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HBO

First?! by Xandr37	Sep 14th, 2003 01:18:43 AM
I still have no idea what this is about, but it looks freakin cool.
All Revolutions commercials by AlwaysThere	Sep 14th, 2003 02:20:16 AM
2 locations: http://www.matrixology.com/rev olutions/trailers/ & http://www.spectaculent.com/
revolution commercials? WHY? NOBODY CARES! by Jon E Cin	Sep 14th, 2003 05:35:08 AM
Do you work for the wachowski's or something? IS IT THAT IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE SOME FUCKING COMMERCIALS? Carnival looks cool though.
EW by BurlIvesLeftNut	Sep 14th, 2003 07:47:30 AM
Who really cares what EW has to say about a movie or TV show Herc? It's the PEOPLE magazine of entertainment magazins. Let that sink in for a moment. The mere fact that the writer feels the need to reference Sex and the City is all the evidence anyone needs. This show looks very interesting, but it is a little bit of a mind bender that the overall story won't even start picking up until next season. But christ, what a great cast! Can't wait.
Toby Huss ? by JohnnyFriendly	Sep 14th, 2003 12:57:39 PM
Toby Huss ( best known as "Artie, the strongest man ... in the world !" on Nickelodeon's "The adventures of Pete & Pete" ) is one of the featured players on "Carnevale". I read on the dead celebrities page at RETROcrush that he had died recently but I can't get confirmation anywhere -- Help a brother out ! If he is indeed gone, link me !
More hollywood christianity bashing by SexyBeast	Sep 14th, 2003 02:25:40 PM
So they are going to make the evil guy the preacher and the convict the good guy. Because of course we know leftist hollywood can't stand religion unless its Muslims who like to blow people up.
"Television Literature?" Maybe "Novelistic Filmmaking" is a be by Ralph Cifaretto	Sep 14th, 2003 03:09:55 PM
I don't know if "Carnival" will be any good, but "Band of Brothers," "The Sopranos," & "The Wire" have proven that the novelistic filmmaking on HBO is the most exciting phenomenon in American film today. Fuck Hollywood. Fuck Miramax. Fuck the Networks. HBO Rules! p.s. "American Splender" wasn't too shaby either. Look forward to "Elephant" also.
HBO content may rule, but HBO's HD policy SUCKS by neovsmatrix	Sep 14th, 2003 04:24:37 PM
I have Hbo-hd (as in high definition HBO) and whenever they show a movie, they ALWAYS fill the screen, regardless of aspect ratio. They crop a lot of movies and many times, they're unwatchable. I hate HBO because of this, however, I do like some of their shows. I'll probably catch Carnivale tonight, and I hope it's good, but I wish HBO would change their HD policy once and for all.
SexyBeast, go shove a bible up your ass by 007-11	Sep 14th, 2003 05:01:44 PM
The show isn't bashing Christianity, it's showing that evil can hide behind a mask of righteousness. You probably only watch Pat Robertson's fake news so you wouldn't know about all the children that have been raped or molested by the clergy. You're probably also only interested in biblical history so you wouldn't know shit about Hitler, Torquemada, and Cardinal Richelieu right? You've probably even deluded yourself into thinking that Jerry Falwell is a super guy. History is littered with people hiding behind Christianity to further their own twisted agenda. Just like the Taliban, just like Al Queada. Islam doesn't corner the market on people hijacking religions.
CLANCY BROWN!!! by EmilyQFan	Sep 14th, 2003 07:04:21 PM
The only reason I am going to check out the show, although I thought I saw Sydney from The Pretender in the promo too.
007, of course the church is evil. That's what makes evil preac by FluffyUnbound	Sep 14th, 2003 07:23:37 PM
I mean, putting a preacher character in a film nowadays is the cinematic equivalent of tattooing a swastika to their foreheads. Yawn. How about a movie where Kevin Spacey plays a softspoken schoolteacher who works at a soup kitchen in his spare time, but at night kills virgins and puts their heads in his refrigerator? Oh wait, let's make the villain a preacher instead, that'll be more unexpected, we can show what risk-takers we are.
I didn't say it wasn't a cliche by 007-11	Sep 14th, 2003 07:50:54 PM
And there are plenty of preachers in movies that have been decent folk. Most recently that dreamy Heath Ledger in "The Order". Then theres Ed Norton in "Keeping the Faith", Russell Crowe in "Quick and the Dead", and that priest in "Chocolat". Even though it's been done several times it doesn't hurt to see it again every once and while to remind people that the clergy isn't above suspicion.
Evil ministers by Gislef_crow	Sep 14th, 2003 10:21:16 PM
The impression one gets from the USA Today article is that Father Justin Crowe isn't evil per se. And he's being played by Clancy Brown, who has pretty much moved beyond the villain-stage of his career. Sounds like the character will be more conflicted then evil.
Yeah, i'd definitely call the minister conflicted by 007-11	Sep 14th, 2003 10:36:33 PM
He's not out and out malicious.
Saw it, and I thought it was pretty good by neovsmatrix	Sep 14th, 2003 10:40:47 PM
I think both main characters, the preacher, and Ben Hawkins, are not completely one or the other. Rather, they're powers aren't completely good and evil. At least the last shot in Carnivale indicates while Ben Hawkins can give life, or heal, his power also saps his energy and destroys his surroundings or something to that effect.
The show tonight! by Vnhaln1	Sep 14th, 2003 11:00:46 PM
Just saw it and it looks pretty good. It has a good premise and a good cast of characters. If anything they should have made the 1st episode a 2 hour one. The show was very slow moving. Its because they were trying to introduce many of the characters and give you a feeling about where those characters are going (or have been). I think some people will be turned off by the premire and not bother coming back next week to see where they are going.
novelistic television... by TenDeuChen	Sep 14th, 2003 11:06:19 PM
someone describing what hbo is doing as novelistic television made a light flicker on over my head...J. Michael Straczynski should create a novel show for HBO...wouldn't that be great...
Was it me or was that first episode Beyond Yawn Inducing?? by MentallyMariah	Sep 14th, 2003 11:25:20 PM
I can understand that it's only the first show but if the first show makes me not want to ever visit the CARNIVALE again...then I guess my Sunday Nights are FREE AGAIN!! The O.C on the other hand.....
TenDeuChen - who is J. Michael Straczynski & why would he be coo by Ralph Cifaretto	Sep 14th, 2003 11:42:33 PM
I think HBO should start adapting novels. The long, beloved, classic ones that could never be done right in 2 hours. Imagine a lavish 10 hour "Adventures of Huck Finn" or "The Vampire Lestat." Hell, there are hundreds of possibilities.
Pretty darn cool, and Clea DuVall is pretty darn pretty. by Smeg For Brains	Sep 15th, 2003 12:40:14 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this show. I am definitely going to watch it regularly. Also Clea DuVall is looking darn cute in that 20's style.
Clea Duvall is cute?? by NYC	Sep 15th, 2003 01:05:07 AM
Alright actress maybe, but I think I'd rather fuck Nick Stahl.
Why can't we all focus on what's important... by travisc	Sep 15th, 2003 03:23:49 AM
We finally saw Carla Gallo from "Undeclared" topless. Thank you, HBO!
by Subversive01057	Sep 15th, 2003 03:55:17 AM
Wow, travisc, I can't wait to get back to my Tivo!!
I though after T3 that Nick Stahl's Movie Career was off and run by Drath	Sep 15th, 2003 09:29:12 AM
He amazingly was worth watching in T3(which no wasn't anywhere near as good as the first two but was still entertaining enough for a sitting). What's he doing on a TV show? Even a high profile HBO show seems like step downward from future movie star. Come on, young Hollywood, get your frelling act together, we need ACTORS! Something to counteract the shit being hauled at us in the form of talentless media-made hacks like Ashton Kutcher! Come on!
I liked it!!! by Russman	Sep 15th, 2003 09:41:40 AM
There just better be a payoff!!! (shaking my fist)
No, this just won't do... by Boxcutter	Sep 15th, 2003 10:53:25 AM
Our suspicions are sadly confirmed. Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes" meets Lynch meets Stephen King's "The Stand" in a perfectly sepia- and dust-toned 30s wasteland, so we can throw Steinbeck in there too, the Great Depression, the imminence of the next World War. Fuck off. This isn't a show; it's a series of self-conscious references - "ooh, look at all the pop culture and history and literature I've ingested, Mummy!" Thanks to a pal, I've seen four episodes of this now, and that's quite enough: the acting is uniformly atrocious, the narrative is not "novelistic" in the slightest, it's soap-structure bite-size chunks of a story we've heard many times before in may other different guises - only this time it comes with superior production values. Nope, can't fault the art direction. Only the people who greenlighted this mess. Thank God they're re-running The Wire soon.
Neovsmatrix - HBO-HD policy by righteousdude	Sep 15th, 2003 11:50:23 AM
You're not alone in your disgust as HBO's feature film policy on their high-definition channel. An unofficial poll on the AVS Forum, which has a lot of HBO-HD customers, found that 95% of us would prefer the director's OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) rather than the zoomed pan 'n scan versions they show. People with HDTV's are conditioned to the letterbox bars on 'scope movies on their widescreen sets because of DVD's, so HBO literally has no excuse for doing this. For some unknown reason, HBO persists in this shortsided policy in spite of their customer's wishes. All we can do is continue to write/call them and make our preference known and maybe the guy responsible for this decision will die a miserable & much deserved death and more sensible people will come to power and reverse this policy. Showtime, bless their hearts, shows their HD movies in OAR. Now, original series like Carnivale or the Sopranos are filmed in the 16:9 ratio so no zooming/pan 'n scanning is necessary. It's only feature films that they butcher, and this policy is relatively recent. Older HD film transfers sometimes are shown in OAR.
A Couple of Points re Ben Hawkins & The Preacher. by FlatulantJedi	Sep 15th, 2003 11:52:19 AM
First, I thought is was kind of a hoot to see Clany Brown (The Voice of Lex luthor) talking to parishoner Kay Callan (Who Played Martha Kent on the 90s series "Lois & Clark"). Secondly, everybody just seems to be assuming that Hawkins is the good guy and The Preacher is Evil. While Hawkins seems sympathetic, sure, there's no gaurentee that he's not going to turn out to be the bad guy in the end. Finally, as for this show being Christianity-Bashing... I would respectfully disagree. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Jesus was a convict (Albeit for reasons that we today consider unjust - speaking out against a repressive/corrupt rulership) and some of the cheif enemies in the New Testament are the Phareses - The Temple Priests. I don't see the new show as Anti-Christian, quite the contrary in fact.
Ralph Cifaretto - J. Michael Straczynski... by mbeemer	Sep 15th, 2003 01:23:04 PM
...was the creator and writer of most of "Babylon 5". He's currently producing "Jeremiah" for Showtime and writing "Amazing Spider-Man" for Marvel comics. He is very good at extended storyline and at taking the expected and turning it on its head.
Hell yeah, Clea Duvall is cute. by Smeg For Brains	Sep 15th, 2003 11:51:19 PM
I think she is very attractive. Not in a typical way. She is a little odd looking, but it works great for her, at least I think so. Then again I think Britany Spears looks like an unfrozen cave woman.
"I have this to say... by Pimpernel	Sep 16th, 2003 11:07:54 PM
...it's better to burn out than to fade away!" - Kurgan/Highlander --- All hail the dark god that is Clancy Brown!
How can someone say someone else is wrong when it comes to taste by Smeg For Brains	Sep 16th, 2003 11:30:58 PM
I mean what is right and wrong in that case? If I think Clea Duvall is attractive how can I be wrong about it? I never said that anyone else should find her attractive, just that I thought she was. Do I care if anyone else thinks she is? Hell no. I could give a rats ass what other people find attractive, which is why I don't think Britany Spears is at all attractive, even though I am constantly told by the media that she is. Taste in the opposite sex (or for some people same sex) is totally subjective. There is no correct form of physical attractiveness in this world, no matter what we are told by the corporations who use sex to make their billions. It is easier for Playboy to create a type of woman that they then convince people is the most attractive (i.e. big fake tits, bleach blonde hair, and thick eye makeup), because then they can take any woman, give her fake tits, bleach her hair, and spackle on some makeup, and they have their next model. No effort on their part to find a real beautiful woman to sell magazines each month. Just like it is easier to creat someone like Spears and all her clones rather than put the effort into finding real beauty and talent. Me, I'll stick with what floats my boat for real, rather than what I'm told should float my boat. And I'll say that Miss Clea Duvall is a pretty young woman, and I'll be a lot happier than a lot of people who don't know what they actually like anymore.
Oh and how is this show at all like Twin Peaks? So far Carnival by Smeg For Brains	Sep 16th, 2003 11:52:21 PM
I don't even consider Twin Peaks the weirdest show ever on television. The Prisoner is my choice for the weirdest show on TV, and also one of the best. Twin Peaks was a quirky murder mystery until the murder was solved and it just fell to peices. Carnivale wasn't that weird at all. It has it's quirks, but so what? Some hack TV reviewer at USA Today slaps the show as Twin Peaks at the carnival and now all of a sudden that is what everybody says. This show has nothing in common with Twin Peaks, and isn't trying to either. So now you can't make interesting television without ripping off Twin Peaks? Also if you think David Lynch movies are weird you should see the Cremaster Cycle. If you think David Lynch is weird your freaking head will explode after seeing those five films. Mathew Barney destroys David Lynch in the weird film competition. Cremaster 3 is an amazing three hour movie with no dialog (except a little singing), and some of the most beautiful visuals around (including a demolition derby in the lobby of the Chrystler building, and a live action videogame inside the Gugenheim museum. Cremaster puts David Lynch down. It makes Eraser Head look like a formulaic Hollywood summer blockbuster. This isn't anything against Mr. Lynch, just that everyone acts like he is the end all, be all of weirdness. He's not even close. Ever see a Salvidore Dali film? See An Andalusian Dog and tell me David Lynch is the weirdest. There are far weirder things out there. Also it isn't that hard to just be weird. Anyone can do it really. It is very hard though to be weird and still have it communicate something, and serve a purpose, and be enjoyable. Sure Lynch is good at that. Just not the weirdest.
Carnvaluted by Karl_Hungus	Sep 17th, 2003 01:01:06 AM
This show had me-compelling begining, then lost me-old lady pukes up coins(didn't I see this same seen in Leprachan?)had me- dead baby scene, then lost me for good-after that stupid post rape speech-"Are you saying it's my fault I almost got raped because of the way I was dressed? "Yes" "All I wanted ws to buy gas..."or something like that. It sounded like it was lifted from the transcript of a 1970's ABC special on date rape. Although it's much better than Showtimes atrocious Dead Like Me, Sopranos, SFU, and Band of Brothers this ain't. Oh yeah and by the way-Smeg for Brains-I'm aware that taste in appearance is relative but if you think Clea Duvall is hotter than Brittany Spears you must be gay.
Haha. Why is it that someone who doesn't think Brittany Spears by Smeg For Brains	Sep 17th, 2003 07:07:01 PM
By the same reasoning, and using my taste in women, I could say that your dream date would be to go back in time and screw a Neanderthal woman. Or that you would prefer any woman, no matter what she actually looked like, as long as she bleached her hair, got fake tits, and plastered her face in makeup. But then of course I would be judging you based on my tastes, which is pointless, because your tastes are obviously different than mine. You like cave girls, and I like quirky girls. Haha. Anyway, why is Brittany Spears so attractive? Tell me that you couldn't go into the downtown area of any major city and walk around for an hour and see dozens of women FAR more attractive than almost any of the "superstars" that are foisted upon us by MTV? And even then my group of attractive women would probably differ greatly from yours. Why is it so important to "prove" that I am weird because of who I find attractive? If you want the proof, here you go. "I am weird, and have different tastes in women than most other men." There you go. Now you can stop feeling threatened, and insecure. I accept the blame here, and gladly take the label of weird, so that you can feel normal, and stop questioning whether you are attracted to the "right" type of woman. And if I ever run into Ms. Spears I'll do you a favor and send that pooch your way. I'd rather go for someone that I, not MTV, think is cute.
Infants by Roj Blake	Sep 17th, 2003 11:05:12 PM
Too many infants are allowed by their parents to post in the talkbacks on AICN. This disturbs me greatly. "Carnivale" rocks. Clea Duvall is hot in a very natural kinda way. Britney Spears is hot in a very fake kinda way. Tastes differ. Move along and play with that tinker toy set Santa brought you last X-Mas - it's getting ~very~ dusty. Oh and did I mention "Carnivale" rocks?
Very dusty, like the term "rocks". by Smeg For Brains	Sep 17th, 2003 11:33:58 PM

Many rocks are dusty by Roj Blake	Sep 18th, 2003 12:00:28 AM
Especially the really old ones.
Actually, that is true. I resign. by Smeg For Brains	Sep 18th, 2003 09:22:48 AM
Besides this isn't that fun anymore, because it is getting to be an old talkback and will soon be off the main page. Also Carnivale doesn't "rock". It ROCKS HARD. ----Apendix---- Other things that are dusty. 1. old area rugs. 2. Mars. 3. Dusty Rhodes. 4. the top of my book shelf. 5. Bea Arthur
Many rocks are hard.... by Roj Blake	Sep 18th, 2003 11:12:02 AM

My 2 by HollywoodBob	Sep 18th, 2003 10:31:51 PM
IMHO I don't think the preacher is evil at the moment. He just doesn't realize that he's making the "signs" he's seeing appear. I'm sure that any heavily religious person would see that level of unexplainable events as signs from God. We have yet to see what he does with his new found "link to the big Guy." Personally Sunday can't get here fast enough for me. HBO should release DVDs of their series when they debut. They'd make just as much money when their subscribers ran to the store Tuesday after the premiere to buy the entire series. Then they could release another 6 months down the road with special features and make twice the loot off the show. :-D

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