missing issue v3 #121
arpavax:mark
Date: 23 MAY 1981 1037-EDT
From: JPM at MIT-AI
Subject: SF-LOVERS Digest V3 #121
To: SF-LOVERS at MIT-AI
Status: RO
SF-LOVERS AM Digest Thursday, 14 May 1981 Volume 3 : Issue 121
Today's Topics:
Administrivia - A Fond Farewell & Digest Overload,
SF Events - SF Event Calendar,
SF Books - Danse Macabre & The Universe Between,
SF Movies - Capsule Reviews,
SF Topics - Childern's stories (Miss Pickerel and
Here's the Plot What's the Title) & Evolution of Unicorns,
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 13 May 1980 18:42 PST
From: The Moderator <JPM at MIT-AI>
Subject: Administrivia - A Fond Farewell & Digest Overload
I'd like to take the opportunity to wish Richard Brodie
(Brodie@PARC-MAXC) a fond farewell. For the past couple
of volumes of SF-LOVERS, Richard has been compiling the
Science Fiction Convention Calendar (the most recent
installment of which appears in this digest). He has also
been the liason between the ARPA-NET and the XEROX computer
network.
But Richard's ties to the digest extend much further back
into time. For he was the person responsible for the first
version of this mailing list almost two years ago. Although
many people have contributed vast amounts of time and effort
to make this mailing list a success, Richard is the one who
is ultimately responsible for its existence as such [as we
will all point out to Proxmire, et. al.].
The digest is now SO successful that your poor present
moderator is having difficulty keeping up. Right now there
is enough material already submitted to the digest for 4 more
issues. That means it takes 4 days on the average for a
message from you to appear in the digest. This situation is
likely to persist for the next couple of weeks, so please
bear with me.
Jim
------------------------------
Date: 12-May-81 11:15:45 PDT (Tuesday)
From: Hamilton.ES at PARC-MAXC
Subject: Re: Stephen King's "Danse Macabre"
I've read halfway thur the book. Budrys' review [SFL V3 #116] is
right on the mark.
Note: the book is full of complete spoilers for every piece of notable
horror (including much SF) ever written/ filmed. The claimed scope of
the book is books, films, and TV of the past 30 years, but King
doesn't hesitate to go back to three paradigms which he believes
define most of modern horror: "Frankenstein", "Dracula", and "Dr.
Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde". His fourth paradigm is the ghost story, which
King explicates through reference to several contemporary works.
King is at his best discussing the literary genres. Unfortunately, he
doesn't seem to have developed any sort of cinema esthetic, so that
his "discussion" of film is a tedious rendering of "gee whiz" plot
spoilers, with a few references to the sort of sociological truisms
that any film critic takes for granted (e.g. Don Siegel's "Invasion of
the Body Snatchers" as a depiction of McCarthyism). One gets the
impression that King was determined to prove that he had seen or read
about any film that anyone might ever ask him about. This approach
fails miserably, given the broad scope of his editor's mandate.
It's not clear that King really knows anything about philosophy,
religion, or psychology. If he did, he might have actually been able
to expand the scope of the book while cutting down drastically on plot
descriptions. For example, who can fail to be haunted by Edvard
Munch's "The Scream"? But King ignores the art world, and for that
matter, gives cinematography and set design rather short shrift.
If you must read it, wait for it in paperback.
--Bruce
------------------------------
Date: 13 May 1981 11:22:44-EDT
From: cjh at CCA-UNIX (Chip Hitchcock)
Subject: The Universe Between
The first person to survive the other universe was not from a
school for the talented; rather, she'd been through more than one
reform school.
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1981 17:43:41-PDT
From: ihnss!karn at Berkeley
The comment about 90-degree shifts into another dimension reminds me
of a telephone intercept message (error recording) that somebody once
suggested should be used at MIT:
"We're sorry, you have reached an imaginary number at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Please rotate your phone 90
degrees and try your call again".
Phil
------------------------------
Date: 14 May 1981 0322-PDT
From: Jim McGrath <JPM at SU-AI>
Subject: Capsule Movie Reviews
By Roger Ebert
(c) 1981 Chicago Sun-Times (Field News Service)
''The Devil and Max Devlin''-The latest Disney picture stars
Elliott Gould as a man bargaining with the devil (Bill Cosby) to have
his sentence in hell commuted. This pale, insipid movie could have
been programmed on a computer. Rated PG. 2 stars.
''Excalibur''-John Boorman directed the latest version of the
Camelot legend. It's wonderful to look at, but the characters are
maddeningly arbitrary and unexplained. Nicol Williamson (witty and fun
as Merlin), Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay and Cherie Lunghi
star. Rated R. 2 1/2 stars.
''The Hand''-Science-fiction thriller stars Michael Caine as a
cartoonist whose hand transplant goes awry. With Andrea Marcovicci.
Rated R.
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1981 17:22:45-PDT
From: decvax!duke!unc!smb at Berkeley
Subject: Miss Pickerel Goes to Mars
I have vague recollections of that story. Wasn't there some scene
where her magnetized hammer was bolixing up some instruments? I
believe the Captain fastened the hammer in one place so that he could
make the instrument read some particular value.
While we're at it, let me bring up another story I read in my misspent
youth, albeit somewhat later. It was about an interstellar war (I
know -- that's a really helpful clue) against some lizard-like beings
who were serving a master race somewhere. The hero (Jeff something?)
of course becomes appointed new master when he wins, much as the
Children of the Lens take over from the Arisians (gee, does that line
merit a spoiler warning?). There was something about a totally barren
radioactive planet, diamond stars as an insignia of high rank, and the
hero showing up once on a horse -- unusual because horses were
(almost?) extinct. Anyone out there know the title/author? My best
guess is that I read it around 1964.
------------------------------
Date: 8 May 1981 0102-EDT (Friday)
From: Lee.Moore at CMU-10A
Subject: One horned goat's owner
Does anybody know if its owners -- Morning Glory & Otter G'Zelle --
are related to Tim & Morning G'Zelle? These people are semi-famous
for primitive-minimal constumes at WorldCons and other conventions.
M.G. may be the person who appeared as a bottle of mimeo correction
fluid; a costume the caused some comment many years ago for nudity.
------------------------------
Date: 7 May 1981 1927-PDT
Sender: LEAVITT at USC-ISI
Subject: lancelot the unigoat
From: Mike Leavitt <LEAVITT at USC-ISI>
Not just AP, folks. I saw them all on the Evening News. People are
taking this seriously. "Bray if you're horny!'
------------------------------
Date: 10 May 1981 13:40 PDT
From: Brodie at PARC-MAXC
Subject: SF Events - A Fond Farewell & SF Event Calendar
I came to California in June '79, expecting to take a little time off
from Harvard, and ended up staying at Xerox until now. But the time
has come for me to take a little time off from Xerox to settle some
unfinished business with a sheepskin.
Over a year and a half have gone by since the first SF-Lovers message
went out (It was a list of the Hugo Awards from the 1979 Worldcon in
Brighton, England). They've been a good one and a half years; they've
shown me clearly that electronic communication will change the shape
of our world, and that we'll see its effects in our lifetimes. The
list has grown enormously -- far beyond my expectations -- and has
reached the point where many hundreds of people read the daily Digest.
The 2 million words that have passed before the eyes of SF lovers
through this medium so far -- not to mention the material in the other
large lists -- the hours of work put in by Roger Duffey, and now by
Jim and Don, constitute something all of us will have lasting memories
of, and something which will continue to grow and be part of our
lives.
You can see, then, why it requires a great effort on my part to rip
myself away from my child. In fact, it requires so great an effort
that I'm not going to delete myself from the list until I give up
looking for a way to read my mail from Seattle, where I'm spending the
summer. But I am going away for a while, and I'd like to take this
opportunity to thank all of you and to say au revoir.
At any rate, here's the last convention calendar I'll be doing. I
presume the job will pass on to someone yet to be named. See some of
you around Cambridge in the fall . . .
Richard
------------------------------
Calendar of Science Fiction Events
As of May 7, 1980
------------------------------
May 8-10, 1981 (Tennessee)
KUBLA'S NINTH KHANPHONY. Ken Moore, 647 Devon Drive, Nashville, TN
37204
May 9-10 (Georgia)
EMORY-TREK II. Atlanta Star Trek Society, c/o Kenneth Cribbs, 2156
Golden Dawn Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30311
May 22-25, 1981 (Southern California)
PHANTASMICON. Sheraton Plaza La Reina, Los Angeles (near airport).
GoH: Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon). Art show, masquerade, 24-hr. film
program, ... Galacticon TICKETRON memberships accepted. $15 till 5/21;
$20 door. 5826 Gregory Ave. #1, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (213)
461-2896.
May 23-34, 1981 (District of Columbia)
DISCLAVE. Sheraton National Hotel, Arlington, VA ($38 room). GoH:
Isaac Asimov. Cost: $7 till 5/1, $10 after. Art show info: Bob Oliver,
9408 Michael Drive, Clinton MD 20735.
June 5-7, 1981 (Arizona)
PHRINGECON 2. PO Box 128, Tempe, AZ 85281.
June 12-14, 1981 (Wisconsin)
X-CON 5. M. P. Inda, 1743 N. Cambridge, Apt. 301, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
June 13-14, 1981 (Kansas)
COSMOCON II. c/o Charley S. McCue, 34 halsey, Hutchinson, KS 67501.
June 19-21, 1981 (Massachusetts)
SUMMERCON '81. Wargames. MIT Student Center, Cambridge MA. Dungeons &
Dragons, Traveller, Runequest, other Fantasy Roleplaying games,
Ancients, Naval, and Modern Tactical miniatures, Microgames,
boardgames, Diplomacy, and much more! We will also have our own
unique TACTICS PI! Steven A. Swernofsky, 128 Brattle Lane, Arlington,
Mass. 02174. (617) 646-5604. SFL Liaison: SASW at MIT-MC.
July 2-5, 1981 (Northern California)
WESTERCON 34. GoH: C. J. Cherryh; Fan GoH: Grant Canfield. Red Lion
Motor Inn, Sacramento, CA; (916) 929-8855; $32 single and double, $8
addl person. Party wing. Cost: $20 till 6/14/81, $25 door. P.O. Box
161719, Sacramento, CA 95816.
July 3-5, 1981 (Northern California)
PACIFIC ORIGINS. The Seventh Annual national Wargaming Convention.
Dunfey Hotel, San Mateo, CA. Fantasy and Science Fiction games,
TRAVELLER, DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, TUNNELS AND TROLLS, RUNEQUEST!, a
live FANTASY TRIP dungeon, National Ancients Championship, other
miniatures events, over 50 Boardgame events, SCA fighting demo,
movies, game design workshops. Pacific, PO Box 5548, San Jose, CA
95150.
July 10-12, 1981 (Missouri)
ARCHON V. GoH: Tanith Lee; Fan GoH: Joan Hanke Wood; Toastmaster:
Charlie Grant; also Joan Hanke Wood, Wilson 'Bob' Tucker, Glen Cook,
Ron Chilson, George R. R. Martin, Joe and Gay Haldeman, and Michael
Berlyn. Chase-Park Plaza Hotel, St. Louis, MO ($44 single, $52 2/3/4).
Soliciting program ideas and/or people who could help carry them out.
Also looking for more artist names to add to the mailing list for
soliciting contributions to the art show. This was successful at
ARCHON IV (over 60% of artists sold works), and they are trying to
expand. There will be more art show space and display panels this
year. Also in the process of reviewing art show rules and would
welcome suggestions. SFL liaison: WMartin at Office-3 (Amy Newell).
July 17-19, 1981 (Southern California)
FANTASY FAIRE. Amfac (Airport Marina) Hotel, Alhambra, CA. Masquerade,
fantasy games, "Creating Your Own Universe", awards luncheon ($12).
Cost: $10 till 6/10. 1855 W. Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801.
July 17-19, 1981 (Massachusetts)
LEXICON. Relaxicon. Sheraton Rolling Green, Andover, MA ($88 double
for weekend, includes Sunday brunch for two). No GoH, srt show,
huckster room, or hard work. Cost: $4.25. NESFA, P.O. Box G, Mit
Branch P.O., Cambridge MA, 02139.
July 23-26, 1981 (Southern California)
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON. Confirmed Guests: Denny O'Neil, Dick Giordano,
Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, L.B. Cole, Jim Shooter, Jack Kirby,
Jerry Bails, Scott Shaw, Julius Schwartz, Carl Swan. El Cortez Hotel,
7th and Ash San Diego, CA ($22 single, $28 double, $7 per extra
person, meal plan $14 for three meals). Cost: $16 till 6/30/81; $20
after; $15 ages 6-12; one-day memberships at door ($5 Thu/Sun, $6
Fri/Sat); under 5 yrs free. P.O. Box 17066 San Diego, CA 92117.
August 7-10, 1981 (Northern California)
MYTHCON XII. Mills College, Oakland, CA. Fantasy. GoHs: Elizabeth M.
Pope, Joe R. Christopher. Cost: $10 till 3/1, $15 after. 90 El Camino
Real, Berkeley, CA 94705.
September 3-7, 1981 (Colorado)
DENVENTION TWO. 1981 World Science Fiction Convention. Pro GoH: C.L.
Moore, Clifford Simak; Fan GoH: Rusty Hevelin. Denver Hilton. Cost:
$35 till spring 1981. P.O. Box 11545, Denver, CO. 80211. (303)
433-9774.
November 5-7, 1981 (Southern California)
LOSCON '81. Huntington Sheraton, Pasadena. PGoH: William Rotsler.
FGoHs: Len & June Moffatt. Cost: $10 till 7/4. LASFS, 11513 Burbank
Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601.
July 2-5, 1982 (Arizona)
WESTERCON 35. Adams Hotel, Phoenix ($29 single, $5 ea. addl.) GoH:
Gordon R. Dickson. FGoH: Fran Skene. TM: David Gerrold. Cost: $15
till 7/10/81 ($6 supporting). Box 11644, Phoenix, AZ 85064; (602)
249-2616. SFL Liaison: Schauble.Multics at MIT-Multics (Paul
Schauble).
September 2-6, 1982 (Illinois)
CHICON IV. 1982 World Science Fiction Convention. Pro GoH: A. Bertram
Chandler; Fan GoH: Lee Hoffman; Artist GoH: Kelly Freas. Hyatt
Regency, Chicago, IL. Cost: $30 till 6/30/81; $15 supporting; $7.50
conversion. PO Box A3120, Chicago, IL 60690.
------------------------------
End of SF-LOVERS Digest
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