Section B March 3-9, 2010
The ‘PoP’-ular View
The 80s strike back,
plus Tim Burton
By Cornelius A. Fortune
he Hollywood system
T
should be firmly placed
in one of those specially
marked receptacles for recy-
cling – seriously.
I thought it was a phase,
but the truth is today’s entertainment
seems fueled by the same stuff as Dr.
Emmett Brown’s Mr. Fusion: recycled
‘V,’ new series logo
material. Soda cans, banana peels,
refuse and whatever else you can think
acting than they actually had. Those
of; whatever fits.
folks 20 and under see “Star Wars” and
the prequels as one complete saga and
for good reason: they’re not carrying the
same baggage as those of us who grew
up with the original trilogy.
I remember being so creeped out by
the half human, half alien baby being
delivered on “V.” A couple of weeks ago,
“Alice in Wonderland”
the SyFy channel played the original
series and when that scene finally came,
it was sort of laughable. That’s because
I remembered with the eyes of a child,
and things are much scarier and more
But just as the Doc’s time machine
true and beautiful when viewing them
can’t run solely on the stuff he tosses
from the distance of years.
into Mr. Fusion, so too, Hollywood can’t
So what’s on the agenda?
children to see “Transformers.”
continue to cannibalize old properties While that’s a good idea in theory,
and expect viewers to buy it.
There’s the new “Nightmare on Elm
it does illustrate the sad truth that
Street,” “Tron Legacy,” “Dune,” “Ro-
Or maybe we will…
Hollywood is obsessed with looking
botech,” “Thunder Cats,” “Clash of
backward.
As a child of the 80s I have felt con-
the Titans,” and many, many
sternation, puzzlement and sometimes
others.
Think about it: most of the “new”
exhilaration at the recent updating of
movies being released are taken
I get the
those cartoons and movies I grew up
from previously released material,
need for
with. Granted, when news broke of a
vis-à-vis your video game console
updating and
“Transformers” live action movie my
and graphic novels. The “original
reimagining (I
first response was, “That should be
screenplay,” while not entirely
prefer the term
cool.” Then I saw the trailer. Then I saw
extinct, is becoming rarer as it
“regurgitat-
the movie. Then I rented the movie and
relates to the summer blockbuster.
ing”) really good
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
didn’t watch it because it felt wrong; a
“Avatar” though overly praised in
stories. There
faded copy of a copy worn by age.
This, of course, is the cinematic my opinion, is at least an original
is also the larger
perspective, but parents have been work by Cameron and an example of
True, nostalgia polishes, condenses
goal of spawning
reading (and telling) stories to their fine movie making. And even great
and refortifies the relics of our memo-
a new generation
children to pass on to their chil- filmmakers, like Tim Burton, are
ries. Kids remember “Star Wars,” “The
of fans from a be-
dren for generations; it is cyclical, signing on to do remakes.
Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of
loved property, a la
human nature, inevitable. I’m sure
the Jedi” as having better dialogue and
“Star Wars.”
“Tron” (old and new)
Gen Xers were thrilled to take their
See View page B-2
BOOKS TO LOOK FOR….
‘A Century and
‘The Prisoner’:
Some Change’ An appreciation
By Ann Nixon Cooper with
Karen Grigsby Bates
By Patrick Keating
find out which side of the iron
curtain runs the place. Every-
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
one in the Village is identified
Review By Terri Schlichenmeyer by a number, with the public
“I will not be pushed, filed,
face of the Village’s power repre-
stamped, indexed, briefed, de-
The picture wasn’t in the best of shape.
sented by “Number Two.” A new
briefed or numbered!”— the
Over time, it suffered cracks and folds,
Number Two appeared in each
Prisoner (Patrick McGoohan)
sun and chemicals not meant for old
episode (though two actors,
black-and-whites.
One of the best television
Leo McKern and Colin Gordon,
series ever made was “The Pris-
made repeat appearances in the
You suppose the people in the picture
oner,” which addressed such
role. The Village seeks to break
might be relatives — grandparents, maybe,
issues as the rights of the indi-
the Prisoner’s spirit so that
or great-grandparents. They appear to be
vidual, the electoral process, ed-
he’ll accept that he’s “Number
at a carnival, and though it might’ve been
ucation, identity and the nature
Six,” and those in charge also
summertime, he’s dressed in a suit and
of freedom, and didn’t provide
want to know why he resigned,
she’s wearing a heavy dress with long
easy answers or “pat you on the
information Number Six refuses
sleeves. They’re not smiling.
head” moralizing sermons. This
to divulge.
The picture makes you wonder what
17-episode series co-created by
When the remake aired, I
their lives were like. What were their wor-
and starring the late Patrick
was only able to see the first
ries, their joys? You wish you knew their
McGoohan forced viewers to not
two hours, so the DVD will give
story.
only consider such issues, but
me a chance to evaluate the
also to think for themselves.
So why not
entire miniseries. Obviously,
Something most people weren’t
try the next best
it didn’t have the Cold War as
used to doing, especially when
thing? Read “A
a backdrop, but I hope I find
seated in front of a TV set.
Century and
that even with some changes,
Some Change”
Last November the cable
the remake addressed some of
by Ann Nixon
channel AMC broadcast a six-
the same themes McGoohan
Cooper, with
hour miniseries reinterpreta-
explored. If nothing else, we’ve
Karen Grigsby
tion of “The Prisoner” in co-
become even more saddled with
Bates.
operation with ITV. It starred
numbers (and other impersonal
Jim Caviezel as “Six” and Sir
identifiers) today than in the
Annie Lou
Ian McKellen as “Two.” It is ex-
1960s.
Nixon was born
pected to be released on DVD
Jan. 9, 1902 on
As I said, “The Prisoner”
March 23.
a farm outside
explored a number of issues. In
of Nashville. For
On the surface, the original
the episode “Free For All,” Mc-
many years she
series concerned an unnamed
Goohan, who wrote (as “Paddy
was the baby of
man (presumably a government
Fitz”) and directed, addressed
the family, but she later got a chance to
agent) who is abducted to a
political campaigns. Number
be a big sister when siblings arrived. She
place called the Village follow-
Six is maneuvered into running
also took the chance to change her name
ing his resignation, and who
for the office of Number Two.
— something that little Black girls very
seeks to both escape and to
In that episode, we’re treated
rarely did in the early 1900s.
A promotional poster for the new Prisoner miniseries. – Photo courtesy AMCTV.
Though Ann had an idyllic childhood
filled with family and friends, her mother
com.
died when Ann was barely eleven years
old. Because it was common practice to to banal campaign promises (Number Number Six: “No comment.”
split large families between relatives, Six literally promises winter, spring,
young Ann was sent to live with kin in summer or fall); and in a meeting of the
Number 113: “Intends to fight for
Nashville. The move changed her life. outgoing council, the council mem-
freedom at all costs.”
Aunt Joyce worked for a bank presi-
bers just stand there as Number Six Seconds after the “interview” is
dent, which allowed her to buy anything
demands to know who elected them over, Number Six discovers that the
she wanted from any store, an important
and to what place or country they owe edition of the paper just then coming
thing in Jim Crow times. Aunt Joyce had a
allegiance. And all “proposals” of the off the press contains the story “No. 6
lot of fine things in her home, and the life
council are “carried unanimously” by Speaks His Mind.”
she and Cousin Irene created for Ann was
Number Two as the council stands
How would McGoohan have ad-
genteel and mannerly. Irene was a popular
mute.
dressed the roles the Internet, blog-
girl who loved to dance, and at a dance, That episode also finds Number Six
ging and the 24-hour news cycle play
Ann met her husband, A.B. Cooper, whom “interviewed” by Number 113 (Harold
in elections? Though none of the six
she called “Daddy” once their children Berens), a “reporter” for the local
episodes of the new miniseries were
were born. “newspaper” who supplies his own
based on “Free For All” (they were
Following her husband south, the new
answers to his questions. To give one based on other original episodes),
Mrs. Cooper became a catalyst for social
example: perhaps the miniseries addressed, in
In “Free For All”, the election campaign between Number Two and
Number Six gets underway.-
Number 113: “How are you going to
photo courtesy AMCTV.com.
See The Prisoner page B-2
See Change page B-2 handle your campaign?”
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