What Question Would You Most Like To See Answerd In Serenity?

POSTED BY: DarkHood
UPDATED: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 20:58
VIEWED: 9072
PAGE 4 of 5

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT PAGE

ZOID

Monday, May 10, 2004 2:11 AM

PBI wrote:

Quote:
The one worry I have is that the movie will be a flop from a quality viewpoint. Just because it was good TV doesn't mean it will translate well to the big screen. Both TV and the movies have sufficiently large graveyards of producers and directors who thought because they were good in one medium, they'd be good in the other.

I can appreciate your fear. But answer this question: Discounting the TV-budget sets, wardrobe and supernumerary-sparse battle scenes, when you finally got a chance to see the 2-hour pilot, "Serenity", didn't you think you'd just seen a terrific stand-alone movie? I did. I'm something of a film lover, and I thought it was witty, touching and with never a misstep in the story or its pacing. If they'd spent $50M on the scenery and other details, it would have been a blockbuster in the theatres. That's what Firefly: Serenity is going to be. A theatrical-grade Joss Whedon/Tim Minear story; not the same story, but a story only they can tell, as only they can tell it. I, for one, am very excited; I know JW and TM are going to do us proud. Even though I expect them to give us pretty solid answers to some of these questions, I also expect that the movie will amaze us, as well. I've got a feeling...

Hits like "The Sixth Sense" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" have proven that a significant portion of the moviegoing public are looking for something more than just formulaic drivel for their entertainment dollars. Firefly: Serenity will give them that 'more', in spades.

Fly baby, fly. Make your Mama sigh!

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"I felt sorry for River. If you can believe it, she was a frightened, confused child. Well... Things do change, don't they?"

- Zoë Warren, noted children's author, from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

RIV

Monday, May 10, 2004 4:24 AM

I'd like to see the Blue Sun answered. Who are they? What is thier true purpose? And what is River for? I'd also like to know about Book, the ship relationships, and what Inara seems to be running from.

BTW: Zoid, I like your quote, where is it from? A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence sounds intersting, what is it?

_______________________________________________
Two by two. Hands of blue.-River Tam

I support River and Jayne!
I support Zoe and Wash!
I support Simon and Kaylee!
I support Mal and Inara!

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, May 10, 2004 3:56 PM

Who was Book before becoming a Shephard?

What was done to River and why?

Those are the two questions I want answered the most.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

ZOID

Monday, May 10, 2004 4:05 PM

Riv wrote:

Quote:
BTW: Zoid, I like your quote, where is it from? A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence sounds intersting, what is it?

Well, Riv, it was just a little idea I had when I started posting here. Here's a canned description I send folks when they ask...

I don't write fanfic, and I'm not writing a Firefly-based novel. As for the tags, lots of people enjoy them, which is most gratifying.

Here's how I describe them: I make 'em up. First, I have some very specific ideas about where JW & Co. might be taking specific characters, and the series as a whole. So, while everyone else uses their favorite actual quotes from the series (and they're my favorites, too), I -- in my irrational need to be different while remaining a heartfelt member of this wonderfully funny and thoughtful community -- have come up with 'future quotes', written from the perspective of where I think the show was eventually going. Rather than spell that future out in fanfic style, I prefer to just dance around it tantalizingly.

This is also in the tradition of sci-fi novels, wherein Frank Herbert (just for instance) quotes Princess Irulan's historical account of Paul's rise to God Emperor status, even while Paul's story is still being revealed to the reader. So, I'm not totally 'out there' on this one...

All nine characters will eventually comment, in a candid, off-hand way about River. Through those comments and the short identification of the speaker -- fashioned after a history book citation -- I hint at my predictions about how the 'big picture' story arc will go. I've already done Book, Inara, Kaylee, Jayne and Zoë; next is Wash, then Simon and Mal. River will comment last, and they're all written, now...

I don't claim clairvoyance, so don't blame me if my vision and JW's differs pretty significantly. It's just fun to do.

Anyway, glad you enjoy them. New ones come out on my first post, each Monday (please note there's a new one from Wash at the bottom of this post). Hope to hear from you on the boards.

As a closing thought, Firefly is pregnant with possibilities at this point. It is neither my right, my intent, nor my desire to collapse those possibilities to one concrete vision. Only one man has that right: Joss Whedon. I'm sure he'll do that -- even if I've gotten very close to correctly guessing some outcomes -- in a way that amazes us all. As Book said (paraphrased), "It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that's the worthier part."

I have no doubt that Joss will make us all glad we booked passage on his Firefly, Serenity...

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Even back when, River had that indefinable 'it', y'know? Inquisitive, insightful -- Very focused... Some things never change."

- 'Wash' Warren, Chief Architect and co-proprietor, "Cretaceous Park", Hera; from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

DELIA

Monday, May 10, 2004 5:35 PM

So, Zoid, do you ever get tired of having to explain the source for your quotes?

I like Wash's; I kinda figured he was in business with Jayne after your last hint. And I like the little play between his and Zoe's. Is it my imagination, or are they changing more frequently than they used to?

ZOID

Monday, May 10, 2004 6:07 PM

Delia, G'day! How goes the library-ing?

You wrote:

Quote:
So, Zoid, do you ever get tired of having to explain the source for your quotes?

No. ;)

People like them, so it's a genuine pleasure to do the quotes and explain the process. I get like six to ten positive and encouraging letters a week through FFFn's 'send message' feature; no negatives thus far, although this admission is probably inviting such trouble...

Quote:
I like Wash's; I kinda figured he was in business with Jayne after your last hint. And I like the little play between his and Zoe's.

Yeah, one of the main things I base the 'quotes' on is my observations of the characters' personalities and interactions. Wash is not particularly afraid of Jayne ("You wanna go little man?", "Not unless it's someplace nice with candlelight"). I can see them entering into a business partnership after the WoI 2, where Wash is the brains (help us) and Jayne is the brawn. 'Cretaceous Park' was a little joke I came up with a couple months back in a different venue. Wash loves dinosaurs, Jayne strikes me as a good fit for a safari guide/game warden. And of course, the movie "Jurassic Park" had Triceratops and T. Rex, both of which were from the Cretaceous period, not the Jurassic.

As far as the play between Wash and Zoe's quotes, like I said, look at the difference between Zoe's interview aboard the Alliance cruiser in "Bushwhacked" and Wash's. They see things differently (which makes them the perfect image of an actual married couple, IMO). In Firefly to date, Zoe seems more concerned about River; motherly, if you will. Wash seems to be the only character aboard who's not actively afraid of River. I think he's more intrigued by her...

Quote:
Is it my imagination, or are they changing more frequently than they used to?

Nope. Today's Monday. First post every Monday morning sports a new one. Simon, Mal and River left.

On a library-related note: Do you ever still have to sing in your head, "QRS, TUV, WX, Y and Z" in order to remember the order of those last few letters? I don't sing 'em, but I do still have to run the progression, occasionally.

We make ATIS (Automated Terminal Information Service) recorded broadcasts using ICAO phonetics ("Alpha, Bravo, Charlie", etc.) When we get down around 'Victor' I've got to remind myself that 'Whiskey' is next; and I've caught my coworkers saying them aloud, too.

So, do librarians have to consciously remember the order when they're doing sorting or reshelving?

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Even back when, River had that indefinable 'it', y'know? Inquisitive, insightful -- Very focused... Some things never change."

- 'Wash' Warren, Chief Architect and co-proprietor, "Cretaceous Park", Hera; from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

DELIA

Monday, May 10, 2004 7:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:

On a library-related note: Do you ever still have to sing in your head, "QRS, TUV, WX, Y and Z" in order to remember the order of those last few letters? I don't sing 'em, but I do still have to run the progression, occasionally.

Let me put it this way. In a fit of organizing, back as an undergrad, I sorted all my mother's spices onto two shelves in the spice cabinet, broken down alphabetically. Then I made little signs, which are still up (though the spices are all mixed up again) and which announced that the top shelf was for A-H and the bottom shelf was for G-Z. Came back into the kitchen to find the ginger on the counter with a note that said "I don't know where I belong." So I suspect I'll be singing the alphabet song the rest of my life, though I get more confused in the middle than at the end. (I also, thanks to Jiminy Cricket, have to sing e-n-c-y-c-l-o-p-e-d-i-a to get that word spelled correctly. Thankfully, I can do all this singing in my head!)

As for call numbers in libraies, I actually find the number part a little harder than the letter part, since under some systems you can get long messy ones like "QE861.4 .P38 2004." Which is why, really, I'm hoping to be a reference librarian when I finish this degree. Possibly at an academic library, where you can hand off the fun tasks like reshelving to a work-study undergrad.

I've always had trouble with the Alpha-Bravo-Charlie alphabet; there are some I cannot remember no matter how many times I memorize the list -- P, S, U, and W. No idea why.

As for Wash being the brains and Jayne the brawn, I can see it, and certainly more believable than the other way around. So is Zoe writing the future equivilent of Danny the Dinosaur, or has she carved out her own niche?

ZOID

Monday, May 10, 2004 9:51 PM

Delia:

Yikes! That whole 'call numbers' thing made me rethink any intentions on a career in library arts.

You also wrote:

Quote:
I've always had trouble with the Alpha-Bravo-Charlie alphabet; there are some I cannot remember no matter how many times I memorize the list -- P, S, U, and W. No idea why.

Well, (zoid affects Viennese accent) it's perfectly clear vhy you haf a problem remembering zose letters. You are repressing your veelings. You haf a father fixation, you vant to live in zie mountains, you are attracted to men in the military or police, and you drink too much.

The letters are 'Papa', 'Sierra', 'Uniform' and 'Whiskey'.

Quote:
As for Wash being the brains and Jayne the brawn, I can see it, and certainly more believable than the other way around. So is Zoe writing the future equivalent of Danny the Dinosaur, or has she carved out her own niche?

Her own niche, I should suspect, though she might do one with dinos in it, for her biggest 'baby boy', hmmm? Zoe's modus operandi seems to include a talent and a need to relate things to others. A lot of her lines seem to deal with relating her past experiences to other characters on the show.

I'd like to think that the 'verse will be a more benign place once the major storyline of Firefly is complete. I'd also like to think that she'll be able to turn in her guns and get her wish for children and a family. I further think she'd be a very good mother (if for no other reason than she thinks so, and who's gonna argue with her? Not me). It just seemed natural that she would be a storyteller.

Respectfully,

zoid
P.S.
Your mom could've always put half the bottle on one shelf, half on the other. That way she wouldn't have made her daughter look like a boob... :)
_________________________________________________

"Even back when, River had that indefinable 'it', y'know? Inquisitive, insightful -- Very focused... Some things never change."

- 'Wash' Warren, Chief Architect and co-proprietor, "Cretaceous Park", Hera; from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

DELIA

Monday, May 10, 2004 10:01 PM

Zoid,

Thanks for the psychoanalysis. If this were a peanuts cartoon, I'd gladly pay the nickle. (Actually, I think part of my problem is that whenever I hear the alphabet being used, I think of the part of Hot Shots where they say, "Alpha Velveeta Knuckles Underwear you are clear for takeoff," and have to giggle for a moment.)

I agree that Zoe would make a good mother, and I think her writing a dino story for all her children (Wash included) is pretty reasonable. Plus, if she did it right, could drum up some business for the park.

Delia

P.S. As for the ginger, I don't even remember which of my parents it was -- they both gave me a hard time about it. But that's sort of the way my family works, and none of us takes it too seriously -- we laugh a lot.

ZOID

Tuesday, May 11, 2004 1:04 AM

Delia:

The laughter of love is always good; it heals the soul in a way nothing else does.

Being able to laugh at oneself shows that we're not taking ourselves too seriously. Nobody is really all that impressive at a basic level. Sometimes we forget that fact and get 'full of ourselves'. It helps to put things in their proper perspective, when we poke holes in our own façades.

Of course, I don't need to poke holes in my façade. It's a naturally occurring phenomenon... I've got a saying, "Mistakes are the only way we learn things. Nobody ever learned anything, who got everything right on the first try." By this rationale, I should be quite learned, indeed.

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Even back when, River had that indefinable 'it', y'know? Inquisitive, insightful -- Very focused... Some things never change."

- 'Wash' Warren, Chief Architect and co-proprietor, "Cretaceous Park", Hera; from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT PAGE