Hola, Sneakers. Welcome to Episode 457 of the show that gave you this.
This week: instant gratification; it’s murder; the gorilla’s butler did it; GQ, detective God; witty bears; mouse tales; more about Gilligan’s Island; fanged clam; little cowboy hats; Nazi bunny fuckers; hammy heart; the dead don’t mind; dumb president; essential swimming; bored carolling; fun adults; sports tantrums; dismissive adults; stuck at home; Ellen Janov trivia; Question of the Week – Sneakers respond; adulting; bad comic book adaptation; and, finally, munchie box mania.
Thanks for listening.
Question of the week: Do you feel like a fully-grown adult? What does that mean for you?
Sub-question of the week: What is the worst book to movie or TV show adaptation?
Here is that Joe Ruby – co-creator of Scooby-Doo – obituary from Mark:
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I happened to see the movie adaptation of Murders in the Rue Morgue last year, and can confirm it’s pretty bad, both as an adaptation and as a standalone film. As Dave alluded to, the plot is completely different: in the original story, a sailor keeps an ape as a pet, but it escapes and ends up killing two women more or less by accident. In the movie, Bela Lugosi plays a mad scientist who tries to find a human woman to mate with his pet killer ape in order to prove the theory of evolution. It sounded like it might be a fun b-movie, but it was pretty boring.
As for bad comic book adaptations: there have been a lot of bad Alan Moore adaptations over the years, but the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie stands out for me because it could have easily been a much better film. The original comic has a very straightforward, action-oriented plot that could have been directly adapted to film without too many changes, but for some reason they changed everything around anyway, usually for the worst. Oh well, I did at least kinda like how they had Dorian Gray as an indestructible man (just as long as you don’t harm his portrait).
On that note, the original League comic book had Dupin (the detective from Rue Morgue) appear when the group goes to Paris. Dupin thinks the murderous ape is back, but instead it turns out to be the Mr. Hyde. Naturally, they left him out of the movie.
I’ve never been able to put my finger on it but there’s something I like about “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” Not love, just like. It’s true that it doesn’t live up to Moore’s vision but I think it’s just the basic premise of the idea that a group of characters from classic literature band together to fight evil. I’ve even taken it a step further in my imagination that “The League” would be ever-changing throughout history with other literary figures joining together. I can only imagine Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Phileas Fogg, John Carter, Robinson Crusoe, Willy Wonka or the Three Musketeers, each during their respective eras, carrying on the tradition as “Gentlemen” of the League. Maybe someday they’re dust off the idea and give it another go.
Had to weigh in on this one too:
Totally agree with Todd that the first book of the League was a delightful romp which deserved a better effort. The abundance of ideas could have made for a great series of movies using tried and tested copyright-free characters. The most maddening thing about the film that got made is that it actually contains a few good ideas, such as the Dorian Gray character and the father-son relationship between Tom Sawyer and Quatermain. But then we’re ditching character flaws, flattening the female lead’s strengths, and staging a car chase in the one city in the world that has…no…roads. Sheesh.
Similarly, Kevin O’Neill is not just a brilliant draftsman but a first class designer, so whilst the production design of the movie is pretty good, it’s a crime they didn’t use any of his ideas. Unless you count Mr Hyde’s strange big arms.
As for Edward’s idea of the League changing throughout history – that’s already there in the text of the comics, with characters such as Prospero, Gulliver, Orlando, John Carter, and Emma Peel (RIP). Later volumes in the series get a bit bogged down by the weight of references and the problematic nature of historic characters, but the ‘Nemo’ series rekindle the zip and fun of the first volume and are well worth a look.
I haven’t seen the League movie since it came out, so in fairness maybe it is worth revisiting. I agree that the basic premise of literary figures teaming up is strong enough on its own and doesn’t require Moore-level writing to pull off.
As Peter Ayres mentions, the League comics do feature several different incarnations of the League throughout history, so I’d recommend checking them out if you’re interested (and I second his recommendation of the Nemo series in particular, especially if you’re interested in Lovecraft and/or the film Metropolis).
Ooh ooh ooh, I actually know what “the exception that proves the rule” means!
Let’s say you see a sign that says “Free Parking On Weekends” or “No Right Turn On Red 5pm-7pm”. That is an exception that proves the rule. The rule is that it costs money to park there on weekdays, or it’s okay to turn right on red any other time except the times specified on the sign. The fact that there is a specific and clearly posted exception proves that there is an equal and opposite rule. Obviously it can get a little fuzzy or confusing at times, but as far as I can tell that’s what the phrase is supposed to mean: the one exception is so specific and explicit that it logically suggests an opposite rule under all other circumstances.
Hey Sarah – that’s a lovely rationalisation, but I have another explanation!
Like David, I was confused and irritated by this seemingly oxymoronic expression, mainly because it gets misused by oxymorons to claim that half baked ideas are strengthened by evidence to the contrary.
To make sense of the expression we need to review the meanings of the word ‘proof’:
Yes, it is mostly used to mean ‘demonstrate evidence’, but it does have other meanings like ‘alcoholic strength’. In this instance it means ‘test’ – much as how in the graphic arts, a test print is a ‘proof’
So: the exception that tests the rule. For example, the famous black swan that tests the rule that ‘all swans are white’ and shows that it needs to be adapted to ‘most swans are white’.
‘Proof’ is also used by bakers – proving dough – and in another oft-abused culinary phrase:
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating”. This is now routinely shortened to “The proof is in the pudding” which can be understood by all, but has a completely different meaning.
Word fans – I highly recommend David Crystal’s books on Audible. Deep knowledge lightly and entertainingly presented.
Hi,
I asked the question, did I have to answer it ? What a dilemna ;-).
Your answers were very interresting, you both seems be very down to earth, and you listen to others. Maybe (or surely) the ability to listen to others is what making us “adults”… And that’s the reason why I’m asking the question. Anywayyy.
David is completly right, the Mac is the John Deere of computers. John Deere was a visionnary like Steve Jobs, create new revolutionnary products like the plow and the gator, had a innovative and disruptive design (the rounded cabin), expensive and ended with a closed system. Those long forgotten times where you can change your tractor oil filter or add memory to your Macbook by yourself, sheeesh.
For the sub question, my brain refuse to cooperate. That too used to be manageable by myself… Darn memory problems… Maybe it will pop up before the end of the week ?
For the question – ‘Do you feel like a fully grown adult?’, I’d have to say no. I always looked younger than I was, had a retiring personality, and had parents who were maybe a little over-protective as well, and lived in a rural environment, so my exposure to the big grown-up world was maybe not as expansive as it could have been. I graduated from high school younger than most, and ended up returning to pick up more classes – I never felt older than the second group I graduated with, although I felt younger than the first group I graduated with. After university, when I got my current job, the bulk of the rest of the staff were a full generation ahead of me, most within a few years of retirement. In the specialty group I worked with, I was again much younger than everyone else, and the only one without a Master’s degree. I have spent literally decades feeling like a little kid amongst a bunch of adults. Then a few years ago, I was at a meeting, slumped in my seat, doodling, thinking to myself, ‘why am I here?’, when someone made a comment about something unrelated to the meeting and I realized that I was easily 10 years older than everyone there, even more so in some cases. It was a shock. I had gone from been the little kid at the table to being the elder stateman. But I still didn’t feel like a grown up. However, it changed my perspective a bit. There are a lot of very competent young people out there!
Hey gents,
Great question re adulthood. I think you answered it perfectly between you. For me, I have never felt like I lost the ability to see the world from the perspective I had as a child, even though I have long since had to adapt to the often mundane obligations of adult life – paying bills, lodging tax returns etc.
I’ve found that nothing pushes you into adulthood more ferociously than parenthood, primarily because you are no longer the centre of your own selfish universe (which is ultimately a good thing), but also because you feel tired most of the time(!)
Now – ironically given the above discussion- onto the much more important topic of worst comic book movie adaptations. I remember wanting so badly to like TANK GIRL when it came out in 95. I ended up – inadvertently – seeing it 4 times at the movies with various different friends and left every time thinking it was just a bit of an ambitious, tonally inconsistent mess. Good soundtrack though.
And it’s probably not even worth referencing SuperMan 3 and 4 or Batman and Robin or Ang Lee’s joyless adaptation of Hulk with a virtually lifeless Eric Bana.
That is all.
Mick
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say I’ve NEVER seen a halfway decent live action Batman movie. Never, I tells ya! I’ll admit a fondness for the Adam West effort, maiinly for the ‘some days, you just can’t get rid of a bomb’ scene, but the others all fell way short of their potential. On TV, the animated series and Mask of the Phantasm caught the true spirit of the character and the world of Batman far better than any of the much-ballyhooed blockbusters. Take that, Burton and Nolan!
Your question also got me thinking about the best comic-to-movie adaptation. Well, Scott Pilgrim, obviously, but I’m excluding that one on the arbitrary grounds that the movie and the latter volumes of the comic were developed separately, so the filmmakers didn’t have that material to, er, draw on. Instead, let’s hear it for The Death of Stalin – one of the funniest and sharpest movies of the past few years, and a great candidate for some Fansplaining, if you’re in the mood.