Jimbo's Journal

AKA Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan
AKA The Host
AKA Lorne
(from Angel)

Andy Hallett, a singer who gained fame portraying a green-skinned demon on the dark vampire series "Angel," died Sunday night at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office said Tuesday. He was 33.

Hallett had called 911 Sunday evening complaining of shortness of breath, said Ed Winter, a coroner's spokesman. The actor was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m.

He also played a "student" in the Buffy episode HUSH, according to IMDb

Apparently he had struggled with heart disease for several years.  33 years old - how sad.

So I finally progressed to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode.  I'm a big fan of musicals, BUT I always seem to prefer live stage versions to television or movie versions.  I went and saw my college's production of Guys and Dolls FOUR times (though I saw every play they put on during my tenure).  To this day I think it is the best musical I have seen, and that includes both the film version of Guys starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando and also the (off?) Broadway version of The Phantom of the Opera which I saw in New York several years ago.  



Anyway, on to Buffy.  While watching the episode I was somewhat offput by the corniness of it.  This isn't really all that uncommon when normal boundaries of a genre are crossed (imo), but I couldn't help the occasional "OMG!!"  Two days later, I watched the Special Features including Behind the Scenes, Sing-alongs, and Commentary and then a few bits of the episode again.  I felt much more comfortable about it.  Joss Whedon has a talent for crossing genres.  He also has a way of not losing the main focus of the story in the spectacle.  I was stunned when I learned that he had written the episode's story and lyrics, recorded demo versions (with the help of his wife) and presented it all to the producers before the season even started.



What I am saying is ..... Next time the Buffy Musical Sing-along comes around ..... let me know.....  ;)

Friday, after work I went to a few stores looking for a couple things for my condo.  I didn't find them, but I wound up buying four DVDs at Target: U-571, Cast Away, Desperado, and The Ninth Gate for $5.50ea.

Saturday I went to see Harry Potter.  I enjoyed it quite a bit.  It is pretty dark, which is a good thing in my book.  I plan on reading the book again (maybe next, after I finish Slaughterhouse Five), since I don't remember much about it.  I seem to be hearing a good number of people complaining that the movie strays too far from the book.  This is a complaint that I am rapidly getting tired of.  It ISN'T the book.  If you want the EXACT book, then read the book.  I also watched a finished Angel Season 2. One word: FRED!

Sunday, I watched Monser House.  I liked it a lot.  It is very well made, and actually a good solid story and somewhat creepy.  I also watched the original Battlestar Galactica movie.  I found some parts much better than I expected and other parts worse.  It was fun to see characters with the same names as the new show, but COMPLETELY different: Athena, for example.  There were also maybe a couple "subplots" which were brought back and used in the new show, such as the religious zealots voicing objections to the prostitute (amusingly called a "Socialator" in the original series; new episode=2.14 Black Market?).  

Then I tried to update my wireless router and wound up losing my internet connection capability.  I haven't figured out what went wrong or how to fix it yet, if I need to buy new hardware, etc.

I've never had any problem with Friday the 13th.  It's a Friday, so how bad could it be.  Plus it seems to make some people paranoid, which I find amusing.  It's also payday.  :)

To top it all off, [Channel 48 (TNT? FX?) on my cable] which plays syndicated episodes of Buffy just happened to be playing HUSH this morning.  Awesome!  On that note, when I finally saw HUSH within the context of the show (as opposed to just seeing it as it's own episode previously) a month or so ago, it almost seemed to impact me less.  I think I finally figured out why.  First, why did the group meet in the classroom lecture hall when there was no college staff present?  Also, I just noticed that the Gentlemen seemed to pick out (somewhat) specific people's hearts to take - why not just go into the six houses closest to the clock tower building instead of going all over town?

Note:  These are just nitpicky things which occurred to me and don't really detract from my enjoyment of THE BEST Buffy episode EVER!

OMG!!!  This episode (two parts) had it all:  Back story on Angel, Buffy's enlistment as a Slayer (with Richard Riehle taking on the role Donald Sutherland played in the movie*), Buffy's mom learning the truth, Spike bcoming "good" (or at least helping by becoming the enemy of Buffy's enemy), Oz, Willow's first (?) brush with witchcraft, Drusilla being awesome (I'm really starting to like her character after a bumpy start), some very touching scenes between combinations of Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and Oz, Principal Snider expelling Buffy (on orders from the mayor, whom I hear is one kick ass villain in season three - but don't spoil anything for me), a "good" demon named Whistler (is this a theme in vampire lore that I didn't know about?), an appearance from gorgeous former Sunnydale High teacher Jenny Calendar (of sorts) ........   Some good one-liners, also, including referring to the petrified demon named Acathla as Alfalfa and Al Franken.

All that and I'm sure that I am forgetting something.  Damn, I can't wait for Season 3!!!!

Now I'm off to play the new PS2 game I just bought: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds




*Do any of these scenes coincide with the Kristy Swanson movie?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Episode 2.11 - TED

John Ritter plays Buffy's mom's boyfriend.  Everyone seems to take an instant liking to him  (and his cooking, why is that?) except Buffy.  As it turns out, he isn't wired quite right.

---------------------------------------------------
I've been thinking about reviewing some Buffy episodes (much like terani has been doing for ST:TNG). I doubt I'll be consistent about it, but I quite liked this episode and the fact that John Ritter played such a great character - asshole that he was. Anyhoo, I found myself yelling "Fuck you, John Ritter!"* at the TV frequently .... which was its own sort of entertainment. 


And I'm quite fond of the Mutant Enemy signoff (also at the end of each Firefly episode).

*Yeah, I know he's dead.  Not meant to be insulting, but more of an homage to him and his acting.


GRR!  ARRGH!!