LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Friday, May 16, 2008

Grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs Dies



Danton Burroughs, the grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs, just died, in Tarzana.

[ Burroughs, who had been battling Parkinson's disease, died of heart failure a day after a fire at his home destroyed a room filled with family memorabilia. ]

Here's the Burroughs website.

He'd been working, unsuccessfully, on selling the Mars books as a series for a television network like GRRM did ASOIAF to HBO, or a movie franchise, like Indiana Jones.

I'd quite like to see a good HBO series of the Mars books, done in the style of the period in which they were written. If done well, needless to say.

That John Carter is a Confederate fits Burroughs very thoroughly within my KKK theory about Hollywoid and the pulps, that they are all about Kipling, the Klan and Kong.

8 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

I suppose you're a Johnny Weismuller fan? The only Tarzan, whose name I remember.

Foxessa said...

I never liked the Tarzan movies, and Weismuller is a male 'type' that doesn't appeal to me at all.

But as a kid I did like the Tarzan novels very much -- but it was the first 3 of the John Carter of Mars novels I liked best.

Love, C.

Jeff Doten said...

Pixar has the Barsoom books. They'll be coming out as a live action trilogy.

Foxessa said...

Venusian -- Many thanks for this info. Is there a website that you could direct me to with more information?

Love, C.

Foxessa said...

Ren -- On our way to Chinatown to buy fruits and vegetables I was thinking more about this, and I recalled that from the beginning, without understanding why, even as a little girl, those Weismuller Tarzan movies made me feel uncomfortable because of the "African" characters, and how they and the behaviors were depicted. In fact, a lot of them were white actors in blackface, and they acted out the deepest of North American white peoples' blackface demands.

No one taught me this was offensive and inaccurate and wrong or any of the historical background to this, and where I grew up there were NO black people. It was a visceral, first jump reaction that this is -- ugly and just wrong somehow.

Whereas in the Burroughs books themselves, this wasn't present. What was present was African as malevolent villains, particularly African 'witch doctors,' but they took a backseat to the villainy of their collaborators who generally were Germans. As well, these Africans were offset by gorgeous, brave, best friend Africans of Tarzan.

Love, C.

Love, C.

Foxessa said...

I couldn't find any info that's more current than October, 2007, except for this website, with a post from March:

[ ....From what I’ve heard, studio suits seem to be cooling to the idea of producing movie versions of all seven of C.S. Lewis’s "Narnia" books. And unless "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" does truly huge box office once it’s released to theaters in May of this year ... Disney & Walden Media (i.e. Mickey’s partner on the "Narnia" film series) will probably still go forward with production of the already-in-development "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." But after that ... The Mouse would then mostly likely pull the plug on the rest of the proposed "Narnia" film series.

And were that to happen ... That would then leave Walt Disney Pictures with a very big hole in its release schedule for 2011 and beyond. And given "Narnia" was initially supposed to have been this on-going franchise, with the Mouse once envisioning releasing a brand-new chapter in the "Chronicles" to theaters every May from 2008 through 2013 ... Well, Mickey would love to be able to fill that hole with another film franchise.

Which explains some of the urgency that now surrounds the "John Carter" films. Should "Prince Caspian" stumble once it hits theaters this Spring, Disney may be looking for Pixar to begin its mission to "Mars" pretty damned quick.
]

The media's been reporting today that Prince Caspian has underperformed. I haven't seen Narnia nor will I see this one. The trailers didn't make them look in the least interesting. But then, I never could read the series either.

Love, C.

Jeff Doten said...

Sorry for the late response. ERBzine.com is an excellent source of new on the upcoming flick. ( or me http://jeffdotensvenusianblog.blogspot.com/ ) The info on the Narnia vs Mars is a little off. That was posted by Jim Hill media based on what some suit said. I think it's a little iffy ( the suit's logic ) because Mars was happening anyways.

I do think it's unlikely that Disney will do all 7 Narnia flicks, that's a lot of movies. But maybe just more love is going Mars way, which is overdue. Paramount had 3 directors on John Carter of Mars - Rodriguiz, Conran and Favreau - then they dumped it ( the CEO hated it ) Such a fun property really should make to the big screen. Pixar is so strong on character and story, I think they'll do a great job.

Foxessa said...

Venusian -- I hope it happens!

I also hope that HBO does a terrific job with George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire! For one thing there's a lot that can be cut out of ASOIAF that would tighten up the story a whole lot!

Love, C.