There and Back Again
Well… I have taken the plunge, so to speak.
Into the era that is 48 frames per second.
Yes, I saw The Hobbit the other night. Only one of two people in the theater for a late afternoon viewing.
Being a fan of the novel and having enjoyed the extended versions of all three Lord of the Rings films, it was inevitable that I would do so. And I will undoubtedly see it again.
On the whole, I enjoyed it. But the whole 48 fps thing? It only stood out a few times. Only really grabbed my attention once or twice. I guess I will need to see the other two episodes of the story to decide if it really works. And of course, the extended versions of those films as well. I know of at least a few scenes we didn’t see that were before the camera. Especially about Hobbiton and the Shire.
Technology always keeps changing. As digital film making continues to march on, I suspect as audiences we will see and experience something new and interesting. At least, that is my hope. But a good story? It always wins out before new technology. Give me a tale that I can be engrossed in. Characters I can empathize with. If I can be transported elsewhere and forget world outside the theater, technology can be a help in that process but not the total package.
Folks have taken Peter Jackson to task for dragging out an amusing tale into three long films. Yes, the story is there and I am one willing to plant my butt in a chair to sit through it. Sure, I know how it ends. Would not miss it, however.
The problem, if there is one, lies in exposition. For those of us who are familiar with the story, we already know what to expect. We know the world in which the tale lies. For those who do not, the world must be created and explored. To leave this undone is more of a disservice than the time it takes to tell of it.
There are plenty of good stories I already know. Take for example, Mr. Dickens “A Christmas Carol”. Must have seen it on film/television a couple hundred times in all it’s various incarnations. The classic Alastair Sims performance. The biting cold of George C. Scott. Or the lively Patrick Stewart. Yet tonight, I am off to a reading of the story. Looking forward to the sharing of the tale. Expecting to be entertained by those taking up the challenge. And that is what it really is all about.
The Hobbit has much of the same for me. It is a comfortable tale. In the end, we all know that Bilbo ends up safe and warm, back at Bag End. The dragon defeated and dwarves again under the mountains. Since I was first introduced to the tale in high school (as have so many been) I have read the story many times. Each time I manage to find something new to enjoy. To me, that may be the best that can be said of any good story.
Count me in for the next two chapters of The Hobbit.
The Dickens you say…
Photo by Howard Gold, courtesy The Great Dickens Chrstmas Fair
2012 sees the 200th anniversary of the birth of author Charles Dickens.
Known for many works, the best loved tale told by Mister Dickens is “A Christmas Carol“. From Wikipedia:
“A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens, first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge‘s ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation resulting from supernatural visits from Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim.
The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was both strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions and an initiation of new practices such as Christmas trees and greeting cards. Dickens’s sources for the tale appear to be many and varied but are principally the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales.”
Friend Jim Hill took a look at many of the tellings of this tale in media that stir memories of Christmases past for many of us. This “Scrooge U” was an amusing look back at some favorites as well as some “undisgested bits” as the man himself might have described them.
San Francisco may seem an odd place to have a strong connection to Dickens tale. Yet since 1970, the Bay Area has been home to a bit of London as brought to life in the pages of this story. Over the years, a number of venues have taken on the spirits of the season. San Francisco’s Cow Palace has been the latest in these, with London visiting on the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party is a wonderful way to take a break and step back into the pages of Mister Dickens work.
Okay, so these livestock barns may be more than 5000 miles away from London and many years beyond those of the early Victorian era. But to the folks who call them London during the festivities, it is as much home as the holidays can be. Everyone from the many actors to merchants in shops to guests who choose to dress in their period finery all have a wonderful time here. And if you are in for a bit of holiday cheer, then you will find your self in the right place, too.
Don’t take my word for it. Come see for yourself! With two weekends still left to enjoy the Fair, there is plenty of time to discover all of the diversions that await.
And who knows what you will discover along the way? Meet Father Christmas or encounter Ebeneezer Scrooge. All in the pursuit of the good tidings of the season.
Accept no substitutions.
Okay, it has been a while. Today I opened the closet and put on the Cranky Pants.
A few weeks after a recent trip to Anaheim, something began to annoy me. Specifically, the term “Disney Parks”.
I get that there are certain economies that can be called upon. But let us be honest. Disneyland in Anaheim is now and will always stand alone, apart from all other Disney theme parks around the globe. It will never be, just another park.
This is where it all started. Yes, it is the only park that bears the direct imprint of Walt. But that is not where it ends. Having been to Florida once, and having visited each of the theme parks on that property, I can say that I have seen the difference first hand.
Disneyland is more intimate than any of the other parks. Including California Adventure. The way the lands are laid out around the hub and how some buildings enjoy a facade on one side and a different one on another tells how the designers made use of space to create an illusion. Such as Main Street’s Plaza Pavilion and the Tahitian Terrace. Or how two attractions share the same real estate. Mister Toad and Alice in Fantasyland. In Florida, the luxury of space was made use of. In Anaheim, that was not an option.
Sure, I may be picking at small details here. But when all of the little things add up, they manage to become something more. Disneyland needs, no… demands to be something more than all the parks that came after. And that is why something as simple as beverage cups should say “Disneyland”, not “Disney Parks”. Even the simple rain poncho should proudly say “Disneyland”, not “Disney Parks”. And plain unmarked napkins made of recycled? Bad show. The kind of thing found at the local fast food emporium, maybe. But that is not what Disneyland is.
Sure, the Accountanteer’s get off on keeping the numbers down. But as many napkins and beverage cups that Disneyland goes through in a day? You have to be kidding if somewhere you can’t get a break from a manufacturer sufficient to allow Disneyland instead of Disney Parks to be emblazoned on these items. This is the kind of thing Walt would never have approved of.
Let us call this what it is. Cheap.
With Annual Passes at an all time high price, along with everything else at the Parks, is it too much to ask to keep Disneyland as a brand? Does having these items really cut into shareholder value so much that giving it the heave ho makes any sense?
Just like the title says. Accept no substitutions. Quality will out. And guests do notice.
Disneyland always was and always will be an original. Not just another one of the Disney Parks.
No matter how hard some folks want it to be.
Memories made daily.
Walt Disney had some great thoughts behind the concept of Disneyland. One of the best was that it could be a place where families and friends could share in experiences. And it may be that this is the greatest gift we can all take away from the Happiest Place On Earth.
I am blessed in that I have many fine memories from many great visits to the Park. Family, friends and friends to be, all played their part in creating those memorable moments.
Sadly, an increasing number of those people are no longer with us. I use the term “sadly” in that these folks won’t be there to share any new moments. Yet, without them, those treasured memories would not exist. Be it a shared moment of Disney magic or just the pleasure of their company, all are a part of something special. Special in a way that Walt wanted it to be for “all who visit this happy place.”
So, to honor them, think back on your own special times at a Disney park. Remember the people who made magical times for you and yours. Smile and thank them for being there to share.
At this time of the year, it is a fine gift.
Lest we forget.
I have only been to Hawaii once. A visit to Oahu for five days in 2003.
Yet, I could not have felt that visit complete without a stop at the Pearl Harbor Memorial.
Here, within several hundred yards of each other are the ships that represent the beginning and the ending of our nation’s involvement in World War II. The USS Arizona and the USS Missouri. The Arizona, with 1,102 still entombed aboard, giving rise more than 70 years later to oil from her bunkers. As if to shed a tear for all aboard who lay at rest. The Missouri, upon whose deck the Japanese formally surrendered, ending the loss of life on all sides. Both battleships now rendered obsolete among the fighting navies of the world. Poignant and moving indeed.
The view above was taken during that brief visit. The remains of one of the turrets of the Arizona.
Debate if you like the question of our national involvement in what was to be a global conflict. But you cannot do so without acknowledgement to both the men and women who fought and died to protect our many freedoms – such as that right to debate such questions. For if they had not answered the call, we would not enjoy what we do.
So, today, 71 years later, remember those men and women. All who have and who continue to serve our country. In war and in peace.
Lest we forget.