Dumb Stuff @supernormal-junk - Tumblr Blog

Wandered into an article with 140 iconic cinematic shots, the comments complained there was no explanation to their composition. Decided to give it a run down and keep it to myself.

The compositions are mostly self explanatory but I wanted to see what patterns I could find. That’s just how you learn stuffs.

vintagegeekculture

Responding to your post about twist endings and Rod Serling: Do you think that the "No, Luke, I am your father" reveal in Empire Strikes Back works as a powerful twist? It's hard to view it as anything but obligatory after almost 40 years of references but at one point it was truly shocking, I think. Still, I'm not sure if the themes that the reveal serves are actually important to the work or if they just match the reveal.

Comparing the “I am your father” ending to the TwilightZone/Scifi Proposition-Argument-Conclusion ending is likecomparing a dolphin to a torpedo; they look the same, but they work in totallydifferent ways.

I think it’s important to emphasize here that theending IS what your story is trying to say; the ending IS the story. If youhave a story about the hazards of love that cynically shows how badrelationships can be…but the hero finds true love at the end, it’s anoptimistic story that says true love and happiness is possible and relationships are great. The ending is what your story is trying to say.

Now, that said, the reason that the Darth Vader revealhas oomph can only be understood if you look at the Empire Strikes Back scriptby Lawrence Kasdan, who wrote maybe one of my favorite Westerns, Silverado (Ilove Westerns as much as scifi, but considering the nature of this blog, thatpart of my personality doesn’t come up much). It’s worth noting that most scifiwriters have an understanding of the basics, something that transfers fromgenre to genre; the fundamentals of storytelling are the same. Rod Serling won Emmys for drama long before Twilight Zone, for instance.

You can understand what Empire Strikes back is allabout from the title, which wasn’t carelessly chosen. It’s a story about how the Rebels are on the run; they arerunning in the night, and the wolves are after them. It’s impossible to standand fight. The opening has the rebels in exile in a miserable icy location,from which they are forced to flee.

As the story goes on, things get worse and worse. The heroes are betrayed and have no place to hide. Lukedoes the impetuous yet loyal and courageous thing to help his friends before he’sready, which the wise Yoda raises the stakes for by saying that Luke will fail totally if he confronts Darth Vader. The scene on Dagobahwith Yoda and Obi-Wan fills us with dread for the meeting to come and raisesthe stakes for the battle to come; that’s the purpose of the scene.

Are you getting it, now? The point of the story is tohave the Empire victorious, to show the sacrifice and loss a rebellion wouldneed. And when Luke goes to see Vader, he has his hand chopped off and hislightsaber lost; he never stood a chance. And that, at the very conclusion ofthe film, is when the biggest bombshell of all is dropped: Darth Vader is Luke’sfather.

The Darth Vader reveal wouldn’t have worked if it camein the middle of the film. It worked becausethe entire film had been building to it, with loss after loss to theEmpire. It’s the ultimate thing to make a hero totally despair in a story that’sall about losing (note that after learning this Luke has no option but to jump to his death). The twist isn’t just thrown in there out of nowhere; theentire film had been building to it, and it’s the final “knockout punch.”

To have an ending like this, you have to identify what your story is about and what it’s trying to say, so you can convince the audience of it. As Brian McDonald says, “lots of young writers ask me if they are being too preachy. Not enough ask me if they are being sufficiently clear.”

uglydbzmerch

Quite possibly the most gnarly bootleg ever bootlegged.

Me this weekend.

#Going Ham #Animorphs #Funny #photoshop #edits #stupid

obviousplant

Now hiring smiling faces!

jeffgerstmann

jeff gerstmann how is it that you can conversate with the millenials so well given your advanced age and intellect

*turns chair backwards and sits down*

Now let me tell you kids about rock cocaine.

•turns hat around backwards*

It can really screw up your chances to get into a good college.

*turns pants around backwards*

Remember: Only dopes… use dope.

*turns skin inside out*

And stay in school!

#Hulk Hogan #WWE #Wrestling #Ultimate Warrior #Photoshop #Hulkamania

joke photoshop I made for the Desert bus crew. The plaque below the Statue of Limits, greeting all newcomers to this land reads "Sir, SIR, I'm going to need you to bring it down. This is a nut factory sir. SIR. sir. SIR!"

#Desert Bus #Desert Bus for Hope

t0fin

I noticed Jeff ranting about his 40 cents was off YouTube, so I re-uploaded for those of you who just want this part of the panel.

Enjoy.

idontcareimjustinspired

thisguyknowswhatimtalkingabout

Remember when I blindly hated Russel Brand? I fucked up.

bymiathermopolis

"They’re in a better position to judge than I am."

I think this is how most open minded people who value communication, connection, and are willing to learn from others think.

glitterpill

…Did… Did Russel Brand just explain how to react to being called out on something?

Huh.

vanityfear

never underestimate this man

formandshape-deactivated2015120

Dan Ryckert’s devastating superkick to Alex Navarro.

supernormal-junk

The Seattle Screwjob

#Pax 2014 #Giant Bomb #Alex Navarro #Dan Ryckert #Dan Screwed Alex #WWE #Don't try this at home

spazzdhn

justskippingalong

THE FADE TO BLACK OH MY GOD I LITERALLY CAN’T BREATHE RIGHT NOW

blue-betta

Woodcocks are really good at the “goofy synchronization with music” thing.

missmonstermel

You know the thing we always read “i almost spit tea all over my keyboard laughing” which has probably happened at some point in time but usually i just go yeah ok its just an exaggeration whatever.

Just did it- taking a swig of tea at exactly the right moment. Ha!