From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V5 #30 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 Friday, February 4 2005 Volume 05 : Number 030 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] Another Xena location [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Xena above all the imitators [IfeRae@aol.com] Re: [chakram-refugees] The end of Season Four... [IfeRae@aol.com] [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response [HJJH ] Re: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response [meredith ] Re: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response ["Mark B." Subject: [chakram-refugees] Another Xena location I just found a Xena location I've been looking for for years.... and thereby hangs a tale ;) I've always been frustrated by Swan Lake from Crusader, I've felt I should *know* of such a distinctive lake, but I've never been able to locate it. It's one of those locations that's always niggled at the back of my mind. I've also wanted to know the location of the Amazon camp from Sin Trade / Them Bones, I've guessed it might be in Riverhead or Woodhill forest, but since Woodhill is three miles wide and 30 miles long, I regarded the idea off finding it without further clues as futile. Well, come the Season 4 DVD's, I was (as everyone on this list knows :) desperately hoping for a Director's Commentary on Sin Trade by the maestro, T J Scott, and more than somewhat disappointed when the nearest we got was some brief comments by Renee in the interviews, particularly when she wasn't at the most cinematically interesting location of (IMO) the entire Xena series - the Ruapehu area - so couldn't comment on that. However, one thing Renee did mention was Muriwai. Now, cutting out the Ruapehu scenes (Amazon Land of the Dead and Deer River), and the sand dunes of the Berserker fight (the Wainamu dunes at Bethells), then the Amazon camp / Alti fight among the pine trees is the major remaining location. And I know Renee is careful about details and usually gets these things right, so if she says 'Muriwai', there's something there. The only location I already knew of at Muriwai was Maori Bay, the landing place of the wagon on Looking Death in the Eye. So I figured, the Amazon camp is probably in Woodhill Forest, not too far from the Muriwai entrance. Worth a look anyway. Looking at the large-scale map I also noticed, at the inland side of the forest, a little Lake Okaihau that I'd never noticed before and I immediately wondered if that could be Swan Lake. Well, to cut a long story (and a four-mile walk) short, I found a lot of places that _could_ be 'Amazon territory' but probably weren't (very hard to tell one clearing in the pine trees from another) - but as soon as I saw the lake from a distance, that was it! Lake Okaihau is Swan Lake. It's in private land, you can only see it from a distance from 'Grass Track Road' in the forest, but it's unmistakeable. (Entry to the forest, btw, is by permit only for horse-riding, mountain biking, yadda yadda.... I'm not sure if a permit is required for walking, but the gate the other end of Grass Track Road has a locked gate with a notice "No Unauthorised Vehicle Access" and an open footway beside it so I assume pedestrians are free to ramble). Back to Lake Okaihau - this is _not_ the large shallow lake near the toan of Okaihau in Northland. Newzealandfishing.com says: "Lake Okaihau (Houghton's Lake) A picturesque lake in a rural setting with a reputation as a good perch and tench fishery. Rudd and koi are also present. The lake is on private land (Houghton family, landowners) so access permission is essential. A long walk (about 1.5 kin) is required through the Woodhill Forest from Grass Track Road at Muriwai Beach." So there we are. Wonder if Rob found it while looking for fishing spots? (The next lake listed btw is "Lake Waimanu" (misprint for Wainamu) at Bethells, the sight of which is well-known to Xena and Herc fans). As for the Amazon Camp / Alti fight, I haven't found it, yet. There are a few more tracks near the Muriwai entrance I need to check out. cr ========================================================= 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: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 02:01:52 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Xena above all the imitators In a message dated 1/31/2005 3:28:19 AM Pacific Standard Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: > I > respectfully suggest you re-watch that sequence too - and the expression on > Gabs' face. Xena didn't arbitrarily decide to pull Gabs out of there. >> Again, I never said she did. That's how you interpreted "changed her mind." Whether or not I thought her reasoning sound, *she* did and Najara didn't. I was assessing it from the characters' perspectives, not my own judgements. Not saying there's anything wrong with our personal opinions, as that's what we give in discussions. I just like to begin with where I think the characters are, then decide whether I agree or not. As it happens, I could well understand Xena's decision to hot foot it back. But I could also understand why Najara wouldn't be so amenable. I was responding to your suggestion that Najara's reaction was weird enough at that point to indicate the full extent of her madness. I disagreed. From Najara's perspective, Gabs had said she was "missing" something, that traveling with Xena had it's negative effects, that Najara's "light" and good work made Gabs feel good. On the other hand, Najara knew of the vision where Gabs would die with Xena. Xena herself expressed other reservations about Gabs traveling with her and hopes that Najara would be an improvement. Xena essentially leaves Gabs in Najara's hands. Suddenly Xena comes storming back, upset that Najara does what Xena herself has on many occasions -- been judge, jury and executioner. In fact, Xena had already seen evidence of Najara's willingness to kill before she left Gabs, but chose to ignore any misgivings. To an unbiased observer, Xena could've seemed the capricious one, despite her sound reasons. I accept that Xena wasn't quite herself during this period, that she was -- as nearly everyone agrees -- "uncharacteristically" trusting and conflicted. If Marat hadn't conveniently mistaken Xena for Najara, what would it have taken for Xena to realize her own mistake? Our girl wasn't thinking straight. A bit of luck put her on the right track. Her state of mind was more significant to me than a lucky chance to stumble on a good reason for coming back. > > Xena walked in and challenged Najara with executing people and Najara > implicitly admitted it - *and* Gabby was obviously turned off by this. > When > Xena said 'Come on, Gabrielle' Gabby was moving to go with her before Najara > > stopped her. It was Najara who was the first to draw her sword and turn it > > into a fight. It wasn't, as I think you suggested in a previous post, Xena > > who started the fight. >. Sure, from Xena's perspective. As you say, Gabs wasn't pleased, but neither had she said, "Najara, you're a fraud. I'm leaving with Xena." From Najara's perspective, Xena started it with "Come on, Gabrielle" -- a selfish, controlling bully who would rather get Gabs killed than leave her with someone who might help her start a hospice. > > Another thing - Najara attacking Xena from behind only gave her a temporary > advantage, Xena recovered enough to throw a chair at Najara and get her > momentarily on the defensive - I submit that's all the opportunity the > *real* > Xena would need to take charge and finish Najara off. ;) >> And as I said above, she wasn't your "real" Xena, which was the whole point of showing her behaving uncharateristically and getting beaten. I accept that she wasn't "herself," which means I accept she did a lot of things that don't have to make "sense" in terms of what might "typically" happen, but might make sense in light of her state of mind. - -- 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: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 02:01:50 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] The end of Season Four... In a message dated 2/1/2005 9:40:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: > Well, I think the unseen presence of 'the Vision' (which I think you > mentioned too) was enough to keep the thread alive. I don't think the > other scenes (the Najara fight, and the battle in A Good Day - these were > shown in opposite sequence in Sin Trade) really contributed to the thread > since when those occasions happened, there were no flashbacks to Alti's > prophecy. > Huh. It contributed for me. Reminded me of the vision, heightened the suspense and made me feel "in" on the vision even when it wasn't shown as Xena thinking about it. For me, it also kept it from being a "one note" thing, in terms of thinking about a crucifixion all season. Alti's intent, after all, was to create havoc in Xena's life, uncertainty about where or when she might die. I don't think Alti counted on Xena focusing solely on the part connected to Gabs. Similarly, I wasn't sure how harmful some of those scenes might prove to Xena's well being. I was stunned by the scene where she fought the mystery woman and was left lying -- perhaps seriously injured or dead -- on the floor. Sure, I figured Xena would survive, but it was still a shock to me. - -- 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: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 03:00:59 -0600 From: HJJH Subject: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response As has been said in another context-- "We were \not/ amused!" TEXena ========================================================= 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: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 12:28:15 -0500 From: meredith Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response Hi, TEXena responded: >As has been said in another context-- "We were \not/ amused!" Hear, hear. "Oh, look at these freaks of nature! What morons they are! Let's all laugh at them together as a nation!!" I can't say I was surprised at all. But it was still infuriating to watch. =============================================== Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth =============================================== hear at the HOMe House Concert Series http://hom.smoe.org =============================================== ========================================================= 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: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 15:37:59 -0600 From: "Mark B." Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response I liked it showing Xenites having fun and certainly enjoying themselves, but can't stand Howie Mandel anyway. He could certainly have toned down his attitude, but then that certainly would not be his style! Mark ----- Original Message ----- From: meredith To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 11:28 Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] TONIGHT SHOW response Hi, TEXena responded: >As has been said in another context-- "We were \not/ amused!" Hear, hear. "Oh, look at these freaks of nature! What morons they are! Let's all laugh at them together as a nation!!" I can't say I was surprised at all. But it was still infuriating to watch. =============================================== Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth =============================================== hear at the HOMe House Concert Series http://hom.smoe.org =============================================== ========================================================= 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. ========================================================= ========================================================= 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: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:12:04 EST From: KLOSSNER9@aol.com Subject: [chakram-refugees] Mulan II My local paper today has a review of the direct-to-video Disney sequel Mulan II. The reviewer says that Mulan "returned to her home village, where she is the idol of a gaggle of would-be warrior princesses." Among the voice actors is June Foray, the voice of Rocky the Squirrel on Bullwinkle, and perhaps the second most famous cartoon voice actor, after Mel Blanc. Unfortunately the reviewer says the video has a "silly" story and the art is inferior to the feature film. 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 V5 #30 *************************************