(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. GRRM's post about the characters killed off in on Game of Thrones and the resulting comments amused me greatly.

Martin - regarding the characters killed off on the tv series based on his best-selling books to date: "I didn't realize I'd killed off so many characters. I'm a bloody bastard. But hey, some are still alive (which he proceeds to name and none of whom I recognize), well at least as far as the end of Dance of Dragons. No one knows who will last past that point..no one is safe."

Me: Really not. Although I do wish you'd kill off some of the characters whose names I can't remember and I don't care about. Make it easier to read the books, without feeling like I need a bloody rollerdex.

Commentator: In this world (meaning ours not GRRM's) no one is safe. This is our actual reality.

Me: Which is why we read fiction, to escape from our violent reality. Or not in this particular case where fiction is actually far more violent than reality.

I keep wanting to ask people who tell me it is more realistic to see people killed and tortured on tv and in books than having sex...if they are living in a bloody war zone. What are you a solider? How many people have you seen killed or tortured in reality? In which case, my sympathies. I'm apparently living a privileged life...never seen anyone shot or killed in person, so far. (Well outside of movies, tv shows, and books. In reality? As in - up close and personal? No. I have however seen and been involved with sexual activities. )

Also, I am clearly in the minority on this particular point - but isn't the whole point of fiction to ESCAPE FROM REALITY, not indulge in it? I don't know about you, but I read fiction to escape reality, reality can get a bit overwhelming at times - I need to take frequent breaks from it.

2. In other Game of Thrones news...Mark Gatiss, who you know is my all time favorite writer from Doctor Who and Sherlock (NOT) is joining the writing team at Game of Thrones. Not to fear...it's possible it's just a short-term gig like Espenson's. Why? Don't they enough writers? Can't they find better one's? I'm sure David Fury or Moffat would love to write an episode, heck so would Joss Whedon or Stephen King for that matter...although I'm not sure either is a good fit. [ETA: Apparently he may be acting not writing. So no worries.]

3. Regarding musical theater, which only about 3 people on my flist besides me appear to care a whit about ...have discovered something listening to various soundtracks. Some musicals work off-stage. They have songs that can be listened to - without seeing the musical and live past the musical. Other's not so much.

Next To Normal's soundtrack does not work out of context at all. In fact none of the songs work outside of that musical. It reminds me a little of Kiss of the Spiderwoman in this way.
Great musicals that only work onstage. Avenue Que, Spamalot and Book of Mormon are somewhat similar. Their songs don't quite work out of context.

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Is he writing? I thought he was acting.

[shapinglight]

I think Mark Gatiss is going to be acting, not writing.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

Re: Fiction as an escape from reality - I think that's true, but it's just as true that it can be a reflection of reality, or a way of understanding a particular reality. We need all those things, just not always at the same time.

I think Martin's writing came as a reaction to high fantasy novels that didn't concern themselves with politics or food supply or disease. It was probably quite refreshing at the time. And I do find the tv series refreshing as well - it's actually pretty rare to see established characters get killed either on tv or in the movies. Usually there are some designated victims and the villain and that's it - the hero and his love interest (and it's always a him for the hero and a her for the love interest) survive. Sometimes I like going in with that reassurance, sometimes I get really bored - again it's whatever you're in the mood for.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

No, I would think the whole point of fiction is to create Art. Good art, bad art, but art.

So then the question shifts to, Why is character death such an overdone cliche in Word Art these days? It's become predictable, and causes the art consumer to lose emotional detachment from the work of particular artists.

There, a high-falutin' way to make your point.