#he also played emperor in a dream of splendor

[superborb]

A Dream of Splendor

Haohao, the best singer in the capital, is incensed upon learning there is a new pipa player eclipsing her fame. Naturally, the first thing she does upon meeting said pipa player is to praise her beauty ('even I can't help falling in love upon seeing you') and play a duet with her. Nominally based on the Yuan dynasty opera, set in the Song dynasty, this drama follows three women as they try to make a life in the capital. Zhao Panr was once a music entertainer, a legal status denoting the lowest social class, but now runs a successful small teahouse as a businesswoman. Sun Sanniang is a former butcher who dreams of her son passing the exams to become an official. Song Yinzhang is the best pipa player, which comes with the entertainer status that she desperately wants to escape. [Spoilers ahead]

It had beautiful sets and moments of compelling plot. Yinzhang's character growth is especially well done! The show also is, I think, trying to call on its theater roots with some of the staging, to unique and interesting effect; it makes the show feel different from the standard costume drama.

There are two broader storylines: that of the women starting a teahouse and their struggles to be respected, and that of the politics of the court. While the latter had somewhat interesting dynamics, once we realized we would actually have to pay attention and like, remember their faces and names, it was let down by... being completely dropped in the last few episodes. Unclear what happened there; it got subsumed by a 'righteous Emperor' storyline. In light of that, the additional complexity that the show attempts to add with the politics storyline fails to do anything but serve as an excuse to add some barriers to the main romance. The politics behind how the teahouse works are moderately interesting and reach a resolution at least. As mentioned previously, the storyline of Yinzhang maturing and learning how to express her care for others is really well done, while keeping her innate arrogance intact. I did like that the women had flaws and were allowed to be selfish, while still having deep friendships with each other. Panr gets to solve some problems without having to rely on male lead, so I forgive the show her occasional over-competence. A particular plot point I thought was excellent was everyone thinking Yinzhang had left due to being upset over a crush, when it was really about her not feeling trusted, which nicely subverted expectations. In contrast, we don't really see any depth or growth in any of the men; the closest is Chi Pan, who goes from a comic villain to a comic semi-ally in a dubious transition. (He just made one too many actually damaging actions to be easily forgiven.) You'd think that the motivation behind the politics men would at least lead to interesting choices, but no, the side characters are all pretty one note. The show does do well in making you wonder if the potential male love interests are decent men or horrible deceivers though! I definitely was unsure and nervous while we waited to find out. Ditto the process of figuring out the politics men's various motivations. The first arc is very loosely based on the opera's plot, but this criticism asserts that the drama hugely sanitizes the women and... it's definitely correct. The drama tries to have its cake and eat it too wrt prostitution: that Panr is hugely protective of her chastity and both she and Yinzhang never sold their bodies, but also both of them defend other women who have their choices constrained. It /could/ work in a more subtle or better integrated piece, where the emphasis on purity was shaped differently, but here it just felt unconsidered. (The morals of the torture / murder / beatings are also never addressed, which is certainly ...a way to deal with it.) The tension in the storyline is also oddly paced. As a whole, it dwells too long on villains when we already know they're evil, without adding any interesting complexity or any internal motivation whatsoever. There are also many small competitions as the main women establish their prowess, and I understand why it dwells on those, but I thought they were somewhat repetitive and poorly filmed. It /is/ hard to show off better tea art or fine knife work, but if you're going to go this route, you have to figure that out. (ALSO, the whole point of a fancy tea pour is that it doesn't splash!!! Cut away like you do the pipa playing if you can't produce a nice pour.) Overall, the show started reasonably strong, flagged a bit, picked up again around ep 20 for a streak of compelling episodes, and then crashed headfirst into a stupid ending. In addition to the previously mentioned failure to resolve the politics, the women's storylines were resolved too neatly, while the big bad escalates the villainy to a ridiculous, unexplained degree just so he could be fully destroyed. Not cathartic. However, I am impressed that Yinzhang gets to end the show without being paired off! She and Haohao are meant to be!

[movielosophy]

Love Like The Galaxy~ Come closer.

[blognhungdongkhongaulove]

“Những Dòng Không Đâu” is the real and full name of my blog.

I’m posting today something about my home town, Hue, Vietnam. The ancient royal capital is well known and watered by The Perfume River (Sông Hương). The Perfume River

by tôn thất tuệ Around the world, many rivers become the embodiment of their hosts: Thames of London, Seine of Paris, Danube of Vienna, Moldau of Prague, to mention a few…and Beethoven never forgot his 'father' Rhine. In my case, the Perfume River incarnates the City of Huế, ancient royal capital of Vietnam. She is, herself, nourishing the mind of generations after generations; she is spelling the term of endearment. In 1802, after pacifying the whole country to become the first king of the Nguyễn House, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh settled down in Huế and sped up the construction of the royal citadel. Why did he choose a narrow strip of land pushed to the sea by the Annamite Chain, the like of La Sierra, USA? Historians provided with many convincing theories. But for the Hueist who wish to claim the famous emperor to their camp, the prime reason dwelt in his love of the Perfume River. To compare with the Mekong in the South where Nguyễn Phúc Ánh emerged as a prevailing warlord, the Perfume represents just a piece of gossamer, having no commercial or strategic interests. Her values are embedded in her peacefulness and her romanticism. They are attributed not only to her geographical disposition, but also in her witnessing a flow of historical events with more vicissitudes than splendors. In 1876, the great grandson of the dynasty founder was outnumbered by the French expeditionary legion that fusilladed the capital. This marked the total colonization of Vietnam. While the resistance was smoldering, spot by spot in the whole country, the Perfume received a young and dynamic king in a getaway sampan on her water. Duy Tân, disguised as a commoner, left the Forbidden Palace, crossed the river toward the mountain to raise the banner of the national recuperation. His dream was annihilated by betrayal. He was arrested, and banished to the Reunion Island, North Africa; many of his followers were beheaded. Then came the immolation of the ailing monarchy. In 1945, the last king abdicated in favor of the new authority. In a stone throw from the Perfume, Bảo Đại surrendered the tokens of the royalty: the seal and the sword. The worst scare to the water body was carved in 1968. On the Monkey Lunar New Year, the Communist forces invaded the whole city. The South government took it back in fierce battles. The usurpers ran away after committing a mass murder. They killed in a hurry or buried alive those they detained during their one month long occupation. Of the new millennium just ushered, the maiden year of 2003 chronicled a large toll in the river but the Perfume was not guilty, not the villain. The Annamite Chain, as a vertical cliff, retained all the moisture from the Pacific Ocean then unleashed torrential rains into her and her sisters in the Center of VN. The whole City of Huế was engulfed in a yellowish lagoon. If Hue dwellers suffered quite a bit from this catastrophic flood, it seemed that they enjoyed around August and September mild chronic inundations that made the river closer to them by her swollen bosom. Once the murky water siphoned off into the sea, the Perfume repossessed her perennial limpid mirror reflecting the old royal wall punctuated with watchtowers. The sandy bed and marine plants are noticeable like in a giant aquarium endowed by the nature. A Western tourist, a century ago, wrote home that he roamed a boat in the Perfume smoothly as in a small lake. Wooden sampans moved slowly on the silver fluvial artery as if unfolding music scores celebrating the sauntering crepuscule. Up to the 1970 there were almost no motorized canoes, which helped boost the stillness. But at times, roaring nautical ski boats infringed the holy pastoral reverie. That kind of sport, province of the rich and privileged, revealed the other aspect of the city which she reflected too as she reflected the royal complex. Right at the beginning of the domination, the French started to urbanize the undeveloped Right Bank. Administrative service, hospital, treasury, school … swallowed rice paddies, as hungry lions dealt with innocent gazelles. They built a river front sport club as well as churches for themselves and for indigenous adherents to the new religion. Sumptuous villas in European architecture, house to Gallic rulers, appeared in sub tropical gardens. The entire national power was shifted from the Left Bank with a toy king to the Right Bank of His Excellence the Omnipotent Envoy. At the wake of the political downfall, a poet referred to the Perfume as a stream of tears mourning the defunct national sovereignty. I share this collective infliction, but I grew up when its acuteness has been somewhat alleviated by the latent healing effects of the time. Hue became introvert, kept silent the most possible.I used to wander along the river, mainly when the sky was somber, adrift like an autumnal dead leaf. One time I wondered what if I had to leave the town and this river, and I said to myself I should die. Ironically, after high school, I went down to the South for higher studies, was assigned to government jobs, then got married, I never came back to see the river, and I never die. (Actually I did come back but in many one day long official missions which kept me in meetings and formal dinners). If someone asks me which is the most speaking feature of the Perfume, I would pick the swans crossing the river in school days; swans in quotation marks. I would elaborate as follows:On the Right Bank, there were two famous and adjacent schools, one for boys and one for girls. (Forget, please, the one for boys, I’m boy). The girls’ uniform was white; conical leaf hats, white too, are not mandatory but all of them donned these. The campuses were situated right in between two bridges. It was too far for a walk, that’s why young ladies in white residing in the Left Bank decided to make a short cut. Roofless sampans helped them. Each student played part of a feather of the colossal swans skating smoothly on the undisturbed water.This must have been the most immaculate image since the time when time was created. I’ve just returned to the ancient royal city, after five decades, to discover that the beloved swans had been butchered. A bridge was built right at the place where female students boarded the sampans. The white uniform was crossed out from the school handbook. Walking then crossing the river was not practical. Motorcycles replaced sampans instead. I walk onto the new bridge. Watching the mountain in the river, I got a chill. An old mystical revelation surged back to my mind. A long time ago, shortly before the twilight, I was on the old bridge. I watched the indigo mountains, and uttered these words: “the real master of my life is the chain of mountain that plunges into the river, tainting dark the river to be embraced by the river”*. I’ve kept trying to decipher the enigma. I hope that I could fathom it, not analytically but intuitively and that the Perfume River retains this mysticism Now the drifter me, back as a tourist, as an outsider, still was not immune from the sacred attachment to something unreal but real. The prodigal son came back to enliven the remembrances of the time lost. May his last visit, shorter than a blink of the eye, be transcended into eternity; may the Perfume embalm the rest of his life, shower him with tranquility. But, helas, wisdom has it that the devouring nostalgia stays incurable, incurable forever.===

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, TRIS! You’ve been accepted for the role of TITANIA. Admin Jen: Trish, your app was absolutely astonishing. I loved how deeply you unveiled Theodora, from your intricate analysis as you explained what drew you to them, to the detailed points you made in the future plots. You seem to have a grasp on infinite directions that you could take them in and it served as the best kind of prelude to the interview where they really bloomed to life before our very eyes. Your passion for them really shines through and it’s made your application very impactful to us overall. We can’t wait to see our beloved Titania on the dash! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Tris

Age | 22

Preferred Pronouns | he/him/his

Activity Level | 8; I’m itching to write in this universe, and barring any inconveniences, I plan to spend as much time as I can doing just that ♥ I’m waiting to hear about a job, also, but until then I can get online daily

Timezone | CST

Current/Past RP Accounts | here is my most recent account & here is my account from the first round of DV

In Character

Character | Theodora Moreau “Titania” & could I change their age to 27/their FC to Medalion Rahimi, please?

“A name is just a name,” Theodora drawls, almost sleepily and with a quiet sadness, but their eyes are wide awake and their lips are curled upwards. “Call out for your God and skin your knees, or summon the devil and bleed yourself dry. It doesn’t matter which.”They inch closer, their breath all at once so bitter and so sweet. Intoxicating. They’ve studied the vices of man for so long that they’ve learned how to become one themselves.“I’ll still arrive.” Death and life are the same being; it’s just comforting to think of them as sisters at war. Theodora knows that you have to take a breath to have it stripped from your lungs, and that you first have to be hollow if you ever wish to be whole. You have to be everything. Never limit yourself to a singular title. “Sing me your dreams, and whisper your fears. I can give you both.”

What drew you to this character? | There’s a strange sort of magic present in Theodora’s biography, something that kept drawing me back to them no matter how far I strayed while reading the rest of the cast. I spent a long time looking for that perfect muse, for that one character that was going to grip my imagination and refuse to let go, and through a process of restlessly running back and forth — I realized, without a doubt, that Titania was the endpoint of my search. Their hold on me was soft, lingering, so much so that I hardly noticed it at first; but they buried themselves in my thoughts and before long I found myself envisioning my application for them coming to life, thinking of all the metaphors I could write and the development I could experience and how I’d have the opportunity to breathe life into such a fantastic, unexplainable creature.

Titania enchants me because that’s exactly what they are — a divine figure, the closest thing to a modern deity. Their status hadn’t been hoisted upwards on the shoulders of an ancient surname, and their influence wasn’t purchased with blood-stained money; those things were as much thrust upon them as they were fairly earned. That’s how the legends go, do they not? A babe in the woods, raised by a witch to speak in riddles and trained by the wolves to never hide their teeth. Perhaps they were a faerie changeling, left in a crib overnight and unable to adapt to human society. Maybe they drove their mother mad. Regardless of the tale, regardless of the tragedy, a child is always left alone in Verona. Hungry and abandoned and shackled by a mortality that does not suit them. Theodora knows their truth. How they bleed just the same as anyone else, how their stomach growls just as loud. What it means to be unloved and unwanted and to dig through trash. There was a never a forest, no mystical flowers in their hair.

But they’ve managed to cast an illusion on the people of Verona, their godhood is self-made, and that’s why I’m so drawn to them. Because someone that the city would have once eaten alive managed to switch the script, they were able to seduce Lady Luck and swindle her for all that she was worth; and now Titania is a myth. Now they sleep and only dream — of maidens that could breathe underwater and how their ability was shared with a kiss, of a man in the sky who plucked Theodora from the ground because he thought one of his stars had fallen. There are no more night terrors. No memories of clutching to the leg of someone who was destined to walk away, of crying in the crimson streets, of having to beg for help. Begging to be wanted and treasured and feared. I want to write Titania, not simply because there’s so much that I want to help them discover, but because I know that there’s so much for me to learn about myself while writing them. Wouldn’t it be grand? To be a god-emperor.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? | — I definitely want to explore their relationship with Orpheus, to flesh it out and discover their dynamic alongside Stass. There’s so much potential there, something that is all at once so mythical and so human; so beautiful and so tainted. Their love is not sweet, but it is not necessarily cruel. Not always. There’s respect there, a bond that sings of destiny, but there’s also a rift between them and I want to get to the bottom of it. I want to understand their similarities and confront their differences. Why does Orpheus always come back to them, as if he has a lack of meals to sate his appetite, and why does Titania allow him to creep beneath their skin and their sheets? Why do they want to kiss him as much as they want to devour him? I know this is an expected plot, and it’s not all that exciting to discuss, but it’s something that I’m so excited for. Zeus and Hera have a connection that has stood the test of time; I wonder if Theodora and Orpheus will prove to be deathless in their own right.

— What if their creations fail to deliver, what if their position backfires on them? What if they lose their divinity? I’d love to see Titania struggle with their humanity, for their many glamours to be broken. At the core of themselves, they are mortal. Try as they might to prove otherwise, they know the reality of their situation. They’re as clever as they are manipulative, equally cunning and inventive, and the people of Verona have always been quick to throne new rulers. All they had to do was bewitch their minds, embracing the mystery that surrounded their origins and playing those beneath them like the fine strings of a lute. And the music that thrums around them is soft, a melody that sinks deep and spreads through your bones, but all faerie magic has a weakness. An iron sword to their throat and salt in their wounds, and one should always remember that Verona is just as prone to dethroning their kings. Theodora can’t be useful forever, they know that their legend will someday become a petrified tree in an evergreen forest, and that inevitable fate is what terrifies them most. They don’t want to relive their abandonment again.

— Their hands are more calloused than many would believe, a rough touch that’s apt to break fragile things. Titania’s relationship with Catherine is soft, almost gentle, a warped reflection of how Lavinia had raised them; but the difference is that Theodora is nothing like their mentor. Not really. Whereas they had been sheltered behind silk drapes and fed honey, Titania wants to protect Catherine in a more savage way. And it’s not that they want the young girl to wilt her petals, to remove her skin and reveal the thorns beneath, but they would hate for her to spend an eternity trapped in a tower of her own making. Always looking down at a cruel and hungry world. While it’s true that Theodora found the blessing within their upbringing, how to wield all the shadows and splendor and to create something sharp from both, Catherine is not fit for godhood. To be a saint is not to be the backbone of an empire. Not like Theodora has become, with their magic and their mythos. They will do all that it takes to keep Catherine safe, to keep her heart from being stolen and shattered and replaced with something cold. Not like theirs had been all those years ago. Even if it that means being the thief.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Yes! Break my heart & I’ll break yours.

In Depth

In-Character Interview:

— What is your favorite place in Verona? ⦁ “My own mind.” They say it without pausing to think about their answer, not bothering to look over their shoulder and meet the gaze of the man that had asked the question. He has yet to realize that midnight affairs are meant to end before daybreak. Theodora watches as the early morning sun rises over Verona, as the shades between gold and silver blur until nothing is distinguishable, and they laugh. Turning away from the window, a soft halo of light breaking through the waves of their hair, they flash their teeth.

“Don’t mistake me. The city has many wonders, places that mean a great deal to me.” They close the distance between themselves and their lover, curling a finger beneath his chin and forcing him to stare upwards. Like he should be begging for mercy. Like he’s only just realized that he entered the chambers of a god. “Memories are fickle. Some remain, and some fade; but they’re always a part of who we are.” Theodora presses their fingers to his lips, smiling as he kisses the scarred and scented flesh. One bite of faerie food is all it takes to never hunger for anything more.

“Verona, I believe, has a mind of its own. And those buildings and all these soldiers and this war are all memories, some new and some ancient and some that have long been forgotten.” They pull away, walking backwards to where they had been standing and lifting their arms to grip the drapes that flow around them. “We have to share these things with each other. All the beauty and all the terror. And I’ve always been selfish.” They release the curtains and ward off the sunlight, plunging their room into darkness. “I don’t care about the landmarks and the gardens and all the places where blood has been shed. I want something that’s all my own.”

They tap a finger against their temple, smirking playfully. “I’m in Verona, am I not? And my thoughts are so wonderful. Why go to a museum when I can paint a masterpiece behind my eyelids? Why visit the symphony when I can conduct my own music?” They’re at his side before he realizes that they’ve been inching towards him, their arms wrapped around his torso and their lips brushing his throat. “Why spend my money at a brothel when boys like you are lining up to be eaten.” They tuck a stray lock of blonde behind his ear, moving to kiss his forehead. “I’m going to forget you, but Verona will always have your skeleton in its closet.”

— What does your typical day look like? ⦁ They scoff, rolling their eyes and disregarding the absurd question. “There’s nothing typical about me.” It’s blasphemy to assume anything about them could ever follow a routine, let alone be boring. After all, the Moreau heir has never experienced the same story twice. Yesterday they made love to a woman who sang the sweetest opera, a natural talent, but not quite; a bird had made its nest in her rib cage and she was cursed with its song. And tomorrow Theodora plans to kill a man who was born without eyes, who instead looks with his heart. He won’t even see them coming.

The mundane offends them, the thought that someone could ever relate to them and how they spend their time. Only Hera and the wolves have the right to say that they are familiar with Theodora. “I can’t answer.” They stalk off, disappearing within a matter of seconds and making their way through the shadows of Verona. There’s a bag of faerie blood in their pocket, a deal is waiting to be made around the corner; and it’s only then that they realize the one constant in their life. Outside of a particularly dangerous man and his dangerous smile, of course, but that’s a tale for another day. Zeus knows them, this is true, but he is nothing like them. (Right?)

Lucifer is always hard at work, but Theodora works harder. They invest pieces of themselves in every hour of each day, waiting until sunset to snatch them back and be complete once more. They are a true business-person, simple as that. They wear a silken dress in place of a suit, they hold their meetings in bars and kiss investors with liquor in their mouth, but the men of Wall Street could learn a thing or two from them. If anything about Theodora was going to be called average, something to be expected, it would be both their determination and their many enchantments. You can always find Theodora trying to bewitch someone.

— What has been your biggest mistake thus far? ⦁ “Loving.” Theodora says it quietly, a soft break in their voice, and they rise up to their feet and prepare to take flight. Courage and pride are two different beasts to tame. “I regret allowing myself to love.” They don’t tell the old woman who, exactly, but their eyes betray them. The way they glance away, how the dark brown depths begin to sparkle just barely. This is the stare of an abandoned child, and the way their fists clench proves that the abandonment followed them into adulthood.

Conversing with elders on park benches is a strange hobby, but something about the act brings Theodora comfort. They’re so terrified of old age that they prefer to confront the possibility at close range. That one day their hair will grey and their shoulders will hunch, that their bed will grow cold and empty and they’ll cease to be a god and become more of a witch. Still powerful, still feared, but a caricature of themselves; a little less divine. They gather their belongings and stand.

They wonder, often, what became of their mother. Of the father they never knew. They have no memories left of the woman beyond the one that haunts them, of a hoarse voice begging her to stay and a dead gaze that refused to look down. And then Theodora thinks of Lavinia, who abandoned them a different way, but a wound is still there nonetheless. How cruel it is, to mother something in the place of another and then to make the same departure. Orpheus crosses their mind, too, but just for a moment. They never promised each other to stay faithful.

“I must go.”

— What has been the most difficult task asked of you? ⦁ They clean their face of cosmetics and stare at the plainness of their features in a vanity mirror. There’s a note-card in their hand with a series of questions, silly things that shouldn’t require much thought, but the only way to control yourself is to know all the facets of your being. They’re caught off-guard for a moment, but they quickly find their resolve and clench their jaw. “To become a god.” And they’re looking straight at their reflection when they say it, making a metaphor out of themselves like they love to do so fondly, but the tone of their voice is more aggressive than dreamy.

Theodora lifts an elixir and massages their neck with the scent of lavender. For balance and peace of mind. It’s not regret they feel, not really, but more of a heavy burden. Something akin to what Atlas has been forced to endure for centuries. And they have to wonder if he had been a mortal boy with a hunger to be special, lifting the world to prove that he could and forced to carry it for an eternity. Maybe they’re more like him than Hera, or maybe there are too many gods living in their soul for there to ever be any serenity. They clawed their way to the top of Mt. Olympus and now they have the gall to complain about the view.

No, they’d never rid themselves of their divinity, but having to always be clever and sharp and magical can be tiring; and whereas many individuals of similar standing refuse to consider their mortality, that once they had simply been alone and afraid and starving, Theodora never allows themselves to forget. Maybe because they’re not ready to reveal their true potential, to rise through the clouds and hold lightning in their palms. Are they Zeus, too? Never satisfied and always ready to lash out? Perhaps. But they’re also just a person, living in a city of blood and brick. They’re not allowed to feel weak, to cry. Otherwise they’d flood the world. “I think I cursed myself.”

— What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues? ⦁ Theodora chuckles, almost blindsided by the question, but it’s hardly one that requires any thought. They lick their fingers clean and finish swallowing the remnants of their dessert, looking up at their companion and smirking with all their teeth on display. “Let them eat cake, I say.” It’s as simple as that. Regardless of their role in the chaos, how they’ve chosen a side, it’s the least of their concerns. The city of Verona will always be at war, and two men will always fight over control. It’s in the blindness of their rage, however, that the true rulers rise.

The Capulet emissary is much the same, playing their part to the best of their abilities, but only enough to keep the production going. What does it hurt if they’re a member of another cast? That they’re wearing enough masks to fund an entire masquerade ball out of only their likeness? Theodora laughs once more, caressing the cheek of the girl across from them and lifting a cherry to her lips. “Don’t you agree, darling?” A stream of red trickles down a pale chin. “Let them grow fat and complacent. Let their gluttony be the end of them.”

Let another pair of kings take their place; let Theodora continue their reign.

[aion-rsa]

Dune Opening Sequence Puts Focus on Zendaya and Arrakis

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

“It is pure cinema,” actor Josh Brolin says while describing the look of Denis Villeneuve’s long-anticipated Dune adaptation. “There’s an aesthetic to this film that’s just different.”

When a performer talks so glowingly about a movie they’re appearing in, especially during a prerecorded sizzle which kicks off an extended preview of said blockbuster, journalists might assume they’re indulging in a bit of hyperbole. Yet when paired with more than 15 minutes of Dune footage, including the upcoming epic’s opening sequences, that bit of high praise rings surprisingly true.

Presented in breathtaking digital IMAX—as seemingly all of the film’s desert sequences are shot in—our initial brush with Dune’s ambitions is stunning. Arguably not since Lawrence of Arabia have desert landscapes been filmed with such romance and awe-inducing ambition. At a glance, the sci-fi adventure’s opening on sandy vistas echoes Star Wars, yes, but Villeneuve appears to be reaching for something grander and more majestic in his artfulness. Could the film be every bit as sweeping as Frank Herbert’s influential (and allegedly unfilmable) novel, even as it makes tweaks to the source material?

It seems possible. 

Arrakis and the Fremen

Beginning with a crash course in the brutal realpolitik of the planet Arrakis—the lone rock in the known universe to produce a highly coveted narcotic called “spice melange”—the early moments of Dune are not presented from the perspectives of either House Atreides or House Harkonnen (the ostensible good guys and villains of the Dune saga). Rather we view both through the gaze of Arrakis native Chani (Zendaya).

Zendaya narrates the opening scene by saying, “My planet Arrakis is so beautiful when the sun is low. Rolling over the sands, you can see the spice in the air.” She then pauses as darkness descends on the screen. “At nightfall the spice harvesters land.”

Across brutally real sand swept landscapes, we see digital red spice floating in the air. The material is a byproduct of Arrakis’ unique desert ecosystem, and it produces hallucinogenic experiences that extend a user’s lifespan. But as helpfully explained by the Dune movie in the first few minutes, the spice also allows navigators of the Spacing Guild to enter the drug-fueled headspace necessary to “find safe paths between the stars.” Without spice, interstellar travel is impossible. It is therefore the most valuable substance in the galaxy.

Hence the rest of Chani’s narration about the outsiders who bring their clanking metallic machines out at night.

House Harkonnen

“They ravage our lands in front of our eyes,” Zendaya says. “Their cruelty to our people is more than I can stand.” The ravagers in question are in the employ of House Harkonnen, an obscenely rich family situated at the top of an intergalactic feudal system. As filmed by Villeneuve in their hovering dragonfly-like aircraft and in tight fascistic formations when armed for battle and transportation, Harkonnen forces look like brown shirt variations on Stormtroopers in Star Wars. This is of course by design. After all, Herbert’s Dune was a major influence on George Lucas (and just about every space opera written since 1965).

And yet, as framed in the 2021 film, there is something newly subversive about the message. Fans of the novel will note that much of the book is framed from the vantage of Princess Irulan, the daughter of the Padishah Emperor, who many years later is looking back at this story as a significant sea change in the dynamics between the universe’s patrician class. In Dune ’21, however, our narrator is one of the Fremen of the Arrakeen desert, nomads who are stepped on by the elite of every stripe. Hence images of Chani and other Fremen shooting at, and blowing up, Harkonnens’ spice harvesters.

The implications of Arrakis being an allegorical stand-in for the Middle East, and the spice representing the oil that great powers will kill over even in the face of political destabilization, is more pronounced here than even in the novel. As star Timothée Chalamet also said during our presentation, “[Dune] really is a story of civilization. It is about planet Earth and the clash of cultures.”

House Atreides

Perhaps that’s why the soldiers of House Atreides, the heroes of the film, also look faintly like Stormtroopers, both from history and Star Wars. Or as Chani says of them in Dune, “Who will our next oppressors be?”

Much of the rest of the opening is about introducing us to Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and life on his home planet of Caladan, which in Dune appears luscious and green but perpetually damp and overcast—so a little bit like Villeneuve’s native Canada. It’s there we learn Paul is having prophetic dreams about Chani and the Fremen people his father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), has been tasked with ruling over in the Harkonnens’ absence—the Emperor has ordered House Harkonnen to vacate planet Arrakis.

With a visual aesthetic which appears to mirror both western and eastern noble houses on Earth, the Atreides live in splendor on Caladan. Fans of the novel will also be happy to hear a portrait of the past duke and a statue of a certain bull are present. Despite such opulence, teenage Paul is already being trained for leadership, even over the breakfast table by his mother, the Lady Jessica (a superbly aloof Rebecca Ferguson). 

Lady Jessica, the Bene Gesserit, and “The Voice”

The scene is also our first introduction of Lady Jessica’s order the Bene Gesserit. Something of a cross between Jedi and a coven of intergalactic witches, the Bene Gesserit’s powers are made explicit much earlier on screen than on the page, with Jessica urging Paul to practice “the Voice” and command her to give him her water glass.

After several attempts, Paul almost finds the proper Bene Gesserit inflection. For a moment, it sounds like Chalamet’s voice has been stretched into a needle across the audio track—or the noise made by a violin string pulled too tight—and overlaid with Ferguson’s own vocals. Functionally, his command for Jessica to hand him the glass is the same “Jedi Mind Trick” we’ve come to know fondly from countless Star Wars movies, but in Dune it feels more ominous and witchy.

Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto 

If the scene is our introduction to one side of Paul’s family tree, we soon meet the other via Oscar Isaac’s proud Duke Leto. Standing before legions of his black uniformed warriors on another gray day, he along with Paul, Jessica, and aides Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) and Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson) await the arrival of a royal imperium ship, which travels all the way to Caladan to seal a foregone formality: House Atreides will take over control of spice production on Arrakis from the shady House Harkonnen.

“We are House Atreides,” Isaac roars. “There is no call we do not answer, there is no faith that we betray! The Emperor asks us to bring peace to Arrakis! House Atreides accepts!”  His men then chant the “Atreides!” name like it’s their religion. The sequence is somber but strangely grand in its bleakness and sense of dutiful resignation by the Duke.

Hans Zimmer and the Music of Dune

As the music swells, an unsettling alien-sounding affectation emerges in the score. Hans Zimmer, who also participated in our Dune preview, similarly hinted at the otherworldly music he’s conjured here.

“I don’t really want to call Dune a science fiction movie,” Zimmer said, “but nonetheless whenever I saw a movie about empires far, far away, other planets, et cetera, I always heard trumpets and french horns, and cellos playing. And I’m thinking, ‘Wow, they’re all these amazing civilizations in different galaxies in different times, and they have the same instruments as we do.’ So I thought it’d be interesting to go and invent our own instruments.”

With sounds that appear to meld the buzzing synths of electronic-sounding harmonicas and the vocal wails of traditional Middle Eastern music, Dune sounds decidedly unlike other Hollywood sci-fi spectacles.

The Sandworm

… And it again somehow looks original, too. This is confirmed by every moment we’ve seen of Dune set in the deep desert, including one of the major scenes from the movie’s first act. It’s already been teased in trailers: The moment where Paul and Leto first lay eyes on one of the massive sandworms that prowl Arrakis’ deserts.

In the scene, Leto and Paul are taking their first survey of the deep desert, alongside Freman leader Dr. Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster). To many it appears like a wasteland, yet for Paul it looks strangely inviting.

It’s Leto who first spots the sandworm from their aircraft. They’re flying above a newly Atreides-acquired spice harvester, which is now a sitting duck for the enormous worm. So Leto makes the courageous call to try and rescue the entire crew of spice harvesters by rushing them onto his own aircrafts.

Yet as Paul exits the back of the ship to help lead spice harvesters out of harm’s way, his feet touch sand for the first time and his nostrils finally inhale spice. Suddenly, he’s lost in reveries. Again he dreams of Chani and a future among the dunes. But as he falls to his knees the worm grows ever closer, with its mouth appearing to be miles in diameter as it closes around the very land the Atreides aircraft and harvester are resting on. If you’ve seen the first trailer, you know how this impressive sequence ends.

But as experienced on an IMAX screen, it appears much like the sandworm itself: gargantuan, godlike, and, yes, like a piece of cinema that in spite of its familiar source material seems removed from anything we’ve ever seen at a movie theater. Whether or not Dune ultimately handles the weight of its sizable ambitions, one thing is already certain: this isn’t a spectacle to be experienced from your couch.

Dune opens in theaters and on HBO Max on Oct. 22.

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Jodhpuri Suits For Male Online (Updated 2019)

A Classic Jodhpuri Suit also known as a Bandhgala Suit, is a cornerstone of every sartorial mans wardrobe. Venerated for its sophisticated and elegant silhouette, Jodhpuri Suit is not only a go-to option as a regal wedding wear but is also a very well-sought after choice as a bureaucratic/official wear by the urban elite. Intricately detailed and made with handpicked Italian fabrics, our Jodhpuri suit for groom are contemporary renditions of erstwhile luxury. Tailored with designer details like the curved oriental darts (for a better fit) our Jodhpuri Suits feature interesting tailoring details and will make you look every bit elegant and sophisticated.always says the lounge chairs Worn with either similar or light-colored contrast trousers, Jodhpuri Suits are accessorized with a silk pocket square and worn with a white/pink round collar Shirt.

A Jodhpuri suit or Bandhgala jodhpuri suit , is a formal suit from India. It originated in the Jodhpur State, and was popularized during the British Raj in India. It consists of a coat and trousers, sometimes accompanied by a vest. It brings together a shorter cut with hand-embroidery escorted by the waistcoat. It is suitable for occasions such as weddings and formal gatherings.

Nowadays these suits are not limited to solid colors. For decorative lantern you can browse the latest designs in our vast collection which include, multicolor printed, floral design, embroidered, Swarovski, zari and many other intricate types of designer jodhpuri and work. These suits are a perfect match for weddings, parties, get-togethers, formal gatherings and other traditional occasions too.

Men love these suits across the globe for its distinct style and charming look. We have equal demands for these suits out of India, in the UK, London, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and many more. We want you to explore the new styles at the best prices in supreme quality. Do not hold yourself to the traditional designs and monotonous shades of the outfits. Browse the latest collection of stylish Jodhpuri sherwani for wedding and pick your favorite. Do not forget to get matching mojari or shoes to jazz up your outfit. Choose a new style for you and order it now.

Men’s Jodhpuri suits are elegant and have two basic variants — they can either be worn with a jodhpuri kurta or a shirt that is usually crafted in the shape of a Nehru jacket. As these are short in length and usually end at the hip, the thin pants accompanying the top, also make your legs look longer, thereby contributing to the illusion of being slim and tall. To make your special moment an unforgettable celebration, Benzerworld provide personalized and innovative jodhpuri suits . Dreaming of a traditional Indian wedding and social celebrations of other religions, Benzerworld can help you to turn your dream wedding into a reality. You will find a range of jodhpuri suits on Benzerworld. Superb mixture of Indian taste along with western is just worth appreciating.

When it comes to creating your very own look, Jodhpuri for men have proven to be the easiest to accessorize. If you’re donning a suit that comes with a sherwani top, Indian ethnic footwear like mojaris or juttis will help you complete the traditional look. With some outfits, a turban or a stole can end up adding a lot of glam and jazz to an already sparkling ensemble.

Resplendent with the splendor and style of the ancient Maharajas and Mughal Emperors, Jodhpuri suits are a paradise for all men. It is sure to give a royal look to anyone wearing it, for more Royal look of your table you can check out glass vase online. The Bandhgala Coat comes in various fabrics including premium tr, wool, velvet, jute & linen. It is an Indian classic that can be worn on any occasion. It is an ideal outfit to display your Indianness. It is imperative to have at least one of the timeless classics in your wardrobe. A Jodhpuri suit is a formal evening suit from India. Inspired by the western suit, Jodhpuri suits for wedding comes with a coat and a trouser, at times accompanied by a vest which has bandhagala collar. It brings together the western cut with Indian fabric and hand embroidery like applique work, zardozi, sequins and thread work along with metallic buttons, escorted by the Waistcoat. Jodhpuri is as much famous in India as Saree.

Benzerworld designer Jodhpuris are contemporary outfits that people of any age group can opt, which makes the wearer look like the fashion icon. We have got a large group of glad customers from India to UAE, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Mauritius and Singapore. Indo-Western Suits are the fusion of Indian style of coats with the western coats. It gives a more elegant look for occasions like wedding and parties. Indo-western suits include Breeches suits, Jodhpuri suits, Sherwani look suits etc. Indo-western suits are made up of many different fabrics, colors and stylish cuts. It gives you the majestic Indian look with a glimpse of Western appearance. This style is now more popular with the younger generation as well as with the mid aged people due to its elegance. A Jodhpuri suits for wedding reception can look totally different from the Jodhpuri sherwani online for engagement because of the material used in the making. The materials, designs, colors, and pattern can make the Jodhpuri for mens look unique and eye-catchy. A Jodhpuri suit for groom is made using different materials like Wool, Cotton, Velvet, Silk, Linen, and many other fabrics too. The best way to get the perfect Jodhpuri suits for wedding reception is by picking the fabric in which you feel the most comfortable.

Along with Indian wedding dresses, the demand for Jodhpuri suits online has grown tremendously over the years as this style of men’s clothing gives a modern yet traditional look altogether. The perfect combination of western and Indian aesthetics makes this outfit a must-have in every man’s wardrobe who dreams to look regal on Indian occasions and festivals. Men’s Jodhpuri suits in India consist of a coat or a shirt that is meticulously crafted to give a look of a Nehru jacket. Just team it up with matching trousers and consider yourself all ready to turn heads wherever you go. Moreover, traditional Jodhpuri dress for mens with short height can create an illusion of being tall and slim by wearing pants as they make the legs look longer. Buy Jodhpuri suit online today to make many hearts skip the beat this wedding season!

The Bandhgala suits, also known as Nehru Suit jacket contributes to being an indispensable part of men’s fashion. If you wish to update your wardrobe, you should seriously give a consideration to purchasing these dresses. This counts to be a vital attire that oozes style. here convertible sofa bed for sit & sleep at night.  A man looks extremely elegant as he dresses in these clothes. A man continues to retain his charm as he dresses in these attires. This form of clothing essentially features front buttoned placket along with fabric that is covered by large buttons. The Mandarin collar is recognized to be a defining feature of Bandhgala party wear. They are also worn along with bright colored pocket square. These dresses are preferred by men for wearing during festive and formal events. Festives such as Diwali are considered to be the best times when men consider wearing these dresses. They can also be worn during corporate meetings and other crucial state meetings.

Grooms, take your time to choose your perfect outfit for the big day. After all, it’s not just the bride who should shine. You may choose a sherwani for your wedding day but your wedding isn’t a one-day affair, is it? For all the other functions, select the right wedding Jodhpuri suits for groom from the vast collection available to you and you will definitely stun the crowd. Imagine the wedding pictures captured during the moments when you are in awe of your partner’s bridal makeup, lehenga and bridal hairstyle, and she, in your look.

Jodhpuri Suits have grown to become one of the go-to options for the millennial grooms and also their family and groomsmen as they not only make you look dapper but you can always pair the jacket and use it for an Indo-western outfit even after the wedding festivities get wrapped up. Isn’t that a win-win situation? You can always pair these trendy black Jodhpuri suit with leans or pants for miscellaneous other functions and occasions as well. Don’t believe us? Try for yourself and you will be shocked but this life-changing transformation. Besides, you can also play around with the colour scheme and palette as well. Combine a darker hue of the jacket with a lighter shade of pants and vice versa, the possibilities are endless.

While black and brown jodhpuri suits are the fast moving ones in the market, the other preferred colors by Indian men are more often subtle shades of cream, beige, brown, white and off white. However, with the changing trends, new color combinations have become most men’s current favorite and these are being introduced to create a strong fashion statement. When paired with the right accessories these jodhpuris sherwani are sure to enhance the personality of the groom and he can be in par with his bride grabbing the crowd’s attention. The groom has a choice of choosing a plain fabric, silk, jacquard or even jamewari, based on his preference, comfort and of course, his budget.To make your wedding or any special occasion a memorable affair then go for marvelous black Jodhpuri suits that will append a classy look to your personality with sherwani or suits. Shop at Benzerworld, India’s leading online store specializing in Indian ethnic Clothing and have a happy shopping experience.

When it comes to choosing a color for your Jodhpuri suits, you might get confused. In such case, always remember that a man in black looks the best and grabs all eyeballs instantly. here you also find decor mirrors online for see your looks If you’re buying a traditional Jodhpuri suit online in India for nuptials, then black is one such color you can never go wrong with. Besides, we have a wide variety of Indian Jodhpuri suits for men who need this attire to be worn at work, semi-formal events, or formal gatherings. To solve their purpose, we’ve got a plethora of shades available, like charcoal grey, light grey shade, navy blue, wine, and beige. Moreover, when you buy men’s Jodhpuri suit online in India, you get a myriad of fabrics to choose from, such as Linen, Poly cotton, Satin, Terry Cotton, Brocade, Woven cotton, Poly wool, Jute Cotton, Art silk, etc., in different royal designs and patterns. But as you can’t trust every other online seller blindly, make sure you get a Jodhpuri suit online of your choice only from us.

Benzerworld’s have judhpuri suit latest design collection of breathtakingly imperial groom suits and Jodhpuri suits are tended with a traditional touch to bring out the prince in you. Jodhpuri Pants, an ethnic innovation of the traditional Indian riding breeches and Churidar Pants combined, are one of the most contemporary forms of bottom wear for both men and women. The silhouette of Jodhpuri Pants is flared till the thighs and is snug from the calves onwards.

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Pacers' Myles Turner is residing his excellent offseason life

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Pacers' Myles Turner is residing his excellent offseason life

We already recognize how a lot Myles Turner enjoys his offseason.

The 21-12 months-antique middle has made it a point to get the maximum out of existence when he is no longer calling. Last summer time he went to the ESPY Awards and the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, then instructed IndyStar all about it.

This summer time, after the Pacers’ bitter first-round playoff exit, Turner is already going full throttle. Scroll thru his timeline and you’ll see him playing knockout against Chance the Rapper and Quavo. Then he was playing select-up ball at Gregory Gym, the rec center at his alma mater, the University of Texas.

Most these days, he made a visitor appearance on The Starters, a popular NBA Podcast. He was featured on a segment called “World Wide Weirdos” in which he talked about his love for “The Emperor’s New Groove,” Skittles candy and, of the route, losing one of these knockout games to Quavo.

Offseason Work Is What Leads to Athletic Breakthroughs As is the case with most things in lifestyles, it’s miles the unseen work that human beings installed that leads to important breakthroughs in something they are pursuing. As Michelangelo stated, “If people knew how tough I needed to paintings to advantage my mastery, it’s now not appear so first rate in any respect.” This is mainly authentic in the area of athletics. Unfortunately, our media is enthusiastic about the perception of overnight achievement and talent, perpetuating those myths in lots of their stories, in spite of evidence to the opposite.

Whether it’s far a stunning athletic performance from a formerly surprising athlete (suppose decathlete global document holder Ashton Eaton who’s likely to take the sector through hurricane inside the London Olympics this summer season), the unexpected emergence of a outstanding new drug (assume Lipitor which revolutionized the remedy of high LDL cholesterol), or an invention that revolutionizes the way we do matters (think clever-telephones; tough to trust the earliest model arrived on save shelves just 13-years ago). All of these took years of behind the curtain work to come to fruition.

With NFL teams just a few weeks far away from the opening of their schooling camps, and the NBA in the midst of their offseason, many might also have forgotten that 12 months earlier both leagues’ seasons had been unsure. A yr ago, all of those players had been barred from any contact with their team’s employees or schooling centers.

As a result, many athletes (regularly across numerous one-of-a-kind teams) prepared their personal informal businesses to educate with within the off-season. One organization of NFL games protected a few university stars of their workout routines at a local high faculty in LA. NBA players Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love worked out together in what become stated to be the hardest offseason regimen maximum had ever seen.

Others but, observed that the dearth of structure and availability of their crew’s schooling group of workers made it more difficult to properly put together for a season that won’t have even ended up, and installed minimal paintings in the offseason. Not enormously, once their seasons ultimately did begin, quite a few the gamers who had now not correctly prepared inside the offseason began to suffer an inordinate quantity of accidents ranging from nagging to season-ending ones.

I do no longer consider this was a coincidence. Not an unmarried participant who stayed with me at some point of the offseason suffered a massive damage inside the first 3 fourths of the season final yr. More than half of people who mentioned the uncertainty of the upcoming season as a cause to forgo our ordinary offseason paintings were injured by way of the cease of the first month of the season last 12 months. In my experience, folks who are devoted to intellectual schooling within the offseason are much more likely to position an equal or greater importance of their physical offseason training.

One of the challenges of mental education is that you cannot appearance in the mirror and see the results. I suppose that is why my customers seldom take time without work from working with me in the course of the season. Our paintings in the course of the season are regularly extra targeted on immediate issues so the results are frequently evident straight away. Contrastingly, for the duration of the offseason, our work is a focused extra on long-time period growth and may move neglected for longer durations of time.

While both are crucial, the offseason work is where you broaden the behavior to be able to propel your profession to higher heights. As Muhammad Ali said, “The fight is gained or misplaced some distance far from witnesses – behind the lines, in the fitness center, and available on the road, long before I dance beneath the one’s lights.” Are you putting in all of the attempts you can while no one is watching? If you aren’t, you could make certain the humans that grow to be taking your spot were.

Planning a Rewarding Offseason Vacation in Vienna Sure, all and sundry likes a vacation at some stage in the summer season; but is it really a terrific idea? What approximately an offseason excursion at some point of the month of, say November? If you’re prepared for the lack of heat, offseason vacations can be extremely worthwhile if you have all of it planned out properly. Prime European visitor destinations, which include the lovely metropolis of Vienna, are crowded, to say the least at some stage in the summers, main to a busy excursion with hundreds of sweaty tourists milling all around you. Let’s take a look at some guidelines to help you in making plans a worthwhile offseason excursion in Vienna.

Save a Ton during the Offseason One of the primary motives people don’t forget offseason vacations, especially for the European vicinity, is that they’re reasonably-priced! If you’ve got been considering a holiday to Vienna to relax and break out from the pains of existence in general, iciness might simply be the time to achieve this without causing a dent on your budget. First off, airfare is substantially inexpensive in the offseason; and secondly, you can save a ton on resorts in Vienna for the duration of the winters. The lack of demand in hotels for the offseason works for your desire.

Slew of Cultural Attractions

For folks who love consuming in the delights that cultural sports provide, Vienna is the region to be all through the wintry weather. Planning a profitable offseason excursion in Vienna by using early November will enable you to experience a slew of cultural sights with out the usual horde of unruly vacationers, enabling you to certainly immerse your self within the delightful way of life of Vienna. The ball season starts in early November, an elaborate affair of finery and extravagance; whilst the Vienna Opera House functions an array of spectacular sports throughout the identical time. The aptly named Vienna Ice Dream is also setup in the course of the offseason, a massive ice rink in the front of the stunning city. Take your choose!

Visiting the Popular Spots with Fewer Crowds A large plus for offseason vacations in Vienna, fewer crowds make the whole thing ten instances more enjoyable, unless you are the sort of man or woman who loves being surrounded by hordes of humans. Vienna consists of a especially huge range of global elegance museums such as the Albertina, the Liechtenstein, and the Kunsthistoriches; and superb palaces like Hofburg and Schoenbrunn. Enjoying such unusual locations in peace, with out loads of travelers within the area, is a clearly delightful revel in. Add the splendor that light snow adds to such grand structures, and you get a holiday that is sure to live in your thoughts for pretty some time.

An offseason holiday certain does have its set of perks, but be organized for the lack of warmth, or even excessive cold weather at times. Packing could be an difficulty, on account that you will want to % heavy in an effort to sustain the bloodless winds, the icy rains, of route, snow! Even so, the pros of this sort of excursion a ways outweigh the cons in this example. Start making plans a worthwhile offseason holiday in Vienna this wintry weather!