I'm back (hey, where's my musical fanfare?)

I guess that's something I still have to learn to live without.

So, alot happened since I left for Rhode Island Sunday (hence my absence almost all week). My company sent me to training in Newport there. I learned alot. Like you still need a JACKET to walk around in RI in the middle of the afternoon even in MAY!

I wish I had more time to discuss a few interesting things I've seen, heard, and read about in the last week, but I'm afraid it once again comes down to the final minutes of my work day on a Friday and the shite just ain't gonna happen. I've got my mini-review of the new Star Wars CD though!

Stuff in short:
The Massachusetts treasure finders were fakes. I got excited. Sue me.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/29/buried.treasure.ap/index.html

Um? I guess I'm just helping to get the word out. Yeah.
http://web.mit.edu/adorai/timetraveler/

Speaking of retarded, Rosie O'Donnell's retarded! But tell me something I didn't know. OK, how about how funny it is listening to her pretending (badly) to be retarded in her new role?!:
http://www.tvgasm.com/archives/television_specials/000761.php

The trailer for the new Dukes of Hazzard movie is out. It's not as utterly terrible as it could have been. If you expected two rednecks in an orange shitmobile being chased by cops, a grizzled old country Uncle, and a young girl in short-shorts, well this will satisfy your desires.
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thedukesofhazzard.html

On the subject of movies, Nick over at CHUD has a pretty good idea about how to handle the future of Star Wars that would rectify the problem between fans of the Original Trilogy and those who want a completely seamless prequel-sequel set of movies.
http://chud.com/steadyleak/2810

Lots of early reviews for the new Star Wars flick. I'll give you the grand sweeping synopsis by saying that most reviewers have felt the film still has some of the same flaws of its two prequel predecessors, but to MUCH less of a degree. The biggest difference this time being that those flaws are more easily accepted when combined with the relentless action, lightsaber duels, and triumph of the "bad guys" at the end of the film.
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20157
http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Joshs_Revenge_of_the_Sith_Review_92074.asp
For non-spoilers:
http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Spoiler_Free_Review_of_Episode_III_92096.asp
The Revenge of the Sith soundtrack came out Tuesday. My girlfriend nabbed me a pirated copy from a friend while I was gone (I'll be buying my own this weekend so I can watch the bonus DVD she's already seen!) What do I think of the music? Great stuff. It definitely conveys the urgency of the movie's pacing and the tragedy that will befall the characters in the film. But I have to admit there is some acoustic imagery surprisingly absent from the tracks on the CD. I expected more of Vader's theme (the Imperial March), at least a few drawn out overtones of the Emperor's theme, complete with spooky vocals. Ever since the prequels were announced Lucas and copany has indicated that the three prequels would visually begin in a very different looking world than the OT. In the Phantom Menace the Galaxy is still a bright and shiney place with sleek ships, which begins to shift in Episode II. And by the end of Episode III, we're supposed to see clothing styles, vehicular constructions, etc that look alot more liek the ones in A New Hope (though not too close since the two films take place 18 years apart). Given the visual links we were promised and so far delivered, I expected the score for this film to resonate alot closer to the acoustic themes in A New Hope. There's the Force Theme (think about the music that constantly plays for Luke in the OT) all over this soundtrack and even a large chunk of the ceremonial music from the very end of A New Hope that sounds like it will play over the end credits of Episode III.
Which is cool, but the music I was most looking forward to was the Anakin vs. Obi-wan duel. It's placement in the prequel trilogy mirrors the one between Luke and Vader in ROTJ, where arguably some of the most dramatic "fight" music in the whole OT is. If that battle represents the "do or die" fate of Vader or Luke, this battle in Episode III does the same for Anakin and Obi-wan. And given that the Emperor is the one responsible for helping to turn Anakin Skywalker to the dark side of the Force, it seems a little of the Emperor's theme would have been appropriate. but it's just not there. What is there sounds liek a less adventurous, faster paced version of the Speeder Chase music from Attack of the Clones.

Overall the soundtrack is a true work of art. It's just not what I had imagined it to be in my head (something SW fans have said constantly about the prequels in general since TPM). I've listened to the Revenge of the Sith soundtrack 6 times since yesterday. And it grows on me more with each listen. All of it's great music. Just not what I expected. I'm hoping that once I've seen it in context it'll give me further appreciation. I'm also hoping that maybe there's yet some music that I hoped for in the movie that just didn't make the soundtrack cut.

Anyway, that's it from me. Have a slamming weekend!