Comments on: H. P. Lovecraft’s “Melbourne Aquarium” http://labcoatman.com.au/2009/05/h-p-lovecrafts-melbourne-aquarium/ Ben McKenzie: scientician, actor, comedian and Graeme Garden look-a-like Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:13:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Ed http://labcoatman.com.au/2009/05/h-p-lovecrafts-melbourne-aquarium/comment-page-1/#comment-314 Ed Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:47:57 +0000 http://labcoatman.com.au/?p=426#comment-314 I guess sometimes it depends on what role or use your aliens / monsters / creatures have to play in a story. If cat people work for the story then cat people it is. If you need magnetic vortices inside a star as a sentient thing then that is all good too. But I suppose you need to give the special fx people something to do with latex sometimes too! I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on that book about imagining alien life. Cheers I guess sometimes it depends on what role or use your aliens / monsters / creatures have to play in a story.

If cat people work for the story then cat people it is.

If you need magnetic vortices inside a star as a sentient thing then that is all good too.

But I suppose you need to give the special fx people something to do with latex sometimes too!

I’d be interested in reading your thoughts on that book about imagining alien life.

Cheers

]]> By: Ben http://labcoatman.com.au/2009/05/h-p-lovecrafts-melbourne-aquarium/comment-page-1/#comment-299 Ben Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:48:29 +0000 http://labcoatman.com.au/?p=426#comment-299 When I've finished reading it, I'll post at length about <em>What Do Martians Look Like?</em>, a fascinating book that expands the boundaries of our imagination where alien life is concerned. I've often wished for more alien aliens, but I understand that in most science fiction, aliens are just stand-ins for humans of a different culture, so it's a moot point whether they have bumpy foreheads or look like cats or instead consist of magnetic vortices in the interior of a star. When I’ve finished reading it, I’ll post at length about What Do Martians Look Like?, a fascinating book that expands the boundaries of our imagination where alien life is concerned. I’ve often wished for more alien aliens, but I understand that in most science fiction, aliens are just stand-ins for humans of a different culture, so it’s a moot point whether they have bumpy foreheads or look like cats or instead consist of magnetic vortices in the interior of a star.

]]> By: Ed http://labcoatman.com.au/2009/05/h-p-lovecrafts-melbourne-aquarium/comment-page-1/#comment-291 Ed Wed, 27 May 2009 17:12:32 +0000 http://labcoatman.com.au/?p=426#comment-291 Glad to hear you enjoyed the penguins! I love the aquarium and have not been either since they installed the penguins. It is funny how sci-fi and fantasy has revolved around humanoids, essentially human beings in funny clothes - stick an animal head on one and voila! Instant alien! Add a pig head = an orc! Basically I reckon such imaginings stand in for humans of different sorts of other cultures and (shock horror) who look and speak different to white Anglo-Saxon people! But it is probably best not to over think these things too much. Because there is certainly still fun to be had with funny looking humanoids: cat people, orcs, mind flayers etc, probably in D&D, possibly in movies and sometimes in books. Oh and even the odd Doctor Who episode. Glad to hear you enjoyed the penguins! I love the aquarium and have not been either since they installed the penguins.

It is funny how sci-fi and fantasy has revolved around humanoids, essentially human beings in funny clothes – stick an animal head on one and voila! Instant alien! Add a pig head = an orc! Basically I reckon such imaginings stand in for humans of different sorts of other cultures and (shock horror) who look and speak different to white Anglo-Saxon people! But it is probably best not to over think these things too much. Because there is certainly still fun to be had with funny looking humanoids: cat people, orcs, mind flayers etc, probably in D&D, possibly in movies and sometimes in books. Oh and even the odd Doctor Who episode.

]]> By: Femmostroppo Reader - May 25, 2009 — Hoyden About Town http://labcoatman.com.au/2009/05/h-p-lovecrafts-melbourne-aquarium/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Femmostroppo Reader - May 25, 2009 — Hoyden About Town Mon, 25 May 2009 09:37:45 +0000 http://labcoatman.com.au/?p=426#comment-281 [...] H. P. Lovecraft’s “Melbourne Aquarium” [...] [...] H. P. Lovecraft’s “Melbourne Aquarium” [...]

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