Napoleon Dynamite Statue Unveiled on 20th Century Fox Studio Lot
Most successful films are re-released on special anniversary edition DVD and Blu-ray releases after ten years, and a few even have special events to celebrate the landmark. The honor bestowed on Jon Heder’s portrayal of the title character in Jordon Hess’ Napoleon Dynamite Monday afternoon on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot was something else entirely. Now housed just beyond the studio’s main entrance is a multi-colored bronze statue of the tater-tot-loving bespectacled odd-ball.
Most successful films are re-released on special anniversary edition DVD and Blu-ray releases after ten years, and a few even have special events to celebrate the landmark. The honor bestowed on Jon Heder’s portrayal of the title character in Jordon Hess’ Napoleon Dynamite Monday afternoon on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot was something else entirely. Now housed just beyond the studio’s main entrance is a multi-colored bronze statue of the tater-tot-loving bespectacled odd-ball.
Make Your Move Premiere Coverage
The film stars longtime “Dancing with the Stars” competitor Derek Hough, who arrived after the taping with his latest dance partner and girlfriend, Olympic snowboarder Amy Purdy. Derek’s close friend Mark Ballas also showed his support in attendance, along with several competitors in this season’s celebrity dance competition.
Wrong Cops Premiere Coverage
This past Wednesday evening I was invited to attend the premiere of Wrong Cops at The Vista Theater in Los Angeles
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| Ray Wise, Quentin Dupieux, Eric Wareheim, Mark Burnham, Arden Myrin, Marilyn Manson |
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The Wolverine Unleashed at 20th Century Fox Studios
Unrated and extended versions of films for the home entertainment release have become so commonplace that the title hardly has significance any longer. The extended cut of Fast and Furious 6 was less than a minute longer than the theatrical cut. Even when there are differences to the cut of the film, it is hardly of significance, so I was somewhat surprised by the fanfare the unrated extended cut of The Wolverine was met with by 20th Century Fox and the film’s director, James Mangold. In anticipation of the film’s release on DVD and Blu-ray this week, on December 3rd, Mangold attended a screening of the extended cut of the film held on the Fox studio lot.
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| Ruth Duccini cutting ribbon for re-opening of TCL Chinese Theatre |
In all of my higher education, there was only one class that I dropped rather than face the task of attempting to obtain a passing grade by semester’s end. It was a history class, which had never been a problem for me in the past. I am a lover of stories, and history is simply a collection of significant true tales. My problem with this particular class was the detached methods from the professor, who had little interest in history having any personal significance to his students.
First Trailer for Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave
The name Steve McQueen once brought visions to mind of a 1968 Mustang in San Francisco or motorcycle escape from a World War II POW camp, and while those images of "The King of Cool" still remain, they are now joined by the work of English filmmaker of the same name. The English McQueen only has two previously released feature films, but a career of prestige as an artist in many senses of the word. He was made the Official War Artist for Iraq in association with the Imperial War Museum in 2003 and has been awarded both OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and CBE (Commander in the Order of the British Empire), in 2002 and 2011 respectively. Though predominately known for his photography and film work, McQueen also works in instillation art, the most notable being "Blues Before Sunrise," which featured two weeks in which all of the 275 street lamps of Vondelpark, Amsterdam were colored blue.
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First Trailer for Spike Lee's Oldboy Released
This past week saw the first big push in the marketing campaign for the highly anticipated remake of Chan-wook Park's revenge thriller. Oldboy was the second and most popular in a revenge trilogy by Park, based upon the Manga comic by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi. Despite the high number of intelligent individuals who have sought out this modern South Korean classic, it should come as no surprise that Hollywood felt obligated to remake this masterpiece for all of the ignorant English-speakers of the world.
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Kicks Off With Annual Eyegore Award
This past Friday night marked the annual opening of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, which kicked off with the Eyegore Awards and some celebrity recipients. Although the Eyegore Awards are hardly the highest respected ceremony in
Sam Raimi May Direct ‘Wizard of Oz’ Prequel
According to the sources of Entertainment Weekly, Sam Raimi is in early negotiations with Walt Disney Studios to direct a Wizard of Oz prequel entitled Oz, The Great and Powerful. Raimi is also said to be meeting with Robert Downey Jr. for the role of the ‘fast-talking circus huckster’ brought to Oz by the same means as Dorothy, a tornado.
I can already picture the entire film; Oz believes that the circus man is a wizard, and through Music Man conning abilities, he finds himself in a position of powerless power as the wizard behind the curtain. Although I can certainly see the potential Raimi might bring to the project, I am more concerned with the adverse effect it will ultimately have on his career. Simply put, I’m afraid he may be going the route of Tim Burton.
Raimi began even darker than Burton
I am also concerned for the impact that this would have on Downey ’s career; one which seems to coincide coincidentally with longtime Burton Downey
Neveldine/Taylor in Early Negotiations for Ghost Rider Sequel
Of the many superhero movies in the past decade, Columbia
Normally I would wait until the sequel was released—most likely straight-to-video—before making all of the obvious disparaging remarks. A recent development, however, has forced me to rethink the entire endeavor. Filmmakers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor are in early negotiations to direct Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. David Goyer wrote the early draft of the screenplay, though it is almost expected that Neveldine and Taylor will have rewrites that add their own distinct style.
Neveldine/Taylor are best known for a hyper-kinetic postmodern style of action, most notably on display in the violent Crank films. Though their directing filmography is void of PG-13 action, they wrote the screenplay for the upcoming Jonah Hex. Directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), this western may prove to those in charge that Neveldine/Taylor are both able to adapt a comic book and make a successful PG-13 film. The other alternative would be the possibility of an R-rated Ghost Rider film. This is an exciting possibility, though it may be more likely that the most uncontrollable filmmakers in Hollywood
Nicolas Cage has made it clear that he would like to continue in the role of Johnny Blaze, though there have also been rumors that the series may move on without him. I could go either way. Although it might be fun to see Jason Statham step into the role, Cage’s unbridled energy may actually match well with Neveldine/Taylor’s full-throttle approach to filmmaking. Either way, the biggest problem about the comic book character is that he is nothing more than a flaming skeleton during action sequences. This makes the leading actor nearly irrelevant during the action sequences, making the filmmakers the real stars. Though I don’t agree with every choice that Neveldine/Taylor make, I would rather see someone take risks rather than another cookie-cutter superhero film.
Neill Blomkamp Will Not Direct The Hobbit, Despite Internet Rumors
A rumor popped up on the Lord of the Rings fansite TheOneRing.net claiming that Neill Blomkamp was already hired as the director for The Hobbit. The speculation was that this announcement would be made at the upcoming Comic-Con in San Diego
Although various fan and film sites reported the rumor provided by TheOneRing.net, Vulture took the time to check the validity of the story. When Vulture contacted William Morris Endeavor, the agency representing Blomkamp, they claimed that no one had even approached Blomkamp to direct.
Although there are plans for a District 9 sequel, apparently this isn’t what Blomkamp intends to do next either. He is currently working on an original science fiction script for Media Rights Capital, set to be released sometime in 2011. Entitled Elysium, this film is as secretive as a J.J. Abrams project, though Blomkamp has said that it will take place on an alien planet, with “many sociopolitical ideas, wrapped up inside something that is like a Hollywood action film.” (source: MTV movies blog)
This sounds remarkably similar to District 9, at least in terms of the mix of science fiction action with a political message. Blomkamp also claims that he doesn’t want the budget to exceed District 9 by much, allowing him the freedom which would be lost with a larger budget which might encourage studio involvement. If freedom to do his own thing is the intention, perhaps it is for the best that Blomkamp won’t be directing The Hobbit.
After Guillermo del Toro left the project, I have come to consider it highly likely that the final result won’t be anything nearly as good as what could have been. The fact that del Toro left the project should be a glaring sign that there is something wrong that isn’t being reported. Whether it is a script issue or a control problem, there had to be a valid reason for del Toro to abandon the work he had already put into the project.
Peter Jackson has said that he doesn’t want to direct because he would be competing with himself. This seems an asinine statement to me; one which could only be made if he knew that The Hobbit would not live up to the expectations the Lord of the Rings films left fans with. Personally, I think he is underestimating the dedication of a fanbase. When fans of a franchise really want to like something, they manage to find a way to justify the quality of anything related. Just ask George Lucas.
While there may have been a few disloyal fans willing to give their true opinion, most fans of the Star Wars trilogy insisted that they were satisfied with the Star Wars prequels. The same thing happened with the final Lord of the Rings film, The Return of the King. During the midnight screening, I watched the audience stand to leave at each false ending, exasperated by the elongated final moments. People dressed as characters from fantasy world were standing in the aisles during the final scenes, but they still left the film with a fierce willingness to defend every aspect of the film.
I imagine Jackson Jackson Jackson Jackson
Addams Family to Return Animated
While talking to press about upcoming animated film Despicable Me, producer Christopher Meledandri reported that the Addams Family movie is still moving forward, with Tim Burton attached to direct. According to Meledandri’s interview with, they are still “at the story phase” of development, and the screenplay will be based on the Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons rather than the 1960s television series or the Barry Levinson films.
Despite the fact that Meledandri’s other animated projects such as Ice Age and Robots being reliant on computer generated animation, the Addams Family film is being developed as stop-animation. Even more exciting, Meledandri reports that the screenplay is “written as though we are doing it in black and white.” This could give the film the same look as Burton
Part of me feels like this could be a good chance for Burton Burton
Here is my problem with 3D in a film like Addams Family; if you are planning to make a film in black-and-white in order to stay true to the style of the original comic, it makes no sense to try and be cutting edge in the presentation. More than anything else, Burton Burton
Frankenweenie is currently in pre-production and set to be released next year sometime. Burton Burton
First Poster for Fincher’s The Social Network
Columbia Pictures has already begun marketing David Fincher’s biopic, The Social Network, releasing the first one-sheet of the October 1st release. Based on Ben Mezrich’s book, “The Accidental Billionaire: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal,” Alan Sorkin’s screenplay centers on the controversial conception of the online social network. Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland) stars as Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The Social Network is a biopic, but one without an inspiring or heroic central character. The film is said to take an unflattering look at the life of Zuckerberg, including the lawsuit by his partners against him and claims that the origins of Facebook were stolen from the dormitory at Harvard. After the ambitious The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network is yet another risky project for Fincher.
Making a film with a distasteful protagonist is a challenge only a director like Fincher should be able to manage. After all, this is the man that made Zodiac. If he can make a serial killer film based on a case which remains unsolved, leaving the audience with no answers by the end, I can imagine that Fincher can handle The Social Network. This is despite the awkward first one-sheet.
The poster is obviously meant to resemble an internet browser, with an address browser bar on the right side of the poster. This is an interesting concept, but it is contrasting the other things happening in the poster. The rest is a simple picture of Eisenberg’s face; what I am assuming is meant to resemble a profile photo. The only problem is that there is writing over his face. It just seems like there are too many things conflicting in this seemingly simple design, making it just seem lazy.
Although The Social Network is preparing for the Fall festival circuit this year, there seems to be more anticipation for Fincher’s next project, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Currently still just in pre-production, the American adaptation of the Swedish crime by novel made the cover of Entertainment Weekly this past week, with producer Scott Rudin discussing what could be the beginning of a monumental franchise. Casting is highly debated, as is often the case with film adaptations of popular books.
As there are two other books in the series (making up what is known as the Millennium Trilogy), there are sequels sure to come with the success of the first. And with a 2012 release, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is still managing to get more attention than The Social Network. I suppose the film will have to speak for itself. Fincher doesn’t seem to be the kind of director that takes any project lightly, so I am trying to remain positive.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn To Be Split Into Two Films
Summit Entertainment confirmed today that the final book in Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, will be separated into two films. This should come as no surprise to films fans, as this is a trend which only seems to grow in popularity with the success of past franchises.
It would be easiest to place blame on Peter Jackson. Despite the uphill battle to ensure that The Lord of the Rings was split into three films, it has now become commonplace even for stories that were not split up in the original print form. Jackson
At first I was excited about the prospect of The Hobbit being split into two films, if only because of my excitement about the director chosen at the time when this decision was made. Now that Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) has removed himself from the project, I am concerned that over-indulgence may plague the loose follow-up to the monumentally successful trilogy. Let’s not forget how Jackson
There is also no ignoring the final films in the fantasy franchise which preceded the popularity of Twilight. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the final book in J.K. Rowling’s and nearly 800 pages in length, so it came as no surprise that the finale would be separated into two films.
With the manner in which the Twilight series seems to have attempted to mirror Harry Potter’s success, the narrative giving vampires magical abilities that are more important than horrific elements often tied to vampire films, the decision to stretch out the series was almost expected. It no longer seems to be a question of integrity to the material, but rather a way of ensuring the most profits are drained out of the trend. When there are a fixed number of sequels available, as is the case in adaptations of a popular book series such as this, the desire to stretch it out inevitably comes when the end of the gold-paved road approaches.
Academy Award winner Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Dreamgirls) is set to direct both of the films, with production beginning in fall. This announcement comes in anticipation for the release of the third film in the franchise, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which will inevitably satisfy millions of teenage girls and lonely middle-aged women on June 30th. Part I of The Hobbit is set to be released in 2012, though no director has yet been chosen to replace del Toro, while Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I will be released in November.
Judd Apatow Casts Leslie Mann to Star in Upcoming Feature
This hardly seems like news. Director Judd Apatow has been casting his wife Leslie Mann as far back as “Freaks and Geeks,” after they met on the set of Cable Guy in 1996. Each of the three features Apatow has directed also held smaller supporting roles for Mann, as well as a few features he has directed. The reason that this is news is simply because it will be the first time that Mann is cast to star in one of her husband’s projects, or any director for that matter.
The project is called Business Trip, a first screenplay by Stacey Harman about a group of women on a corporate trip that is filled with “anything but business.” Apatow only directs the screenplays he has written, so he will obviously only be acting as a producer. Apatow’s taste in the projects he produces varies from those which he directs, usually favoring the sillier and more unbelievable. With Business Trip already being called the female The Hangover, it seems likely that the film will have more in common with Talladega Nights and Walk Hard than Funny People or Knocked Up.
Business Trip is a project that was already at Universal before Apatow became attached to produce, and Mann to star. Shooting is set to begin January 2011, with no director yet chosen. The rest of the female cast is also yet to be picked out, which could say a great deal about the final project. Not many comedies allow female leads, and even fewer have an ensemble female cast. There is great potential in the concept, though the execution could ultimately be a letdown. Remember The Sweetest Thing, the raunchy road trip comedy with Cameron Diaz?
Setting aside how Mann will do in a leading role for one moment, I am actually more interested in who will be cast next. What actresses would help to elevate Business Trip to greatness? If Business Trip is the female Hangover, who will be the Zach Galifianakis in this analogy? I’m assuming that there will be either two or three supporting female leads, and I can already think of a number of actresses that would be great in these roles. The only actress/comedian I can see able to compete with the Galifianakis contribution to The Hangover, however, is Sarah Silverman.
EVP Experts Tom and
Lisa Butler Give Presentation at Historic Hollywood Hotel For Release of White
Noise on DVD
Joining AAEVP members and authors
of the book “There is No Death and There are No Dead”, Tom and Lisa Butler in
the Montgomery Cliff room of the infamously haunted Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd.
Later on in
the evening Tom and Lisa will give a presentation about EVP and explain how it
works to a room full of curious press. After doing a convincing job spooking
us, they will also take us up to the famous penthouse suite to do a live EVP
recording with hopes of capturing the voice of a dead celebrity one more time.
Ryan Izay: “I’m
almost nervous to use my tape recorder. You have me worried what I will hear
when I listen to this interview later.
Lisa Butler: The
first place they had us out in the field, (a woman) had Sprint, and she had her
phone off. She claims that she went outside and she turned her phone on and it
said “Spirit Area” instead of “Sprint Area Network”. She’s very level headed,
so I was surprised, but she was a little nervous.
R. I.: So now I
have to watch my phone afterwards too?
Tom Butler: Yes.
L.B.: Yes, for
sure. You know that humans are a lot more dangerous than spirits, don’t you?
R.I.: Is that so?
I don’t doubt it, but I can see a human in front of me. It’s the unknown that
makes me nervous.
T.B.: We’re like
that too. We get spooked just like everybody else.
L.B.: It takes
quite a bit to spook us though.
R.I.: Have there
been any messages, any EVP which were particularly spooky or threatening?
L.B.: It’s rare.
It really is rare to be honest with you. But two weeks ago we worked with a
local person in a place where some people…it’s like a three story built in the
eighteen hundreds… So we were up on the third floor and I turned on the
recorder and I said, “Is there anything you want to tell us?” When I listened
back later this voice said, “You’re dead.” So it’s very nice you don’t hear it
when it happens.
T.B.: You don’t
hear it while it’s happening.
L.B.: That was
pretty spooky.
T.B.: You can get
comments like that, but a lot of times it’s more sarcasm.
L.B.: I think
that most of the things that we see, the reason it’s so spooky is because of
the Hollywood movies. We like to be scared.
The reality is we’ve been doing this for fifteen years and I would say that we
have a team that works with us on the other side, and this is very normal to
us. It’s not really paranormal. But we’ve had, with the room that we do
recordings in at the house…
T.B.: You have to
manually turn on the light switch, manually turn on power strips, and then you
have to turn on the radio or the equipment.
L.B.: They turned
it all on.
T.B.: We were
creeping down the hallway to see what was going on.
L.B.: And you
would think with us that we’d go in and pick up a recorder. No. I started
turning stuff off. But we’re telling you the rarities instead of the normal
stuff.
T.B.: In reality
there are groups that look for ghosts, go ghost hunting, and there are things
that will scare you but at the same time you’re signing up for the next ghost
hunt. It’s really fun and you are hoping for some kind of phenomenon. What we
do is we try to correlate that information we get from different types of
phenomena and the way they occur, and try and make some sense out of all of it.
A lot of times with EVP it is a very powerful tool to study other forms of
phenomena. Plus, our main interest is grief management.
L.B.: I’ve heard
from my Mom. You know, we’re ex-corporate workers. We’re not flight-of-fancy,
or certified fruitcakes. Anyways we’ve heard from relatives, and it’s possible
to use this to hear from relatives.
R.I.: So do you
see grief as the main reason that people investigate?
L.B.: I would say
so except that it is very different in the United States
T.B.: I think
that as you get older and you lose a wife or a husband-
L.B.: Or a child.
T.B.: Then you
start looking for ways to deal with that, and they find us. Then they start
realizing that our approach and the people that work with EVP that are in our
group think in terms of continuing the relationship with the loved one rather
than getting over it. That’s an entirely different model than what a lot of
people have used. Grief management in the orthodox sense is to get over it, and
what we’re saying is that you don’t have to get over it.
L.B.: It’s still
not the same relationship. EVPs are two to three words or two seconds long.
That’s normally what you get. It’s not like going to John Edwards who can tell
you…
T.B.: But you can
recognize the voice.
L.B.: And that
can really make a difference to somebody. It really changes your world.
R.I.: Has EVP
changed your thoughts or opinions on the afterlife?
L.B.: Definitely.
There’s life after death and we continue. EVP is just one type of after-death
communication or what they call ADC. There are a lot of different ways that
those that cross over communicate with us. A lot of people talk about having
dreams and just being absolutely certain that it wasn’t just a dream and that
their loved one has reached them. People talk about after death electrical
problems. Really, EVP is just another way that those on the other side can let
us know that they are okay. The messages are not earth shattering. Martha
Copeland’s daughter—that’s another one of our members—she asked Kathy, her
daughter, “What is it like over there?” and the answer came back, “Like living,
only better.” It’s a really positive answer, but again they are really short.
T.B.: We don’t
learn a lot about the nature of reality on the other side, or what heaven is
like, but what you get is a lot of normal things that tells you it is like
living only different. The spiritualists have a phrase, “different atmospheres
in awareness”, and that’s probably a pretty good description of what we expect.
And again, EVP works with other…If you want to have a lot of detailed
communication you might go to a medium and use EVP as a verification of what
you’ve heard. Mind you, there is no guarantee that you will reach a loved one.
There is a pretty good shot that you are going to hear someone that wants to
talk to you. That may or may not be a loved one.
R.I.: As grief
counselors, do you feel that there is a danger it might reach a level of
obsession rather than coping?
L.B.: Not just
that, but we would suggest that people not try EVP if they’re taking drugs,
mentally unstable or have any sort of problem like that. We’ve actually been
told from the other side…We had a member who lost her husband, so all these
people were getting together to try and reach him. So our friend went home and
did a recording and said “Why can’t we get him?” and she got the message, “Too
much grief”. So I think if you are grieving really strongly it can actually get
in the way of the communication.
T.B.: And one of
the things that we’re pretty sure of is that the fact that you survive is one
thing, but it is still important to live your life. So it’s not like, “Lisa is
gone to the other side, so I’m going to check out and go with her.” It doesn’t
work very well that way. Certainly you can do it but it doesn’t make any sense.
There is a balance. You can become obsessive about it.
L.B.: And what
we’re finding about the other side is that it’s just a progression of this, a
continuation of learning.
EVP Experts Tom and
Lisa Butler Give Presentation at Historic Hollywood Hotel For Release of White
Noise on DVD
Joining AAEVP members and authors
of the book “There is No Death and There are No Dead”, Tom and Lisa Butler in
the Montgomery Cliff room of the infamously haunted Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd.
Later on in
the evening Tom and Lisa will give a presentation about EVP and explain how it
works to a room full of curious press. After doing a convincing job spooking
us, they will also take us up to the famous penthouse suite to do a live EVP
recording with hopes of capturing the voice of a dead celebrity one more time.
Ryan Izay: “I’m
almost nervous to use my tape recorder. You have me worried what I will hear
when I listen to this interview later.
Lisa Butler: The
first place they had us out in the field, (a woman) had Sprint, and she had her
phone off. She claims that she went outside and she turned her phone on and it
said “Spirit Area” instead of “Sprint Area Network”. She’s very level headed,
so I was surprised, but she was a little nervous.
R. I.: So now I
have to watch my phone afterwards too?
Tom Butler: Yes.
L.B.: Yes, for
sure. You know that humans are a lot more dangerous than spirits, don’t you?
R.I.: Is that so?
I don’t doubt it, but I can see a human in front of me. It’s the unknown that
makes me nervous.
T.B.: We’re like
that too. We get spooked just like everybody else.
L.B.: It takes
quite a bit to spook us though.
R.I.: Have there
been any messages, any EVP which were particularly spooky or threatening?
L.B.: It’s rare.
It really is rare to be honest with you. But two weeks ago we worked with a
local person in a place where some people…it’s like a three story built in the
eighteen hundreds… So we were up on the third floor and I turned on the
recorder and I said, “Is there anything you want to tell us?” When I listened
back later this voice said, “You’re dead.” So it’s very nice you don’t hear it
when it happens.
T.B.: You don’t
hear it while it’s happening.
L.B.: That was
pretty spooky.
T.B.: You can get
comments like that, but a lot of times it’s more sarcasm.
L.B.: I think
that most of the things that we see, the reason it’s so spooky is because of
the Hollywood movies. We like to be scared.
The reality is we’ve been doing this for fifteen years and I would say that we
have a team that works with us on the other side, and this is very normal to
us. It’s not really paranormal. But we’ve had, with the room that we do
recordings in at the house…
T.B.: You have to
manually turn on the light switch, manually turn on power strips, and then you
have to turn on the radio or the equipment.
L.B.: They turned
it all on.
T.B.: We were
creeping down the hallway to see what was going on.
L.B.: And you
would think with us that we’d go in and pick up a recorder. No. I started
turning stuff off. But we’re telling you the rarities instead of the normal
stuff.
T.B.: In reality
there are groups that look for ghosts, go ghost hunting, and there are things
that will scare you but at the same time you’re signing up for the next ghost
hunt. It’s really fun and you are hoping for some kind of phenomenon. What we
do is we try to correlate that information we get from different types of
phenomena and the way they occur, and try and make some sense out of all of it.
A lot of times with EVP it is a very powerful tool to study other forms of
phenomena. Plus, our main interest is grief management.
L.B.: I’ve heard
from my Mom. You know, we’re ex-corporate workers. We’re not flight-of-fancy,
or certified fruitcakes. Anyways we’ve heard from relatives, and it’s possible
to use this to hear from relatives.
R.I.: So do you
see grief as the main reason that people investigate?
L.B.: I would say
so except that it is very different in the United States
T.B.: I think
that as you get older and you lose a wife or a husband-
L.B.: Or a child.
T.B.: Then you
start looking for ways to deal with that, and they find us. Then they start
realizing that our approach and the people that work with EVP that are in our
group think in terms of continuing the relationship with the loved one rather
than getting over it. That’s an entirely different model than what a lot of
people have used. Grief management in the orthodox sense is to get over it, and
what we’re saying is that you don’t have to get over it.
L.B.: It’s still
not the same relationship. EVPs are two to three words or two seconds long.
That’s normally what you get. It’s not like going to John Edwards who can tell
you…
T.B.: But you can
recognize the voice.
L.B.: And that
can really make a difference to somebody. It really changes your world.
R.I.: Has EVP
changed your thoughts or opinions on the afterlife?
L.B.: Definitely.
There’s life after death and we continue. EVP is just one type of after-death
communication or what they call ADC. There are a lot of different ways that
those that cross over communicate with us. A lot of people talk about having
dreams and just being absolutely certain that it wasn’t just a dream and that
their loved one has reached them. People talk about after death electrical
problems. Really, EVP is just another way that those on the other side can let
us know that they are okay. The messages are not earth shattering. Martha
Copeland’s daughter—that’s another one of our members—she asked Kathy, her
daughter, “What is it like over there?” and the answer came back, “Like living,
only better.” It’s a really positive answer, but again they are really short.
T.B.: We don’t
learn a lot about the nature of reality on the other side, or what heaven is
like, but what you get is a lot of normal things that tells you it is like
living only different. The spiritualists have a phrase, “different atmospheres
in awareness”, and that’s probably a pretty good description of what we expect.
And again, EVP works with other…If you want to have a lot of detailed
communication you might go to a medium and use EVP as a verification of what
you’ve heard. Mind you, there is no guarantee that you will reach a loved one.
There is a pretty good shot that you are going to hear someone that wants to
talk to you. That may or may not be a loved one.
R.I.: As grief
counselors, do you feel that there is a danger it might reach a level of
obsession rather than coping?
L.B.: Not just
that, but we would suggest that people not try EVP if they’re taking drugs,
mentally unstable or have any sort of problem like that. We’ve actually been
told from the other side…We had a member who lost her husband, so all these
people were getting together to try and reach him. So our friend went home and
did a recording and said “Why can’t we get him?” and she got the message, “Too
much grief”. So I think if you are grieving really strongly it can actually get
in the way of the communication.
T.B.: And one of
the things that we’re pretty sure of is that the fact that you survive is one
thing, but it is still important to live your life. So it’s not like, “Lisa is
gone to the other side, so I’m going to check out and go with her.” It doesn’t
work very well that way. Certainly you can do it but it doesn’t make any sense.
There is a balance. You can become obsessive about it.
L.B.: And what
we’re finding about the other side is that it’s just a progression of this, a
continuation of learning.