fredericks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fredericks) wrote2003-09-18 12:09 pm
fredericks) wrote2003-09-18 12:09 pm
The Circle of Life Indeed
Yar! I just felt like typing that. Here: yar!.
I'm reading through Stevie's Dark Tower series again, in anticipation of the release of book V, The Wolves of the Calla in November. I cannot wait. The only other time I was this giddy about the release of a book was during the long months between Tad Williams' publishing of Mountain of Black Glass and Sea of Silver Light. Orlando!
/anguished cry.
Heh. Anywho, yeah, I was reading The Gunslinger yesterday on my way to the mall. King revised it and added some new parts to it. I couldn't recall the original that well, even though I must have read it at least twice, because I didn't like it that much. King commented on as much in the new introduction - the writing was chock-full of unnecessary words and the style was pretty pompous (my phrasing, but the gist of the matter). What he left was totally engrossing. Very very good stuff, Stevie. It wins the Daniella Seal of Approval TM. To me the mark of a good book is when it makes you nearly forget your bus/train stop. And damned if I would have forgotten to get off the train that evening at 42nd Street if I hadn't forced myself to look up at one point. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Mom had two tickets to "The Lion King" on Broadway for a showing yesterday evening, and I decided to ask Alexa to go with me. It's a joke between us that seeing each other is an annual thing, but now that I seem to be stuck in the city for a while I guess our annual plans will be shot to pot. I left the house late (per usual), but this time I sort of had an excuse, since I had to cook dinner. So, yes, I head down to 42nd Street late and rush out of the subway station to the theatre through throngs of people. The people. I love them and I hate them. I love that you can step out onto a street in Manhattan and see people from all walks of life, speaking tens of language. I hate that these same people inevitably slow your ass down while they're gawking at skyscrapers and errant cabbies. My sojourn to New Amsterdam Theatre was slowed yesterday by two Buddhist monks, a gaggle of Japanese tourists, a crowd of people surrounding a street magician, a couple of people babbling away in what appeared to be German, and a number of rude late-working business people. Ah, I love/hate NY.
Alexa didn't seem too put off by my late appearance (we planned on being early to the show, and, besides, you'd think she'd be used to that sort of thing from me by now). She was still...her. I don't know how to say it any better. We perused the guest shop (The Disney Store, which was conveniently attached to the entrance of the theatre) and then headed in. Seats weren't too bad. Nice view of the stage. Although part-way through the show my leg started paining me like crazy. You'd think they'd try to add leg-room for normal people, but no, they obviously build these things for those shorter than 5 feet. Sizism. *snort*
Show wasn't that bad. The costumes were friggin' amazing. Breathtakingly beautiful. And, as always, the song The Circle of Life made me tear up like a baby. It's a kick-ass song, peoples! I'm allowed. My major gripes with the show - the deviations from the movie and the added sexuality (!). They (for some reason or another) decided to write some songs for the stage. Ugh. They were pretty craptacular. Well, not craptacular, but on par with most Elton John/Tim Rice collabo songs. Which made it pretty bad. But those I could just grimace and take. Sometimes they'd have the songs from the movie and then add a (I can think of no other way to describe it) "break it down" section, where the music would change slightly and people would dance in a funky way. I don't know. They fucked up my second favorite song (Be Prepared) that way. And the guy that played Scar didn't sing the part (ala Jeremy Irons) but spoke it lyrically. *sigh* His imitation of Irons was fairly spot-on throughout, though.
The sex (!) though. For one, they changed it up so that Scar ended up wanting to screw Nala (!), and that's what made her leave the devastated Pridelands. I was all like, "WTF?!?" I know I made a loud noise when that twist in the plot emerged, and I had to cover my mouth with my hands to muffle any more exclamations. Even though Nala was all grown up with her fine lioness self! Holla! (Challah! Hee!), I was still thinking "this is giving me pedophile vibes". Another thing is that Timon and Pumba spent a lot of time implying that Simba (now grown up, of course, with his fine lion self - rowr!) needed to get laid to calm his ass down. Ugh. And THEN, the kicker - during the WORST!SONG!EVER!, Can You Feel The Love Tonight, instead of having the actors put on a display of lion lovin' ala the movie (which I was totally dreading - who didn't think that section was the weakest part of the film?) they had four couples dressed in weird costumes emerge and do these...dances...where they'd entangle themselves and then...ugh! Alexa said it was supposed to he hormones. I was thinking something a little less PG-rated, but along the same lines as her. What, the kiddies can take Scar trying to hump Nala but they can't take Simba and Nala pawing on one another? Regardless, the message was not lost on the adults, and the kids were probably bored shitless during the number.
My griping and bellyaching makes it seem like I didn't like the show. I did like it, overall. It made me want to watch "Lion King" again when I came home. Alexa and I enjoyed ourselves so that's all that mattered. She also brought up Bronx Science's 5 Year Reunion (which I did not get an invite for). I was on the fence about going (it costs 40-odd dollars!), but Alexa is going, apparently, and I figure we can get drunk and embarrass ourselves together, ala "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion". The only people I'm interesting in seeing from Science are Irina (wtf happened to her?) and Quincy, who I know isn't going to be there because he was in the class before mine. Hmm. I suppose it'll be interesting/painful anyway. *sigh* Still not sure if I should go. If I want to go. I'll decide soon.
/nonsensical entry
I'm reading through Stevie's Dark Tower series again, in anticipation of the release of book V, The Wolves of the Calla in November. I cannot wait. The only other time I was this giddy about the release of a book was during the long months between Tad Williams' publishing of Mountain of Black Glass and Sea of Silver Light. Orlando!
/anguished cry.
Heh. Anywho, yeah, I was reading The Gunslinger yesterday on my way to the mall. King revised it and added some new parts to it. I couldn't recall the original that well, even though I must have read it at least twice, because I didn't like it that much. King commented on as much in the new introduction - the writing was chock-full of unnecessary words and the style was pretty pompous (my phrasing, but the gist of the matter). What he left was totally engrossing. Very very good stuff, Stevie. It wins the Daniella Seal of Approval TM. To me the mark of a good book is when it makes you nearly forget your bus/train stop. And damned if I would have forgotten to get off the train that evening at 42nd Street if I hadn't forced myself to look up at one point. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Mom had two tickets to "The Lion King" on Broadway for a showing yesterday evening, and I decided to ask Alexa to go with me. It's a joke between us that seeing each other is an annual thing, but now that I seem to be stuck in the city for a while I guess our annual plans will be shot to pot. I left the house late (per usual), but this time I sort of had an excuse, since I had to cook dinner. So, yes, I head down to 42nd Street late and rush out of the subway station to the theatre through throngs of people. The people. I love them and I hate them. I love that you can step out onto a street in Manhattan and see people from all walks of life, speaking tens of language. I hate that these same people inevitably slow your ass down while they're gawking at skyscrapers and errant cabbies. My sojourn to New Amsterdam Theatre was slowed yesterday by two Buddhist monks, a gaggle of Japanese tourists, a crowd of people surrounding a street magician, a couple of people babbling away in what appeared to be German, and a number of rude late-working business people. Ah, I love/hate NY.
Alexa didn't seem too put off by my late appearance (we planned on being early to the show, and, besides, you'd think she'd be used to that sort of thing from me by now). She was still...her. I don't know how to say it any better. We perused the guest shop (The Disney Store, which was conveniently attached to the entrance of the theatre) and then headed in. Seats weren't too bad. Nice view of the stage. Although part-way through the show my leg started paining me like crazy. You'd think they'd try to add leg-room for normal people, but no, they obviously build these things for those shorter than 5 feet. Sizism. *snort*
Show wasn't that bad. The costumes were friggin' amazing. Breathtakingly beautiful. And, as always, the song The Circle of Life made me tear up like a baby. It's a kick-ass song, peoples! I'm allowed. My major gripes with the show - the deviations from the movie and the added sexuality (!). They (for some reason or another) decided to write some songs for the stage. Ugh. They were pretty craptacular. Well, not craptacular, but on par with most Elton John/Tim Rice collabo songs. Which made it pretty bad. But those I could just grimace and take. Sometimes they'd have the songs from the movie and then add a (I can think of no other way to describe it) "break it down" section, where the music would change slightly and people would dance in a funky way. I don't know. They fucked up my second favorite song (Be Prepared) that way. And the guy that played Scar didn't sing the part (ala Jeremy Irons) but spoke it lyrically. *sigh* His imitation of Irons was fairly spot-on throughout, though.
The sex (!) though. For one, they changed it up so that Scar ended up wanting to screw Nala (!), and that's what made her leave the devastated Pridelands. I was all like, "WTF?!?" I know I made a loud noise when that twist in the plot emerged, and I had to cover my mouth with my hands to muffle any more exclamations. Even though Nala was all grown up with her fine lioness self! Holla! (Challah! Hee!), I was still thinking "this is giving me pedophile vibes". Another thing is that Timon and Pumba spent a lot of time implying that Simba (now grown up, of course, with his fine lion self - rowr!) needed to get laid to calm his ass down. Ugh. And THEN, the kicker - during the WORST!SONG!EVER!, Can You Feel The Love Tonight, instead of having the actors put on a display of lion lovin' ala the movie (which I was totally dreading - who didn't think that section was the weakest part of the film?) they had four couples dressed in weird costumes emerge and do these...dances...where they'd entangle themselves and then...ugh! Alexa said it was supposed to he hormones. I was thinking something a little less PG-rated, but along the same lines as her. What, the kiddies can take Scar trying to hump Nala but they can't take Simba and Nala pawing on one another? Regardless, the message was not lost on the adults, and the kids were probably bored shitless during the number.
My griping and bellyaching makes it seem like I didn't like the show. I did like it, overall. It made me want to watch "Lion King" again when I came home. Alexa and I enjoyed ourselves so that's all that mattered. She also brought up Bronx Science's 5 Year Reunion (which I did not get an invite for). I was on the fence about going (it costs 40-odd dollars!), but Alexa is going, apparently, and I figure we can get drunk and embarrass ourselves together, ala "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion". The only people I'm interesting in seeing from Science are Irina (wtf happened to her?) and Quincy, who I know isn't going to be there because he was in the class before mine. Hmm. I suppose it'll be interesting/painful anyway. *sigh* Still not sure if I should go. If I want to go. I'll decide soon.
/nonsensical entry
no subject
I'm glad the show was good. I don't think that will ever be one of the things I'll see in my lifetime.. a Broadway show. Weird. The whole Scar/Nala thing freaks me out, but eh..
High school reunion? I would never be brave enough to go.. Living in the town that I do, I see everyone everywhere anyway. Not to mention that most of us attend Bevill State.
no subject
If you're looking for new reads I'd recommend both King's Dark Tower series and Tad Williams' Otherland series (Dark Tower's first book is, as I mentioned in my entry, The Gunslinger, and Otherland's is City of Golden Shadow). Both series start out rather slowly (it took me about two tries to get past the first few pages of Gunslinger and at least three to get past page 100 of Golden Shadow) but they pick up after that and are totally engrossing. I stole my LJ name from an Otherland character who eerily reminds me of myself.
And OotP rawks!, btw. *grin*
The whole Scar/Nala thing freaks me out, but eh..
Here's the thing: I mentioned my "weirded-out" vibes to two family members who'd seen the show as well and was met with blank stares and silence. Maybe it was something only people familiar with the movie would have picked up (we were both basically mouthing the lines along with the actors). Or maybe I'm just nuttier than a fruitcake. Either/Or. Or Both.
I'd have to say it gives me the shivers...
I watched some episodes of Star Trek Enterprise (yeah, I hate that intro so much) and I couldn't believe that television had decended to the pantomime threesome innuendo.
But I've seen Lion King (the movie) twice, and I caught all your references and could understand how introduced sexuality to creep you/me out!
I swear that like violence, people have become innured to overt sexuality....
Ramble ends here.
Re: I'd have to say it gives me the shivers...
The idea of Scar wanting to secure his place on the throne my siring a child is true-to-life and a nice - in a historical play, NOT a Disney flick. And the way he said "Nala has grown into a fine lioness" had me envisioning Walt Disney doing somersaults in his cryogenic chamber. T & P's innuendo-laced dialogue with Simba was the same thing.
And don't get me started on the acrobatic love-fest that was the WORST!SONG!EVER! Can You Feel the Love Tonight. In the movie it consisted of nothing but lion foreplay (let's be honest), accompanied by the most hideous song (possibly) of all time. So I really didn't expect anything outside of some covert display of sensuality. It was annoying just because I loathe and detest that song (if I haven't made that clear by now, well...).
They managed to take my childhood memories of a touching tale of parental love and loss and interject all sorts of sex (!) stuff. No, I'm not a prude (and I know I come off that way on occasion), but to me innocence = no overt sexuality. Blame the Catholic guilt, I suppose. And my Disney innocence is shot to pot.
I watched some episodes of Star Trek Enterprise (yeah, I hate that intro so much) and I couldn't believe that television had decended to the pantomime threesome innuendo.
I've only watched a couple of episodes of Enterprise, but from what I've heard at
Wow. This is a long reply. But I'd been rolling that Lion King thing over and over in my mind lately. Which says a lot (or a little) about my mind.