Eppu – Page 73 – Co-Geeking

Downton Wars, Episode I and II

September 28, 2015September 28, 2015Eppu2 Comments

Rob James-Collier certainly knows how to put fun in fundraiser! For his London Marathon fundraiser run, the actor (who played the sly footman Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey) wrote and directed an exclusive Downton Abbey clip to benefit the Chiltern MS Centre. Filmed on his smartphone in between takes, the spoof features other Downton actors and lightsabers!

Downton Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Valet

(“Mmmm, cheese!”)

In the end, James-Collier raised more than £15,000 and created a second episode as a thank you. In this second installment, the whole house gets in a Star Wars mood with even more lightsaber action! The absolute best, though, is when the two venerable old ladies, the Dowager Countess and Mrs. Isobel Crawley, played by Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton, pick up lightsabers!

Downton Wars: Episode 2 – The Evil Butler Strikes Back

(“I would not do that if I were you!”)

Cheers!

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

The Story of Kullervo: Tolkien Inspired by the Finnish Folk Epic

September 25, 2015October 15, 2022Eppu

J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Story of Kullervo edited by Verlyn Flieger will be published only a few weeks from now in the U.S. The October release was preceded by a late August launch in the U.K.

According to the publisher’s statement,

“Kullervo son of Kalervo is perhaps the darkest and most tragic of all J.R.R. Tolkien’s characters. ‘Hapless Kullervo’, as Tolkien called him, is a luckless orphan boy with supernatural powers and a tragic destiny.

“Brought up in the homestead of the dark magician Untamo, who killed his father, kidnapped his mother, and who tries three times to kill him when still a boy, Kullervo is alone save for the love of his twin sister, Wanona, and guarded by the magical powers of the black dog, Musti. When Kullervo is sold into slavery he swears revenge on the magician, but he will learn that even at the point of vengeance there is no escape from the cruellest of fates.

“Tolkien wrote that The Story of Kullervo was ‘the germ of my attempt to write legends of my own’, and was ‘a major matter in the legends of the First Age’; his Kullervo was the ancestor of Túrin Turambar, tragic incestuous hero of The Silmarillion. In addition to being a powerful story in its own right, The Story of Kullervo – published here for the first time with the author’s drafts, notes and lecture-essays on its source-work, The Kalevala, is a foundation stone in the structure of Tolkien’s invented world.”

As The Kalevala is my national epic, it feels odd to see the storylines and names used with little or no change by a celebrated international author. I’m used to thinking of my country and culture as small and unimportant. Perhaps that is our strength, after all – we’ve managed to hold on to some unique features in our little corner of Europe.

If the original folk epic interests you, an English-language version of The Kalevala is available for free at Project Gutenberg.

This post has been edited for formatting.

Add Eight Ostrich Teams and Call It a Procession

September 23, 2015October 28, 2015Eppu

Or: Some History behind Ostrich Riding, Part 3 of 7

Background: I ran into two historical images from California with ostriches used as transportation. That got me wondering about the history of ostrich riding. And that lead me down quite a rabbit hole.

I’ve divided my findings into separate posts (find them with the ostrich riding tag). Warning: serious early history and language nerdery ahead in Serious Academic Voice.

TL;DR – Tracing ostrich riding to a 3rd century BCE tomb find (a statue of Arsinoe II) from Egypt doesn’t hold up. The use of various ostrich products in human material culture dates back thousands of years. A few ancient depictions involve humans handling ostriches; however, extant sources don’t tell us whether ostriches were merely hunted or whether they were also tamed in the ancient world. The most promising source seems to be a description of a magnificent parade put together by Arsinoe II’s husband-brother Ptolemy II. This Grand Procession included eight chariots drawn by pairs of ostriches, and the ostriches may have been ridden by boys in costumes.

Below is the long story.

Continue reading →

Remix Video: Idris Elba as James Bond

September 17, 2015December 1, 2015Eppu

Lately there’s been some talk about casting Idris Elba as the most famousest of British spies, most notably a Bond author stuffing his foot in his mouth about the hypothetical casting. Vulture had the brilliant idea of asking video artists Diane Bullock and Mike Schuster to put together a mock trailer for the upcoming movie Spectre with Elba as 007.

Idris Elba Plays James Bond: “Vulture Remix” Episode 10

Awesome! How do we make this happen?

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

That’s a Large-Ass Egg, All Right!

September 16, 2015December 9, 2015Eppu

Or: Some History behind Ostrich Riding, Part 2 of 7

I’ve divided my findings into separate posts (find them with the ostrich riding tag). Warning: serious early history and language nerdery ahead in Serious Academic Voice.

Below is the long story.

Continue reading →

The Martian Final Trailer

September 15, 2015October 7, 2015Eppu

The final trailer for The Martian is out!

The Martian Official Final Trailer by CBR Trailers

The more I hear about this adaptation, the more excited I get – and I’m not big on survival flicks! I’m looking forward to seeing more of Donald Glover (whom I only know from Community), Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean (who better not die in this one!). I’m also curious about Kate Mara (whose performance I liked in the otherwise deplorable Fantastic Four reboot). I think I also noticed Michael Peña – Luis in Ant-Man – get some space shuttle time.

In any case, it’s going to be especially good after a weak movie August and a disappointing September.

How Easy It Is to Be Wrong about Early History on the Internet

September 14, 2015September 13, 2015Eppu1 Comment

Or: Some History behind Ostrich Riding, Part 1 of 7

I’ve divided my findings into separate posts (find them with the ostrich riding tag). Warning: serious early history and language nerdery ahead in Serious Academic Voice.

TL;DR – Tracing ostrich riding to a 3rd century BCE tomb find from Egypt is rubbish, but the concept is, indeed, ancient.

Below is the long story.

Continue reading →

Doctor Who Season 9 Kickoff Event in Theaters

September 10, 2015May 20, 2018Eppu

…aaand there’s more Doctor Who season 9 news I seem to have missed! Fathom Events has put together a 3d-showing of the two-part season 8 ender just in time before Doctor Who season 9 airs on BBC America (starting September 19th).

Doctor Who: Dark Water/Death in Heaven Trailer by Fathom Events

According to the Mashable article on the season kickoff event,

“BBC Worldwide and Fathom Events will broadcast a 3D version of Season 8’s two-part finale, ‘Dark Water’/’Death in Heaven,’ in approximately 700 movie theaters across the U.S. on Sept. 15 and 16. The screenings will also feature a special prequel scene for Doctor Who‘s Season 9 premiere (ambiguously titled ‘The Doctor’s Meditation’) and an exclusive interview with the Doctor and his companion themselves, Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman.”

File 770 reports that the exclusive interview is hosted by Wil Wheaton.

We went to see “The Day of the Doctor” event two years ago and it was great fun. As opposed to “The Day of the Doctor” event, though, this one doesn’t show a completely new story, but packages two already-aired episodes (that have been out on disc for a long time too) with two extra clips. Even the added gimmick of 3d is a repeat from “The Day” showing. While I (literally!) applaud celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special new story and movie event, this one smacks of a badly-disguised money grab. I’ll pass.

In the Seen on Screen occasional feature, we discuss movies and television shows of interest.

Doctor Who Season 9 Trailer

September 9, 2015September 9, 2015Eppu

Aah, I can’t believe I missed this: the official Doctor Who season 9 trailer has been out for two months!

Official Doctor Who Season 9 Trailer by BBC America

First jumble of thoughts: Production values look amazing! I don’t like this angry Doctor. What’s with Capaldi’s hair? Is that a dalek city? That’s definitely Missy. Electric guitar? Whoa – the Doctor wearing wedding bands – did I miss something? Yay, Maisie Williams!

Apart from that, I wish Moffat would either write only or produce only. When he tries to do both, the quality suffers. The episodes Moffat wrote for the seasons produced by Julie Gardner and Russel T. Davies were brilliant. Since then, he’s been mediocre at best.

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

A Couple of Minions in the Metro

September 8, 2015September 4, 2015Eppu

A few months old now, but so great: this cosplaying dad on the way to the movies with his son, both decked out as Minions, deserves a hooray:

Such an easy look to put together: overalls, yellow t-shirt and bag, plus commercially available Minions goggles that won’t break the bank. Making memories doesn’t have to involve grand gestures!

In Making Stuff occasional feature, we share fun arts and crafts done by us and our fellow geeks and nerds.