From: blakes7-d-request@lysator.liu.se Subject: blakes7-d Digest V99 #41 X-Loop: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se X-Mailing-List: archive/volume99/41 Precedence: list MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" To: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se Reply-To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se ------------------------------ Content-Type: text/plain blakes7-d Digest Volume 99 : Issue 41 Today's Topics: [B7L] Visions 99 convention [B7L] Has that psycho gone then? Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus [B7L] Interesting bit of B7 related personal trivia. Re: [B7L] Visions 99 convention Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus [B7L] Linda Knights' web page Re: [B7L] Interesting bit of B7 related personal trivia. [B7L] Re: In defence of Sarcophagus [B7L] The Silver Sky and *that* voice [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and *that* voice [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Re: [B7L] Re: In defence of Sarcophagus [B7L] Tanith Lee Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Re: [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and *that* voice [B7L] B7- Guards Guards [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and Spies Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus [B7L] Re: Con envy.... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 10:02:54 EST From: VulcanXYZ@aol.com To: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Visions 99 convention Message-ID: Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I have gotten some really bad news, at least for us fans in the Chicago area. Visions 99 has been canceled! The official website says that they may be back in 2000, but for now they are putting everything on hold. If they do come back, the convention will be a much smaller one.... I just hope this doesn't mean no more B7....... forever! I can't tell all of you how DISAPPOINTING this is! Gail - :( ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 15:45:47 -0000 From: "Dangermouse" To: Subject: [B7L] Has that psycho gone then? Message-Id: <199901231701.RAA03802@gnasher.sol.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The one who was sending back whole digests into single messages, which were then compiled into larger digests, I mean... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 10:49:25 -0700 From: Helen Krummenacker To: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: <36AA0BA4.274C@jps.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit VulcanXYZ@aol.com wrote: > > Rob wrote that " Sympathy, loneliness, chronic despair" were essential > ingredients of Sarcophagus, and, as many have now agreed, of B7 in general. > Avon and Cally were perhaps the most cutoff of all the crew. The most obviously, but I can think of reasons why each of them feels isolated: Blake-- the only genuiune political. The idealist. The leader (and leaders often feel a sense of isolation; in fact, his friendship with Avon may be strengthen rather than iritated by Avon's challenges... such behavior can narrow the gap between them). Jenna-- was established frm the beginning as the only female convict. Even when Cally joined the crew, Jenna was not really comfortable with her as an 'alien', so Jenna's sense of being odd-woman-out, isn't necessarlit relieved. Could she have a sense of rejection in being so rarely chosen to go on missions off-ship? Gan-- very tall people, like very short ones, are often on the worng end of jokes, made to feel like freaks. Though no one on the crew treats Gan as a freak, he does have the knowlege of his limiter; he feels like he cannot contribute to the safety of the others as well as they contribute to his safety. He needs them, but isn't needed. A lonely position in its own way. Vila-- the Delta. The clown. He doesn't get much respect from his cohorts; they seize upon his failings and scarcely seem to notice his accomplishments except to ask more of him. No one comes from remotely the same sort of background as him, nor do they share his choice of recreation (getting drunk and chasing girls). When he does try to make friends, and he does, being the sociable sort, he isn't that well received. Dayna-- Everyone she knew in her childhood is dead. Her friends are her only other option, her surrogate family, but how well does she really know them? They aren't very forthcoming about their feelings or their past. And she grew up pretty much isolated from society; the others all come from within society. What does she know of crowds and shopping? What do they know of running along the beach, sand and gravel crunching between your bare toes as you stake a claim to territory in the rough, wilderness? Tarrant-- He was once a part of the Federation military, yet he turned his back on it. We know very little of why it happened. The only relative he had we know of is a twin brother who he'd clearly lost track of-- and found again only shortly before death. His isolation may be more voluntary than most of the others, but even by choice, isolationcan be rough. Can it be that some of the behaviors that seem annoying-- challenges to Avon, bullying Vila (yes, I know we didn't see much of that, yada, yada Tarrant Nostra), little flirtations-- may all have been ways in which a fellow with imperfect people skills is attempting to do manly bonding with his cohorts. Soolin-- deliberately shut herself off from making emotional attatchments after the death of her family. Tends to watch the crew and keep a sense of distance, until near the end. Poor girl, she finally allows herself to trust a bit and care a bit, and then back to Guada Prime. I think they > recognized this in each other and that is one of the reasons why a special > bond formed between them, as suggested in a recent post of mine. I, too, feel that Avon and Cally were becoming very close to each other. > > Spock is another character that suffers from this, and I think that is one > reason why he is so tremendously popular, even today. Being a "half-breed" of > two such different cultures was a constant conflict for him, the battle > between emotions and logic. I think we see the same battle between Blake and > Avon, Blake being more emotional, trying to always do the right thing, fight > for his cause even when logic told him it was impossible, and Avon being > coldly logical (usually), wanting to cut his losses and run from this lost > cause where a small band of outlaws were fighting the gigantic and powerful > Federation. > > I've had the idea the other day that Spock and Avon suffered from the same > thing, alienation and loneliness, but Spock was headed toward "redemption," > the resolution of this conflict and wholeness of person, while Avon was headed > toward destruction and fragmentation of personality, complete isolation, and, > basically, "hell." What do the rest of you think of that? Not irreversably. I think he definitely needed a break from the stresses of command to have any chance of healing, and a chance to form friendships that weren't constantly under the strain of imminent death. If he could've handed things back to Blake and gotten a 'sade' assignment for a while, I think he'd begin to recover and perhaps come out better. He was certainly isolated in the beginning, if not having his personality go to pieces. He really is less isolated by season 2, season 3 he is bonding with Cally, and season 4 starts with a recognition of the bond of the team. Orbit does damage his closest remaining friendship, though. --Avona ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 10:53:05 -0700 From: Helen Krummenacker To: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Interesting bit of B7 related personal trivia. Message-ID: <36AA0C81.186A@jps.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I, who am so fond of using Avona as an identification, have a best friend whose middle name turns out to be Blake. Needless to say, I introduced her to the series as quickly as possible. Now, what I want to know is, is there a convention called Gauda Prime? If so, it could be fun to stage a nice death scene there... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 12:40:58 -0500 From: Sue Lemon To: VulcanXYZ@aol.com CC: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Visions 99 convention Message-ID: <36AA09AA.818827B7@tir.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Delurking to agree! Visions '99 was supposed to have Gareth Thomas dressed as Blake, with Sheila Wells doing the make-up. Photo sessions were supposed to be set up with Gareth dressed as Blake. This was originally set to occur at Visions '98, but Gareth couldn't attend due to filming his new series. I REALLY HOPE that Visions does come back in 2000, and that they will ask Gareth back. I have been so excited about getting my picture taken with "Blake". It will be CRUSHING if none of us get the chance. Sue VulcanXYZ@aol.com wrote: > > I have gotten some really bad news, at least for us fans in the Chicago area. > Visions 99 has been canceled! The official website says that they may be back > in 2000, but for now they are putting everything on hold. If they do come > back, the convention will be a much smaller one.... I just hope this doesn't > mean no more B7....... forever! I can't tell all > of you how DISAPPOINTING this is! > > Gail - :( ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 10:06:25 PST From: "Rob Clother" To: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: <19990123180625.22843.qmail@hotmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain Avona (Re Avon): >If he could've handed things back to Blake and gotten a 'sade' >assignment for a while... As in the Marquis? The mind boggles. -- Rob "Get those images out of your head" Clother ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 17:41:55 +0100 (BST) From: Judith Proctor To: Lysator List Subject: [B7L] Linda Knights' web page Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Linda Knights now has an on-line ordering system available on her web page. http://www.nas.com/~lknight This allows you to select the fanzine that you wish to order, choose the currency (UK pounds, US or AUS dollars) you wish to pay in, and even pay by credit card (in US dollars) if you so wish. The shopping basket allows you to add items and remove them from your order. It calculates all costs, postage discounts, special offers, etc. for you and tells you the total price. If you're not paying by credit card, you simply print out the complete order form and mail it with a cheque to Linda if you live in the USA, myself if you're in England, or to Pat Fenech if you live in Australia. All data that is stored by page (such as your address) is encrypted. Nobody will be able to read the details except yourself and the person you're ordering zines from. Judith -- http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 Redemption 99 - The Blakes 7/Babylon 5 convention 26-28 February 1999, Ashford International Hotel, Kent http://www.smof.com/redemption/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 20:10:29 +0100 (BST) From: Judith Proctor To: Lysator List Subject: Re: [B7L] Interesting bit of B7 related personal trivia. Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Sat 23 Jan, Helen Krummenacker wrote: > I, who am so fond of using Avona as an identification, have a best > friend whose middle name turns out to be Blake. Needless to say, I > introduced her to the series as quickly as possible. Now, what I want to > know is, is there a convention called Gauda Prime? If so, it could be > fun to stage a nice death scene there... Sorry, none of that name. I think ones in the past have included Orbit, Star One, and Deliverance. Maybe she could try and earn Redemption? Judith -- http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 Redemption 99 - The Blakes 7/Babylon 5 convention 26-28 February 1999, Ashford International Hotel, Kent http://www.smof.com/redemption/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 21:38:48 -0000 From: "Susan Bennett" To: "Lysator" Subject: [B7L] Re: In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: <00a201be4719$fede7960$b192cbc1@compaq> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lorna B said: >>>I especially liked the shot of the Alien's ring enclosing the ship in space, which I think helped underly that sense of isolation you mention.<<< I agree. I see that shot as Cally's fate being sealed, the beginning of what ended at Terminal. I know it's fanciful but it is an impression that I can't shake. And Julia said: >>>Another nice piece of work is "The Silver Sky", a radio play written with Paul Darrow in mind for the male lead.<<< "The Silver Sky" is wonderful. The plot may not be to everyone's taste but PD is very good, very Avonish, and uses his lower tones of voice to marvelous effect, and the monologue at the end is heartbreaking. Has anyone else heard it? Susan Bennett -------------------------------------------------------------- "One's real life is often the life that one does not lead." Oscar Wilde ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 09:20:57 +1100 From: "Afenech" To: Subject: [B7L] The Silver Sky and *that* voice Message-Id: <22123179680076@domain4.bigpond.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > And Julia said: > > >>>Another nice piece of work is "The Silver Sky", a radio play written >>with Paul Darrow in mind for the male lead.<<< To which Susan replied: > "The Silver Sky" is wonderful. The plot may not be to everyone's taste but > PD is very good, very Avonish, and uses his lower tones of voice to > marvelous effect, and the monologue at the end is heartbreaking. Has anyone else heard it? I have heard it -smile- a must for anyone who enjoys *that* voice. The Avonic character, Paul -smile-, says 'well now' about 60 seconds after the beginning - and I anyway cannot resist a single word he utters afterwards -smile- I rather like the plot about time travel - it's an interesting look at what I assume are a couple of conflicting theories - and there are some beautiful Tanith Lee descriptive passages - an aside - how can anyone who writes such beautiful conjurings of place write such shallow character & trite dialogue? - sorry TL fans I think she does, not always, but mostly, unless she has based the character on varying combinations of Paul Darrow and Avon anyway - and yes, the end is sad; personally I think it unfair as always that 'Avon' be tormented by cruel fate even more cruelly - smile- Question is... why hasn't 'the voice' been used more often for radio plays and audio books? Pat Fenech ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 23:26:05 -0000 From: "Susan Bennett" To: "Lysator" Subject: [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and *that* voice Message-ID: <006101be4728$0d9b5460$1890cbc1@compaq> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Pat F said: >>>I rather like the plot about time travel - it's an interesting look at what I assume are a couple of conflicting theories -<<< I like it a lot myself because I have a fascination with time, I just wouldn't like having to defend the theory :-) >>> and there are some beautiful Tanith Lee descriptive passages<<< Agreed. >>>an aside - how can anyone who writes such beautiful conjurings of place write such shallow character & trite dialogue? - sorry TL fans I think she does, not always, but mostly<<< Does this include the beach scene? I think it's a bit cliched, but can't help liking it anyway. Well, that's an understatement really :-) The only part of the whole play I didn't like was the forest scene. >>>Question is... why hasn't 'the voice' been used more often for radio plays and audio books?<<< I wish it was. Susan Bennett -------------------------------------------------------------- "One's real life is often the life that one does not lead." Oscar Wilde ------------------------------ Date: 23 Jan 1999 15:28:15 -0800 From: "Ma.James" To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: >Another nice piece of work is "The Silver Sky", a radio play written >with Paul Darrow in mind for the male lead. >-- >Julia Jones Oh, yes! yes! This is lovely!!! I just recently listened to it. At first I wasn't interested because I didn't think just 'listening' to a play would be very entertaining. But after months of badgering from my friends, I FINALLY broke down and listened to it. It's SUPERB!!! A MUST for Avon fans!!!! Candace Baker Ma ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 18:27:39 EST From: Tigerm1019@aol.com To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-01-23 16:48:10 EST, Susan wrote: << I agree. I see that shot as Cally's fate being sealed, the beginning of what ended at Terminal. I know it's fanciful but it is an impression that I can't shake. >> Soolin did mention the crew possibly being under a curse in "Sand." Perhaps that shot is the fate of all the crew being sealed, ending at Gauda Prime. Soolin became part of the gestalt and thus came to share their doom in the basement room in "Rescue." It may be fanciful, but a little fancy now and then is good for the soul. Tiger M ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 18:46:50 EST From: Carolyn772@aol.com To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Tanith Lee Message-ID: Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I probably shouldn't do this to people who I assume are all as addicted to books as I am, but there's a wonderful site called "Advanced Book Exchange--World's Largest Source of Out of Print Material." I did a search on Tanith Lee and got 1100 hits, three for Kill the Dead. It's at http://www.abebooks.com/ and has booksellers from several countries represented. I've had good luck with at least ten of them. Carolyn ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 08:45:44 +1100 From: Kathryn Andersen To: "Blake's 7 list" Subject: Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: <19990124084544.40184@welkin.apana.org.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii On Fri, Jan 22, 1999 at 06:53:29PM +0000, Julia Jones wrote: > Another nice piece of work is "The Silver Sky", a radio play written > with Paul Darrow in mind for the male lead. Oh yes! That was good. Must listen to it again sometime (I got a tape + script of this in a con auction; I couldn't believe that nobody else was interested!) -- _--_|\ | Kathryn Andersen / \ | http://home.connexus.net.au/~kat \_.--.*/ | #include "standard/disclaimer.h" v | ------------| Melbourne -> Victoria -> Australia -> Southern Hemisphere Maranatha! | -> Earth -> Sol -> Milky Way Galaxy -> Universe ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 14:27:45 +1100 From: "Afenech" To: Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and *that* voice Message-Id: <03153068702912@domain2.bigpond.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Pat F said: > >>>an aside - how can anyone who > writes such beautiful conjurings of place write such shallow character & > trite dialogue? - sorry TL fans I think she does, not always, but mostly<<< to which Susan replied: > Does this include the beach scene? I think it's a bit cliched, but can't > help liking it anyway. Well, that's an understatement really :-) The only > part of the whole play I didn't like was the forest scene. I was thinking more generally of Ms. Lee's work - though Mrs. Paul in 'The silver sky' is, I thought, a terribly cliched characterisation as is the Project Director - but of 'The silver sky' I am not so critical - she can write 'Avon' *very* competently -smile- Pat F ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:11:57 -0000 From: "Debra Collard" To: "B7L" Subject: [B7L] B7- Guards Guards Message-ID: <000001be4793$359e8b60$6d3f883e@whisson1globalnet.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I went to see Guards Guards yesterday and really enjoyed it. Paul has marvellous timing and got lots of laughs just by standing for a moment or two and raising one eyebrow very slowly! Due to a mix up over my booking I ended up being given a few extra programmes as part of the 'apology' and despite my son having left two in the loos when we left I have three spare if anyone wants one. There isn't a great deal about Paul in them, a short bio and film/tv/radio credits and a photograph, but if anyone wants one I am happy to post them out (overseas is fine as well). Just let me know Debra debra@whisson1'.freeserve.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:43:58 +0000 From: Andy Smith To: "Blake's Seven" Subject: [B7L] Re: The Silver Sky and Spies Message-ID: <36AB158E.C0BCE0C5@dircon.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ...And did anybody notice PD voicing a Russian Spy in 'The Spying Game' C4 @7.25pm Saturday? Andy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:16:07 +0000 From: Julia Jones To: "Blake's 7 list" Subject: Re: [B7L] In defence of Sarcophagus Message-ID: In message <19990124084544.40184@welkin.apana.org.au>, Kathryn Andersen writes >On Fri, Jan 22, 1999 at 06:53:29PM +0000, Julia Jones wrote: >> Another nice piece of work is "The Silver Sky", a radio play written >> with Paul Darrow in mind for the male lead. > >Oh yes! That was good. Must listen to it again sometime (I got a >tape + script of this in a con auction; I couldn't believe that nobody >else was interested!) > I'd have been interested. I've only heard it as an nth generation tape. It falls under the heading of "Of course I'd buy a legitimate copy if they were available". Was it ever available as an official tape? I love it as a play - it's a beautiful piece of work. That the BBC then used the two actors the writer had had in mind makes it superb. Tanith Lee described it in an interview: To date, Tanith's four plays have been broadcast on Radio 4. Her fourth, "The Silver Sky" (broadcast 1980) is reputed to have been written for Paul Darrow and Elizabeth Bell. I asked her why she had chosen the particular plot of two time travellers who meet and get sundered and why she had wanted these two actors to take the leading roles. 'I suppose it's something I have done elsewhere. It's a fairly commonplace plot apart from the setting, which is not. I had the idea of the time paradox which I had used in a short story which hadn't sold. I took the short story to bits and hung the time idea on a different framework which I thought was more suitable for a radio play. I must confess that having done the script for Blake's 7 I was aware that the idea of writing a play for Paul Darrow might not a bad one and he was kind enough to be interested in it and agreed to do it and was free to do it; Elizabeth Bell was also free. I had them both in mind very strongly as she had been in my first play, Bitter Gate. I could hear these two voices - I am a voice freak - and I knew that Paul had a beautiful voice for radio and that Elizabeth had a beautiful voice. I could hear the two voices working together as a kind of voice-weave. i was very lucky that they were able to do it.' -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 10:03:22 PST From: "Edith Spencer" To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Re: Con envy.... Message-ID: <19990124180322.9707.qmail@hotmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain To all attending getting Redeemed: I can't go, student loans and master degree studying got in the way- despite saving my pennies like a miser, I am still not able to do it. Waaahhhh. I wanna go England again... waaahhh....and see Gareth Thomas in the Flesh, drinking beer.....auuugghhh...and see list people in the flesh, especially the way out Steve R. Oh Hell's bells, I hope everyone has a great time at Redemption ! Edith :) PS to Calle: So after seeing all the little references to Kate Bush, I sastified my curiousity and listened to some of stuff at the local music shop. Very interesting stuff; for a while I thought she was the grandma of Tori Amos. Feel free to comment. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com -------------------------------- End of blakes7-d Digest V99 Issue #41 *************************************