ghibli does gedo

The Japanese animation studio powerhouse Studio Ghibli premiers its latest animated feature film Gedo Senki or "Ged's War Chronicles" in Japan July 29, and out of competition at the Venice Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia), which runs August 30 to September 9, to most of the rest of the world. The English version will more than likely be distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Pictures, which has handled the translation and distribution of Ghibli's other films. Future release dates have yet to be announced.

Fantasy fiction geeks will universally be hoping that this adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's popular, critically feted The Earthsea Cycle book series will make the grade, particularly with Le Guin herself - who panned The Sci Fi Channel's 2004 live-action miniseries, Legend of Earthsea (DVD cover art pictured at right). Based chiefly on the first two books in the Cycle (A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan), and featuring a stellar supporting cast that included Isabella Rosellini, Danny Glover and Kristin Kreuk, the miniseries was a ratings hit but disappointed Le Guin, who felt the role of the protagonist, Ged, should have been played by an actor of color - as Ged is a person of color in the books. So far, Le Guin has issued no official statement on Gedo Senki, since she hasn't seen it. Yet.

Unlike the miniseries, the animated feature draws mainly from the third book of the Cycle, The Farthest Shore (see the film's synopsis in English on Le Guin's official website), which basically describes the struggle of the archmage Ged and an assorted group of trusty sidekicks to fight an ultimate evil threatening to engulf the world (sound familiar, anyone?). If nothing else, Gedo Senki should be a treat for the senses as Ghibli's production values are high (see stills montage from the trailer at left). Gedo Senki is also the first major directoral effort of Goro Miyazaki, son of Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki - who originally felt his son lacked the experience to do a credible job. The elder Miyazaki's singular vision and attention to detail, wonderful though it is, implies pretty well absolute creative control - which he would not have with Gedo Senki.

So what's with Goro Boy? True to his (um, our) generation, Goro conveniently provides us with his own production blog, translated into English here. The online Anime News Network reports that advance screenings in Japan have not garnered the most positive response, based on feedback seen on Yahoo! Movies Japan.

harry potter: a new hope

Archetypal tales indeed.
May the force be with muggle Bart Alewijnse, with thanks, for this image.

"hmmmm" of the week...buddhist relativism

Quote attributed to Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
[Image courtesy Art.com]

just jysk

Ikea, only Danish? Not exactly.

Jysk (pronounced you-sk) is a Denmark-based international housewares chain, with stores primarily serving Europe and North America. Many of its currently 23 Canadian locations are west of Ontario, a novel luxury for Western Canadians accustomed to substantial waits while international chains realize the Canadian market isn't restricted to the Greater Toronto Area. Jysk does however have plans to open several more stores east of Thunder Bay - where maple syrup-producing trees actually do grow, thanks very much, and where there are H&M stores (Sweden's contribution to masstige couture).

After twigging to Jysk from a brief mention in Style At Home magazine, which pegged the chain as a "fashionably frugal Danish furniture and accessories retailer," a brief boo at their online furniture and linens catalogues - while I'm sure hardly comprehensive - was certainly revealing of the type of product they carry, and of the look you're likely to get by "buying Jysk." My impression was of a United Furniture Warehouse meets Pier 1 Imports with a touch of Ikea. [All pictures courtesy of the Jysk Furniture Catalogue]. The chain's branding emphasizes "service, affordability and quality for less" rather than projecting a particular style/lifestyle - so those who generally eschew low-end Euro chic (i.e. Ikea) for generic North American kitsch (i.e. United Furniture Warehouse), and glaze over when you start talking Designer Guys, would fit right into Jysk's target demographic. The Jysk choice of store locations is also potentially illustrative - in Vancouver B.C., at least, all four Lower Mainland stores are in deepest suburbia. Great news for anyone resigned to a 2-hour-plus daily commute, but for urban dwellers, not so much.

Still, since the price is right, irrepressible bargain hunters might consider it worth their while for a one-off lookey-loo day trip to the 'burbs - just in case Jysk has a stick of furniture or sheet set with your name on it.

eriksson, actually

My bad.

Richard "Just A Gwai Lo" Eriksson, whose blog I blogged a few days ago, recently sent me a very polite email pointing out that his last name is spelt with a double-s, not with a double-k as I had done - with disturbing consistency - in my original posting. The error has been rectified in the original post, and here is the public apology to Mr. Eriksson for the glaring oversight.

Thankfully from my point of view, Mr. Eriksson found the comments and "...interesting thoughts about the title of my site and about cultural appropriation in general" otherwise sufficiently entertaining, and not (terribly) egregious.

cultural(ly) appropriate(tion)

Madonna with bindi and mehndi (picture courtesy Natural Expressions). Bjork in kimono (picture courtesy Amazon). Willie Scott in cheongsam (picture courtesy Wikipedia), lip-synching her brazen blonde way through "Anything Goes" in the opening sequence to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. And a chap called Richard Eriksson in Just A Gwai Lo. There's even an image of cherry blossoms (pictured above) on Eriksson's blog, which of course shows how serious he is. About the gwai lo thing.

What's the deal? Eriksson says: "When used by white guys, the term "gwai lo" has quite the different connotation than when used by someone who is not white." True enough, although it's still a form of cultural appropriation - notice his blog isn't called Whitey or Honkey. Eriksson also quotes the Turbanhead blogger: "I figured I'd appropriate the word for my own use, thus diffusing it's meaning." My own rationale for occasionally referring to myself as a Chink, which generally goes down pretty poorly with most of my Asian Canadian acquaintances - regardless of whether they're CBC (Canadian-born Chinese), Nisei/Sansei, or FOB (Fresh off the boat, i.e. a first generation immigrant).

Far from being just another white guy with Chink-envy (read: Asianophile), Eriksson's blog is pretty eclectic within a solidly West Coast Canadian geek context. This guy is plugged in to the Vancouver, British Columbia blogging scene, with postings linked to local foodie Roland Tanglao and communications guru Derek K. Miller. And the topics? Far-ranging and zierd, from whether Tim Hortons coffee tastes different from east to west, to designer vaginas. Neat.

Rather than take the jaundiced view (haha), I prefer to consider latter-day versions of Orientalism as a form of reverse cultural imperialism. As far as I'm concerned, Eriksson can appropriate all he wants; I don't have an issue with cultural appropriation in general, whoever does it, any more than I have a problem with an Asian Elvis impersonator. Strange how there are few murmurs of discontent that the rest of the world has adopted Western clothing - even isolated native Papua New Guineans don t-shirts and shorts - yet what a relative uproar at the reverse. Globalization, it seems, is working both ways.

w.c. wisdom

Captured in the women's washroom adjoining the Pacific Centre food court (first stall from the front, on the right), downtown Vancouver:

"Warning: The Prison of Marriage & Motherhood Bad For Women's Health."

Truth, I think.

choco-cheeze, pleeze

It isn't that large a leap from chocolate cheesecake, to chocolate-flavoured cheese, if you think about the idea objectively.

Yet just as some struggle with the culinary concept of using beans in dessert - consider the Chinese sweet "red bean paste," akin to sweet rice pudding, a traditional Lunar New Year dessert (a timely comparison, since the Year of the Dog is around the corner) - the idea of chocolate flavoured, processed cheese is very zierd, at best. And potentially stomach-churning, at worst.

Though not to the Taiwanese, who have happily chewed their way through more than three million (and counting) slices of the stuff since product launch in 2005, courtesy of New Zealand multinational dairy manufacturer Fonterra. The company's Chesdale chocolate cheese slices (image courtesy Television New Zealand) are part of a marketing drive "introducing a range of new cheese products which cater to Asian palates while still providing...dairy protein goodness and nutrition," according to a company press release. FoodNavigator.com, a food and beverage industry wire service, reports that dairy consumption is rising trend in Asia, although figures remain low in comparison to Western Europe. So the Asian market seems ready for an inundation of flavoured cheese product.

Chesdale chocolate cheese slices are being introduced to Southeast Asian consumers and are already a hit in Singapore, and Fonterra has partnered with Singaporean soya bean products manufacturer Jollibean in launching a line of chocolate cheese-filled pancakes - a hybrid spin on the more traditional peanut or red bean paste fillings for one of Asia's favourite hawker food stall treats.

What's next? A line of multi-flavoured, packaged cheese cracker snacks called Chesdale Crunch (image courtesy FoodMall.org).

Bite me, but I'm almost hoping some of those chocolatey processed cheese products make their way to North America, imported perhaps by some enterprising Asian foodmart chain like T & T Supermarket in Vancouver.

Although I did find a chocolate cheese fudge recipe at the Food Network website. Mm mm good?

getting friendly in vancouver, part one

Find most parties and clubs boring skankfests, and lounges an expensive exercise in wasted time? Wonder where the other semi-intelligent and vaguely pleasant people are, and where you can get some? Interesting company, that is.

It's been remarked, sometimes less than politely, that Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (thanks to Frank Liu at PBase.com for the photo) isn't a great place for a varied or rich social life - as amply evidenced by these unmoderated Discover Vancouver bulletin board threads, here and here.

If you live in Vancouver and don't identify with the oblivious masses, or with those who feel improving upon perfection is impossible, the three most viable ways to deal - in order of preference - are:
a) do something about it
b) put up and shut up
c) take off, eh.

So go form a social club, already.

Leaving questions of the effectiveness or viability of social clubs aside, a relatively quick search yields four fairly established such entities, each with a slightly different M.O. designed to attract a particular demographic (do you like your steak rare, medium, or well-done?!). But they all do have a unifying ideal: socializing, for its own sake. If you're just looking to hit people up for sex or amore, these would be the wrong places - although what you end up doing with other club members outside of the organized events, is your business. And unlike an unregulated social venue, these clubs have rules of engagement that usually mean you play nice, or have to find someplace else to play dirty. Below are the first two of the abovementioned four; the other two, to follow in a later posting.

Campoverde Social Club was apparently founded in 2002 by globe-trotting local gals Kimberley McFarland de Hernandez and Rachel Greenfeld. (Greenfield also has a column, "Kitsilano Relationships," in the monthly Kitsilano View lifestyle magazine.) Campoverde organizes everything from parties to seminars to running groups, with the guiding principle of, apparently, not ignoring anybody. The suggested age range is 35 and up; the club website's selective photo gallery reveals a less than ethnically diverse, pleasant looking, upscale casual crowd. Campoverde doesn't officially enforce social empiralism, but buried at the bottom of their "Membership" page is the mention of a one-time membership fee of Cdn$750, plus Cdn$27 in monthly dues, billed quarterly. Put your money where you mouth is, if you please. Although in fairness, Campoverde have their regular venues and their events calendar does seem pretty full, as well as varied enough to avoid the bane of ennui - even if you couldn't afford to do much besides work that Campoverde angle. Guests are allowed to check out club events twice before making a decision about whether to join. Out-of-towners can join for an annual fee, and reduced monthly dues. Is Campoverde worth the investment? Well, these folks have certainly had enough press.

A little more forthcoming with its social exclusivity is Social Empire, one of two social clubs owned by SSID Inc. Aside from a stipulation that snobs aren't tolerated, and the bold statement that its membership are universally "intelligent, interesting and social," Social Empire declares their events are "NOT a suitable dumping-ground for Social Misfits.... regardless of how "nice" they are." Well. If you're a read-the-fine-print type, at least its very clear in the club website FAQ sections here and here about what sort of person they're looking for, among other things. Interestingly, Social Empire isn't content to just take your money (a relative steal at a Cdn$30 one-time initiation fee); membership is usually by invitation, and cold applicants are informally interviewed before being placed on the mailing list for the club's monthly event. The website claims that Social Empire was started by the evocatively named Miss V in 2001. Currently run by one Frances Hui, the club caters to the 30-40 age range. The organizers insist that membership is as carefully cultivated as a well-hosted private party, and the club does present that sort of impression - along with the "professionals and entrepreuners" (read: Yaletowners and wannebe Yaletowners, regardless of profession or income) that make up the bulk of membership, the organizers claim to mix it up with occasional eclectic creatures. Provided they aren't Social Misfits that is, or jerks; if for some reason any such slip past the interview process, they're turfed. So there. And yes, there's been consistent press coverage of these guys as well - partly due to the fact that Hui and Raj Taneja, SSDI president, seem to be frequent flyers in the society column pages.

Watch this space for a posting on the next two social clubs on the list.

the scoundrel as artist

Art imitates life, if somewhat imprecisely, when it comes to Billy Dee Williams - most popularly known as the actor who played Lando Calrissian [pictured at right] in the classic Star Wars film trilogy (that's Episodes IV-VI of a series of six films, for the uninitiated). Like the multi-gifted cardplayer turned Cloud City administrator turned Rebel Alliance general Lando, Harlem-born Williams is a person of more than singular talent, a painter who just happened to be photogenic enough for a viable acting career on the side. Williams' biographical information on the BDW World Art website, the artist's own online gallery, confirms that acting started out as a part-time gig to help pay for art supplies. After a so-so thespian turn in the 80s, Williams returned to painting in the 90s, where he seems to so far be enjoying greater success.

According to The American Artists Bluebook, Williams attended the National Academy School of Fine Arts in New York (pre-Calrissian) and has work in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a division of The New York Public Library. Williams' more current work can be seen, among other venues, at the R. Michelson Galleries - well known for exhibiting the work of contemporary artists; incidentally, the same gallery also features the photography of another actor-artist, Leonard Nimoy.

Williams describes his work as "Abstract Reality" or "Impressions/Expression," and draws his subjects from life; his R. Michelson Galleries bio states Williams now works in acrylics, airbrushing or paintbrushing "the architecture of dreams and emotions, the mysterious qualities of the human experience that move in subtle currents under the surface of everyday life." BDW World Art's online galleries display canvases ranging in price from US$1,200-36,000; pictured above is Solitude.

Unlike Nimoy's much-publicized I Am Not Spock/I Am Spock flip-flop, Williams appears at ease with his own acting detour and A.K.A.; his online art gallery home page has a Calrissian-related memorabilia section, featuring the sale of autographed pictures and a limited edition, numbered and signed lithograph, Lando Calrissian, Into the Future. Cutting fans a bit of a break, signed lithos retail for only US$125. Certainly evocative, his style and subjects are very accessible and would have some measure of popular appeal even if you couldn't point to your wall and say, "Lando painted that" - although, of course, it can't hurt Williams' art sales that you can!