Sunday, June 15, 1997
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
Apparently, the mail server for my ISP is off-line! I tried to send out replies to the messages I received yesterday and couldn't connect. In addition, I had no messages today which is *very* unusual. Not sure what's going on! I will be investigating tomorrow.
I sent the first pass page proofs for the first three seasons of The Nitpicker's Guide for X-philes back to Steve Ettlinger on Friday. (He's my agent but also produces the Nitpicker's Guides.) The next chunk should hit my desk some time near June 30 so between now and then I get to work on my second novel. Yea!
I've seen a couple of more previews for Batman and Robin this week. Maybe I'll have to rescind my prediction that it will be a horrific bomb just a bit. I am still *not impressed* with the footage--supposedly the best--that the studios have selected to highlight the film. The effects and costuming are certainly gorgeous but . . .
And, speaking of a movie with great special effects that tower over its plot. I was in Wal-Mart yesterday and noticed the abundance of paraphernalia for The Lost World. It would be interesting to know how well that stuff is selling. I have a theory that good plots are essential to the production of a captivating reality that viewers will want to be identified with. (In other words, if you want to sell merchandise you have to inspire people with a good story.) I'm not sure that gonzo effects are enough. When I consider buying a Borg cube for my collection of Star Trek stuff it's because I remember that Q introduced the Borg to the Enterprise; the Borg borgerfied Picard; the Borg almost assimilated Earth; etc., etc. In other words, there's narrative in my brain the engages me. When I look at Lost World stuff, I'm blank. I mean I remember what little there was of the story but the visual effects that interested me while I sat and watched the movie are transient and have frittered away. They have all been reduced to: dino, bash, bash, dino, dino, bash. And that don't make me want to buy stuff.
Monday, June 16, 1997
Okay! I'm getting mail again and it looks like nothing got lost!
Started a file on Con Air as well as uploaded more brash reflections for The Lost World and The Fifth Element.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Brash Reflections for the third season of Voyager are officially frozen. However, you may feel free to send in additional nits for the episodes. I will keep the information for future reference and possible inclusion in a Voyager Nitpicker's Guide. Also frozen are Trials and Tribble-ations and Star Trek: First Contact. Along with all movies that aired prior to the Summer of 1996. (I am, of course, still collecting nits on these movies as well. You never know. There just might be a project where I can use them. And, I just might be starting it in the near future!)
Tuesday, June 17, 1997
No uploads planned. Will be working on the July 1997 issue of the Nitpickers Guild Newsletter.
Wednesday, June 18, 1997
No uploads planned. Will be working on the newsletter
Thursday, June 19, 1997
Updated the Nitpickers Guild Membership List and the Current Guild Statistics. (Last week, I updated the Groaners or The Writer's Construction Kit.)
Friday, June 20, 1997
Uploaded a new Ask the Chief Column. (Click here for last week's column.)
Saturday, June 21, 1997
No uploads planned.
United We Nitpick!
Phil
P.S. While you're surfing, be sure to stop by the
Bantaam Doubleday Dell Home Page. Of interest,
the Spectra Science Fiction Forum
(http://www.bdd.com/spectra) and the
Star Wars Forum
(http://www.bdd.com/starwars)!