Posts Tagged ‘George R.R. Martin’
‘Game of Thrones’: Everything You Need to Know for the Final Season
April 8, 2019We swear it by the old gods and the new: The last time we stepped foot in Westeros back in August of 2017, Game of Thrones had just finished its most ambitious and high-fantasy-epic season to date. (Three words: zombie ice dragon.) We know it’s a matter of logistics and visual-effects production that has kept the series from returning for over a full year, but let’s be honest: Didn’t it feel like everyone involved just needed a breather?
Indeed, if there’s a single takeaway from GoT‘s Season Seven, it was this: Houses divided cannot stand. After six years of Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, Baratheons, Boltons, Freys, Greyjoys, Tyrells and Martells tearing each other apart, the time came at last for the disparate nobles of the Seven Kingdoms to come together and make a last stand against an apocalyptic army of White Walkers and walking-dead wights.
We realize it can be hard to keep track of all of the show’s numerous story strands, especially after seven dense seasons filled with formed (and broken) alliances, numerous deaths and various players being moved all around the show’s geographical chess board. Don’t worry: Our Game of Thrones cheat sheet will catch you up quickly, so that when the beginning of the endgame begins on April 14th, you’ll know exactly where everyone stands — or flies.
I wrote a cheat sheet for Game of Thrones‘ final season for Rolling Stone.
080. Dodge
March 21, 2019
If there’s anything else in the history of action cinema I’ve studied with the same open-hearted intensity I’ve applied to Road House, it’s the Tomb of Balin/Bridge of Khazad-dûm sequence from Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring. Back in the summer of 2001, in the Before Times, I was invited by New Line Cinema in my capacity as assistant editor of the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly, my first real job out of college (see what I mean about the Before Times?) to watch the 20 minutes or so of footage from Jackson’s first Lord of the Rings movie that had been publicly screened, initially some weeks prior at the Cannes Film Festival. Wisely the studio had selected the film’s first real action setpiece, the slobberknocker with the orcs and the cave troll in Balin’s Tomb and the flight down the crumbling staircase afterwards. Any doubts I might have harbored about the ability of Jackson, a filmmaker whom I loved for Heavenly Creatures but wasn’t sure could tamp down his manic style for Tolkien’s world, evaporated the moment the fighting began. This was a director who understood that effective action is shaped by the environment in which it’s staged, with easily understandable physical stakes for the success and failure of each blow and maneuver, relayed through camerawork that allows the eye to parse the spatial relationships between the combatants.
What’s more, and the friend I brought along with me as my plus-one to the screening room is the one who pointed this out, Jackson understood that the key to fantasy as a genre is scale, intuiting George R.R. Martin’s much-quoted dictum that we turn to fantasy “to find the colors again,” to transcend drab reality on (paraphrasing here) the wings of Icarus rather than Southwest Airlines. Neither Jackson nor Martin (nor Tolkien, nor Benioff & Weiss for that matter) felt this meant completely detaching the material from reality; on the contrary, the punishing realism of Martin’s setting and the painstaking detail of the Weta Workshop’s worldbuilding made the truly massive scope of the landmarks and lives of Westeros and Middle-earth all the more convincing.
I’ve told this story many times now, but it was specifically one of the Moria sequence’s action beats that brought this home to me. As the Fellowship flees down those gigantic, precarious stairs, orcs begin pelting them with arrows. Legolas, the Elven archer, turns and fires back at one of the distant foes. The camera travels as if mounted on the shaft, giving us an arrow’s eye view of the cave and the evil creature on the opposite end towards whom it is racing. A cut at the moment of impact switches us to a view of the same cavern from just behind and above the orc (by now struck right between the eyes and plummeting into the abyss below), angled downward toward the Fellowship on the stairs hundreds of yards away. The arrow’s flight, and our flight along with it, describes that vast space in a way a more traditional establishing shot could not. If we’d started with that over-the-shoulder shot looking down at the Fellowship we’d have gotten the picture I suppose, but we wouldn’t have been made to feel the space, the scale, the awe.
Whether to reserve the sight of the Balrog for the eventual filmgoing public or because that sight had not yet been completed I can’t recall, but the preview cut off with our final glimpse of the Fellowship escaping the stairs. The chase across the Bridge, the standoff between Gandalf and the Balrog, Gandalf’s triumph and fall, and the Fellowship’s mournful escape had to wait until the premiere. But there’s another moment with an arrow that stuck with me then and still does today. As Aragorn, the last one out of the Mines, looks back at the chasm, the rain of arrows from the orcs, who’d given the Balrog a wide berth, resumes. Viggo Mortensen, an amazing proficient action performer for a guy who had about a week of instruction before his first on-camera swordfight compared to the rest of the cast’s extensive training camp, had clearly been instructed by Jackson to act as though he was dodging arrows that were added digitally after the fact. Like a particularly generous pro wrestler he sold the hell out of it, at one point ducking so dramatically it’s like he was avoiding some big galoot’s haymaker. The desultory choreography of the move jumps out at me because Mortensen’s Aragorn is otherwise a model of physical efficiency in his fighting style, as befits a man who’s been hunted all his life and has learned that excess movement can mean the difference from ending a fight merely exhausted and ending a fight dead. It’s taken me time to come around to it but I now recognize it as the right approach for a character who’s been momentarily poleaxed by a grief he never believed he’d experience.
Anyway, at one point during the big bar-destroying fight that breaks out in Road House when a man squeezes another man’s wife’s tits without paying to kiss them as he’d appeared to agree to do, a stray bottle comes flying in Dalton’s direction and shatters against the post next to which he’s been standing and taking in the scene, and he dodges it and resumes watching in less time than it took either of the arrows described above to do their thing. This doesn’t tell us anything about the scale of the Double Deuce, the spatial relationship between Dalton and the unseen bottle-thrower, the nature of the world in which the film takes place, the emotional state of the characters, or the approach of director Rowdy Herrington toward the material. It just tells us that Dalton is so good at dodging broken glass that it doesn’t even disturb his spit-curl. And that’s all you need to know, son.
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 81! PLUS! The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #24 & #25!
January 1, 2019BLAH 81: Sean & Stefan on Fire & Blood
George R.R. Martin is back with a new book. Sean T. Collins is back as an illustrious cohost. Sean & Stefan talk Fire & Blood for a full 90 minutes. ’Nuff said!
PLUS!
BLAM 24: Life-Changing ASoIaF Writing
Our subscriber-exclusive series of minipodcasts is back, BAY-BAY! This time around, Sean & Stefan answer our patreon subscriber The Orange Man’s inquiry about the essays, articles, and posts we’ve read that have had the greatest impact on how we thought about A Song of Ice and Fire from then on. Click here and subscribe for just $2 a month for the answers!
AND!
BLAM 25: The Top 5 Characters to Have Sex With
Only Sean’s friend and $5-a-month patron Gretchen Felker-Martin is a big enough horndog to be responsible for this installment in our subscriber-only series of mini-podcasts: Who are the top five lays in all of Westeros and Essos? Obviously, this was fun to answer, and we answered it irrespective of orientation so there’s something for everyone. Subscribe for the low low price of $2 a month and enjoy!
Additional links:
Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.
Our PayPal donation page (also accessible via boiledleather.com).
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 80!
December 31, 2018Fire, Blood, Oily Stones, and Narratives
The Boiled Leather Audio History Hour is coming to your house! Aziz and Ashaya from the “History of Westeros” podcast are doing us the honor of providing not one but two illustrious guest co-hosts for this episode.
Of course, I’m taking them to task and interview them about the near and far history of Westeros. We talk the Dance of the Dragons and the Blackfyre rebellion as precursors to the narrative and foreshadowing it, delve into oily black stones and the Long Night and, finally, break some eggs. You have to listen to the show to get that reference.
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The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 79!
October 9, 2018Whoa ho ho, what’s this? Illustrious Co-Host Stefan Sasse and @warsofasoiaf’s Something Like a Lawyer discussing the upcoming Battles of Ice and Fire in the latest episode of the Boiled Leather Audio Hour podcast? Sure seems like it! Let’s see what Stefan has to say about it…
In Sean’s second consecutive month with a leave of absence, Stefan is joined by Jim McGeehin, who writes the famous tumblr “Wars and Politics of Ice and Fire” and goes by the handle of “Something like a lawyer”. While his lawyering status may be somewhat in doubt, his command of the material is not.
Jim’s command of military and political matters is almost without equal in the fandom, and while he is too modest to accept the monicker of “expert” that Stefan tried to bestow on him, that’s really what he is. So it would be malpractice not to put his expertise to the test!
What we talk about in this episode are the upcoming Battles of Ice and Fire, referring to Stannis’ fight against Freys and Boltons and Barristan’s fight against the Yunkish in the expected opening of “The Winds of Winter”, when it finally arrives. We talk military strategy as well as political strategy, being aware that in a feudal society, no one can seperate both. We also venture into the literary qualities and discuss some more elaborate fan theories.
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The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 78!
September 14, 2018First, a brief note: ALL LEATHER MUST BE BOILED, even when I’m not the one boiling it. I’m on hiatus from the Boiled Leather Audio Hour, so my Illustrious Co-Host Stefan Sasse is taking the reins, and he’s brought @poorquentyn aboard as his first guest to talk A Dance with Dragons!
Stefan, take it away…
Sean is taking a time off due to personal reasons. Until he’s back, to keep you guys with the content you know and love, Stefan will soldier on and line up co-hosts that are illustrious as Sean, or near enough that makes no matter.
The first in this colorful row is Emmet Booth, aka PoorQuentyn. Emmet is rightfully famous for his tumblr, and he delivered first-rate analysis of Euron Greyjoy, Quentyn Martell, Tyrion Lannister, Davos Seaworth and Theon Greyjoy, only to name a few.
But Emmet is also one of the most ardent defenders of “A Dance with Dragons”‘s literary qualities, and Stefan shares this feeling, so this is the topic we chose: What makes “A Dance with Dragons” the best of the five main novels.
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an announcement
September 6, 2018Well, it looks like it’s gonna be a slow news day, so I might as well announce that I’m taking a break from the Boiled Leather Audio Hour podcast. I’m leaving it in the capable hands of My Illustrious Cohost @StefanSasse, who’s already got some killer guest hosts from the ASoIaF/GoT world lined up. We have a backlog of Boiled Leather Audio Moments for our patreon subscribers (http://patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour BAY-BAY) that I hope to roll out this month as well, and I will CERTAINLY return to talk about Fire and Blood in a couple months. For now I need to recharge and free up some time to work on long-delayed projects, so that when I return, which I hope to do, I can give this beloved thing of ours the attention it deserves. I’ve loved recording every episode and I’m so grateful for everyone’s support.
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #23!
August 2, 2018
We’re making up for lost time with our second subscriber-exclusive BLAM mini-podcast in 24 hours! This installment’s question comes from $5/month subscriber Matthew Miller, who wants to know what role Sean & Stefan think Ser Garlan Tyrell will play in the remaining two volumes of A Song of Ice and Fire. Though we’ve barely seen him at all, his reputation precedes him — including IRL, where GRRM himself has said Ser Garlan will play a major part in the story’s endgame. What part do we think that will be, exactly? Click here to subscribe for the low low price of $2/month and find out!
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #22
August 2, 2018
A Different Verse of A Song of Ice and Fire
A Patreon snafu kept us from posting our latest BLAM, but we’re back with a new subscriber-exclusive mini-podcast, based on questions from readers like you! (No, not you, the other one — yeah, you.) This episode, $5/month subscriber Andrew Dill asks Your Illustrious Cohosts which parts of the world of Ice and Fire that aren’t covered thoroughly by the main narrative we’d like to see explored more in-depth. It’s an interesting question, and our answers range all over the world. Click here to subscribe and find out!
(There’s no way to legally download this episode’s theme music, but it’s “Horror Head” by Curve if you were wondering.)
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 77!
August 1, 2018
What was life like before A Game of Thrones? No, not for your illustrious cohosts (we can hardly remember; was there life before A Game of Thrones?) — for your favorite POV characters! On this installment of BLAH, Sean & Stefan discuss the attitudes and events they feel must have shaped the day-to-day lives of George R.R. Martin’s main characters prior to the start of A Song of Ice and Fire. How did Ned Stark balance his professional obligations against the ghosts of the past? What did Jaime Lannister have in common with a pro wrestling heel? What was the impact of domesticity on Catelyn Stark, and of domestic violence on Cersei Lannister? Why was Tyrion Lannister less interesting before the books began — and why was Davos Seaworth more interesting? It’s a deep dive into character and theme (and of course pure speculation), and we hope you enjoy it!
Additional links:
Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.
Our PayPal donation page (also accessible via boiledleather.com).
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #21!
June 5, 2018
From HBO’s dreams to BLAM’s reality! It’s a crossover between the concepts of two of TV’s biggest shows on this edition of our Patreon-exclusive mini-podcast, courtesy of subscriber Chris Schera, who asks what storylines we’d want to take part in if a Westeros-themed Westworld-style android theme park existed. This was a fun one — click here to subscribe and listen for just $2 a month!
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #20!
May 1, 2018
Tywin Lannister only has two sons, one of whom is sworn to the Kingsguard and the other of whom he hates. Why has he never attempted to father more heirs? That’s the question facing Sean & Stefan in the latest BLAM mini-podcast, available exclusively for our $2-and-up Patreon subscribers. The answers involve both in-story considerations and the meta-quirks of writing. Sean is also forced to say the words “the old Tywin two-pump,” so there’s that to look forward to. Click here, subscribe, and enjoy!
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 74!
April 30, 2018
Monsters
Unleash the kraken! And the dragon, and the Other, and the wight, and the giant, and the direwolf, and the FrankenGregor, and the giant turtle, et cetera. Sean and Stefan tackle the monsters of Ice and Fire — the ones that aren’t human, we mean — and their roles in the setting, the narrative, and the overall project of ASoIaF. Consider it our Walpurgisnacht Special!
Additional links:
Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.
Our PayPal donation page (also accessible via boiledleather.com).
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #19!
March 30, 2018Moment 19 | Arya’s Needle, Arya’s Fate
What lies in store for the wolf child? We’re taking our best guesses in this episode of our Patreon-exclusive mini-podcast, in which we answer subscriber TheWorkingDead’s questions about the fate of Arya Stark. Did Jon’s joke about finding her after the snow thaws, frozen to death with a needle in her hand, augur something more serious? What about Ned’s maxim that the lone wolf dies but the pack survives? Will she reconnect with Nymeria or her siblings again, and what will happen if so? Pledge $2/month to our Patreon to listen in and see what you think!
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #18!
March 14, 2018The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 72!
March 1, 2018Books vs. Show
They said it would never be done! Your illustrious cohosts do the one thing they never do and spend an entire episode comparing and contrasting A Song of Ice and Fire with its TV adaptation, Game of Thrones. The casting, the writing, the plot, the effects, the sense of scale, the themes, the changes: We’re going all in, baby, and we’re unlikely to do this kind of thing again for a long long time, so enjoy!
Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.
Our PayPal donation page (also accessible via boiledleather.com).
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #17!
January 25, 2018The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #15!
December 31, 2017Moment 15 | Tinfoil
It’s our final BLAM of 2017, and man is it a juicy one! This episode of our subscriber-exclusive mini-podcast concerns a question pitched to us by subscriber Björn Mark Helgoe, who’d like to know which tinfoil-hat theories we believe in that the majority of the fandom doesn’t, and why. Strap on your thinking cap, subscribe to our Patreon for just $2/month or more, and listen in to Sean’s “Oberyn poisoned Tywin” theory and beyond. Thanks to you all for subscribing and listening! Happy New Year!
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 70!
December 31, 2017The Impact of Ice and Fire
For our very special 70th episode of the podcast, and our lucky 13th installment of 2017, BLAH is going big! In this freewheeling, wide-ranging episode, Sean & Stefan trace the effects of A Song of Ice and Fire (and Game of Thrones) on our lives, our minds, and our world. How has ASoIaF shaped your illustrious co-hosts’ thinking on art and literature? How can it help us understand the simultaneous rise of the New Golden Age of Television and nerd culture, including nerd culture’s toxic elements as well as its positive ones? Where would each of us be without it? The answers to all these questions and many more await you in the grand finale of our three-part holiday special!
Additional links:
Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.
Our PayPal donation page (also accessible via boiledleather.com).
The Boiled Leather Audio Moment #14!
December 18, 2017Moment 14 | Believing in the Big Prophecies
That’s right, folks — Sean & Stefan are going back to back with two new BLAMs in a single night! The topic for our latest subscriber-only mini-podcast comes from $5/month patron Steve Shapiro, who asks why everyone’s so certain that the major story-ending prophecies involving Azor Ahai Reborn and “the dragon has three heads” will come to pass given Marwyn the Mage’s memorably profane line, “Prophecy will bite your prick off every time.” We love prophecy questions here at BLAM because they exist right in the venn-diagram overlap between theories and theme, so we really dig into this one. Keep your night of hot Boiled Leather content going strong by subscribing for just $2 a month at our Patreon and listening in!