from Boing Boing:
Alexey Titarenko’s “City of Shadows” is a series of haunting, gorgeous long-exposure shots of street-scenes in St Petersburg, Russia. The long exposure-times turn the people in the shots into ghosts and suggestions of motion.
And this is Titarenko’s site.
I never noticed this before today, but the noise Locke’s adding machine makes at the box company is the same noise the smoke monster makes. The sound guy even adds some reverb to it going to commercial to complete the effect. That’s fucking planning ahead.
Previously, on Lost. Oceanic 815 crashes on an island and the survivors band together for safety on the beach while something big knocks down trees in the jungle. Up to this point, Lost had already hinted at a few mysteries: The French Woman’s Transmission, The Monster, The Polar Bears — but with the fourth episode, Walkabout, we begin to see the more mystical, spiritual side of the show. And that side is deftly realized in a castaway suddenly thrust forward as a Major Character: John Locke.
"Do you want to know a secret?"
We would only find out later just how critical Locke is to the dynamic of the show, but for now, he’s the great white hunter who is first to realize the need for survival skills, as the other survivors still cling to the idea that rescue will be coming at any moment.
"You either have very good aim, or... very bad aim, Mr...?"
In Locke’s flashbacks as a paper pusher in LA, we quickly see the contrast in him on and off the island. The crash has become Locke’s walkabout, and while everyone else is panicking, he’s finding himself. Locke and his Risk-playing, white-man tactician ways are unique, yet instantly familiar. He becomes a character we thought we always knew. I think one of the secret appeals of Lost is that everyone, deep down, wants to crash on a deserted island, (provided they survive of course). The island, in our modern, dull society, is a place where we can become who were really are. And Locke becomes the mysterious, confident hunter. “Call me paranoid,” says Jack, “but anyone who packs a suitcase full of knives…?”
"Locke. His name is Locke."
Walkabout is the story of why Locke was packing those knives. It is a perfect building-block episode, expanding characters, plot and “mythology” in every direction as it goes. There is no A story and B story. There’s flashbacks with John Locke, Charlie and Hurley trying to catch a fish for Shannon, Kate and Michael going hunting with Locke, while Kate also tries to plant an electronic device in a tree for Sayid, Claire begins gathering personal effects for a mass funeral and Jack tries to comfort a catatonic Rose, while going a little crazy. (side note, that shot above is fucking beautiful. Not only does Lost have excellent writing, but its photography and direction are better than most big-budget films. Kudos to the entire production crew.)
The Colonel at work
All these elements make a great episode, but then we also have two awesome reveals. The first: Locke meets the Monster. We don’t know what happens and Locke isn’t telling but he survived. Locke’s encounter with the Monster is one of the enduring mysteries of the show.
"I've looked into the eye of this island, and what I saw was beautiful."
But perhaps even more key is the second reveal, which is probably the moment when Lost officially rose to The Next Level.
"Don't tell me what I can't do!"
Terry O’Quinn does a wonderful job capturing the frustration of a man who believes he is capable of more than his body allows. Seeing John in the wheelchair, and suddenly realizing how slyly he was framed in all of the other flashbacks, is an epiphany not just for the show, but for the viewer as well. Only now do we realize all that is possible on the island. Locke is the embodiment of a universal human condition: the belief that there’s more inside of us than other people can see. And the lasting appeal of Lost won’t be the twists, but the excellent character drama that those twists create.
"Boone was a sacrifice that the island demanded."
See you in another day for #3, brotha!
As the Best Show on Television is about to return next week, we here at Counterforce thought it a good time to throw a little love Lost‘s way. First, I went and watched the opening to The Economist and got a boner, then I started writing. Marco and I argued and clawed our way to compiling what we consider to be the Top 5 episodes of the show, but before we get to those later in the week, I thought I’d talk to the intertubes about the episodes that just missed the cut, and why they’re awesome.
Before the episodes, though, a quick, bold, declarative statement: Lost has the best title sequence on TV ever.
Simple. Brilliant.
Anyone want to dispute that? Name one better. Never has a simple type effect and an ominous chord so effectively captured the essence of a show. Okay, the best of the rest (in no particular order):
The first, tantalizing glimpse of Cerberus?
Great because: Dr. Arzt gets esploded, they open the hatch, Locke meets the Monster a second time, with unexpected results, WAAAAALLLLLLLTTT!, the flashbacks could still reveal character moments without feeling stale, Sayid staunches Charlie’s wound with gunpowder, etc.
Famous reveals: The Smoke Monster, The Black Rock, The Others.
The mystery deepens.
Great because: “But still I did not believe it to be true, so I dug up that grave.” Sayid fucking owns.
Famous reveals: The Map, The Lockdown, Henry Gale is an Other.
What an opener. Most expensive pilot ever filmed, at the time.
Great because: This is the best pilot episode in the history of television. Ever. Think about some of your favorite shows and then think of the pilot episode: sure, some of them are decent, but usually shows take a while to find their footing. Lost hit the ground a fully-formed masterpiece.
Famous reveals: The Monster, The Polar Bear, The fucking Plane Crash, The French Woman, etc. etc. etc.
It doesn't scatter quite right.
Great because: We finally see the outside world’s reaction to the crash of Oceanic 815, Faraday and Miles especially are excellent new characters, the Boat People become even more ominous.
Famous reveals: Miles the Ghostbuster, The Polar Bear in Tunisia, Oceanic 815 at the bottom of the ocean.
It's a little known fact that white picket fences are bulletproof.
Great because: “Oh, so you do speak English?” Keamy actually executes Alex, the hilarious red shirt slaughter/Sawyer ducking for cover behind a barbeque, possible death of Claire, Ben confronts Widmore, etc.
Famous reveals: Did I mention Ben summons the fucking monster? And Time Travels? And has a shotgun in the piano seat?
Razzle freakin' Dazzle
Great because: A controversial pick, but this remains the only thing close to a stand-alone episode of Lost and the writing and winking ret-con acrobatics are genius. “Who’s Paulo?” This is one of those episodes, like Buffy’s season six ep “Tabula Rasa,” where the writers are clearly having tons of fun and just tossing off gold at the audience.
Famous reveals: Mr. Lashade is the Cobra!
Please, let me repay you.
Great because: Sayid is a hitman in the future, James Bond-style. Faraday’s rocket hints at time anomalies on the island.
Famous reveals: Naomi and Elsa’s bracelets. Sayid is one of the Oceanic 6, and working for Ben. The Rocket Clock.
The Purge
Great because: We finally get the back-story of the mysterious and tastefully-named Benjamin Linus, and learn what happened to the Dharma Initiative. Oh, and we kinda meet Jacob.
Famous reveals: The Mass Grave, Dharma in general, The Ageless Richard Alpert, Jacob’s Cabin.
Welcome to The Swan
Great because: This could really be a shout-out to the first three episodes of Season 2, since they all take place more or less concurrently. But Orientation holds a special place because of Desmond, the Orientation film, and:
Locke: Why do you find it so hard to believe?
Jack: Why do you find it so easy?
Locke: It’s never been easy!
As well as Jack’s underrated “I married her!” Jackface off the charts. I still get shivers.
Famous reveals: The Tailies, The Button, details of the Hatch, Dr. Marvin Candle, and the purpose of the…
4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42
Great because: This is when the show really started introducing elements that encouraged the audience to look closer and search for hidden meanings in the text. To get millions of fans obsessing over numerology is no small feat, and the story of Hurley and the numbers had the timeless fatalistic quality of a good Greek myth.
Famous reveals: The Numbers, Hurley’s a millionaire!
That’s all for now. Starting tomorrow we’ll start counting down the Top 5, and then after we get to #2, we’ll do a recap of what we’ve said so far, just like on all those annoying list shows on TV. Booyah.
