Starky's Machine #8
Post #8 - The Promise of a Brighter Day…
7/21/2006

A few weeks ago, the final episode of The West Wing aired on NBC. There was no big fanfare, just a two-hour block in which the network aired the first episode of the series followed by the last. There was supposed to be a special retrospective about the show, but NBC decided it would be too expensive to reassemble the cast for one last hurrah. It was a sad ending for a great series.

In case you weren't a fan, The West Wing starred Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet. The show revolved mainly around President Bartlet's White House staff, whose exploits dealt with issues ranging from eliminating the penny to political assassination. The West Wing was created by Aaron Sorkin. His previous work included the short-lived but fantastic show Sports Night and the feature film The American President.

The biggest thing that attracted me to The West Wing was the writing. I love good dialog, and this show had it. I often left the show feeling that if our leaders spoke like the characters in this program our country would finally be set upon the right path. It was truly inspiring.

I would then come back to the real world. I would find myself thrown into a country where the leaders lie, cheat, and send other, better men to die just so they can add more millions to the millions they already have. I would see people discriminated against because they didn't fit the "social norm" and knowledge would be curtailed because of a Luddite view of the modern world.

The America depicted in the West Wing was not like that. It was bold. People said the right things, and the nation appreciated them for it. They would make mistakes, but they would take responsibility, and everything they did came from a love of country that surpassed their human need to be powerful or famous. I guess for political junkies like myself, it was a perfect world.

But in the real world, 9/11 happened, then Afghanistan and Iraq. Enron robbed people of their retirements and forced parts of the country into rolling blackouts. The lies we were being fed finally started to leave a bitter taste, and we became disillusioned. The West Wing's ratings began to fall. This was partly because Mr. Sorkin left the show and it took some time for the new writers to find their stride. But I believe that another reason was because it just became too painful to watch. A weekly reminder of what might have been may have been too much for some.

The last season of the show followed the campaign to elect President Bartlett's successor. The writers did a brilliant job of making the final outcome of the election ambiguous. The candidates were played by Jimmie Smits as the young idealistic Democrat and Alan Alda as the conservative but not unlikable Republican. Each brought validity to their parts.

Of course, being a left-wing minded show, the Democrats won out. The series ends on Inauguration Day, with President Bartlet flying home after eight years as President. He looks out the window of Air Force One pondering the future. A future that, at least in the world of The West Wing, will be bright. It was thought that the series might continue with Jimmie Smits as President, but the show never fully recovered from its ratings ebb, and NBC decided to end its run.

The West Wing offered hope. It painted a picture of an America full of proud people that stood for their beliefs and were rewarded for it. It offered the promise of a brighter day. It is sad that we can no longer see such a positive vision of our nation, even if it was just a TV show. I fear that we need it now more than ever.

Post #7 - The Thrill Is Gone….
3/2/2006

I'm about to say something that I never, ever thought I would. Here it comes… I don't like going to the movies anymore. As much as I hate to admit it, going to the multiplex these days is not the way I want to spend my entertainment dollar.

I don't know when or how it happened. At one point in my life I would go to see two or three movies a week. I'd cut school, miss work and spend my last dime to see a good flick. I've even passed up opportunities to get laid to avoid missing a showtime. Looking back, that may have been a mistake… but I digress. I still watch movies at home. But these days, I do well to see five or six movies a year in the theater, the last one being "Walk The Line" back in November. I just don't care anymore.

And it is not just me. Movie ticket sales have dropped steadily over the past few years. People are no longer drawn to the movies like they once were. High ticket and food prices, inconsiderate people, and poorly made films are just a few of the reasons why people have decided to stay away.

But at least for me, and probably for many other people, the biggest reason why movies theaters no longer work is that you can't multitask in them. It is a sad commentary on the modern world that we often find ourselves constantly moving at breakneck speed. Our attention spans are now minute, and we are often not comfortable unless we are doing several tasks at once. Movies can be an extraordinary experience, but they are also time consuming. These days, it is very hard to find time to go sit in a movie theater for two hours. It now takes the promise of a really big experience to get me to commit my time (and money) to seeing a film in a theater.

Also, there are many different forms of entertainment competing for our time. When I'm at home, I am immersed in my media bubble. I can not only watch a movie with beautiful sound and picture quality, I can check my email, look up bios of the actors in the movie, and write crappy website articles. The technology of the 21st century has made movies better, but it's also made them harder to enjoy.

So what happens now? Will the movie theaters become media dinosaurs, like vinyl records and uh… books? Quite possibly. I can't say I feel too sorry for them. Movie theater owners have been slow to adapt to the changing media landscape. Will this viewer apathy kill the movies themselves? Probably not, but movie producers need to be aware of how audiences want to see their films. Steven Soderbergh recently released his film "Bubble" both at the movies and on DVD within a few days of each other. Normally, the studios wait months after a film is released in theaters before going to DVD (unless the movie really sucked.) Soderbergh seems to recognize the new reality in the movie business. Audiences want to see films when they want and how they want them. And for many, that doesn't include paying ten bucks a seat to eat overpriced popcorn while dealing with the guy having an argument with his girlfriend over a cell phone three rows behind them. For myself and many others, the thrill is gone… and I don't think it's coming back.

Post #6 - Great Movie Moments
1/12/2006

If you are reading this site, chances are you've had them. I'm talking about movie moments. Those little pieces of film that have made you laugh, cry, scream, or possibly… think. This installment of Starky's Machine is not an editorial in the strictest sense. The inspiration for this actually comes from one of those little questionnaires that are constantly floating around the blogosphere. I usually loathe such things, but I filled this one out because it gives me a chance to talk about how movies can affect our lives. For many people, myself included, movies have motivated us to do things that we would never have thought possible before. They can influence, inspire, discourage and encourage. They are powerful.

Here are some of my all time favorite movie moments. The questions come from the blog, the answers come from me. It is by no means a complete (or permanent) list. If you have any suggestions or if you would like to share some of your favorite movie moments, shoot me an email at gregstarks@yahoo.com or share your ideas with the world in the Darkcrazy Feedback Forum. Enjoy!

What's one of the funniest movie moments you can remember right now?
Happy Gilmore - The scene where Bob Barker kicks Happy Gilmore's ass. This is one of the all-time classic funny moments in film.

What's the creepiest movie moment you've ever seen?
Silence of the Lambs - Jodie Foster is fumbling around in the dark, looking for the killer. The scary part is that we can see her clearly because we are looking through the eyes of the killer and his night vision goggles. Creeeepy !

Ever had one of those movie moments where you just wish you could crawl into the film and live there? What movie was that?
Return of the Jedi - There is a short sequence where the Rebel fleet is about to take off to attack the Death Star. The Millennium Falcon is weaving in an out among the huge warships, getting in position for the jump to hyperspace. The image is just so grand. I would love to be at the controls of that ship.

What's the most powerful movie moment ever caught on celluloid?
Schindler's List - The scene near the end of the movie when Oscar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is about to escape the approaching Allied forces. He starts looking around at all the people whose lives he bought from the Nazis in order to keep them from the gas chambers. He then looks at his nice car that he is about to drive away in, and realizes how many more lives he could've saved by selling the car and buying Jewish laborers. He then looks at an expensive pen he has in his pocket, and thinks about the lives he could've saved with the money from that. He begins to see life in everything he has of value and it emotionally wrecks him. He collapses in a heap on the snowy ground. Several of the Jewish men quietly put him into the car despite his resistance. They want to save their savior. What an amazing scene.

What's the first movie moment you remember?
I don't remember the name of the movie, but I was in the back seat of a car at a drive in movie theatre in Dalton, GA. My mom was on a date with someone and my sister and I were tagging along. Sorry Mom…

Have you ever seen something on film you wish you could un-see? What movie was that?
Kill Bill, Vol. 1 - I nearly pulled my eyes out of their sockets while watching this movie. I know it has a big fan base, but the darn thing just seemed to drag on and on. I have since seen Kill Bill, Vol. 2 and I liked it much better. The pacing seemed to be faster as the story moved toward its resolution. Some folks have argued that Quentin Tarantino was simply trying to emulate the style of Asian martial arts films. That may be true, but I just found the whole thing to be disgusting and boring. I think Tarantino should have made just one film and taken all the superfluous stuff (like the anime sequence) out. There, I've said my piece….

Name a movie moment that made you long to fall in love.
Beautiful Girls - In this movie Timothy Hutton returns to his home town to attend his 15 year high school reunion. However what he is really doing is trying to decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life. Should he continue his single and melancholy days as a hotel bar piano player, or should he settle down with his successful lawyer girlfriend and try to get a regular guy job. While at home he runs into several temptations to remain single, not the least of which is his mature for her age 13 year old neighbor (played wonderfully by a young Natalie Portman).

In the film, Marty (Portman) playfully yet seriously suggests that Willie (Hutton) should wait five years before he gets married. At that point she would be 18 and able to be with him. While this is a notion that Willie has toyed with in his own mind, he realizes that Marty is much too young to make a decision like that. He sweetly breaks it to her that she would be changing so much over the next five years that afterwards she wouldn't even remember him. Now you may be thinking that this movie has some serious sexual predator undertones, but the connection between these two characters is really an attraction between two souls and not physical in any sense. This is a great movie that came along at a transitional period when I was making decisions about my own life. A truly great film….

Has a movie moment ever made you go out and do something you hadn't done in a while, or had never done before? What was it?
Bob Roberts - This movie about an extreme right wing politician doing every nasty thing in the book to get elected spurred me to become politically active… Republicans beware!!!!

Has a movie moment ever made you reevaluate something about your life?
The Original Star Wars Trilogy - What can I say, these movies changed my life. For better or worse, this trilogy, along with the work of Walt Disney, has greatly influenced my career decisions for years. These films probably have shaped me more than even my faith… sorry God. I'm working on that...

Got a crush on an actor or actress? What was the movie moment that did it for you?
Right now my flavor of the month is Reese Witherspoon. She's a cutie. But my greatest love will always be Janeane Garofalo. I've always thought that she was underrated. She has a calm beauty that I really like. Plus the characters she plays are cool and quirky. The movie moment that did it for me was in The Truth About Cats and Dogs, when the love interest is taking her picture while the undeniably hot Uma Thurman is jealously looking on… wonderful. Right now Janeane is currently starring on the West Wing as a democratic political operative working to get the new president elected. A cute Democrat… can anything be sexier?

Do you have one of those movie moments you just can't get enough of? The kind you rewind and play over and over again? What is it?
The scene in Almost Famous, when the band is on the bus and they start singing "Tiny Dancer" together. Everyone is enjoying one of those "just happy to be together" moments. That is all except William (Patrick Fugit), who is worried because he was supposed to have returned home to his concerned mother days ago. He finally exclaims "I've got to go home." Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) is sitting beside him. She just smiles and says, "You are home," and he knows it is true. This scene is particularly poignant to me, mainly because in the past I've felt like William. It took someone telling me to show me where home really is. Cameron Crowe is one of my favorite directors and this scene really shows off his ability to capture a person's feelings.

That's it. I now open the floor to comments, suggestions, rants and threats. I'd love to hear your stories. Drop me a note!

Starky

Starky's Machine #5
12/27/2005

Open Letter To Ted Turner

Dear Ted:

I've been communicating with your human resources department for well over a year now, and I still can't get you to give me a job. I don't understand, was it something that I said? I definitely feel that I'm qualified, but I still haven't received a phone call from you.

If I did something to piss you off I sincerely apologize. I really didn't think "Gods and Generals" was THAT bad. I enjoyed your cameo and I didn't really have anything else to do that afternoon anyway, so I didn't mind watching a 4 hour and 15 minute long movie. However, I'm glad you put that intermission in the middle of hour number three. I really needed to hit the little boys room…..

Also, that whole AOL/Time Warner thing....not your fault. Sometimes the best laid business plans don't work out. Even though I know you've spent millions sending people little metal tins with AOL 8.0 discs in them instead of improving your product, its hard to gauge the fickle tastes of internet users. It was just bad luck on your part.

I still have my subscription to Time. I hope that helps.

I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience. I know you're a busy guy and all, but I would love to have a job at Cartoon Network or maybe TNT. I would even be willing to work at Turner South if I didn't have to work with Rick and Bubba. Again, sorry if I said anything to make you mad.

Best wishes,
Starky

P.S. - I really enjoyed the CNN tour. I bought a hat.

Post #4 - Got A Great Idea For A Science Fiction Show? Don't Tell The Networks!!
Greg Starks 10/20/05

By now most of you have heard the long strange story of the movie called Serenity. The movie that became one of the year's most anticipated sci-fi films began life as a short-lived TV show on Fox. The network cancelled the show after only 14 episodes because it didn't rate high enough with the demographic group Fox wanted to reach. Joss Whedon, the show's producer, did not feel that the show got a chance to prove itself. He took the concept to Universal Studios and they gave the green light to produce a film that has created a cult frenzy across the globe. Fox missed the opportunity to cash in on one of the most lucrative entertainment franchises to come along in quite some time.

Misunderstood science fiction and genre programs are nothing new. Since the days of the original "Star Trek," network programming executives have failed to "get" sci-fi shows. They often shuffle them into dead zone time slots or they just cancel them outright. Fox is the worst offender. They have cancelled numerous shows that were later heralded as masterpieces in the court of popular culture.

Most people blame the suits at the networks for canceling shows before they get a chance to find an audience. A large part of the blame does indeed sit with them. Network executives are more concerned about reaching the broadest audience possible and have little time to worry about cultivating a quality program based on its creative merit. The money guys at the network are without a doubt the easiest targets to shoot at when shows get cancelled, but I believe that part of the blame should be placed on the producers of the shows themselves.

Basically it all boils down to money and fame. As a producer in my own right, I understand the desire to reach as big an audience as possible. We all dream of our stuff being seen and loved by millions. When a big media superpower like Fox offers you that dream, it would indeed be hard to say no. However, producers need to put serious thought into who they are dealing with before signing on the dotted line.

A classic example of this is the situation surrounding the cartoon TV series based on the movie "Clerks." In his commentary on the DVD, Kevin Smith noted that he had a solid offer from UPN before he signed to do the project with ABC. When production started and ABC saw the raw and irreverent nature of the series, they became cool to it. They tried to make the show less edgy, and when the kinder, gentler version of "Clerks" finally aired, they shuffled it through the schedule and eventually cancelled it after airing only four out of the six episodes produced. Kevin freely admits that had he signed with UPN, who was at that time airing several science fiction and genre series, the show probably would have had a greater chance of success. He signed with ABC because it was a more lucrative deal on a bigger network, even though the show was obviously not a good fit for their programming schedule. UPN probably would have marketed the show more aggressively, and with the right audience. ABC just didn't "get" the show, and Kevin Smith paid the price….

Like all business, television is about money. It is the job of a network programming executive to find shows that will attract the most viewers and therefore, the most advertising dollars. When people are under such intense pressure to create cash flow, their judgment becomes skewed. That's why when a show becomes a hit you almost automatically see several shows appear with a similar concept. The execs want to cash in on what they see as the "next big thing." This is also why a show with a quirky concept like Firefly has very little chance of survival on a major network. Even though a network may buy the show just to take a risk or to keep it away from some other network, they won't understand the premise of the program, and will not waste valuable airtime on a show that doesn't appeal to the great masses and therefore rake in the great profits.

So what is someone with a great idea for a sci-fi show supposed to do? Wisdom can be found in the actions of the Great Bird himself, Gene Roddenbery. When he began creating Star Trek: The Next Generation, he shunned offers from the major networks to air the show, opting instead to distribute the show through syndication. He understood that with the networks' deep pockets comes the great responsibility of producing a quick hit. Even the throngs of Trekkies out there could not produce the number (and type) of viewers the networks wanted, so he released the show into syndication trusting that, given time, the audience would find it. He was correct and show is still one of the most successful syndicated shows ever.

The moral of the story is this. The biggest deal out there is not always the best deal. Producers of shows of any kind should sign with a distributor that can offer the BEST audience, not necessarily the biggest. They should do their best to place their programs where they can be seen by people who will like what they create. This will not only help to ensure an audience for the show, but will also take the power away from executives who only see the dollar value and not the content. If producers took this advice then there might be more great sci-fi shows on the air, and less programming executives out there screwing things up…..

Starky's Machine
Post #3 - U.S. Senate's Battle Over Filibusters Evokes…..Jimmie Stewart?
6/20/05

Unless you have been under a rock for the past few months, you have no doubt been following the nasty exchanges in the U.S. Senate regarding judicial appointments. For those non-politicos in the crowd, the crux of the situation has been the Democrats' use of filibusters to block some of the Bush administration's more extreme choices for seats in the federal courts. A filibuster is a parliamentary tactic in which a senator gains control of the senate proceedings and grinds them to a halt by essentially talking and continuing to talk for hours. This is often done to delay the passage of a bill (or an appointment) to which the filibustering senator is opposed.

Only a three-fifths majority vote, known as a cloture, can stop a senator who holds the floor from speaking. The late Senator Strom Thurmond currently holds the record for the longest individual filibuster. He held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes in defiance of the 1957 Civil Rights Act. While this is an example of using a filibuster for negative purposes, the filibuster has also been used by both Democrats and Republicans to protect many of our civil liberties.

The filibuster is essentially a method by which the minority can delay action on a bill until; hopefully, a better compromise can be reached. The current Republicans in the Senate, under Majority Leader Bill Frist, have spoken openly about amending the Senate rules to abolish the filibuster, at least in regards to judicial appointments. This has been dubbed the "Nuclear Option" and has been met with heated resistance from members of both parties.

Now I know you are thinking, "Why is this guy talking politics on this entertainment site?" Well, in recent media debates on the filibuster issue, many people in favor of preserving the filibuster have used the 1939 Frank Capra film Mr. Smith Goes To Washington as an example of how the filibuster is used to protect the country from greedy backroom political interests. My interest piqued, I decided to move this film to the top of my Netflix list.
In the film Jefferson Smith (played masterfully by James Stewart) is a smart but naïve hometown hero who is appointed to a Senate seat after the death of the incumbent senator. Before his arrival in Washington, Smith is filled with patriotic dreams of the Senate being a place where well-meaning public servants work in the best interests of the people. However through a series of various manipulations and corruptions, including an outright betrayal by his boyhood hero and fellow senator Joseph Paine, (played by Casablanca's Captain Renault, veteran actor Claude Raines) he soon discovers how Washington really works. He finds himself at odds with the agenda of Jim Taylor, (Edward Arnold) the powerful newspaper mogul and political boss in his home state. Smith is soon implicated in a political scandal concocted by Taylor to discredit and boot him from office. Facing expulsion from the Senate, Smith uses a filibuster to stop the work of the Senate in hopes that the people of his home state will discover Taylor and Paine's betrayal and come to his rescue. His hopes are dashed when Taylor uses his network of newspapers to deceive the people of the state. Smith speaks for 23 straight hours before he finally collapses from exhaustion and hopelessness. It is only when Senator Paine, in a seemingly tacked on "Hollywood happy ending," admits to his crimes that Smith is redeemed.

Although this film was made in 1939 and has all the syrupiness you would expect from a Capra movie, it still works today as a commentary on the inner workings of politics in Washington. It is also an excellent primer on the process of lawmaking. Jefferson Smith arrives in Washington as a political neophyte with only his plucky assistant Saunders (Jean Arthur) as his guide, and there is a great scene in which she explains to Smith the process of getting a bill passed into law. The film also makes allusions, although subtly, to issues that still effect politics in America, including finance abuses, lobbyist influence, press misrepresentation and even homosexuality. Jim Taylor, Smith's main antagonist, uses his newspaper empire to sully Smith's name with his constituents. This is an excellent representation of media bias that has echoes in the 24 hour news networks and weblogs of today. I think anyone who still thinks media consolidation is a good idea should be forced to watch this film.

Jefferson Smith's use of the filibuster in the movie paints this tactic as being the voice of the little guy standing up against the corruption of the big political powers at work in government. While this is not always true, I can definitely see how someone would want to use Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as an argument to save the filibuster. Perhaps Congress should get together for a "movie night." Hopefully it would remind some folks that they shouldn't use their influence to change rules that have worked for two centuries just because it would help them in the here and now. They may discover, sometime in the future, that THEY are the minority and the filibuster is their only voice.

Greg

Starky's Machine
Post #2 - Let That Alpine Blast….Old School Style !
6/1/05

Folks who have known me for awhile know that I'm an 80's guy. For whatever reason, people seemed to have had more fun back in those days. I especially love 80's music. From The Cure to Van Halen, I loved it all.

I've caught a lot of flak over the years about my 80's addiction. So much so that I've noticed myself feeling a little embarrassed when I'm sitting at a stoplight with my windows down blasting "Safety Dance" from my speakers. I usually either roll my windows up or quickly shift over to the new rock station.

But I have recently found new hope for acceptance, not in some old record store, but on the very same new rock station that once helped me hide from my persecutors. It started with a group called Franz Ferdinand with their hit single "Take Me Out". The first time I heard this song, I thought The Cure had released a new album. Then came my personal favorite, The Darkness, whose wailing guitars and screechy lead singer brought back fond memories of Saturday nights with the guys listening to Queen. It appears that I was not the only one that was profoundly influenced by 80's music.

I recently discovered more new groups with an 80's sound. Bands like The Killers and The Bravery are turning out tunes that have obviously been influenced by the likes of Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode and, of course, REM. Even R&B and Hip Hop seem to have been influenced by classic 80's music. These artists often sample parts of old 80's songs for their new creations, and the results are fantastic. I have recently heard new tunes that feature samples from AC/DC, The Police, and even old Nirvana (not technically 80's but still cool).

I'm not sure why this recent flurry of 80's inspired music has suddenly appeared. Many people believe that popular culture recycles itself about once every 20 years. If that is the case, then I better enjoy this time because it means I will not be cool again until the year 2025. My opinion is that good music is just good music no matter what era it comes from. True music fans appreciate, and are influenced by, music of all types. Right now we are reaping the benefits of the musical influences of 80's artists. The fun part is that many of the kids today haven't heard these old songs. If you want to be the "cool old guy" on your block, crank up your speakers with some old Ozzy or Duran Duran. They may even think these are remakes of songs currently on the charts. Anyway, I'm no longer afraid to embrace my parachute pants wearing, Flock of Seagulls haircut sporting inner dork. And next time I'm at the stoplight, I'll proudly let my 80's music fill the air!

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Starky's Machine
Post #1 - The Force Will Be With You….Always.
4/25/05

Welcome to the first posting of Starky's Machine. This will be a (hopefully) weekly injection of my personal opinion which will (hopefully) be enjoyed by you and millions of others on this lonely little planet. I plan to pontificate on many things, but I will probably stick mainly to entertainment issues.

I thought I would start by ruthlessly breaking the rules set forth by our illustrious managing editor. He specifically asked me not to write about Star Wars. But since this is the only time I will probably ever get a chance to voice my opinion about the holy saga, I just have to get it out of my system. Sorry Sean….

First…a quick review. Since most of you have probably already seen Episode III, I'm sure you all have your opinions. But as for me I thought this was the best Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back. The effects were great. The story was good. The acting was…well….as good as it could be with George directing. (Hey Darth, you killed Padme. What !?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!)

That said I'm feeling a bit melancholy about finally having the Star Wars saga behind me. Like most fan boys, these movies have affected me in so many ways. They even played a huge part in my career selection. The release of this final Star Wars movie, as well as the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise has signaled the end of an era in science fiction and fantasy. I will miss it.

The Star Wars films are definitely not the best movies ever made, (that honor is reserved for Smoky and the Bandit) but without them, many of the greatest movies of the last quarter century would either not have been made or would have been much different. I often think about how my life would have turned out had I not been mesmerized by these films so long ago. I would not have met many of the people I care about, my job would not be as interesting, and I dare say that I would probably still be wasting away in my old hometown. This addiction to all things Star Wars has also caused me some trouble over the years, but it is a fair price to pay for the sense of wonder it has given me.

Star Wars sparked my imagination, fueled my passion and let me know it was okay to dream. For that I am forever grateful.

Greg

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