Tag: xfiles

Science Fiction, LMC3214: Revised Schedule for Last Week of Class

This is the last week of my Science Fiction class. I decided to make some changes to the final week of class to cover the necessary material and to strike out into new territory. Here’s the revised schedule for Monday through Thursday:

Monday: 9:20-10:20 Exam 2. 10:20-11:20 Lecture on Cyberpunk and short discussion of William Gibson’s “Burning Chrome” and Bruce Sterling’s Preface to Mirrorshades anthology.

Tuesday: Begin with episode of the X-Files by William Gibson and Tom Maddox, “Kill Switch.” Followed by discussion and retrocomputing demonstration that looks at the computing origins of cyberpunk. Please bring your laptop today for the in-class activity.

Wednesday: Global Perspectives unit on Taiwanese SF. First part of class: lecture on differences of cultural/historical development and issues of translation. Second part of class: Active learning exercise looking at translations. The two readings for today’s class are on T-Square under Resources.

Thursday: 9:20-9:50 Exam 3. 9:50-11:20 Exploring your SF imagination with Lego. Think about your favorite trope, image, science, or technology from SF and how you might build it with Lego bricks. We will spend time in class building your creation and then sharing your creations with the class as a whole. If you bring your ideas to class, I will bring the bricks (and a camera to record your work)!

John Neville, Shakespearean Actor Turned Science Fiction and Fantasy Star, Is Dead

I was saddened to learn that John Neville, the actor well known in science fiction and fantasy circles as Terry Gilliam’s Baron Munchausen and Chris Carter’s Well Manicured Man from the X-Files, passed away over the weekend. I found his acting to be an inspiration and model to me as I was growing up.

I first enjoyed John Neville’s acting in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen shortly after it first appeared on cable tv. My grandparents had cable, so I was able to catch up on movies when I visited them on the weekends. I must have watched it a dozen times.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen demonstrates how ambiguous truth and fiction can be in a world full of horror and death. Furthermore, it establishes the necessity of imagination to overcome the harsh reality. I admired Munchausen’s ability to lift people’s spirits, inspire his compatriots, and fend off ever-present Death. My idealistic self wants to be just like Baron Munchausen.

 

Later, Neville stood out on The X-Files in the role of the Well Manicured Man, a powerful associate of the Cigarette Smoking Man (played by William B. Davis). His character combined a proper demeanor with brooding confidence. My cynical self wants to mimic Neville’s portrayal of this calculating character.

Read his obituary in The New York Times here.