Archive for the 'Hailing frequency' Category

Essential properties for a Tron sequel

Posted in Hailing frequency, Sequel Ideas on March 23rd, 2009

I’ve calmed down since I wrote my last couple posts, so this one probably won’t have any caps lock and cursing like last time. I want to start off with a more secularized take on what I was talking about last time: the Tron spirit. Today I want to look at the essential properties for a Tron sequel - what is the essence of Tron. By “essential properties” I mean: a property without which sth would cease to be an x (some thing, or kind of thing). So, what is essential for a movie to be a Tron sequel (apart from being titled as one). What features are necessary for a Tron sequel to be a Tron sequel. So, for example, you couldn’t have an Indiana Jones movie without Dr. Jones and archaeology.

This topic has been largely implicit in this blog, but here I want to state my position more clearly. I take it that what the producers of the Tron sequel, the PC game and the comic, that the essential properties for something to wear the ‘Tron’ name are:

  • Glowing suits and discs
  • a computer world where everything is permanently darkness
  • MCP security program
  • light cycles
  • religious analogy
  • The Flynn family line
  • Encom
  • etc.

These are exactly the tenets that I’m arguing against. Don’t get me wrong: I have no problem with the original movie. I suppose I’m arguing for a different kind of “sequel”. Here are what I take to be the essential properties of a Tron movie:

  • being sucked into video games/computer world
  • real world/computer world mirroring
  • Some nominal reference to the original Tron movie
  • Wendy Carlos

Notice that I have not included the dark computer world and the glowing circuit board suits. Also, I have included Wendy Carlos as essential, whereas the producers of the Tron sequel obviously don’t see it this way. If you want to see how the first 3 of these properties might be worked into a Tron sequel story, see my earlier posts.

The Tron Spirit

Posted in Hailing frequency on March 22nd, 2009

When ending the last post about the “Tron spirit”, I realized that that is exactly the problem: the creators of the sequel need to stop watching Fast and Furious, and all those movies starring The Rock and sit down and close your eyes and get in touch with THE FUCKING TRON SPIRIT FOR FUCKS SAKE! Just assume that there really is a Tron spirit, like a real entity, like a god or something. Do you guys (you people working on the Tron sequel) think that the Tron spirit would be happy with what you are doing? That is the question that you should be asking yourself all goddamned day long! It doesn’t matter whether or not there really is a Tron spirit (there is no evidence either way), it would be better to play it safe and not anger the Tron spirit just in case there really is one.

Tron teaser

Posted in Hailing frequency on August 19th, 2008

I’m a little late to respond to this news, but there is a terrible 3 minute cam clip from the Tron sequel movie available here. It is evident that my message has not been received. I will tell you what is going to happen to this movie: it is going to come and go like a Star Wars prequel. It might be a bit of fun for a moment, but it will fade and it will take the original Tron with it! In other words, it is going to tarnish the legacy. Am I alone in saying “fuck a super supped up special effects action film Tron sequel!”? This is going to KILL the SPIRIT of Tron. If they do this, they will just reinforce the false idea that Tron is all about computer graphics and glowing suits. This is what I’ve been trying to argue! The clip looks pretty slick, but FUCK slick. It is going to take what is now legendary and make it mundane…profane. Do you understand what this means? Is this what you want? It is going to do for Tron what 2007’s Transformers did for Transformers. I’ve already given you tons of good places to start for what would be a GREAT Tron sequel.

Just a reminder: ya’ll should fucking listen to me. I’ve watched Tron HUNDREDS of times. Literally. That means I understand what Tron is about REALLY well.

I can’t believe this shit.

Tron as video game culture zeitgeist

Posted in Hailing frequency, Uncategorized on May 29th, 2008

Hey Tron people! (the people making the movie, Steve Lisberger, etc.) This is another plea to not make a Tron movie like the original, comic, computer game. If you do, then you will have passed up a MASSIVE opportunity, an opportunity that i will try to outline below. But before we go on, read this. This article describes the state of video games today. The Tron PC game and the comic were not up with video games today; they are still trapped back in the early 80’s or something. REALLY! Read this article! There are gangs of dudes (20+?), entire gaming guilds in World of Warcraft, that coordinate sieges on enemies, all of them in audio contact via headsets, all sitting in different parts of the world even. There are people who make money selling gold pieces they have accrued in a video game world. There are people that die from playing video games non-stop for days on end. This is a very different world than the Tron world from the early 80’s. LISTEN TO ME! If you guys make a movie about internet security, I swear I am going to boycott this movie, I am going to start some kind of campaign to demonstrate how badly you guys missed the boat. In fact, I would appreciate it if one of you would send me an email assuring me that you have seriously considered my suggestions, because I may have to just go ahead and begin planning my campaign. I really fear that this Tron sequel may be in the wrong hands (except the director had some slick looking commercials).

At the very beginning of the movie we need to see the traditional glowing Tron suits, but then we need to get BEYOND them. This is the part that I don’t know if you all understand. This is the point of this entire website: you must get beyond the Tron watchdog for the MCP, glowing suits, discs and bikes. It may seem that you couldn’t even call it ‘Tron’ if it didn’t have these elements. The only people who are going to care about this is the serious schizo fans that haven’t seen the light of day in 30 years. The casual Tron fan who has seen it once or twice don’t identify Tron with security and firewalls and shit, they identify it with VIDEO GAMES and getting SUCKED INTO video games. I do agree that the glowing suits may be a bit of a hurdle, as they are pretty iconic, but I think it is possible to re-vision (I couldn’t think of a better word; I don’t like re-brand) Tron as something other than glowing suits. It would require some tact to do this, and I have given some suggestions how to do this previously.

I don’t know if I have described my vision for the role that Tron could play in the future, but I will again here. That article I mentioned above starts off talking about how video games are the fastest growing form of media out there, soon to pass all other forms (movies, music, etc.) or something like that. This isn’t just some hobby, and it isn’t just about computer viruses and firewalls! This is a major cultural player! Tron people, listen to me now, you have a supreme opportunity in your hands: an opportunity to capture the imagination of this cultural migration,. And not just that: if it was done with the utmost tact and foresight, the chance to assume the spiritual helm of this cultural phenomenon (note I said “spiritual”, think of Dillinger and the old dude’s “religious discussion” in the original movie, and I realize that the previous isn’t a sentence). And the reason why Tron can do this and some other geeky-ass movie can’t is because Tron has the right pedigree; it has a claim for this role. Tron is in line for the throne, it has a claim for this title, but it isn’t clear whether or not Tron fully comprehends its role and therefore whether or not it is can claim this title. It has a claim, but but it won’t be possible to claim this title unless it does some things change. If the Tron people were to play their cards well, they could capture a kind of zeitgeist, the spirit of the times. Now do you guys realize the magnitude of the Tron sequel movie? People can forgive and forget the PC game and the comic series, but not the Tron sequel movie. Think about this Tron people.