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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 17:59:51 GMT -5
Welcome to the unhallowed ground of the Soulful Spike Society (SSS or 'S' cubed). Topic area devoted to Spikaholics, Spuffyites, Spike shippers of all types, plus any James Marsters information. Share your knowledge, insights, observations, speculations, or other information on our favorite character/actor in or out of any episode. Straying off topic not a problem here. We welcome posts on any other aspect of the BtVS series also, but please, no spoilers. See also "The Soulful Spike Society" and/or "All Things Spike/James Marsters" (Parts 1-14) farther down the Miscellaneous Board. Visit our web site for the Soulful Spike Society at www.soulfulspike.comAgain, welcome! Alexandra K. 3/27/2003
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:39:59 GMT -5
Last Tuesday I was out of town. My son and I went to see a rare viewing of Amber Benson's film "Chance" shown as part of Women's History Month at California State University, Sacramento. (My son wanted me to be sure to say I "dragged" him there.) The film was shown on campus in one of the Student Union's rooms. There was a big crowd and I suspect many were Buffy fans. We arrived early and got good seats. Amber Benson was supposed to be there, but it was announced that she had a family emergency and couldn't make it. In her stead, she asked Nate Barlow, another actor in the movie and a co-producer, to be there. He was introduced, briefly explained the film's production history and then they ran the film.
Chance is the heroine's name, played by Amber Benson. The story takes place in and around Chance's one-bedroom apartment in a modest apartment complex in Los Angeles(?). Chance is an artist who has wealthy but new age parents who apparently subsidize her in her apartment. She has a roommate, Simon, played by James Marsters, who has roomed with her for a long time. He sleeps on the sofa, while Chance has the only bedroom. He doesn't pay rent because he has a very low paying job. In trade for his living arrangement, he does some of the jobs like grocery shopping.
Chance and Simon know each other like the backs of each other's hands. Various other characters show up in their lives, making for complications, and much amusement. The audience laughed so much throughout the film, that I lost some of the dialog here and there. Chance breaks the proscenium quite often, speaking straight to the camera and providing her comments about the goings on in her apartment. Simon is the constant in her life, and she is the same for him.
She has an unrequited crush on a local entertainer at a "Bronze - like" place (that was actually shot on the Bronze set). The entertainer is played by Andy Hallett. Andy Hallett is Lorne, the green-faced demon, from "Angel". Andy had a comparatively small part next to Benson and Marsters. James Marsters has a longer scene with Andy Hallett than Amber Benson does. In places, a guitar player sings songs related to the storyline with lyrics that are startling and earthy.
The movie was shot toward the end of Season Five of Buffy, so James had his Spike hair and it looked pretty much like his Season Five rumpled hairdo. But that's about where the two characters'similarities ended. I was concerned that when I saw the film I would be seeing "Spike" playing another character but I should have known better. After about two minutes, I was seeing "Simon", not "Spike."
One of the best gifts of the movie was the close-ups. We see a lot of close-ups of Chance talking to the camera and it created a personal sense to the movie. However, the stunner was the incredible amount of close-ups of James Marsters. In BTVS we usually see Spike up close only if he's talking, and then we pan quickly to Buffy to see her reactions. Spike gets relatively little screen time over all. Remember the close-up of Spike when Buffy is telling him it's over in Season Six's "As You Were"? Multiply that by fifty times and you'll have an idea of the amount of screen time devoted to close-ups of James Marsters in the movie, "Chance".
This movie is worth the price just for the amount of screen time devoted to our favorite. His face makeup was softer, more human, than the harsher look of Spike. Either way you like him to look, this movie will be more great shots of James Marsters in close-up than in the whole six years he's appeared on Buffy. And his character was so lively and Jamesian - happier, sadder, more scared - just more alive than the Spike character. But so sweet and loving and human that the intense Spike fans won't mind trading him in for 90 minutes of Simon. James Marsters' movie, "Winding Roads," looks like its plot is more of a downer. "Chance" is a slice of life, confusing life, but ultimately happy life. There are enough things to feel down about in real life right now. This film is upbeat.
After the film ended, Nate Barlow fielded questions. I asked if the film had a distributor yet. He said no, but they were working very hard on it. Later, I asked if no distributor was found, would they distribute the film themselves. He said that because CDs were easy and cheap to burn that, yes, they would probably distribute it themselves. Don't pass up this film because it's not Spike. It's lovely, quirky, and enjoyable on its own. One caveat: if you have problems with some strong language, you might want to watch it before you buy a copy. But the language was more a part and parcel of a twentysomething's natural choice of words than an attempt at shock value.
By the way, my twentysomething son decided that he really liked the movie, was glad he went, and wanted to buy a copy of the movie for himself.
Alexandra K.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:42:56 GMT -5
Well, part fifteen intro wasn't perfect either, but at least the link works. I think I'm jinxed on the whole project. Sometimes I really wish I had the edit button function...
Time to just laugh and let the imperfect intros be an idiosyncracy of the board.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:43:51 GMT -5
I spent a good bit of time on my last post and we moved before I sent it. My own fault for taking so long. If anybody cares I sent a big ole' post to close out part 14; it's loaded with opinions, many of which y'all tend to change with your thoughtful disagreements.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:45:24 GMT -5
This is one of the last posts from Part Fourteen. and it tackles a question about vampire leage and stength of blood ties that I've found interesing of late:
Ready Randy? Ready Joan.
How many vamps that come from the Master's bloodline have we seen on both shows?
Master -> Darla -> Angelus -> Druscilla -> Spike.
There was the serial killer vamp sired by Angel in Somnambulist.
Luke (Welcome to the Hellmouth) was sired by the Master I believe. And Jesse may have been sired by him (The Harvest).
Ford in Lie to Me? Although I never thought Spike or Druscilla would do it - but others might. And I could buy that Spike did it as a vampire of his wicked word...
Any other important people in this line that I'm forgetting? The vamp with the glasses?
I've been thinking about vampire lineage being an alegory for aristocratic lineage (briefly flirting with the idea anyway). The idea of a blessed (or damned) succession intrigues me, especially as regards what this special lineage would mean for those who are a part of it. Aside from when Spike was the trigger, I don't see any of these vamps being indiscriminate about who they "procreate" with. This leads me to believe that this lineage has more power than normal in its bloody siring process.
Any thoughts?
[Watergirl pointed out that I should include Holden from CWDP (et al). David Crenshaw from the Angel board pointed out that the Master is/was the head of the Order of Aurelius. So any vampire associated with that order could be part of the Master's lineage. And Theresa, the friend of Buffy's who the gang thought had been killed by Oz in "Phases" was sired by Angelus.]
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:46:36 GMT -5
Alexandra, i'm sure you know this, but a cool factoid nonetheless... Nick Brendon's wife Tressa makes an appearance in the film as well, as I recall. I've never had a chance to see it (so to speak), but I'd really love to.
Amber Benson is one talented woman.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:47:26 GMT -5
"and it tackles a question about vampire leage and stength of blood ties that I've found interesing of late:"
Could there be more grammatical errors in this sentence? I humbly apologize. Please imagine I have an edit button and have fixed this problem.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:48:33 GMT -5
I read your post, Rob, because I'm catching up after a day mostly stuffing and licking envelopes with no internet in sight, so I knew I'd have to catch up tonight.
Everybody, drop back to #14 to read Rob's post. It's about how some of the actors in BtVS bring out the best in others (read: Spike, for instance). It's a heartfelt, thoughtful rambling post, nevertheless one with a point and shouldn't get left behind unread.
Nan
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:49:22 GMT -5
We're used to reading not only between the lines but among the letters. Hardly any of us have an edit button either. If it can be discerned, even with difficulty, it will be read and understood. Be not self-conscious in this company.
I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm hoping somebody else will come up with it.
Nan
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:50:30 GMT -5
Alexandra, i'm sure you know this, but a cool factoid nonetheless... Rob - You are right. Tressa DiFiglia was in the movie. I dithered on telling about her role, but to say much about her part at all would have been to ruin some of the plot for anyone who hasn't seen it. So I ultimately decided to opt for very little spoilage and left her out.
She looks a bit like Nick Brendon with big brown eyes. I could see where he might have been taken with her first by her looks, but I thought I heard an intriguing accent as well. I couldn't place it, as she had few lines.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:51:22 GMT -5
Thanks to the S'cubies who ankled on over to the "Extras" section to check out my maiden (ahem) review of Blash Slash.
Just heard from Kim, and she seems pleased/satisfied with the review. She didn't change a word and even fixed a "thought" that shoulda been a "though" in my following post, that I couldn't fix because I have no edit button. At least I assume it was Kim, prowling the comments and tidying my typos.
She's offered me the post of reviewer of 6 Feet Under, that's going vacant. That's a BIG series, much watched...but not by me, because I don't get any premium channels, only basic cable. So I had to decline. But I was flattered to be asked to become the steady reviewer for such a prominent series. I expect some other series will go vacant that I CAN watch, and then maybe I'll get a regular gig as a reviewer. Seems I passed initial muster.
But nothing is gonna pry my cold, dead hand off my keyboard here. I had no internet today (stuffing/licking/posting envelopes at a one-day job, quite strange--I'm glad I don't have to go back there) and missed you guys.
Nan
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:52:59 GMT -5
In the waning hours of Part Fourteen, Sue recommended an essay, and now I've had a chance to go look at it for myself. It's delightful! Thanks, Sue! Repeating (cut/paste) Sue's original post, so nobody will have missed it: ______________ There's a new fic up at allaboutspike: www.allaboutspike.com/fic.html?id=423 by Gwenyth Rhys. It's presented in the form of an essay. If you like it I suggest we make "Lydia Sothesby" an honorary Scubie. (And maybe so inform Ms. Rhys.) _________________ I like that idea, Sue. How would we go about it...and how go about explaining to her what a S'cubie is? Nan
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:53:47 GMT -5
On allaboutspike, chapter 4 has been added to "Crisis Management" by Kimi. Its premise is that after Storyteller, suddenly, for no discernable reason, Joyce is in the kitchen. Was dead. Isn't anymore. Hijinks ensue. Very good Spike characterization and dialogue in this tale. Got no notion where she's going with it, but it's an interesting ride.
Nan
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:54:31 GMT -5
Nan: That is wonderful that ScoopMe offered you that series. I haven't seen that particular show as I we don't subscribe to HBO. I hope this works out for you and even pays some decent money. What a gravy job that would be!!
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Post by Dalton on Jul 7, 2003 18:55:20 GMT -5
As I was watching this rerun of Buffy, although I hadn't seen it, I was struck by the remorse Spike showed. It made me wonder if the people over on the ep board are watching the same series we are. I mean...how remorseful does one have to be before they can move on??
I so enjoyed watching the 'new' Spike emerge last week. I was heartened by his confidence and strength, inner strength that is.
I am looking forward to Wednesday night and Thursday night on FX. I have seen none of these eps.
I missed so much great conversation last week. I started reading at page 8 of part 13 Sunday afternoon and finished catching up last night.
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