Dragons: A fantasy Made Real

Sep 14, 2008 20:41

I found this DVD for 99p in a bargain bookstore a couple of days ago. It's a documentary that the discovery channel did a while ago (I'm not sure when), it was narrated by Patrick Stewart. When I bought it I figured it was going to be the sort of thing which tells you how history would have occurred with dragons in them i.e. with a view to them ( Read more... )

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aingeal8c September 14 2008, 21:46:20 UTC
Ah if only it were available in region 2...

It sounds very interesting. I think cracky is fine in fic ;-)

The Lord of the Rings movies are pretty close to the books. The second one is IMHO the weakest of the three as a significant propotion of it is one big battle scene. Still good though.

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sharon28 September 15 2008, 19:43:06 UTC
Ah if only it were available in region 2...

I've just checked the DVD cover and you're right it is region 1. I'm surprised my player played it as it isn't multi-region. I had no idea it was R1 when I bought it or I probably wouldn't have gotten it. If you do come across it, it might be worth a go as it's only 99p. It was The Works bookshop, I'm not sure whether they're nationwide shops.

I think cracky is fine in fic ;-)

Yeah but my cracky fic is probably bad fic.

The Lord of the Rings movies are pretty close to the books.

I heard the director was quite a fan of the books so he'll have been doing that for the fans. I think he has the rights to film the Temeraire series, so if he does them they might be pretty good.

The second one is IMHO the weakest of the three as a significant propotion of it is one big battle scene.That does often seem to be the case, it happened with Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and probably others I'm forgetting at the moment. Of course with Star Trek it was the other way around. All the even numbered ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 15 2008, 19:53:17 UTC
That is very interesting. Although I have had DVDs that have professed to be region 1 but have in fact been region free.

We used to have a Works bookshop around here but it sadly shutdown some months ago. Pity it was a really useful shop for cheap books and the like.

Not nesscessarily.

Yes he did cut out some of the books but he had to to make them filmable. He did retain as much as he could and that does show. I would like to see what he does with the Teneraire series.

Yes middle films (bar Star Wars) tend to be the weakest. And I was not keen on Nemesis either. Bit of a mess that one really. Pity really as it was the last Next Generation film.

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sharon28 September 15 2008, 20:46:12 UTC
Although I have had DVDs that have professed to be region 1 but have in fact been region free.

I think possibly music DVDs tend to be region 0. Actually it may be things which are exempt from a certificate. As far as I know the dragons documentary was.

We used to have a Works bookshop around here but it sadly shutdown some months ago.

One of the ones near me shut down for a few weeks and then reopened which I thought was rather strange. The one that's easiest for me to access has closed down for good though. I've had a look on Amazon and the cheapest price available seems to be £5.99 which is a bit steep if you can't then play it. Especially when Amazon probably wouldn't give you refund.

I just did a search on Youtube and if you go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uybcmYcQN5U

You should be able to see the show, hopefully.

I would like to see what he does with the Teneraire series.I think there's a tendency for Dragon films to not look very good, so I ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 15 2008, 21:12:10 UTC
It could well have been. Interesting.

I wonder of The Works as a company have been cutting costs. I did look on Amazon and it did seem a bit stepp. But if I see it around cheap I'll pick it up.

Awww thank you. Thank goodness for YouTube. I'll bookmark that to watch later.

I agree dragon films tend to be not good. I though the CGI in the film 'DragonHeart' was goo even though it was a weaker film in other aspects.

Don't buy Eragon. I can however recommend a recap that covers the film, why it was so bad and why the book is also considered bad by many folk: http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eragon.aspx

I rather liked Return of the Jedi but then I laso liked the Ewok cartoon series. I was only young...

I think you're right. I doubt sadly they woulkd have done a DS9 one but it would have been interesting to see.

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sharon28 September 15 2008, 21:55:04 UTC
Don't buy Eragon. I can however recommend a recap that covers the film, why it was so bad and why the book is also considered bad by many folk:

Oops, it probably wasn't a good idea to buy the book then. I thought I was fairly safe since it had 4 & 5 stars on Amazon. Still, if it's really bad I can always slip it in a charity bag.

I spotted a book at lunch today called the "Girl who Heard Dragons", Amazon seems to be giving it 5 stars, but I'm slightly off put by the fact it seems to be part of a long series and I already have a lot of books to read.

but then I laso liked the Ewok cartoon series.

I remember watching that too*G*

I doubt sadly they woulkd have done a DS9 one but it would have been interesting to see.

They talked shortly after the series ended about doing several tv movies though that doesn't seem to have materialised.

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aingeal8c September 16 2008, 07:55:05 UTC
It's worth getting it out of the library, just to read it. It is very much a Star Wars/Lord of the Rings mix as done by a teenage boy with a protagonist who keeps getting knocked unconscious.

Ah series. I get addicted to series books and it does add to the whole to read pile. I am finding I am seeking out dragon themed books these days.

Ah the eighties had somehting going for it ;-)

Yeah I think after the series Enterprise bombed so spectacularly and if course the last film didn't do so well they are putting the franchise on hold.

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sharon28 September 16 2008, 20:32:30 UTC
It's worth getting it out of the library, just to read it.

I had thought about getting it out of the library, but then Amazon had it in the children's category, I believe, so I felt rather embarrassed to walk into a library and loan it. Plus I'd probably have to renew my membership as well.

as done by a teenage boy with a protagonist who keeps getting knocked unconscious.

I'm sure there's a character like that in some show I've seen, other than Illya of course*G*

I get addicted to series books and it does add to the whole to read pile.

I'm reading a 600 page Sherlock Holmes pastiche at the moment. It's been standing on my shelf taunting me for several weeks so I'm trying to resist the urge to buy any more series books. At least until I can get through some more of my unread pile.

I am finding I am seeking out dragon themed books these days.I actually own a pair of dragon bookends*G* Apparently the new show on Saturday called Merlin has a dragon in it. It's starting at 7.30pm the exact time of the second Lord of the Rings film. ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 16 2008, 20:38:50 UTC
We shelve it in the Teenage section though whether that's the case at other libraries I have no idea. I am lucky to work in a library easier to get books out. On the other hand I take too many out.

Hee hee oh yes I am sure there is.

Wow 600 pages that's a meaty pasiche indeed. I really do fail at trying to avoid borrowing and buying books. Good luck resisting the urge.

Hee lovely. I was going to give Merlin a shot, looks like it could be an interesting series. I'm not sure about the overall premise as it seems to suggest Merlin is the same age as Arthur from the trailers but...I will try it I think. Could you tape one of them?

Oh yes I had conveiently forgotten about that. I'm leaning slightly toward the sceptical side I have to say. We will see.

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sharon28 September 16 2008, 21:21:42 UTC
I am lucky to work in a library easier to get books out. On the other hand I take too many out.

Yeah but it means you're spending less money and don't need as much shelf space. I really need to get myself a library card so I can save some money.

Wow 600 pages that's a meaty pasiche indeed.

It seems to be covering two story-lines, one covering Holmes' adventures as Sigerson during the missing 3 years and the other an adventure with Watson investigating some murders when he got back. I'm not nearly far enough through it to gage what I think about it yet.

Good luck resisting the urge.

It would be a lot easier if I wasn't spending my lunch time in a bookstore and seeing all the pretty books.

I'm not sure about the overall premise as it seems to suggest Merlin is the same age as Arthur from the trailers but

I don't know much about Arthurian legends, but wasn't Merlin supposed to be an old man? I actually never thought about the age thing until you mentioned something.

Could you tape one of them?I shall try, though I usually ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 16 2008, 22:37:12 UTC
I have to say I am terriblre at buying books as well. I should be better having library access I really should.

I hope it turns out to be a good one. That does sound as if it has potential.

Ah the pretty books will always get you. I can't walk into a bookshop without buying something.

Yes he was. This series seems to have young Arthur and young Merlin when Merlin should be old when Arthur is young. Unless I am getting confused from the trailers.

I know the feeling. I have no idea what are on half my tapes.

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sharon28 September 17 2008, 21:11:06 UTC
I have to say I am terriblre at buying books as well.

It wouldn't be so bad if I actually had shelf space to put them on, but I don't. I currently looking for some shelves to store them on.

Ah the pretty books will always get you. I can't walk into a bookshop without buying something.I won't usually buy them straight away, I generally prefer to see a review on amazon first to see if they're any good. Of course if it's in the clearance part I'll try to get it straight away, I did that with a Hardback version of the Italian Secretary and I found it a very enjoyable Holmes pastiche ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 18 2008, 10:58:21 UTC
I have piles of books on the floor. I have no room for any more shelves...I hope your shelf search is sucessful.

Reviews are a good idea. I should pay more attention to them ;-) I do like a good clearance sale you can pick up some good stuff there.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has recently been made into a film. As a result it's one of those 'hot' books. All the library copies are out and/or reserved. The Servants is another one that is 'of the moment' but without a film connection.

There so seem to be a lot of First World war books, fiction and non-fiction the anniversery could well be why. I think I have heard of the Tommy's War book and as far as I know it's not bad. I think one of our borrowers was referring to that when he recommended a WWI book.

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sharon28 September 19 2008, 21:25:45 UTC
Reviews are a good idea. I should pay more attention to them ;-)

Of course it doesn't always help, I once got a book where it had either 1 or 2 five star reviews on amazon and when I actually read it, I thought it was really bad. The characters started out as kids, but the behaviour of the adults at that point was so out of character for adults to behave, that it was like some kids shows where the kids are really smart and the adults allow them to do whatever they want because they act more like kids themselves. I would've said the author was aiming it at children, except that there was a sex scene right in the middle of it (after the kids had grown up of course). After I read it I was amazed someone would be willing to give it that many stars.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has recently been made into a film. As a result it's one of those 'hot' books.

The bookstore had it under hot topics.

The Servants is another one that is 'of the moment'I just found that one in the science fiction section near the Terry Pratchett books, I had ( ... )

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aingeal8c September 20 2008, 09:18:50 UTC
Reviews on Amazon can be skewed. I know i have read books with 2 stars and actually loveds them. It is specualtive. And of course some books aren't reviewed at all. . That book you read does sound bizarre really. But I guess some people must enjoy that. Very odd.

Ah that makes sense.

I've just happened to have a few people asking after it in the library ;-) That skews my perspective.

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