If I had absurd amounts of money, probably one of the first completely unnecessary purchases I would make would be a set of authentic samurai armor dating as far back as possible and with the most ornate detail. I’d want it all. The chestplate, the facemask, the headdress, the gauntlets, the sword and spears and flags. All of it.

Around my sophomore year in college I went through a “samurai” phase where I rented nearly every Akira Kurosawa samurai movie at the local video store and bought a few others. I’ve seen two versions of the 47 ronin story. I actually read up on Macbeth and King Lear to understand Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” and “Ran” better. I grin when people talk about how great Westerns were, when Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo” influenced Sergio Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars” and his “Seven Samurai” influenced John Ford’s “Magnificent Seven.” And watching George Lucas’ roots for “Star Wars” from “The Hidden Fortress” is a complete joy that makes you appreciate the science-fiction story at a new level.

It’s fair to say I have a romantic view of the samurai tradition, heavily influenced by Kurosawa’s films. While lots of people like ninjas for their Hollywood kitsch value, I think there’s something to be admired about the nobility and prestige of the samurai class.

While traditionally viewed as a warrior class, the samurai also embraced the arts. Many were painters, writers, poets and philosophers. There’s a sense of intellectualism in the samurais alongside a steadfast loyalty that went to death.

Perhaps my favorite samurai that I can name is Miyamoto Musashi. Besides being a complete badass when it came to duels, the guy wrote a book and did some phenomenally beautiful sumi-e ink paintings.

Perhaps Musashi’s best-known work is “Koboku meikakuzu” or “Kingfisher Perched on a Withered Branch” that features a bird waiting patiently balanced on a small branch, above a body of water among the shoreline of reeds. At first glance, it appears to be merely a bird on a stick, but closer observation shows you why the bird has landed there. In fact, the bird’s been there quite a long time. It’s been there, waiting, as a small caterpillar crawls up the branch where the kingfisher waits for an easy meal.

The point of the painting, I believe, is to show resourcefulness. While the bird could easily fly off the branch and go for the kill, it chooses to let the meal come to him. The bird is confident in its position of power and knowledge of the fate to come. It feels no sense to rush and has a sense of serene patience as it glances to take in the surroundings. The painting has a sense of peace, but really is a precursor to violence in nature.

Musashi’s “Book of Five Rings” or “Go Rin No Sho” identifies the ideas that I believe he portrays in this painting. While I think the “Water Book” emphasizes a lot of elements of the kingfisher and the samurai way, Musashi mentions this earlier in the book:

There is timing in everything. Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice.

Indeed, the kingfisher is a master of timing and knows enough to wait. Knowing this, we can see this is an older bird, one that’s wise enough to have the experience of how to best catch his prey, no matter how small.

One other element to look at in the painting is the distinct shape of the branch. It appears to be done in one stroke, or made to look like the shape of a samurai’s sword. Both creatures here are along the edge of the branch, meaning they are along the edge of the weapon. While the caterpillar crawls along the edge, obviously closer to death, the kingfisher also sits on the blade. Why does the bird also find itself on the edge of death?

I believe it sits there because its own life depends on the death of the caterpillar and it killing its prey. If it doesn’t succeed, then it could die also. In a way, this shows the reality of combat. Even if one is in a position of power, he holds the possibility of death in his own hands despite all the advantages. A worthwhile lesson.

Musashi’s tale would end up as a trilogy of films, starring legendary actor Toshiro Mifune as the samurai, the first of which won an Academy Award. I’d obviously recommend viewing them if you have a chance, as they’re often called the “Gone of the Wind” of Japanese cinema.

So, yes, my obsession of the samurai does run rather deep. I admire this particular part of my culture greatly, despite not being well-educated on the rich history of it. Still, a part of me holds an extreme reverence toward this part of my ancestry and influences me to a degree.

Last week when I posted these photos of the DeLorean I saw on the highway. The actual owner of the car contacted me after seeing my photos I uploaded to Flickr with this wonderful news:

Hi,

Nice pic of the DeLorean on your flickr page. That’s my car and I was the one driving past you. If you want to see more DeLoreans, Friday, come out to Westmont for an outdoor drive-in style showing of “Back to the Future”, FREE! It was supposed to be last Friday, but it was postponed due to weather. We were scheduled to have about 6 cars there. I don’t know how many can make it this week.

Westmont Park District

http://www.wpd4fun.org/

DeLorean Midwest Connection (car club I’m in)
http://www.deloreanmidwest.com

– Marty

Yes, his real name is Marty and that’s his car I’m sitting in! The members of the club were really nice and had six DeLoreans on display, which was a really neat sight.

As it turns out, DeLoreans aren’t as hard to purchase if you really want one and it’s even easier to obtain parts for them. There is a DeLorean Motor Company branch in Crystal Lake, Ill., that has spare parts and does restorations. There are also branches in Texas, Florida, California, Washington and even the Netherlands.

You can buy a pre-owned DeLorean from around $25-35,000 or you can even get a custom built new DeLorean starting at $57,500. You can also find DeLoreans on eBay Motors for slightly lower in price.

I asked a few practical questions, such as, “Do you have to have the oil changed every 3,000 miles?” and apparently the car can go 7,000 miles without an oil change — although one owner said he changed his oil every year regardless of miles and Marty said he hasn’t changed his in two years.

I was also surprised to find out that the doors only need 14 inches of clearance to open, which really isn’t that much. Another detail I’d never noticed before was the little red and yellow lights on the bottom of the door. Also, the coolest thing about the dashboard was the “door ajar” light. It’s a profile of the DeLorean’s signature frame with one of the doors opening upward. A tiny, but nifty detail.

The movie in the park was a lot of fun, too. I’d actually never been to a drive-in styled movie before, so it was great to see the film on a large screen.

If you ever want to see a DeLorean in the Chicagoland area, just check out the DeLorean Midwest Connection’s events page — they’ve got a lot of events up and are pretty cool people to meet.

Post script: For those who are wondering how in the world Marty found my photos that I took, it turns out he saw me snapping photos with my camera while we were driving and thought to look up “delorean” tagged photos on Flickr later. Hooray for the Internet!

Is it worth the high price? In my opinion, it is worth every penny, even if it was just for the different version of the films alone. This edition is the only one that includes the workprint cut that’s been virtually unseen until now. Too cool.

The rest of the swag is really nice. I can almost see myself framing the storyboard prints, because they’re neat to look at. Also, the spinner vehicle toy and the origami unicorn would look really cool on your desk at work.

The film’s packaging isn’t anything to snuff at either. You can remove the disc boxset from the briefcase and put it on your DVD shelf and stow the briefcase elsewhere.

The briefcase itself isn’t just some cardboard box. It’s a rather sturdy and thick plastic case with a handle and buttons to press to open it. Also, to add to the geek factor, it’s made to look like the brief case that housed the Voight-Kampff testing equipment used in the film.

I’m not going to go too in-depth about the film “Blade Runner” and how great of a movie it it, but let me just say that it’s one of the three science fiction movies that changed the way I looked at fiction, philosophy and culture.

Is there any way this film and DVD set could be improved upon? I could only say that perhaps if it had been issued by the Criterion Collection, then maybe. I’m not in any way displeased, however, with what has been finally offered to fans who’ve waited so long to see the definitive science fiction film given proper treatment.

I was fortunate enough to find this boxset on sale, but I was already prepared to pay full price to obtain it. This is coming from a person who adores the original (non-special edition) Star Wars Trilogy, but hasn’t purchased it yet. This is how fanboy-ish I’ve gotten about Ridley Scott’s masterpiece.

Technorati Tags: Ridley+Scott, Blade+Runner, unboxing, DVD, movies, film, Harrison+Ford

This film just looks like incredible fun. Giant robots beating the steel out of each other sounds like one of the best ideas ever.

Technorati Tags: Michael+Bay, Transformers, trailer, movie, YouTube

He’s also experimenting with video blogging:

Have fun Wayne!

Technorati Tags: Cannes, France, movies, film+festival, Paris

Opening night I went to see the Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino flick “Grindhouse,” with a lot of anticipation and expectations for delicious violence and B-grade homages.

Apparently, not too many others shared such anticipation at the box office. Maybe it’s what people didn’t want to see on Easter weekend with the kids. And, honestly, I don’t blame people for not wanting to see this film.

Don’t get me wrong. For the price of one ticket I got to see two films by two of my favorite directors and both movies met my minimum expectations. But I can see how this double feature isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

“Grindhouse” is very disposable and the movies aren’t memorable in any way other than to say “Yeah, I saw that” and to reference them later in comparison to other movies. Much like the exploitation films Rodriguez and Tarantino are recreating, the pair of films don’t do anything beyond giving you a way to waste 3 hours at the theater on a weekend. You don’t regret it, but it’s nothing you should be planning your life around either.

Although I’m a huge fan of films both directors have done, especially each of their first films, I can’t say I have the same appreciation for their “Grindhouse” work. Mainly, I’m not a fan of zombie or horror flicks. And even with star talent directing and writing these movies, it doesn’t make either of them a great movie.

Rodriguez’s strength in film comes from high action and gunslinging plotlines that emulate the Western. Tarantino’s shining moments happen when he creates films that references the catalogue of movies he’s seen over the years that he’s compressed together in a hodge-podge manner turned gold.

But when a director sets out with the purpose of making B-grade (“B” standing for “Bad”) movies, you get just that — bad movies. And it’s too bad, really.

Yes, there’s some great action in “Planet Terror,” but it’s not Rodriguez’s best work by any means. And there’s that trademark dialogue in “Death Proof,” but it drags at points and the movie’s horror tension is lowered by it.

I will say that their intention of recreating the “Grindhouse” experience, however, was done pretty well and I got a lot of laughs from whole theatrics of the film. The missing reels (at wonderfully strategic places), fake trailers and “groan moments” provided for a unique experience I haven’t had at the theatre for a long time.

I think only certain people will enjoy “Grindhouse.” You have to know what you’re in for before you watch it. It’s not a general audience film. It’s a concept, not these director’s best work. If you can deal with that and accept it, perhaps it’s worth spending an evening watching this film.

Technorati Tags: Grindhouse, Planet+Terror, Death+Proof, Quentin+Tarantino, Robert+Rodriguez, movies, film, cinema, review

But what happens when the words are used as visuals? Well, take a look for yourself at this video, which combines typography with motion to a particular scene in “Pulp Fiction”:

Hat tip: The new and improved Swimming In Champaign

Technorati Tags: Pulp+Fiction, YouTube, Samuel+L+Jackson, Quentin+Tarantino, video, typography

As for the film itself, I thought it was all right when you forgive it for multiple things — the technology available, a first film, a different concept, low budget, etc. — but I’d want to watch it again with some more background information and with a commentary track to get what Lucas was thinking during certain shots.

Technorati Tags: music, video, YouTube, film, THX-1138, George+Lucas, Postal+Service

One of my favorite shows from the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup has always been “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” A friend of mine recommended this show to me about 4 years ago (I believe his exact words were “Download this sh*t now!”) and they fit right into my line of humor.

I haven’t caught up with the show lately, mostly because I don’t watch TV as much as I used to in the dorms, but I’m glad to hear that there’s news of an upcoming, feature-length ATHF movie that’ll probably be in theatres. Here’s the official trailer and my favorite clip from the show featuring a “reverse vampire bus of the undead.”

Technorati Tags: Aqua+Teen+Hunger+Force, YouTube, trailer, movie, Adult+Swim

For a long time, Donner’s version literally sat in six tons of film in storage until Warner Bros. approached him to do his cut of “Superman II,” with whatever archived film could be recovered. Luckily, there was plenty of footage to cut from because of how Donner shot the first film. And the end product is now what’s been released.

So, how is the Donner cut in comparison to Lester’s version?

I think I like Donner’s version better, and I’m not just saying that because it’s Donner. The Donner cut gets rid of all the weird stuff in “Superman II” that to me didn’t make a lick of sense. The whole prolonged fight between General Zod and his compatriots and Superman in the Fortress of Solitude is cut out. That’s right, no more laser hands, vanishing acts or cellophane wrap (thank goodness). The battle in Metropolis is reworked as well. The Niagra Falls sequence with Lois Lane jumping off of a bridge has been cut out, and the honeymoon suite scene with Clark burning his hand, which reveals him as Superman to Lois, has also hit the chopping block.

Instead, we’re treated with a much more compelling “discovery” scene between Lois and Superman, where Lois actually outsmarts Superman instead of Clark Kent’s clumsiness giving away his secret identity. This was a refreshing take. Also, Superman’s relationship with Jor-El, his father, is given the proper treatment and new Marlon Brando footage has made its way into the film. We’re also finally given an explaination as to how Superman gets his powers back after losing them, which filled a huge plot hole in my book.

A few things that I missed from Lester’s version were edited out. Most notably the whole Paris sequence is now completely gone. And the ending? That’s completely changed, too.

Just how does it end? Well, after going through all this ridiculous amount of trouble fighting Zod and a terrific new sequence between Lois and Superman about how she won’t reveal his identity, Donner decided to tip his and back to the first film. Superman flies around the earth, again, and turns back time … again. I didn’t enjoy the original Lester ending with Superman’s “mindwipe” kiss on Lois, but this doesn’t really work for me either. They could have just ended the film with Superman flying away from Lois’ balcony and into space.

There’s a lot to like with this cut of “Superman II,” and I definately think that fans of the film and character should check it out. I don’t hate it, but I’m not completely in love with it either. While I could gripe about the ending quite a bit, I’m also really thankful that Donner got his opportunity to show his vision nearly three decades later.

I do have one very legitimate beef, however, with the DVD. The DVD only has Donner’s cut of the film on it. There’s no “original theatrical release” packaged with this movie. To get that version, there’s a new DVD out that costs about $20 for a two-disc special edition Warner Bros. recently put out. Essentially, you have to spend $40 to get both versions of “Superman II,” which I think is a bit steep. That aside, I am glad there’s a commentary track with Donner for his cut of the film, which I’ll have to revisit later.

For $20, getting this version of the film might be a bit pricey for those who might not be devoted fans of Krypton’s Last Son, so I’d recommend trying to rent it first if possible. It’d definately be the better option if you end up hating Donner’s cut. But, I don’t think many people will dislike this version of the film. The changes will really only bother fanboys of the original — and fanboys can never be satisfied.

–> Interview with “Superman II” editor Michael Thau (Newsarama)
–> Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (Amazon)

Technorati Tags: Superman, DVD, movie, film, Richard+Donner, comic+books, DC+Comics, Warner+Bros