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                  Letters to Hell - Special X Edition

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Contents
========

  o No Sarcasm Detected
  o Cliches
  o Questions
  o Answers
  o And a Cameo
  o Cuts of the Unkindest Kind
  o Gypsy or Jewish?
  o Preemptive Geek Strike
  o Best Superhero Film of All Time


Introduction
============

eXtra!  eXtra!  Special X edition of Letters to Hell!  Sans smarty-
pants comments, too, since I actually *liked* this one!  Don't get 
used to it... 


No Sarcasm Detected
===================

[ From: B ]

> "He likes it!  Hey Mikey!"
>

[ From: Brian ]

> Sniff.  Sniff.  Nope, no sarcasm detected.  Can't be a legitimate 
> Legeros review.  I suspect foul play.


Cliches
=======

[ From: Jordan ]
[ Re: X Still Marks The Spot ]

> > Occasionally unwelcome cliches also distract, like the person-
> > trapped-in-burning-vehicle bit.  Groan.  
>
> Yes, but what saved this scene was the seat belt safety debate. 
> Wolverine provides a worst-case scenario one way, Rogue the oth-
> er.

[ True... ]


Question
========

[ From: G ]
[ Re: Exhaustive List of Past and Present X-Men ]

> >  Angel - Warren Kenneth Worthington III - Has large feathered 
> >  wings on back.  Can fly.  Later turned blue and given mechan-
> >  ical wings
> 
> I haven't read an X-Men comic since the 70's, so I have to ask:
> why did he turn blue and why (when he already had wings) was he 
> given mechanical wings?


Answers
=======

[ From: Z ] 

> He had 'em cut off in an accident.
>

[ From: Tom ]

> Ultra-short version, Apocalypse did it to him.
>

[ From: Andy ]

> Simple answer:  because the fans hate characters with simple, in-
> offensive powers like feathered wings.  So comic creators tried 
> to make him kewler and gave him the metal wings so he could fly 
> super fast and chop people's heads off while shooting paralyzing 
> feathers.

[ At least Walt Simonson's art was good around that time ]


And a Cameo
===========

[ From: Gary ]

> I thought I heard someone mention a cameo by Angel.  If so, I
> must have missed it.  Where was it in the movie?

[ Was there one? ]


Cuts of the Unkindest Kind
==========================

[ From: Brindle ]
[ Re: X Still Marks The Spot ]

> > Notice Ms. Gray intently approaching Logan as the others are 
> > dispatched to the train station.  She clearly appears about to 
> > talk to him.  What was cut?  An aside?  A short conversation, 
> > perhaps more about his flirting?  Even a one-second shot of 
> > Logan *acknowledging* her approach would be enough, but it 
> > ain't there.  Nor are a double dozen other "moments" when a 
> > particular scene feels "slightly off."
> 
> One scene that seems truncated is the conversation between Logan 
> (Wolverine) and Marie (Rogue) in his truck, just before they ram 
> into the tree.  The pacing seems all wrong.  They cut from a lei-
> surely conversation, to her suddenly saying "You should fasten 
> your seatbelt," to *blammo*.  I'm sure there was more there orig-
> inally.


[ From: Tom ]
[ Re: X Still Marks The Spot ]

> > The biggest huzzit is the seemingly missing footage.  Some of 
> > the snips are small; others are potentially larger omissions.  
> > Happily, one Internet newsgroup is aglow with the rumor that 
> > Fox told Singer to trim the film to under two hours.  That same 
> > rumor reports that Singer intends to restore the footage for a 
> > DVD release.  I sure hope so.  
>
> Read the book, then wait for the DVD.  Fox has made good on the 
> format lately, offering both theatrical and extended director's 
> cuts utilizing the "seamless branching" capability of DVD.  The 
> disc (and sell-through VHS) are supposedly already on the sched- 
> ule for November 21st, so we ain't got long to wait. (Although
> I wonder if that's really enough time to assemble the special e-
> dition; this is one case where I won't mind the "movie-only" six
> or eight months ahead of a deluxe set.  Of course, *now* would be
> better...)

[ Now is *always* better! ]


Gypsy or Jewish?
================

[ From: Ali ]

> The reason for young Magneto being at a concentration camp seems 
> unclear.  In the comic book, he's part of the Gypsy population of 
> Europe, whom the Nazis also viewed as undesirables and decimated 
> around 2.5 million of them.  (A lesser-known fact.)  In the film, 
> is the young Magneto a Gypsy or Jewish child?

[ The latter, as evident by the markings worn by his parents ]


Preemptive Strategic Geek Strike
=================================

[ From: Derek ]

> > The most intensely geek-critiqued comic-book film of all time-- 
> > or at least since the first BATMAN movie-- is, for starters, a-
> > stonishingly faithful to the decades-popular periodical.  No, 
> > not literally.  Nor even with the same-colored costumes.  (In-
> > stead of yellow spandex, the mutant heroes wear MATRIX-style 
> > black, a change even commented on by the characters!)
> 
> Only a nipple joke would have been as effective as a preemptive 
> strategic geek strike...

[ See the fourth BATMAN film ]


Best Superhero Film of All Time
===============================

[ From: Derek ]

> > Or, if you agree with the above review, feel free to argue 
> > *this* point:  what's your pick for best superhero film of
> > all time?  For costumes, casting, and everything else?  SUP-
> > ERMAN II?  BATMAN FOREVER?
> 
> Oh, don't even start...


[ From: Michael ]

> For the classic definition of "superhero," probably SUPERMAN II.
>
> For best live-action translation/version of the comic-book story-
> telling: BLADE.


[ From: T. ]

> If adapted from a comic: THE CROW.
> 
> If an original for the screen: DARK CITY.


[ From: Ian ]

> Best superhero film of all time: THE HEROIC TRIO.
>
> Best cinematic adaptation of a comic book: BABYCART AT THE RIVER 
> STYX, the second "Lone Wolf and Cub" movie.
>
> X-MEN may just be the best adaptation of an *existing* superhero 
> comic, however.

[ And I might agree.  Good night everybody! ]

Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros