Day: June 11, 2006

In response to my recent podcast recommendations request, Sharon recommended NPR’s “Story of the Day” podcast. Daily podcasts usually slip under my radar, since I’m not able to upload them to my iPod in the morning and am, therefore, usually at least a day behind. But still, it sounded interesting, so I figured I’d subscribe and give it a try.

I’m not giving up on it, but I do have to wonder: of all the stories I’m sure NPR covered on June 7, this is the one they thought I just couldn’t miss?

Still looking for other podcast recommendations, by the way.

A couple of quotes, apropos only of the fact that I a) just finished re-watching the former and b) just finished reading the latter:

“Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He’s weak, he’s unsure of himself…he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race.” – Kill Bill: Vol. 2

“Of all the relationships at the heart of the myth – Superman and Lois Lane, Superman and Jimmy Olsen, Superman and his adoptive parents – the most important is the one with his alter ego….Other heroes are really only pretending: Peter Parker plays Spider-Man; Bruce Wayne plays Batman. For Superman, it’s mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent that’s the disguise – the thing he aspires to, the thing he can never be. He really is that hero, and he’ll never be one of us. But we love him for trying. We love him for wanting to protect us from everything, including his own transcendence. He plays the bumbling, lovelorn Kent so that we regular folks can feel, just for a moment, super.” – Neil Gaiman and Adam Rogers

You know, the 1990 TV miniseries of Stephen King’s It wasn’t perfect, but then again neither was the original novel. (It made up for that fact with its sheer length.) Do we really need a new remake? If you’re going to adapt one of King’s novels, why not start with one of the books that hasn’t been adapted yet? Or, in the likely event that those are all stuck in one stage of development or another already, why not go back to one the books that was adapted poorly? Trust me, there’s been quite a few.

Like I said, It wasn’t perfect, but it was above average for King adaptions and largely faithful to the source material. Another version now seems wholly unnecessary. (And heck, even when there is a good reason for a remake, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.)