Bourne to be wild

Y’know, I more-or-less consciously developed a policy of not buying individual comics but rather “waiting for the trade” as it is called – holding off from buying each issue until they are collected in one package (usually a trade paperback). This usually winds up being a little cheaper, but more importantly, my aesthetic experience of reading is changed, often for the better, but getting the story all of a piece rather than serially.

A less-conscious motive has recently led to a similar experience. I hadn't seen either of the first Bourne movies (Identity or Supremacy) before last night – I guess I just wasn’t interested enough in seeing them when they first came out. But Otis expressed some interest in seeing the new one (Ultimatum) and we decided to view the first two as a Red Envelope double feature before going to the theater.

Well, I enjoyed all the movies, but I must say that I think my experience was improved by seeing them all at a go. The movies are woven together pretty tightly: characters, major and minor, re-appear, and the amnesiac protagonist’s memory comes back in fits and starts throughout the whole series. I am sure that I would have enjoyed Ultimatum, for example, without having seen the other films – it's a dandy actioner that is smarter than most – but I am just as sure that I would not have had as rich an experience without having the relationships and nuances as fresh in my mind as they were.

I think this phenomenon of increased engagement through aggregation is also reflected in the current popularity of watching television series on DVD. Without having to wait a week between each episode – often longer with the reduced episode counts that comprise a full season these days – people are becoming even more involved in shows. I think a good deal of this response comes from the immediacy of seeing storylines develop, a keener awareness of foreshadowing or clues, and a stronger sense of narrative structure.*

Or maybe I’m full of cheese whiz.

Anyway, we had a great time meeting Dingo for a day at the movies – lunch at Araiya’s, a flick, and coffee-afters: who could ask for more? We even had a surprise thunderstorm for our floor show.

And to continue the good news, I got all my North grading finished tonight. Yahoo!

*I mean, without seeing all three Bourne movies at once, I might not have noticed that they fit neatly into Joseph Campbell's structure for the heroic journey: destiny discovered, possibilities discovered, and destiny confronted.

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Just because we haven't had any graphics or links in a while, here are some:

Okay, so I get that Richard Chamberlain is Matt Damon, but is Jacyln Smith supposed to be Franka Potente or Joan Allen?

Dick Cheney talking about Iraq - thirteen years ago.

A nice little test - see how well you do.