Firefly

[Reply #200 on:]

I think Firefly sucks. That's right, you heard me. I tried to like it - just couldn't.

[Reply #201 on:]

Well I think you suck!

Yeah, that aught to show him...

[Reply #202 on:]

I now feel terribly upset.

[Reply #203 on:]

your music is bad and you should feel bad! that's right, i said it flamer

[Reply #204 on:]

[Reply #205 on:]

I don't remember that gold trim on her dress.

[Reply #206 on:]

And I'm pretty sure that Reaver was RIGHT handed!!
99 bucks is a bit much though, although the SG-1 figures they have look cool too.

[Reply #207 on:]

Eh, I like http://timespacetoys.stores.yahoo.net/  better

[Reply #208 on:]

Made by Diamond Select Toys... the site I just linked! 

[Reply #209 on:]

Well there you go.

[Reply #210 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nixorbo:
New 2-disc special edition of Serenity in stores this July

By "July" I of course meant "August 21"

[Reply #211 on:]

i watched this show a few times and couldn't see what's the big deal about it- is it the "space western outlaw" thing that draws people to it or what?

[Reply #212 on:]

Could be the exceptionally well-written witty dialogue, or the subversive undertone, or the perfect cinematography, crackling spot-on characterization and highly symbolic devices and scenes... or any number of other stratospheric heights it reached in a very short time.

[Reply #213 on:]

eh, different strokes for different folks. the only show i've found more average than firefly was space: above and beyond. it's not that i didn't like it, it was just unmemorable.

[Reply #214 on:]

Have you seen the movie follow-on from Firefly? It's called 'Serenity', and it may just change your mind about the whole thing. It's arguably one of the greatest modern-age sci-fi films.

[Reply #215 on:]

i saw bits and pieces of it, i think. that's the one with the space cannibals and black guy going around killing people and a guy named dr. universe or something right? that was a good movie from what i saw.

[Reply #216 on:]

Yes... yes. Watch it properly.

[Reply #217 on:]

I was sad that Joss apparently felt like he had to rush through some storylines in Serenity. I'm sure River's was meant to go on for a million billion seasons before we'd see any closure. Also, Book's.

Other than that, yes- Serenity was a magnificent piece of cinema.

[Reply #218 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nixorbo:
 By "July" I of course meant "August 21"

Is that the one Australia's had for a while already? or a slightly different one?

I'm collecting as many copies as i can. So far i have:

Serenity (DVD) - Single Disc US Edtion
Serenity (DVD) - Single Disc South African/Euro Edition
Serenity (UMD) - Australian/Euro PSP Movie

I still need to get the Aussie single and double disc editions though...

[Reply #219 on:]

I have the double-disk edition for some reason. Makes no sense for me; being an old-fashioned type, I've never bothered much with special features. I just like watching the movie.

[Reply #220 on:]

i saw some of firefly and watched through serenity...and i think it's very overrated but then again i think joss whedon's writing is overrated as well.

[Reply #221 on:]

Hey, how about a European one of those collector's editions?

[Reply #222 on:]

 

Originally posted by bored idiot:
i saw some of firefly and watched through serenity...and i think it's very overrated but then again i think joss whedon's writing is overrated as well.

Your mom's overrated.

[Reply #223 on:]

 

Originally posted by bored idiot:
i think joss whedon's writing is overrated

I agree.  For one thing, he's not very original.  It's pretty obvious where most of his ideas come from, if you're familiar with the source material.  Of course, most Whedon fans aren't, so they eat it up with a spoon; which is understandable, because it is good stuff.

[Reply #224 on:]

Is David A going to make the 'Joss Whedon nicks everything from anime' connection, again? He is, isn't he? 

[Reply #225 on:]

"going to"?  I thought that I already had.  Was I too subtle for you?

Anyway, I'd be willing to give the guy the benefit of doubt and assume that he was just making homages, but he never seems to mention any of this stuff when he talks about what his influences are.

[Reply #226 on:]

I know a few people who say he supposedly does this, but they can never come up with examples...

[Reply #227 on:]

Do you want a list?

[Reply #228 on:]

   

"going to"? I thought that I already had. Was I too subtle for you?

Oh, no, not really. You implied that people with the source material would know what was taken, but gave no clue as to what that source material was. Now, those of us who've known you long enough on this site would know what you're talking about, but poor folks who came late to the party would have no clue. So, I made it a little more obvious. Also, I was teasing.     

I've seen your comparisons. I 'unno. Guess they weren't the revelation I was expecting. Half the stuff was just, you know, hallmarks of the genres, and most of the others were tenuous links at best. (Yes. Even the girl-in-a-box.)

And, well, I guess the shows feel very different from what they're supposed to be ripping off, regardless of a few thematic similarities. It'd be like me drawing parallels between LOTR and Star Wars. Similar sorts of stories, so there's cross-overs, but... eh...

Oh! And Star Wars and Dune! They both have spice AND deserts! And an Empire!


But, though I've seen the lists before, I'm sure the people playing along at home haven't. Hit us, Dave.       

To make explicit: I'm not saying Whedon is the most original writer ever, or the best thing that's ever hit TV.

[Reply #229 on:]

 

Originally posted by SlackJawedMoron:
    To make explicit: I'm not saying Whedon is the most original writer ever, or the best thing that's ever hit TV.

His dialogue alone makes up for any perceived shortcomings.
I don't really see much of an anime link myself. Bebop's probably the closest thematically and stylistically and even that's a world apart...

Besides - even if it is the case that Whedon was inspired by the likes of Shinichiro Watanabe; he could do a lot worse.

[Reply #230 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nixorbo:
 Your mom's overrated.

so this is what it's like...to be pwned.

[Reply #231 on:]

 

Originally posted by David A:
Do you want a list?

I don't know, actually. If there's gonna be a list I guess I will read it but it's not something I care deeply about with a white-hot passion. It's not like anything is properly and truly new anymore.

However, if you feel like providing us with a list, try not to make it "[thing] in Firefly was ripped off from [anime show]", but rather "...was ripped off from [anime show] where [character] did [action] with [something] to [objective]".

[Reply #232 on:]

Doo be doo be doo.

Next time on firefly


We bend the rules, out here in deep space.

What's this!?

Oh, no, Reavers!

Our fearless leader, He's mean with a six-gun!

Quick, back to Serenity

Wait!  We're canceled!

...


Next time, on Battlestar Galactica!

That being said, I'm a fan of all the above series.  I have nothing against Joss, RDM or anybody who watches a japanese cartoon and says "I could bring that to US TV."  Even if they don't credit the inspiring source.

It's better if they don't.  It lets me make snooty posts like this.

[Reply #233 on:]

Those sorts of elements were generic a long long time before any of us were old enough to comment on them being generic.
...with the possible exception of Nixorbo, who I'm told may actually pre-date the Earth.

**

Eclectic rag-tag crews of spaceships are nothing new. Blake's Seven did that way back in 1978 (one example of how anime has borrowed as much from 'western' media as has been done in reverse).

Little people fit in boxes. That's just a given.

Ravenous flesh-eating monsters have been with us since the Hammer Horror flicks of the 1930s.

Western heroes have six-shooters. Have had since the beginning of the 20th Century when the first movies were being made.

Pretty, dignified ladies are an archtype based in reality.

And grubby, ugly spaceships are a dime a dozen in all manner of sci-fi, from Alien to Red Dwarf, and everything in-between. They're just plain fun.

**

In conclusion - it's probably unfair to say that Whedon was inspired directly or exclusively by anime, because those same elements exist in abundance from many other sources and because anime itself has borrowed many of those elements.

[Reply #234 on:]

I was expecting such a list, and that's why I said I'd like some elaboration. So just copy/paste Coldy's response in here, because that's what I think as well.

[Reply #235 on:]

I will have to get those comics who tie the series with the movie

[Reply #236 on:]

 

Originally posted by coldangel_1:
...with the possible exception of Nixorbo, who I'm told may actually pre-date the Earth.

::Shifty eyes::  What have you heard?

 

Originally posted by Javier Lopez:
I will have to get those comics who tie the series with the movie

Yes.  Yes you will.

[Reply #237 on:]

I will too... I will also have to get the "Done the Impossible" DVD, although that's probably gonna be nigh impossible.

[Reply #238 on:]

I had those comics. I found them rather breif and vapid, contributing little to the series despite being lauded as canon and a bridging between series and film.
Only interesting element to come from them was the motivation for Book's departure.
I sold them.

[Reply #239 on:]

ATTENTION: Cap'n Mal Fans

Nathan Fillion is providing a voice in the upcoming Halo 3 game.

Here is a clip where you can very distinctively hear him.

I hope he either gets to say "They don't like it when you shoot at them, I worked that out myself" or "We are too pretty for God to let us die" or somesuch at any point.