Toren Atkinson’s Absolute Blog

I don’t understand the word sanction. Or rather, I understand the word, but don’t understand why there are seemingly two conflicting meanings. As a verb, it means to approve – as in an officially sanctioned tournament. As a noun, it means to disapprove – as in we don’t want Iran making nuclear weapons so we impose sanctions on them. Am I the only one who is vexed by this? I think we should get some impose some sanctioned sanctions on whoever came up with these definitions.

Informal Thickets Plans

Over the past couple of years I have worked with Stephane on a Thickets DVD. This was something I dreamt up after Spaceship Zero was released, during our last 2 Canada tours I thought it might be a good project to sate the fans until we released a new CD. The project has had a few pitfalls including exploding computers and personal laziness. When I first came up with the project I thought it would just be a video that I could dub at home. Then Stephane got the technology on his computer to forge DVDs – which is now of course quite common. Now that there is a coalescing fourth CD album in the works, it crossed my mind that we could put the DVD in with the CD (hey, they’re the same size and shape!) just like Queens of the Stone Age’s album Songs for the Deaf. Since all of our songs are going to end up on Napster2006 regardless of how we release the album, it seems to me a good way to go to get people interested in purchasing the physical product – and since the idea has been brought up by others during the recent discussion (on 2 blogs, 1 mailing list and 1 online forum) about free downloads it seems to be a winning concept. Add to this the serendipity of Adam from VFS approaching me with an offer to produce a media package for the band as his school project. This means I was able to drop all of Stephane’s previously captured video footage and a bagful of VHS tapes on this fine fellow who is committing several hours of his week to produce a final DVD for us, among other things. Bonanza! Of course nothing is final and there are official decisions to be made regarding how, when, where, why, what and who the next album will be released, but it certainly provides us with more options. In short: start saving your pennies for some kind of 2006 release.

Around This Time Last Year

I save calendars. At the end of the year I take down the calendar from my wall and put it on the pile. Years later I’ll look at my 2005 calendar and say “wow” or maybe “bollocks” or perhaps “mewt” because it will be 2015 and that’s the new cool thing to say. Around this time last year I was getting Converse All-Star Chuck Taylor shoes in the mail, and my Tomorrowland DVD which I still cherish. Planning for the Saturday Morning Cartoon Party. Visiting Aberdeen mall (it’s already been a year?) and the peelers. Marlo was learning how to DM (hey….). Playing Star Trek: DS9 the rpg. The plush beholder doll came out. Saw House of Flying Daggers. I tried a MacDonalds “deli sandwich” to much disappointment. I was defending my cheapness.

I had a dream this morning that there was a new Superman movie that I was watching. Superman was also the president and he had some kind of cybernetic arm. The movie started out with Superman chained down and this house-sized chunk of kryptonite suspended over his head while the vice-president ­ traitor!!!- monologued to him. After the VP left, Superman managed to through sheer strength of will bust out of his chains ­ but the effort and the kryptonite left his skin scarred as if it was burned. There was other stuff too ­ he was in a car wearing a hat and sunglasses trying to decide what to do…basically it turned into a revenge and redemption story. Superman was played by Bruce Willis.

LORD OF THE BRUSH

Documentary on LORD OF THE RINGS artist John Howe

Saturday, January 21 at 7 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas

Presented by Moving Pictures: Canadian Films on Tour

Best known for his detailed illustrations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythology, British Columbian John Howe is greatly responsible for the look of The Lord of the Rings movies. This thoughtful documentary sheds lights on Howe’s childhood growing up in the small rural town of Keremeos, British Columbia. It also offers a trove of Lord of the Rings analysis with ecological interpretations of the original books and how West Coast geography seeped (via Howe) into our idea of what Middle-earth should look like. Directed by Gretchen Jordan-Bastow, and presented as part of Moving Pictures: Canadian Films on Tour. For more info: www.movingpictures.ca or (604) 681-4549.

Also of interest: RHINOCEROS EYES by Aaron Woodley

A stunning directorial debut that evokes classic surrealistic films from Eraserhead to Edward Scissorhands, Rhinoceros Eyes is the hallucinatory black comedy revolving around Chep (Michael Pitt), a young, reclusive prop-house employee who falls in love with a detail-obsessed movie production designer named Fran (Paige Turco: TV shows The Agency). Fran’s need for authentic props sends Chep to great and questionable lengths as he tries to satisfy her requests, and ultimately…win her heart. Rhinoceros Eyes premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2003 and won the prestigious Discovery Award. Sunday, January 22 at 9 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas.

NIGHTMARE IN CANADA: HORROR IN CANADIAN FILM by Jennifer Adcock

A must see documentary for horror fans. Nightmare in Canada provides a refreshing, entertaining look at the story of Canada’s horror film industry. While Hollywood horror movies are usually obsessed with monsters and masked madmen, Canadian horror tends to be more story and character driven focusing on themes like man against nature and fighting the evil that comes from within. Interviews with a wide range of guests will examine the phenomenon of Canada’s horror film legacy as favourite moments are shared and the best and strangest moments from films such as “Black Christmas”, “Shivers”, “The Changeling”, “Ginger Snaps”, “Cannibal Girls” (staring Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin) and Julian Roffman’s 1961 cult classic, “The Mask” are shown. Friday, January 20 at 9 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas.

MOVING PICTURES: CANADIAN FILMS ON TOUR. Bringing Canadian films and creative talent to your community. Watch it. Celebrate it. Learn about it. For more info: www.movingpictures.ca or (604) 681-4549. Advance tickets at Biz Books (302 West Cordova Street) or Tinseltown Cinemas.