July 18, 2008

Agaliaraept’s Gate [Chapter 14 Part II “The Cadaverous Planets”]

Filed under: Planet — banpot @ 4:11 am

14.

Agaliarept’s
Gate

[Part II]

There are things more powerful than Hell
and its demons, it’s called, self-interest.

[Prior to the battle that was about to take place, Siren had taken her mother’s corpse and within a moments time committed it to ashes in a urn, within the confines of the coffin area; thus, to take it back to her planet. She put it into a small sack and tied it onto her belt.]

The chill for battle went up and down within her spine, and within the marrow of her bones, it clung to her marrow, within her spinal column, a savage chill, a chill that was intoxicating, it came out of her facereeking, strange as it was, for her it was enthralling:

“I feel I’ve been in battles before,” she murmured to her Army of Twenty. Now she was looking at Agaliarept, and his one-hundred plus headless warriors standing by the gate that lead to the harbor and to its boats that brought in the souls of the dead, the damned spirits to be sectioned off and directed here and there for the future domination.

“Comin’?” she said, not sure way she said what she said, she was as if, as if taking orders from a voice hidden way back inside her cranial, it even sounded familiar, perhaps her mother pushing the influence of leadership upon her. Agaliarept just looked, and looked, and gazed and looked, almost dumbfounded, this was unheard of in hell, a revolt, but then Siren was not of the human race, she was not subject to the same rules: ‘how could she battle with us?’ was dancing in his mind, Agaliarept’s mind, ’she must have something up her sleeve?’ But she was not human, she was not demonic she was different than all the creatures within this underground kingdom.

He was a cautious demonic-being if ever one was, yes he was not Satan’s Henchman for nothing; so Agaliarept just stood his ground; it seemed like for hours, but it was but a few minutes. He noticed Siren was not haggard or aimlessly wondering what to do, she had a plan, small or large she had an ongoing plan, somehow someone was tutoring her on the spot: if he knew anything he knew body language, and the nature of things. So there was no sadness on her faceshe was guilt free, with not an ounce, not even an iota of fear on her face; nor fear of death, those kinds of frustrations the enemy relays on, psychologically plays on its enemies; Agaliarept knew she was dangerous; or she was putting on a good show he conjured with a second thought.

Said Agaliarept:

“I know the Manticore, and Aznar were the corrupt ones in this fantasy of horror, your mother underwent on their behalf, and I really can’t do much about it, although I will inform them it was not to my liking, but I give you my word, should you go now, you go in peace, leave this underworld while you can!”

A voice in her head was pounding, throbbingas if some one was beating on a drum: ‘no, no, nodemons lie, as much as giants eat.’ So Siren played a trick with her facial features, she gave a little smile, a thought, as she looked up a at him to show she was trying to put things together, when she already had put them together. At this time, the entire harbor was looking at these two groups: thinking: what was going on here? Can this happen in hell, rebellion? They were center stage: Agaliarept then looked over at Aznar, getting angrier for putting him in a position of compromise.

The Battle

As the battle was about to start, Agaliarept noticed her men appeared to regard her with profound respect, for such a small period of time; respect that said they’d walk out with her, or if not, they’d cause all holy hell in Hell. To be frank, he didn’t like the looks of things. Like all demons, thieves, and so on, they all want the advantage on their side, and when there is doubt in this area, there is an apprehension to pursue a deadly course, and this is what was taking place: Agaliarept had to have time to think, this was not normal, this was the first time in his career, in 7000-years that such a disaster presented himself. It was a disaster, and he was not prepared for it.

As Agaliarept looked at several of the twenty odd looking beings behind Siren (odd looking because he had not seen them before, and was used to seeing his kind or earthlings for the most part), she said something: akin to a spell: and seven two-headed deadly poisonous snakes appeared in their hands. That even impressed Agaliarept, he raised his eyebrows. Who was he dealing with? He thought more and more on his, what would be his next movement. Here on earth, Hell and demons were the opposing forces of mankind, but now things were different, these beings were Moiromma citizens, deadly to deal with; the laws of this area did not restrain them with magical spells; she had special gifts from her mother’s birthplace, part of her birthright from Asteroid-Ice Cap, it gave her magical or supernatural gifts, like them. Agaliarept did not take that into consideration, but during the several months Jokaneen was isolated in the coffin, she did.

Then she spoke another spell (and then she knew, she was the new prophet of Moiromma, for Tfarcevol who had used up his lives), and when she spoke the last word, several more of her armament, became three headed dogs. Hell was facing hell’s raft itself; all the creatures were hissing, no fear of the ugly headless men, who Agaliarept thought would petrify them; if anything, Siren gave a smirk that opened up Agaliarept’s eyes wide as a mans head, he took it as an insult; as she wanted him to: yes, yes, she said in her minds eye, get him angry and he will lose his concentration to fight a perfect battle.

The rest of the men, along with Siren, pulled out crude weapons, knives rough crafted stilettos, and shapely chiseled stone daggers. Then she said something, something that made Agaliarept wonder in horror, shock, and terror:

“With these knives, whoever should touch the blades will be cast into the stone blocks of the gateway, and become fossilized. They had all seen too many wonders to not take this serious. Yet Agaliarept’s integrity was at stake, his character was becoming confused on what to do and even if there was a way out of this messcould he take it. This was not how it was suppose to be, but then, there was a hidden rule among demonic forces, to simply deal with earthlings, and souls brought in from the surface (since normally they could not leave its gravity), no one had ever gone beyond this and brought back creatures or even specimens of parts from other life forms: and especially those that had, or may have had more supernatural powers than they, or equal to theirs, or even different ones. In essence, Agaliarept knew the two whom brought them back [Aznar and the Manticore], and had wished they’d had done their homework on the subject a lot better, and what could he say about the angelic renegade: Amasras’it was a job for Lucifer, for he was just a demon, not a powerful archangel.

Siren then spotted Aznar, he started to run, and Siren threw her blade, her stone knife at his spine, and when it struck him, shooting into his vertebrae, it separated it similar to a cow being cut open from top to bottom, and before he fell, he was cast into the granite stone walls of the gate. He was no more than a living fossil, from that moment on; Agaliarept, ordered his men to have their heads placed back on their necks, and they appeared as if they were simply camouflaged.

Three men of Agaliarept’s Army ran toward the disarmed Siren, for it was every warrior’s strategy to kill the leader, thus leaving the Army in panic. But before they reached her, the snakes jumped out of the hands of three of Sirens soldiers and bite them several times as they fell and disappeared into a mist, and reappeared, and disappeared again, like a ghost. The bites could not kill; only disarm the spirit-filled beings.

Now the Manticore stepped out. He was a ferocious looking being, and he knew this was really his fight, and should he not fight, Agaliarept would deal with him later, and possibly Hell would be spared. As he stepped forward, the three headed doges ran to him chewing every inch of his body as if it was raw meat, he was in pain, and as soon as the dogs stopped, his wounds started to heal immediately, but then the dogs could chew forever if need be, but they hesitatingly waited to see his next move; but his strength was not much, he could not fight the dogs again, only push them here and there, then he just laid down and let the dogs chew and chew and chew, and pull him apart if need be, and they did again, and then moved back to Siren. Then Siren grabbed a stone knife from one of her men, and threw it at the Manticore, but he was smart enough to roll aside. Now Siren and Agaliarept caught each others eyes, and she again was disarmed. At that very moment, Agaliarept did something he thought he’d never do, he kicked the stone knife over to Siren, and she picked it up, and jumped on the Manticore and drove it through his heart. And within a moments time he was cast into the stone gateway that led into Hell’s front door.

Said Agaliarept, “Where do we go from here?”

Replied Siren (with a firm calm voice) “This is your world and your domain, my mother is satisfied with my victory, her revenge is complete, I will go, should you try to stop me, we’ll finish the battle.” There was not and once of room to discuss the matter. He never replied by voice, but lightly closed his eyes and they went to the dock area, ordered several demon to get out of their boats, Agaliarept again not doing anything but nodding his head ‘yes,’ to get rid of them, just wanting them gone, and gone for good. And so they jumped in the largest boat, all cramped, and that was the last Hell had seen of the Moirommalit’s.

See Dennis’ travels and books at: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Tag: Chapter Story

July 17, 2008

Screenwriting Classics Planet of the Apes (1968) Deconstructed

Filed under: Planet — banpot @ 9:27 am

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.clickok.co.uk/

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

Sample Movie Deconstructed: Planet of the Apes (1968)

FADE IN:

Context: strange lights; New World.

Introduce the Hero: Taylor.

Journey to a New World: some time in the future.

Hero’s Nature: ethical question: is man that strange creature that still makes war against his brother?

Introduce Allies: in hibernation.

—–

Pushed into the Journey: the crash.

Foreshadow of the danger: Stewart is dead.

Pushed to the Journey: the water floods the ship.

Overview of the New World: pull back of the desert landscape.

No Going Back: the ship sinks; “OK, we’re here to stay.”

Backstory: the question is not when we are but where we are.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Taylor, Landon and Dodge.

Pushed to the First Threshold: we’ve got 72 hours ’cause that’s when the groceries run out.

Leaving behind the Old World: Landon plants a US Flag.

Dangerous Journey to the First Threshold: Taylor et al fall.

Warnings of the Journey to the First Threshold: the lightning. The rock falls.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Taylor, Landon and Dodge, “there’s only one reality”

Pulled Forward: they find a plant and look for more.

Warning of entry to the First Threshold / Physical Marker: the scarecrows.

Pulled Forward: the waterfall.

Losing the Old Self: stripping and having their clothes stolen.

Pulled deeper into the Outer Cave: Taylor et al follow their clothes.

Strange Creatures in the World of the First Threshold: the humans.

Foreshadow of the Romantic Challenge: seeing Nova.

Meeting the Antagonists: the Apes arrive to hunt the humans.

Pushed into the Middle Cave: the Apes follow the humans.

Middle Cave conflict: the Apes hunt and capture the humans.

Inner Cave: Taylor is captured.

Meeting Allies and Enemies: Nova and the humans in the cage; the talking apes; Zira discusses in the surgery.

Reference to the Antagonist: Zira mentiond Zaius.

Pushing toward the Physical Separation: Taylor tries to talk.

Resistance to the Physical Separation: “he has a gift for mimickry”

Meeting the Antagonist: Zaius arrives.

Develop the Character and Threat of the Antagonist: Zaius: “the sooner humans are exterminated, the better”

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Nova is put into Taylor’s cage

Meeting Allies and developing characters and relationships: Zira introduce Taylor to Cornelius.

Pushing toward the Physical Separation: Taylor writes on the ground.

Resistance to the Physical Separation: Nova rubs out Taylor’s writing; the fight in the cage.

Foreshadow of the Master of Two Worlds: Ziaus wants to talk to Cornelius about his expedition and rubs out the writing in the cage.

Physical Separation: Taylor writes his name.

Refusal of the Physical Separation: Cornelius thinks Taylor’s writing is a stunt.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Taylor with Cornelius and Zira in their home.

Warning of the Transformation: Cornelius warns Zira that their theories will provoke outrage.

Developing the Antagonism: Dr Zaius enters.

Resistance to the Transformation: Zaius squashes the paper aeroplane.

Forced to the Physical Transformation: Zaius wants to castrate Taylor; Taylor escapes.

Transformation / Trial 1: Taylor runs riot in the city; sees a stuffed Dodge.

Pushed to Transformation/ Trial 2: “take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape.”

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Taylor in the cage with Nova; they take Nova away from Taylor; Taylor in the opposite cage from Nova.

Transformation/ Trial 2: the trial.

Transformation/ Trial 3: they cut up Landon’s brain.

Meeting the Oracle and learning of the Sword: Cornelius tells the court about his discovery in the Forbidden Zone.

Pushed to the Sword: Taylor will be emasculated. Developing Character and Relationships: Taylor and Zaius.

Journey to the Sword: Taylor busted out of jail, with Nova.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Cornelius, Zira and Taylor; non one is in charge of Taylor now.

Entering the World of the Sword: discussing the Forbidden Zone and the river.

Developing Character and Relationships: Taylor shaves.

Time Pressure; Pushed to the Sword: Dr Zaius et al arrive.

Warning against the Seizing of the Sword: Zaius warns Cornelius and Zira.

Seizing the Sword: inside the cave; examining Cornelius’ artefacts; the talking doll; the glasses etc.

Near Death Experience: the shootout with the apes.

Atonement with the Father: Taylor takes Zaius captive.

Apotheosis: Zaius tells Taylor why he’s so afraid of him; Zaius knew about humans all along.

Ultimate Boon: Taylor gets supplies and ammunition for him and Nova for a week.

Refusal of the Return: Taylor won’t go back and Cornelius or Zira won’t go with Taylor.

Goodbyes: Taylor kisses Zira.

Warning: “don’t look for the answer, you may not like what you find”

Magic Flight: Taylor and Nova on their way on the horse.

Rescue from Without: Zaius lets Taylor and Nova go.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Zaius will seal the cave and Zira and Cornelius will stand trial for Heresy.

Master of the Two Worlds: Taylor sees the Statue of Liberty.

Learn more

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

Tag: Screenwriting Classics: Planet of the Apes (1968) deconstructed

July 16, 2008

Are Men and Women Really from Different Planets

Filed under: Planet — banpot @ 8:23 am

Are men really from Mars, and women from Venus?‘what women want,’ is still left unanswered to men. Even when we reflect upon the 2000 film, What Women Want - lead character, Nick Marshall (played by Mel Gibson) seems to have all the answers. But does he really?

Is it an inevitable fact that men and women are predestined not to clearly understand one another?

I vividly recall a playtime conversation between my son and daughter when they were just preschoolers. In amusement, I watched as my son took his metal matchbox cars and drove them all over his roadmap carpet. ‘Vroom…vroom…’ he mumbled. And there beside him, sat my three-year old daughter, tightly clasping her little fingers around her own two cars. Adamantly, she waved them in front of her older brother’s face and attempted to make her cars have ‘dialogue‘ with his cars. After a few moments of no response, (other than ‘vroom, vroom’), my daughter quickly became frustrated.

She folded her arms and marched over to me, “…Mom, Ryan isn’t playing right,” she said matter-of-factly.

Initially, I wanted to chuckle but I knew she was quite serious. I asked her, “…what do you mean - he is not playing right?”

She blew out a huff and responded, “…I want his cars to talk to my cars and all he does is crash his cars into mine!”

Peering over her head, I saw that my son was unnerved and oblivious to his sister’s obvious irritation. While she stood there with absolute disgust, he continued playing with his metal vehicles.

It was at that point that I let out a little giggle, and I gave her a simple answer, “…sweetie, boys like to play and girls like to talk.”

It may not have been the answer she was seeking, but this tiny event has shed some light to a wide-spectrum issue in two, very different sexes. Throughout life, I have personally learned that men are action-oriented, whereas women are interaction-oriented. And from personal experience, I have seen that many of these attributes are innate traits stemming back to prehistoric times where males were considered hunter/gatherers and females, considered nurturers.

While human evolution has dramatically evolved with modern technology; longer, healthier life spans and overall improved communication skills - it seems that men and women still do not speak the same language.

Inherently, men use interactions to fulfill essential purposes: entertainment, information communication, task completion, and other related needs. Women on the other hand, prefer to interact to deepen levels of relationships - to better understand their counterpart, or to bring about resolution through interaction. In other words, when men and women communicate, we hear the same dialogue, but we perceive and practice verbal communications very differently.

As with the case of my own two children, my son was absolutely clueless to my daughter’s aggravation because he was preoccupied with his own actions. My daughter, however, was intent on interacting with him, and could not understand why he was ignoring her.

This incident clearly demonstrates the concise perceptual differences between males and females. I have heard women tell me, `…he doesn’t understand me,’ or `…he’s not listening to me…’ And men, will rebuke, `…I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ It’s not that men don’t listen to women - it’s the fact that they are not hearing precisely what is being said; or perhaps they do not adequately comprehend the meaning behind the words.

Additionally, because women are very interactive creatures, conversation may be invoked while men are actively engaged in a specific event, work or other project. When men are actively doing something, they are often so concentrated with their project that they simply do not hear a word. Women, however, may falsely perceive this inaction as disregarded communication. And then it’s back to square one - `…why is he ignoring me?”

To find resolve in relationships, both men and women have to realize that while we all must communicate for progressive action, it is also essential to understand that women and men clearly think in different terms at different times. Before we jump the gun, and imagine the worst of our human counterparts, we must think about what was said, and in what manner it was said as well. Tone of voice plays a vital role in determining our various forms of communication and interaction with one another. If we do not practice, or we are not perceptive to tone of dialogue, as well as the words themselves, then it will obviously be mistaken for a complete different communication altogether. In addition, when individuals do not automatically respond or don’t hear others, it does not necessarily mean that the individual is being disrespectful or rejecting.

Because we are only all too human, we have to accept that people make verbal and non-verbal mistakes that may or may not create tension in a relationship. If we begin to understand this is part of human nature, realize that we speak in different context, and comprehend that silence is not always a form of rejection, maybe then, both men and women will be able to reach each other on a positive level of interaction.

© 4/2005 Are Men and Women Really from Different Planets?
By C. Bailey-Lloyd

Aka. LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction

About the Author:
C. Bailey-Lloyd - Author of “Somewhere Along the Beaten Path”

Feel free to visit Media Positive Radio — Providing a positive and uplifting listening experience - All the Time! Featuring the finest music from Independent and Mainstream musicians all focusing on the power and greatness of every individual as well as the collective power of unity and brotherhood.

NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box (above) is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.

Tags: dialogue, , , , , , , holistic, human, interaction, men, relationships, women
Close
E-mail It