Cuparius.com

I trust the headline is thoroughly elucidating. Alas, I forget why. Moving right along...

Och, now I remember! Last week I added several new links in the new category of "Rights of Creators," by which I mean what is known more commonly by the mundane term "intellectual property rights." It is a controversial, complicated issue about which I have conflicting feelings, but I think the Web sites are representative of the spectrum of views on the subject, at least on the practical level. I shall leave the investigation of the philosophical ramifications for a future date.

Another link I added is related to one of the books I mentioned last week, The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide by Douglas and Graham Walker. You can find it under the category of "Selected Lunacy." I could link it right here, right now, but I won't. It wouldn't be any effort at all. In fact, I could have done it by now, and it would have taken fewer keystrokes, but there you go (or don't, actually).

I purchased three DVDs in the past week. The first was The Apartment, starring Jack Lemon and Shirley MacLaine, directed and written by Billy Wilder. I saw it at my local grocery store conveniently (diabolically) placed near the self service checkout lane, and yea, I did verily succumb to that wicked temptation, Impulse Purchase (one of a host of Canaanite deities upgraded for today's idolatrous market). </digression>

The second DVD I purchased (at one of those poorly laid-out "big box" mega-chain eyesores I normally boycott) was Greatest, a collection of almost all of Duran Duran's videos. Yes, I have realized that is something of a "confession" for me to make. Some friends who did not know me in junior high or high school were reportedly "shocked" and flabbergasted to learn that I had ever liked anything remotely "normal." [Kelly. Jackie.] Ah, whatever. Anyway, it was a pleasure to see some of my favorite music videos again. "Chauffeur" is still my favorite song by Duran Duran, and the video, although it is the most haunting of all their videos (or because it is the most haunting) is also my favorite. I think I had only seen that video once or twice before when I had rented their video collection on VHS years ago. It was never shown on MTV due to its "explicit content." The band itself isn't shown in the video, which makes it unique. I am very pleased with the DVD, but I would have preferred a complete collection. I don't know how many videos were not included, but "Nightboat" was certainly missing. (They did make a video for "Nightboat," didn't they? Or was that my imagination?)

DVD number three was The Wizard of Oz. It was on television the other day, and I reflected that it would be nice to see it without commercial interruptions, so I picked it up at the store whilst I was buying replacement headlights. It was inexpensive, and now I have another classic in my collection.

I never did mention my two DVD purchases of the last update. The Curse of Frankenstein, starring Peter Cushing as Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as "The Creature" (otherwise known as Frankenstein's Monster) arrived in the post. Lee's performance in this 1957 horror classic is the most disturbing of all portrayals of this character. The movie is a far cry from the novel by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, but then, all of the film adaptations are a far cry from the novel. Nevertheless, I think this is the best. Arriving with that DVD was the animated version of The Return of the King, which concludes the animated trilogy from the 1970s. And that reminds me, once again, that I have yet to see the DVD Extended Version of The Return of the King I bought my mother for Christmas.

My local public library has a surprisingly impressive video collection. I would be happier if the book collection were more inspiring, but it's nice to have free access to movies that are shunned by most video stores. Two of the movies I checked out recently were silent movies I had seen before, but only partially (because I had either missed the beginning when it was shown on television or I had seen an earlier, less effective restoration). La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (The Passion of Joan of Arc) has been mentioned here before, but it bears repeating, especially since it is available on DVD. This is one of the finest films ever made, a claim I do not make lightly. The first time I saw it, I was switching channels on the television and the moment it appeared on the screen I was mesmerized. I was unable to avert my eyes, even for a second, for fear of missing anything. You may see its equal in acting or directing, but you will never see its superior. The DVD version offers the option of watching it in silence or with musical accompaniment inspired by the movie. According to the notes, the director never specified a preference for any particular score. I watched it in silence first, because the film doesn't actually require any sound to convey its power, but I found the music to be well matched. It is an amazing cinematic experience regardless of the option that is chosen. The other movie was the Authorized Version of Metropolis released on DVD by Kino. This is a very different kind of film, Expressionistic in its directing, acting, set design, costumes, special effects, and writing. It far surpasses all previous versions, and although there are still portions that have been deemed lost and irrecoverable, its influence on the history of film-making and science fiction is still titanic. Released in 1927, many of its effects remain truly breathtaking. Both of these movies are on my DVD wish list. If you get a chance to watch them yourself, seize it!

Here's a shorter paragraph.

In what movie is it that someone says the word, "Keeks," referring to a method of tickling someone? It's an old movie if I recall correctly, probably from the 1940s or 1950s. I'm not certain of the spelling, by the way. I don't know why that popped into my head. Och, it must be the Orbital Mind Control Lasers¹.

See you in March!