OT: 'Lost' and more...

[TerranC]

Atrocities said:
Ya, but they negelect to tell you that as part of the once in a life time get away, you get away for good as your head is seperated from your body.

That was just bad. I'm just going to pretend that you weren't yourself when you typed this.

And regards to Lost, Lost is crap. It killed what little interest I had in it the moment I saw that episode with the korean couple.

[AMF]

TerranC said:
And regards to Lost, Lost is crap. It killed what little interest I had in it the moment I saw that episode with the korean couple.

Which one? Why? I think it's certainly an intriguing show, especially since it's clearly not just about the Island, and not just about the present...I also think the metaphysical aspects are fascinating. And it's creepy. My only real bummer is that it's easy to make things seem weird, unexplainable , inextricable, but it's a lot harder to tie it all together in a decent way. I mean, there is so much strange stuff going on that at a certain point I just get to wondering whether the only way to explain it all is by invoking God, lots of dream sequences, or some other deux ex machina. Which is fine, but it does seem sort of a cop out. Like when St. Elsewhere ended (I think it was that one) where the entire series over the years was shown to be the hallucinations of an autistic kid. That's just bad writing.

If they can wrap it all up in a way that answers questions, that's what I want. The tendency for writers of this sort of show, however, is to leave as many questions unanswered as otherwise - I think becuase, at the end of the day, they've hyped all the mystery so much that they actually can't satisfy all their mysteries.

That's not to say that such a tactic is inherently a bad thing. I greatly appreciate those writers like John Fowles or David Lynch who approach their subject as if the reader/viewer was part of it. Didja ever read the French Lieutenants' Woman? It's a great book, very very well written, and pulls you into the role of the protagonist very well. And then, near the end of the book, when the protagonist becomes very confused and disoriented by new sudden information, the author imparts the same feelings in the reader by messing with the writing and, of all things, the pagination. It's a cute little trick, but just as the protagonist is feeling like everything he's assumed up to that point is up to question, the reader also feels like the ground has been pulled out from under them, becuase suddenly they're reading the same, but slightly different, passages twice, and the page numbers are slighlty screwy, etc...it's good work, and for years I didn't really get what was going on.

Or, howabout Lost Highway by David Lynch. One cogent interpretation of that movie is that it's all pretty much a hallucination in this guys head - but the point is not that as much as the fact that, as a viewer, you are as confused and off-gaurd as the protagonist...

Essentially, they're pulling the reader/viewer directly into the piece, and, if done well, is pretty fascinating, and stays with you.

I just hope they don't do that with lost, becuase of the fact that it's almost impossible for the viewer to relate to the subject matter - hence it would be another 'Matrix' or 'Donnie Darko' where it's a great yarn, and fascinates, but has ultimately less staying power or value as literature.

Geez, I really am rambling today.

I really must stop drinking so much coffee in the morning.

Thanks,

Alarik

[TerranC]

alarikf said:Which one? Why?

Episode 6.

Edit: as to why, I think this sums it up: the episode's title is "House of the Rising Sun" and it's supposed to be about a Korean woman who's surname is sun. That's not witty. That's just downright stupid.

[Randallw]

If you mean the one which concentrated on the husband, I thought it was good. We see things from the husbands perspective and learn that his wife is wrong about him, and that what he does is to protect her.

[AMF]

Combat Wombat said:

The tourism site makes it look quite good http://www.bahraintourism.com/

Actually, Bahrain is a total blast. The biggest danger here is alcohol poisoning. Being an expat here is some of the most fun my wife and I have ever had. And the people are great. I do wish I had time to learn Arabic, but I've got a bit under my belt.

Thanks,

Alarik

[Emperor's Child]

Atrocities said:
Ya, but they negelect to tell you that as part of the once in a life time get away, you get away for good as your head is seperated from your body.

Astro, I like your work on this site and all, but your comments come across as insensitive and prejudical.

[Emperor's Child]

alarikf said:
Actually, Bahrain is a total blast. The biggest danger here is alcohol poisoning. Being an expat here is some of the most fun my wife and I have ever had. And the people are great. I do wish I had time to learn Arabic, but I've got a bit under my belt.

Thanks,

Alarik

I've visited several countries in the area (Kuwait & UAE mainly) and found them interesting, too. The Souks (open markets) were pretty cool, but if you look like a tourist you start out at a barganing disadvantage because they (correctly) think you have lots more money than the average customer.

[Ragnarok]

TerranC said:

Episode 6.

Edit: as to why, I think this sums it up: the episode's title is "House of the Rising Sun" and it's supposed to be about a Korean woman who's surname is sun. That's not witty. That's just downright stupid.

So you judge the show on an episode title?
What about the actual show did you not like?

[Atrocities]

Emperor's Child said:

Astro, I like your work on this site and all, but your comments come across as insensitive and prejudical.

I am sorry. Its just that the middle east is a very dangerous place right now for American tourists and I was trying to make satire of the danger. Humor often comes across as insensitive and prejudical. Even bad humor.

[TerranC]

Ragnarok said:
So you judge the show on an episode title?
What about the actual show did you not like?

Randallw said:
If you mean the one which concentrated on the husband, I thought it was good. We see things from the husbands perspective and learn that his wife is wrong about him, and that what he does is to protect her.

... No, that is not the episode I am talking about. And no, I am not judging the show on an episode title - I had believed that that would be enough to show my beef with the show, but apparently it doesn't seem to have registered.

To clarify, my biggest beef with the show is that the creators seem to have chosen that korean couple to be the token minority figure. From what I have seen of their portrayals, they are too damn stereotypical, and even then the creators used the wrong stereotypes, seeming to liken their nation of origin with a particular nation neighbouring it.

The show, in it's other aspects is fine. It's got hobbits and aliens and adam and eve and everything. It's just that for a show to be entertaining to me, it has to get whatever it is portraying reasonably right or seemingly justified; Lost doesn't do that, at least not with the "korean" characters.

Edit: That's it. I've given this piece of turd that is hollywood enough attention. If you still don't know what I mean, PM me.