Senior producer Owen O'Brien explains:
To be very honest, I'm a big Joss Whedon fan, and a lot of the things in the story of the game came from Firefly and Serenity. I was listening to this director's commentary [on the DVD of Serenity]...
So, actually, that sentence that I just used is actually a direct quote from Joss Whedon; the basis of Firefly and Serenity is, you can't force other people to live by your system, even if your system is better. These people want to live on the edge of that society.
So, actually, that sentence that I just used is actually a direct quote from Joss Whedon; the basis of Firefly and Serenity is, you can't force other people to live by your system, even if your system is better. These people want to live on the edge of that society.
Thanks to Malte for the heads up!
HWT | June 06, 22:15 CET
zeitgeist | June 06, 22:20 CET
Anonymous1 | June 06, 22:44 CET
This word, I do not think it means what you think it means ;).
Saje | June 06, 23:11 CET
Highlander | June 06, 23:17 CET
ETA: Or there are supersecret ninja editions of Serenity all over the place! I like that idea better.
[ edited by Sunfire on 2008-06-06 20:18 ]
Sunfire | June 06, 23:17 CET
As for diction when a person is speaking, I think it depends on how much that person cares about such things. I catch myself saying things like "he's taller than I," because I know that it's gramatically correct. I actually mentally punctuated with a semicolon once; it kind of scared me.
I know a little girl named Anne Summer. Since she was born post-1997, I thought that maybe her name was inspired by Buffy's middle and last names (since most parents wouldn't name their daughter Buffy). Her parents thought I was insane when I asked them how they came up with the girl's name, and if she was named after someone. I'm really glad that I didn't mention the show.
So I've started to appreciate when people say their influences come from Joss, and I can just geek out from there.
BandofBuggered | June 06, 23:37 CET
I much prefer it when people think I am crazy for the right reasons, and not because I see the world as a cornucopia of Whedonia.
I want my craziness understood.
QuoterGal | June 06, 23:50 CET
That right there is how you sell them. Or if you're totally honest:
"Ninja editions of Serenity. Better than a Viking edition, arguably only on a par with a Pirate edition"
That line was actually from the extra-secret and entirely-made-up-by-me extended version of Serenity...
*to Universal's lawyers* At my command, unleash Hell* !
(is that the one that ends with Wash jumping up and going "Just kiddin'" BTW ? I think you've been corporately espionaged Highlander cos I watch that one a lot. In my head ;)
* Bill Hell that is, a very well loved, valued member of the Universal legal team.
Saje | June 07, 00:09 CET
*that is the type of craziness I want understood*
korkster | June 07, 00:12 CET
korkster | June 07, 00:14 CET
Saje | June 07, 00:21 CET
That would be "Serenity: Reaver Edition" or "Serenity: In Disguise Edition."
Anonymous1 | June 07, 00:24 CET
Each have their own varying danger.
Then again, there could always be The Immortal Serenity edition. Loves philosophy, love, women, and likes to rub it in the faces of 2 poofs.
korkster | June 07, 00:25 CET
No really. Would Reavers be considered Zombies? I thought the Reavers were still alive, just had a reverse reaction to the gas the Alliance gave them. Then again, they fly in unstable ships. Are Reavers dead? Has it ever been said?
korkster | June 07, 00:28 CET
Lately, when I think of zombies, I think of Shaun of the Dead. Because that movie was badass.
As for ninjas, I've actually heard of a pseudo-ratings system where you substitute ninjas for important characters. The number of ninja substitutions that would improve the storyline, the worse the movie is. So Fantastic Four, for example, would get at least a 5-Ninja rating, whereas Atonement would get a 1-Ninja rating.
BandofBuggered | June 07, 00:39 CET
Would Reavers be considered Zombies?
Nah, reavers aren't dead (they're not undead either ;). I guess they have a bit of the faceless implacability that makes Zombies scary though. And similarly bad personal hygiene.
Saje | June 07, 00:45 CET
Can you imagine something like The Godfather with ninjas? Not much improvement there--except for Sophia Coppola in the third one. The Shining would have been cool if Jack were a ninja, although then he'd probably succeed in wasting his family.
Nah, reavers aren't dead. Saje, I finally caught you! There are some dead reavers--River done killed them good and dead. ;) But the alive reavers aren't dead, and the reavers who have met death are having their first experience with it.
ETR typos.
[ edited by BandofBuggered on 2008-06-06 22:14 ]
BandofBuggered | June 07, 01:13 CET
Lately my stranger quips here seem prone to sparking little positive feedback loops of lunacy. Which is to say, I am both amused and afraid.
Polonius is not ninja material. Claudius however is 100% ninja. Which makes Hamlet... still very depressed and possibly crazy.
Serenity is a zero ninja film both on account of being awesome and featuring a mysterious preacher man with mad ninja skills.
Sunfire | June 07, 01:25 CET
(and maybe Hamlet is the guy out to avenge the death of his "brother" ? Only rather than train for years with some amusingly drunk ex-ninja, often underwater or by painting fences, he's gone down the "brood for a bit all the while teetering on the brink of madness" route. Each to their own I guess)
Saje, I finally caught you! There are some dead reavers--River done killed them good and dead. ;)
Ah yeah but clearly i'm using the proper definition of reavers, as seen in the super-secret-only-for-real-true-fans version of 'Serenity', defined thusly:
1. n. Alive baddies that went bibbledy. But ARE alive. Definitely totally alive. Couldn't be aliver. It's actually embarrassing how alive they are. It's like they're flaunting it, shoving their utter not-being-deadness right in our faces. Those vital bastards.
2. adj. The state of being nowhere near the state of not-being. The furthest point from that state. Like the opposite of in extremis. Out of extremis actually. Miles away from extremis.
That's from the OED BTW (unless you have some means of checking the OED and then it's from another dictionary. Webster's maybe).
Saje | June 07, 01:31 CET
Is it bad when you reference
korkster | June 07, 01:33 CET
Simon | June 07, 01:34 CET
I think you made that up, Saje. What's sad is that I was ready to believe def #1; it was def #2 that made me pause.
korkster | June 07, 01:37 CET
Simon | June 07, 01:37 CET
I don't know. I always link the inspirations together in the 'verse. But, in my mind, if you love one you must love all so...
ETA: Darn it! Again, you were able to read my post and respond before I was able to hit "submit". It was a genuine coincidence of mistakes. I promise.
[ edited by korkster on 2008-06-06 22:41 ]
korkster | June 07, 01:39 CET
You're alright. I just don't want to have the situation where people (especially newcomers or those who are shy) want to talk about what's in the article and see OTish stuff and get all reluctant and stuff.
And as a general reminder to everyone, we do have Whedonesque.org and the Library for OTish stuff.
Personally I didn't think the Serenity influence would be kicking in just yet but it just goes to show.
Simon | June 07, 01:49 CET
Summer !Sunfire ! ;-)Sorry Simon.
It's not the first time someone's mentioned Joss as being an inspiration I reckon. Didn't Martin Firrell mention he saw Nathan on 'Firefly' and thought of him for his 'Hero' project ? Not quite sure if that qualifies as Serenifly inspiring him directly (cos IIRC it was mainly owing to his perception that NF had a large head ;) but it's certainly inspired philosophical essays, fan art etc. (often explicitly credited as such, as with e.g. 'Finding Serenity').
And I don't think it takes long to become an inspiration in certain circles (e.g. technical stuff, like games). It's not like it has to filter into mainstream culture for that to happen cos a lot of techies like and freely admit to being inspired/influenced by science fiction.
Saje | June 07, 02:05 CET
I know what you mean, Simon...or at least I think I do. Serenity is still quite new, and even Firefly has barely been around for more than 5 years. And it still has a relatively small fanbase--most people don't know about it.
So it's odd that already Serenity has influenced pop culture. It seems like with influence, it's usually immediate, or after at least a decade.
If anything of Joss's were to influence something, you'd think it would be BtVS, since it is his best-known work, and it encompasses so many themes, genres, etc...not that Serenfly doesn't. Over seven seasons of BtVS, there's at least one thing that speaks to each person. Firefly and Serenity didn't get the chance.
What I'd love to see is something so mainstream and accessible to everyone (such as the CW audience) admit that it's influenced by Joss. I would then do the dance of joy.
[ edited by BandofBuggered on 2008-06-06 23:10 ]
BandofBuggered | June 07, 02:10 CET
MattK | June 07, 02:26 CET
Sunfire | June 07, 02:46 CET
The ones who don't know who that Joe Sweden guy is are the ones who religiously watch The Hills. I have stopped trying to connect to these people, at least over TV shows.
I think that Joss's work will always continue to inspire nerds: including techies, sci-fi fans, lit nerds, horror nerds, etc. Also just smart people who recognize the sometimes subtle, sometimes in-your-face brilliance of the shows.
However, I do not think his work will ever penetrate "true" mainstream, as many people a)do not want the "nerd" stigma attached to them, and b) are not smart enough to "get" the shows.
And I say bollocks to them.
BandofBuggered | June 07, 03:03 CET
I would say the influence was a River/Buffy love-child. Both like running on walls, Rivers done the kick=gets gun trick, and Buffy's known for her feet-still-moving-while-jumping-really-far bit. And neither of them play well with cops. :)
korkster | June 07, 03:20 CET
But if it's more Buffy or River, one would have to see who she took out first with a flying kick. Not from a dead stop.
BandofBuggered | June 07, 03:39 CET
korkster | June 07, 04:33 CET
Now ninjas, that's a different story....oh, wait...*shakes head vigorously* I feel like doing some sort of Monty Python thing with ninjas instead of llamas a'la Holy Grail credits.
(Here goes: my attempt to stay OT lest those who were hired to sack me get sacked.)
I'd like to see Robot Chicken do a Serenifly thing. They've done BtVS before; it's not too much to hope! And that actually would give a whole new generation of children who watch Adult Swim despite their parents' wishes the chance to learn about our Big Damn Heroes.
I'm still wracking my brain to remember any Serenifly references in anything I've seen/heard/read that wasn't directly related to the 'verse. Bueller? Bueller?
BandofBuggered | June 07, 06:29 CET
[ edited by Anonymous1 on 2008-06-07 05:53 ]
Anonymous1 | June 07, 08:03 CET
Anonymous1 | June 07, 09:20 CET
zeitgeist | June 07, 09:28 CET