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xparrotIt occurred to me this morning that Disney really needs to release Gargoyles on DVD. Not only would it give me a chance to blow more cash on pretty shiny discs, but I think the show would do well these days. Gargoyles was one of my first obsessions; looking back on it now, I'm convinced the creator must have been an otaku, or at least familiar with anime - elements like the Steel Clan and Xanatos's exoframe are very mecha-esque, and the series' unstable genre (what was it, exactly? High fantasy science fiction cop show, with a liberal dose of Shakespeare and film noir and X-files references for kicks...) would appeal to anime fans.
It was one of the first shows I ever watched with an actual extended story arc--cleverly done, too, in that each episode was self-contained, but fitted together to tell a continuing story, so that later episodes depended on knowing what came before. I still recall my utter shock when Owen's alter ego was revealed - because going back, it became clear they had planned it from the start, with all those subtle little hints all along the way. It also had decent animation - uneven, in that 'lowest bidder' way common to many American productions, but the best studios did good work and the backdrops and character designs were excellent (I worried a bit at the time about the chars I found attractive. They were cartoons...but sexy ones. It baffled me. This was years before I saw any anime or heard the word 'bishounen'.) Sported a great cast, too - including most of the cast of Star Trek TNG, for unknown reasons, but Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis made far better villains than starship officers. And Keith David. Note to any FMA dub casting directors: get Keith David to play Scar. I would so watch the dub for him. Mmmmm.
I have most of the eps on VHS, but those tapes are getting on in years - almost ten years old - and I'd really like to replace them. And have the excuse to watch the series again.
--And before you ask, as a matter of fact, yes, I did write Gargoyles fanfic. But that was before I got online and discovered I wasn't the only one doing it, and the world can be grateful the story never escaped the confines of my HS creative writing notebook. As I recall, the plot transported Goliath to a dark future where Thailog had brutally murdered Fox, and Xanatos had consequently gone insane and turned Manhattan into a Steel Clan vs. clones warzone in his efforts to exact revenge. (this was before the ep with Puck and the Phoenix Gate aired, and gave me my first taste of canon stealing an idea out from under me) ...And Elisa was sleeping with Tony Draco. Er. Because Goliath wasn't there. Otherwise, Goliath x Elisa and Xanatos x Fox x Owen 4-EVER! (what. you know they were.)
It was one of the first shows I ever watched with an actual extended story arc--cleverly done, too, in that each episode was self-contained, but fitted together to tell a continuing story, so that later episodes depended on knowing what came before. I still recall my utter shock when Owen's alter ego was revealed - because going back, it became clear they had planned it from the start, with all those subtle little hints all along the way. It also had decent animation - uneven, in that 'lowest bidder' way common to many American productions, but the best studios did good work and the backdrops and character designs were excellent (I worried a bit at the time about the chars I found attractive. They were cartoons...but sexy ones. It baffled me. This was years before I saw any anime or heard the word 'bishounen'.) Sported a great cast, too - including most of the cast of Star Trek TNG, for unknown reasons, but Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis made far better villains than starship officers. And Keith David. Note to any FMA dub casting directors: get Keith David to play Scar. I would so watch the dub for him. Mmmmm.
I have most of the eps on VHS, but those tapes are getting on in years - almost ten years old - and I'd really like to replace them. And have the excuse to watch the series again.
--And before you ask, as a matter of fact, yes, I did write Gargoyles fanfic. But that was before I got online and discovered I wasn't the only one doing it, and the world can be grateful the story never escaped the confines of my HS creative writing notebook. As I recall, the plot transported Goliath to a dark future where Thailog had brutally murdered Fox, and Xanatos had consequently gone insane and turned Manhattan into a Steel Clan vs. clones warzone in his efforts to exact revenge. (this was before the ep with Puck and the Phoenix Gate aired, and gave me my first taste of canon stealing an idea out from under me) ...And Elisa was sleeping with Tony Draco. Er. Because Goliath wasn't there. Otherwise, Goliath x Elisa and Xanatos x Fox x Owen 4-EVER! (what. you know they were.)
no subject
Date: 2004-06-21 08:05 pm (UTC)I loved Gargoyles, still do. I watch the reruns on at like midnight on the disney toon channel. That show was awesome and was really going into some interesting places before it got cancelled. RE the numerous ST:TNG voice-overs - I'm fairly certain Jonathon Frakes directed several episodes and may have also been an associate producer. And yes totally Xanatos x Fox x Owen and I'll take Brooklyn with whoever I can get and Broadway x Angela...it was awesome that the nice chubby one got the relatively attractive female.
Thank god the crappy stuff I wrote for that, and for the original TMNT cartoon and comic run, never ever saw the light of day.
But yes...DVDs are good. Disney likes money, right?
no subject
Date: 2004-06-22 07:19 am (UTC)Don't apologize for commenting - come in! comment! My journal is pretty much exclusively fangirling, and that's always more fun with company ^__^ Besides, any fan of Gargoyles...really was a favorite show. X x F I always loved ("And we love each other...as much as two people such as ourselves are capable of that emotion.") and Owen, well, can't leave out Owen ^_^ And while I didn't really care that much for Angela as a char (she was too...eh, generic), it was really cool that she got together with Broadway (Broadway was a great char in general; he started out as 'the fat one' and eventually became the most developed of the three boys, with the reading and the film noir obsession and such...)
Jonathan Frakes being a director? really, hmm, would make sense...wouldn't quite explain how they managed to get at least one cast member from all 4 Trek series, tho' ^^; Gargoyles is probably related to my present seiyuu obsession, it got me in the habit of watching the VA credits!
I think I'm gonna haveta dig out those old tapes now...
no subject
Date: 2004-07-25 12:48 pm (UTC)Just wanted to say that yeah, they're definitely coming out on DVD-- I went to Comic Con a couple days ago, and on the freebie table there were postcards advertising it. "Gargoyles Season 1-- Coming to DVD December 2004." And on the back-- "Gargoyles Awaken On A Special 2-Disc Anniversary DVD Set."
Don't know if you've already heard this, but I thought you'd be interested. I'm afraid I'm not old enough to have seen Gargoyles when it first came out, but maybe I'll use this as an excuse to finally watch it. Looks like a good series from everything I've heard.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-25 02:01 pm (UTC)I'm afraid I'm not old enough to have seen Gargoyles when it first came out
Oh good grief. Please don't say that. ^^;; I was in high school when Gargoyles aired. High school. I am so old!
no subject
Date: 2004-07-25 06:26 pm (UTC)Well, I take back what I said about not having been old enough-- I looked up the actual air dates, and I was 9 when it first came on. But at that point in my life I wasn't interested in that sort of show, so...
So, don't worry, you're not actually all *that* old. ;P
Gargoyles
Date: 2004-06-23 07:40 pm (UTC)I used to watch Gargoyles all the time on Toon Disney, and then about a month or so ago I realized it were still on and so I watched all the eps again. X x F, I always loved, and as was said, you can't leave Owen out. I always preferred Puck though, probably because he was just constantly floating in mid-air.
Keith David rocked as well.(And is it just me, or was that him in the trailer for Chronicles of Riddick? He certainly has a distinctive voice . . .
It would be great if they came out with the DVDs, then I wouldn't have to tape any of the episodes I really love . . . Future Tense being my absolute fave(the one that was mentioned earlier, with Puck and the Phoenix Gate)