tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post3703099703076080010..comments2024-03-14T08:38:28.518-04:00Comments on J.M. DeMatteis's CREATION POINT: BEAM ME UP, DENNYUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-66883507337350493292011-09-30T11:04:53.164-04:002011-09-30T11:04:53.164-04:00I agree with everything you've said, Jasper. ...I agree with everything you've said, Jasper. HAS BEEN is an album that just gets better with time. It's so incredibly honest and. at the same time, filled with humor. Terrific stuff.<br /><br />Long Live Shatner indeed!J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-82939509631006764682011-09-30T10:43:29.394-04:002011-09-30T10:43:29.394-04:00Can i just say that from where i am (the Philippin...Can i just say that from where i am (the Philippines), i hardly find fellow fans of the Shat. And i too, love Boston Legal.<br />I love this piece you've written on him, Mr. DeMatteis.<br />And yes, HAS BEEN was brilliant. Surprisingly so. I got it on the first pressing, decided to digitize the tracks,l and voila... At least half a dozen of them have never left my ipod, and now my ipad.<br />My favorites are the title track, Together, Thats Me Trying, Ideal Woman, Familar Love, It Hasnt Happened Yet, Real, and... Damn... I just realized right now that i love the entire album.<br />LIVE LONG AND SHATNER!Jasper Greek Lao Golangcohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08592038619431435262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-50333923505022414662011-09-22T20:05:33.423-04:002011-09-22T20:05:33.423-04:00Blue and Gold are very much like my old Brooklyn b...Blue and Gold are very much like my old Brooklyn buddies in tone and attitude, Rafa. One of the reasons I love those guys.<br /><br />Oberon as a medium? What a great idea! That said, I'd prefer to see Ralph and Sue alive and well.J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-2769556718437486292011-09-22T18:07:32.797-04:002011-09-22T18:07:32.797-04:00Well, we can only hope the Ralphster & Mrs. th...Well, we can only hope the Ralphster & Mrs. the Ralphster are alive triple dating the Palmers and Maxwell and Wanda. I'd certainly start loving this DCnU if that was the case. But after so many years of absence, I'd even take the ghost detectives, as long as they appear a bit more often. It might actually be fun to see them using somebody like Oberon as their medium when they don't have enough ectoplasm to appear, move stuff or possess people. I think the problem might be that nobody has figure out the right formula to use (or resurrect) them. From their only two cameos, I think editors haven't even decided whether they are apparitions to a medium, possessors, poltergeists or all of the above. <br /><br />Wow. I totally dig your theory on realism. Unlike dramas, real people joke all the time. Although, it often ends up looking lame, as it happens to the characters of the Office. When it comes to going out with buddies, the humor is more like the stuff the real Blue and Gold say.Rafahttp://ralphdibnytheworld-famouselongatedman.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-85883380214556522392011-09-21T16:40:54.147-04:002011-09-21T16:40:54.147-04:00Well, Rafa, just because Ralph and Sue are dead in...Well, Rafa, just because Ralph and Sue are dead in the OLD DC continuity, doesn't mean they're dead in the NEW DCU. I, for one, would love to see them come back, alive and well.<br /><br />Re: the humor of the JLI. I've often said that, however absurd the stories sometimes were, the humor of the characters actually made them more realistic than the angst-ridden "realism" of most comics of the era. (And this observation is coming from a writer who's well known for trafficking in angst.) The League dynamic reminded me of how it was with my old Brooklyn friends, always joking and ragging on each other, no matter what situation we found ourselves in. Humor is an integral part of being human and, played right, it shines a unique light on our humanity.J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-47935070015921107112011-09-21T16:34:12.574-04:002011-09-21T16:34:12.574-04:00And what a World that was! I loved to read those h...And what a World that was! I loved to read those humanized versions of the silver age archetypes. If, for agument's sake, we assumed that it's a form of postmodern deconstruction (at least for this argument's sake), what I find really clever is that it achieves so doing the opposite of Watchmen or DKR; going with the humor of real life. I loved the JLI stories with goofy villains but my real favorites were the ones with a very creepy and dramatic embodiment of evil (Gray Man, Starro, Despero) that contrasts with the apparently silly guys that always end up triumphing over him. <br /><br />Whether the original JLI is over or not, I find myself longing for a dose of that kind humorous reading with DC characters. It's really sad that, one way or another, most of them have been changed, derailed or killed off. My personal favorites, Ralph and Sue Dibny, have barely appeared since they became ghosts! I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes I think that tptb just hate the poor Elongated Man.Rafa Rivashttp://ralphdibnytheworld-famouselongatedman.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-28147726447353316432011-09-20T21:03:56.583-04:002011-09-20T21:03:56.583-04:00I can see where JLI could be interpreted as a post...I can see where JLI could be interpreted as a postmodern/deconstructive work, Rafa -- and maybe it is; but we didn't have anything like that in mind at the time. Yes, we consciously poked fun at conventions of the form and, on occasion, turned them inside out; but, for the most part, we just entered a world we believed in, peopled with characters we related to, and let the stories lead us. For me, in the end, it's all about engaging with the story. The interpretations come later...and, really, they're all valid.<br /><br />I find that when things get a little too postmodern -- when characters stand too far outside the story, making snarky meta-commentary -- I get turned off. The key for me is sincerity: We were totally sincere in our love for, and dedication to, the JLI and their world and we worked hard to maintain a core of true emotion beneath the "bwah-ha-ha."J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-40885290202649960432011-09-20T20:27:41.935-04:002011-09-20T20:27:41.935-04:00About a year ago, I got obsessed with the concepts...About a year ago, I got obsessed with the concepts of postmodernism and deconstruction in pop cult and went nuts trying to figure out what works qualify as such (I'm nutty like that). Anyway, I'm under the impression that JLI's humor through real life silliness (bureaucracy, office humor, funny things people say, etc.) is a form of deconstructivism... can that be true? If so, was that done on purpose? could it be a matter of influences? <br /><br />I think the Ghostbusters franchise did something very similar.<br /><br />I brought up Community because I wanted to read your thoughts on postmodern/deconstructive comedies, but then, I didn't figure how to make a proper transition, haha.Rafa Rivashttp://ralphdibnytheworld-famouselongatedman.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-42920180620637295972011-09-19T16:42:20.728-04:002011-09-19T16:42:20.728-04:00Yeah, the Tommy Jefferson character seems like a p...Yeah, the Tommy Jefferson character seems like a poor man's Denny Crane. Just makes me miss Shatner all the more.<br /><br />I've only seen a handful of COMMUNITY episodes, but, from what I've seen it's an incredibly clever show.J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-70681951639521812212011-09-19T16:02:05.256-04:002011-09-19T16:02:05.256-04:00Harry's character is pretty cool (which is why...Harry's character is pretty cool (which is why I'm also giving it another shot), but there's almost no "Shore/Crane" element, and Tommy Jefferson is not enough for me.<br /><br />Say, I know it has little to do with BL, but.. how do you like Community?Rafa Rivashttp://ralphdibnytheworld-famouselongatedman.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-55140807715205812852011-09-19T09:44:38.780-04:002011-09-19T09:44:38.780-04:00I, too, was disappointed in HARRY'S LAW (how c...I, too, was disappointed in HARRY'S LAW (how could I not? Alan and Denny weren't in it!), Rafa, but I'm willing to give it another chance, especially since they've added BL's Mark Valley to the cast this season. Now if they'd just get Shatner on -- !J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-11678169676241237272011-09-19T06:31:58.318-04:002011-09-19T06:31:58.318-04:00I loved the way Boston Legal used comedy and eccen...I loved the way Boston Legal used comedy and eccentricities to give serious social commentaries a fresh angle. That show was an era. My cousin and I, both architects, are big fans of the show, we often to the name whispering gag and we dream of having a balcony.<br />That combination of serious and silly is the reason I also loved JLI and Super Buddies (especially when the villains were eerie), which is why it's very cool to find out that you're also a BL fan. <br />I'm surprised that the combination is not done more often in comics or TV. Maybe it's not that easy to find writers with talent for both things. Harry's Law is supposed to carry BL's torch, but I think it doesn't have the same kick.Rafa Rivashttp://ralphdibnytheworld-famouselongatedman.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-67023278378830664382011-09-07T16:59:41.022-04:002011-09-07T16:59:41.022-04:00You're welcome!
I was always hoping that Davi...You're welcome!<br /><br />I was always hoping that David Kelly would set an entire episode on the balcony. Now that would have been something!J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-50152891249959421132011-09-07T16:55:22.662-04:002011-09-07T16:55:22.662-04:00YES YES YES.
The closing "balcony" scen...YES YES YES.<br /><br />The closing "balcony" scenes often contained some of the best acting I've ever seen on broadcast TV. There was an episode about a retarded man on Death Row that had a brilliant performance by Shatner.<br /><br />A great show. Thanks for the posting, JM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-52733365760320070702011-09-04T15:39:17.590-04:002011-09-04T15:39:17.590-04:00I'm sure if I wrote them a polite letter, Davi...I'm sure if I wrote them a polite letter, David, they'd be delighted to re-edit the film! :)J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-6951238915681674912011-09-04T15:07:34.401-04:002011-09-04T15:07:34.401-04:00I love that ending! They should pull a George Luca...I love that ending! They should pull a George Lucas and re-edit the film. <br /><br />Then Kirk could truly go where no man has before...<br /><br />--DavidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-80617591062249853492011-09-04T14:18:05.470-04:002011-09-04T14:18:05.470-04:00I think GENERATIONS could have been saved if Kirk ...I think GENERATIONS could have been saved if Kirk had returned to the Nexus in the end, David; a dramatic choice, not unlike Captain Pike's in "The Menagerie": either die or spend eternity in the Nexus. The final scene (in my head) is older Kirk, back in the Nexus, riding up to the bridge of the Enterprise. When he emerges from the lift, he's young Kirk again, ready to set out and explore the universe.J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-15591180571851470162011-09-04T14:12:42.536-04:002011-09-04T14:12:42.536-04:00Yeah, I think all the actors involved were good. H...Yeah, I think all the actors involved were good. Henry worked particuarly well in the episode where he discovered his mother was the one who had an affair, and his father had been protecting him by letting him think that all along. That was the perfect balance of humor and heart. But the father/son dynamic never quite reached those heights again. <br /><br />I'd love to see you pen a Kirk-centric story! Maybe you could tell us what the REAL Kirk's been busy doing in the Nexxus. (I say he's been exploring the galaxy with Edith Keeler, and stopping by a peaceful 20th Century earth in time for dinner.)<br /><br />--DavidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-90655256419830482862011-09-04T12:33:52.338-04:002011-09-04T12:33:52.338-04:00Wait! I meant Jean SMART, not Jean MARSH!Wait! I meant Jean SMART, not Jean MARSH!J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-41823818758206990692011-09-04T12:33:09.405-04:002011-09-04T12:33:09.405-04:00I agree with you about $#%! MY DAD SAYS, David: I...I agree with you about $#%! MY DAD SAYS, David: If they were focusing on the most interesting aspects of the show, the second season might've ended up being about Shatner, the DMV guy and Jean Marsh's character. (I liked the daughter in law, as well.) Not that the two brothers were badly played -- I think they're both very talented actors -- the writers just never found the right balance for them and the necessary chemistry with Shatner never quite materialized. Although it might have in season two.<br /><br />A TREK story for IDW? Interesting idea. Especially if it's Kirk-centric!J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-61766935755940721382011-09-04T12:29:09.156-04:002011-09-04T12:29:09.156-04:00Sure BL went a little over the top at times, Glenn...Sure BL went a little over the top at times, Glenn, and you're right about the cast changes (I think Julie Bowen left because she was having a baby and wanted time off), but, with all that, I think the show was consistently entertaining and often far more than that. (There was a period, in the early days of the Iraq war, where BL was one of the few places on network TV where you could hear someone speaking truth to power.) Watching again this past week, I was in absolute TV heaven. I was definitely up for a few more seasons. (Or at least a complete final season as opposed to the truncated one they had.)<br /><br />Not a fan of THE OFFICE at all -- I've tried, but it's never clicked. That said, with Spader added to the cast, I'll have to watch at least a few episodes. We'll see if they can reel me in.<br /><br />And anybody out there who loves STAR TREK should check out Glenn's blog, where he's been reviewing the entire series in the company of his daughter. (He talks about other things, too!)<br /><br />http://glenngreenbergsgrumblings.blogspot.com/J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-62633156692435736182011-09-04T12:00:16.775-04:002011-09-04T12:00:16.775-04:00I'm with you on that one, Jeff! May we all ke...I'm with you on that one, Jeff! May we all keep creating, being productive and having fun for the rest of our long, happy, healthy lives!J.M. DeMatteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04293848326241642685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-26108092983291689402011-09-04T11:24:02.586-04:002011-09-04T11:24:02.586-04:00I think CBS made a bad call by dropping $#%! MY DA...I think CBS made a bad call by dropping $#%! MY DAD SAYS. I suppose it was difficult for them to find a way around the show's premise, since Henry turned out to be the weakest link in the show's dynamic. When the walk-on role of the DMV guy was more memorable than anything Henry did, it was probably a good indication they needed to make some big changes sooner than later. <br /><br />But they did seem on their way to finding that in the end, and really, if you have Shatner on tap you ought to give him at least another season to bring it around. <br /><br />So when can we expect a JMD STAR TREK project for IDW?:)<br /><br />--DavidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-34501970945265580122011-09-04T00:32:59.523-04:002011-09-04T00:32:59.523-04:00Great piece, Marc. As you read my piece on Star Tr...Great piece, Marc. As you read my piece on Star Trek II, you know I feel that his performance there was his very best turn as Kirk, and possibly the very best work of his entire career. (I think he very nearly matches it in Star Trek III, and he's absolutely charming in Star Trek IV, both of which I'll be writing about on my blog in the coming weeks.) I've long heard wonderful things about The Andersonville Trial--even Harlan Ellison, who despises Shatner, raved about his performance in that production. I'd be interested in watching it sometime--I had no idea it was ever released on DVD. Maybe someday I'll check it out.<br /><br />I enjoyed Boston Legal, and I thought Shatner was fantastic in it and his chemistry with Spader was magical. I did think the show got a little TOO silly and preachy at times, and the constant cast changes annoyed me--they got rid of Julie Bowen and replaced her with that drab British girl?!?!?!? <br /><br />Spader, by the way, was absolutely BRILLIANT in the season finale of The Office in May, and I'm thrilled that he'll be back as a semi-regular this coming season--it's convinced me to keep watching after Steve Carell's departure. (And if you haven't seen that season finale, by all means, make it a point to do so. Spader has to be seen to be believed. I've watched it at least five times since May and I crack up from him every single time.)Glenn Greenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13080935309485100122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193334913733210326.post-33238962882619396672011-09-03T22:56:17.300-04:002011-09-03T22:56:17.300-04:00Almost 20 years ago, I remember being shocked that...Almost 20 years ago, I remember being shocked that the Rolling Stones were still doing what they do in their 50s. There's nothing surprising about it now, as lots of rock figures push on well past their 50s. Now it seems that Shatner is re-defining what it means to be in one's 80s. Brilliantly. Another favorite, Larry Hagman, turns 80 this year and is returning to his best role as JR Ewing in what looks to be amazing form. Nobody has to get old anymore!Jeff Zoslawnoreply@blogger.com