It's been a little while - nearly a month - since anyone posted anything here, which is a shame considering the surge in activity FOTSLJW experienced at the end of '09. On my part, this is partly due to laptop problems, partly due to life getting in the way, and partly due to just being a bit crap. Seeing as the first problem is now seemingly sorted, and the second has momentarily died down somewhat (unfortunately I'm still crap though), I've got a couple of posts I plan to start working on this week if possible. But for now, to break the silence, here's a couple of "blooper reels" from an enduring ad campaign that I must admit is something of a guilty pleasure of mine. It shamelessly deploys hackneyed cliches, such as cute furry things selling stuff, and foreign accents being endlessly hilarious. But they're cute and furry! And he's got a funny foreign accent! Look at him! Listen!
Just because Lost isn't back on TV for a good six months doesn't mean I'm not still thinking about the Island and those involved with it. Let me backtrack slightly. I'm a huge Lost fan, as is at least one other writer on this blog. I know people who have tried to watch it but have become frustrated with the seemingly unanswered questions and lack of pay-off to many things that happened within the series, but having stuck with it initially because I really enjoyed a lot of the characters, those are the things that I like about it the most. The overarching story which clearly won't be fully explained until the final episodes of the final season (there's going to be six, so don't worry, you've got ample time to watch seasons one to four if you haven't already before season five begins) has me hooked, and although whatever the big reveal turns out to be will undoubtedly split the Lost fan base as to whether it was "worth it", I'll be glad that I followed a series that was willing to take risks with narrative. Yes, Lost is difficult to follow at times. No, you're not meant to know exactly what's going on all the time (the episode where Desmond meets the creepy old lady in the jewellery shop has had pretty much no explanation about it since it happened, and it's still one of my favourites). So many of the convoluted theories around what's actually happening are destined to turn out to be hogwash, but a series that manages to generate the sheer amount of speculation that Lost has deserves to be commended even by those who don't quite find it their cup of tea.
Anyway, back to my original intention. Lost isn't on at the moment, but there's still plenty of stuff to read and watch on the 'net about it. So, in the style of Mr. Telf's patented Linkables, here are a few "Lostables" from yours truly.
Firstly, the best Lost site by far: Lostpedia. A wiki encyclopaedia, but it's run with such tightness, detail and dedication that I have found myself browsing around on it for up to an hour, just reading about things I remember about the series, things I'd forgotten, and things I never had any idea were there in the first place. If you're a Lost fan and haven't seen it, you need this site. If you've yet to get into the series, parts of the site may be a good starting point, but be careful of spoilers, as the site presumes you've seen everything that's been broadcast so they aren't always indicated.
Lost ROFL is great fun for Lost fans who appreciate internet humour. Some of the stuff can be hit and miss, but some of it is just hilarious.
After 'Lost' is another humourous Lost site, presented in webcomic fashion. Most of the jokes require a pretty decent knowledge of the series, but most references should be familiar to regular audience members. Again, some funnier than others, but a pretty original idea done well.
And a few videos to finish...
The excellent promotional videos made by David LaChappelle and used on Channel 4 when Lost was first shown. I like the way that what some of the characters say and do (especially Locke and Walt) might still have a bearing on where the series is going, especially as the makers of Lost claim that they have known what the ending will be since they began making the series.
Pretty sure this one encapsulates how many people have felt at times whilst watching...
Is there anything that doesn't have a Brokeback parody any more?
And another in the same vein, with some great rescripting and music choices
The last two just have to be watched to be believed. Lost Rhapsody...
Inspired by the 'Be Kind, Rewind' versions, You Tube is chock-a-block with 'Swedings' of films:
Star Wars:
Die Hard:
Kill Bill:
It's nice to see the random distribution of effort, for instance putting together a realistic weapon for GoGo, but having everyone clearly running around someone's house. It gave me a nice little nostalgic feeling for the days of Studio 219.
Linked to the star wars video above there was this rather awesome re-imagining of the Black Knight fight from Monty Python, star-wars-ized:
On a less purely entertaining note, this is an interesting documentary put together from direct satellite feeds picked up during the 1992 US election campaign. It's a little unclear sometimes quite what the overall point of the film is, but it's a nice compilation of clips, and an interesting look at the race from a totally different and unseen angle:
I'm not sure if five videos counts as an extravaganza, so perhaps this is more of a smorgasbord. Either way, I hope it was entertaining enough to distract you momentarily from your drab, meaningless little lives. Certainly worked for me.
