(no subject)

[cleolinda]

For some reason, I can't eat. I'm just... not hungry. I'm actually kind of hyper, too, which is weird--I think it's a side effect of my cold medicine, because I switched from Tylenol Sinus to Drixoral. But in the last 48 hours, I've had two Slimfasts and a sandwich. That can't be good.

Heard back from my agent--the Matrix looks fine, she says. Which is basically what I needed to hear--that it's okay, it works, and by extension the rest of the (completely unfinished but extensively drafted) book will work, because it's all pretty much like that. After doing Phantom this weekend, I did realize something (yes, something else) about the whole process, as well: the better the movie, the further afield I have to go for the funny. Like, dragging in something else one of the actors was in, or adding some surreal, loopy element. And say what you will about The Matrix, but the FIRST movie is extremely well-made. Great pacing, great story, great action sequences. It's when they made the sequels that the thing started to wander all over the place.

But if the movie--no matter how much I enjoy it; "good" and "enjoyable" are not necessarily the same thing--is sort of... well, I don't even want to label it, but if it's a Phantom of the Opera or a Van Helsing, you can pretty much just transcribe what's happening and it's dead funny. I almost feel guilty taking credit for it, you know? I just wrote down what I saw. Granted, I bring a certain way of seeing things to the table, I guess.

Speaking of which: it's time for the official Just Because I Wrote a Parody Doesn't Mean I Didn't Like It speech that I have to give out every few months. People who like the movies always seem sort of sad--or, in the case of Harry Potter, downright angry--that I'm making fun of something. (Strangely, King Arthur was the one movie that no one took me to task for. Make of that what you will.) Here's the thing: Everything is funny to me. I make fun of movies I hate. I make fun of movies I love. If I really love a movie, I tend to have a Rocky Horror-style running patter that makes it hell to watch with me. It's making fun, people--providing and creating the fun. FUN. Fun is not bad. We're not mocking the movie until it runs home crying unless it really, really deserves it, and oh my Lord do I dislike Independence Day. But mostly? These things tend to run 4000-5000 words. I'm not writing that much about something I despise, and if I do--if I were really, truly disgusted--you would know it. Trust me.

Because see, this is the thing: Movies are just funny. Just, as a medium. They just are. They're not real life, and the coincidences and contrivances necessary to make everything that happens relevant and timely and meaningful to this particular group of characters, even in the best movies, can be really, really funny if only you stop to think about it. Even the most realistic, naturalistic movies are still life compressed into two or three hours. And if it comes to that? Life's pretty funny, too.

And then, on top of that, you have "good" and "enjoyable" as two completely different--and subjective!--qualities. I find The Fellowship of the Ring to be both an extremely well-made movie and enjoyable as all hell on top of it. Another movie I saw recently that was both good and enjoyable: Picnic at Hanging Rock, an old favorite. So we're not even necessarily talking about popcorn levels of enjoyment here. I enjoyed the hell out of Troy and Van Helsing and King Arthur. In fact, Eye of the Beholder is a movie that is so incredibly, awesomely bad I went from pure hatred to adoration in two viewings. On the other hand, I wrote a review to that effect, and got taken to task by a reader who thought it was brilliant. But then take a movie like Unforgiven. Objectively, I can admit that it was a very good movie. But dear God, do I never want to see it again.

So you have to keep that in mind when you read a "Fifteen Minutes," or, for that matter, most Harry Potter or LOTR parody out there: usually it's done with love. I mean, I can point out how dunderheaded the casting priorities in Phantom of the Opera are, or how awesomely cheesy some of the songs are, or how ridiculous some of the plot holes are, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to go see it again next weekend.

P.S. I think most of y'all have been over at m15m, but there are a couple of icon entries up over there, too, and we'll probably be adding more. I feel bad spamming everyone over and over again, but... really, it'll probably be weeks before I put another movie up. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Comments

[zhai.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose there's any chance of getting the Phantom m15m into the book, is there? =) I thought it was really well done.

[meredith-mae.livejournal.com]

My first guess is the same thing I'm listening to, featuring my new obsession, Patrick Wilson. ;-)

[barrelgoddess.livejournal.com]

I firmly believe that the best parodies are done by those with a strong love of the source material. I can tell the difference, and I can clearly see that what you do is all in fun, and believe me, I appreciate it. In fact, you know what bits of the book I'm looking forward to the most? The LOTR movies. And I LOVE those movies. Yet, I also am able to appreciate well-done, loving parody of it, and have poked some fun at it myself in the past. So trust me, there ARE those of us that understand. =)

[skylark97.livejournal.com]

Here's the thing: Everything is funny to me.

Sounds like a good philosophy to me! :3 And just from the ones that I've read, it's easy to see that you don't do them with any sort of malice intended. Anyone who can't see that either isn't reading it right or is taking themselves and the movie in question waaaaaay too seriously.

[edda.livejournal.com]

But then take a movie like Unforgiven. Objectively, I can admit that it was a very good movie. But dear God, do I never want to see it again.

Legends of the Fall. Dear God, may I never be forced to witness it again, even if Brad Pitt was hot. There was so much wrong with that movie it made my head hurt, even if technically it was well-made.

Slimfast? Are you dieting, or is that just easy food to grab without having to stop Making Funny?/nosy

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks. No chance, though--1) it's been posted online and 2) the book is basically blockbusters from 1993-2003. If the book goes over well, though, I wouldn't be surprised if eventually they put together a compilation of stuff I did post online--I mean, already-written manuscript right there.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I second the Legends of the Fall observation. Heartily.

[girlfrom10thave.livejournal.com]

I, for one, love your parodies. I love when things in movies are funny... though it always makes me kind of sad when I'm the only one who laughs at the funny something. I think it's kind of funny that people have pitched a spaz over your parodies. Why can't they just laugh at the funny parts of a movie they love? WHY?!

[katla-asriel.livejournal.com]

Every few months you have to make that speech? Ick.

One of the things, I think, people have a problem with, when it comes to parodies, is that it isn't OMG SO SERIOUS when it's talking about the movie. For some reason, people like to pretend what they like is flawless, and that's not right.

Now, I am a huge Tolkien fan, but I know that when you wrote The Lord of the Rings in 15 Minutes, it's going to be funny, because I can accept that it's not perfect.

I think that's why. That's all, really.

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

See, I don't think your m15m would be half as funny if you didn't like the movies.
Welllll.... then again, maybe they would be, but whatever. Point is, ...

dammit.


*wanders off, searching for point*

[tselmende.livejournal.com]

Actually, I always thought your paradies are sort of...affectionate. You can tell that you love movies. I never took offense...and by the by, the Phantom made my night. :) Thank you for taking time to write it.

I'm so glad The Matrix was fine...and I can see them making a compliation book of the posted online thingies, it's been done before, I just received a book for review that was serialized originally on some gent's blogger.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

OMG Legends of the Fall. I would like to say it's so bad it's awesome, but... it hurt too bad, watching it. God. Thanks for uncovering the wound, man. ; )

Nah, the Slimfast is just easy food that keeps my blood sugar from bottoming out (particularly since the new version has half as much sugar as the old, so I don't shoot up and then crash when I drink it anymore). I need to lose weight, but I had much more success just eating salad and lean protein and grain/fiber stuff (oatmeal, whole grain bread, whatever) than with any kind of prepackaged diet food, honestly.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

For real, man. Mostly it's people misreading "parody" as "trashing the movie," which is not necessarily so, and they get all up in arms that I clearly didn't like their new most favoritest movie ever. Fortunately, Phantom people seem to have a healthy appreciation of the absurd, although I've had to correct a few people who would say, very wistfully, "Well, *I* liked the movie," as if I didn't.

(And thanks!)

POINT FOUND!

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

I bet you're listening to Noveeeelllllllas of the Niiiiight!!

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

I'm a HUGE LotR fan as well, but I have to say that "Frodo: *falls over*" damn near writes itself! *grin*

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I mean, I think it's funny that Aragorn would be like, "Here are some swords, now sit here and don't get into trouble while I go wander off" at Weathertop in the first movie. And I think the Argonath scene is beautiful and amazing, and I still have no problem doing an "Are we there yet?" riff on it. It's not even about flaws so much as just--it's a way of looking at the world, I guess.

And yeah, I have to make the speech--partly because each movie brings a completely different group of people. Although I think Troy people were so mad about the way the movie stomped on the mythology that they kind of didn't care what I made fun of...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Heh. No, I know what you mean. I just don't have the heart to really, really hate stuff at length. If it's really that bad, then it just sort of becomes a different kind of awesome (Eye of the Beholder). But someone else mentioned Legends of the Fall just now, and--it's that kind of awful, and yet I don't think I'd have the fortitude to do that one. It's just *that bad.* Painful, you know?

Re: POINT FOUND!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Heh. Nah, I've been stuck on "Phantom of the Opera" because I love the guitars and the organs. I'm a child of the '80s; cheese is my natural habitat. ; )

[maidenoflight.livejournal.com]

hey, you don't know me, but just wanted to say, love your work! amazing! love it soooooooo much!!!! omg! and ur icons!!!!!!!!! love em!!!!!! great job!!!!
-ps-do u mind if i show my friends your icons, may i use them? if i say u made them? they are sooooooo cool!!!!!!

[the-grim-wombat.livejournal.com]

:D I really really appreciate the making-fun-of-something-doesn't-mean-I-don't-like-it rant. That's what I keep telling people -- if I hate something, I'm not going to bother poking fun at it.

(Sidenote: I actually reallyreallyreally LOVE Independence Day, if only because it's SO overblown and cheesy and expensive and hilariously bad. Plus, you just can't go wrong with that cast: Jeff Goldblum + Bill Pullman + Will Smith + Randy Quaid + Brent Spiner + that one kid who looks like Mexican Keanu... DAMN, THAT'S HOT.)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awww, you're welcome. At least y'all seem to get what I'm trying to do. : )

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

My icon policy is basically take what you want, do what you like. Glad you enjoyed everything. : )

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I actually saw the movie in the theater on July 4 that year, with a really rowdy (and partly drunk! At NOON!) audience, and it was a great movie-going experience. It wasn't until I saw it on video that I went, "Oh my God, this is terrible." I'm usually totally down with the awesomely bad thing, but for some reason this one doesn't do it for me.

(Yeah, that kid *was* kinda hot...)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Dude? I just wrote a macro for that and called it a day. ; )

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah... that's about the way of it. This time it was mostly people being like, "Awww, I really liked it. I mean, the movie was still hilarious, but..."