Comments on: So much for January http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/ Meh. I've seen worse. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:58:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: supersonic http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7157 supersonic Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:46:53 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7157 Wow, sounds like you could make quite a pair of before-and-after pictures. Wow, sounds like you could make quite a pair of before-and-after pictures.

]]> By: lyzard http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7156 lyzard Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:54:38 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7156 Yes, but we're talking about a completely different world. Depending on how "elderly" your elderly acquaintance is, we're most likely talking about a time when travelling to America or Europe meant spending three months on a boat. The isolation was tremendous, and things were slow to change here because outside influences were so slow in arriving. Things were very rigid and opportunities were limited. Then we got the sixties upheaval followed by a revolution in means of international travel, plus a change of government that brought sweeping alterations to education and immigration policy. A university education was made available to many more people, with more of a view to education for its own sake; and there was a massive influx of people from other cultures. The outcome was a much richer and more diverse society altogether, and one that offered many more viewpoints and possibilities. (Not everyone considers this a good thing, of course...) [Edited to add] Actually, let me tell you a story. In the late sixties, my father was working at an RSL club, where a lot of the kitchen staff were Chinese. They didn't cook Chinese food for the members, though: they cooked - <i>*shudder*</i> - "Australian". But after hours, they would get together and cook their own meals; and that's how my father found out about "Chinese food"; and it was COMPLETELY revolutionary. At that time there were a handful of Chinese restaurants in the city, and a few Italian ones around Leichhardt, and that was it. (This is Sydney. In Melbourne it was essentially the same, but Greek instead of Italian.) The staff were so excited by the thought of a white Australian enjoying their cuisine that they took my father downtown to one of the better restaurants and spent a whole night entertaining him, after which he began bringing takeaway home for us. So <i>circa</i> 1970, my family was absolutely cutting-edge. Yes, but we’re talking about a completely different world. Depending on how “elderly” your elderly acquaintance is, we’re most likely talking about a time when travelling to America or Europe meant spending three months on a boat. The isolation was tremendous, and things were slow to change here because outside influences were so slow in arriving. Things were very rigid and opportunities were limited. Then we got the sixties upheaval followed by a revolution in means of international travel, plus a change of government that brought sweeping alterations to education and immigration policy. A university education was made available to many more people, with more of a view to education for its own sake; and there was a massive influx of people from other cultures. The outcome was a much richer and more diverse society altogether, and one that offered many more viewpoints and possibilities.

(Not everyone considers this a good thing, of course…)

[Edited to add] Actually, let me tell you a story. In the late sixties, my father was working at an RSL club, where a lot of the kitchen staff were Chinese. They didn’t cook Chinese food for the members, though: they cooked – *shudder* – “Australian”. But after hours, they would get together and cook their own meals; and that’s how my father found out about “Chinese food”; and it was COMPLETELY revolutionary. At that time there were a handful of Chinese restaurants in the city, and a few Italian ones around Leichhardt, and that was it. (This is Sydney. In Melbourne it was essentially the same, but Greek instead of Italian.) The staff were so excited by the thought of a white Australian enjoying their cuisine that they took my father downtown to one of the better restaurants and spent a whole night entertaining him, after which he began bringing takeaway home for us. So circa 1970, my family was absolutely cutting-edge.

]]> By: supersonic http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7155 supersonic Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:25:08 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7155 I was talking to an elderly Australian gentleman... he said when he was young he was desperate to get out of the country, basically (I gather) because he found the whole society stifling to the intellect. (But that doesn't explain how he ended up in Thailand.) Hopefully today's Oz now qualifies as non-stifling? I was talking to an elderly Australian gentleman… he said when he was young he was desperate to get out of the country, basically (I gather) because he found the whole society stifling to the intellect.

(But that doesn’t explain how he ended up in Thailand.)

Hopefully today’s Oz now qualifies as non-stifling?

]]> By: The Rev. D.D. http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7154 The Rev. D.D. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:07:40 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7154 Or a scientist. Whichever. Sadly, I don't get a choice in which I am... Or a scientist. Whichever.

Sadly, I don’t get a choice in which I am…

]]> By: lyzard http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7152 lyzard Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:44:47 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7152 Thanks, Rev! This was a subject I knew very little about before I started. It was fun doing the research. Wow...I am such a geek... Thanks, Rev! This was a subject I knew very little about before I started. It was fun doing the research.

Wow…I am such a geek…

]]> By: The Rev. D.D. http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7132 The Rev. D.D. Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:46:11 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7132 I went back and reread the Oz reviews before this new one. You really made an impressive effort of delving into the history of the films in those reviews--dare I say, near-Beggian in scope. Very fascinating, and I appreciate the obvious work and care you put into those. I went back and reread the Oz reviews before this new one. You really made an impressive effort of delving into the history of the films in those reviews–dare I say, near-Beggian in scope. Very fascinating, and I appreciate the obvious work and care you put into those.

]]> By: lyzard http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7131 lyzard Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:05:04 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7131 That's exactly right, Supes. It was only done as an afterthought, but I really like that series of shots I added to <b>TWOO</b>: it makes the development of the technology so clear. And yes, there will probably be more local fare on the menu, but having been harshly taught the futility of <i>plans</i> lately, I don't think I'll commit to what or when. I haven't actually seen <b>Not Quite Hollywood</b> yet, but I have seen most of the films it covers. :) That’s exactly right, Supes. It was only done as an afterthought, but I really like that series of shots I added to TWOO: it makes the development of the technology so clear.

And yes, there will probably be more local fare on the menu, but having been harshly taught the futility of plans lately, I don’t think I’ll commit to what or when.

I haven’t actually seen Not Quite Hollywood yet, but I have seen most of the films it covers. :)

]]> By: supersonic http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7130 supersonic Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:15:19 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7130 Now I get why some parts of The Aviator had blue alfalfa fields... they were emulating two-strip technicolor. Now I get why some parts of The Aviator had blue alfalfa fields… they were emulating two-strip technicolor.

]]> By: professorKettlewell http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7127 professorKettlewell Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:23:30 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7127 "a society operating under a strict though often mysterious set of rules, with which the newcomer must quickly come to terms – or else." So Lyz.....any chance of you taking on "Blood Camp Thatcher" ? Or should I pester mr. Foster? “a society operating under a strict though often mysterious set of rules, with which the newcomer must quickly come to terms – or else.”

So Lyz…..any chance of you taking on “Blood Camp Thatcher” ? Or should I pester mr. Foster?

]]> By: Ed http://www.b-masters.com/2010/01/25/so-much-for-january/comment-page-1/#comment-7125 Ed Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:56:52 +0000 http://www.b-masters.com/?p=2291#comment-7125 Cool, an early Peter Weir film. Any chance we could get some more genre fare from your neck of the woods, Liz? Just out of curiosity. Have you seen the documentary Not Quite Hollywood? It's a pretty neat piece on the Australian exploitation film. Good stuff. Cool, an early Peter Weir film. Any chance we could get some more genre fare from your neck of the woods, Liz?

Just out of curiosity. Have you seen the documentary Not Quite Hollywood? It’s a pretty neat piece on the Australian exploitation film. Good stuff.

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