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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:07:28 GMT -5
Rob, we would never make fun of you for listening to Johnny Cash.
After all, if we want to make fun, we have the whole golf thing... Patti T.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:08:14 GMT -5
'Arthur DID have a great body'
Sue, I loved your backstory - and especially the genetic traits William inherited from his dad!
Patti T.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:09:14 GMT -5
I can understand the minister's wife not being happy about Caleb's message (my dad's a minister so it didn't exactly thrill me either) but I agree with Patti - consider the source. This is an evil, EVIL man - I take what he is saying with a grain of salt because he is EVIL!
To me, it would be sacreligious to have a "good" character saying the type of things Caleb said. For being an atheist Joss certainly does have many, many religious themes and imagery running rampant through his shows.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:09:52 GMT -5
Except, it wasn't Sue, it was Spring!
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:10:39 GMT -5
Rob, I love Johnny Cash - his version of "Hurt" is absolutely breathtaking. The pain in his voice is so apparent and it is just a perfect song for him. Have you seen the video? Talk about imagery! Mark Romanek (music video director veteran) directed it and it moves me to tears everytime I see it. Seeing The Man in Black in such pain....it's such a visceral video. The video is absolutely stunning - it's such an appropriate homage to Johnny Cash and his legendary status. Seeing Johnny Cash on MTV was definitely a mind-blower. Unfortunately, they don't play the video nearly enough. Can you tell how much I love this video?
Off to bed.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:11:47 GMT -5
Getting Buffy's Last Rites Right By JOYCE MILLMAN
VAMPIRES, hellgods, snake demons — I've watched Buffy battle them all. But they weren't as scary as the knowledge that, very soon, I will no longer have an excuse to put life on hold every Tuesday night. I admit it: over the last six years, I've devoted an almost embarrassing amount of time, energy and thought, both personal and professional, to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Now, with only a few weeks left until the May 20 series finale, I'm facing my "Buffy"-less future by burrowing into seasons past, trying to imagine a fitting end to the coolest television coming-of-age horror-fantasy-love story ever told. It's difficult to predict what Joss Whedon, the show's fiendishly inventive creator and executive producer, has devised for the final episode (which he wrote and directed). Mr. Whedon, after all, has already killed his heroine (twice) and jolted viewers with such unexpected twists as the death of Buffy's mom, the surprise ensouling of the vampire Spike and the episode in which everybody sings. Frankly, as long as Mr. Whedon doesn't try to tell us that the whole series was a figment of Buffy's imagination, I'll be happy. I'll be even happier if the finale grandly articulates, one last time, the show's main themes: woman power, friendship, growing up and sacrifice. WOMAN POWER On "Buffy," women rule the world and men are largely watchers. Part of an ancient line of girls imbued with the power to vanquish demons, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has lived longer than any of her predecessors. This season, Buffy traveled through a time portal to the origins of the First Slayer and learned that she was created by shamen, who mated her with demon energy to keep evil away from the village. "You violated that girl, made her kill for you because you're weak, you're pathetic," Buffy sneered. "You're just — men." Buffy is strong enough to save the world (which she did "a lot," according to her tombstone at the end of Season 5). But, like that first slayer, she has been rendered a little less than human by her mission. She's been emotionally frozen for the past couple of seasons, unable to drop her guard and let love (her adoring former sex partner Spike) in. Buffy is not the only one who has been blocked from tapping the positive energy of her better, female, self. Her friend Willow (Alyson Hannigan), the lovable lesbian witch and computer whiz, proved in last season's finale that she was strong enough to (almost) destroy the world, when she went on a vengeful rampage sparked by the murder of her girlfriend. This season, Willow has been as emotionally frozen as Buffy, afraid to fully utilize her Wiccan powers, lest they turn destructive again. We need some healing here. Which is why I think "Buffy" ought to end with both a Wiccapalooza and the most gargantuan release of girl power the show's ever attempted.
I want to see Buffy beat on everyone and everything in sight, save the world again and still find the time to finally admit her feelings for poor Spike (James Marsters). I want to see Willow get her mojo back. I want to see Buffy's rival slayer, the self-doubting bad girl Faith (Eliza Dushku), regain her self-esteem and fight at Buffy's side. I want to see Buffy's teenage sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg), a dormant but powerful unearthly being, come of age in a flash of glory. I want to see the dozens of young Slayers in Training, who are wandering aimlessly and namelessly through the Summerses' house, truly become the "army" Buffy has been promising us for most of the season, and make a stand against the current big bad, an incorporeal entity called the First Evil. But most of all, I want to see them thrash that misogynistic preacher Caleb (Nathan Fillion), an agent of the First Evil, who believes women were "born dirty." For some intriguing Christian symbolism, let Buffy's last battle be for the collective soul of womankind, to remove the biblical taint from the gender. FRIENDSHIP Buffy's "Scooby gang" — Willow, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Dawn, Spike, Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) — has always been greater than the sum of its parts. This pseudo-family of misfits banded together at the climax of each season to save the world. And they were a formidable blend, with Buffy's super powers, Willow's witchy energy (and, when she was a teen, research skills), Giles's knowledge of ancient demonology, Spike's muscle and bravado, Dawn's spunk and Anya's enjoyment of a good fight.
As for Xander, he's Mr. Whedon's stand-in, the "unremarkable" guy who lives in the shadow of the gifted heroine. Or does he? Have you noticed how, time and again, Xander plays a crucial 11th-hour role in enabling Buffy to prevail? I'd feel cheated if the Xan Man wasn't the unsung hero, again, in the finale.
But for all their past harmony, the Scoobys have drifted apart of late. Each member has been battling inner demons: addiction, insecurity, self-loathing, jealousy, guilt. Like its strength, the gang's weakness is greater than the sum of its parts. Earlier this season, Buffy dreamed of her dead mother warning that "evil is always here . . . evil is a part of us. All of us. It's natural." Maybe the Scoobys have brought on this latest apocalypse; maybe the First Evil feeds on each character's psychic fragility, on negativity and unquiet minds. The Scoobys have to get over themselves. They need to learn to trust one another again in order to bring "Buffy" back to the point it's been making all along — that friendship, community and love are the greatest weapons of all. GROWING UP The coming-of-age theme has served Buffy" well ever since the show's earliest high school-is-hell metaphor. Buffy and her pals have grappled with the usual adolescent traumas, as well as the highs and lows of life as twentysomethings. As the last hour nears, Buffy is fully entering adulthood — she has already lost her mother (her dad was always absent) and relations are strained between her and her father figure, her watcher Giles. She is growing more distant, accepting her responsibilities and preparing to fight the final battle alone. I always believed that "Buffy" was the story of a girl finding her place in the big bad world. But now I see that the show is not about our heroine growing up as much as it's about the other characters' maturing enough to let her go.
SACRIFICE Buffy has always been a Christlike figure. She questions her destiny as the chosen one, doubts her abilities to see the mission through, yet always fulfills her role as savior. This was never more true than in the finale of Season 5, when she sacrificed herself to save Dawn from being killed in an apocalyptic ritual. As a reward, Buffy entered Paradise, but she was soon ripped back to earth — and the grind of fighting evil — by the Scoobys, who used a spell to bring her back to life. She has since grown battle-weary. She longs to lay down her arms, but the only way to do that, as her mother foretold in that dream, is to "rest." The logical end to the saga is for Buffy to get back to Paradise. Speaking of sacrifice, Spike needs to make one, too. The brash but sensitive vampire has been a central figure in Buffy's story line; they were adversaries in Season 4, wary comrades-in-arms in Season 5, punishing lovers in Season 6. Now, as ex-lovers who've been through hell together, they've approached something like real love. Spike's devotion to Buffy and her mission has set him on a path to redemption; he endured torture to win back his soul for her, then suffered at the hands of the First Evil. But Buffy has yet to tell him she loves him.
ellie jason
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:12:54 GMT -5
...which I highly doubt but who cares?
Diane and I are looking for possible topics for our next debate - anyone who wants to can play. It's a free forum for anyone who wants to participate.
Do any of the S'cubies have an idea for a possible debate? Diane and I are stumped and she made the suggestion to open it up to the board so here I am.
Ideas anyone? It can be Spike-related or non-Spike related, doesn't matter. Thanks in advance for your help (figured this might guilt you into suggesting some ideas).
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:13:53 GMT -5
In the finale, I want to see Buffy give Spike the moment of happiness he's earned. And then I want my heart to be broken, because one thing "Buffy" does better than any show on television is break your heart. I want to see Buffy and Spike both make the ultimate sacrifice, and both be rewarded for it. But they can't be together; it's not in their destinies. I want Buffy to die and become an immortal god(dess) who rights the balance of good and evil in the universe. I want Spike to die and be reborn as a human (and therefore available for a possible spinoff). I can see the series's last moments now. As Buffy turns immortal, she shines beatifically, and we finally understand the foreshadowing significance in Spike's puzzling past fondness for the words "effulgent" and "glowing." Buffy's ascension unleashes a surge of positive energy that empowers the forces of good. They rise up as one and drop-kick the First's evil army of gnarled ubervampires back to hell. Then, everybody sings
ellie jason
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:14:33 GMT -5
//This .1 percent figure you came up with is far too low. B/X shippers make up at least five times that much. :-) //
Fair enough Rob. But what about Willow-Xander shipping? I'm not convinced that she's a 100 percent gay. If he got her just drunk enough ....
David Crenshaw
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:15:31 GMT -5
That was interesting! And, I want to share other stuff!
Alma Mater - Sam Houston State University, Huntsville Texas - BS degree, elementary education Texas A&M University College Station Texas - Masters degree (I could get a Marsters degree now...don't hurt me!)in computer science and business analysis Current Career or jobs I've had: third grade and fourth grade teacher, systems analyst for Texaco, part time genealogy researcher and instructor, happy woman of leisure because of great 'we're merging with Chevron now' package, future impoverished woman of leisure because even great packages don't last forever.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:47:21 GMT -5
I know- I know- it will be available on Slayage tomorrow but I could not resist- we just got in from seeing a perfectly dreadful move- (House of 1000 corpses- well she is 18 what do you expect?) and a wonderful documentary Rivers and Tides about the artist Andy Goldsworthy (highly recommend)- very psyched and animated- from biking-dinner and 2 films and saw all the intense activity-
commandered the Sunday Times and had to share-it is available on line.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:48:41 GMT -5
//However, Spike/Xander is currently second only to Spike/Buffy.//
Not surprising. There was that moment when what's-her-name made the comment "Is there anyone here who hasn't slept with everyone else?" (or words to that effect) and Xander and Spike just gave each other this funny look. Something about that moment sure stirred up the fans.
David Crenshaw
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:50:26 GMT -5
Wow...this author should get an honorary S'cubie membership card. He/she said pretty much what most of us have been saying recently. I would love that ending...
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:53:00 GMT -5
//Other stuff I think it would be fun to share, but only if you all want to: your Alma Mater; current career or jobs you have had.//
I thought it interesting that these questions weren't on the S'Cubie profile, since they are generally pretty common.
Here's my answers to those questions:
Alma Mater:
High School: James S. Rickards High, Tallahassee, Fla., C/O '85
College: Excelsior College, Albany N.Y., C/O '95, B.S. in Communications
Career:
17 year veteran, U.S. Navy
Current rank: Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Naval Reserve
Occupational specialty: photojournalist
Current assignment: Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the Commander Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Force in Williamsburg, Va.
Current civilian occupation: pizza delivery (anybody know a good newspaper looking for a writer/editor/photographer?)
David Crenshaw
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:56:15 GMT -5
//I watched that movie a couple of weeks ago on tv and shamelessly enjoyed the heck out of it. I thought Eliza used a lot of FAITH in her role.//
I saw Faith on (I think it was) Letterman back at the beginning of the season, hoping she'd comment on her return to Buffy, but all she talked about was working with Robert Deniro in City By The Sea. Anyhow, there's a reason there was a lot of Faith in Eliza's performance in Bring It On --
Eliza is Faith, minus the slayer strength. She was totally Faith on Letterman.
David Crenshaw
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