From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V2 #8 Reply-To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sender: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk chakram-refugees-digest Wednesday, January 9 2002 Volume 02 : Number 008 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] <> Spoilers <> mention [Stephanie > Spoilers <> mention [cr] [chakram-refugees] Re: XENA MERCHANDISE UPDATE: [BElannafan@aol.com] Re: [chakram-refugees] Xena Fan Club Kit #5 UPDATE [Xwpacolyte@aol.com] [chakram-refugees] Ngila D. award [KLOSSNER9@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 22:03:51 -0800 (PST) From: Stephanie Subject: [chakram-refugees] <> Spoilers <> mention Lookout below! Random thoughts and spoilers for A Friend In Need Director's Cut... a mention of Locked Up and Tied Down also I L I K E D T H I S O N E B E T T E R Mad props to KT for getting me this tape! So, I finally got to see A Friend In Need - the Director's Cut. Lemme tell ya, all who haven't yet seen it and were so-so about the regular version (or even didn't like it for one reason or another), the director's cut lends more to the end of this great series that might shed some light on some confusing things. I really liked AFINs, and seeing the director's cut made me realize that there were a few things I really *didn't* enjoy about the original ending eps of the series. There are added scenes which, IMO, are pivotal and should not have been left out. Such is the scene where Akemi and Xena sit and talk for a moment after Xena has died, and Akemi stresses over how to tell Xena the custom in her homeland - that for a person's soul to be avenged, their killer must die. This throws The Big Wrench in Xena's plan - before this, she was on her way to getting Yodoshi his dues, freeing the 40,000 souls, and coming back to Gabrielle. She's always been able to find a way to beat death, and that was her plan this time. This scene also clears up, once and for all, that Akemi wasn't a scheming hag out to trick Xena into giving her soul up on a whim. I've read many posts about people's feelings on that, and I could see how that conclusion could be made without seeing this scene. From what I've read, TPTB studied Japanese tradition and found the above belief about vengeance. I liked AFINs just fine, found it a fitting ending to XWP and Xena's desperado-search for atonement that she knew she'd never find (or allow herself), but leaving The Big Wrench scene out was a major boo-boo, as I see it. The Japanese belief was something I now understand Xena decided to honor out of her own desire to make something right that she once had wronged, not because she'd crossed some kind of netherworld border where she had to now adhere to the new country's traditions in death. To put her desire into perspective, see Locked Up and Tied Down, where she voluntarily goes to prison for life on charges of murder. But the way the original version of AFIN2 explained it, it was like an "oh, gosh, forgot to tell ya, there's this thing Akemi told me..." scene that was just wedged in there and was finished so fast it stung like a slap in the face. *That* I did not like, at all, about the original episode. The Director's Cut leaves me shaking my head at the editor and whoever OK'd the final product. Something I wish was in the Director's Cut, which was not, was the scene where Akemi introduces Xena to sushi and wasabi. Read about that over at Whoosh! and thought it added a little more to the relationship there, but alas... There are a few seconds added here and there to lengthen some scenes. Listing them all would take me forever, but it's enough to say that even the bits and pieces add more to AFINs, make the big picture a little more clear, and make the whole story flow much more smooth than before. For instance, at the end of AFIN1, Xena teaches Gabrielle the pinch and says her goodbyes. In AFINDC, Ghost Killer comes in and interrupts them, asking Gabrielle if she's ready. A moment later, Xena watches Gabrielle walk away, then walks into the fog, after which she buries her armor and sword (*sigh*) and takes off into the woods as she hears the enemy's army moving closer. In the following battle scenes which took place at the beginning of AFIN2, there are many little added scenes and what stuck out to me most was that this time, I really got the sense that Xena was *scared*. In the original version, I knew she was scared - arrows flying from every direction - but, gosh, she was Xena, and we've all seen her face crazy odds before without so much as twitching an eyebrow. So in the heat of the fight, when she calls out for Gabrielle, it hits home. There are different spots for commercial breaks, and some spaces familiar as commercial breaks are not. I think (I'll have to go back and rewatch it to make sure) the scene in Higuchi when Ghost Killer confronts Xena is done a little differently - he confronts her, then there's the flashback, flashforward to Xena looking stunned and then a commercial break. In AFIN1, Xena and Gabrielle stop Higuchi from being burned. To the general observer, it's not really clear why Higuchi is on fire (obviously there are bad guys there, but why?). The scene omitted here was, IMO, also vital and should *not* have been cut. Shame on TPTB. Once Xena and Gab get to the water tower and douse the fire, a familiar figure on a horse, in samurai armor, appears - the guy who takes Xena's head later. He calls up to her that a good general knows when he's lost a battle, and he vows that he will meet Xena again, and soon. Xena nods to him and he's on his way, pulling his troops out of Higuchi. Xena turns to the town center and raises her sword in victory. This omitted scene not only shows that Higuchi wasn't being attacked by just some band of thugs, but it also shows that Xena acknowledged that she'd made an enemy and that she'd find him on the battlefield soon - and that he'd specifically be out for her blood. It lays the groundwork for the battle that begins AFIN2, and without this scene, you really can't easily draw a connection between the two and feel any kind of build-up with Xena going in to fight this guy once and for all - you don't know why she's got this plan and why she knows she's not going to make it out alive, and there's no chance of you figuring out the Xena-methodology that once she's been killed by this dupe, she can then go and take on Yodoshi in the spirit realm and get back the souls of those 40,000. Lots of groundwork was cut from the final episodes that should not have been. Some holes in the original story you could sail the QEII through. There were several small scenes, several bits and pieces, and a few scenes I felt were pivotal to the story. Tsk. Although I was able to deal with the original eps and Xena's mortality, seeing the director's cut answered alot of questions and made the story flow easier than it did in the original eps. Just my thots. S. Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 22:45:23 +1300 From: cr Subject: [chakram-refugees] Re: <> Spoilers <> mention On Tuesday 08 January 2002 19:03, Stephanie wrote: > Lookout below! Random thoughts and spoilers for A Friend In Need > Director's Cut... a mention of Locked Up and Tied Down also > I > L > I > K > E > D > T > H > I > S > O > N > E > B > E > T > T > E > R > > Mad props to KT for getting me this tape! > > So, I finally got to see A Friend In Need - the Director's Cut. Lemme > tell ya, all who haven't yet seen it and were so-so about the regular > version (or even didn't like it for one reason or another), the > director's cut lends more to the end of this great series that might > shed some light on some confusing things. I really liked AFINs, and > seeing the director's cut made me realize that there were a few things > I really *didn't* enjoy about the original ending eps of the series. > > There are added scenes which, IMO, are pivotal and should not have been > left out. (snips) Thanks for that, Stephanie. Most of the accounts I've seen just said "oh there were a few more scenes but they didn't really add anything...." (though I've been off-list for a month so I may have missed something). Your description is excellent and informative. (I've got a tape of DC, just arrived, but haven't had time to watch it yet - but your description has persuaded me to _make_ time asap ;) In fact some of those points - such as when Akemi told Xena about the 'stay-dead rule' - have been the subject of much debate, and I've been arguing with people about what was 'implicit' in the (originally-aired) episodes... the DC evidently makes many of those points much clearer. Just on a minor point, since you mention it - I always thought that fire in Higuchi ended rather weakly - obviously Xena's encounter with the Samurai in the DC was a stronger ending. > > Lots of groundwork was cut from the final episodes that should not have > been. Some holes in the original story you could sail the QEII through. > There were several small scenes, several bits and pieces, and a few > scenes I felt were pivotal to the story. Tsk. Although I was able to > deal with the original eps and Xena's mortality, seeing the director's > cut answered alot of questions and made the story flow easier than it > did in the original eps. Of course, editing down to length is always a problem, and the more material in the episode, the more difficult it is. I don't think there was anything in the originally-aired episodes where anyone could say "Oh, that's padding - that should have been cut out". It looks as if the 'natural' length of FIN was nearer an actual two hours than the 'commercial two hours' (84 minutes) that it originally had to be edited down to. Thanks. Thelonius ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 09:44:35 EST From: BElannafan@aol.com Subject: [chakram-refugees] Re: XENA MERCHANDISE UPDATE: In a message dated 1/7/2002 03:03:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, fanclubs@creationent.com writes: Xena folio sets 2 through 7 will be discontinued as of February 14, 2002. << Individual photos from those sets might be available at the convention or beyond, but at this point the folios offer a great price for those that want all of the collection. >> Just went to the site. Is this 'great price' any kind of reduced price? Or have the sets always been $34.95 each? ============================================================ Consideration is given, Respect is earned, Jan. You know you're a redneck Jedi when Darth Vader says' "Come with me, Luke. I am your father and your uncle." ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 13:28:19 EST From: Xwpacolyte@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Xena Fan Club Kit #5 UPDATE In a message dated 1/7/02 11:21:09 PM Central Standard Time, "Creation (Sharon Delaney)" writes: << Please know that we are doing our best to produce the finest fan club kit ever, and while we regret the delay, we know you'll love the final result. The submitted videos are wonderful and we are currently awaiting their approval! >> Sharon, you just take all the time you need. You've never disappointed me yet, so I can be very patient. XWPacolyte Cupid and Psyche... Antony and Cleopatra... Xena and Gabrielle. ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 22:39:44 EST From: KLOSSNER9@aol.com Subject: [chakram-refugees] Ngila D. award There are now almost as many film awards as football bowl games. Go to the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring page on Internet Movie Database (http://us.imdb.com). Click on Awards and nominations. LOTR:FOTR has been nominated for several awards in different categories. Nigla Dickson of Xena has already won the best costume award for something called the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, aka the Sierra Awards. Oddly, she is mentioned alone, without Richard Taylor, who is credited with her for the film's costumes. Both Dickson and Taylor have been nominated for best costumes for something called the Golden Satellite Awards. Boeotian ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V2 #8 ************************************