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Culture

The Importance Of Fog In Film

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Weather has been used for dramatic effect since fiction began, so much so that the term ‘pathetic fallacy’ is probably one of the main things you remember from your English Literature classes. But how does this apply to Hollywood cinema and film?

Hands down, the most dramatic of all meteorological phenomenon is fog.

It can be used to ratchet up tension, conceal terrifying creatures and even provide important characters with a suitably dramatic entrance.

Spanning genres from horror to sci-fi, mist and fog are more versatile than mere set dressing; they dominate scenes and often make them the most memorable part of their respective movies.

So, without further ado, let’s investigate the importance (not forgetting the scare-factor) that fog brings to the silver screen in this infographic from our friends at vapingman.

Which films are we missing? Which scenes have stood out for you? Please comment below.

Reviews

The Sentient AI Future is Here And She’s A Lovely Stranger Named Frankie

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Bringing work home can put stress stress on a marriage, especially when that “work” is a beautiful woman who seems too cozy with the husband. But in Bruce Deitrick Price’s genre-busting tragicomedy book “Frankie”, looks are deceiving.

Raymond Mason, an AI genius and college professor, brings Frankie, his latest, most human-like creation, to dinner. Raymond knows his wife will be impressed.

No way! Julia Mason feels competitive and threatened. 
Raymond touches Frankie in a romantic way.

Julia is hostile and drinks too much. She passes out as Professor
Mason runs upstairs to find a gun. An hour later, Julia wakes to find
her husband dead and Frankie gone. Julia, semi-hysterical, races into
the night to find the missing masterpiece.

Simon, a grad school drug dealer, falls in love with Frankie. He
realizes he can build a cult around this spiritually evolved woman.
First, he has to hide her.

For different reasons, many people search frantically for Frankie.
Meanwhile, more unexplained deaths are reported. Panic sweeps  New Jersey. Some experts think that humanity is dealing with
an alien invasion.

A pathologist says he has never seen so many beautiful corpses. Cause of death: unknown.

“Elon Musk believes that AI will destroy us. 

First there will be lots of misunderstandings, confusion, and paranoia,” Price says. “Frankie is a look into the future of AI. The smarter the robots, the more likely that strange, unanticipated things will happen.”

About the Author

Bruce Deitrick Price is a novelist, poet, artist and education
reformer. He wrote his first article about robots around 1990. 

Featured image: Historic “Mona Lisa of the Pacific Islands” photograph Mestiza de Sangley, c. 1875

Gaming

Writer Releasing Video Arcade Game Dragon’s Lair Book

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Collecting for Dragons Lair and Space AceBrantford, ON. The Personal Computer Museum is publishing a brand new book called “Collecting for Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace” (ISBN 978-1490383583) that covers two of the most loved LaserDisc video games ever made. Dragon’s Lair officially turned 30 years old on June 19, 2013.

Written by Syd Bolton, who (according to the CBC) has the largest collection of video games in Canada.

Collecting for Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace not only chronicles the hundreds of home releases of games, clothing, collectible merchandise, magazines, toys and more, but also includes an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes information on the development of the games which continue to see home releases right up until this year.

“Along with an introduction that’ll likely slap a nostalgic smile across your face, Syd Bolton has exhaustively aggregated and annotated virtually every Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace video game and merchandise known to modern man” says Marc Saltzman, syndicated gaming and technology columnist, author, TV and radio show host. “While it’s a specialist’s book, game enthusiasts, retro fans, and old folks will find it a fun read” says Steven Kent, noted video game historian and author of “The Ultimate History of Video Games”.

The book will ship next week (July 24, 2013) and can be ordered through the website

www.collectingfor.com, which will contain support materials for the book shortly. The book will also be available on Amazon.com next week. It is 170 pages, 8.5″x11″, full color and perfect bound.

Dragon’s Lair recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and was the first fully animated LaserDisc video game. It generated millions in sales and revived, for a short time, the ailing arcade industry. The follow-up, Space Ace, was released in the Spring of 1984. Unfortunately, the arcade business continued to decline. Both games have been available for home computers and game consoles since 1984 spanning hundreds of releases and also spawned many related items.

 

Interest in the franchise has continued to this day and there is even a new documentary film “Inside the Dragon’s Lair” in the works which is expected to release in 2014. For the Silo, by Syd Bolton.