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The Browncoats Rise Again (Firefly and the Serenity movie)
The Weekly Standard ^
| 06/24/2005
| M.E. Russel
Posted on 06/25/2005 11:56:11 AM PDT by Question_Assumptions
Portland, May 26, 10:00 p.m.
"HI, MY NAME IS JOSS WHEDON. Before we begin the special screening, I have a little story I want to tell you. It's about a TV show called Firefly."
I'm sitting in a movie theater in Portland and along with 200 other fans, I'm staring at a 20-foot-tall projection of the bleary, peanut-shaped head of Joss Whedon--creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer; he's snarkily introducing Serenity--the partially-completed film we're about to watch. We're paying to see this unfinished movie four months before its release date. It's the second of three rounds of sold-out sneak-preview screenings, scheduled for May 5 and 26 and June 23 in major cities.
It's an unprecedented way to market a movie. But then, Serenity itself is unusual: It's a big-screen sequel to a canceled TV show named Firefly--a space-Western that was the biggest bomb of Whedon's producing career.
"Firefly went on the air two years ago," the giant Whedon continues, "and was immediately hailed by critics as one of the most canceled shows of the year."
Everyone laughs.
[...]
You can read a tidy summation of the movie's TV incarnation, Firefly, here. Think of it as Star Wars, if Han Solo were the main character, and he still shot Greedo first.
[...]
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: firefly; josswhedon; movie; movies; sciencefiction; scifi; serenity; television; tv; whedon
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I saw the preview on June 23rd of the nearly finished movie and it's an excellent science fiction movie. From a Freeper perspective, there are some really strong themes in this movie about government control and individual rights that should appeal to many here.
One of the core premises of the movie (and TV show), which is a sort of Science Fiction Western, was the question of what it would have been like to be on the losing side of the Civil War. Being science fiction, the troubling issues in the real Civil War such as slavery are eliminated, turning the war into more of a pure local rule vs. powerful central alliance struggle (with an alliance who has a flag that combines the American flag with the Communist Chinese flag).
This movie is really worth a look when it comes out in September. It should get a strong PG-13 rating.
To: Question_Assumptions
It is a great series, we are all hoping (yes I'm a Brown Shirt) that this movie will inspire a resurrection of the series.
To: Question_Assumptions
So, does it take place in the 1800s?
3
posted on
06/25/2005 11:58:41 AM PDT
by
jocon307
(Can we close the border NOW?)
To: Lil'freeper
4
posted on
06/25/2005 11:59:28 AM PDT
by
big'ol_freeper
("Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." Pope JPII)
To: Dr Stormfist
I love the TV series and really looking forward to the movie.
5
posted on
06/25/2005 12:03:12 PM PDT
by
68skylark
To: jocon307
It's an unusual premise -- it's set about 500 years in the future, when poor people seeking opportunity are colonizing a lot of distant, arid, rural planets. So it combines elements of sci-fi and westerns. It may sound odd, but Joss Wheedon is so brilliant it really "works."
6
posted on
06/25/2005 12:05:23 PM PDT
by
68skylark
To: Dr Stormfist
I think I read that there may be three movies. So for now, it looks like the "series" will take place in the movies, not on TV.
7
posted on
06/25/2005 12:06:25 PM PDT
by
68skylark
To: Dr Stormfist
yes I'm a Brown ShirtThat would be Browncoat. ;)
Can't wait to see "Serenity" and I hold out a little hope that the series will someday be revived. "Firefly" was top notch sci-fi. The plots, the FX but mostly the relationships between the crew of Serenity. I also like the vision of the future portrayed in the series and the complete lack of any stupid "aliens". Capt. Reynolds makes Kirk and Picard look like nancy-boy chumps.
8
posted on
06/25/2005 12:09:57 PM PDT
by
BigBadWolf
(For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three.)
Comment #9 Removed by Moderator
To: Euroam
10
posted on
06/25/2005 12:21:12 PM PDT
by
big'ol_freeper
("Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." Pope JPII)
To: Question_Assumptions; 68skylark; Dr Stormfist


Welcome.
The Blue Sun shall soon rise (and when one thinks about the SCOTUS decision affecting provate property I guess that the corporate-gov entity called the Blue Sun in the series may truly be).


The future is already here.
11
posted on
06/25/2005 12:23:37 PM PDT
by
spetznaz
(Nuclear tipped ICBMs: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol.)
To: spetznaz
I think all the characters are great, but Kaylee is definitely my favorite. Thanks!
To: jocon307
Nope, it's a ways into the future. Here's the basic plot line: The Earth is "all used up", so humanity moves to another star system with dozens of habitable planets. The "core worlds" are a collection of socialistic, empire driven, government-knows-best nanny states governed by an odd mix of democratic communism with technology and a liberal world view straight out of Star Trek. The outer worlds, on the other hand, are more conservative, farming oriented colonies that are strikingly like the American Old West. The series was set right after a civil war in which the core worlds basically kicked the butts of the independence minded outer worlds. The show itself revolves around the crew of a single small freighter ship who were fighters for the rebellion, but unlike most Sci-Fi series it really isn't a "ship" show. Heck, they haven't even explained how the engine works yet :)
IMO, it was one of the most original sci-fi shows to be shown on TV in a decade, and it had a great subtext about the importance of protecting freedom, and the need for vigilance against government corruption. Unfortunately, Fox REALLY screwed the show up. They didn't run the pilot until halfway through the first season, they ran the episodes out of order, and they put it in the worst time slot they could find. The reality is that Fox never wanted the show, but they had a contract with Joss Whedon that required them to run it. Since they couldn't get out of it contractually, they killed it off as quickly as they could.
If you're interested, the SciFi channel will be rerunning the series this fall...in order, and with the pilot this time. I'm just hoping that the movie and ratings on the rerun do well so they can bring it back into production as a series.
To: Arthalion
Sounds interesting. I'll look for it on Sci Fi. We were really big Buffy fans, so we'll give it a try.
14
posted on
06/25/2005 12:39:14 PM PDT
by
jocon307
(Can we close the border NOW?)
To: Arthalion
I like your thumbnail sketch. Seems like Firefly is able to deal with politics in a way that both liberals and conservatives like. That's impossible for most directors, but Whedon makes it seem easy.
To: jocon307
If you're a Buffy fan you've got to check out Firefly -- both have the same wonderful, snappy dialogue & attractive cast. I own the DVD's for both shows, and they're great.
To: Question_Assumptions
"I may have been on the losing side. I'm still not convinced it was the wrong side." -Captain Tightpants
Goram right. I can hardly wait...
17
posted on
06/25/2005 1:29:48 PM PDT
by
Dead Corpse
(Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
To: Arthalion
July 22nd on Sci-Fi. Pilot first, then the Episodes as Joss intended. Still on the Friday time slot.
18
posted on
06/25/2005 1:34:49 PM PDT
by
Dead Corpse
(Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
To: jocon307
If you liked Buffy, but thought Angel was only so-so, you'll love Firefly. Excellent character development and that witty repartee that Joss wrote for some of the Buffy segments.
19
posted on
06/25/2005 1:36:18 PM PDT
by
Dead Corpse
(Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
To: Dead Corpse
Big Damn Heroes...
20
posted on
06/25/2005 1:46:25 PM PDT
by
Dead Corpse
(Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
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