For the next 42 days we're going to be counting down to the release of SEAL Team 666. Why 42? Because 42 is the answer to the universal question and knowing it is the only thing that will keep you from pining over the world premiere of SEAL Team 666. Plus, we think these answers are pretty awesome, giving you a glimpse into some of the world's most interesting people.
Today we have Rain Graves. You'll probably note that she demurred from using the prescribed format. But you see, she is a poet and she lives in San Francisco, and she is the High Priestess of MoFo, so we allow this of her. I've
known Rain since I was a puppy in the writing industry. Winner of the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Poetry Collection, she's a genius at pairing words, the tango, and can make a New York Cabbie cry for momma if pissed off. Publishers Weekly described her work as "Bukowski meets Lovecraft." If you've met her, you know that this describes her in her entirety.
The following three questions were asked to everyone. These are Rain's responses:
1. What’s your favorite military movie, book or television show?
2. Why is it your favorite? Here’s where you can ramble a bit.
SCENT OF A WOMAN
Because it outlines what happens to those who serve *after* they come home...throughout the rest of their lives. What they live with, and what they don't think they can live with. Overused theme? OORAH. Did it work? Did Al Pacino dance a blind tango? (Some of you might now know that Rain won many Tango competitions, and has danced and trained with the best in the world. So no matter how badass Pacino truly is in this movie, methinks there's a little love of tango coloring her decision.)
TOP GUN
Because every Tom Boy wants to be Tom Cruise in this movie, and every girl wants to loose that loving feeling at least once in her life, just to get it back again. Overused theme? Cocky wannabe pilot wears his dress uniform to get laid. And it works. Chicks just want to trap a military guy for the steady paycheck and babies. And it works. Snotty show-offs don't endanger the team's safety and always save the day. Doesn't work.
INGLORIOUS BASTARDS
This one should be obvious, but it's vicious in its approach, which seems more realistic to me for those on the ground, living it, Overused theme? Lets all kill Hitler.
CLEOPATRA
Because as much as it was a love story, it was also a war story - both civil and otherwise. Overused theme? That Cleopatra was an intelligent but seductive woman who had no choice but to bed up with Rome in order to save her skin, and her throne. It does work in this movie, but not for history's sake: Cleopatra was an intelligent woman of average looks that had a commanding presence of both intimidating intellect and power, that formed strategic and assured (with heirs) alliances to gain world power through Rome.
300
Pure, raw, fighting for a cause. Right or wrong. Overused theme: Men in loin cloths bred to fight to the death don't care about armor--just their honor. Yes, it works. For me, anyway...
GLADIATOR
What happens to a man's soul after fighting campaigns and then enslavement as a result of fighting in those campaigns--sorta like our boys coming home from Vietnam and being trapped in a wheelchair, fighting the prisons of their minds after too much time in the jungle, or worse, as a POW. No love from home and country. Just a lot of forced murder to obtain freedom.
3. What themes are overused? And is it overused, or just truthful observation?
Overused themes? Not for me, no. Unless you want me to bitch about the Gladius not being historically accurate, but I'll leave that one to the newsgroup nerds.
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Thanks Rain!
Don't forget to Pre-order SEAL Team 666 from your favorite store:
Powell's ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Indiebound ~ Overstock ~ WalMart ~ Books-a-Million ~ Mysterious Galaxy ~ Poisoned Pen ~ Dark Delicacies ~ Hastings Books and Music
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