Sun, Feb 24th - 8:26AM
Highlander: The Source (No Wonder It Was Relegated To Saturday Night)
One of mankind’s fondest dreams is no doubt to live upon this earth in vitality and youth beyond the paltry 75 to 90-odd years the healthiest among us get to enjoy. As such, one of contemporary fantasy’s most compelling franchises has had to have been Highlander. The protagonist is himself immortal and gets to live indefinitely provided his head is not lopped by a fellow Immortal as these are destined to battle until there is a sole survivor among them as the catch phrase reminds the viewer “In the end there can be only one.”
It has been several years since an adventure of the legendary Scotsman, but if “Highlander: The Source” is any indication, it appears he is feeling his 400 plus years.
For several years as this film plodded its way through production and distribution, fans were given hints that they would finally at last be provided with an explanation as to how the Immortals came to be in the first place. This convoluted story delivers none of that as the Source does not necessarily refer to origins.
Though Highlander: The Source ultimately falls short in terms of the story, these shortcomings are compounded by the atrocious cinematography. Though broadcast in the early to mid 90’s, the old Highlander TV series had better quality effects than the latest film in the series.
For example, central to the milieu of the Highlander saga is the transfer of the quickening from the Immortal that has lost his head to the Immortal that has taken it. In the TV series, this was depicted by an impressive display of lightening bolts and electric shocks.
However, in The Source, these scenes are not nearly as impressive. The electric charges are now less distinctive artistically with the emphasis now on the head rolling away, something that was only alluded to and seldom seen in the older episodes.
Relatedly, in the TV series, the sword fights leading up to this dramatic exchange of life force were often depicted as elegant, almost dance-like encounters. However, in Highlander: The Source, these are now filmed with the same herky-jerky camera action used in many productions today such as the new Battlestar Galactica where viewers almost come away nauseated because the directors think they are too good to shoot images with a steady, smooth hand.
Highlander: The Source is such a disappointment that, if one did happen to be an Immortal, one might just very well be tempted to slit one’s own throat than rather spend an eternity watching this movie.
by Frederick Meekins
Comment (0)
|
Sat, Feb 16th - 8:46AM
More Things Change The More They Stay The Same In Leftist Suburb
In some systems of Eastern thought, the doctrine of recurrence teaches that everything that has happened will happen again. Western philosophy of history drawing inspiration from a Biblical understanding of the universe does not share in the same exact idea since the Judeo-Christian worldview sees history as moving towards its ultimate conclusion in eternity. However,. traditional orthodox theism admits there is nothing new under the sun, meaning all the schemes and frauds have all been around the block a few times and will continue to plague the human condition until the good Lord decides to step and put an end to all this nonsense.
In an essay in my underappreciated masterpiece “Yuletide Terror & Other Holiday Horrors”, titled “Holiday Tree, Holiday Tree, Thy Name Is In Need Of Serious Changing” I examined the propriety of holding a yoga class in the City of Hyattsville municipal building since the practice is inherently spiritual and wondered if the same courtesy would be extended to a Christian group wanting to hold a prayer meeting or Bible study. For at the very same time the town fathers were opening city hall to limber swamis, these weeping willows of tolerance bent to the whims of political correctness switched the name of their Yuletide evergreen from that of “Christmas” to “Holiday” Tree.
When published in the town newspaper, my comments were castigated by the course instructor, claiming yoga was merely physical exercise having nothing whatsoever to do with religion or faith. The more things change the more they stay the same and eventually both the yoga class and the trees name appeared in the local press again years later.
We are now well into the first decade of the new century and it seems some Christmas or I guess “holiday” traditions pretty much remain unchanged. Still a bastion of liberal foolishness to such an extent that many of the town’s elites are ecstatic that the once quaint suburb has for the most part been overrun by immigrants barely speaking a lick of English and over massive revenue outlays going to finance a so-called “arts-district” where average taxpayers who actually work for a living will be forced to subsidize the lifestyles of decadent beatniks thinking they are too good to hold down regular jobs, it seems about the only form of expression that won’t be supported is the utterance of the word “Christmas”.
According to the 11/29/07 edition of the Gazette, Hyattsville was to hold its “holiday tree” lighting ceremony. Since the festival was also to include “holiday music”, does that mean “Stars and Stripes Forever” was to be played as well since by definition the Fourth of July is a holiday as in such a leftist enclave such a blatantly pro-American celebration is probably as almost as despised as traditional Christian ones such as Christmas.
One might very well argue that the wording could have very well been an editorial; decision of the newspaper rather than that of the city. However, the 11/28/07 edition of the Hyattsville Reporter, the city’s official newsletter, is rife with the spineless euphemism with the only mention of the word “Christmas” being justification why the office would be closed on December 25th.
In the middle of the first page of the newsletter, it reads, “Enjoy The Holiday Activity Edition”. In the left hand column directly beneath this admonition is information regarding the “Sixth Annual Sonny Fraizer Holiday Toy Drive”. On page 2 , “Holiday Events” such as the tree lighting ceremony and “Breakfast With Santa” (multiculturalist fans of the program “Futurama” may wonder why Kwanza Bot wasn’t invited) are listed.
As frustrating as this issue is in terms of undermining both traditional liberties and culture, perhaps of even greater concern over the long run is another spiritual danger that never really went away, namely the matter of yoga. Regarding my comments about yoga, the instructor dismissed them back in the late 90’s by claiming yoga was simply physical exercise with no spiritual ramifications.
By 2003, this very same individual was singing a different tune. In a Gazette article titled “Yoga Class Stretches Into Hyattsville” published on 10/16/03, the guru who years earlier claimed there was nothing inherently religious about yoga finally admitted, “If you want it, [yoga] could be a spiritual journey.”
From the website of this instructor’s own yoga studio, one sees that this is something of an understatement. Prominently listed on the website are the spiritual benefits of yoga which include “increased feelings of forgiveness, feelings of connection to the Divine, ability to empathize with others, and contentment.”
One might say those are the very same things the believer sees as the benefits bestowed upon the individual through devotion to prayer and Bible study. However, the admission as to the spiritual nature of yoga doesn’t stop there.
According to the website, Anusara Yoga is “a powerful hatha system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment, Anusara embodies an uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a celebration of the heart that looks for the good in all people and things.” Seems to me that’s about a lot more than limbering up the old backbone.
Furthermore, though all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, is there all that much good in the likes of Adolf Hitler or Osama Bin Ladin to spend that much time looking for it and I doubt those that lost loved ones in the September 11th attacks would find much good in that tragedy either. Among the first things you learn in English 101 is to be careful about using the word “all”.
Of Kripalu Yoga, it says on the website, “It is a challenging approach to asana practice that emphasizes meditation and breathwork, encourages inward focus and spiritual attunement. Practicing Kripalu Yoga can initiate a gradual process of physical healing, psychological growth, and spiritual awakening.” Once again, things such as “spiritual attunement” and “psychological growth” are the benefits believers receive as byproducts of prayer focused upon the God of the universe as found in the person of His Son Jesus Christ.
Under the First Amendment, Americans are pretty much free to believe whatever they want. However, that fundamental operational principal of government and jurisprudence does not mean that those bent on subverting traditional principles should be allowed to have these foundations removed only to turn around and impose their own deceptive counterfeits.
by Frederick Meekins
Comment (0)
|
Back to Blog Main Page
|
|
| About Me |
|
| Feb. 2008 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16
|
|
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
|
24
|
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
|
|
prev
|
|
next
|
|
|
Archives
|
| |
Name: Frederick Meekins
