The Two Towers countdown.....

[Sir Taliesin]

Well I was going to try to go tonight and take my daughter, but... having read the reviews, I think I'll wait and go by myself first. They say it's bloody and scarier than FotR, so i want to see it first before I decide to take her. Damn... sometimes being a parent sucks (of course I wouldn't trade it for the world though!). We'll probably go see the Lady Vols play basketball instead. But I can't wait til the weekend!

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Davros: quote: Originally posted by GokuZool: Only 8 more days until the Australian release! [img]graemlins/thewave.gif[/img]

Same for me - session 1 is 10:30 am Boxing Day - I'll be there for sure.

Hey Yorick - the unavoidable screen saver at work has been changed - it now features a safety skit featuring your namesake. I cracked up when the guy holding the skull on my computer said "Alas poor Yorrick" - just like that with the 2 "r"'s not the one - LOL - I see you have made a new friend too [/QUOTE]LOL!

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Sever: It pisses me off that a band with talent and a new/original style can be overshadowed by a bunch of teens who can't play or write music (hell, 90% of the time, they can't even sing) simply because the powers-that-be have decreed that it is 'popular'.

'The powers that be' are the humans that attend the shows and buy the CDs. That is what by definition determines popularity.

[andrewas]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Sever: It pisses me off that a band with talent and a new/original style can be overshadowed by a bunch of teens who can't play or write music (hell, 90% of the time, they can't even sing) simply because the powers-that-be have decreed that it is 'popular'.

'The powers that be' are the humans that attend the shows and buy the CDs. That is what by definition determines popularity. [/QUOTE]But if consumers were deciding popularity, how is it that all these much-hyped pop idols and whatever else get 1 or 2 number ones and then fade away forever? Surely if they were good enough to get a number one on there own merit they would have at least a few more before fading?

[Madriver]

Originally posted by andrewas: quote: Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Sever: It pisses me off that a band with talent and a new/original style can be overshadowed by a bunch of teens who can't play or write music (hell, 90% of the time, they can't even sing) simply because the powers-that-be have decreed that it is 'popular'.

'The powers that be' are the humans that attend the shows and buy the CDs. That is what by definition determines popularity. [/QUOTE]But if consumers were deciding popularity, how is it that all these much-hyped pop idols and whatever else get 1 or 2 number ones and then fade away forever? Surely if they were good enough to get a number one on there own merit they would have at least a few more before fading?[/QUOTE]People are fickle, especially young ones who follow fads. And the talented artists or performers are the ones who last after the fad fades. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by andrewas: quote: Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Sever: It pisses me off that a band with talent and a new/original style can be overshadowed by a bunch of teens who can't play or write music (hell, 90% of the time, they can't even sing) simply because the powers-that-be have decreed that it is 'popular'.

'The powers that be' are the humans that attend the shows and buy the CDs. That is what by definition determines popularity. [/QUOTE]But if consumers were deciding popularity, how is it that all these much-hyped pop idols and whatever else get 1 or 2 number ones and then fade away forever? Surely if they were good enough to get a number one on there own merit they would have at least a few more before fading?[/QUOTE]*sigh*

pop·u·lar
Pronunciation: 'pä-py&-l&r
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin popularis, from populus the people, a people
Date: 1548
1 : of or relating to the general public
2 : suitable to the majority: as a : adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority b : suited to the means of the majority : INEXPENSIVE
3 : frequently encountered or widely accepted
4 : commonly liked or approved - a very popular girl

Note: the definition does not say: "popular: that which is hyped by publicity machines."

Not all things hyped end up popular, and not all popular things are hyped. It is a popular human pastime to have sex for example. Netball is a popular human sport - easily the most popular in Australia for females, yet unpublicised and barely covered in the sport obsessed media.

What determines popularity is the number of people liking, buying, attending, viewing or participating in something.

All hype does is perhaps make people aware something exists and may compel some people to investigate the product. The individual buys the product out of their OWN FREE WILL.

So who is to blame for Brittney? The people that buy her records.

[ 12-18-2002, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Leonis]

Originally posted by Yorick: ...snip snip...So who is to blame for Brittney? The people that buy her records.

And her mum and dad and that human fascination for sex you mentioned...

I have to agree here for the sake of culture - Keep an open mind, whether something is popular or not should not determine it's worth to the individual.
Judge it on it's own merits and don't be a slave to either the 'populist' or the 'elitist'.

Nice Worg I'm sorry, but if you ignore things just because they are popular, you are just as guilty of following a fad. You have not made up your own mind based on your own experience, but are merely a follower of yet another trend...

On topic, I personally can't wait for Boxing day. I'm working in the evening but am going to pull out all stops to get there before. My local cinema has just been renovated with comfy seats, bigger screens and improved sound but bizzarely have retained their cheap tickets! (1/2 the price of the others in the same major chain!)
Sometimes the jaded world view does get a stir...

[Tancred]

Originally posted by NiceWorg: quote: Originally posted by andrewas: NiceWorg, this is one of those rare occasions where popular culture is actualy correct about something. See the film or not. I would recommend it, but at the end of the day its your loss.

Yes yes, it´s my "loss", if that´s what you want to call it. Maybe I buy weights for that ticket money instead... and live a healthier life. Ha ha..

And most probably I´m going to see it anyway, not in a movie theatre, but in peace and quietness after some years.[/QUOTE]I'm a believer in the cinema experience. If you reckon you'll end up seeing it, hell, take up the chance to see it on the big screen, I say. Don't count the years! Count the MOMENTS! Live! Try everything there is to see! Movies! Sports! Foriegn Travel! You - any of us - may not live to see 2004.

[Lavindathar]

I'm going on Sunday! I'll be cracking my directors cut out sunday morning!

[Ronn_Bman]

The movie was, to say the least, great!

I enjoyed it more than I expected to, and I expected to enjoy it quite a bit.

I would suggest that those who don't like the media hype should read the books. At least give them a try, you've nothing to lose and a great read to gain. LotR has been around for about 50 years and is truly wonderful(the second most read book of the 20th century), so it's quite a bit more than a media induced fad.

Nearly a generation ago, I would (and actual did) suggest reading it to anyone who liked the fantasy genre. When I read it for the first time, at the suggestion of a role-playing friend, there was certainly no LotR media frenzy...lol.

If you trust the forum members to help with CRPGs(and IW's other specialties), then listening to their advise about fantasy books wouldn't be too much of a stretch. No one's life will be lessened by missing these movies, but they have, so far, been a joy for me(I've "turned" a few friends onto them as well).

I will add, after watching LotR last night as a build up for TTT, it was much better on "the big screen". The content is the same, of course, but the size and scope of the Fellowship and their mission is really brought to life against the beautiful New Zealand landscape in the "bigger than life" way that only a theater can offer.

NOTE - for those concerned about small children, there are quite a bit more scary orcs, etc., and war scenes in this movie than the last.