(Extra) thrilling heroics...

POSTED BY: Hawk
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 9, 2004 20:56
VIEWED: 8528
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THALOS

Monday, November 8, 2004 3:21 PM

Rutt'in triple post.

THALOS

Monday, November 8, 2004 3:21 PM

Rutt'in quadruple post.

(What is going on with my computer???)

PURPLEBELLY

Monday, November 8, 2004 3:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Amanda4u:
What could it mean? You must explain yourself!

You've asked for it now. Get that scroll button ready

Good hijack, Zoid

BTW I've always admired Morena's athleticism in those improbably tight clothes;
you'll have to ask the customiere if there's any wirework

ZOID

Monday, November 8, 2004 4:36 PM

Amanda4u wrote:

Quote:
...She could be playing Inara's mother or house mistress or sister even. Okay, Morena's stunt double, one that has to look very similar to her, is the same stunt double to "mystery lady", so we know that "mystery lady" will be in action sequences, and she might look extraordinarily like Morena in the movie...

At the end of that paragraph, you did seem to be getting a sense of the disparity I felt when I saw the IMDB listing. I feel that incongruity is the biggest clue to the 'mystery woman'.

Okay, to begin with, the 'mystery woman' is Shoreh Aghdashloo, who is not only an Oscar nominee from just last year, but also bears a striking resemblance to Inara, if she were 30 years older (in fact, Morena should be so lucky to be that gorgeous in her mid-fifties).

Like you said, Shoreh could be playing Inara's mum, or house mistress or sister. Others have suggested she could be playing the cleaning woman (the Shadout Mable) or the President of the Alliance or anything else. Just because Ms. Aghdashloo and Morena share a stunt woman who was once an NCAA champion gymnast doesn't mean anything, except that Shoreh and Morena have similar hair and skin tones and height.

And I would agree with them, except for one niggling suspicion that won't be easily dispelled: Why doesn't Shoreh have a cast listing? If she's Inara's mommy, why would you leave a noted and distinguished actor unlisted from your credits, instead of simply including 'Shoreh Agdashloo = Azeera Serra'? Would finding out -- before the movie -- that Inara has a biological parent be a big spoiler? FAN: "Oh, my God(dess)! Inara has a mother! What could it all mean?!"

Iterate that logic through all the other speculated roles, and consider if a listing in the Cast section would be any more spoilng than 'Chiwetel Ejiofor = The Operative' (which is very suggestive, don't you think?) or 'David Krumholz = Mr. Universe' (apparently he's a freelance digital information agent, or 'cracker' as they're known today). I don't think any of those combinations of 'Shoreh =' are spoiling (i.e., 'Shoreh = President', 'Shoreh = House Priestess').

There's only one combination that couldn't be listed: 'Shoreh Agdashloo = Inara Serra'. You couldn't put that one in the cast listing, could you? And so, they didn't. It's a mystery, but only because we're talking about an Oscar-nominated actress with a 'black hole' where her cast listing should be, while other worthies like 'Demetra Raven = Girl Student #2' (surely, an Academy classmate of River's) do have one.

On the other hand, maybe Joss is playing head games with us (me). JW: "Who me?! Why, I'd never muck about with my fans heads like that! Although, on the other hand, thanks for the compliment." Still, it'd be a little insulting to Ms. Agdashloo to perpetrate such a hoax and not give her due credit for her performance... Unless it's no hoax (i.e., I've guessed correctly) and her listing can't be included until after the theatrical run, because it spoils the plot, similar to a listing of 'Kevin Spacey = The Killer' would be spoiling in a Cast entry for "Se7en" (sorry if that spoiled "Se7en" for you, but hey, sh*t happens Mr. Van Winkle).

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Explicatively,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

Only 164 days, 12 hours, 56 minutes, and 8 seconds left until The BDM!
(...and we find out that Inara is actually at least 56 years old, kept young-looking by regular injections and yearly rejuvenation treatments. Her "same as last year" comment in the "Ariel" ep is good evidence seen from this viewpoint. She's not getting better, she's getting older.)

ZOID

Monday, November 8, 2004 4:52 PM

Purp:

You know me so well. You jumped my route like a Pro Bowl corner, and took it to the house. Good to have you back!

On a personal note, I'd have cast you as 'Mr. Universe', in deference to your past as a BOH.

v/r,
zed

P.S.
American football references may not be apropos, but, as PurpleBelly has pointed out, I'm nothing if not a creature of (very predictable) habit.

PIZMOBEACH

Monday, November 8, 2004 6:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hawk:
Two things the series seem to avoid:

From the western quarter:
"Trick shots". Things like Sergio Leone's No-Name winning three-men-on-one-man shootouts, almost preternatural marksmanship etc.

Uhhh.. butcher's knife??!! Anyone remember River's amazing 3 ball combination at the Niska Plex?

You might want to check out the interview with JW posted at http://joblo.com - looks like we're 170 odd days from some wire exploits too.

ZOID

Monday, November 8, 2004 6:45 PM

pizmobeach:

Yeah, and to come back from the detour to 'young Inara'/'old Inara', the fact that Ms. Silvestri was a gymnast suggests that both Inaras may perform gymnastics in their fighting scenes. Additionally, any other Companions seen in the film may be similarly trained in esoteric martial arts and physical disciplines. Think 'Shaolin priestesses', rather than Trinity or Yoda, per se.

Hopefully, no outright flying -- as in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" -- but, some Michelle Yeoh-style fighting would explain a lot about why sp'whores don't need sp'pimps...

Here's Karin:
http://www.usastunts.com/members/karinsilvestri/

Be sure to check out her Quicktime demo reel on that page, for a feel of what 'the Inaras' will look like fighting.

v/r,
zed

PIZMOBEACH

Monday, November 8, 2004 7:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PurpleBelly:
You've asked for it now. Get that scroll button ready Good hijack, Zoid

I should have listened - my bad.

Soooo, I just happen to have a can of gasoline handy....you've deduced that the older actress might be Inara without her youth-dope - does she make it out of the movie alive? Or is Inara the "price of freedom" that JW has mentioned in some Serenity interviews?

DELIA

Monday, November 8, 2004 8:45 PM

Zoid,

Have you considered that Inara is really a man and Bruce Willis is dead? (As long as you're giving away endings and potential endings.)

I'm not quite convinced. For one thing, I REALLY don't want it to be anti-aging drugs, which is a notion that has always bugged me. For another, this is Joss. He doesn't play fair. And it is not unheard of distinguished actors to do unbilled cameos. In fact, it's kind of an honor, as it implies that surely everyone will recognize you without us having to tell them.

Delia

___________________________________________
Giles: Don’t taunt the fear demon.
Xander: Why, can he hurt me?
Giles: No, it’s just . . . tacky.

ZOID

Monday, November 8, 2004 11:15 PM

pizmobeach:

Gosh, I hope she doesn't die; especially since Morena seems so keen on the role and possible sequels. I just think it means Mal is gonna have to make a difficult decision, and endure another gut-punch twist of fate. He clearly loves her. The question then becomes, does he love her for who she is, or for what she looks like? Can he still love a woman 20 years his senior, in the same way he could love a woman 10 years his junior?

But, put away those matches and read on, because...

Delia, Mistress of Tomes:

When I originally stated this theory, I put it in spoiler tags. Someone else told me I was being ridiculous, because I have no certain knowledge of the veracity of the theory. I'm just speculating, like everyone else.

When I first posted on this board back on April Fool's Day '04, I reposted some of the stuff I had originally posted on alt.tv.firefly some months prior. Just some pet theories I had developed, as a way of introducing myself. My first reprint was a 3-part series on the role of apostasy and religion in Firefly. At that time, I felt that Inara (and possibly her mom, 'Azeera') was a member of an ancient Babylonian religion, which no longer exists. Literally, a 'Whore of Babylon', the temple priestesses were notable for practicing sexual acts as a means of worship and 'healing'. I also postulated that the contents of her syringe -- which she ponders in the pilot ep -- was an amphetamine/adrenaline-type drug that would allow her to move faster than an assailant.

The fact that Ms. Silvestri is Morena's stunt double may be evidence that my initial theory was correct instead. Of course, we're still not any closer to knowing why Shoreh needs a stunt double, or why she's not listed in credits. I grok your argument about cameos for well-known stars; but Ms. Agdashloo is hardly so familiar a face that people would recognize her, this side of the Iranian movie industry...

So, for my money, they're either both Inara, or the whole thing is an epic hoax.

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
Inara's mom's name is not Azeera. I made it up.
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

Only 164 days, 6 hours, 4 minutes, and 57 seconds left until The BDM!
(When all shall be revealed)

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