Web of Risks Blog

Elliot Dix

10/15/09

Web of Risks

I have never had a situation similar to the one in the article and have never known anyone who really has, but I’d still have to say that I would not check my candidate’s MySpace page or Facebook pages. I guess I would want the candidate’s actual skill to be the deciding factor if he’s hired or not. Also, a lot of people try and project themselves a certain way on Facebook and MySpace and that projection may or may not be who they really are. As long as they do good work and act with professionalism around the work place, then they can be as crazy as they want on the internet.

Scenario Blog

Elliot Dix

10/15/09

Scenario Blog

I would definitely have to choose scenario A. There are several reasons I would select this option over B, the first of them being that I’m a director. Directing is what I want to do for a career and is what I am passionate about becoming. Although I am a writer myself and love writing screenplays, I would rather be a director. Also, in scenario B, the co-writer I’m working with hates all my ideas as opposed to scenario A where I only hate working with the lead actor. Scenario A is much more beneficial to me because if I handle the actor correctly I can still produce a successful movie that can stay true to my vision, where as in B my ideas are always rejected. If I’m not even listened to then my vision would not be a part of the project and I probably wouldn’t want to work on it then, so scenario A is definitely the route I’d choose.

Edge Of Your Seat Blog

Elliot Dix

10/13/09

Edge of your Seat Blog

The last film I watched that left me sitting mere inches from the end of my seat was the terrifying “Silence of the Lambs.” The scene that always gets me is right near the very end when Clarice has discovered Buffalo Bills whereabouts but all the police are at the wrong location. When Buffalo Bill cuts the lights and wears his night vision goggles I always think, she’s so going to get capped by this guy! Yet, somehow, after a minute or two of Bill just watching Clarice in the dark, she hears him cock his gun and she fires a killing shot. Definitely a horrific moment in cinematic history. I like to put myself mentally in the situations of the movie and try to imagine what that would be like to be there. I have to say, Buffalo Bill’s basement – the basement of a man who takes pleasure from torturing and skinning young women – is probably the last place I’d want to find myself alone.

Action Hero Blog

Elliot Dix

10/13/09

Action Hero Blog

The Creator: Morpheus, Neo

The Fighter: John McClane, Batman, Tom Cruise in “Mission Impossible”, Jackie Chan in “Rumble in the Bronx,” Leonidus, John Conner

The Destroyer: The Punisher, The Terminator, Blade

The Enforcer: Robo-Cop, Neo, Captain America, The Terminator (T2), William Wallace, Jack Bauer, Dirty Harry, James Bond

Back Story and Riddles Blog

Elliot Dix

10/06/09

Back Story and Riddles Blog

I believe the Joker gives several different background stories to his disfigurement in order to show the audience he has no legitimate background. Instead of wasting time setting up how the Joker became himself, the writers take focus off his beginnings and put it on the “now.” The Joker has this mystery and elusiveness all around him and his shrouded past only helps this atmosphere. This way, the Joker becomes more of a chaotic absolute that has no defined beginning and no defined ending, which makes him all the more terrifying and powerful.

Burning House Blog

Elliot Dix

10/06/09

Burning House Blog 2

If I could only grab five movies from my burning house they would have to be these:

1. Magnolia by Paul Thomas Anderson, because this movie is one of the most dramatic and beautiful tapestries of filmmaking I’ve ever seen. It would cover the drama side of my five movie collecion.

2. Pineapple Express by David Gordon Green, because every time I watch this film I laugh like I’m seeing it for the first time. I would be more than satisfied in the comedy department with a film like this.

3. The Shining by Stanley Kubrick, because this film is horrifying! If I ever felt like being terrorized post-fire, I would pop this bad boy in. A great piece of filmmaking and scary as hell.

4. The Boondock Saints by Troy Duffy, because as far as action films go I think this ranks with the best of them. I love the story and atmosphere this movie provides and it’s got some amazing action sequences as well.

5. Lord of the Rings Trilogy by Peter Jackson. I’m counting this as one movie because I’ve got the extended edition box set and the Fellowship and Two Towers are signed by John Rhys-Davies and I just can’t pick between them! This set completes all my film adventure/fantasy desires and is pretty much like one long film anyway.

With these films in my collection I feel I would have a well-rounded scope of films and would be satisfied watching them again and again and again.

Science Fiction Blog

Elliot Dix

10/1/09

SF Blog 1

The best Sci-Fi character ever created is V from V for Vendetta hands down. To begin with, he only kills people with knives, slicing down any man armed with a gun before they can fire a round. Secondly, his demeanor is sophisticated and calm. He knows what he’s striving for and what message he wants to send and can do so in civilized terms, yet at the same time can cause some serious chaos if needed. The essence of V symbolizes, nay embodies an idea and a message: that dying a free man is better than living a life of fear and oppression. That makes him immortal and more powerful than any other character in the history of Sci-Fi!!

The best Science Fiction villain would have to be the original terminator. I guess I just love seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger running around gunning people down being the heartless robot that he is.

The best movie villain of all time? Easy…Hannibal Lector. Not only does this guy want to cut your face off and wear it as a mask after devouring your liver, but he can psychologically terrorize you the whole time as well. Many people just fear the serial killer, cannibalistic side of Hannibal, but I think the mental aspect is so much more horrifying. Someone that can tap into your thoughts and insecurities and distort them and play with them in order to torment you is purely evil and absolutely the greatest villain ever.