Ryu Vs. Darth Vader: How Fandom Works In Our House

Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the object(s) of their fandom and spend a significant portion of their time and energy involved with their interest, often as a part of a social network with particular practices (a fandom); this is what differentiates "fannish" (fandom-affiliated) fans from those with only a casual interest.

A fandom can grow up centered around any area of human interest or activity. The subject of fan interest can be narrowly defined, focused on something like an individual celebrity, or more widely defined, encompassing entire hobbies, genres or fashions. While it is now used to apply to groups of people fascinated with any subject, the term has its roots in those with an enthusiastic appreciation for sports. Merriam-Webster's dictionary traces the usage of the term back as far as 1903. - Wikipedia

Ron and I are both geeks. Yes, geeky love is wonderful, and you probably think that mutual fandom is what brought us together; this is not the case. Yes, we do have a few similar geek choices, but mostly we geek about very different things.

I, on one hand, love all things Star Wars; as I'm sure you already know. My Star Wars collectables take up most of a geek shelf that we share in our new house. You may not know this, but I'm also a doll collector, as in Barbie, Monster High, Sailor Moon, and of course, Star Wars dolls. These take up an entire shelving unit in my craft room and I am very proud of this collection. I also have a lot of geeky art that I have either gotten at comic conventions or that my Dad has drawn for me. This consist of Sailor Moon, Maleficent, Kermit the Frog, Cloud from FFVII, Edea from FVIII, Wheel of Time maps, and my all time personal favorite, my Lord Of The Rings picture from my Dad.

Now Ron on the other hand, is into totally different things. He is a huge computer/gadget geek. Over the years we've been together, he has shown me he loves me through gadgets. He once built me computer! I wish I understood everything that went into it, so I could truly appreciate it, but the fact that he built me a computer because he loves me, is pretty f*ing amazing. Ron's computer room in our new house is filled with gadgety goodness. Every gaming system pretty much ever made resides in this room, as well a his own memorabilia. But unlike my haphazard collection, pretty much everything he's collected is still pristine in the box. He goes more for Street Fighter and anime characters, most of whom I only have a vague idea who they are. He has boxes of pristine comics and anime art scrolls.

It's not that our fandoms don't mix, it's just that they're very different. He thinks that when I take my collectables out of the box, I'm ruining their value and I believe that by leaving them in the box I'm not appreciating them as much as if I can hold them and pose them and get a real sense of them. He looks at the the lessening value of mine and scoffs and my fingers are itchy to tear those toys out of their packages. So far, everything is still intact and we laugh about it a lot.

But when we pin our fandoms up against each other, this is what we get.

RYU VS. DARTH VADER

Ok, so it's more like Princess Leai vs. Chun Li, but I still think this is a great analogy.

In the end, love always wins over fandom and our differences are part of the reason we love each other.

Thanks to Distracted by Star Wars and the Student Pocket Guide for the video and YamaO for the great Street Fighter art. And of course to Ron, for loving me despite my love of Star Wars :P

Hunger Game Music And Parodies

Who's excited about The Hunger Games? Me! Me!

Also, my best friend Jocey. She thinks that March 23rd is much too far away and that she might have to re-read the series again before then. I totally can't blame her, because I was thinking about doing the exact same thing.

In the mean time, I though I would help tie us over with some parodies, musical or otherwise. Just keep in mind that if you haven't read the books yet, they might be a bit spoily.

First off we have Holly Laurent with a parody song of Lana Del Ray's Video Games. 

I do seem to love the parodies of this song. They're just fantastic. Not to mention extremely clever.

This next one is based on the Bruno Mars song Grenade.

TIME TO GO
GRAB MY BOW
12 IS WHERE I LIVE (COAL)

GAYLES HERE
KILL A DEER
SELL IT AT THE HOB

DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS TROUBLE
IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS
LIFE WAS ALMOST EASY
BEFORE THE REAPING

EFFIE READ THE NAME IT WAS
PRIMROSE EVERDEEN
PRIMROSE EVERDEEN, SHE READ
NO WAY MY LITTLE SISTER
WILL EVER BE A TRIBUTE
PRIM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SCARED

CAUSE I'LL PLAY THE HUNGER GAMES FOR YA
I'LL TAKE TRACKER JACKER STINGS FOR YA
SHOW PANEM HOW MUCH I LOVE PEETA
I'LL FOOL SENECA CRANE FOR YA
I WOULD GO THROUGH ALL THIS PAIN
I WOULD EVEN BE THE MOCKING JAY
YES I WOULD DIE FOR YOU PRIM
IN THE HUNGER GAMES

CAP CAP CAPITOL
PEOPLE HERE ARE DUMB
NO ONES NOTICED PRESIDENT SNOW
SMELLS LIKE HE'S BEEN DRINKING BLOOD.

SOUND CANNON, LOUD CANNON
ONE MORE PERSON GONE
NOW IF ONLY THE CAREERS
WOULD SHARE THE CORNUCOPIA

SINGING FOR RUE'S DEATH
IS WHAT SAVED MY LIFE FROM THRESH
OH IT SAVED MY LIFE FROM THRESH YES IT DID
WE THOUGHT TWO COULD SURVIVE
HAD TO THREATEN SUICIDE
BECAUSE THE GAMEMAKERS LIED

YA I'LL PLAY THE HUNGER GAMES FOR YA
KILL MUTTATIONS THEY CREATE FOR YA
SHOW PANEM HOW MUCH I LOVE PEETA
TRY NOT TO DIE IN THE ARENA
I'LL EAT LAMB STEW IN THE RAIN
I WILL EVEN BE THE MOCKING JAY
ILL VOLUNTEER FOR YOU PRIM
IN THE HUNGER GAMES

YA I'M THE GIRL ON FIRE
IN THIS GOWN CINNA MADE
SAID I LOVED PEETA I'M A LIAR
CAUSE I ONLY WANTED SPONSORSHIPS
HAYMITCH

YEAH PRIM I VOLUNTEER IN THE GAMES FOR YA
I'LL TAKE TRACKER JACKER STINGS FOR YA
SHOW PANEM HOW MUCH I LOVE PEETA
FOOL SENECA CRANE FOR YA OHHHH
I WOULD GO THROUGH ALL THIS PAIN
I WILL EVEN BE THE MOCKING JAY
YES I WOULD DIE FOR YOU PRIM
DIE IN THE HUNGER GAMES

IN THE HUNGER GAMES
I'LL PLAY THE HUNGER GAMES

 - Lyrics and download 

I love it!! It's just written so cleverly!

Lastly, but not least is a hilarious take on what might have happened when Gale came to say goodbye to Katniss by The Second City. He's just trying to help... right?

 

 

I want you so bad... to focus on hating the Capital... Booo Capital...

 

 Poor Gale, stuck in the friend zone forever. Well, whatever, it's not like anyone can compete with the boy with the bread. At least not to me anyway. 

Well, maybe Finnick. Is it just me or does he remind anyone else of Aquaman?

Sorry, I guess I'm skipping ahead a book.

There are a lot of great parodies out there as well as a lot of really bad ones as well, but the one thing they do have in common is that they all really love The Hunger Games.

Thanks to The Mary Sue for the videos and Rat Girl Studios, Mary-Chan, and Bleunite for the amazing fan art.

Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill Audition Taps

Aren't you glad that Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford were cast in Star Wars? I know I am. I just can't imagine anyone else playing these iconic roles as well as they did.

Who knows, perhaps if they had been played by other actors the movie might not have done as well as it did. 

Thank goodness they did well in their auditions.

I love this video! I wish they had kept this part of the scrip for the movie. It really does explain a lot, like why Leia lead the Imperials to Yavin 4.

Again, you get a neat perspective on both Luke and Han that wasn't in the movie. I like that Organa-Major was blown up and not Alderaan (which nobody dares go near), as well as the fact that Mark calls his Hans.

There are only a few short clips of Harrison Ford auditioning, but really you get more from him in these 2 tapes than from anything else I saw.

Auditioning is hard, but these 3 are as cool as cucumbers through it. Yay for them and an even bigger yay for us to see them together.

Thanks to The Mary Sue for loving Star Wars as much as us

Ralph McQuarrie RIP

Sad news hit the Star Wars Universe yesterday with the passing of Ralph McQuarrie.

1929-2012

Best known for his conceptual art for the original saga of Star Wars, McQuarrie was also noted for his design work on Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Back to the Future, and many other amazing films.

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of such a visionary artist and such a humble man. Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars. His genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'Do it like this.'
"Beyond the movies, his artwork has inspired at least two generations of younger artists—all of whom learned through Ralph that movies are designed. Like me, they were thrilled by his keen eye and creative imagination, which always brought concepts to their most ideal plateau. In many ways, he was a generous father to a conceptual art revolution that was born of his artwork, and which seized the imaginations of thousands and propelled them into the film industry. In that way, we will all be benefiting from his oeuvre for generations to come. Beyond that, I will always remember him as a kind and patient, and wonderfully talented, friend and collaborator."
—George Lucas on StarWars.com

Let's take a look back at some of his amazing art and appreciate what Star Wars became because of his conceptual designs.

Yes, Star Wars wouldn't be the movie that we know and love without this amazing man. We own him Darth Vader and Stormtrooper armor and so many other amazing things. He will truly be missed.

Thanks to The Mary Sue, StarWars.com and Signalnoise for sahring in our sorrow and taking time to honor a wonderful man.

Frankenweenie Remake?

Does anyone remember Frankenweenie? Of course you don't. No one does. 

Well, except maybe hardcore Tim Burton fans and, of course, maybe me.

Now don't think I'm a crazy fan, at least not in this case; the only reason I know about this movie was because it was in the extra features of my Nightmare Before Christmas VHS. I discovered it one day when I let the movie run through the credits instead of just turning it off and rewinding it. It also came with an amazing short called Vincent, about a boy who thought he was Vincent Price.

Frankenweenie wasn't a very good short film, but maybe that was because it was live action. Anyway, Mr. Burton has decided to remake the movie using his ever so loved stop motion animation style.

One of Burton’s first projects, Frankenweenie is a black and white short film about young Vincent, whose dog Sparky dies after being hit by a car. Vincent is, of course, saddened by the death of his dear pet, but luckily, soon after, his science class is shown how to reanimate a dead frog with the use of a battery and some wires. Vincent digs up Sparky, and applies the principles learned in science class to bring Sparky back to life.
If you are fortunate enough to own the 2000 Special Edition DVD set of The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you’ll likely have seen Frankenweenie in the Bonus Features section. If you haven’t, or if you don’t have the DVD, I highly recommend checking out the short. It’s a half hour of typical Burton, featuring such talents as Shelley Duvall (a.k.a. the mom in The Shining) and a thirteen-year-old Sofia Coppola.
It has been 25 years since Tim Burton made Frankenweenie, but the ever-intriguing writer/director/producer has decided the time has come to revisit his early project. While the original Frankenweenie was a live-action short film, Burton’s vision for the update is a full-length stop-motion film.  - atomic popcorn

 The child in this (incidentally name Vincent) looks almost the exact same as the one in the short Vincent. But then again, they both look like they are going to grow up and look like Victor from Corpse Bride.

What is it with Tim Burton and his characters all looking the same? All his animated characters look the same and all of his live action characters all look the same... oh wait.. that's because they're all played by Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter...

Which, on a surprising note, neither of them are doing voices in this movie! Hooray!!!

Don't get me wrong, I love both of them as actors, but it is getting boring to watch them play weird, eccentric characters. Hopefully this will start a new, non-Johnny/Helen reign of awesomeness, but I think at this point, it's still too early to tell.

If you're interested in checking out the original movie, here you go!

and for those that want to see some truly wonderful Tim Burton work, here is Vincent. 

Enjoy.

Thanks to The Mary Sue for this teeny-weenie bit of info :P

Princess Peach and Hermione Sing

Oh Geek Music! Can we even get enough? I know I can't, and since this is my blog, I get to subject you to it too! YAY!!

Today we feature Jenny Bede.

Writer, actor and comedian, she's put together some great geeky parodies for us. 

First off, we'll start with Video Games. 

Certainly, you've heard Lana Del Ray's song Video Games. If not, check it out here before watching this video.

If I hadn't seen the other video, I wouldn't have gotten why she was acting so weird in it. Her lip syncing was driving me crazy until I realized that she was just making fun of Lana Del Ray. It's a cute parody though, and Jenny Bede has an amazing voice.

Here is another great one by her, featuring none other than Harry Potter and Hermione (and a crazy looking Ron)

I think the character of Harry Potter is much like Peter Pan; he can be convincingly played by a woman. I doubt the golden trio agree with this song. I'm sure they've had enough of the franchise to last them a life time. It still makes me laugh though.

Hopefully Jenny Bede will continue to make awesome geek parodies for me to feature in the future.

Thanks to The Mary Sue for being totally amazing (and worth checking out)