First off:  Bad idea.  F.P. is one of the classic genre films.  A reimagining would serve no purpose, but whatever.  Let's see:  Trilogy film 1) the story of the Krell and the "Bellerophon."  OK.  Trilogy film 2) the remake.  OK. Trilogy Film 3) -- WAIT!  How do you do a sequel when you blew up the planet at the end of film 2?  Perhaps it will be about Robby's integration into human society . . . and how he must carry out the wishes of the monster from the id . . .

In some ways she was like the Paris Hilton of her day (what outrageous thing will make the headlines next?), but in other ways she was like the Lady Gaga of her day (what is she wearing THIS time?)

I remember years ago -- perhaps in the Dark Ages of the 80's -- seeing an ad in a store, a picture of a model walking a cheetah on a jeweled leash.  It was such a startling image that I couldn't stop looking at it.  It was only by reading this book that I learned that the concept was based on a real person.

My supervisor at work is a MAJOR fan of silent film star Louise Brooks.  When he saw the Marchesa Casati book, he was very very interested.  I think there's a lot of crossover appeal there.

A google search of "belladonna eye drops" is both enlightening and disturbing.  There are lots of people still out there TODAY who are wondering how to get their hands on belladonna eye drops because they think it would be really cool to have dilated pupils. Oh, and by "people" I mean "idiots."  There are still eyedrops being sold today that have belladonna in them, but as a minor component.  Oh, and what are the side effects of deadly nightshade poisoning?  It ain't pretty, folks.

You can read more about Casati's life on her official site here.  (She has an official site?  Of course she does!!)  And click on the "Casati Gallery" link at the top of the page to see some of her many unique portraits.

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing the info about The Marchesa Casati.  I had never heard of her, but she sounds quite interesting.  And there's a sci-fi connection after all, because in the first website about her I found after Googling her, I found the quote that said of her "think Courtney Love meets Margaret Atwood."

Here's another artist muse you may be aware of.  I find her very interesting (okay, *hot*):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Prin

You all are on a run of great shows, but this one was particularly excellent.  I think I do tend to like the Roundtable episodes the best, just because the chemistry and camaraderie really shine.

Couple of things. I listened to most of the episode on my drive in to work this morning, not catching the very end until the drive back.  It was a lousy day at work today, and John, your "epilogue" gave me a much needed laugh.  :)

It was great to hear Judy back on the show!   I was going to make a joke to the tune of "tell us what you really think", but I'm going to avoid it out of fear of being next on Judy's hit list.  ;)   I hope you're around more often, Ms. Furnari!

Andrea, your review of the book on Marchesa Casati was interesting. I guess it goes to show that Paris Hilton is just one in a long line of.... hm, not sure exactly what word to use, without sounding not a little judgmental.  We tend to forget that there really is nothing new under the sun.

Which I suppose is a fair segue into Orenthal's segment.  I am very much in agreement with a lot of what you said.  It's not so much that I oppose remakes in general, but they've sort of taken over.  All these remakes, and some of them for no good reason that I can see.  Remember the Dragnet remake with Al Bundy?  It was so unlike the original...did they really gain anything by slapping a 40-year-old title on what was really just another cop show?  I kind of feel the same way about the new Battlestar Galactica.  It was really so much unlike the original; I suppose you gain some mind share by reusing an old title, and I guess that's enough reason to do it.  Still, the phrase "new wine in old wineskins" comes to mind.

I tend to agree with Keith's comments about RTD.  There is much to appreciate about how he brought Dr Who back, but honestly, I would have appreciated it more had he let other writers contribute more heavily.  He's great with characterization, but the show is so-o-o self-aware and self-indulgent.  And the plots he comes up with are pretty dodgy.  I'm also pretty tired of the Daleks, Cybermen, and other old elements being hauled out time and time again.  (Back to the "originality" issue I guess.)  I kind of stopped watching the new show right around the middle of Tennant's second season.  I watch a new episode now and then, but the show has pretty fallen off my radar.

It's kind of a shame that I listen to the show in my car, because I'm sure I'm forgetting a few comments I wanted to make.  I'd hold this one up though as really a great example of the Rift at its best.  Thanks!

Bill

Fair points all, on Dollhouse, John and Judy.

Yes, I meant the British Coupling. NBC's Coupling has been scrubbed from my memory, and I had forgotten all about it until you guys mentioned it. *laughs*

Andrea, sorry for the lack of a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot award. Next year, I promise. Unless, you know, I forget....

And yes, I could live with half of L&O:CI not being Goren and Eames -- though Chris Noth's Mike Logan was infinitely preferable to Jeff Goldblume pretty much just being a mix of Goren Lite with The Standard Jeff Goldblume Character -- but writing those two out is pretty much the final nail in the coffin, after the fifty or so that were applied during the wretched eighth season.

Any shlub could have played Barnabas on Caprica.  It was no first appearance of Spike on BTVS or Capt. John Hart on Torchwood.  Unless, there is some amazing writing for Marsters to do some amazing acting, this has been sooooooo disappointing.

Pay close attention to the end of our discussion, when John mentions how many followers the Rift has on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc.  His estimate of how many Facebook fans we have is WAY off, I mean by about a hundred people. 

Yeah, I guess it's a good thing that he's an English teacher.  But wait ... then shouldn't his spelling and grammar be better than they are???

Here are the links to the apps and the list to the works Andrea was talking about relating to zombies.  You can purchase any of the books through our Amazon store at the bottom of the webpage.

Zombie Week: The undead are coming!

Macworld’s Game Room kicks off a week of zombie games for the iPhone

http://www.macworld.com/article/146757/zombie.html

Six essential iPhone apps for a zombie attack

Zombie apocalypse? There's an app for that

http://www.macworld.com/article/146810/2010/03/zombieattackapps.html

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby
Never Slow Dance With a Zombie by Ehrich Van Lowe 
I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer