Titans fall
Two people who changed and challenged my view of narrative fell today. Arthur C. Clarke was, of course, one of the greatest writers of all time. Most people say that Christmas changed for them when they learned that Santa Claus wasn't real. Christmas changed for me when I read The Star. If you haven't read it, please, please follow the link.
The Slayas were just talking about Anthony Minghella this weekend at y_slaybelle's, as we were all drooling over martea_scryer's brilliant purchase of Jim Henson's The Storyteller. He wrote or supervised the writing of every episode of the first season, and it was with wonder that we realized that we were really given a gift as children when we were exposed to the magical reality that Minghella was able to realize with the help of Mr. Henson's Creature Shop. It's been two decades or so since many of us saw these episodes, and we still remember them, not just fondly, but vividly. He may be better known for directing intelligent, evocative adult fare for film - literate (but flawed, it has to be said) gems like The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain and Truly Madly Deeply - but I will always love him for blowing my mind as a child.
I'll be watching 2001 and Truly Madly Deeply tonight in commemoration. Thank you for changing my world, gentlemen.
You will both be missed.
ETA, from a link from carpesomediem, Dame Maggie Smith is battling breast cancer. Man.
The Slayas were just talking about Anthony Minghella this weekend at y_slaybelle's, as we were all drooling over martea_scryer's brilliant purchase of Jim Henson's The Storyteller. He wrote or supervised the writing of every episode of the first season, and it was with wonder that we realized that we were really given a gift as children when we were exposed to the magical reality that Minghella was able to realize with the help of Mr. Henson's Creature Shop. It's been two decades or so since many of us saw these episodes, and we still remember them, not just fondly, but vividly. He may be better known for directing intelligent, evocative adult fare for film - literate (but flawed, it has to be said) gems like The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain and Truly Madly Deeply - but I will always love him for blowing my mind as a child.
I'll be watching 2001 and Truly Madly Deeply tonight in commemoration. Thank you for changing my world, gentlemen.
You will both be missed.
ETA, from a link from carpesomediem, Dame Maggie Smith is battling breast cancer. Man.