h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Biblical is probably the best word that describes Magnolia, in terms of length, breadth, depth, symbolism and message.

Probably too long for its own good, but interesting characters makes you want to stay and see how it ends.

How very enigmatic - Biblical, the meaning of which depends on individual viewpoint!

I quite liked the bit with the song.

In some instances, it's a literal analogy. Remember the repetition of the number 82? In the meteorological readings, the house numbers, the number on the fire-fighting plane (the pilot needed a 2 to win at blackjack, instead he gets an 8), the coils of copperwire on the roof next to the jumper, etc.

Exodus 8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs

Funnily enough, I didn't notice that!

Mustapha, do you take notes? Did you rush home to check Ex 8:2, or is that a verse etched in your memory?

Come to think of it, perhaps it was strange that every 82nd frog winked at the camera as it flew past.

My mind is in boggling overdrive at your observation. I don't think I'm ready to get the video out to see this for myself.

It definitely is a movie that bears watching again with a discerning eye - it's certainly one that'll end up as the subject of a film course somewhere. (Was Stanley Spector, the young wizkid, a messiah figure? By breaking the chain of failure and deceit, he has perhaps raised hope for us all)

I have occasionally attempted to take notes and quotes in the theatre, but my writings bad enough when I can SEE what I'm doing. (It's been accurately described as Arabic in appearance) Oddly, I find my memory's getting sharper these days, though I can't imagine why - perhaps pizza is the new brainfood?

Whatever it is you're eating, I guess I should try some. No way would I have figured that 82 stuff.

I recently watched ny first DVD - Men in Black. The extra bits include a commentary on the whole film by the Director and Tommy Lee Jones. Some of the things they point out I would never have noticed.

Am I the norm or the exception?

I always thought you were rather exceptional.

Bear in mind that I've had four years of fine arts training - I've been trained to look at things differently.

There are some things I'd really love to see on DVD - and a really big screen tv. Once I start getting paid properly by the tv station, who knows? Might even put in for my own popcorn machine!

Sal is replacing all the computers here, so I now have a lovely new one which has the magical ability to play DVDs. Though I'm still using the old one too, as Mark hasn't finished poking around with the new one.

So now I'll be able to look at films again, and see all these extra details myself.

So long, of course, as they're pointed out to me.

...and as long as the work gets done.

Hey, we have two satellite dishes and can watch Letterman live at 4 in the afternoon! Well, we could if we didn't have to switch over to boring old Worldnet at around the same time.

I think watching DVDs on a computer is work. Hard work.

And I'm planning some hard work. I'm starting with Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.

I'll probably be exhausted!

You call that hard work? I do tape-opping on Fridays from 3pm to 10.30pm. Which means I watch TV for seven hours.

Now that's exhausting!

Tape-op is short for tape operator. At my TV station, that means the guy who switches tapes for the different programs and operates the machine that puts them on air. There will be several tape machines and a computer or two plugged into a vision mixer board, which switches between the different sources.

Your clarification was timely - I was sure you'd missed an 'h'.

I presume these are not your own personal tapes you're airing to the world.

It's only a matter of time... * chuckles menacingly *

You know, I wasn't even taken on to do it? The amount of training I had for it was about five minutes.

So, how does a fine art journalist become a tape-op?

A fine arts-trained journalist has to work their way up the ladder, going from camera operator to floor manager to vision mixer, before being given the responsibility of tape operator. The climb up the televisual ladder takes about 1½ months. Total training time: 25 minutes.

And after tape-op, what next?

Creative control. Production.

Ah - you mean power!

Autonomy. Which is a form of power. Sociologists call it free agency, I believe.