A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1

A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1 — Blue Ink Alchemy

The Game of Thrones is now showing on HBO. The production and promotion of this series has been fantastic, but not everyone tuning in may be familiar with the series of books upon which it is based. A Song of Ice and Fire, currently spanning four expansive novels, introduced us to the world of Westeros and provides a plethora of extensive information. Presented here is a bit of that information to help newcomers to this lush and living world get and keep their bearings. All information is presented free of spoilers and describe the circumstances at the beginning of the series... Westeros is a large expanse of land. Houses large and small make up the population of the Seven Kingdoms. There are a few that distinguish themselves amongst the nobility, and some even play major roles in the politics of King's Landing or the goings-on across the Narrow Sea. Here, in brief, we shall discuss a few of them and their prominent members.

House Arryn

Sigil: Moon & Falcon Words: As High As Honor While they have many holdings in the area of Westeros known as the Vale, House Arryn's seat & principle holdfast is the Eyrie. A unique castle perched on top of a mountain, it is very difficult to access and even moreso to assault. Many of its rooms are open to the vastness of the Vale's mountain range, and the foundations are honeycombed with the cells of the castle, their 'sky doors' a constant reminder to the occupants of the fate that awaits them. It was the seat of the King of the Mountains and Vale before Aegon the Conquerer rode his dragons right into the Eyrie and caused the Arryns to take the knee, swearing their fealty to the Iron Throne. During Robert's Rebellion, Jon Arryn supported Robert and served as Hand of the King after Robert took the throne. He was married to Lyssa Tully, Catelyn's sister.

House Mormont

Sigil: Bear Words: Here We Stand Situated upon Bear Island in the North, House Mormont has long stood against the Ironmen and Wildlings alike. Bannermen of House Stark, they were awarded the island for their loyal and honorable service, supposedly after Rodrik Stark won it in a wrestling match. While not a wealthy house, Mormont maintains their old ties to the Starks, standing with them as wardens of the North. Like the Starks, they are somewhat taciturn and they also share something of a rarity amongt the houses of Westeros: an ancestral weapon of Valyrian steel. Jeor Mormont was Lord of Bear Island until he took the black, becoming Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. The son of the Old Bear, Jorah, was caught by Eddard Stark selling poachers into slavery and fled Westeros rather than face execution. He made it as far as Pentos, where he was introduced to Viserys and Danaerys Targaryen.

House Tully

Sigil: Trout Words: Family, Duty, Honor While they have never ruled as kings, House Tully has always played a part in the changing landscape of the Seven Kingdoms. Supporting the Targaryen armies of Aegon the Conqueror, they were named Lords Paramount of the Trident. Their traditions of honor and duty seem to clash with the ever-expanding family of the nearby House Frey. The daughters of the aging Hoster Tully have helped secured his House's place in court of King Robert Baratheon. Lyssa was married to Jon Arryn, Robert's first Hand. Her big sister, Catelyn, is married to Eddard Stark.

House Greyjoy

Sigil: Kraken Words: We Do Not Sow. The harsh, unforgiving islands of Pyke have bred a line of pirates, reavers and savage warriors known colloquially as the Ironmen. The King of the Isles sat the Seastone Chair, but it has been unoccupied since the Targaryen conquest. When given the choice by Aegon, the Ironmen took Vickon Greyjoy and his line as their overlord. Over the years, many of them have adopted the faith of the Drowned God, and while no godless man may sit the Seastone Chair, many a Greyjoy has looked upon it with longing, to become their own kings again. Balon Greyjoy lead a failed rebellion against King Robert Baratheon, and his two eldest sons were slain during the siege of Pyke. Jorah Mormont and the red priest Thoros of Myr won reknown during the battle, while Eddard Stark took the youngest son of Balon, Theon Greyjoy, as his ward and hostage to be raised at Winterfell. If you would like to know more, please consult the official HBO viewer's guide or the Wiki of Ice and Fire (beware of spoilers). Also, if you find anything amiss or incorrect in these guides, please inform me.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Repo! The Genetic Opera

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Repo! The Genetic Opera — Blue Ink Alchemy

This week's IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! brought to you by a generous donation from Kimberly Franco. Thank you for your support! [audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/repo!.mp3] Here we have something of an odd specimen. In most musical productions, the idea is to either use the songs for comedic effect or to underscore the powerful emotions in play during a given scene. While Repo! The Genetic Opera certainly takes its material seriously, there's also a feeling that it knows how many mainstream audience members will receive it. It's possible that it will either make the production seem wonderfully self-aware or disappointingly pretentious. The only way to know for sure, in keeping with its theme and mood, is to slice this sexy specimen open and tear its bloody guts out. It's the future, and life sucks. Life sucks mostly because there's been a world-wide epidemic of organ failure caused by industrial waste or some other disaster. As people die in droves, evil corporation GeneCo emerges with a solution: custom-made replacement organs available at reasonable prices to the consumer, and an addictive surgical aid called Zydrate that keeps the organs in your body and you in a pleasant state of mind. Financing is available, but if you can't make your payments, GeneCo sends a Repo Man to reclaim their property from you. It's 2062, and GeneCo's CEO, Rotti Largo, must choose an heir from among his three despicable children while his biggest & baddest Repo Man, Nathan Wallace, tries to protect his sickly daughter Shilo from the dark and dangerous world outside her bedroom window, a world she's never experienced in all of her seventeen years. One of the best things the film has going for it is its music. Terrence Zdunich put together most of the songs, and as the Greek Chorus-style narrator known only as Grave-Robber, he lays a lot of convincing passion and tongue-in-cheek fun on us. Anthony Steward Head, Paul Sorvino and the timelessly talented Sarah Brightman do much of the emotional heavy lifting while Bill Moseley, Ogre and a breathy and surprisingly well-voiced Paris Hilton slip in for some comic relief. The star is Alexa Vega, however, who makes her little-girl-growing-up story the central attraction of the affair, outside of all the artful surgery and shameless eye candy.
Yeah... Shilo's dad ain't exactly a nice guy. Coming to us as it does from the hands that helped craft the Saw series, to call Repo! The Genetic Opera 'gorn' is a bit of an understatement. And yet, there's enough visual appeal in both its male and female cast members that the blood & guts never completely derail the goings-on. It juxtaposes undeniable beauty with callous cruelty and sadistic violence. Being disgusting and sexy at the same time isn't an easy feat, but Repo! somehow manages to pull it off. It's impressive for that if nothing else. Repo! also manages to pull off being camp while letting its cast convey some actual emotions. Sure, it's mostly done in song so it's melodramatic and over-the-top half the time, but it never strays too far into the completely-serious territory that dooms other would-be camp flicks like Masters of the Universe. However, it also doesn't have the reckless abandon of campy classics like Flash Gordon. The result is a quasi-serious sometimes-amusing musical gorn flick that plays like the Saw boys putting on a production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
One of the coolest narrators ever. Speaking of Rocky Horror, Repo! might be that infamous flick's 21st-century successor. Between the timbre of the music, the presence of underground stars like Terrence & Ogre and the campy, over-the-top nature of the entire production, it should be no wonder that Repo! has gained something of a cult following, complete with showings at local theatres, encouraged audience participation and live emulation of the performances. While it's preoccupation with gorn and overwhelmingly dark tone didn't exactly make it a hit with critics or even the major box office, there's something endearing about it that keeps in the hearts and minds of many die-hard fans. In other words, Repo! the Genetic Opera is kind of like a stray cat taken in by a friend. Sure, it's kinda cute and purrs at you appealingly when you show up, but its coat is a little on the mangy side and your friend really needs to get it to a vet. If you're a cat person, you're still going to scratch it behind the ears and let it rub up on your leg, and if you're not you're going to refuse to step foot in your friend's place again until they clean the animal. Repo! the Genetic Opera is not for everyone, but its songs can worm their way into your ears easily and the characters are extremely memorable. Check it out on Netflix Instant if it sounds up your alley, but beware. As many fans can attest, the material introduced within the film can be quite addictive. We should just be thankful that it doesn't come in a little glass vial. Josh Loomis can't always make it to the local megaplex, and thus must turn to alternative forms of cinematic entertainment. There might not be overpriced soda pop & over-buttered popcorn, and it's unclear if this week's film came in the mail or was delivered via the dark & mysterious tubes of the Internet. Only one thing is certain... IT CAME FROM NETFLIX.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

Send Up A Flare

Send Up A Flare — Blue Ink Alchemy

Going out into the wilderness is a somewhat dangerous prospect. Wildlife, weather and our own wherewithal are all factors that must be taken into account when facing a journey into the unknown. And when someone like Bear Grylls or Les Stroud enters the wilderness alone (or at least with no overt help from the camera crew) we are in a bit of awe, simply because the scope of such a journey is so staggering. To say nothing of everything that could go wrong. Most people looking at that sort of undertaking are going to want some company. We take our spouses and significant others on romantic getaways and our friends on road trips. At the same time we're sharing the road, we're also sharing the load. Work is less grueling and physical feats less daunting when such things are tackled by more than one person. And when things go wrong, it's wise to call for help. Fire up the radio, check for cell reception, send up a flare. It's not just the wilderness of the world we face, though. Writers, Olympic athletes, artists, professional ball players - when people like this set their sights on a goal, it's often one that means their name in lights, and their name alone. But that doesn't mean that they need to get there alone. It's foolish to assume that an individual knows everything they need to know to get what they want. For one thing, it's impossible to know everything; for another, it's highly unlikely that they have enough experience to adequately predict what will happen next in their quest for their goal, and react appropriately. In spite of this, a lot of people will struggle in silence, trying to forge ahead on their own without asking for an adequate amount of help to overcome their obstacles. They don't pose questions. They don't easily admit to weaknesses. They don't send up flares. With so many resources available to someone undertaking a new journey, be it in a new artistic pursuit or just a hobby, looking for help when things aren't going well seems a logical and sound thing to do. And yet, some put off asking for help until they're at the point of desperation, or they approach asking for help in the wrong way. It's one thing to admit you suck at something; it's quite another to invite people to look at your work and tell you just how much you suck. It takes humility and a realistic viewpoint. The people with good enough hearts to respond earnestly to a request for help aren't going to be looking to tear you down with what they say when they see your work. They'll want to see you not only improve but also truly enjoy whatever it is you're doing. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that there's no reason to be afraid to send up a flare. By this I mean find the forums on the Internet catering to your interest. Engage people in discussion about your passions. Let them give you honest opinions on how you can improve, and take the advice to heart without taking it personally. Believe it or not, putting yourself in front of an audience, even if it's just for them to tear your work to bits, takes bravery and humility. These are virtues people want to see, and when they do it may be surprising just how many come forward to offer assistance, earnestly, wanting to see you get better. Sending up a flare illuminates everything around you, and when people see your light, it'll cause them to look towards the heavens as well. And who knows what can happen then?

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

The Art of Thor: Spend, Spend, Spend

The Art of Thor: Spend, Spend, Spend — Blue Ink Alchemy

Somebody's gotta feed these boys before they go out fightin', and that somebody is you.

Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been associated with long delays.

You don't get bonus points for unspent resources at the end of a match. It's a concept that can be difficult for new players to wrap their heads around. The biggest, baddest units in any given race's arsenal costs quite a bit of minerals and gas. However, while you're saving up for that shiny fleet of capital ships primed to rain death and destruction on the foolish folk arrayed against you, they're likely to be churning out squadrons and legions of lesser units for a fraction of the cost. And those 'lesser' units just might walk into your compound while you're sussing out all of the tech necessary for that pinnacle of your race's achievements. Let's do a bit of math on this very subject.
"This is my C-14 Impaler Gauss rifle! There are many like it, but this one is mine!" This is a Terran Marine. He costs 50 minerals, consumes 1 supply ("food") and is produced in 25 seconds. He comes from a Barracks, a structure costing 150 minerals built after a construction period of 60 seconds. In turn it cannot be produced until you make a Supply Depot, costing 100 minerals and 30 seconds. And you need an SCV to build all this stuff. That's another 50 minerals, 1 food and 17 seconds production time. So the total cost of your first marine is 350 minerals, 2 food and 132 seconds total.
"The Yamato is loaded. And so am I!" Arguably the most powerful single unit in the Terran arsenal, the Battlecruiser costs 400 minerals and 300 gas by itself. It is produced at a Starport, which cannot be built without a Factory. The Factory is dependent upon the Barracks. Additionally, you must produce at least one Refinery and sortie a number of SCVs to harvest Vespine gas from it. Oh, and you can't build one without a Tech Lab on the Starport and a separate building called a Fusion Core. So, crunching numbers like so, here's the total cost of your first Battlecruiser, listing minerals/gas/time for each building and minerals/gas/food/time for each unit: Supply Depot (100/30) + Barracks (150/60) + Refinery (75/30) & 4 SCVs (50/1/17 x4) + Factory (150/100/60) + Starport & Tech Lab (200/125/75) + Fusion Core (150/150/65) + Battlecruiser (400/300/6/90) = 1425 minerals, 675 gas, 10 supply & 478 seconds. See where I'm going with this? For the cost of a single Battlecruiser, you could field 10 Marines quite comfortably. And with the surplus gas you could give them a weapons upgrade, combat shields or stimpacks. Now, if your macro is good and your economy humming along, you can produce a cadre of bloodthirsty, Gauss-toting Marines while teching you way up to a Battlecruiser or two, but the point of this little exercise in arithmetic is to demonstrate how much easier it is to produce the basic units of a race, and how important that habit can be to a burgeoning player. Any race's macro can and should include constantly producing workers and basic units along with climbing up a chosen tech tree as a strategy begins to grow. As your skills improve, producing a 'backbone' of basic warriors concurrently with your shiny high-tech units will become second nature. And when thinking about this process no longer becomes entirely necessary, your mind will be free to worry about things like counters to your opponent's units and canny ways to apply pressure and exploit map advantages. But you have to walk before you can run, and in StarCraft terms that means spending your resources quickly and effectively. Start with the basics, and go from there.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1

A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1 — Blue Ink Alchemy

The Game of Thrones is now showing on HBO. The production and promotion of this series has been fantastic, but not everyone tuning in may be familiar with the series of books upon which it is based. A Song of Ice and Fire, currently spanning four expansive novels, introduced us to the world of Westeros and provides a plethora of extensive information. Presented here is a bit of that information to help newcomers to this lush and living world get and keep their bearings. All information is presented free of spoilers and describe the circumstances at the beginning of the series... Westeros is a large expanse of land. Houses large and small make up the population of the Seven Kingdoms. There are a few that distinguish themselves amongst the nobility, and some even play major roles in the politics of King's Landing or the goings-on across the Narrow Sea. Here, in brief, we shall discuss a few of them and their prominent members.

House Arryn

Sigil: Moon & Falcon Words: As High As Honor While they have many holdings in the area of Westeros known as the Vale, House Arryn's seat & principle holdfast is the Eyrie. A unique castle perched on top of a mountain, it is very difficult to access and even moreso to assault. Many of its rooms are open to the vastness of the Vale's mountain range, and the foundations are honeycombed with the cells of the castle, their 'sky doors' a constant reminder to the occupants of the fate that awaits them. It was the seat of the King of the Mountains and Vale before Aegon the Conquerer rode his dragons right into the Eyrie and caused the Arryns to take the knee, swearing their fealty to the Iron Throne. During Robert's Rebellion, Jon Arryn supported Robert and served as Hand of the King after Robert took the throne. He was married to Lyssa Tully, Catelyn's sister.

House Mormont

Sigil: Bear Words: Here We Stand Situated upon Bear Island in the North, House Mormont has long stood against the Ironmen and Wildlings alike. Bannermen of House Stark, they were awarded the island for their loyal and honorable service, supposedly after Rodrik Stark won it in a wrestling match. While not a wealthy house, Mormont maintains their old ties to the Starks, standing with them as wardens of the North. Like the Starks, they are somewhat taciturn and they also share something of a rarity amongt the houses of Westeros: an ancestral weapon of Valyrian steel. Jeor Mormont was Lord of Bear Island until he took the black, becoming Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. The son of the Old Bear, Jorah, was caught by Eddard Stark selling poachers into slavery and fled Westeros rather than face execution. He made it as far as Pentos, where he was introduced to Viserys and Danaerys Targaryen.

House Tully

Sigil: Trout Words: Family, Duty, Honor While they have never ruled as kings, House Tully has always played a part in the changing landscape of the Seven Kingdoms. Supporting the Targaryen armies of Aegon the Conqueror, they were named Lords Paramount of the Trident. Their traditions of honor and duty seem to clash with the ever-expanding family of the nearby House Frey. The daughters of the aging Hoster Tully have helped secured his House's place in court of King Robert Baratheon. Lyssa was married to Jon Arryn, Robert's first Hand. Her big sister, Catelyn, is married to Eddard Stark.

House Greyjoy

Sigil: Kraken Words: We Do Not Sow. The harsh, unforgiving islands of Pyke have bred a line of pirates, reavers and savage warriors known colloquially as the Ironmen. The King of the Isles sat the Seastone Chair, but it has been unoccupied since the Targaryen conquest. When given the choice by Aegon, the Ironmen took Vickon Greyjoy ad his line as their overlord. Over the years, many of them have adopted the faith of the Drowned God, and while no godless man may sit the Seastone Chair, many a Greyjoy has looked upon it with longing, to become their own kings again. Balon Greyjoy lead a failed rebellion against King Robert Baratheon, and his two eldest sons were slain during the siege of Pyke. Jorah Mormont and the red priest Thoros of Myr won reknown during the battle, while Eddard Stark took the youngest son of Balon, Theon Greyjoy, as his ward and hostage to be raised at Winterfell. If you would like to know more, please consult the official HBO viewer's guide or the Wiki of Ice and Fire (beware of spoilers). Also, if you find anything amiss or incorrect in these guides, please inform me.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Hunt for Red October

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Hunt for Red October — Blue Ink Alchemy

[audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/red_october.mp3] I'm aware that some of you may have been born around or after, say, 1995. That terms like 'Soviet Union' and 'Cold War' are entries on Wikipedia or chapters in a history book rather than memories of an ominous time. I'm not sure if public school still conduct 'weather drills', but when I was young we were herded into the hallways and taught to sit against the wall with our heads between our knees. We didn't know for certain - well, some of us didn't - but in later years it became clear that nuclear war was the most likely disaster for which we should be prepared. Doomsday weapons lurked in the imaginations of many writers of fiction, and it was Tom Clancy who showed us what a responsible person would do with such a weapon, in The Hunt For Red October. The weapon is the largest ballistic missile submarine ever built, the Soviet Typhoon-class. The Red October is the newest of that line, equipped with a new propulsion system that renders it silent. Let me repeat that: it's a submarine roughly the size of a World War 2 aircraft carrier armed with hundreds of nuclear warheads to be showered on a major metropolitan center, and nobody would see it coming. Taking her out on her maiden voyage is Captain Marko Ramius, a haunted man with years of experience, a loyal crew and a fresh grudge to nurse. When he takes Red October away from her planned course, everybody assumes the worst. Everybody, that is, except for a slightly nerdy CIA analyst specialized in fighting sailors like Ramius: Doctor Jack Ryan. Tom Clancy wrote the book in '84, and this film adaptation came to us in 1990. Most of the narrative remains intact, and the characters behave as described. A few were cut along with a couple superfluous sub-plots, but you wouldn't know it given the pace and tension of this fim. It moves smoothly, delivers memorable characters and goes to some interesting places, a journey unhindered by the minutae of submarine warfare.
Trust me, there is nothing "minute" about a Typhoon-class submarine. Oh, there's plenty of warfare to be had. Hunts through underwater canyons, games of chicken deep underwater with torpedoes, sabotage and intrigue; everything you need to make a good submarine war film is here. The film wisely dispenses with some of the technical details, however, which Clancy used to make his novel nice and thick. By using these volumes of text as a reference and information for visual stylization rather than as a means to directly inform the audience of the goings-on, director John McTiernan makes pehaps the nerdiest form of modern warfare an exciting thing to watch. This is the same John McTiernan, after all, who brought us the seminal action movie Die Hard. He shows his skill and diversity in Red October, directing a taut Cold War thriller with the same adeptness and wisdom as he does a run-and-gun action flick. He gives the characters time to breathe and grow, then contracts the scene into a tight, tense atmosphere perfectly. The score of Basil Poulidorus and the presence of actors like Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, Stellan Skarsgaard and the late Robert Jordan deepen and empower the experience, coming together to make a great thriller. He also executes a very clever transition from subtitles to spoken English, helping underscore a message the film conveys which I'll touch upon in a moment.
"Sean, you're not even going to try and do an accent, are you?"
"I'm Sean Connery, Sam. I don't need to do an accent." Red October does have a few rough patches here and there. The speaking members of Red October's crew don't necessarily pull off convincing Russian accents. Sean Connery in particular clearly remains a Scotsman even when he's speaking Russian. This doesn't take that much away from his performance, other than perhaps a little good-natured chuckling at the fact that he's not even bothering with an accent. The plot isn't necessarily all that complex, relying less upon screenplay slight-of-hand and more upon smart dialogue and canny scene construction to keep the audience interested. And it's highly likely you won't just be interested. I've seen this movie several times, and re-watching it recently still had me on the edge of my seat in some scenes despite me knowing the outcome. It's doubtful that The Hunt For Red October would be made today the way it was in 1990. While it might still have a good plot and good characters, there was an atmosphere to it in the early 90s that was undeniable, that lent additional weight to its message and meaning. In the course of the film, the message comes across that Americans and Russians, despite an ocean of both seawater and cultural disparity between them, are not so different. In the days when the Soviet Union was barely staying together and the Berlin Wall was coming down, it was important for Americans to not just be given this message but also to embrace it, to help those in Russia seeking a new way of life stay on their feet as the regime that had caused so much suspicion and oppression began to crumble around them. Both the Americans and the Soviets had so many other things to which they could have applied their energies, rather than spending it on pointless arguments, hyperbolic hate and decades-long dick-measuring contests. Thank the Maker we're so much more enlightened in this day and age, eh?
This photo is nowhere near as impressive as the actual shot in the scene this is taken from. Sarcastic soapboxing aside, I think this is definitely a film worth your time. It belongs on your Netflix queue if you enjoy a gripping thriller, Sean Connery or Sam Neill in snappy black uniforms, some very nerdy in-jokes, great use of several tropes or submarine warfare. It works on a lot of levels, builds atmosphere extremely well and remembers that levity and touching moments are just as important as explosions and military jargon. Even if just for hisorical study and reference, I highly recommend The Hunt for Red October. And no, it's not just because I have half the lines memorized. It's not my fault some of them are so damn memorable. Josh Loomis can't always make it to the local megaplex, and thus must turn to alternative forms of cinematic entertainment. There might not be overpriced soda pop & over-buttered popcorn, and it's unclear if this week's film came in the mail or was delivered via the dark & mysterious tubes of the Internet. Only one thing is certain... IT CAME FROM NETFLIX.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Hunt for Red October

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Hunt for Red October — Blue Ink Alchemy

I'm aware that some of you may have been born around or after, say, 1995. That terms like 'Soviet Union' and 'Cold War' are entries on Wikipedia or chapters in a history book rather than memories of an ominous time. I'm not sure if public school still conduct 'weather drills', but when I was young we were herded into the hallways and taught to sit against the wall with our heads between our knees. We didn't know for certain - well, some of us didn't - but in later years it became clear that nuclear war was the most likely disaster for which we should be prepared. Doomsday weapons lurked in the imaginations of many writers of fiction, and it was Tom Clancy who showed us what a responsible person would do with such a weapon, in The Hunt For Red October. The weapon is the largest ballistic missile submarine ever built, the Soviet Typhoon-class. The Red October is the newest of that line, equipped with a new propulsion system that renders it silent. Let me repeat that: it's a submarine roughly the size of a World War 2 aircraft carrier armed with hundreds of nuclear warheads to be showered on a major metropolitan center, and nobody would see it coming. Taking her out on her maiden voyage is Captain Marko Ramius, a haunted man with years of experience, a loyal crew and a fresh grudge to nurse. When he takes Red October away from her planned course, everybody assumes the worst. Everybody, that is, except for a slightly nerdy CIA analyst specialized in fighting sailors like Ramius: Doctor Jack Ryan. Tom Clancy wrote the book in '84, and this film adaptation came to us in 1990. Most of the narrative remains intact, and the characters behave as described. A few were cut along with a couple superfluous sub-plots, but you wouldn't know it given the pace and tension of this fim. It moves smoothly, delivers memorable characters and goes to some interesting places, a journey unhindered by the minutae of submarine warfare.
Trust me, there is nothing "minute" about a Typhoon-class submarine. Oh, there's plenty of warfare to be had. Hunts through underwater canyons, games of chicken deep underwater with torpedoes, sabotage and intrigue; everything you need to make a good submarine war film is here. The film wisely dispenses with some of the technical details, however, which Clancy used to make his novel nice and thick. By using these volumes of text as a reference and information for visual stylization rather than as a means to directly inform the audience of the goings-on, director John McTiernan makes pehaps the nerdiest form of modern warfare an exciting thing to watch. This is the same John McTiernan, after all, who brought us the seminal action movie Die Hard. He shows his skill and diversity in Red October, directing a taut Cold War thriller with the same adeptness and wisdom as he does a run-and-gun action flick. He gives the characters time to breathe and grow, then contracts the scene into a tight, tense atmosphere perfectly. The score of Basil Poulidorus and the presence of actors like Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, Stellan Skarsgaard and the late Robert Jordan deepen and empower the experience, coming together to make a great thriller. He also executes a very clever transition from subtitles to spoken English, helping underscore a message the film conveys which I'll touch upon in a moment.
"Sean, you're not even going to try and do an accent, are you?"
"I'm Sean Connery, Sam. I don't need to do an accent." Red October does have a few rough patches here and there. The speaking members of Red October's crew don't necessarily pull off convincing Russian accents. Sean Connery in particular clearly remains a Scotsman even when he's speaking Russian. This doesn't take that much away from his performance, other than perhaps a little good-natured chuckling at the fact that he's not even bothering with an accent. The plot isn't necessarily all that complex, relying less upon screenplay slight-of-hand and more upon smart dialogue and canny scene construction to keep the audience interested. And it's highly likely you won't just be interested. I've seen this movie several times, and re-watching it recently still had me on the edge of my seat in some scenes despite me knowing the outcome. It's doubtful that The Hunt For Red October would be made today the way it was in 1990. While it might still have a good plot and good characters, there was an atmosphere to it in the early 90s that was undeniable, that lent additional weight to its message and meaning. In the course of the film, the message comes across that Americans and Russians, despite an ocean of both seawater and cultural disparity between them, are not so different. In the days when the Soviet Union was barely staying together and the Berlin Wall was coming down, it was important for Americans to not just be given this message but also to embrace it, to help those in Russia seeking a new way of life stay on their feet as the regime that had caused so much suspicion and oppression began to crumble around them. Both the Americans and the Soviets had so many other things to which they could have applied their energies, rather than spending it on pointless arguments, hyperbolic hate and decades-long dick-measuring contests. Thank the Maker we're so much more enlightened in this day and age, eh?
This photo is nowhere near as impressive as the actual shot in the scene this is taken from. Sarcastic soapboxing aside, I think this is definitely a film worth your time. It belongs on your Netflix queue if you enjoy a gripping thriller, Sean Connery or Sam Neill in snappy black uniforms, some very nerdy in-jokes, great use of several tropes or submarine warfare. It works on a lot of levels, builds atmosphere extremely well and remembers that levity and touching moments are just as important as explosions and military jargon. Even if just for hisorical study and reference, I highly recommend The Hunt for Red October. And no, it's not just because I have half the lines memorized. It's not my fault some of them are so damn memorable. Josh Loomis can't always make it to the local megaplex, and thus must turn to alternative forms of cinematic entertainment. There might not be overpriced soda pop & over-buttered popcorn, and it's unclear if this week's film came in the mail or was delivered via the dark & mysterious tubes of the Internet. Only one thing is certain... IT CAME FROM NETFLIX.

---

Blue Ink Alchemy