From: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org (stillpt-digest) To: stillpt-digest@smoe.org Subject: stillpt-digest V2 #91 Reply-To: stillpt@smoe.org Sender: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk stillpt-digest Wednesday, April 26 2000 Volume 02 : Number 091 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Lies, Jung, & Alchemy ["Jennifer Stevenson" ] AICN review of tonight's episode [meredith ] b/wildthings/5x5 ["Donald G. Keller" ] b/it's everywhere [meredith ] Re: b/wildthings/5x5 [meredith ] Re: b/wildthings/5x5 [GHighPine@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 10:03:47 -0500 From: "Jennifer Stevenson" Subject: Lies, Jung, & Alchemy I hope this system can handle an html-formatted entry. We'll see. Don, you write, >I would like to hear you elaborate a little more on "the one true lie of >the heart's desire." I've heard you refer to this before, but I'm not >=entirely= clear on what it means. (What's Buffy's "true lie"?) The one true lie is the lie that is at the foundation of the story--usually part of the emotional substructure of a science fiction story, for example. My classic example is Joe Haldeman's _Forever War_, in which the lie is that these young soldiers are the cream of their society, the smartest, best, bravest, quickest, most talented, and that for THIS reason they are not allowed to come home but are compelled to fight on until time has lost meaning for them. The truth behind the lie is the truth of Joe's war, the Vietnam war: these young soldiers were considered the dregs of society, if not before drafting then after it; they were thrown at the enemy like chaff, used up in stupid and careless ways, and decidedly unwelcome back home because our society really has no use for soldiers =inside= its borders. Sue Blom wrote a really good story about this many years ago. John Crowley's lies are about love. Buffy's lie is, of course, about the supernatural nature of her enemies: the worst evil in the world comes from outside of it, and there is both a virtue and a necessity in fighting it. You write, >Noticed this weekend that some car commercial (which? I dunno; so >much for product placement) is using Vaughan Williams' "The Lark >Ascending" (an all-time favorite piece of mine); it's the kind of >violin cadenza in the middle (the lyrical high point of the piece). Gets >my attention big time. Man, I love that piece! We sang it in high school. I still remember how it felt, singing that ascending leaping cascade, O lark, o lark! You write, >Mercurius is also equivalent to the Virgin Mary (because >purification is necessary in the process to bring forth the Stone) >and Christ (who is equivalent to the Stone)...but he's also a >trickster-figure (=servus/cervus fugitivus=) and therefore >equivalent to the Devil(!)--see =Faust= (an alchemical drama) and >the figure of Mephistopheles. Jung is not an alchemist. He says "equivalent" and you use an even more absolute mathematical term, =. See below for more on this slightly incorrect interp. You write, >This is perilously close, even for me, to the point where non- >academic thinkers throw up their hands and say, "Well! if anything >can stand for anything, then everything is meaningless! Why bother?" >It's not =quite= that dire, however; there is a thread (or rather a >web) of logic that can be followed; one has to remember the many- >signifiers/signified and the inverse. The thread has to do with the distinction between "equivalent/=" and true magical correspondence. Dion Fortune (aka Violet Firth, her birthname) of the Golden Dawn Society (and later her own magical society) explains this very clearly: The magician understands difference between [the two seemingly conflicting/identical things] =without making it=. "Grasp the distinction without making it," I think are her exact words. A great deal of magical work requires holding two things -- whatever they are, contrasting / polar opposites or corresponding pairs or whatever -- in your mind and sort of =feeling them over=, tasting them, thinking about them in conjunction with one another and overlapping one another and also, =meaning the same thing=. Knowing the distinction between them but holding it aside and keeping a hold on it, so that it's there like a safety net if you get spooked, but it's not in your way while you are doing this magical work, which is about union of opposites. This is something I expect Don would understand very well, but a more conventional dichotomy-oriented critic might not. Magic is, even for what eluki calls "CM" (ceremonial magicians), a business for lumpers, not splitters. IMO. - -Jennifer ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:15:00 -0400 From: meredith Subject: AICN review of tonight's episode Hi! Major spoilers for this week's episode ... if you haven't watched your tape yet, do not read! I mean it... Really! So. The attached review is from Ain't-It-Cool-News, and while not nearly as academic as the typical discussions here, it pretty much sums up my first impressions of the ep, so I figured I'd just paste it here and wait for Don's meatier summarization. :) From : HERCULES THE STRONG (and lucky, if you ask me) Sneaks a Look at the Return of BUFFY!! Our long national nightmare is over. After almost seven straight weeks of reruns, what for my money is the best show on television comes roaring back with a new episode that happens to be one of the best of the series’ four-year run. Tonight’s installment of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” serves to remind fans of EXACTLY why they’ve grown so addicted to the ongoing adventures of Buffy, Willow, Giles, et al. When firing on all cylinders, “Buffy” succeeds as peerless entertainment not because its romantic subplots are far more compelling than those of “Beverly Hills 90210” or “Dawson’s Creek” (though they are), nor because its action sequences are far more artfully rendered than those of “V.I.P.” or “Walker, Texas Ranger” (though they are). It succeeds because “Buffy” is, year in and year out, the funniest show on television. I’ll love anything that makes me laugh, and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” makes me laugh like a hyena on nitrous oxide. “Where the Wild Things Are” is destined to be filed in everyone’s episodic memory banks as “The One With All The Sex.” Buffy and new boyfriend Riley have become so hot for each other, their amour has awakened an angry poltergeist in Riley’s frat house that feeds off tireless passion. Before the half-hour mark, virtually the entire cast (including all of the guest stars) will find themselves in states of severe arousal. The episode literally kicks off with heavy foreshadowing: Buffy and a fully-recovered Riley vanquish what the slayer comes to describe as a “vampire-demon tag-team” -- but not before the pair gets a serious case of the horns watching each other’s athletic college-age bodies in action. Such supernatural team ups, Buffy breathlessly insists, aren’t supposed to happen. “Vamps hate demons. It’s like stripes and polka-dots -- major clashing.” The next morning, we learn Xander (the only core member of the supernatural-combating “Scooby Squad” not to go on to UC Sunnydale) has been reduced to arguing with hottie girlfriend Anya as he sells ice cream out of a truck. Irony doesn’t get funnier than as embodied by Anya, who spent centuries as the ultimate man-hating demon vengeance-bringer, and is now stuck in the body of a teen nymphomaniac. She is convinced that Xander is on the verge of breaking up with her because they didn’t have sex the previous night. “Anya,” assures Xander, “there’s a lot more to you and me than sex!” Anya glances away*, by her expression more certain than ever that Xander is dumping her. Xander takes her non-verbal point. “Well,” he concedes, “there should be…” Things get even better when Anya, still new to being human, innocently makes this inquiry: “Is there something wrong with your body? ... I saw that wrinkled man on TV talking about erectile dysfunction!” I was certain this had to be the episode’s funniest scene. I was wrong. The action switches back to campus, where Anthony Stewart Head, as British expert-on-the-supernatural Rupert Giles, gets a chance to shine. Giles agrees with Riley’s theory that the vampire-demon teamings might be traced back to Adam, the human-demon-robot hybrid created by Riley’s ex-boss at the government-run Initiative. Riley mentions in passing an Initiative party being held that evening at his frat house, and invites Giles along. The ever-disdainful Giles begs off. “As much as I long for a good ... kegger, I have other plans – at the Espresso Pump.” When brainy-but-guileless witch-in-training Willow asks what he’ll be doing there, Giles tries to hide a expression of deep embarrassment. “I’m um grownups -- that couldn’t possibly be of any interest to you all ...” Later, as Buffy and Riley adjourn to Riley’s room for between-classes nookie, flames from a downstairs fireplace explode out to attack one of Riley’s friends. Anya, wandering alone because she is too fearful of the demon-slaughtering Initiative to attend their party, is startled by Spike, the “clockwork vampire” who can no longer assault humans due to the Initiative computer chip implanted in his brain. Spike has been reduced to scaring people into giving him money. “Keeps me in blood and beers,” he explains. “I’m beginning to understand why you’re so friendless,” she mocks. Counters Spike: “Looks who’s talking! I don’t see droopy boy on your arm. Did he have better things to do?” Back at Riley’s frathouse, the party is in full swing, and Buffy is fairly hypnotized by her boyfriend across the room. Alyson Hannigan, as Willow, sells one of the evening’s best lines as she uses news of a peasant top mishap perpetrated by someone “so not-me” to coax Buffy out of her trance. Of course, the house decides to use the party to heat things up. Some of the guests discover they can experience orgasms by leaning against a section of wall, witty Xander chats up a party girl who likes witty guys -- and Buffy and Riley, of course, head back upstairs. The Initiative soldiers are so worked up they don’t even notice when Spike (a.k.a. “Hostile 17”) shows up with Anya and starts raiding the keg. (Emma Caulfield, by the way, does a fabulous job with the conclusion of a Xander/Anya breakup fight.) Sappho Watch: Willow and Tara, sadly, are NOT driven into each other’s arms by the edificial shenanigans. Willow follows her amusing story about “really big ponies” with a perhaps-slightly-more-than-friendly rub of Tara’s knee, only to have Tara leap away with these words: “Don’t touch me! It’s – it’s disgusting!” Many, many strange things begin to happen, the earth begins to move, and Buffy and Riley appear to become trapped in Riley’s room, so hungry for each other they are now oblivious to their own dire circumstances. The best bits begin when Anya, Willow, Xander and Tara track down Giles at the Espresso Pump: everybody’s favorite ex-watcher, we are horrified to learn, turns out to have talents never before even HINTED at in prior episodes. The expression on Willow’s face should earn Hannigan an Emmy. Many incredible gags ensue. I sometimes wonder if we’ve wandered into a New Golden Age of Network Television when the works of talents like Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Glenn Gordon Caron and “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon are pumped into our homes each week for free. “Buffy,” however, benefits not only from great writing but also arguably the best cast on the airwaves: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendan, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Amber Benson and sometimes Seth Green may seem far too accomplished for television -- until one looks at the lousy big-screen scripts they’re offered. “Buffy” may not be the highest-rated series, but it is the most charmed, the perfect mix of first-rate thespianism and genius screenwriting. That’s why it’s the best show on TV. *Emma Caulfield, who’s been hilariously deadpanning the Anya role for more than a season and a half now, proves conclusively with this glance that she deserves immediate promotion to regular cast member. +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:37:44 -0400 (EDT) From: "Donald G. Keller" Subject: b/wildthings/5x5 =Very= brief comments; only watched once, and I have some take-home work I need to do. "Where the Mild [sorry] Wild Things Are" was another very light episode, though it did have a few effective chills. And quite a few laughs. Anya and Spike! Having a conversation! "...just like Martin Luther King"(!) Anthony Stewart Head's singing voice doesn't sound like I imagined it would. Not sure what I thought of it. (But did you notice that Anya and Willow and Tara--but not Xander!--reacted to Giles very much like they did to Jonathan??)(And what a confession from Willow.)(And interesting how Tara seems to be a Slayerette all of a sudden.) I called the final blackout, too. "Five by Five" was =much= more interesting. Wow, all the stuff we've seen Faith do, she's never been quite =that= brutal before. Found myself wondering suddenly why I was enjoying Faith's "antics" so much. Good interactions with Wesley and Angel. And better use of Wolfram and Hart as well. Wish they hadn't used up so much time with the flashbacks; not clear on first viewing what they were doing there. (Left less screen time for Faith.) Not =entirely= sure, either, that I buy the ending. (My TV is so dark it was hard for me to see just what exactly was going on: was Angel fighting defensively the whole time?) But that's something to consider on repeat viewings. Wonder if, given that Buffy goes to Los Angeles next week, this means she's a minor character in "New Moon Rising." Good as that's likely to be, I find myself looking forward much more to "Sanctuary"; very exciting preview. Much more later. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:51:00 -0400 From: meredith Subject: b/it's everywhere Hi! (again...) Watching Game 7 of the St Louis Blues/San Jose Sharks playoff game now. During the pause before a faceoff, we slowly realize that the music playing (quite loudly) over the PA in the arena is .... the Buffy theme! Talk about cognitive dissonance... +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:47:18 -0400 From: meredith Subject: Re: b/wildthings/5x5 Hi! More spoiler space in case it's needed anywhere Don commented: >Anthony Stewart Head's singing voice doesn't sound like I imagined >it would. Not sure what I thought of it. (But did you notice that >Anya and Willow and Tara--but not Xander!--reacted to Giles very >much like they did to Jonathan??)(And what a confession from >Willow.)(And interesting how Tara seems to be a Slayerette all of a >sudden.) No, I thought it was interesting, I didn't think of that, you're not kidding, and yes, isn't that something? I thought we were going to find out at the end that Buffy and Riley's raging hormones were supernaturally influenced to start with, but I guess they were both just in the mood to be crazed weasels this week. Once again the folks in Buffyland drive home the maxim: "sex is bad, m'kay?" >"Five by Five" was =much= more interesting. Wow, all the stuff we've >seen Faith do, she's never been quite =that= brutal before. Found >myself wondering suddenly why I was enjoying Faith's "antics" so >much. Good interactions with Wesley and Angel. And better use of >Wolfram and Hart as well. Of course I had to watch (and tape) this one because of Faith. Eliza Dushku did another bang-up job (pardon the pun), but when the episode was over the only thing I could think to say was, "one gets the idea that Joss would have written this whole thing better." >Wish they hadn't used up so much time with the flashbacks; not clear >on first viewing what they were doing there. (Left less screen time >for Faith.) I was waiting for some nifty tie-together, but it never happened. Will the flashbacks be explained next week? Or are we just left to figure out for ourselves the parallel between Angel and Faith both getting their souls back? It *was* nice to see the moment of the first laying-on of the curse, and it's always neat to see Darla again. But yeah, I'm kind of lost as to what that whole bit was doing there in the first place. >Not =entirely= sure, either, that I buy the ending. (My TV is so >dark it was hard for me to see just what exactly was going on: was >Angel fighting defensively the whole time?) But that's something to >consider on repeat viewings. Angel wasn't fighting back, except when he absolutely had to. That's why Faith kept yelling at him to fight. I think that's what finally broke her - - the realization that without the fight it wasn't fun any more. >Wonder if, given that Buffy goes to Los Angeles next week, this >means she's a minor character in "New Moon Rising." Good as that's >likely to be, I find myself looking forward much more to >"Sanctuary"; very exciting preview. I don't know -- Buffy was essentially a minor character in tonight's episode -- would they do that two weeks in a row? Whatever the case, I'm very much looking forward to both. :) +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:57:38 EDT From: GHighPine@aol.com Subject: Re: b/wildthings/5x5 In a message dated 4/25/00 7:39:44 PM Pacific Daylight Time, dgk@panix.com writes: << Anthony Stewart Head's singing voice doesn't sound like I imagined it would. Not sure what I thought of it. ( >> Haven't seen this yet. Starts in 5 min! I stopped myself from reading further -- just wanted to say that ASH can really sing. I have heard him do it. I was at a con where he performed "Sweet Transvestite" from Rocky Horror. He can SING. (But not different from what I would have imagined, other than that his voice is surprisingly strong and he can really belt it out.) So I can't wait to hear what kind of singing he will do tonight. Gayle PS He can dance, too. ------------------------------ End of stillpt-digest V2 #91 ****************************