Showing posts with label saying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saying. Show all posts

Sunday, October 24, 2010

From the mouth of a puppet.

One more bit that jumped out at me in The Adventure of Pinocchio.
Don't fear, it's not a complaint of the story structure.
Rather, it's an observation of how something I normally think of as contemporary had also been used as early as the late nineteenth century.

I'm sure you've heard someone say this before, if not having said it yourself.  Have a read:

Then Pinocchio, losing all patience, grabbed the knocker with both hands, fully determined to awaken the whole house and street with it. As soon as he touched the knocker, however, it became an eel and wiggled away into the darkness.

"Really?" cried Pinocchio, blind with rage. "If the knocker is gone, I can still use my feet."

See?  The inclination to say the word "really" in miffed sarcasm existed even back then.  I don't know about you, but in my mind that had been 'invented' by Amy Poehler on Saturday Night Live.  No, I don't really (ha!) believe that she'd been the source of it.  I just know that after I heard/saw her do it a few too many years back now, it seemed to be on everyone's lips.

Oh - and note the "What the...?" regarding that eel.  ;)

The Lies and No’s of "Pinocchio"

* The comments have a little more on the logic of this post.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Old Saying, New Twist IV.iii


Descartes Variation #3

cogito ergo vos es.
("I think therefore you is.")

This one comes from the Terry Gilliam movie The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. It's spoken by the King of the Moon, who is under the delusion that he created all things...nay, is STILL creating all things. (And yes, I know it should be "you are" but hey, it's a quote and I already told you the King is crazy. [Loony, even.])

Old Saying, New Twist I
Old Saying, New Twist II
Old Saying, New Twist III
Old Saying, New Twist IV
Old Saying, New Twist IV.ii

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Old Saying, New Twist IV.ii


Descartes Variation #2

Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum.
(I think I think therefore I think I am.)

It's not just comedic. In reference to character, it makes sense. I've spoken before about characters taking on a life of their own and "telling" the story. Think of it in terms of fictional people. They think they think, too. (I think.) What, do you think?

Old Saying, New Twist I
Old Saying, New Twist II
Old Saying, New Twist III
Old Saying, New Twist IV
Old Saying, New Twist IV.iii

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Old Saying, New Twist III

Don’t judge a movie by its poster.

When I first saw the (ridiculously large) poster for Will Smith in Hancock, it looked like another “I’m tryin’ to get out of the Hood so I can make good, but I just need to do this one last ‘job’ and then I’m out…” film. Many months later, the trailer showed up in front of a movie we went to see. It’s something completely else…something I want to see. I don’t expect it to be more than a “summer fun” movie. If it does have more substance, so much the better. I'll probably post a review.

Old Saying, New Twist I
Old Saying, New Twist II
Old Saying, New Twist IV
Old Saying, New Twist IV.ii
Old Saying, New Twist IV.iii

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Old Saying, New Twist II

After making a playfully snarky comment to her, Mina asked me if I'm "Cruisin' for a bruisin." I replied: "No, I'm aiming for a maiming."
Don't you think we could use some new clichés?
There. I just created an oxymoron, too.
Stop me.

Old Saying, New Twist I
Old Saying, New Twist III
Old Saying, New Twist IV
Old Saying, New Twist IV.ii
Old Saying, New Twist IV.iii