October: Parker Month; The Influence:
Richard Stark’s Parker The Score by Darwyn Cooke Review
I always say that The Outfit is my favorite Parker comic, but every time I read The Score, I question that decision. I still consider The Outfit to be my favorite, but I am damn certain that The Score is the best heist comic and has one of the best heists of all time. Continue reading
Halloween is one of those rare times of the year where the cosmic forces indulge in a joke. Unfortunately, possibly because of one too many handfuls of expired candy corn, the cosmic forces have developed a rather morbid sense of humor and most of you are going to die. Well, that’s what Halloween is all about right? Creepy but cute costumes, morbid yet magical traditions, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, and skeletons all over the place. Instead of handing out candy, here are your Halloween fortunes, each one describing your spooky doom and how to avoid it. I’m not like one of those spiteful neighbors that gave Charlie Brown nothing but rocks just because his costume was riddled with holes. I’m being helpful, so consider these horoscopes to be the equivalent of full-size Snickers bars even though your future has more holes than Charlie Brown’s ghost costume. Continue reading
If you were born sometime between 1990 and 1998, you probably remember what it was like to grow up as a teenybopper or wee child in simpler times of the early 2000s. It was the era of Lizzie Mcguire, Bratz Dolls, Neopets, crimped hair, Nokia cell phones, temporary tattoos, Gameboys, and more. And while I’ll try to refrain from getting all “Only true 90s kids will remember this!!!!” –– I could go on and on in a reminiscent trance. Continue reading
Hi everyone! I’m really excited about this because it is my first cover! This song, most famously covered by Etta James, was actually written for a musical film called Orchestra Wives. This was my first time recording a song professionally. Most of the songs I have sung have been live or not recorded at all. It was an interesting experience because, personally, I prefer to sing for big audiences. Singing and having only one person listening is scary for me. At first, I was nervous to record, but as I sang the song more times, I felt more confident and gave it my all. Continue reading
Last Friday I had the wonderful opportunity of recording a song in a professional recording studio for the very first time. Unfortunately, there was a mishap in the balancing of my audio file and because I can’t post my full cover of Chasing Cars this week I’ll share about my experience with you all instead. Continue reading
October: Parker Month; The Influence:
Payback: Straight Up Review
The next Parker film adaptation to examine is another version of The Hunter. This time Parker is Porter, played by Mel Gibson. This is one of the more recent adaptations of Stark’s novels. The original Payback was released in 1999 and the “Straight Up” director’s cut was released in 2006. I have only seen the director’s cut, because I heard it was one of the more faithful adaptations, and much more in line with the novel than the original Payback. It may stay more true, but it still has its flaws. Continue reading
Alright, I might have had a bit of an issue with the old “consistency” rule of blogging. Sorry about that! But whatever the case, I and Rare Exports are back, and shall be back every week from now until the end of time (or until I go to college, whichever comes first). I’ll do two posts this week to close out October, so I’m not a complete failure and because I’m really excited about the next movie in this “Korean Monster Movie” series we (had) going. Continue reading
This is my second column here on Sunset Media Wave so I don’t think introductions are that necessary, but I’m Nathalie. This column will be for my poetry and short stories, or any idea or thought that I didn’t or couldn’t say right away. It’s not very easy for me to get my thoughts out right away. It’s sometimes frustrating for me to talk. But I write because I hope that someone else will read it and be able to relate. Continue reading
Darwyn Cooke’s second Parker adaptation, The Outfit, is my personal favorite. It retains Stark’s classic style while adding more of Cooke’s artistic vision to the story. It contains both the story taking place in the original Outfit, along with the Parker book preceding it, The Man With the Getaway Face. Parker has his face changed in order to avoid The Outfit: The Mega Mafioso Corporation, running rackets across the US, who continue to pursue after Parker due to the events of The Hunter. Parker’s new identity is revealed by an associate from an armored car heist, Skim Lasker, and Parker has to team up with another associate, Handy McKay, in order to take on the The Outfit by robbing them blind and bringing in new management. This story both concludes the arc started in The Hunter and sets up characters who will return in Cooke’s next Parker adaptation, The Score. Continue reading
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