Tuesday, May 20, 2008

You Only Live Twice

You Only Live Twice is a novel by Ian Fleming featuring spy James Bond. It is also the fifth movie in the James Bond franchise, released in 1967 and starring Sean Connery. It was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and was made by EON Productions. The screenplay was written by Roald Dahl.

The film was the first Bond movie to deviate heavily from the source material. Other than the setting of Japan and several of the characters, the two stories are very different.

A mysterious spacecraft captures and steals manned spacecraft from both the United States and the Soviet Union. Thinking that each other is the cause for their loss, the world is thrown to the brink of war. However, the UK government believes the mystery craft landed in the Sea of Japan which indicates that a Japanese element may be involved instead.

James Bond, after participating in a charade to fake his death, is sent to Japan to investigate this suspicion in conjunction with the Japanese intelligence service led by "Tiger" Tanaka in an effort to stave off possible nuclear war. Together, the combined service find the real villain behind this plot is Ernst Stavro Blofeld and his evil organization S.P.E.C.T.R.E. with Red China providing financing in an effort to have the super powers destroy each other so the plotters can rule supreme over what survives.

Bond manages to infiltrate the secret launch base hidden in a hollowed out volcano, while his female partner is sent back to alert Tanaka. However, Bond is caught before he could stop the final phase of the plan, and is brought before Blofeld. Meanwhile, Tanaka and his elite force of ninjas attempt to enter the base through the volcano's upper crater hatch. Unfortunately, they are spotted and Blofeld has the crater's sentry guns open up on them. All seems hopeless until Bond manages to open the crater hatch, allowing Tanaka's troops enter in force for an all out attack on the base.

In the ensuing battle, Bond manages to enter the launch control and destroy the SPECTRE craft before it could capture another US capsule and spark a war.

Although the film is not the first completely original Bond film (elements such as Bond's infiltration of a Japanese fishing village, and much of Tanaka's character come directly from the book), the film is the first Bond movie to diverge in a substantial way from the original book; the screenplay was written by Roald Dahl.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED or male impotence) is a sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis. There are various underlying causes, such as cardiovascular leakage and diabetes, many of which are medically treatable. Nerve trauma from prostatectomy surgery can cause chronic erectile dysfunction.

The causes of erectile dysfunction may be physiological or psychological. Physiologically, erection is a hydraulic mechanism based upon blood entering and being retained in the penis, and there are various ways in which this can be impeded, most of which are amenable to treatment. Psychological impotence is where erection or penetration fails due to thoughts or feelings (psychological reasons) rather than physical impossibility; this can often be helped. Notably in psychological impotence there is a very strong placebo effect.

Erectile dysfunction, tied closely as it is to cultural notions of potency, success and masculinity, can have devastating psychological consequences including feelings of shame, loss or inadequacy; often unnecessary since in most cases the matter can be helped. There is a strong culture of silence and inability to discuss the matter. In fact around 1 in 10 men will experience recurring impotence problems at some point in their lives.

Folk remedies have long been advocated, with some being advertised widely since the 1930s. The introduction of the first pharmacologically approved remedy for impotence, sildenafil (trade name Viagra), in the 1990s caused a wave of public attention, propelled in part by heavy advertising.

The Latin term impotentia coeundi describes simple inability to insert the penis into the vagina. It is now mostly replaced by more precise terms. The study of erectile dysfunction within medicine is covered by andrology, a sub-field within urology.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Adam Warlock

Following his debut as "Him" in Fantastic Four #66 (Sept. 1967), the character reappeared in Thor #165-166 (June-July 1969). Writer Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane significantly revamped Him three years later as the allegorical Messiah Adam Warlock in Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972). This launched a feature, set on the genetically engineered planet Counter-Earth on the far side of the sun, that ran in the following issue before spinning off into its own title, Warlock. With the cover logo "The Power of Warlock", the series ran through issue #8 (Aug. 1972 - Oct. 1973).

Following a guest appearance in The Incredible Hulk #177-178 (July-Aug. 1974), Adam Warlock received a new series again as a feature under writer-artist Jim Starlin. In the critically acclaimed storyline "The Magus Saga",[1] begun in Strange Tales #178-181 (Feb.-Aug. 1975) and continuing into Warlock, revived for issues #9-15 (Oct. 1975 - Nov. 1976), Starlin wrote, penciled (eventually co-penciling with Steve Leialoha, and initially self-inked an epic arc involving Warlock in war with a corrupt, religious space empire, his demagogue future self, and the cosmic supervillain Thanos. Following an unrelated adventure with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #55 (March 1977), in a story by writer Bill Mantlo and penciler John Byrne, the Magus Saga and its repercussions culminated in a two-part Starlin story in The Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 (both 1977), in which Adam Warlock, Thanos, and supporting characters Gamora and Pip the Troll died. Warlock had a very brief, quasi-resurrection as a soulless shell in the final issue of a three-part story in Marvel Two-in-One #61-63 (March-May 1980), by writer Mark Gruenwald and penciler Jerry Bingham, which introduced the character Her (later Kismet).

After Starlin resurrected Thanos in the miniseries The Thanos Quest #1-2 (both Sept. 1990), the writer, with successive pencilers George Pérez and Ron Lim, did likewise with Adam Warlock, Pip and Gamora in the six-issue miniseries The Infinity Gauntlet (July-Dec. 1991). Warlock experienced repercussions of that event in Silver Surfer, vol. 2, #60 and Doctor Strange vol. 3, #36 (both Dec. 1991).

Warlock again headline his own series with Warlock and the Infinity Watch, initially by writer Starlin and penciler Angel Medina. It ran 42 issues (Feb. 1992 - Aug. 1995), the first 31 written by Starlin and the following by Richard Ashford (one issue) and John Arcudi through the finale, with Pat Olliffe the primary penciler after Medina, and Mike Gustovich on the final two issues. During this time, Warlock was one of the primary protagonists in three miniseries: the Starlin written, six-issue The Infinity War (June-Nov. 1992), the Starlin written-and-drawn, four-issue Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection (March-June 1993), and the Starlin-written, six-issue The Infinity Crusade (June-Nov. 1993).

During this time, Warlock also starred in a short-lived companion series, The Warlock Chronicles #1-8 (July 1993 - Feb. 1994), by Starlin and a variety of pencilers. He returned in two non-Starlin, four-issue miniseries: Warlock vol. 3 (Nov. 1998 - Feb. 1999), by writer-penciler Tom Lyle, followed the all-reprint Warlock vol. 2 (1992; see below). Then, Warlock vol. 5 (Nov. 2004 - Feb. 2005), by writer Greg Pak and artist Charles Adlard, following an unrelated '"Warlock vol. 4 (1999-2000) that starred an alien mutant from the X-Men-related series The New Mutants.

Warlock also appeared in four issues of intercompany crossovers between Marvel Comics and the Malibu Comics "Ultraverse": the one-shot Rune / Silver Surfer (April 1995 in indicia, June 1995 on cover); Rune vol. 2, #6-7 (1995); and Ultraverse Unlimited #1 (June 1996).

Monday, March 24, 2008

With Six You Get Eggroll


With Six You Get Eggroll is a family comedy from 1968, starring Doris Day and Brian Keith. Other cast members include George Carlin, Jamie Farr, William Christopher, Barbara Hershey, Alice Ghostley and Pat Carroll.

Day plays Abby McClure, a widow working in a lumber yard who has three sons. Later, she meets widower Jake Iverson (Keith) who has a teenage daughter. They start dating and decide to get married. They're not prepared for the hostile reactions from their children, especially Jake's daughter Stacy, who wants to be the woman of the house, and Abby's oldest son Flip, who hates Jake.

The musical group Grass Roots make a cameo appearance in this film. It was also Doris Day's final acting appearance in a film.

Upon her husband's death, Day learned that he had committed her to a TV series, which became The Doris Day Show. "It was awful," Day told OK! Magazine in 1996. "I was really, really not very well when Marty passed away, and the thought of going into TV was overpowering. But he'd signed me up for a series. And then my son Terry took me walking in Beverly Hills and explained that it wasn't nearly the end of it. I had also been signed up for a bunch of TV specials, all without anyone ever asking me."

Day hated the idea of doing television, but felt obligated. "There was a contract. I didn't know about it. I never wanted to do TV, but I gave it 100 percent anyway. That's the only way I know how to do it." Melcher died on April 20, 1968, and the first episode of the TV show was aired on September 24, 1968.

From 1968 to 1973, The Doris Day Show aired with "Que Sera, Sera" as its theme song. Day grudgingly continued but only as long as she needed the work to help pay off her debts and only after CBS had ceded creative control to Day and her son. Fortunately for her, the show was successful, and functioned as a lead-in to the equally successful Carol Burnett Show. Despite its successful run, today Day's show is chiefly remembered for its dramatic changes in casting and premise from season to season. It has not been as widely syndicated as many of its contemporaries, and has been little seen in markets outside the U.S. and Britain.

In addition to her series, in 1971 and 1974 Day completed two TV specials. She also appeared in one of John Denver's TV specials (1974) parodying her (and his) sunny public image to good effect. By the end of the TV series in 1973, Day was nearing 50, and public tastes had changed to such a degree that her firmly established wholesome persona was now completely out of fashion. She essentially retired from acting when The Doris Day Show ended, but the popularity of Doris Day is still widespread to this day.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Frankenstein


Shelley's Frankenstein has been called the first novel of the now-popular mad scientist genre. However, popular culture has changed the naive, well-meaning Victor Frankenstein into more and more of a corrupt character. It has also changed the creature into a more sensational, dehumanized being than was originally portrayed. In the original story, the worst thing that Victor does is to neglect the creature out of fear. He does not intend to create a horror. The creature, even, begins as an innocent, loving being. Not until the world inflicts violence on him does he develop his hatred. Scientific knowledge is highlighted at the end by Victor as potentially evil and dangerously alluring.

Soon after the book was published, however, stage managers began to see the difficulty of bringing the story into a more visual form. In performances beginning in 1823, playwrights began to recognize that to visualize the play, the internal reasonings of the scientist and the creature would have to be cut. The creature became the star of the show, with his more visual and sensational violence. Victor was portrayed as a fool for delving into nature's mysteries. Despite the changes, though, the play was much closer to the original than later films would be. Comic versions also abounded, and a musical burlesque version was produced in London in 1887 called Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim.

Silent films continued the struggle to bring the story alive. Early versions such as the Edison Company's Frankenstein, managed to stick somewhat close to the plot. In 1931, however, James Whale created a film that drastically changed the story. Working under Universal Studios, Whale introduced to the plot several elements now familiar to a modern audience: the image of "Dr." Frankenstein, whereas earlier he was merely a naive, young student, an Igor-like character (called Fritz in this film) who makes the mistake of bringing his master a criminal's brain while gathering body parts, and a sensational creation scene focusing on electric power rather than chemical processes. In this film, the scientist is an arrogant, intelligent, grown man, rather than a unknowing youngster. Another scientist volunteers to destroy the creature for him, the film never forcing him to take responsibility for his acts. Whale's sequel Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and later sequels Son of Frankenstein (1939), and Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) all continued the general theme of sensationalism, horror, and exaggeration, with the newly-dubbed Dr. Frankenstein and his parallels growing more and more sinister.

Later films diverted even more from the story, portraying the doctor as a sexual pervert and using his new persona to ask contemporary questions about science. Andy Warhol's Frankenstein portrayed him as a necrophiliac, and in The Rocky Horror Picture Show Dr. Frank-N-Furter (a parody of Frankenstein) creates a creature as a muscular twink of a sexual plaything. In Frankenstein Created Woman, he transplants a man's soul into a woman's body, joining the transsexual debate. And in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed he transplants a fellow-scientist's brain into another body in order to keep him alive, introducing moral questions into how far science should go to save a life. Although these films managed to bring the audience's attention back to the scientist, rather than the monster, they continue to show him as more depraved than the original. Overall, the story of Frankenstein that most people know today is more the product of movie studios than of Mary Shelley. Still, these films have provided valuable insights into the nature of film, the evolution of the general populace's view of science, and several interesting interpretations of a classic story.

See also: Love Lessons

Friday, February 29, 2008

Mata Bond

Visit Mata Bond's blog and her Myspace page.

Lost In Space

Lost In Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen. The series was released by Fox Television and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965 and March 6, 1968. Lost in Space was the second of Allen's four science fiction TV series. The show's main theme was space travel adventure. The show's first season was in black and white, but the second and third seasons were in color.

Conceptually the series is a space-age adaptation of the classic adventure novel Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss. During the first two seasons, the series follows the adventures of an astronaut family that is shipwrecked on an alien world after getting lost trying to reach the Alpha Centauri star system. In the third season they travel to other worlds in their never-resolved attempts to reach their destination, which was either Earth or Alpha Centauri.

Following the successful format of Allen's first TV series, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, the emphasis was on creating exciting fantasy-oriented adventure stories. Each week, the show delivered a fast-paced visual assault of special effects, explosions, monstrous aliens, spaceships, and exotic sets and costumes drenched in bright, primary colors. On the other hand, unlike the other space TV show of the day, Star Trek, character development, serious issues, dramatic depth, or even maintaining a coherent story were ignored. ("Don't get logical with me!" was Allen's frequent retort to writers who objected to changes to their scripts. Source: Starlog #219)

Allen had hit upon a winning formula which he used to create a third fantasy-adventure show, The Time Tunnel (1966-1967), followed by his last and most ambitious series, Land Of The Giants (1968-1970), all of which have become cult, if not critical, favorites.