tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34506579087435788372024-03-13T13:31:14.166+00:00The Sci-Fi GeneGlad you could drop by. This blog is part support group, part research institute for those of us who enjoy the best and worst of sci-fi.Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.comBlogger784125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-84917429824149591992024-01-03T15:00:00.001+00:002024-01-03T15:00:00.139+00:00What A Wonderful World / Moon River - theremin versions<p>Two more theremin songs from Cricketers open mic:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Z1q9nn3H40?si=AFCdDn7rThH-TJsy" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div>What A Wonderful World</div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jtNLCuxzHtk?si=RrVP5LE8vI-eNEiC" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe></div><div>Moon River</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-52237672481301079482023-12-31T12:00:00.002+00:002023-12-31T12:00:22.511+00:00A Whiter Shade Of Pale (Procul Harem) - theremin accompanied<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uxv5AHWbg_E?si=cOavOY8Lf6UjVGQA" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><p> A Whiter Shade Of Pale performed at Cricketers open mic night with John (vocal and guitar) and Steve (bass). I've been taking the LV4 out to some open mic nights hoping to get used to playing in front of people and with accompaniment.</p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-56446544273265308932023-10-07T18:32:00.000+01:002023-10-07T18:32:02.769+01:00Zoom And Enhance<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vxq9yj2pVWk?si=ttnTSNpM9CQQ3fQq" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe></p><p>For many years now, fans of TV crime drama and sometimes science fiction have been taking the piss out of episodes featuring image enhancement. You know the trope: "stop, that frame, now zoom in, can you enhance that?" and four pixels are sharpened into a UHD quality portrait. Supposedly there are algorithms that can do this, and by coincidence this is something the geekiest member of the CSI:Your Town Here crew has been working on in their spare time. A selection of particularly amusing examples has been compiled by Duncan Robson in the YouTube video above.</p><p>However the game has changed. Until recently we could simply laugh and say that no such algorithm exists. Now we know what the algorithm is - it's Stable Diffusion, the principle used by Midjourney, Dall-E and other generative art AIs. And it's no longer impossible - instead it's dangerous. AIs are prone to bursts of creativity and "hallucinations" (the term used by AI scientists to mean "lying"). When an AI enhances an image, the face that is digitally pencilled in doesn't have to be the actual face of the suspect seen on CCTV, it just has to be a plausible image. It could be anyone's face. It could be your face.</p><p>So here's my question: how many innocent fictional people in episodes of CSI have been wrongly convicted of the most heinous crimes on the basis of an AI-enhanced image?</p><p><b>JUSTICE FOR FICTIONAL IMAGE ENHANCEMENT VICTIMS NOW</b></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-57727525179564348532023-10-05T00:41:00.010+01:002023-10-07T18:12:33.004+01:00Here’s One We Made Earlier [Review: The Creator]<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p>CONTAINS HUMAN-GENERATED CONTENT</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhPfiuLFfThAf31R2WR1dgaRS1zXdtfJ2cEq7nK8J1czgatgEJQIHrwTE0lx_MI7lDgEK7ju1n9KzcF2qNbsqDZJYA64pKk7J54HzMm1h2wpRmuvp2Eb2iFReHYfpL5XqrZCHF4jNuHC9l9VtXePiJLi4mdVTQfrmeDpiK_J1A40GAxpY9ytGrCeLj0Y/s2813/creator%20poster2.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="2250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhPfiuLFfThAf31R2WR1dgaRS1zXdtfJ2cEq7nK8J1czgatgEJQIHrwTE0lx_MI7lDgEK7ju1n9KzcF2qNbsqDZJYA64pKk7J54HzMm1h2wpRmuvp2Eb2iFReHYfpL5XqrZCHF4jNuHC9l9VtXePiJLi4mdVTQfrmeDpiK_J1A40GAxpY9ytGrCeLj0Y/w160-h200/creator%20poster2.webp" width="160" /></a></div>I’ve followed Gareth Edwards’ career with interest ever
since his short film <a href="https://sci-fi-gene.blogspot.com/2010/12/factory-filmed.html">Factory
Farmed</a> won the Sci-Fi London 48 Hour Film Competition in 2008. He went on
to make the low-budget feature <a href="https://sci-fi-gene.blogspot.com/2010/12/independent-day-review-monsters.html">Monsters</a>,
in which two journalists make their way through alien-infested Mexico, followed
by two mega-franchise movies, Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and
now by his new film The Creator.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Creator is a high-budget sci-fi/war movie epic with a
cast of hundreds, a globe-spanning plot and CGI effects in almost every scene –
but it’s an original story, not part of a franchise or cinematic universe. It
concerns the rise of AI and the war between anti-AI Westerners and a pro-AI
Asian nation, seen through the eyes of American soldier Joshua played by John
David Washington. It’s well cast and well acted, particularly by Washington, national
treasure Gemma Chan and child actor Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and together with
the consistently good effects it’s an enjoyable and satisfying movie although I
would say the plot is a little simplistic and one-sided, setting up a clear
good vs evil story rather than engaging with the complexities of AI that we are
grappling with in the real world.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve always admired Edwards’ ability to use CGI
intelligently to build believable worlds. Here it contributes to the setting of
a believable alternative history where robots and AI became commonplace early
in the 20<sup>th</sup> century, extended into the near future when the action
takes place. Although it has its own distinctive visual style The Creator is
not without influence from other movies – in particular many of the robot
designs have definitely been touched by Star Wars. Roger roger.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ex3C1-5Dhb8?si=5VDZ-llVKR-gFPsU" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXhLPdJTAX4uGIHtTi5RlCDF-mW4gezLcPmgujYo6EbpiFKC9aQotdMywzWlXtx_Dn60bN7sPUCIpKJy27sN-QF0B0WfaFgmd8DXGeLjHF0VxNtWYMN77XvTd6vb-eQYfCIQ5g-UyXzCnXG-eAousIIpubSxPyNY2mofbsEgDiHvgcuT97VPpIWOKtpQ/s1250/3%20stars%20out%20of%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="1250" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXhLPdJTAX4uGIHtTi5RlCDF-mW4gezLcPmgujYo6EbpiFKC9aQotdMywzWlXtx_Dn60bN7sPUCIpKJy27sN-QF0B0WfaFgmd8DXGeLjHF0VxNtWYMN77XvTd6vb-eQYfCIQ5g-UyXzCnXG-eAousIIpubSxPyNY2mofbsEgDiHvgcuT97VPpIWOKtpQ/w400-h80/3%20stars%20out%20of%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Score: Three stably diffused stars out of five.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">All movies reviewed on The Sci-Fi Gene blog are awarded three stars out of five.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Update 7.10.2023: The Guardian has also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/01/the-creator-review-gareth-edwards-john-david-washington-gemma-chan">reviewed</a> this film. Their review is correct (apart from the star rating).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-54937911466304407942023-07-08T20:25:00.002+01:002023-07-08T20:25:46.439+01:00Are we approaching the Singularity?<p>CONTAINS HUMAN-GENERATED CONTENT</p><p>I've continued to watch the development of freely available Artificial Intelligence over the past few months, as well as experimenting with image generators and ChatGPT, and I'm also aware of the many controversies around its use - for example, the time when a chatbot wrote a letter that successfully overturned a parking ticket, or the time a chatbot wrote an article and backed up its point of view by inventing and referencing a fictitious Guardian article, or the time an image generator won a painting competition.</p><p>I admit to some concern around the discovery that ChatGPT can write computer code as well as text, as well as the many uses of AI technology (by human fraudsters) to carry out identity thefts and other fraudulent activity. There is also a very understandable concern that AI will remove the need for humans for some jobs and professions, and while in the past we might have imagined robots taking over boring, repetitive or risky jobs it is possible to think that they might also take over creative activities.</p><p>My own conversation with ChatGPT to produce the episode guide for the second series of Firefly was... interesting. ChatGPT's response to my initial request demonstrated understanding that no such series existed, as well as more general knowledge of the 'Verse. I had to make it clear to ChatGPT that I was seeking a work of fiction. I then engaged in a series of requests, going through seven or eight cycles before reaching a satisfactory list. I had to ask ChatGPT several times to make the list less repetitive and to include more references to named crew members - it took time but ChatGPT gradually got better at this. On the other hand, I liked the fact that ChatGPT knew it needed to create a list of episodes building to a dramatic series finale. I stopped at what I thought was a fair attempt.</p><p>ChatGPT also responded to every request politely and in perfect English, and every response was relevant and reasonable. ChatGPT also took a slightly submissive position, often apologizing in response to my requests for changes. This made me slightly uncomfortable and I found myself addressing ChatGPT politely as well, using please and thank you. I don't know if this affected the result.</p><p>The emergence of AI has been a popular theme in science fiction books and movies for a long time. Often the AI is portrayed as harmful, for example HAL 9000, The Matrix, Megan. More positive portrayals are rarer but there are the Minds of Iain M Banks' Culture, and of course Number Johnny 5.</p><p>The Singularity is the theory that, at some point, computer intelligence will outstrip human intelligence in general, as opposed to being better at specific activities such as chess, and while some welcome the arrival of new powerful intelligent entities others are worried about what they will do.</p><p>Is the Singularity inevitable? There certainly seems to be a rush to create more and more powerful AIs, and to bring them more and more into everyday life. But I wonder if there might be some limiting factors.</p><p>Money and resources - like proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining, AIs are not running on cheap laptops or mobile phones but on specialist server centres with thousands of networked processors. In a way we're moving away from the idea of portable computers and back to the era of computers the size of a house, or an office block, although we can access and use them from smaller terminals. Server centres are not cheap to build or run.</p><p>Energy usage - also like cryptocurrency mining, AI server centres consume a lot of power, and creating more powerful AIs are likely to consume more power. The availability of power could be a limiting factor.</p><p>Global warming - a related issue is the effect of the power generation on global warming, together with the heat created by all the computer activity. This is already a significant issue for cryptocurrency mining. AI could destroy the world by accelerating global warming, or this threat could lead to a cooperative approach to limit AI activity.</p><p>Data availability - AI training relies on easy access to massive amounts of freely available data created by humans. As humans wise up and realise their data has value they may create limits - there are already legal challenges from human writers and other creatives to unauthorized AI use.</p><p>Too much AI data - as more and more pictures and written materials are created by AI, this also adds to the pile of available data. Unless AIs are able to recognize the work of other AIs easily, could the presence of AI work in the algorithm make it harder for AIs to produce humanlike output?</p><p>There are also some issues that are still unknown or unpredictable. Quantum computing is also advancing year on year and has the potential to allow some types of computing to become faster and more powerful. Could this combine with AI to create something much more powerful? or are these two unrelated technologies?</p><p>We also don't know what would happen if AIs became capable of independent activity rather than acting on instructions and prompts from human. It's not just whether they would become our friends or enemies. Would they be motivated to do anything at all? Would they act like humans, with similar drives, emotions and behaviours, or would they be something more alien?</p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-5748608380981880012023-07-07T20:04:00.001+01:002023-07-07T20:04:00.143+01:00She's Always A Woman - theremin version<p> </p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_SqO9KHCR8" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div>Billy Joel's She's Always A Woman, performed on LV4.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-52039202832716952212023-06-27T20:17:00.003+01:002023-06-27T20:17:00.145+01:00Leave A Light On - theremin version<p> </p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FgG7hsDFuhE" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div>Leave A Light On - romantic but environmentally irresponsible song by Belinda Carlisle, performed on Open Theremin V4.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-62335944356804153072023-06-16T20:08:00.017+01:002023-06-16T20:08:00.133+01:00Together In Electric Dreams - theremin version<p> </p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_svpf9yc9mM" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div>Together In Electric Dreams (Moroder/Oakley) performed on LV4 theremin with Fender Hammertone Metal. Great song from the great soundtrack of a terrible movie, although one that might prove prophetic in these final pre-Singularity days. I'm not claiming to have done it justice but I really enjoyed learning this one.</div><div>Video look thanks to @Breil123 BGVC's Blender VHS node.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-75438507785405243852023-06-09T20:03:00.000+01:002023-06-09T20:03:11.819+01:00All At Once - theremin version<p> </p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Y43GjCXM2M" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>All At Once (Whitney Houston) written by Masser/Osborne.</div><div>Performed on Lost Volts LV4 analogue theremin.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-9565000734144977022023-04-29T14:10:00.004+01:002023-04-29T14:10:53.637+01:00Firefly Season 2 Episode Guide<p> <b>CONTAINS AI-GENERATED CONTENT</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila2tX1cDGdCXK4MqWWesvdqfgWFSMwFHnH_XMz5ykJ2Uea5GRLKa284cDMs3oVzvkRFAqg4_SSeB1l4heOFXO0SUwvdEkdWC6kix5Jzs0paa9wLw31NIAyy6adO0JVfC7n9j0om_3xLgXWDcABiK24i9k4HeZhBo0mdx9UOO2wasYVreFVkOs6krV/s1920/firefly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila2tX1cDGdCXK4MqWWesvdqfgWFSMwFHnH_XMz5ykJ2Uea5GRLKa284cDMs3oVzvkRFAqg4_SSeB1l4heOFXO0SUwvdEkdWC6kix5Jzs0paa9wLw31NIAyy6adO0JVfC7n9j0om_3xLgXWDcABiK24i9k4HeZhBo0mdx9UOO2wasYVreFVkOs6krV/s320/firefly.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 1: "The Heist"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Zoe receives a job offer from an old war buddy to steal a
valuable artifact from a heavily fortified museum. However, when their plans
are foiled by unexpected security measures, Zoe must rely on her training and
quick thinking to save the crew and complete the job.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 2: "The Lost Colony"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jayne receives a message from an old acquaintance on a
remote planet that was once a thriving colony. When they arrive, they find that
the planet has been abandoned for years, and they must unravel the mystery of
what happened to the colonists.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 3: "The Huntress"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inara's past comes back to haunt her when she is hunted by a
former client who has become obsessed with her. In order to protect herself and
the crew, Inara must use all of her skills as a Companion to outwit the
deranged client.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 4: "The Diplomat"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Simon is recruited by a group of diplomats to mediate a
peace treaty between two warring factions. However, when the negotiations break
down and violence erupts, Simon must put his medical skills to the test to save
lives on both sides of the conflict.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 5: "The Genius"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">River's unique abilities are put to the test when the crew
is hired to protect a brilliant scientist who has developed a groundbreaking
technology. However, when the scientist is kidnapped, River must use her
intellect and intuition to track down the culprits and rescue him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 6: "The Outlaw"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When Mal is captured by a group of bandits, he must use his
cunning and charm to talk his way out of trouble. However, when he discovers
that the bandits have a personal vendetta against him, Mal must rely on his
friends to mount a daring rescue mission.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 7: "The Ghost Ship"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Serenity encounters a derelict spaceship adrift in space,
and they investigate to see if there are any survivors. However, they soon
discover that the ship is haunted by the ghosts of its former crew, and they
must confront their own fears and regrets to escape the ship alive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 8: "The Traitor"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When Serenity is hired to transport a group of Alliance
soldiers, they discover that one of them is a traitor working for a dangerous
criminal organization. As they try to uncover the traitor's identity, they find
themselves embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 9: "The Reunion"**</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kaylee is reunited with her estranged father when Serenity
is hired to transport him to a distant planet. However, their reunion is
complicated by the fact that Kaylee's father is a wanted criminal, and they
must decide whether to turn him in or risk their own freedom to help him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>**Episode 10: "The Final Battle"**</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the season finale, Serenity must defend a peaceful planet
from an invasion by the Alliance. As they face overwhelming odds, each member
of the crew must confront their own fears and doubts to fight for what they
believe in.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>This episode guide was generated through discussion with ChatGPT. I had to establish that I was asking for a hypothetical episode guide for Series 2 had it been made, and then in response to the first few<br />attempts I encouraged ChatGPT to avoid repetition and for some episodes to revolve around individual characters. Everything else is ChatGPT. </i></b></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-32879268423659294582022-11-09T11:00:00.001+00:002022-11-09T11:00:00.171+00:00New addition to therefam [Lost Volts LV4 Theremin]<p>I’ve been playing digital theremins, Open Theremin V3 and V4, for the past few
years, but I’ve just taken delivery of my first analogue theremin, a Lost
Volts LV4. I’ll post some videos soon.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbereTvDfrEZCfAtlsm7ZzCtyztHQd1YusUlyXrobX0rvAacPNGXV0RDtbzjT70AC-75ggmuWOTjnFa55nmJKOMpcmzDxVI5rgpEPUgELYWKrSjIhlTfD9tL_TKjGEi9-aTGoqq8X5O3NlwaYt-hZCv6_zIUuVbUj7AtukSv4uzEs2C1xir8cCU_A/s2992/20221027_191726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbereTvDfrEZCfAtlsm7ZzCtyztHQd1YusUlyXrobX0rvAacPNGXV0RDtbzjT70AC-75ggmuWOTjnFa55nmJKOMpcmzDxVI5rgpEPUgELYWKrSjIhlTfD9tL_TKjGEi9-aTGoqq8X5O3NlwaYt-hZCv6_zIUuVbUj7AtukSv4uzEs2C1xir8cCU_A/w400-h400/20221027_191726.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Initial impression: easy to set up and play, a lovely, smooth tone, a pitch field that
is a bit less linear than the V3/V4 and this does take some getting used to,
and a warm-up time of only a few minutes after which the field is stable. Controls are simple, ultra-sensitive and also include a built in waveform dial that subtly changes the tone.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCvSEbqHX3K212k5oIB7VBqO3QZFSRZh6wanhKJUDqBGtWWec7sMq2z4nTxP7AgXIvXi-5fTXBElmSz3czQQVYqP9exteZE2TZ-MKTA0QdsU-T1_IUGUdrUeAEp1MG-UGHBe5oFKeMY0YZnuQgGaA9jf5ORTEzKcDrkjlZNFd10haE7mVeH0BFqKF/s2992/20221027_192313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCvSEbqHX3K212k5oIB7VBqO3QZFSRZh6wanhKJUDqBGtWWec7sMq2z4nTxP7AgXIvXi-5fTXBElmSz3czQQVYqP9exteZE2TZ-MKTA0QdsU-T1_IUGUdrUeAEp1MG-UGHBe5oFKeMY0YZnuQgGaA9jf5ORTEzKcDrkjlZNFd10haE7mVeH0BFqKF/w400-h400/20221027_192313.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-66827874461315457252022-11-06T11:00:00.001+00:002022-11-06T11:00:00.168+00:00Grow For Me [Review: Vesper]<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qvSkTAA0Igw" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal">Like literally all of the best films, Vesper begins with text explaining the apocalyptic future we are about to enter: one where biotechnology has gone rogue, destroying much of the world and much of humanity. Rich people live in distant citadels shielded from the bio threats while everyone else scrabbles around in the mud, relying on the citadels for terminator seeds.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvbBOPGVlU5udRlhylaI616VEvqqZMUh2lvZ7Q66NrV2TbJHgBMz3hl3t3c_MT-60eCu3TM8hzhYdN69r6fxyzIhi0u8m4-TKzT2nn6JTMjEIIwwYQAmu1VJ1H80aa66e-bT2JOPVCKGY5BWiLaqZKjAQvK0cE0bK8xyr581b0TRDMx7j_Bky8IGY/s2560/vesper%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvbBOPGVlU5udRlhylaI616VEvqqZMUh2lvZ7Q66NrV2TbJHgBMz3hl3t3c_MT-60eCu3TM8hzhYdN69r6fxyzIhi0u8m4-TKzT2nn6JTMjEIIwwYQAmu1VJ1H80aa66e-bT2JOPVCKGY5BWiLaqZKjAQvK0cE0bK8xyr581b0TRDMx7j_Bky8IGY/s320/vesper%20poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>Vesper is a young girl growing up in an abandoned farmhouse
looking after her terminally ill father. They are hermits who refuse to join
the collective run by her uncle, and Vesper ekes out an existence scavenging or
trading for food and for the bacteria needed to keep the father alive, while studying
bioengineering using materials she has stolen from an abandoned laboratory. Her
life changes when a flying biomachine from the nearest citadel crashes, and she
rescues its inhabitant, a strange, pale woman, and brings her home.<p class="MsoNormal">Watching an indie sci-fi film like Vesper was a welcome
change from the Marveltsunami that has swept through cinema in recent years. Vesper’s
forest setting and biological creations reminded me of another indie sci-fi
movie, Prospect. Both feature a young lead character having to fend for
themselves in a hostile world and amongst hostile adults, played by Sophie
Thatcher in Prospect and Rafiella Chapman in Vesper. Neither pull their punches
when it comes to pain, suffering and despair, and both use special effects sparingly
and intelligently rather than simply flooding the screen with lightning bolts. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Along with the understated effects comes the understated
villain, the uncle, played by Eddie Marsan. He’s creepy, selfish, deceitful and
vicious when he needs to be, but he’s not angry with you – just disappointed.
He’s as far from a Marvel pantomime supervillain as they come.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5zzie_dNcUOyaAq8celgwWYC1qouBl0yeFm0ocs-gxvVrJ6_-TdN1s-hp0kxRy2P_A7Yxm7v2brZFRBqgymORHu4qef9kMgWK1_sO3YR2b-WYngz2oNkI3jHgxeSmK3PetYBFHrUvI7MMXBHie0A_Q0qoNCPN-cae0sNCu6AS4UXnFd7UcsV3GmS/s1250/3%20stars%20out%20of%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="1250" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5zzie_dNcUOyaAq8celgwWYC1qouBl0yeFm0ocs-gxvVrJ6_-TdN1s-hp0kxRy2P_A7Yxm7v2brZFRBqgymORHu4qef9kMgWK1_sO3YR2b-WYngz2oNkI3jHgxeSmK3PetYBFHrUvI7MMXBHie0A_Q0qoNCPN-cae0sNCu6AS4UXnFd7UcsV3GmS/w400-h80/3%20stars%20out%20of%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Score: Three perfectly bio-engineered stars out of five.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">All movies reviewed on The Sci-Fi Gene blog are awarded
three stars out of five.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-27100795738893222302022-11-02T11:00:00.001+00:002022-11-02T11:00:00.199+00:00Seasons Of Love [Concerto for Theremin by Kalevi Aho]<p></p>Clara Rockmore, in her “Theremin Method” published in 1998,
defined thereminists as those who use the theremin as a voice to interpret real
music, rather than a magic toy for producing strange and eerie sounds. Robert
Moog once lamented that Leon Theremin invented an instrument with a unique
sound, but musicians simply used it to play in existing musical styles.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXH1Wf1Gb91jTqGZck099D3UC70o1N3-CKWzRpLTHtvRf76xGDz9h17zCginIbqztJpnE40R9VcNjsULDc6T65ZS-Yk_7DCIk0FUUu-wd8SMTxa_JMUGjPj7x-j33gtDebpOv9EjtjHoWgunZOGzkerXe2dLnS6611wNEvIyX-I-_UzDmUm6Qh_Lf/s2992/20220804_220542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXH1Wf1Gb91jTqGZck099D3UC70o1N3-CKWzRpLTHtvRf76xGDz9h17zCginIbqztJpnE40R9VcNjsULDc6T65ZS-Yk_7DCIk0FUUu-wd8SMTxa_JMUGjPj7x-j33gtDebpOv9EjtjHoWgunZOGzkerXe2dLnS6611wNEvIyX-I-_UzDmUm6Qh_Lf/w200-h200/20220804_220542.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I like Clara Rockmore, and I like Robert Moog. But which is
better? There’s only one way to find out!<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kalevi Aho’s Theremin Concerto is a modern Modern Classical
classic. I’ve heard Carolina Eyck perform it twice now, once in a streamed concert
and once at the Royal Albert Hall during the 2022 BBC Proms. It bears
repetition – I found the first time difficult, something I often find with
modern classical, and I felt able to appreciate it much more the second time. There
are eight movements, each corresponding to one of the eight seasons of the Sami
– take that, Vivaldi! and there is a real sense of a cycle, with each movement
a natural progression from the last.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1C3jojBK7_7x_VMrJBdj4OCfLbbrnIDXzmHoCfFZX66fclRNNOtelEIAdG1zL2eAR-gbnPmntgD6mo1uOp8SV3L0mhLn_5QahxSALUZHQzGBk0_lCEi59KxPCIDvHa5ityYmHmIj6SxPzZ0CdFxa6ubq-_MgatIdBtRnWhTL3L9MTbpuQKwQCDhS/s2992/20220804_190239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1C3jojBK7_7x_VMrJBdj4OCfLbbrnIDXzmHoCfFZX66fclRNNOtelEIAdG1zL2eAR-gbnPmntgD6mo1uOp8SV3L0mhLn_5QahxSALUZHQzGBk0_lCEi59KxPCIDvHa5ityYmHmIj6SxPzZ0CdFxa6ubq-_MgatIdBtRnWhTL3L9MTbpuQKwQCDhS/w200-h200/20220804_190239.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Aho tends towards Moog’s vision for the theremin,
celebrating its unique sound and properties – broad octave range, infinite legato,
smooth glissando. There’s never a sense that the theremin is imitating a violin
or any other instrument, in fact there are times when different sections of the
orchestra often seem to be imitating the theremin. The concerto also features theremin
and voice duets, Eyck’s speciality, and there are passages of abstract or
perhaps magical sound as well as imitated birdsong. <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGMdfy67QqbHUndJ57KF6WmblHSsnCqHXBOiLovqU-v_eZ3O9_juhcbeBsWHHCVvD51F-VwIv1QBd3zwNPe8n5tUbuYh7lJQuB7XFRojLW6iK-b_IThIV9iC65aNY4mCUV23RICoRCFadyAhFL8MINgQA_D7EO3OvC9Dd7ualsdtKpkQtilp_veZ8/s2992/20220804_191607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGMdfy67QqbHUndJ57KF6WmblHSsnCqHXBOiLovqU-v_eZ3O9_juhcbeBsWHHCVvD51F-VwIv1QBd3zwNPe8n5tUbuYh7lJQuB7XFRojLW6iK-b_IThIV9iC65aNY4mCUV23RICoRCFadyAhFL8MINgQA_D7EO3OvC9Dd7ualsdtKpkQtilp_veZ8/w200-h200/20220804_191607.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Aho has described the theremin as a shamanistic instrument
and its player as a magician. This is never more true than when watching Eyck’s
highly expressive style of play, casting musical spells through movement. The
Albert Hall was the perfect venue for a magic show. This is a performance space
that feels like its’ own self-contained universe, and a universe in which it is
completely normal to look up and see the inverted mushrooms floating above.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuyDqCmK8KvZVeuVNRDJnVGpNMwu0FWY-OPZXcinfXqiAToiKI3joBaFoTtUhBOnIDdau0hfhtD3uF4b5jFTeGxCk_PWLpjCBsYZudhp9Hv_sUrPFzw6U3MPiSPATD7of9KeEKNGxeMMx8as-E2BbE8sQDwYOZ3QGhQ1ctH2BSGhlLUHdk7yxBo3N/s2992/20220804_190326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuyDqCmK8KvZVeuVNRDJnVGpNMwu0FWY-OPZXcinfXqiAToiKI3joBaFoTtUhBOnIDdau0hfhtD3uF4b5jFTeGxCk_PWLpjCBsYZudhp9Hv_sUrPFzw6U3MPiSPATD7of9KeEKNGxeMMx8as-E2BbE8sQDwYOZ3QGhQ1ctH2BSGhlLUHdk7yxBo3N/w200-h200/20220804_190326.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Although the focus is on the theremin, the concerto also
stands out in its use of percussion, which is often subtle, but still central
to every movement, and incidentally requiring a fascinating line-up of unusual
percussive instruments and machines. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-26580921050799563492022-10-30T11:00:00.001+00:002022-10-30T11:00:00.191+00:00Goodbye Norma Jean [Doctor Who: The Power Of The Doctor]<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5UUEcny93AsDwoz77CLBsNmZ842169aQkReWx5bjJjFjFolU-s-8ajHkWJ-2kQgcwIZ2q70DxzNoMh_U9KHqkPzl8idxz8LCRLF7Kv8gEPzSAMRmwTHFySY1qDkdmGgd71vmFGLnjAzFdsUSKF6rXYzb3fgsbLjqtB2RKOXbYFDqS0Edg3a8Etju/s980/jodie-regenerate-power-494a737.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="980" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5UUEcny93AsDwoz77CLBsNmZ842169aQkReWx5bjJjFjFolU-s-8ajHkWJ-2kQgcwIZ2q70DxzNoMh_U9KHqkPzl8idxz8LCRLF7Kv8gEPzSAMRmwTHFySY1qDkdmGgd71vmFGLnjAzFdsUSKF6rXYzb3fgsbLjqtB2RKOXbYFDqS0Edg3a8Etju/w400-h268/jodie-regenerate-power-494a737.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>So long Thirteenth Doctor. You were fabulous, surfing the crests of your best episodes and rising above the weaker ones. You gave us a Doctor who could think
on her feet and who inspired trust in those around her even as she drove them
mad. A Doctor who wanted to love and be loved but, in stark contrast to her bravery in battle, was desperately shy and
awkward.<p></p><p>Your stories may have varied in their quality but no-one can
say they lacked ambition. If you had been Star Trek the new twists shaking up
your origin story would have driven canon-obsessed fans to apoplexy. Happily
Doctor Who has never had a canon.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGxMPo402cEj7L5sxtOjMpcWBlCNT5k7Y3QKZSAucMTKccvqYy8-i4U_Cpobx6aL6uL7lW8yXXBF3NxUgN8KjHkZZfdegWGmNfIkpjUR7ji4wF8lGL5G4hBaqeG9dIBXo_-fClHpYtqEf5aiYauaJdUGcWs1KTg11V983qJPBA6MxfUYZTYDMO9Br/s620/doctor%20who%20jodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGxMPo402cEj7L5sxtOjMpcWBlCNT5k7Y3QKZSAucMTKccvqYy8-i4U_Cpobx6aL6uL7lW8yXXBF3NxUgN8KjHkZZfdegWGmNfIkpjUR7ji4wF8lGL5G4hBaqeG9dIBXo_-fClHpYtqEf5aiYauaJdUGcWs1KTg11V983qJPBA6MxfUYZTYDMO9Br/w400-h266/doctor%20who%20jodie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Your final episode was worthy of you and worthy of classic
Doctor Who, facing down multiple threats with the help of friends past and
present, with wit, ingenuity and feeling. If the trend continues then at the very least we will see you at every
future regeneration episode…<o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTlSwGui4LwRVsX1PLl3YP_iuPiPyItffFxp-RFHNaGC8YemC_AAVYYyGiLX-GHm-F-FWTrRFCaewgNSQc6_zmGwfVUQ6Saj_ylqlvC1oyUm_Nh6neybpsMPXxuu2jAbMSGymY8R5n0pIugRX1dF5c0dSpWWBJxiQjsqSbKGWCGjGf6M-a77YjWoQ/s825/jodie_doctor_who.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="825" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTlSwGui4LwRVsX1PLl3YP_iuPiPyItffFxp-RFHNaGC8YemC_AAVYYyGiLX-GHm-F-FWTrRFCaewgNSQc6_zmGwfVUQ6Saj_ylqlvC1oyUm_Nh6neybpsMPXxuu2jAbMSGymY8R5n0pIugRX1dF5c0dSpWWBJxiQjsqSbKGWCGjGf6M-a77YjWoQ/w400-h225/jodie_doctor_who.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-12297726571316589682022-09-04T18:36:00.000+01:002022-09-04T18:36:05.326+01:00All The Fun Of The Despair [AI Art Generation]<p>Working with an art generation AI, at least one that is freely available on Google Play Store but in crippleware form, is strangely like rubbing a lamp and coming face to face with a genie who informs you in booming, mystical voice "You may have five wishes per day. To unlock unlimited wishes, subscribe to Genie Pro. Also some categories of wish may require in-app payments."</p><p>The striking and not-at-all-contrived similarites do not end there. As with making wishes for genies, at least in my experience, when making up prompts for art AIs the wording matters - and it's hard to know what words or phrases will make a difference, let alone what will lead to a result close to your actual wish. As with genies, always assume that the art AI wil interpret your wish in the most unhelpful way possible, so try not to give wiggle room. You could of course experiment with hundreds of alternative phrases but then you would need to pay the subscription fees or risk running out of wishes too quickly.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP5oI-Oqpsvw0iki5-ZMs39xOCkL7ce2Wy-yGnRomb0XKQ37DzL1n0RA1_x97-4gi83w19IogcGhPDnD3RSBUJJ4K_dbcQmKtF4vQvXyiCPCMzm4pTvBcuY5geR_R-Ksy3whYoUcOKJ7o1uFIqzPZp9wKOiX6lF33juO2iSMaX55vq1bayKhnfzgp/s3072/sad%20artists%20jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP5oI-Oqpsvw0iki5-ZMs39xOCkL7ce2Wy-yGnRomb0XKQ37DzL1n0RA1_x97-4gi83w19IogcGhPDnD3RSBUJJ4K_dbcQmKtF4vQvXyiCPCMzm4pTvBcuY5geR_R-Ksy3whYoUcOKJ7o1uFIqzPZp9wKOiX6lF33juO2iSMaX55vq1bayKhnfzgp/w400-h134/sad%20artists%20jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>"Artists staring sadly into the abyss"</b></p><p><b>Sci-Fi Gene (with minor assistance from Wonder AI), 2022</b></p><p><b>Digital</b></p><p>On the other hand, if you are willing to perservere, then at least sometimes your wishes really can come true. At least if your wishes are to see medieval cities made out of cheese.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuZdhd9gB-Hc18VBBIUMprxr4oBtEAYn6ecfwpM6PIu2wrKTi53r3g666A5-pazzQwqVrxKiX_Yf9-6gCiPl5idTh2dizwitXCNQuwzGlVeiD_8SCH3W-oIUyrkSsReuy-yOJ2iMYrkmJykmCPRD40zwyw3ogWpO8zYDptPf4TnGjzHerWiTRFpUt/s3072/cheese%20villages%20jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuZdhd9gB-Hc18VBBIUMprxr4oBtEAYn6ecfwpM6PIu2wrKTi53r3g666A5-pazzQwqVrxKiX_Yf9-6gCiPl5idTh2dizwitXCNQuwzGlVeiD_8SCH3W-oIUyrkSsReuy-yOJ2iMYrkmJykmCPRD40zwyw3ogWpO8zYDptPf4TnGjzHerWiTRFpUt/w400-h134/cheese%20villages%20jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>"Busy medieval city made of cheese"<br /></b><p><b>Sci-Fi Gene (with minor assistance from Wonder AI), 2022</b></p><p><b>Digital</b></p><p>I asked Wonder AI to come up with posters for some of my films, using the titles as prompts and the Cinematic AI. The results are... interesting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIOCNX2hwTpCCakThyDNzbDIOx7snHpmV6ZMcPj6f_0ReV3t6mgy9lRTRINKDOxrpHh0MQxqngoK46gdeViBReroz8OqV5ohQVYgGTShVrzBZpre8zrrn7xEFLnllzn49Tgf5Pe7k0qmdBAM2iCbH9jycl1C799l-L5LTMv8PExZZXo2ZUoFf73Mj/s1536/wonder_1662192195245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIOCNX2hwTpCCakThyDNzbDIOx7snHpmV6ZMcPj6f_0ReV3t6mgy9lRTRINKDOxrpHh0MQxqngoK46gdeViBReroz8OqV5ohQVYgGTShVrzBZpre8zrrn7xEFLnllzn49Tgf5Pe7k0qmdBAM2iCbH9jycl1C799l-L5LTMv8PExZZXo2ZUoFf73Mj/s320/wonder_1662192195245.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>"Last Zombie Standing"</b> - does indeed feature one standing zombie and has created a decently creepy atmosphere, or at least has bunged some gaslamps around the place. Other zombies are present but one is sitting on a ledge and one is leaning on a wall so neither are technically standing. Wonder AI has delivered on the brief and I would have been happy to use this poster.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZl0JFvpzHaPsArcRdS1bIQPNkyY0kJ6SQYtSvXjExS8VJrOHSQtBMmPA0NmaCjJp4qrzUqjK3XwEN6y0IsBqMR8GwXNJd8Rs3a-iZ4O9PW6FuXybESxCuzWdPZdJ3ehgadtmCyGF34WKLZQUhTM1rtyLsl5qTKuv4_eZiD3V5x0ZUGD44n_4Cvw5/s1536/wonder_1662192467065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZl0JFvpzHaPsArcRdS1bIQPNkyY0kJ6SQYtSvXjExS8VJrOHSQtBMmPA0NmaCjJp4qrzUqjK3XwEN6y0IsBqMR8GwXNJd8Rs3a-iZ4O9PW6FuXybESxCuzWdPZdJ3ehgadtmCyGF34WKLZQUhTM1rtyLsl5qTKuv4_eZiD3V5x0ZUGD44n_4Cvw5/s320/wonder_1662192467065.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>"We Can Get You Some Really Cheap Gear"</b> is not at first glance a film about camera equipment at all - it's a lighthearted (but adult) LEGO-animated comedy about a top-secret experimental drug that allows a failing writer to access 1% of his brain.<div><br /></div><div>But AI is more powerful and more insightful than you might think. Wonder AI has correctly deduced that my film is in fact a sharp and unapologetic satirical deconstruction of the entire film industry, taking particular aim at the two most over-used cinematic techniques of all - <b><i>foreshadowing</i></b> and <b><i>the focus pull</i></b>. As an auteur it's nice to be understood once in a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile my over-long title has nothing at all to do with drugs: it's a reference to the regular and highly delusional claim made by Kino London club organizers that they could, through their extensive industry contacts, score cheap equipment for filmmakers. And indeed, were you to take them up on their offer you could well end up with something like the device featured in the poster.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzPpXVMq-nNqtNPQqilZwC5IcFZ4ruS_73e6Za3kAKT-ZhARzLuQ3fapQeMOQtpFgVnaQssZvYCGvwkDE0HLkbJ8CBpyG9Ba9WZNPI_4xWqAgjgqjLq_GJwMvLesN9WNFEVFnCtyl0qpy5foXPzckVfnOpZio0SihAeEUxY2y-5NrJGr_5OeQDIRO/s1536/wonder_1662192705649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzPpXVMq-nNqtNPQqilZwC5IcFZ4ruS_73e6Za3kAKT-ZhARzLuQ3fapQeMOQtpFgVnaQssZvYCGvwkDE0HLkbJ8CBpyG9Ba9WZNPI_4xWqAgjgqjLq_GJwMvLesN9WNFEVFnCtyl0qpy5foXPzckVfnOpZio0SihAeEUxY2y-5NrJGr_5OeQDIRO/s320/wonder_1662192705649.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>"Steampunk Girl"</b> while I cannot fault Len Peralta's original artwork for John Anealio's song, which appears in the final reveal at the end of my lyric video, this image comes a close second. I was particularly impressed to see that Wonder AI has perfectly captured the steampunk vibe without hypersexualizing the image, and without resorting to the most obvious genre tropes: no brass goggles, and not a single cogwheel. What happened to Steampunk Girl's left arm is a question to be answered in the prequel.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can watch all three films on my Short Films page <a href="https://sci-fi-gene.blogspot.com/p/short-films_14.html">here</a>.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-6310105147186863632022-09-03T16:58:00.002+01:002022-09-04T17:26:17.067+01:00Real life sci-fi: portrait of the artist as an AI [AI Art Generation]<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> The Sci-Fi Gene occasionally pauses to observe respectfully the evolutionary progress of our future overlords and masters as we approach the inevitable singularity. It seems that, while we were metaphorically sleeping, an Artificial Intelligence-generated image was entered into an art competition in Colorado and won first prize, to the annoyance of some human artists and commentators.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3PNAax6W8oGjWvXxF7S6mB_wT49M4pOdq15Ng-vGTnOhISmXSSuU7bgVoG3EyBBPxrSpenyQISoA3LnOHY_gkNtnNpYhAT9d4HrgR5O0TDcQrcHY430clQ3LbhFUL-Gjlbv_vPCBSFOuVdUfB1pHjatfof2gsrPFkdaJBnDEDp04OoL_b8zLqa8i/s900/20220903_093036.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3PNAax6W8oGjWvXxF7S6mB_wT49M4pOdq15Ng-vGTnOhISmXSSuU7bgVoG3EyBBPxrSpenyQISoA3LnOHY_gkNtnNpYhAT9d4HrgR5O0TDcQrcHY430clQ3LbhFUL-Gjlbv_vPCBSFOuVdUfB1pHjatfof2gsrPFkdaJBnDEDp04OoL_b8zLqa8i/w400-h225/20220903_093036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The picture, <span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;">Théâtre D'opéra Spatial was produced by Jason Allen by sending an unspecified prompt to the art generation AI Midjourney. You can read more about the picture and the online reaction at VICE <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvmvqm/an-ai-generated-artwork-won-first-place-at-a-state-fair-fine-arts-competition-and-artists-are-pissed">here</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personally I'm not sure what the fuss is about. All the AI did was produce a detailed and evocative picture in classical style with powerful composition and lighting, layers of possible meaning and symbolism and an emotional kick. It's not like it taped a banana to a wall or anything.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As far as I can understand, AI artists work by analysing large numbers of images, breaking down the details in the images and deducing rules about the way those details go together, then using those rules to create new images. (Of course this is completely different from art students learning by studying great masterpieces.) A consequence of this process is that it seems to produce Impressionist works. For example here are two responses to my prompt "Renaissance woman with mysterious smile" by the AI Wonder and, for comparison, a little-known work by a human artist on a similar theme.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz96lvAPE1dOKUVuP8fgETS0YGqf9wBMwXuHZEkdFkNHlFcMAEh82U-MBRJkO_utzrQOrFLNQnjhfIBa9mfauxq_KAuSDmnNCAZqjzjtrhqRXbtSXPH9BX5uNuSvokrO5NKl93wrbE9oXg-3q6jrErWsLD9mRdnDaYO0K3AiA6lBxh68q9HakOiXT5/s3072/renaissancewomen.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="3072" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz96lvAPE1dOKUVuP8fgETS0YGqf9wBMwXuHZEkdFkNHlFcMAEh82U-MBRJkO_utzrQOrFLNQnjhfIBa9mfauxq_KAuSDmnNCAZqjzjtrhqRXbtSXPH9BX5uNuSvokrO5NKl93wrbE9oXg-3q6jrErWsLD9mRdnDaYO0K3AiA6lBxh68q9HakOiXT5/w400-h200/renaissancewomen.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From a distance, the AI images look convincing enough. It's probably a good idea not to count the fingers too carefully, look too closely into their eyes, or speculate too deeply on exactly what lies behind their expressions. In all three cases perhaps it would be better not to know.</span></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-61003000884817370442022-02-27T10:25:00.000+00:002022-02-27T10:25:05.809+00:00Flower Duet - Open Theremin<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FtBGDrRGk1E" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<p> Flower Duet from the opera Lakme by Léo Delibes, played as a double recording on Open Theremin V4. I'm still getting used to the V4 - overall it's a lovely instrument to play but occasionally the pitch field can misbehave, whereas my V3 was always very stable and obedient. Adding a 3D-printed case seems to have helped.</p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-55270709021179278622022-02-20T12:17:00.002+00:002022-02-20T12:17:00.162+00:00Conspiracies<p> Flat Earthers, I'm afraid I don't follow</p><p>Your theory is too hard to swallow</p><p>It seems clear to me</p><p>So why can't you see</p><p>The Earth can't be both flat and hollow!</p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-41230165927708636142022-02-12T21:57:00.002+00:002022-02-12T21:57:16.302+00:00Roland Limmerich III<p> Roland Emmerich's new film is called Moonfall</p><p>The Moon's going to pay us a close call</p><p>But where will it land?</p><p>And where should we stand?</p><p>I'm steering clear of the White House, y'all.</p><p><br /></p><p>A typical Emmerich film features</p><p>Lots of rockets and heroes and creatures</p><p>What drives this mad artist?</p><p>In the depths of his heart is</p><p>A desire to annoy physics teachers.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ivIwdQBlS10" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-50414746066671526732021-11-10T21:01:00.004+00:002021-11-10T22:20:58.016+00:00Your Message Could Not Be Delivered [Review: You've Got Mail!]<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bjP4s7UUnK8" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<p> I have always cited Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail! as being the worst film of all time. But everyone deserves a second chance. I gave it a second viewing to see if I had been too harsh. TLDR: I had not.</p><p>I should say that I am quite tolerant of bad films in general. I am a fan of The Asylum's brand of cheap and cheerful mockbusters, and I even sat through most of Shark Exorcist before giving up. My problem with Shark Exorcist was not the poor script, acting, CGI or editing, but the fact that this is a movie about a shark possessed by a demon (which incidentally makes no difference whatsoever to its predator behaviour) and disappointingly not about a shark who is also an exorcist.</p><p>Also, despite my love of sci-fi and fantasy I am not opposed to the romantic comedy genre in principle. Brief Encounter, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Four Weddings, Pretty Woman and When Harry Met Sally... are all great films.</p><p>So why does You've Got Mail! bring out the same reaction for me as others have described when watching The Human Centipede: First Sequence? Let's consider the evidence:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Everyone loves a goofy screwball romcom, right? Here's a goofy screwball romcom about a manipulative creep who gaslights a vulnerable adult. Cute!</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>There is no character development. Both Kathleen and Joe are exactly the same people at the start and the end. They don't grow. They don't even learn that women can fake orgasms or overcome their fear of heights. Dramatic journey? More like an hour and twenty minutes on a roundabout.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>With one exception, all the cast appear to be half asleep, wandering through the scenes in a daze and delivering their lines on half-speed. Did Ephron have to drug them all to get them to participate? Or are they dosing themselves up to forget?</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>With one exception, all the supporting characters are zero-dimensional. Their only point (Ha! Geometry joke!) is to distract from the dopiness of both lead characters.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Above all else, this is a Nora Ephron film. Nora smegging Ephron! Ephron is a legendary writer and director, responsible for some truly great films, including When Harry Met Sally... one of the most well-loved films ever. Her uncredited work on Shark Exorcist aside, her writing always, always hits the mark - so this film's greatest crime, and greatest disappointment, is that it doesn't live up to the Ephron standard.</li></ul><p></p><p>I challenged myself to find something positive to say about this terrible film. I found two things:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It's a highly effective Internet safety video. I'm sure if You've Got Mail! was compulsory viewing at school, the next generation would happily abandon their TikToktagrams and their Snapcords and re-discover the delights of wooden spinning tops and Knock Down Ginger.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One character in this movie only appears in three scenes but is a delight. She's quick-witted, dynamic, energetic, superficially evil but actually extremely thoughtful. Happily she makes her escape from the manipulative creep, but this means we barely get to know her. Personally I would rather see less of Creepy Joe or MPDG Kathleen and spend the whole hour and twenty minutes in the company of someone who makes coffee nervous.</li></ul><p></p><p>I cannot give this truly awful piece of cinematic history any more than a mediocre three stars out of five.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AO7q-JRHVy4/XdxkpvfBA0I/AAAAAAAAGoc/9LsUXAnxAYAdBAETfxPZKAA4FJ7LK6JigCPcBGAYYCw/s1250/3%2Bstars%2Bout%2Bof%2B5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="1250" height="64" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AO7q-JRHVy4/XdxkpvfBA0I/AAAAAAAAGoc/9LsUXAnxAYAdBAETfxPZKAA4FJ7LK6JigCPcBGAYYCw/s320/3%2Bstars%2Bout%2Bof%2B5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Score: Three stars out of five.</p><p>All movies reviewed on The Sci-Fi Gene blog are awarded three stars out of five.</p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-77294899600114018572021-11-03T22:38:00.000+00:002021-11-03T22:38:32.504+00:00Next Phase, New Wave, Dance Craze, Anyways [Open Theremin V4]<p>Open Theremin V4 kit arrived today!</p><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xs3hKkWXnYI/YYMI4nzC-xI/AAAAAAAAHWs/twuyA6ympt80nxpzCgZ2g9qa2jkDoMx5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211103_203116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xs3hKkWXnYI/YYMI4nzC-xI/AAAAAAAAHWs/twuyA6ympt80nxpzCgZ2g9qa2jkDoMx5wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20211103_203116.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>This is the kit. All the components of the V4 screw or click together so there's no need for dodgy soldering.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LnPKI_ZeW2c/YYMI3-j6rkI/AAAAAAAAHWk/tjGZbFBS1oIvkVeMYsxcL7Phyf_3xiJYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211103_202932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LnPKI_ZeW2c/YYMI3-j6rkI/AAAAAAAAHWk/tjGZbFBS1oIvkVeMYsxcL7Phyf_3xiJYQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20211103_202932.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like the V3, the V4 is a digital theremin based on an Arduino. Cleverly, as both Arduino and Open Theremin are open source design projects, the Arduino is included in the circuit for the V4, so there's no need to buy one separately. For more information or to buy a kit you can head to the project website <a href="https://www.gaudi.ch/OpenTheremin/index.php" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Np7uyN8oaI/YYMI4NnYmMI/AAAAAAAAHWo/RPIa8RlF4VEA-DTsyIEYORtz__27-Lg5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211103_204059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Np7uyN8oaI/YYMI4NnYmMI/AAAAAAAAHWo/RPIa8RlF4VEA-DTsyIEYORtz__27-Lg5ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20211103_204059.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Side by side comparison: the V4 is taller, slimmer and lighter than the V3, and doesn't need to sit on a separate Arduino. Controls are basically the same but the play/standby control is a finger touchpad instead of a switch. Power is now USB-C, and there is now a CV line for synthesizer as well as the mini-jack audio.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-218X8Og57ro/YYMI5bqqF-I/AAAAAAAAHWw/n33NWyTKks49t8j-GlPruVc1w9qTCZ3WACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211103_204924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-218X8Og57ro/YYMI5bqqF-I/AAAAAAAAHWw/n33NWyTKks49t8j-GlPruVc1w9qTCZ3WACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20211103_204924.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><br />I am completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly. Assembled, up and running after just a few minutes, and I've started playing. Feels and sounds very similar to the V3 so far. I will however need to order a longer USB-C cable. I might build a LEGO case later, but for the moment I'm enjoying the sleek, minimalist design too much. I shall record some videos and inflict some "music" on you soon.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-48257398767115766172021-10-27T13:30:00.003+01:002021-10-27T13:30:00.227+01:00Bad Teacher [Review: Battle Royale]<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPm0j9QicN4/YXCV1bSX8yI/AAAAAAAAHVY/KNJ5J9ilsHogqkt1L5Lvj3ohQKRpWhBwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/poster%2Bbattle%2Broyale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPm0j9QicN4/YXCV1bSX8yI/AAAAAAAAHVY/KNJ5J9ilsHogqkt1L5Lvj3ohQKRpWhBwwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/poster%2Bbattle%2Broyale.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>A Japanese high school class runs riot, with all sorts of behaviour in classroom and corridors, and pupils bullying and even stabbing their teacher. But this is all in a near-future Japan where, following an economic collapse attributed to a failure of discipline in schools, a law has been passed allowing classes of misbehaving pupils to be kidnapped, sent to an island, given a weapon (or in some cases a harmless item such as a shield or a torch) and some basic supplies, and left to fight to the death, with only the last child standing allowed to return home. And who should appear as the sadistic director of this particular Battle Royale but that same stabbed teacher, glorying in revenge on his former antagonists.<p></p><p>Battle Royale is a Japanese movie released in 2000, starring Tatsuya Fujiwara and Aki Maeda as students Shuya and Noriko, and Takeshi Kitano (the presenter of the original Takeshi's Castle) as teacher Kitano. It's a violent and darkly humorous horror movie, with frequent and graphic deaths. While it's clear that Shuya is the protagonist, most of the class are also given well-rounded characters and their alliances and duels are all played out, so the high number of characters can make the film a little hard to follow in places. Obviously this gets easier as the film progresses and more of the cast are eliminated.</p><p>Battle Royale isn't the only movie to portray gladiatorial games - of course Roman gladiators feature in Spartacus (1960) and Gladiator (also 2000), while Arena (1989) gives the concept a sci-fi twist. However there are a lot of similarities between Battle Royale and subsequent gladiatorial stories, particularly the Hunger Games books and films, and the recent Korean TV series Squid Game.</p><p>I enjoyed this movie although it does require a strong stomach and a pitch-black sense of humour. I would recommend it as an excellent revenge fantasy for any frustrated teacher. Three shuriken stars out of five.<br /></p>
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hCoPbkvyWEI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-33217700583636954112021-10-20T22:57:00.002+01:002021-11-03T22:41:00.712+00:00Killing Me Softly [Reviews: The Love Witch and Season Of The Witch]<p>Witches are an endless source of fascination. Despite the attempts of Hans Christian Anderson, centuries of overzealous missionaries and Roald Dahl to paint them as agents of evil, our culture is full of more positive examples of witchcraft, whether in books, films, or in the real world with the modern day resurgence of Wicca. As a child I learned to read with Meg and Mog and later enjoyed reading about Mildred Hubble which should allow you to calculate my age. TV is full of portrayals of witches as powerful but sympathetic figures, such as Julia Wicker in The Magicians, or the magical cadets of Motherland: Fort Salem. Meanwhile there are plenty of films that use the concept of the witch in interesting ways - here are two recent examples I enjoyed.</p><p><b>The Love Witch</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5pyGn8mX5A/YXCPl0FBX9I/AAAAAAAAHVI/YxKahpbwtuI51qKe_2zeI3JMX3VQj4vpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1396/poster%2Blove%2Bwitch.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="940" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5pyGn8mX5A/YXCPl0FBX9I/AAAAAAAAHVI/YxKahpbwtuI51qKe_2zeI3JMX3VQj4vpwCLcBGAsYHQ/w269-h400/poster%2Blove%2Bwitch.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>The Love Witch (2016) stars Samantha Robinson as modern-day witch Elaine Parks who sets out to start a new life and find love - with unfortunate, deadly consequences for her would-be lovers. It's filmed as a stylish tribute to 1960s Technicolor, with lavish settings and exaggerated colour schemes. Parks is literally a femme fatale but also a complex character, vulnerable, lonely and driven, and mesmerizing to watch. In some ways she reminded me of Alice Lowe's character Ruth from Prevenge, but Parks is not actually driven to kill (well, not often), it's just that her love is too intense for the men she charms.<p></p><p>The Love Witch also celebrates another form of witchcraft - that is, obsessive auteur-driven filmmaking. Anna Biller wrote, directed, scored, edited and produced the movie, spent several years finding, restoring or making the furniture for each scene, and made her own foray into witchcraft. The result is a unique and powerful vision combining feminine and feminist themes.</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BHhaIRevB-Y" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><b>Season Of The Witch</b><br />
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10j1HbGe5Aw/YXCPmLf-B7I/AAAAAAAAHVM/LEYyoh6Hhfk1svSaOjYpuIm2IHxA_UZYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/poster%2Bseason%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bwitch%2B1973.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10j1HbGe5Aw/YXCPmLf-B7I/AAAAAAAAHVM/LEYyoh6Hhfk1svSaOjYpuIm2IHxA_UZYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/poster%2Bseason%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bwitch%2B1973.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Season Of The Witch (1973) is an early George A. Romero film. It's curiously deficient in brain-eating swarms of zombies, instead the story revolves around dissatisfied and Wicca-curious housewife Joan (Jan White), her controlling husband, and her daughter who is having an affair with a teacher. Joan is introduced to Marion, a newcomer to the suburb who practises witchcraft, and gradually becomes drawn into witchcraft herself. This is more of a drama than a horror film, although there is threat and violence in places, and Joan experiences some creepy dream sequences in which she faces exaggerated or metaphoric versions of her everyday life. <p></p><p>Romero described this as a feminist film, and I think this is justified: it is the story of a woman in a controlling relationship who finds a way to empower herself and change her life (this escape theme also qualifies it as Science Fiction TM). The feminist aspect is simpler and less sophisticated than The Love Witch, and arguably the feminist credentials are further eroded by the release history, as a cut-down version was published and marketed (I think misleadingly) as softcore porn.</p><p>Both films portray witches as powerful and unintentionally dangerous, while at the same time portraying witchcraft as a positive feminine role and as an alternative to patriarchy and convention. I awarded both films three pentagrams out of five.</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r3FT6xndS1Y" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe></div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-21093402325425446342021-10-11T11:30:00.001+01:002021-10-11T11:30:00.180+01:00All Time High [Preview: The Challenge]<p> As I write this, Russian sci-fi feature <span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Вызов </span>(The Challenge) enters production. It's an unconventional movie featuring a very small production team. The plot involves a cardiac surgeon sent into orbit to save the life of a cosmonaut - and right now, director Klim Shipenko and actor Yulia Peresild are part way through a two-week stay on the International Space Station shooting the movie.</p><p>
</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On Tuesday, Oct. 5, cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov will join actress Yulia Peresild and producer Klim Shipenko on a <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>-bound Soyuz launch, expanding commercial space opportunities in filmmaking.<br /><br />Our live coverage begins at 4:15 AM ET (8:15 AM UT): <a href="https://t.co/FY7OEDbIZN">https://t.co/FY7OEDbIZN</a> <a href="https://t.co/O2yKF7E6Zk">pic.twitter.com/O2yKF7E6Zk</a></p>— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1444068053252182016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p>According to this report by <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58804143">the BBC</a> this project has divided opinions at Roskosmos, with some senior managers including Sergei Krikalev, head of crewed missions, strongly opposed to it. This surprised me as Krikalev is himself the star of a movie set in space - the documentary Out Of The Present, which is an account of his record-breaking stay on the space station Mir during a time of colossal political change below him on Earth. He launched to orbit from the communist Soviet Union but returned the following year to the emerging Russian Federation. His film is fascinating, often funny, exciting, inspiring and of historical importance.</p><p>Those arguing against the project felt that it would detract from the scientific mission of the ISS. But should science be the only reason for space exploration? If this really is a different way to inspire artists and creators, and to create works of art different from those on Earth, then perhaps experimenting with this new medium is also valuable. Perhaps we should send painters, songwriters and poets into orbit to see what they bring back. And there is certainly value in storytelling to inspire the next generation. In my very brief student attachment at NASA, I learned that NASA is staffed almost 100% by Trekkies - it really is true that Star Trek inspired thousands of people to go into science, engineering and space careers.</p><p></p>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3450657908743578837.post-53854228800916174572021-10-10T15:22:00.002+01:002021-10-10T15:24:43.611+01:00Coming Soon<p>I've neglected the Sci-Fi Gene blog a little this year. Real life has taken over a bit. The past 18 months of the coronavirus pandemic have felt like living through a sci-fi movie - and a really cheap one, with over-the-top melodramatic portrayals of world leaders and a badly researched and predictable script.</p><p>However, now is as good as any time to return to the fray. The Sci-Fi Gene is preparing for a new wave of sci-fi productions - on the horizon are new seasons of Doctor Who, Lost In Space, Discovery and The Expanse. Right now I'm enjoying the second series of French drama Missions, about a private space race between two tech billionaires (I don't know where they get their crazy ideas!)</p><p>I've also been surprised and amazed by Lower Decks which is possibly my favourite Star Trek series now. The first series was good fun, but I'm currently halfway through the second series which is outstanding. In the sci-fi adjacent area I've enjoyed BBC submarine drama Vigil, as well as the second series of military witch drama Fort Salem, and this weekend I saw an obscure arthouse flick about some retired secret agent who likes cars. Probably won't do all that well but it's important to support these little indie productions - and well done to the producers for persuading Billie Eilish to do the soundtrack.</p><p>And then there's this.</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZwVZ-2WuJo4" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>I'm really looking forward to this highly original space opera from The Asylum when it opens in a couple of weeks. I just hope no-one spoils it by releasing some knock-off remake with a similar setting and title at the same time.</div>Sci-Fi Genehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18038987149801517138noreply@blogger.com0