Friday, July 16, 2010

NOW SHOWING AT A BLOG NEAR YOU

Well, for what it’s worth…

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

At least that’s what this web site thinks. According to the font of all wisdom that is Wikipedia, “Wallace's novels often combine various writing modes or voices, and incorporate jargon and vocabulary (sometimes invented) from a wide variety of fields. His writing featured self-generated abbreviations and acronyms, long multi-clause sentences, and a notable use of explanatory footnotes and endnotes—often nearly as expansive as the text proper.” Okay, so that sounds a little familiar. Unfortunately, I’ve never actually read any of Wallace’s works, although I do remember there being some hoopla when he committed suicide, so I guess I’ll have to pick one or two of his books up.

Speaking of books, The Happy Catholic has discovered John Steakly’s novel Vampire$, which all good B-movie fans will recognize as the source material for John Carpenter’s Vampires starring James Woods. She highly recommends the book “for those who like vampire tales, mercenaries with hearts of gold, Texas, and old-school use of the Catholic Church in fighting Evil.”

Alas, while the Church plays the hero in Steakly’s book, it doesn’t fare so well in Italian zombie films, at least not according to The Vault Of Horror, where B-Sol suggests that the genre is a purposeful subversion of all things Catholic.

With one for the Church and one against, we may as well throw one in the middle. Mark Stricherz over at True/Slant ponders the question as to whether or not Easy Rider was a Catholic film? His conclusion? Eh, maybe.

If you want something a bit more conclusive, be sure to check out the blog of philosophy professor Edward Feser where he mulls over The Metaphysics of The Fly. The good Prof gives his answers to the questions, was Brundle-fly still a person by the end of the movie, and if so, who would that person have been if he had successfully spliced himself together with Geena Davis’ character? Big questions for a movie in which the main character eats by vomiting on donuts.

After all that heavy philosophizing, you just might need a humorous respite. If so, then drop on by Creative Minority Report where Matt Archbold gives his brief take on Gilligan's Island and the 7 Deadly Sins. Hilariously, the tongue in cheek post managed to spark off a couple of days of debate in the combox. We've all become God's madmen.

And finally, even though it has nothing at all to do with religion or philosophy, there’s no way I was going to let this news pass without mentioning it. It’s been confirmed that 80s pop princesses Debbie Gibson and Tiffany are set to star in the Syfy Original Movie, Mega Python Vs Gatoroid. Only in my dreams have I imagined such a thing could become reality. There’s simply nothing to say after that.

8 comments:

Rocket Scientist said...

The Edward Feser blog was great reading, with just the right blend of humor and insightful thinking. Thanks for pointing us there!

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Italian Zombie Films, aye? A neglected subgenre.

PS--Catholics make the best Horror movies!!!

EegahInc said...

"Thanks for pointing us there!"

Hey, how could I resist linking to the guy who wrote Aquinas: A Beginner's Guide blogging about a Cronenberg film. Too good to pass up.

"Italian Zombie Films, aye? A neglected subgenre."

I saw Fulci's Zombi 2 when it was in the theaters. They were handing out barf bags as you walked in. Sweet!!!

Anonymous said...

Mmm. I ran a few chunks of my prose through, and came up with authors I despise and/or have hardly read. I think the list of who-you-write-like is pretty limited. (James Joyce?!?!?) Just the idea that I might write like Joyce makes me want to go watch Mega python vs. gatoroid right now. Do you suppose it was inspired by the photo that's been so popular of the exploded gator-eating python in FL? I hope it wasn't inspired anything else...
Xena Catolica

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

I saw Fulci's Zombi 2 when it was in the theaters. They were handing out barf bags as you walked in. Sweet!!!

You have no idea how envious I am now.

(My captcha is "bionade." It sounds like a superdrink from a B-movie!)

Wildrow12 said...

I gave it two samples of my work from the same chapter and it told me I was Stephan King and Jack London, respectively.

Considering it was a political thriller, I'm not sure if that was a compliment...

EegahInc said...

"I hope it wasn't inspired by anything else..."

The cynic in me is afraid it was inspired by the pocketful of money they made off the Deborah Gibson opus of Mega-Shark vs. Giant Octopus.

"You have no idea how envious I am now."

Yep, it came out right around my 13th birthday. Those were the days they sold a ticket to anybody no matter the rating, or lack thereof in Zombie's case. Safe to say, for better or worse, Fulci helped make me what I am today.

"I'm not sure if that was a compliment..."

Are you kidding? As soon as you publish Cujo vs. White Fang, I'll be first in line to buy it. Especially if it's Mega-Cujo vs. Giant White Fang!

Anonymous said...

I ran four different writing samples, and got David Foster Wallace all four times. Solidarity, brother.