wednes | Sharks and Caves and Zombies and Me.

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Sharks and Caves and Zombies and Me.

I was really going to try to stop talking about Steve Irwin. H says I need to stop thinking about things that upset me. But if one more person says he "deserved what he got" or that he "exploited animals" I'm going to punch them in the face. What the fuck is wrong with people? I can only assume that they never watched his shows or listened to him speak or read anything about him. It's ass hattery of the first order.

Speaking of animal related Ass Hattery, The geniuses over at the Monterey Bay Aquarium have yet another White Shark on display. Unlike the last one, which was accidentally caught in a fishing net, this one was caught on purpose for the sole reason of displaying it. This is after their first shark had to be released because it was killing other animals in it's tank. Apparently the workers at a major aquarium didn't quite realize that white sharks are dangerous to other marine animals. Guess they didn't watch enough Steve Irwin.

In much, much, much happier news, George Romero is preparing to do a new zombie movie!!! From the looks of it, it will be a damn sight better than Land of the Dead. I dislike that movie more every time I watch it. This one though, looks like a cross between an actual zombie movie, and Blair Witch Project. My own zombie script is set largely in the woods in rural upper Michigan. I'm sure when I finally meet George in person, he'll be damn impressed with it.

Last night, we watched The Cavern, which is also called WIthIN. This is one of those movies that, to get any enjoyment at all, you need to keep in mind that the budget was alarmingly small. A wide variance of performances, some very bad, some pretty good. A fairly flimsy script made up of typical stock characters in no-brainer circumstances with only the vaguest hint of depth. The killing scenes were all a big cheat, though the aftermath was gruesome. Once things got going, it was a bit suspenseful.
I realize they were in a cave system, but there were far too many moments spent in total darkness. Open Water makes the same use darkeness in leiu of special effects to a lesser and far more effective degree. The ending was rushed and didn't have anything to do with the bulk of the film. It was quite abrupt as well; I was a bit impressed with the level of risk taking involved, but overall I think this movie falls flat on many levels. Since it only cost $4 for both of us to see it, I won't complain too much.

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I'm still sorry I didn't get pictures of ANY George Romero stuff from Dragon*con for you. I could even have obtained exclusive information just for you but I didn't. I'm going to have to find a way to make this up to you so I can feel good again.

Yes, I often comment to H that you don't do nearly enough for me--which is why I don't like you very much. I just knew you'd go to that convention and think about what YOU like and what YOU watch. *shakes head*

Too bad there's not a new season of LOST coming out yesterday on DVD. ;-]

PS I already know what George Romero looks like, so it's cool.

Wow, you didn't like Land Of The Dead? I loved it, probably my second favorite after Day Of The Dead.

I was lucky enough to meet Romero and he was so fantastic in person! Such a genuine bloke (I thanked him for making such great movies which inspired me to study and go to uni to study film. He only looked slightly freaked out at this).

I'd love to see a real Great White - sadly, with the way they are being hunted, I might never get the chance :(

I had problems with the rapid evolution of the zombies. There was almost no suspense in terms of who would live and who would die; and the big attack scene in the tower was riddled with inaccuracies. Which isn't to say that there was nothing to like about it. If it wasn't a Romero, I'd have said it was pretty good. But I had huge expectations and felt really let down.

Plus, what's with all the vocalizing? Zombies cannot talk. If they do, we've descended into Return of the Living Dead.
And the end where he's like "they're just looking for someplace to go" WTF?!? We stop shooting zombies when they stop wanting to eat us--end of story.

Wow! I've never met any filmmakers I really admire. Well, I sort of admire Lloyd Kaufmann, and I've met him. I always imagine George as being really personable and cool.

As much as I'd love to see a Great White in person, I'm really opposed to keeping them captive. Not only do they hate it, but it will kill them eventually because we still don't know how to keep them properly. They don't like electricity or being around people--and they seem to think it's okay to do this "trial and error" nonsense on a species that many think is endangered.
Although, some people say that the GW numbers are going back up. It's been illegal to hunt them for awhile now in most places, even though their reproductive cycle is slow I think they'll bounce back.

I agree with the Irwin issues. He didn't harrass any animals more than any other person in his position, ever. He probably loved them more, though. Same with any scientist. We are studying them and unfortunately some are bothered in the process. Yes, it's TV and ratings go a long way, but he left them unharmed and benefitted the world. Yes, they may have been calmer had he never been there, but he wasn't going any more out of his way to bother them than any other TV nature personality.

Also he "wouldn't have lived had he not removed the barb" for several reasons. 1) when the stingray left, it would've taken the barm with him. It's not a stinger that comes out. So as soon as it swam away, it would've been removed one way ot the other. Next, it injected his heart with venom, and killed him.

Well he obviously pissed off a docile creature. Yes, it's rare to be killed by a stingray, but not be hit by the barb. Usually, it's just irritating or hurts for a few days, but all in all, he wasn't trying to upset it, he just got hit in the wrong place by the barb.

Ok, sorry. I'm done.

So far as I know, he is the first prominent Tv naturalist who did not tag, draw blood, spray paint, or "collect" animals. He showed them to us and let them go. And his reasons for this were totally noble, and remained so even after he became very successful. He also had tremendous respect for the animals and for the natural order of things. I mean, he could have just scooped the ray up in a net and plopped him in a tank to show us, but that wasn't his way.

The footage the police took of the sting ray showed that it was startled by the camera man. Steve was swimming above it and hadn't even touched it. Sadly, a sting straight to the heart is gonna kill you pretty much no matter what you do. Even if he'd already been in a hospital, he would almost certainly have still died.

What makes me most angry is the unfavorable comparisons to Jacques Cousteau. Cousteau's foolhardy behavior led directly to his son's death. And, he had a second wife and family he kept secret from his first one until his first wife died. Plus, he really did piss off animals--jabbing squids to make them shoot ink and such. Noble intentions, I suppose, but ignorant execution.

I just have to know - is that a bear a few rows down and on the right?

Also, I was just in Target and they have Lost for $37 - much less than it sounded like it was going to be. And, if you buy it there you get a $5 gift card for Target with it.

That is an artists rendering of an American Short-Faced-Bear, which is extinct.

Lost S2 has gone down to $35 on Amazon, which is surprising since it originally listed at $59.99.
Still too rich for my blood though.

I feel that people who are rejoicing in the death of Steve Irwin should really look at how despicable that sentiment truly is. Look at the world and some of the people in it...and these fucking shitheads are gonna rejoice in the death of Steve Irwin???

I will keep my views on Animal Rights to myself though... BUT, I will say from the standpoint of an AR person that Steve Irwin is quite far from being an enemy to the animal kingdom. Unless, there are aspects of his work I am unaware of.

As far as the Stingray goes... I don't feel all animals react the same, just like all human beings don't react the same (maybe that Stingray in particular just got chased by something and was apprehensive...is that so crazy an idea?). Look at Dogs with strangers, some bite, some hide, some greet cheerfully. People accusing Irwin of confronting this animal or being guilty of something is ridiculous. His shadow or the camera, etc. alone could have been the catalyst for the attack.

ian and i had a huge fight about land of the dead. i had rented it and he of course fell asleep. about a month later day of the dead came on tv and i wanted to watch it. he swore up and down it was the movie we had just rented... so we had a good fight about it. we fight about the important things;) lol

robert lives just on the other side of 10 mile on john r. i went home for a visit and got off of 75 only to turn and go the wrong way on 9 mile. i ended up somehow going by your old house. only i couldn't remember which was your old house...wild aye?

I've read that because the camera man was in front and Steve over it, the stingray could have become threatened. So good point

A yooper zombie movie?!? That would be perfect!

Correct on all counts!

There are plenty of dispicable bastards in the world; villainizing someone as awesome as Steve Irwin is asinine.

You know...when my parents bought that house it had a bicentennial flag painted on the garage door. My mom had Ed paint it before we'd even unpacked.

OMG, it's YOU!!! ;-]

Yeah, I went on vacation to Tequamenon Falls and was quite taken with that whole area. Well, except for the zombies, obviously.

I was just reading your journal and I had to share, I'm in North Texas, and one of our local "community" theatres is doing a version of "Night of the Living Dead" onstage. Not quite sure how they are planning on pulling that off, so I'll have to check it out and let you know. :) As for Steve Irwin, I'm glad someone else was really upset by that. He was a good person who loved his family and what he did, and it was a tragedy that he died. When a cop dies in the line of duty, we don't say "well, he had it coming because he put himself in danger." That's a bunch of bogus BS. Anyway, enjoying your LJ! Good to read someone intelligent.

really, maybe thats why she's so freakish...she's UNAMERICAN!!! no, wait, that won't explain it.

There has been a stage version of NotLD for awhile now. In fact, there is also a musical. I avoid these abominations, but a small part of me is glad they exist. Any zombie discussion encourages preparedness, after all. ;-]

Too true about the "blame the victim" mentality re: Steve Irwin. That mentality is quite revealing, really. The people who employ it tend to have lots of unresolved guilt.

LOL

Hopefully, this will allow Divers or Film-makers like Steve to consider the use of a protection vest of some sort?

They already have chain mail shark suits, people almost never wear them. Maybe some sort of kevlar thing?

totally off topic... but this made me think of you!

http://www.galacticast.com/2006/09/01/my-dearly-departed/

zombies.... i wonder *why* it made me think of you...

Whoa, that is hilarious.

Thanks!

But I don't see what that has to do with Groundskeeper Willie.

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Sharks and Caves and Zombies and Me.

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Sorry to change the topic....

Re: Sorry to change the topic....

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off topic...

Um...we didn't mention Groundskeeper Willie