LoneShark Studios

Has it really been thirty years since my parents took me to see E.T.? My first silver screen experience complete with the tear that rolled down my tiny cheek when Elliot and company say goodbye to their Reece’s Pieces-lovin’ alien buddy? So it seems. Though I was still a toddler, 1982 was certainly a special time for cinema (and for LoneShark since it was also the year of Jason’s birth!). Let’s look at the all-star lineup of heavies that made their debut over the course of that summer: E.T., The Thing, Poltergeist, The Road Warrior, The Dark Crystal, Star Trek 2, Conan, Rocky 3, Tron, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Wall…

Most appropriately, as if to celebrate the 30th anniversary of that legendary year in film, the stars have aligned (literally and figuratively) to bring us a 2012 lineup of movies worthy of the most youthful excitement and wonder any film fanatic can appreciate. Just think, this year we will pay another visit to Gotham City, finally learn the origins of some of the most frightening Alien creatures we grew up watching, follow another Treadstone agent, get rewarded for staying through all those end credits of Marvel films to watch Nick Fury utter the sacred words “putting a team together” – and of course, come fall, we shall enjoy some fresh martinis. Shaken, not stirred.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? What did we do to deserve such a supreme offering of gourmet movies prepared by some of the most talented filmmakers in the business? (I realize I’m placing a bet here that these films won’t suck, but I’m relatively certain the odds are in my favor.) Perhaps it’s a last hoorah before our terrestrial existence expires as predicted by Mayan shamans? Or maybe this 2012 movie lineup is actually the event that the Mayans were predicting? So much awesome concentrated at one time, it would take a proper return of Superman to put the earth back on its axis.

*Note – Christopher Nolan has been consulting on the Superman reboot so maybe we’ll be okay. 

Either way, whatever the meaning of this, I’m grateful for the excitement of it all. Feeling like a kid again is one thing, but the thrilling anticipation of opening weekends is what makes summers memorable for a guy like me. In a way, it reaffirms why I’m still here navigating the treacherous waters of hollywood. Good thing sharks tend to fare well at the top of the food chain!

Cheers,

Jonathan

PS – The mighty movie-loving Alamo Drafthouse is celebrating the Summer of 1982 by screening those legendary films on their original opening weekends. Check it out details here at their website: http://drafthouse.com/1982

Yeah, I’m a technique whore.  There’s something about the effortlessness of flawless method that inspires me.

So I’m gonna now further praise a director that many close to me know I don’t often praise (though his recent efforts will undoubtedly cause me to go back and re-study his earlier wares; yes, I used the word “wares” for Jonathan – for some reason he digs that word to describe the products of tradesmen).

Martin Scorsese.  I love that spellcheck knows his name, but not “spellcheck.”  Patrick, is it two words?  Is there a hyphen?

Either way – his George Harrison documentary.  Haven’t finished it yet, but it’s so damn amazing, because somehow he managed to capture the essence of George’s personality and make it the tone of the documentary.  Kind, thoughtful, sincere, and never, ever, overstated. That melts my mind.

That’s when technique becomes artistry.

Bravo, Mr. Scorsese.  Bravo!

Peeking out vindictively.

Another great day of training with Jeremy Stafford, founder of Vindico Training Group.

Gotta love his style and how he makes potentially lethal techniques seem elegantly simple (and sometimes humorous.)

This class focused on intermediate pistol combat, and we covered shooting on the move, from barricades, and from the prone position.

So the next time there’s a car to hide behind and shoot under, LoneShark’s ready.

So while reading a concisely written review of the latest Game of Thrones episode, written by a page that was once solely devoted to the books, I had a bit of a revelation.  The self-proclaimed scholar did nothing but point out why changes in scenes and characters were not needed, and how he didn’t see how they would pay off in the long run.  I smirked, wondering how on earth this person made it through a series of books now commonly known as “the one that kills main characters.”

To give some back story, I think I’m one of the few people that will openly defend adaptations that brazenly change the source material, if I think it suits the medium.  I engaged in a hefty debate in a movie theater bathroom with a couple gentlemen after my first viewing of The Two Towers, and have yet to back down from a worthy film since.  Note that there haven’t been many.

But to be quick, I’ll say this – many things about books can’t work in movies.  Why?  In a book, the reader is told the entire story. Any and all information can be clearly written, and accepted as true.  Also, it seems easier to retain information when it’s stated in text or dialogue, as opposed to demonstrated in the subtext of scenes.

Film and television are totally opposite.  It has to be shown, blatantly or in the subtext of scenes.  Otherwise it’s boring or it just doesn’t get communicated.  Even narrator-driven films obey this rule.  Ergo, especially in a monstrous epic that spans dozens of characters with only a few giving their perspective, such as Game of Thrones, changes will be made, purely so people can know what’s going on.  Having a character (many of which are inherently deceitful) state that King Joffrey Baratheon (First of His Name) is a sociopathic monster isn’t nearly as memorable as watching Joff have one prostitute beat another to death. That scene didn’t occur in the books, but it certainly could have, and for all we know might have been a plot point left out (do recall the author of the books used to write for tv, and does help out with the show!).

It comes down to this: if you already invested in the original story, then the adaptation is not for you.  Sorry.  You’re going to watch it anyway, and you know what happens, so trying to present a story to you with a very different medium that uses very different tools would be an impossible task.  It’s like trying to make a photograph look like a painting, or vice versa.  Verbatim translations of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, even Bridget Jones’ Diary would not have worked, much less made sense.  Harry Potter might have worked, but it would have been much less exciting at times (ever notice how Harry overhears lots of conversations? though a viable technique for prose or even live theatre, it’s terrible on the screen).  House of Leaves, one of the best books I’ve ever read, would be absolutely impossible to adapt, because the book form itself is part of the narrative, and making the story into a film or television series totally handicaps its brilliance.

I haven’t read any Sookie Stackhouse novels, but if I had, I’m sure I could tell you why True Blood has strayed so far.

So why adapt things, then?  Easy.  People that read books (and pretentious blog posts) are different that those that don’t.  Yet the end goal remains the same – to create a feeling in the audience, a sense of wonder.  To entertain.  It’s just really cool to see it come to life.  So sit back, and try to enjoy it.  Every Sunday, at 9pm, on HBO. 

Yours,

Jason