squirmed and I started walking towards them and repeated, “Are you all right?!”
The woman leaning out of the car said, “yeah we’re fine,” and one of the men let out a menacing chuckle. But the woman being manhandled began to wriggle more violently. So I stopped about 10 feet from the car and said, “you know there’s a cop over there,” or something like that.
Then the woman broke free and ran past me towards the front of the theater (where a cop car is stationed). One of the men started after her but had second thoughts after seeing me standing in his way. So the men jumped in their car and took off.
I confirmed the woman was at the cop car before I went to my car. Then I drove slowly around the lot for a few minutes to make sure they didn’t come back.
Originally published on May 31st, 2007.
I entered the parking lot and saw a car sitting in the lane between two rows of parked cars. There was a guy standing in the driver side door, the passenger and rear-passenger doors were open too. A woman was leaning out of the rear passenger door. Both people at the car were watching another guy wrestling with a woman between two parked cars.
I looked around and realized we were the only people in the lot. At first I thought they were just playing around but then the woman broke free. She started to desperately run away but got grabbed again. The guy at the driver’s door started his way around the car to join in.
That’s when I yelled, “Are you all right?!”
The guys froze and the woman squirmed and I started walking towards them and repeated, “Are you all right?!”
The woman leaning out of the car said, “yeah we’re fine,” and one of the men let out a menacing chuckle. But the woman being manhandled began to wriggle more violently. So I stopped about 10 feet from the car and said, “you know there’s a cop over there,” or something like that.
Then the woman broke free and ran past me towards the front of the theater (where a cop car is stationed). One of the men started after her but had second thoughts after seeing me standing in his way. So the men jumped in their car and took off.
I confirmed the woman was at the cop car before I went to my car. Then I drove slowly around the lot for a few minutes to make sure they didn’t come back.
Originally published on May 31st, 2007.
Post-Traumatic Rock Disorder
Bands walk a fine line when trying to add something new to a tried
and true formula such as post-rock’s trademark ‘quiet-loud-quiet-loud’
arrangement. The epic scale of the genre allows for plenty of variation
and innovation which more often than not results in genius. However as I
stood at Rock and Roll Hotel last night watching the opening band Grails doing their thing all I could think was, “Is this how far the genre has come?”
To put it midly, I did not dig Grails’ set. It was obvious that they were trying to cut their own path through post-rock country but the method of transport they chose just didn’t work for me at all. A fan of Grails described them to me as ‘jazzy music for dark cowboys’ … um sure buddy. The band looked like a post-rock band, and they posed like a post-rock band, but what they really were was a hippy-dippy jam band disguised as a post-rock band. I mean I was expecting a sitar solo at any second.
I was trying to get into their set but I kept thinking about how their focus on rhythm over dramatic guitar playing reminded me more of an extended Phish jam than a post-rock show. It got me thinking about post-rock as a genre and how far it has come. It has been about 16 years since Spiderland birthed the genre and in that time bands like Explosions in the Sky have become huge. Now-a-days, since the genre has finally gone big time, everyone and their cousin suddenly has a post-rock band. But are they all really post-rockers or are some just post-college potheads that have retooled their sound to cash-in? While I was thinking that Grails were more like these guys than these guys my fears were confirmed when a guy next to me started to do that pot-head dance (you know the one, the one that your dorm’s tie-dye guy did everytime some one uttered the words ‘kind bud’).
By the end of Grails’ set I was kind of disgusted with it all and couldn’t even enjoy the few decent moments they had generated (well really only one, a nice finger slide working a guitar-neck intro). I thought that maybe these kind of bands would be better suited dropping their chameleon acts and trying to actually excel in the genres they so clearly enjoy playing. The thought of a few more bands like Grails in the pipeline depressed me enough to skip the second opening act.
The only thing that would save the night and restore my hope in a genre that I love would be the headliners, my personal favs from Japan, Mono.
Every time I get the opportunity to see Mono play live it is a treat. They always put on soul-crushingly memorable performances. They have made my year-end best-of lists for the last two years and last night’s show will probably complete their trifecta.
Their set was magnificent. I got a great spot along the wall in front of the left speaker tower so I could watch the masters at work. Each member of Mono is a virtuoso and watching their handy work is a huge part of the show. The two guitarists’ hands alternated between surgically intricate string-work and hummingbird wing-like blurs. The bassist stood between them looking beautiful as she swayed back and forth, her hair floating about her as if she were underwater. When the band really kicked it into high-gear they all looked like they were rocking out at the bottom of a whirlpool; battling against the forces of nature with their god-like noise wall.
I think that Mono are the most emotional of the post-rock bands. The descriptor ‘mini-orchestras’ really does apply to their music. Last night was rich with stretches of quiet, restrained beauty exploding into some of the most cathartic guitar crescendoes I have ever witnessed. Mono put on a night of beautiful soul-stirring music that completely restored my faith in the post-rock genre and even some of my faith in mankind (yes, even in you Mister Pot-head Dance).
Originally published on May 16th, 2007.
To put it midly, I did not dig Grails’ set. It was obvious that they were trying to cut their own path through post-rock country but the method of transport they chose just didn’t work for me at all. A fan of Grails described them to me as ‘jazzy music for dark cowboys’ … um sure buddy. The band looked like a post-rock band, and they posed like a post-rock band, but what they really were was a hippy-dippy jam band disguised as a post-rock band. I mean I was expecting a sitar solo at any second.
I was trying to get into their set but I kept thinking about how their focus on rhythm over dramatic guitar playing reminded me more of an extended Phish jam than a post-rock show. It got me thinking about post-rock as a genre and how far it has come. It has been about 16 years since Spiderland birthed the genre and in that time bands like Explosions in the Sky have become huge. Now-a-days, since the genre has finally gone big time, everyone and their cousin suddenly has a post-rock band. But are they all really post-rockers or are some just post-college potheads that have retooled their sound to cash-in? While I was thinking that Grails were more like these guys than these guys my fears were confirmed when a guy next to me started to do that pot-head dance (you know the one, the one that your dorm’s tie-dye guy did everytime some one uttered the words ‘kind bud’).
By the end of Grails’ set I was kind of disgusted with it all and couldn’t even enjoy the few decent moments they had generated (well really only one, a nice finger slide working a guitar-neck intro). I thought that maybe these kind of bands would be better suited dropping their chameleon acts and trying to actually excel in the genres they so clearly enjoy playing. The thought of a few more bands like Grails in the pipeline depressed me enough to skip the second opening act.
The only thing that would save the night and restore my hope in a genre that I love would be the headliners, my personal favs from Japan, Mono.
Every time I get the opportunity to see Mono play live it is a treat. They always put on soul-crushingly memorable performances. They have made my year-end best-of lists for the last two years and last night’s show will probably complete their trifecta.
Their set was magnificent. I got a great spot along the wall in front of the left speaker tower so I could watch the masters at work. Each member of Mono is a virtuoso and watching their handy work is a huge part of the show. The two guitarists’ hands alternated between surgically intricate string-work and hummingbird wing-like blurs. The bassist stood between them looking beautiful as she swayed back and forth, her hair floating about her as if she were underwater. When the band really kicked it into high-gear they all looked like they were rocking out at the bottom of a whirlpool; battling against the forces of nature with their god-like noise wall.
I think that Mono are the most emotional of the post-rock bands. The descriptor ‘mini-orchestras’ really does apply to their music. Last night was rich with stretches of quiet, restrained beauty exploding into some of the most cathartic guitar crescendoes I have ever witnessed. Mono put on a night of beautiful soul-stirring music that completely restored my faith in the post-rock genre and even some of my faith in mankind (yes, even in you Mister Pot-head Dance).
Originally published on May 16th, 2007.
The Old Switcheroo…
…in otherwords going to a concert to see a certain band (Fields) and
being completely captivated by the other band (Blonde Redhead) instead. I
caught both bands at the 930 Club on Sunday night.
I had the chance to catch both bands at Coachella last week but opted to see other options since I already had tickets secured for their DC show. I really wanted to catch opener Fields because their debut album “Everything Last Winter” – hitting stores tomorrow – is the most exciting debut I’ve heard this year. The album is full of sweeping sound and oddly haunting vocals that I just had to check out in a live setting. Blonde Redhead on the other hand have never surpassed the second-tier in my opinion and seeing them was going to be more of a luke-warm bonus.
Much to my surprise (although perhaps an old hand like me should’ve known better) it was the veteran outfit Blonde Redhead that put on the show of shows while the rookies in Fields put on an enjoyable but merely servicable set.
Fields‘ debut is great and I think everyone should buy it. Their live show fell a little short of the mark though as they performed revved up versions of the album that dropped away all their mystery and atmosphere. Fields set was full of guitar wash and energy which made them a fun opening band but didn’t really impress them as being much more than a new pop-guitar band in an already crowded field; their debut album promised so much more. Perhaps with a little more experience under their belt Fields will be pulling-off as effective switcheroo’s as Blonde Redhead did later in the night.
Blonde Redhead have always been one of those bands that produce passable albums maintaining the 4AD sound trademarks (even when they were on T&G) without ever really knocking one out of the park. So I was very surprised to hear the bulk of their new material shredding the place apart last night. Opting for very high-energy numbers with a few siren-songs peppered through-out their set was fantastic. Blonde Redhead have finally come into their own. That beautiful sound nebula that they so expertly craft is finally doing more than just floating in space looking pretty, it’s actually got crackling lightning bolts of energy firing through it to create a sound that is truly dazzling. The trio launched warp-speed through a noisy yet danceable set that recalled the best of MBV meets Stereolab drunk at a party in the Cocteau Twins apartment.
I couldn’t contain the big, spontaneous grin that their music put on my face. As I sit here typing I am listening to their latest album ’23′ and it is by far the most fun release in their catalogue. Good album, great show.
Blonde Redhead- color me surprised.
Originally published on May 7th, 2007.
I had the chance to catch both bands at Coachella last week but opted to see other options since I already had tickets secured for their DC show. I really wanted to catch opener Fields because their debut album “Everything Last Winter” – hitting stores tomorrow – is the most exciting debut I’ve heard this year. The album is full of sweeping sound and oddly haunting vocals that I just had to check out in a live setting. Blonde Redhead on the other hand have never surpassed the second-tier in my opinion and seeing them was going to be more of a luke-warm bonus.
Much to my surprise (although perhaps an old hand like me should’ve known better) it was the veteran outfit Blonde Redhead that put on the show of shows while the rookies in Fields put on an enjoyable but merely servicable set.
Fields‘ debut is great and I think everyone should buy it. Their live show fell a little short of the mark though as they performed revved up versions of the album that dropped away all their mystery and atmosphere. Fields set was full of guitar wash and energy which made them a fun opening band but didn’t really impress them as being much more than a new pop-guitar band in an already crowded field; their debut album promised so much more. Perhaps with a little more experience under their belt Fields will be pulling-off as effective switcheroo’s as Blonde Redhead did later in the night.
Blonde Redhead have always been one of those bands that produce passable albums maintaining the 4AD sound trademarks (even when they were on T&G) without ever really knocking one out of the park. So I was very surprised to hear the bulk of their new material shredding the place apart last night. Opting for very high-energy numbers with a few siren-songs peppered through-out their set was fantastic. Blonde Redhead have finally come into their own. That beautiful sound nebula that they so expertly craft is finally doing more than just floating in space looking pretty, it’s actually got crackling lightning bolts of energy firing through it to create a sound that is truly dazzling. The trio launched warp-speed through a noisy yet danceable set that recalled the best of MBV meets Stereolab drunk at a party in the Cocteau Twins apartment.
I couldn’t contain the big, spontaneous grin that their music put on my face. As I sit here typing I am listening to their latest album ’23′ and it is by far the most fun release in their catalogue. Good album, great show.
Blonde Redhead- color me surprised.
Originally published on May 7th, 2007.
Good To Be Back
Fresh off my adventures in wonderful Palm Desert California attending
the Coachella Music Festival, it is good to be back home. While I
enjoyed my time in the sun-scorched, palm tree-lined hot-spot, I have to
say I am rejuvenated by the sight of the Potomac, my monuments, and the
lush green of the GW Parkway (the best looking parkway in America).
While they aren’t DC related in anyway I wanted to link to my Coachella reviews for the Metroblog readers who enjoy following my musical adventures.
Enjoy!
- The Jesus & Mary Chain (secret Pomona show)
- Coachella Day One
- Coachella Day Two
- Coachella Day Three
- Rage Against The Machine @ Coachella
Originally published on May 2nd, 2007.
Links deactivated because the new Myspace fucking sucks.
While they aren’t DC related in anyway I wanted to link to my Coachella reviews for the Metroblog readers who enjoy following my musical adventures.
Enjoy!
- The Jesus & Mary Chain (secret Pomona show)
- Coachella Day One
- Coachella Day Two
- Coachella Day Three
- Rage Against The Machine @ Coachella
Originally published on May 2nd, 2007.
Links deactivated because the new Myspace fucking sucks.
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