Disqus - Latest Comments for pegritz

Re: ‘An American Werewolf in London’ – Watch the Iconic Transformation With the Original Rejected Score!

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:03:02 -0000

I am still salty that Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" was not used in this film.

Re: Best of the Worst: Wheel of the Worst #14

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 16:09:29 -0000

O. M. G. I absolutely must own this worm video. Hell, I want to release an EP of covers of every song from the video.

Re: Tomorrow is the VINDICATION OF MAN

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 18:51:55 -0000

I have but one master: me--and I loathe all things and people that stand in the way of *anyone's* freedom of choice, hence the reason I refuse to claim myself either a leftist or rightist, because towing *any* party line is alien to me...though, occasionally, for the sake of sheer pragmatism, I do find myself agreeing more with the lefter side of the line than the right. That each person be free to make his or her choices--informed, reasoned choices, of course, not merely kneejerk Pavlovian responses to political or social conditioning--is truly the only way in which to have a functional, intelligent, progressive polycultural civilization such as that of the Golden Age.

You may find it ironic that I routinely use your work to illustrate the life that human could very well enjoy were it not for the fetters of outdated moralism, moribund church and governmental doctrines, and willful ignorance to the light of scientifically-established knowledge...but Menelaus Montrose and Phaeton are such perfect examples of that: self-willed, eminently reasonable beings who clearly understand and face unequivocally the difficulties and consequences of standing on one's principles. In this age of "safe spaces" and "alt-right" insanity, a fulcrum must be placed *somewhere* along the axis to balance out both sides' craziness, and I think The Golden Age serves as an example of just *how* the balance can be achieved--how people of greatly varying, indeed diametrically-opposed, concepts of reality can coexist peacefully.

I just find it odd that your own work undermines so much of what you preach in this blog. Quite frankly, it's more than odd--it's fascinating! There's a level of cognitive dissonance there that makes me vertiginous, which is why I generally stick to reading your fiction rather than your nonfiction. Mind you, I've only read your transhumanist-oriented works, not your fantasy stuff, as I'm more the superhard/high-bitrate sci-fi kind of guy than a fantasy reader--though I did love your revisitation of William Hope Hodgson's Night Land! Nonetheless, I will always champion both The Golden Age and the Count to a Trillion series as founding documents to the posthuman age!

Re: Tomorrow is the VINDICATION OF MAN

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 15:03:10 -0000

You may be a loathesome human being whose atoms I wouldn't even retain for 3D printing feedstock...but I respect your work *very* highly, and have been anticipating this volume for a long time now! The Golden Age helped define my views as a trans/posthumanist, and I've found County to Infinity to be an amazing exploration of posthumanity, the role of sapience in our galaxy, and posthumanity's necessary relationship with *unupgraded* humans to be incredibly thought-provoking. The fact that you cast the whole series in the guise of pulp adventure novels from the Golden Age of Sci-Fi made them incredibly enjoyable! I've often said one doesn't have to like an artist as a person, but one can still respect his or her works--and your transhumanist works have fit that bill perfectly. I made sure I picked up a copy of The Vindication of Man from Amazon even though $16 for an ebook is a bit exorbitant...but you deserve the money for the hard work your clearly put into this series. Good show!

Re: Movie Curiosities: Ghostbusters (2016)

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Sun, 17 Jul 2016 15:52:48 -0000

The 2009 Ghostbusters video game pretty *was* the third Ghostbusters movie. It had most of the original cast do voice work and was substantially based on a script Ivan Reitman and Dan Ayckroyd had sketched out sometime in the late '80s. As a story, it's ten times better than that of Ghostbusters 2 and manages to capture a LOT of the same humour as the original. Hell, even Walter Peck turns up again--still voiced by William Atherton!

Re: Movie Curiosities: The Neon Demon

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 10:37:16 -0000

The reason NWR is shown throughout the credits is a nod toward fashion collections, most of which are branded with the designers' initials. Perfume companies do this too. It's a common practice in the psychotically egocentric world of "high" fashion, and since this is a film *about* that world...well, it makes sense.

Re: ‘Painkillers’ Interview: Peter Winther

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 16:30:37 -0000

In a very *broad* sense, this reminds me of one of my favourite indie sci-fi films: The Objective.

Re: How Does Catnip Affect Cat Behavior?

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:28:20 -0000

Hey, some people are mean drunks--no reason that shouldn't hold with cats as well!

Re: Meet The Fleshlettes, a loving family of hyper-realistic body horror mutants | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 23:46:00 -0000

DEVO WAS RIGHT. De-evolution is real.

Re: Ghost Announce “Black to the Future” North American Headlining Tour

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:14:26 -0000

Ummmm...where are so many of these morons getting the idea that this is racist? God Forbid's usage of the title was obviously a wry acknowledgement of their African-American background, and Ghost's is obviously a nod toward the prevalence and usage of the colour black in metal/rock--especially since they themselves all wear black and are daemon monks from Hell. By the definition of racism some of the knuckleheads below appear to be using, then Black Sabbath, Blackened, Black Strobe, Frank Black and even Black Beauty must be the very KINGS of racism!

Re: Hellish New Statue Unveiled in London; What Were They Thinking?!

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 18:55:34 -0000

Holy SHIT! I want two of those for my front yard, one on each side of the front door!

Re: VERY IMPORTANT! App blocks any mention of the Kardashians on the Internet | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Wed, 06 May 2015 19:53:41 -0000

If it blocks just the Kardashians, that's an awesome start--but I want an app that will block all mentions of *any* celebrity I want blocked. Starting with Kuntye West, Bruce Jenner, Farrah Abraham....

Re: Behind the scenes of David Lynch’s ‘Dune’ | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 12:01:08 -0000

I will never not love this movie. Yes, it's got its problems, but what it does right it does so goddamned right.

And by that I largely mean the Spacing Guild. I still want to be a third-stage Guild Navigator when I grow up. I need a HELL of a lot more spice-gas exposure though. I've barely gotten the blue eyes and limited prescience, and the best space-folding I can do is to fetch a Guinness or a cup of coffee without moving from my computer chair.

Re: The gory and grotesque art of Soviet antireligious propaganda | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:24:20 -0000

I cannot describe how much all these thoughtful replies warm my blackened, godless, humourless, vampyiric heart (and you know I mean what I say, but I spell vampyre with a "y," which only a true Son of the Endless Night would)!

How I chuckle at the sweet music of that unique pain which afflicts sooooo many mere mortals upon reading the Internet and taking offense--that pain, yclept "butthurt" by the contemporary masses (and, oh, how I wished such a word had existed back in those somewhat less-retrained days of yore when I could impale legions of Turks without risking the censure of anonymous flame-bearing mobs of Internet Crusaders), which pleaseth greatly the troll in his den beneath the bridge--in this case, my decidedly unhumble self--yet bringeth him no closer to capitulation to the "butthurters'" own humourless perspectives, so sodden are they with outrage and self-righteous condemnation.

Oh, do go on! Deploy your best broadsides that I may have something amusing to read and share with my fellow autists in The House Not Right in The Head!

Re: Cthulhu Yoga: Goths embrace their dark side while staying fit | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:51:02 -0000

Unless every one of your joints can rotate a full 365 degrees, you CANNOT perform true R'lyehian yoga. In fact, if you have joints at all it's impossible.

Re: Signal the Horsemen. Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever is nigh.

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 17:36:25 -0000

It's very self-aware that it's a silly, manufactured Lifetime movie. That earns points right there. Second, I'm down with anything Aubrey Plaza and Grumpy Cat do individually. Put 'em together and I'm SOLD.

Re: Sexy girls in hot Halloween costumes : theCHIVE

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 17:08:09 -0000

http://www.cracked.com/vide...

Re: Dangerous Minds | Watch the William S. Burroughs-narrated ‘Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages’

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 14:25:13 -0000

I pride myself on my consistency!

Re: MCP RANDOM SELECT: GHOSTBUSTERS: THE VIDEO GAME

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 11:23:47 -0000

I loved this game so much I might even confess to doing inappropriate things to it. But regardless, as far as I'm concerned, this game was Ghostbusters III. It brought back elements from both previous films, featured all the original characters/actors (for the most part), and was HILARIOUS. That's good enough for me.

Re: See Beck and Jenny Lewis Get Hammy on 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy'? Cover

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 15:49:36 -0000

I guess this is the closest we'll ever come to another masterpiece like Midnight Vultures. Le sigh. BUT I'LL TAKE IT!

Re: Alien Profile: The Cooties of Io

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 11:24:47 -0000

These guys are cool. :) I love the idea of non-CHON-based life, and the idea that such beings would be meme-hungry kitsch fiends on top of that is just...perfect!

Re: That%26%238217%3Bs+a+really+nice%26%238230%3B+outfit+%2830+Photos%29

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:22:09 -0000

Her glowing red daemon eyes are what really do it for me. Possessed girls totally do it for me.

Re: Geoff Tate Is Over The Name QUEENSRYCHE, Will Now Refer To His Band As OPERATION MINDCRIME

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 19:25:46 -0000

Straight up! I just wish Queensryche would get back to doing the awesome operatic power metal they started out with. The Warning, Rage for Order, and Mindcrime are probably my favourite metal albums of all time NOT by Iron Maiden or Dio. <heh>

Re: Geoff Tate Is Over The Name QUEENSRYCHE, Will Now Refer To His Band As OPERATION MINDCRIME

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 17:25:19 -0000

Actually...Operation: Mindcrime is still a pretty cool name for a band, all things considered.

Re: The gory and grotesque art of Soviet antireligious propaganda | Dangerous Minds

Derek C. F. Pegritz — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:03:54 -0000

Sure. Go right ahead. And then flee in horror as I, like the strigoi of yore spoken of now only in hushed whispers, I shall tear myself down from my puny nails and enact horrific--but cinematic--slaughter upon all your fellow villagers...leaving only you alive (if permanently disfigured) to tell the tale of the fate which befell your people the day you all dared lift hammer and nail! <cue ominous="" thunder="" and="" the="" distant="" sound="" of="" fading="" screams="">