From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V3 #162 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 Thursday, June 12 2003 Volume 03 : Number 162 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] Clueless Xena Fan With Some DVD Questions ["Jackie] Re: [chakram-refugees] The Chakram [KTL ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Re: Xena's Braging rights [KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Clueless Xena Fan With Some DVD Questions On Mon, 09 Jun 2003 19:45:13 -0400, Cousin Liz wrote: >Lastly, if anyone can think of anything a newbie needs to know about >DVD's that I don't even know enough to ask about, please feel free >to add to the discussion. - --I think Sojourner covered most of the pertinent points. ;) I should only add what I found out after Cheryl answered my inquiry about pixelization on the S1 DVDs: that the _brand_ of DVD players can matter. ;( I had a SonicBlue (division of Panasonic) player that gave me pixelization during the teaser of Death in Chains. Tested the same scene on a Mac G4 DVD player; no prob (the salesperson told me computer DVD players and monitors have different resolutions/refresh rates so I couldn't compare fairly). Asked them to replace the home player, and it still showed pixelization during the same scene. Finally got them to replace the _second_ SonicBlue player with an RCA brand; voila!--no prob. ;) "They", BTW, were RadioShack, whom I am loathe to go back to. ;=P And Davis-Panzer was more than willing to replace what I thought were "defective" DVDs, including the return postage (that's how I knew the defect was in the player, and not the DVD, when the second set was defective in the exact same area). Just FYI, ;) - --Jackie ****************************************************** * Proud to have the same birthday as Lucy Lawless! * * * * "I think New Zealand geographically comes from * * ... Hawai'i." --Lucy Lawless, Late Show, 4/9/96 * * * * JACKIE YOUNG, JYOUNG@LAVA.NET * * * ****************************************************** ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 00:31:20 -0800 (AKDT) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] The Chakram > It can only be > > mended again when it is reformed or redeemed by finding it's other half > > which happens in Chakram. The flawed chakram, the dark chakram which > > betrayed it's true owner, > is redeemed by joining with chakram of light and > > is once again made whole. > > > > CherylA > Now wait--I'm thinking over the choice of the word "redeemed". Are you saying that it was because it broke Xena and was thus also broken that it needed to be redeemed? To be fixed and to be useful again? The altar the light chakram was on was obviously created to hold two separate chakrams. Were they ever really supposed to be fitted together? And of course, if they WERE supposed to be fitted together, than the dark chakram only did what it should have done to find itself in the fix it was in which needed to be resolved by forging the two together. Yes? I feel the two chakrams are like Ying and Yang. That the two opposites are necessary to hold the harmony and balance of...whatever. And that both need to be present to make a whole. But do the diametrical opposites have to meet in the middle and form one new creation? Isn't this kind of antithetical to their creation as the absolute opposites of each other, as the edges of the ranges of possible manifestations of "chakram". I just this minute had a thought--perhaps they should have repulsed each other when anybody tried to join them. And perhaps they would have had anybody but Xena tried to do it. IF only Xena could have joined them (as she joined her own dark and light sides into one individual soul) then this also lends credence to the "magical weapon for only one particular hero" concept. Hell-I think I'll go watch Chakram--I LOVE that one anyway. And keep an eye out for clues. _____________________________ Well, so much for all my wild positing of possibilities above. When I rewatched Chakram, guess what I discovered? That the chakrams did NOT require that they be put together to fix the broken dark one at all. Merely placing the dark chakram on its little pedestal repairs it (or--"heals" it for those among us who are thinking of the Chakram as more or less sentient). AND the little pedestal makes a perfect ying /yang symbol when seen from above--I wonder if I subliminally remembered that. The dark chakram doesn't seem to be fixed just because it was Xena who placed it there either--there's no indication of that. It appears that anyone could have put it there to fix it--Amarice had been carrying the broken pieces for much of the ep. The chakram is restored by some powerful sharp focused light mojo that traces the outline and seals the two breaks and doesn't seem to be connected to anything Xena does at all. Even after it is restored, Xena still resists claiming it and using it in the fight. But then she sees that Kal is about to kill Gabrielle. And as always, Xena will sacrifice anything to save Gabrielle--including her soul. (As we first saw in "Remember Nothing", which was the first time Xena threw away her innocence and took back her burden of guilt and pain, turning away from emptying her own soul of her former depravity in order to save Gabrielle's.) Killing Kal hurts her. She's upset, her soul is wounded. And of course, Ares moves right in. Ares: "Xena, that wasn't your fault. He left you no choice. Give me the chakram. (Lucy's acting as she plays the still confused, undecided and hurting Xena is marvelous). Ares: Do you wanna kill me? (Lucy just gives a very slight shake of the head as her face continues to reflect her inner stuggles. Xena is so worried, so bewildered, so desperately not wanting to bring the bad parts of her soul back into her life.) Ares: Come on. Just give me the chakram. The killing's gotta stop somewhere. Let's make it here. You know it's the right thing to do. Come on. Xena, don't do this. Xena...Xena!" And then Xena makes her choice. And fuses the chakrams. In order to neutralize the power of the chakram of light to kill gods. She actually makes the chakram of light less powerful than it was when it stood alone. And then we have this lovely little scene ending dialogue: Ares: (totally relaxed and honestly quizzical) "I don't get you. Why'd you do it?" Xena: "Do what?" A: "Neutralizing the chakram-- why'd you balance it? You had the power to kill us all." X: "No one deserves that kind of power, Ares. Least of all, me." Oh YESSSS, Xena's most definitely back--revving up her never ending guilt trip, polishing up her touch o' self-loathing. But Ares doesn't believe her modest refusal of power--he looks for a reason that he might have chosen to fuse the chakra. A: "Smart move. Brought you back." X: "With a vengeance." Now one interesting question I found myself wondering about was if Xena somehow knew that fusing the chakrams would bring herself back into balance, would reinfuse her dark side and thus reintegrate her whole character. Or did she just figure that killing Kal had opened the gates to allow the darkness to come home and nest again in her soul. And so why not destroy the power of the light chakram to kill gods just as a safety precaution? And just who the heck gave it that power in the first place anyway? Chakram really didn't answer many questions about the Chakram at all. And later (though much earlier than this post) Cheryl wrote about Diana using the Chakram: > Nah the chaky was just having a bit of fun. It bounced around, whacked the crown off the kings head and then stuck in the tree. It probably was > just miffed Xena loaned it out without asking permission. > > CherylA LOL! Now exactly where can you sign up for the "Warrior's Lending Armory"? And just what IS the fine for overdue weapons? KT ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 00:55:47 -0800 (AKDT) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Re: Xena's Braging rights > In a message dated 6/1/03 3:56:10 PM Central Daylight Time, cande@sunlink.net > writes: > > << OK I still don't get this argument that Xena was bragging. >> > > This thread that will not die has gone on so long now that even I have to > come out of lurkdom to comment. > FINALLY!!!! I knew we'd lure others out with our smell of dead meat posts. > The line may have seemed like bragging to me under different circumstances, > but as it was, Macon had almost gotten Xena drowned by his selfish behavior. I > would expect she was pretty pissed and Macon was mighty lucky she didn't > punch his lights out when they got back on shore. > THAT woulda been pure Xena. Certainly something season one or two Xena would have done without turning a bedraggled hair. When exactly did the obligatory Xena knees/punches/kicks the bad guy in the crotch stop? It used to happen all the time... That would have been highly amusing. I would have enjoyed that... And probably Gabrielle would have scowled at her for it too. "C'mon Xena--he's not worth skinning your knuckles over." > It also occurs to me that Xena may have been harsh with him in hopes of > penetrating his thick skin to the point of actually getting him to take a good > critical look at himself--something I doubt he's ever done before. That's also Xena's style--she's a "lecturer" at times. But when she lectures, she often sinks into self-recrimination. "I used to think/be that way too. But I changed. And you can also." But I don't > believe Xena was analyzing any of this; she was just reacting as I would expect > anyone would under the circumstances. Actually, I'd say she was exercising a > good deal more self control than most would, I always loved how reforming Xena was COLDLY furious. Very few folks could heat her up into towering rages as compared to her more usual freely given insults, sneers and narrow-eyed lasered "looks". Only Ares (who also garnered the random punch or two in the face), Caesar and Gabrielle, whenever she was involved in killing Xena's kids were about the only people/times who made Xena show absolute feverish rage. Even Callisto always got the studied indifference, the playful deadly flirting and the cold implacable stare as she sunk down into the quicksand. Xena in "The Furies" was the most volatile in her anger. But she was crazy then. and I certainly don't believe her > intent was to hurt Macon's feelings. In fact, I'd say that would have been > practically impossible to do, and Xena would have realized that. I think Xena > was just blowing off some steam and she had every right to do so. > Like a whale. THAR SHE BLOWSSSSSS!!!!! > Gods, I love this list! > Me too. Smile KT > XWPacolyte ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 14:06:56 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Re: Xena's Braging rights In a message dated 6/11/2003 3:57:30 AM Central Daylight Time, fsktl@aurora.uaf.edu writes: > FINALLY!!!! I knew we'd lure others out with our smell of dead meat posts. < > Yes, I'm wondering what we can do to make the thing smell earlier. Certainly my arms are tired from beating the darned thing. It has improved my muscle tone, however. Heh. > >When exactly did the > obligatory Xena knees/punches/kicks the bad guy in the crotch stop? It > used to happen all the time... > > That would have been highly amusing. I would have enjoyed that... > And probably Gabrielle would have scowled at her for it too. "C'mon > Xena--he's not worth skinning your knuckles over." >> Which is exactly why I liked seeing a somewhat different response. I loved how, just when I thought I had my girl figured out, she'd do something unexpected. I know, you're making a distinction between "unexpected" and "uncharacteristic." To me, as we grow and change, the "unexpected" becomes part of our new way of handling things. Yes, I too loved the butt-kicking, but I so appreciated that she wasn't stuck in always doing that. Interestingly, I got a grin on my face at that scene in Tsunami precisely because it surprised me -- like I do when a very quiet, unassertive friend suddenly takes on a rude check-out clerk. "Wow, where did *that* come from? Hmmm, more to that girl than I thought." - -- Ife ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 11:19:35 -0700 From: "Creation (Sharon Delaney)" Subject: [chakram-refugees] Renee Movie News UPDATE Renee will begin filming an independent feature-length film called "Diamonds and Guns" early this summer. It will be shot in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Directed by Chris Dollard, with a script by Dawn Higginbotham (from a story by Dawn and Helena Beaven who are producing their first full-length film), it is a comedy about two friends -- from America and New Zealand -- who go to Las Vegas to find true love. It is being shot digitally with an eye toward film festivals and future distribution. Renee said, "I chose this script out of all the ones I've been looking at because it was one of the funniest I'd read. It has an energy on the page which I hope translates to the screen and the audience. It came to me by way of Aaron Morton who did the lighting on "Dangerous Prey," the Xena episode I directed. Aaron did the lighting on a movie called "Nemesis Game" and introduced me to the guys who wrote, produced and directed that movie. They in turn introduced me to Helena. It all began with Xena." More photos of Renee from the relay on the fan club page. She really loved playing on that motorcycle! Sharon outback@creationent.com Official Xena Fan Club P.S. Do I have to go vote in some kind of poll for posting non-Lucy news! ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 13:49:51 -0500 From: "S. Wilson" Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Renee Movie News UPDATE At 11:19 AM 6/11/2003 -0700, Sharon wrote: >Renee said, [snip]" It all began with Xena." Looks like she's feeling the stuff we fans have been talking about for eons. *s* When I began watching Xena, my interest in mythology was revived, so I began to study it again, and the fruit of that study paid off with a few academic pieces that got noticed, and helped me get back into school to get my degree. Still on the other hand, when I began watching Xena, I wanted to put up a webpage, but I didn't know HTML, so I taught myself the stuff, which led to teaching myself some other stuff, and other stuff, and other stuff, until one day I was building computers and working at a dot com producing software. Weee! It all began with Xena for me, too. :] S. ========================================================= 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: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 22:21:48 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] The Chakram In a message dated 6/11/2003 1:32:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time, fsktl@aurora.uaf.edu writes: > Hell-I think I'll go watch Chakram--I LOVE that one anyway. And keep an > eye out for clues. >> Gotta love that woman. The sacrifices she makes for us. > A: "Neutralizing the chakram-- why'd you balance it? You had the > power to kill us all." > > X: "No one deserves that kind of power, Ares. Least of all, me." > > Oh YESSSS, Xena's most definitely back--revving up her never ending guilt > trip, polishing up her touch o' self-loathing. >> Okay, this is a serious question. Seriously. Why do you have such a fondness for her guilt and self-loathing? I mean, I hear honesty and recognition of her flaws in the above statement -- self-criticism even -- but not self-loathing and definitely not guilt. I can understand how the guilt and self-loathing added to her initial angst and our sympathy for her, but did you want to see that continue? Did you ever see her as losing it? Was she less interesting to you if/when she didn't exhibit it? Would that have been "uncharacteristic"? What do you mean by "self-loathing"? Maybe I'm thinking you mean she detested herself, whereas you simply mean she knew she was a bad girl. And are you using "guilt" as similar to or different than "responsibility"? Now one interesting question I found myself wondering about was if Xena > > somehow knew that fusing the chakrams would bring herself back into > balance, would reinfuse her dark side and thus reintegrate her > whole character. Or did she just figure that killing Kal had > opened the gates to allow the darkness to come home and nest again in her > soul. And so why not destroy the power of the light chakram to kill gods > just as a safety precaution? >> Yes, I wondered about that too. Just before she joins the chakrams, she gets this look on her face like she's "herself" again. I didn't know if that was intentional, as it could've been that Lucy didn't know exactly the timing of the special effects. Otherwise, I thought it odd that she seemed to know exactly what she was doing, unless she had somehow (perhaps as you suggest above) gotten in touch with (and was ready to accept) her dark side again. > > And just who the heck gave it that power in the first place anyway? > Chakram really didn't answer many questions about the Chakram at all. >> No. Conveniently it didn't. It was as if some Supreme power (beyond the Greek or Kal's realms) had created it. - -- Ife ========================================================= 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 V3 #162 **************************************