The Daily Teaser — 21-08-2012

You know, I’ve got to be frank, it’s handy following Stephen Fry on Twitter, it really is!

He’s flagged up this little article from Scientific American, by David Pogue*.

Who argues that Hollywood’s encouraging online piracy by not allowing online vendors — iTunes, Netflix, LoveFilm, whoever — to rent out films at a cheaper price — and for three days, rather than 1.

Can’t say I disagree.

I know that iTunes movie rental prices are eye-popping, at times: especially when you’re on a budget.

Let’s get moving on, shall we?

Before I go into rant mode.

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Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with mentioning she could do with a curryº, also bagging 5 out of 6.

Let’s see  how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video … 

Q1) 21st August, 2017 will see a Solar Eclipse: on which day of the week  … ?

Q2) 21st August, 1968, saw a Soviet clampdown on Czechoslovakia: name any of those five (then) invading countries.

Q3) More to the point, name either of Czechoslovakia’s two successor states …

Q4) 21st August, 1969, saw Michael Dennis Rohan attempt to burn down the Al-Aqsa Mosque: Al-Aqsa translates into English as what … ?

Q5) And finally … 21st August, 1991, saw which Baltic state declare its independence … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 20th August, 1926, saw the founding of Japan’s public broadcaster, the NHK: what does NHK stand for … ?

A1) Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai.

Q2) More to the point, what’s the English translation of that company’s name … ?

A2) Japan Broadcasting Corporation.

Q3) 20th August, 1920, saw American Football’s NFL established: what does NFL stand for … ?

A3) National Football League.

Q4) More to the point, how many teams were in the NFL, in that first year … ?

A4) 16.

Q5) 20th August, 1975, saw NASA launch the Viking 1 probe at Mars: what’s the name of NASA’s recently landed Mars rover … ?

A5) Curiosity.

Q6) And finally … 20th August, 1960, saw which country break away from the Mali Federation … ?

A6) Senegal.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Sergey Brin: the Google co-founder celebrates his birthday, today.

“Technology is an inherent democratizer. Because of the evolution of hardware and software, you’re able to scale up almost anything. It means that in our lifetime everyone may have tools of equal power.”   Sergey Brin born August 21, 1973

And with this tune from The Clash, in memory of the late Joe Strummer … 

*        He of Missing Manual fame.

º        How about a Chinese, Debbi … ?   Or a pizza … !   (Actually, Debbi, it’s when I suggest Martian cuisine we know we’re in trouble … !)

A Dark Knight … Returns.

Well there’s a thing …

It seems that “Dark Knight”, which I posted about, a couple of weeks ago, is up for the Best Film gong, from the Producers Guild of America, at their awards ceremony, soon.   It’s generally considered to be a GOOD indicator of what’ll be up for the Oscars.

Combine that with the fact the late Heath Ledger has been nominated for the Best Supporting Actor gong, at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild do, and things look good for it.

I’ll admit my immediate cynical thought was that Heath Ledger made a damn good career move, the night of his death, considering it gave his last completed film a lot of free advertising, but thats not necessarily a side of myself I like that much.

Obviously, it’s a hell of a loss; — to his immediate family, and daughter, his fans, and to the movie going community, as a whole.

And this seems a fairly good way to offer some form of commemoration.

But the mixed feelings I have about this, are compounded by the simple fact that I’m a bit of a science fiction fan.   It’s nice to think a science-fiction-ish film could follow “The Lord Of the Rings”, by bagging one of the big ones at a certain Gong Show …

Arrakis

I’ve managed to postthis shot of Siân Phillips, as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, and José Ferrer, as the Padishah Emperor Shaddam the 4th in David Lynch’s film version of Frank Herbert’s Dune.   

As a fan of the novel?   I always felt a little ambiguous about Lynch’s film version, beautifully designed though it is.

You see, I’ve always felt that, before you go and see The Film of the Book I always think that – given that it’s a book or film you may think is eye-catching enough to go and spend money on – you should read the book first.   Let’s face, we all know that, just occasionally, Hollywood can make a complete horlicks of a job, and turn out something with little or no resemblance to its named source material.

I,Robot is one such example.   It’s a great, entertaining romp of a Will Smith action movie — something he can and does  dovery well — but in my view, one that had little to do with Isaac Asimov’s original short story collection of the same name.

Beyond a few names, and the obligatory quoting of the Three Laws Of Robotics, that is.

But I’m sidetracking, here.

Returning to my original point, I bought my first copy of Dune, just before the David Lynch film saw its UK release, back in the mid 1980s.   Frankly, the quote from Arthur C. Clarke, on the back cover, about Dune being the SF equivalent of Lord of the Rings had caught my eye, along with the attendant publicity surrounding the movie.

And practically fell in love with that novel, from that first line; – “In the week before their departure for Arrakis, when all the final scurrying about had reached a nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to visit the boy, Paul.” (Extracted from Dune, © 1965, Frank Herbert)

I shared my first name with Paul Atreides, was roughly the same age as him, and could sympathize with someone who was described, practically within the first couple of pages, as “… small for his age”.

I’m 5’ 2”, just so you know.

What’s more, Paul Atriedes ends up ruling the entire known human universe: something that had a lot of appeal to a spotty teen, who’s very unsure of himself.

I didn’t have the actually money to see the film, on its UK release, though.

But that purchase did start a love affair with both the rest of Frank Herbert’s Dune series.   Although I wasn’t as impressed with the spin-offs and prequels Brian Herbert co-wrote with Kevin J Anderson; – although, granted, if it’s anyone’s sandbox to play in, it’s Brian’s.

Seeing the film, though, was something of a disappointment, in comparison.

I’ve seen enough of David Lynch’s film to satisfy myself that he is one of the cinematic greats of our time; – Elephant Man is an iconic, must see flick, and I’m looking forward to tracking down some of his other work, in time.

But I can’t help but think, especially having seen the Peter Jackson version of the Lord of The Ring trilogy, that he was the wrong man to attempt Dune.

But that original novel of Frank Herbert’s?

Let’s face it, a book that, on one level, tells the story of a group of religious fanatics, fighting for their freedom, in the middle of a desert, and trying to disable the one thing that keeps the transport system going is very, very relevant.

And needs VERY careful treatment.

Wouldn’t you say?