On Kilter (a poem, of sorts)

Coat me in the afterglow 
of words and faces 
I’ll never not know 
until electric synergy 
scratches from inside  
digging to the caverns 
where my true eye survives 
unfurling the lens-scape 
with magnetic flows 
caressing the kinetic level  
where only unconventionals go 

____________
2023, John L. Harmon 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  

For your consideration…
The 5-🌟 review of STURGEONS (the complete serials) from My Gay Opinion on Amazon…

booking freakboy: BUTCHER, BAKER NIGHTMARE MAKER by Joseph Burgo and Richard Natale

I first saw the film BUTCHER, BAKER NIGHTMARE MAKER back in 2019 and was surprised that the homophobic jerk cop wasn’t the hero of the story.  The story also dealt with homosexuality in a more understanding way than a lot of 1980’s films, horror or otherwise.  All of this did not prepare me for how wildly open and compassionate the novel would be when dealing with queer characters. 

The plot is essentially the same as the film.  Billy’s parents died in a spectacular car crash when he was 3 and then he was raised by his Aunt Cheryl.  He’s now 17 and is sort of seeing Julie, a peer from school who enjoys flirting with the class jerk.  Aunt Cheryl doesn’t approve of Julie or the possibility Billy may go to college on a basketball scholarship.  Just when Billy has enough drama in his life, he comes home one evening to witness Aunt Cheryl stabbing Phil, a television repairman, to death.  She claims the man was trying to rape her.

Detective Carlson, the jerk cop, doesn’t believe Cheryl and through his investigation, discovers that Phil had a male lover.  This is when the novel takes a slightly different turn than the film.  In the movie, the lover is Billy’s basketball coach.  In the book, it’s Billy’s English teacher Tom.  The novel explores this character’s love and grief for Phil more deeply than anything shown in the film.  The following excerpt from Chapter XV took my breath away, especially for a book published in 1981.  

Even by the end, despite Detective Carlson’s attempt to pin Phil’s death on Billy as some sort of jealous gay love triangle, the book never falters in portraying Tom in a sympathetic light.  The last chapter is from Tom’s perspective as Billy faces a jury trial for the bloodbath at Aunt Cheryl’s house.  Then, in a refreshingly poignant conclusion, Tom reflects on his love for Phil and prepares to start a new life in a new city.  Phil’s tragic death has ultimately given him the strength, courage and conviction to live openly as a gay man. 

I couldn’t figure out if the book came first or if it is a novelization of the film, but I assume the latter.  I also assume the thoughtful and compassionate moments came from Richard Natale.  A quick Amazon search showed he is the author of several queer-themed books, which I will definitely add to my ever-expanding reading list. 📚 

In conclusion…
I was lucky enough to find a copy of this book for $15 on eBay and it was worth every cent.  The story digs deeper into the motivations of all the characters, giving the plot an emotionally complex layer.  Yes, even Detective Carlson is more complex, but he’s still ultimately a jerk who gets what’s coming to him in the end.  So, if you are craving edge-of-your-seat suspense/horror or if you desire a lesser known piece of queer literature, then BUTCHER, BAKER NIGHTMARE MAKER is the book for you!  However, just say no to Aunt Cheryl’s milk! 🥛 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click the pic ⤵️ for a great review of my latest book… 📗

freakboy on film: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005)

Written & Directed by George Lucas

Here we are drowning in the 2 hr 20 min final episode of the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy.  The Clone Wars continue to rage on.  Chancellor Palpatine continues his grab for absolute power.  Anakin Skywalker continues his Dark Side slide towards becoming (SPOILER ALERT) Darth Vader.  Does it all need to be this long?  Not really, but certain events must happen before the viewer can move on to a far, far superior episode and trilogy from a long time ago. 

Mace Windu has the coolest lightsaber in the galaxy

With the exceptions of Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, Frank Oz as Yoda and Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, the viewer must suffer through some of the worst acting in any of the trilogies to get to these events.  Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker seems to either read or shout his lines from cue cards, depending on what emotion is allegedly being conveyed.  Meanwhile, the fiery strength of Padmé Amidala has been dowsed with endless tears, but I blame the “character development” more than Natalie Portman.  Ian McDiarmid’s subtle-evil performance as soon-to-be Emperor Palpatine in MENACE and CLONES is thrown out for camp in Episode III.  Plus, is Palpatine going through some sort of Sith puberty?  His voice is all over the place, even before his lightsaber duel with Mace Windu, but I don’t know if this was an acting choice or a director’s questionable direction.  Then there is the one actor I haven’t directly addressed in the Prequel Trilogy. 

Not Sir Alec Guinness

Don’t get me wrong, I like Ewan McGregor and he’s got talent, but that spark isn’t on display in any of the STAR WARS films.  However, his ok, but far from great, performance may not be all his fault.  I mean, you can only do so much with whatever George Lucas was passing off as dialogue and Ewan had some brilliant shoes to fill.  Alec Guinness shines bright and steals every one of his scenes in A NEW HOPE, so it’s hard to believe the Obi-Wan Kenobi we meet in the prequels will age into the Original Trilogy Ben Kenobi.   Perhaps Lucas should’ve cast an unknown instead of Ewan McGregor, though no one could’ve really compared with the late Sir Alec Guinness. 

Also not Sir Alec Guinness

Speaking of the Original Trilogy, did George Lucas bother rewatching it before writing these prequels?  In A NEW HOPE, Obi-Wan’s discussion about Anakin with Luke Skywalker is now highly debatable with everything the Prequel Trilogy shows us.  I guess Obi-Wan mostly wasn’t lying to Luke, from a certain point of view, a concept slammed hard into our heads in REVENGE OF THE SITH in order to cover inconsistencies.  Not that it excuses or explains the most painfully glaring continuity error between these two trilogies.  

(SPOILERS ALERT) 

In a questionably acted scene in RETURN OF THE JEDI, Luke Skywalker, who doesn’t remember his mother, asks Leia Organa if she remembers her real mother.  Never mind there was never even a hint of Leia being adopted in Episodes IV & V, but that’s a complaint for another review.  Anyway, Leia claims she recalls only images and feelings of her mother being beautiful, kind, but sad.  Well, maybe Leia’s mom was sad because it’s not really a joy being a beautiful, kind corpse!  Near the end of REVENGE OF THE SITH, Padmé Amidala gives birth to Luke, gives birth to Leia and then promptly dies, presumably because Anakin turning to the Dark Side broke her heart.  So, did Padmé really die or is Leia lying or just absolutely bonkers?  No way did Baby Leia imprint on Padmé if Baby Luke, who was born first, didn’t.  Maybe a young Leia growing up on Alderaan unknowingly tapped into her innate Jedi powers and saw Padmé’s ghost.  Am I stretching for an answer other than blatantly bad and/or lazy writing? 

Beautiful, kind, sad and confused

Ok, fine, so as not to make this a total bitch-fest, I will give SITH a couple of things.  The return of Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader creates a nerd nirvana bubble.  Second, the scenes of the Jedi Knights being executed are heart-wrenching, seriously dark and powerfully scored by composer John Williams.  I hesitate to say these moments are the best part of the film, especially since Anakin personally executes a classroom of young Jedi-in-training, but they are memorable scenes in their horrifically tragic outcomes.

Did someone call for a babysitter?

In conclusion…
I once thought Episode III was the best in the Prequel Trilogy, but now I think the opposite.  The threadbare plot feels rushed in an attempt to finally try to hit important future pivotal moments.  The acting is generally atrocious and I’ve heard better dialogue in daytime soap operas.  In other words, THE PHANTOM MENACE may bore you to tears, but REVENGE OF THE SITH will inflict seriously cringing pain if you really think about it.  Search your feelings, you know it to be true.  At least you can watch with the knowledge that a legitimately good STAR WARS film is next in the chronological line.  I’m talking about A NEW HOPE, not SOLO or ROGUE ONE.
Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  Click the pic ⤵️ for the review of my favorite prequel… 

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Have you visited STURGEONS?