Posted by Felix Vasquez Jr. in Writer's Corner at 4:33 AM
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Today is Mel Blanc’s 100th Birthday. Now you’re probably saying “who cares?” but being a hardcore geek of all things animated I’m compelled to pay some respect to the man. I think one of the reasons why I’m such a huge fan of Hank Azaria is that he reminds me of Blanc. He’s multi-talented, very funny, and can do over a hundred different voices without you really noticing it’s him. In “The Simpsons” his talent is incredible, and I think we owe it to Mel Blanc, a man who voiced some of the best cartoon characters of all time. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, the list just goes on. And the Looney Tunes franchise died when he did, sadly.
At least that’s what I deduce.
Blanc just changed my life. He’s the one who inspired me to want to become a voice actor, and I’ve done a damn fine job of it so far. I’ve got Beaky Buzzard and George and Ralph down pat. So anyway, I’m a big Blanc fan, and he deserves some noting for his 100th birthday if only for making us laugh so much and living on in some of the best comedy ever created.
I can go on about Looney Tunes, and if you look around Film Threat, so could many others. That’s all…! you know the rest.
Posted by Felix Vasquez Jr. in Writer's Corner at 7:16 PM
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Sydney Pollack, Dick Martin and now… Harvey Korman.
LOS ANGELES - Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” and played a conniving politician to hilarious effect in “Blazing Saddles,” died Thursday. He was 81.
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Korman died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He had undergone several major operations.
“He was a brilliant comedian and a brilliant father,” daughter Kate Korman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “He had a very good sense of humor in real life. “
A natural second banana, Korman gained attention on “The Danny Kaye Show,” appearing in skits with the star. He joined the show in its second season in 1964 and continued until it was canceled in 1967. That same year he became a cast member in the first season of “The Carol Burnett Show.”
Burnett and Korman developed into the perfect pair with their burlesques of classic movies such as “Gone With the Wind” and soap operas like “As the World Turns” (their version was called “As the Stomach Turns”).
Another recurring skit featured them as “Ed and Eunice,” a staid married couple who were constantly at odds with the wife’s mother (a young Vickie Lawrence in a gray wig). In “Old Folks at Home,” they were a combative married couple bedeviled by Lawrence as Burnett’s troublesome young sister.
Korman revealed the secret to the long-running show’s success in a 2005 interview: “We were an ensemble, and Carol had the most incredible attitude. I’ve never worked with a star of that magnitude who was willing to give so much away.”
Burnett was devastated by Korman’s death, said her assistant, Angie Horejsi.
“She loved Harvey very much,” Horejsi said.
After 10 successful seasons, Korman left Burnett’s show in 1977 for his own series. Dick Van Dyke took his place, but the chemistry was lacking and the Burnett show was canceled two years later. “The Harvey Korman Show” also failed, as did other series starring the actor.
“It takes a certain type of person to be a television star,” he said in that 2005 interview. “I didn’t have whatever that is. I come across as kind of snobbish and maybe a little too bright. … Give me something bizarre to play or put me in a dress and I’m fine.”
His most memorable film role was as the outlandish Hedley Lamarr (who was endlessly exasperated when people called him Hedy) in Mel Brooks’ 1974 Western satire, “Blazing Saddles.”
“A world without Harvey Korman — it’s a more serious world,” Brooks told the AP on Thursday. “It was very dangerous for me to work with him because if our eyes met we’d crash to floor in comic ecstasy. It was comedy heaven to make Harvey Korman laugh.”
He also appeared in the Brooks comedies “High Anxiety,” “The History of the World Part I” and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It,” as well as two “Pink Panther” moves, “Trail of the Pink Panther” in 1982 and “Curse of the Pink Panther” in 1983.
Korman’s other films included “Gypsy,” “Huckleberry Finn” (as the King), “Herbie Goes Bananas” and “Bud and Lou” (as legendary straightman Bud Abbott to Buddy Hackett’s Lou Costello). He also provided the voice of Dictabird in the 1994 live-action feature “The Flintstones.”
In television, Korman guest-starred in dozens of series including “The Donna Reed Show,” “Dr. Kildare,” “Perry Mason,” “The Wild Wild West,” “The Muppet Show,” “The Love Boat,” “The Roseanne Show” and “Burke’s Law.”
In their ’70s, he and Tim Conway, one of his Burnett show co-stars, toured the country with their show “Tim Conway and Harvey Korman: Together Again.” They did 120 shows a year, sometimes as many as six or eight in a weekend.
Korman had an operation in late January on a non-cancerous brain tumor and pulled through “with flying colors,” Kate Korman said. Less than a day after coming home, he was re-admitted because of the ruptured aneurysm and was given a few hours to live. But he survived for another four months.
“He fought until the very end. He didn’t want to die. He fought for months and months,” said Kate Korman.
Harvey Herschel Korman was born Feb. 15, 1927, in Chicago. He left college for service in the U.S. Navy, resuming his studies afterward at the Goodman School of Drama at the Chicago Art Institute. After four years, he decided to try New York.
“For the next 13 years I tried to get on Broadway, on off-Broadway, under or beside Broadway,” he told a reporter in 1971.
He had no luck and had to support himself as a restaurant cashier. Finally, in desperation, he and a friend formed a nightclub comedy act.
“We were fired our first night in a club, between the first and second shows,” he recalled.
After returning to Chicago, Korman decided to try Hollywood, reasoning that “at least I’d feel warm and comfortable while I failed.”
For three years he sold cars and worked as a doorman at a movie theater. Then he landed the job with Kaye.
In 1960 Korman married Donna Elhart and they had two children, Maria and Christopher. They divorced in 1977. Two more children, Katherine and Laura, were born of his 1982 marriage to Deborah Fritz.
In addition to his daughter Kate, he is survived by his wife and the three other children.
Brett Ratner to direct “Beverly Hills Cop 4″ Source: Variety
You know, this doesn’t bother me so much. Why? Because Brett Ratner can do explosions and action. Think “Rush Hour” without the buddy cop thing, and only Chris Tucker (ok, ok… that’s not convincing or reassuring). Anyway, what does the franchise have to lose?
Think about it: was “Beverly Hills Cop 3″ so good that we can’t follow it up with something that has the potential to be at least marginally better? And it’s not like we’re worrying about Eddie Murphy’s reputation anymore; he fucked that goat a long time ago.
Honestly, I’m likely to skip it either way (I saw “3″ on video, I’ll likely see “4″ that way too) so I guess I don’t really care. But it actually might not suck and, most likely at least, will be better than “3″ (which DID suck).
Brett Ratner wants Robert Downey Jr. for Hugh Hefner role Source: Entertainment Weekly
I’m keeping it Ratner! And this is kind of non-news, which is why I’m talking about it. Basically, Ratner has a bio-pic script about Hugh Hefner called “Playboy” that he’d like to turn into a movie. As his choice to play Hefner, he’d like Downey Jr. Why do I consider this non-news?
This morning I was hungry. I really wanted Eggs Benedict. Replace the previous two sentences with the ones about what Ratner wants, and I’ve illustrated my point. Notice we still don’t know what I ate?
The best quote from the entire piece is the following:
“Robert Downey Jr. agreed to do it based on the script,” the director says.
Why is that my favorite quote? Because of what comes immediately after:
“We’re gonna hand him the script very shortly. He loves the character and the role and we’ve been meeting with him on it. So, if he wants to do it, we’re excited to have him.”
Um, he agreed because of the script, and yet you haven’t handed him a copy of the script yet? Wha? Oh, and what guy wouldn’t love the character and role of a man that basically spends all his time around hot, naked women? See how this is STILL non-news?
TV critic gets the Tivo treatment Source: New York Times
There’s been a lot of talk about how critics are dying off. Prominent film critics are getting let go from newspapers and websites, it really seems like an endangered job. And it is… if you expect to get paid.
See, I don’t think TV, film or music criticism is going anywhere. I do think that the extremely small world of PAID criticism is on its way out the door. Why? Because there’s too many free options available, one, paper, magazine and website earnings are down, two, and why pay someone to give an opinion that may contradict or insult a paying advertiser, three?
However, there may be a very tiny light at the end of the tunnel. Tivo owners will soon be able to automatically record programs based on a list of Chicago Tribune TV critic Maureen Ryan’s personal picks of the week. Why is this good news?
Because it places a value on critical opinion. Shows that folks MIGHT give a damn what Maureen thinks, enough to record programs she gives the ok to, and the domino effect falls onto film criticism too. Would you record Ebert or Roeper’s weekly picks?
Of course, does this news help all us indie critics out there? Not bloody likely. The names that people already know will likely benefit, but we’re still going to be doing this for the love of the game (or something). But still… it’s something…
Sydney Pollack dies of cancer at age 73… Source: Yahoo
The last film I saw Sydney Pollack in was “Michael Clayton,” and I’ve got to say that I thought he was tops. All around, I thought he was tops. He will be missed; rest in peace, Sydney.
Christopher Tolkien, son of JRR, trying to stop “The Hobbit” from filming! Source: HollywoodWiretap.com
When I first read the headline I thought to myself, “well, a bit late. If this has anything to do with protecting your father’s legacy, you blew it when the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films made it to theaters.” Then I read the story.
Seems New Line Cinema owes the Tolkien family (according to Christopher, keep in mind) about £80 million (that’s about $158 million dollars) and he’s trying to stop production until he and the family get paid up.
Now, I don’t know why an 83-year old man is flipping out about that much money (let’s be honest, he’s probably not going to be around long enough to spend it) to the point where he wants to stop the only folks capable of doing his father’s work justice (the multiple endings of “Return of the King” notwithstanding). Do I think the family should get what is owed to them? Yes. Do I think it is likely that they are owed money? Consider the battle Peter Jackson waged over accounting, yes. Do I think they probably got more than enough in the meantime to sustain the family, even if it wasn’t the full $158 million (which is more than “Indy IV” made opening weekend *wink*)? Most likely…
Google spins Viacom suit against YouTube as a suit against not just the popular site, but the flow of information on the internet itself… Source: LATimes.com
I say “good on you, Google!” Studios have been after YouTube since before Google bought the video-sharing site, and what better defense against an attack than the “this is bigger than all of us; this could destroy the way everything we’ve come to know and love” approach?
“In papers submitted to a judge late Friday, Google said YouTube “goes far beyond its legal obligations in assisting content owners to protect their works.” It said that by seeking to make carriers and hosting providers liable for Internet communications, Viacom “threatens the way hundreds of millions of people legitimately exchange information, news, entertainment and political and artistic expression.”
Google said YouTube was faithful to the requirements of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, saying the federal law was intended to protect companies such as YouTube as long as they responded properly to content owners’ claims of infringement.”
This fight is going to go on for a while, but Google does have a point. The law in the United States is primarily based upon precedents, and in this case, a precedent exists called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Should Viacom get their way, even if YouTube has been adhering to the DMCA, then we’re looking at a very unruly can of worms let loose.
If the DMCA were to be kaput, then we’d see lawsuits everywhere because, quite frankly, the DMCA is protective not only of copyright, but copyright infringers as well, as it gives the latter the opportunity to make good on the chance that they unknowingly infringed. For the most part, too, I think copyright infringement on the internet is accidental or based on ignorance of copyright statutes, so the DMCA does protect an already over-loaded law system in the United States from even more short-sighted lawsuits.
Now, if the DMCA falls, then we’ve got lawsuits everywhere, as I mentioned, and what’ll happen is people will close up shop, or become overly cautious to the extent that free sharing of information, opinions, etc would slow up across the intarwebs (well, at least where lawsuits are actionable). In other words, Google’s logic shows some sense (albeit in a real “if this and this and this may occur, then this, this and this could occur” way).
I don’t think we’d see any of that happen, however. Worst-case, the DMCA would be amended and we’d have some new laws to adhere to. Still, nice tactic, Google…
Posted by Felix Vasquez Jr. in Writer's Corner at 3:42 AM
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There are precisely seven more months left this year, and I just know I’m going to eat my words once I begin screening the big Oscar hopefuls, but I think one of the best–if not one of the most entertaining movies all year that I’ve seen has to be none other than “Poultrygeist.”
I’ve always been that least popular cult lover who has always despised everything Troma put out to the audiences they tend to. I hate the Toxie movies, and the Nuke Em High movies, but I can safely say that with rock bottom expectations “Poultrygeist” likely won’t disappoint you.
I remember reading on a message board someone saying that the only audience this movie will please are hardcore Troma fans. I guess I’m the exception to the rule.
It’s really tough to find great performances in indies these days, but for some reason Kaufman is able to grab two really memorable ones from Jason Yachanin and Kate Graham who are pretty much golden when they’re playing off each other and when they’re alone.
I couldn’t get over Graham constantly muttering “Whaa’ happened?” and you have to love Yachanin’s conversation with the sloppy Joe (previously the ill fated Paco Bell) only to respond to it’s omens of zombie chickens with “I’ll believe in the supernatural when I see it, Talking Sandwich.” There’s also the hysterical method of keeping the zombie chickens out of the chicken place, which should have been a clunky gag, but had me in hysterics. And as for musicals, good ones are really hard to come by, and this proves to be one on many occasions. Hell, I had “Slow Fast Food Love” on my mind for days after watching this.
I can usually tell when a movie is due to suck after the first ten minutes, and much like the equally enjoyable shocker “Jackass 2,” I found after the first ten minutes I was laughing quite a lot. I’m not pushing this movie just to Troma geeks, but to anyone who is looking for a good time. Hell, if given enough time I could see this gaining a following like “Rocky Horror” did.
I actually saw it twice.
Kaufman does have an agenda though, and it’s to attack everyone under the sun. From liberals to capitalists, fast food conglomerates, patriotic Americans, racists, terrorists, xenophobes, immigrants, homosexuals, native Americans, lesbians, chickens, talking sandwiches, feminists, heavy people, men in dresses, men without dresses, shit, everyone is fair game. And that’s why it’s such a damn good time.
So, I’m more than open to the onslaught of summer movies, and Oscar contenders, but I think a slot on my top 10 of 2008 is reserved for this.
“Poultrygeist” is playing out at the Two Boots Pioneer in New York City right now. If an adamant Troma hater can love this, I think lifelong Troma fans will drop to their knees to worship Kaufman.
After this, I may give Troma one more chance. Why not?
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls” has strong opening day numbers, but not quite as strong as predicted.
Source: HollywoodWiretap.com
See, it’s become an almost full-time gig for film journalism to keep track of box office figures all the fucking time. Think of it like a running sports ticker. How’s your team doing? Check the tape, how much have they earned?
In the case of “Indy IV,” experts predicted a five-day box office haul of over $172 million (the number set by “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”). Unfortunately for said experts, the film isn’t quite on pace (”Sith” opened at $50 million on their opening Thursday of May 19, 2005 and “Indy” is looking at a $26 million opening), but I could have told you that yesterday morning.
See, I went to the local multiplex for the 10am screening and, save for about 5 people wandering in during the trailers, was alone in the theater. I have never had that experience with any big-time Summer release. Usually the midnight screenings are so oversold, that the next four screenings of the day are too, and those are usually the 10am’s on. Not this time, however.
One, we’re talking the Summer and we’re not really in the Summer yet. Kids are still in school and, on top of that, kids of today don’t really give two fucks about “Indiana Jones,” not like I or my friends do. “Indy IV” could just as easily be “Mummy 3″ or “National Treasure 2″ for all they care. “Indy” will make big money, but it’s not going to change the universe.
Two, the film was released into a ridiculously high number of screens (I counted four at the multiplex I went to, screenings seemingly every 2 1/2 hours apart) EVERYWHERE. Even my girlfriend in New Zealand texted me Wednesday night to let me know she had already seen “Indy” (they’re ahead a day). That many screenings means more opportunity for people to see it, but maybe too much opportunity.
Three, I think people are scared of the movie sucking ass. Lucas did such a horrendous job with the “Star Wars” prequels, and has done such an awful job on top of that of down-talking the latest “Indy,” that it didn’t inspire any confidence in the film at all. I saw it, but there was no way I was never going to see it (”Raiders” is my favorite movie of all time). People on the fence, though, had to take the track record in account and… fuck, if I was on the fence, I would’ve passed opening weekend too. Maybe caught it on the cheap screens a month or two later.
Finally, we’re in a recession. It’s borderline disgusting to worry about the highs and lows of a film when gas prices are almost averaging $4 and the economy is fucked. But that’s our industry, right? Yeah, I don’t give a fuck either.
So why did I write about it, then? To point out how ridiculous, and offensive in the face of major world poverty and recession, this all can be. At the end of the day, I don’t care how much any movie earned and neither should you!
“Highlander” Remake Gets Writing Team Source: Variety
Summit Entertainment is set to remake the classic “Highlander,” and they’ve got a writing team to prove it. Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, best known for their recent smash hit “Iron Man,” have taken to the task.
This news has done little but make me ask “Why?” It’s bad enough that all the sequels, TV spin-offs and the like destroyed the canon that the original created (there can be only one… except on Tuesdays… and there’s actually way more than one… and being the one doesn’t mean you’re going to stay the one… or that you’re immortal… or mortal… is anyone still keeping track?), but maybe that’s the point of the re-imagining, or re-invention; to reset all the gibberish once and for all. Or, again, Hollywood just has no original ideas…
Spike Lee thinks Clint Eastwood doesn’t like black people… Source: The Hollywood Reporter
It’s been a while since Spike Lee talked an adequate amount of smack about anyone or anything, so I’m happy that he decided to drop a few comments about Eastwood and the Coen Brothers during the Cannes Film Festival. While promoting his flick “Miracle at St. Anna,” Spike took the opportunity to praise his own proper portrayal of death as opposed to, say, the Coen Brothers:
“I always treat life and death with respect, but most people don’t,” Lee said at a press briefing. “Look, I love the Coen brothers; we all studied at NYU. But they treat life like a joke. Ha ha ha. A joke. It’s like, ‘Look how they killed that guy! Look how blood squirts out the side of his head!’ I see things different than that.”
It’s true, “No Country for Old Men” was one Hell of a laugh riot! Those Coens sure don’t respect death. I mean, did you seen Chirgurh’s haircut? How can you seriously be respectful of death when the Harbinger of Doom is sporting that look.
But Lee wasn’t done there, and decided to focus some criticism in Clint Eastwood’s direction:
“Clint Eastwood made two films about Iwo Jima that ran for more than four hours total and there was not one Negro actor on the screen,” Lee told reporters. “If you reporters had any balls you’d ask him why. There’s no way I know why he did that — that was his vision, not mine. But I know it was pointed out to him and that he could have changed it. It’s not like he didn’t know.”
I was more curious as to why there were no Asian actors in the movies; why Eastwood felt the need to go CGI. Wait, what? There were real Asian actors, it wasn’t all CGI? Well, what the fuck am I talking about?
I find it interesting that Spike would insult the reporters and question their man-hood (what about the ball-less women, Spike, do they get a reprieve from your insult or just an “eh”) about questioning Eastwood when, you know, Clint IS at Cannes and Spike could easily, I don’t know, ASK HIM HIMSELF. I’d like to see that conversation.
Spike: “Why weren’t there any Negro actors in your film, asshole?”
Clint: “I know what you’re thinking, ‘Did he cast zero Negroes or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all the excitement of filming I kind of lost track myself. But being as I’m Clint Eastwood, one of the most powerful directors in the world, and could knock your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
I wouldn’t fuck with Clint. Or, I would fuck with Clint, but probably real fast-like with a swift kick to the knee. Because Eastwood isn’t human anymore. He’s a leather cyborg that makes long films.
You know what? I really want Spike Lee to remake “Highlander” with Clint Eastwood in the starring role now. At least I’d believe he was immortal…
Not the upcoming movie “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” jeez people, c’mon. I’m all over that like our colleague Felix Vasquez clicking on a banner ad claiming to have photos of Kristen Bell nude. No, I am and have been avoiding the spoiler alerts, the screenplay reviews, the idle speculation, the fanboy musings and every single thing to do with the new Indy flick. And it hasn’t been easy. Since we older movie buffs are running low on movie events (with “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings” all done…hopefully) that hearken back to the good old days of movie going, we gotta get pumped up for something and unless I’m mistaken, all we have left is Indiana Jones. And I refuse to let some internet moron with a little too much access, a grudge or a hidden agenda crap on my holy grail.
For a few weeks now somehow word on the nets had leaked that the movie is kind of a stinker. Since I’m avoiding anything that may give any inkling of a hint as to what the film is about (except for the trailers…which rule), I only briefly skimmed Michael Cieply‘s piece in the New York Times that pointed out some ill will towards the new Indy. My question regarding the early bad buzz on the film is…how the hell did anyone know?? More importantly, why do outlets like “Ain’t it Cool News” run stories that have no base in merit, no sense of integrity, no real journalism involved and yet people still flock there as if there’s anything remotely truthful on the site. Their early reviews were first time “reviewers” to the site who, like everyone else, sent in and were posted under phony names. Who knows if these people were disgruntled theater owners who didn’t get the film, actors or someone else peeved because of the way they were treated by the filming…or any person with sour grapes. Reviews with no oversight in terms of who wrote them are just wrong. And dumb.
Now oodles of people have seen the film and I’ll tell ya, it’s been brutal trying to avoid reviews. Plus it seems like there’s even more internet morons out there itching to ruin my (and many other peoples) good time. Like my pick for Internet Douche Critic of the week, indieWIRE’s Eric Kohn. He thought it would be clever for him to text message his thoughts on what he was seeing to his editor Eugene Hernandez throughout the entirety of the Cannes screening of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” You can read the stream of brilliance here if you so desire. I haven’t read it, but it’s just stupid in it’s existence.
I mean, on what level does that seem like a good idea? Have you ever sat in a theater with someone who’s text messaging someone? Let alone doing it throughout the entire film? And then indieWIRE deems the results something print worthy? Sigh. The lengths people will go to to be FIRST(!) in this internet movie culture never ceases to amaze me.
So as I wrap up this distraction of all things Indy IV by way of rant and await the 36 more hours (or so) until I see it, I just want to say I can’t wait to see the film and then gorge myself on the reviews, opinions and detritus that follows. And in the future, lets try and keep our excitement to ruin the film for others to ourselves. But we know that will never happen.
I’m on a roll (with mayonaise and cheese!), so let’s keep this going:
Netflix Unveils $99 Video-on-Demand Player Source: Yahoo
Netflix, no doubt in a bid to save themselves when DVDs go the way of the Dodo, has unveiled a new subscription video-on-demand set-top device to play content from Netflix’s online streaming video service. For only $99 for the device and then $9 a month, you too can enjoy unlimited downloads from the Netflix catalog. The rub? Only 10,000 titles are available (a tenth of Netflix’s catalog).
I know, some rub, right? Like any of us are going to need more than 10,000 choices on any given night (well, if they’re all “Norbit” sequels then that would be different). I think this is a huge opportunity for the more independent films available on Netflix, and the reasoning is this:
The studios are going to be falling all over themselves deciding which service to go with, since Netflix is but on VOD solution currently available or in development. Vudu, Apple, Microsoft, and Tivo all have systems available or in progress, but most of them don’t have quite the breadth of cinema available that Netflix has, and likely won’t be battling for exclusive rights to that indie film that we all adore, but no one else seems to know exists. While the more mainstream content is split, the door is open for more of the indie stuff to step in, especially considering how welcoming Netflix is to the more obscure titles around. Essentially, passionate film fans might find themselves loving and embracing Netflix even more than they already did. And that’s not a bad thing…
“Death Note” in Theaters Today and Tomorrow… and That’s It! Source: Wired.com
I am not a big fan of manga or anime, all told. I’ve read some, I’ve seen some and I’ve even liked a little of what I’ve experienced, but I don’t collect or track anything down. I’m a casual observer. That said, one manga-turned-anime that I do find interesting is “Death Note.”
“Death Note” tells the story of a 17-year old named Light who finds a death god’s notebook. The notebook has the power to kill anyone, anytime and in any fashion if someone writes said details in the notebook. Light decides that the notebook should be used to rid the world of evil, and starts a crusade of killing off suspected criminals using the book. And it’s working… until he starts getting hunted by the police and things get even more morally ambiguous as now good people have become his enemies, and what should he do about it?
“Death Note” is one of those intellectual properties that causes controversy, as fans of the manga/anime have had a habit of creating their own death notebooks. And in a post-Columbine age, having children bringing their own death notebooks to school listing the names of schoolmates they dislike is not something to be ignored (though, in all honesty, perhaps if they get their aggressions out in more creative ways such as this, they maybe don’t act on said impulses; kids have been hating and fighting other kids for ages, this whole “shoot up the schools” thing seems to be a byproduct of a lack of imagination (and hope)).
The anime of “Death Note” can be seen late-nights on the Cartoon Network (or streaming for free on the Adult Swim website), and it’s an interesting watch; fascinating how power corrupts, how a hero becomes a villain. Now, for only two days, there’s a live-action film hitting theaters in America (it’s been out for two years in Japan; one of three films). Check out Fathom Events and hunt down a theater by you, if you’re a fan of the show or are curious about how a live-action version could translate (no pun intended).
