While I was writing a paper on All the Pretty Horses for my AP English class, I tried to think of the adjective form simulacrum. By this I mean I was trying to think of a term that applied the characteristics of the noun "simulacrum" to another noun.
Simulacrum: n. "Something having merely the form or appearance of a certain thing, without possessing its substance or proper qualities."3 This is from the Latin word Simulacrum meaning "likeness or similarity," the root being "simulare" which means to fake, or recreate, often crudely. Simulacrum is often used for something that is only a crude or virtual representation of the original thing, often gaining its own lesser significance, e.g. aspartame is a simulcra of sugar. The plural of simulacrum is simulacra.
Preferably this term would be from the same root as simulacrum. At first I thought of "simulacric," but it just didn't sound right. So I looked up "simulacratic." It has been used by many scholars and in many publications such as The Oxford Journal of the American Academy of Religion1 and the journal Postmodern Culture2. However I have checked The American Heritage Dictionary (Fourth Edition), Webster's New International Dictionary, and the Oxford English Dictionary (Online Edition) and I have yet to find "simulacratic." I did however find the term "simulacral," in the OED which means "resembling an image."3 So my question to you peoples is which one is better, simulacratic or simulacral? I like simulacratic more, but I want to hear your responses.
1. http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/74/1/243
2. Ngai, Sianne. "Stuplimity: Shock and Boredom in Twentieth-Century Aesthetics." Postmodern Culture-Volume 10, Number 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, January 2000.
3. Oxford English Dictionary Online
So my mom bought me an American Heritage Fourth Edition dictionary. I love it. I also have the Merriam-Webster's Seventh Edition International dictionary, but Merriam-Webster isn't as good. So I have these to cross reference as well as other sources. My plan is to read the entire thing, probably more than once, and raise my vocabulary to new heights! In this, I will post words that I like and talk about them.
So, here is a new installment called: Prof. Celluloid's Movie Time!
This time: The Wolfman
This movie was a remake of the 1941 horror classic by the same name, and it did not fail to please. When I walked into the movie, I knew that it had actors that I loved, but I had hoped that it would not lose the cheap gore-fest feel of the original. It not only brought that up to the T, but it also had a back story that allowed for carnage and an interesting story all together. The only thing, I felt, that took away from the movie was the moral question of, "Where does the man end and the beast begin?" I'm not saying it wasn't an engaging question, but I don't feel it was delved into enough.
One thing I also noticed, while not bad, was the shorter length of the movie, much like the original. Another thing that was kept was the feeling of being hunted, hunted by those similar to you. This feeling was something that was important to the original movie and its originator, Curt Siodmak, a Jew who fled Europe during the '30s to escape Nazi influence. Without this feeling neither movie would be as great.
Overall this movie made me very happy, it had great acting, suspense, and enough evisceration to make me want a sausage. I urge horror fans and film lovers to go watch this and buy it when it comes out on DVD, Blu-ray, etc.
My school has a Dionysia festival and this year my play got in. Since I am in the playwriting class, I also had to help organize it. I was a stage manager and I made the art for the t-shirts. They wanted one that said Dionysus is my Homeboy and I delivered. My sister made most of the art, so major props to her. There was so much stress backstage though. From apathetic coworkers to over-worrying ones. From prop mishaps to a missed cue. Though, all in all, it went much better than expected. If anyone who worked on it is reading this, although I doubt it, thank you for putting up with my shit.
Seriously though, we had Greek food there, as well. I was getting some for Ariel and a serving lady (someone's mother) lossed her mucous all over the gyros, wiping her nose and saying, "Sorry about that. Would you like a gyro? We have lamb and beef." It's extra protein! Link to my play! Above, the shirt art.
