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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:51 pm
by Jim20
To start, let me add my thanks to Sonic for leading me down Memory Lane. It was amazing to look back on the old page and it immediately brought me back to the year I stepped onto this board. It was late 1999, when the critics' awards were taking shape and American Beauty was turning into the shoo-in that a lot of us considered it to be. I was in college, trying my way into the film industry as a writer/director.
Now, seven years later, I'm in the industry working and it does indeed feel like no time has passed at all. I try to post my comments as often as I can, but I am always monitoring the conversation on a daily basis.
This is my favorite site to visit and it has turned me into the only Oscar guru that I know personally; my girlfriend can't stand it at times. Of course, having read both of Damien's books certainly help.
So, I just wanted to say thanks for the all the readers of this message board and hope to continue my great experience here.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:29 am
by Sonic Youth
OscarGuy wrote:Geez, Sonic...do you have anything better to do?
Actually, in the five seconds it took me to click a link on a screenshot and find the Emmy board, I also managed to read "Crime and Punishment" twice over, tnx.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:53 pm
by Big Magilla
Brian, by all means say "hi" to Hedgy for us and let him know we'd love to have him back.
It's been over four years since you and I met, almost five since I met Damien and Ed Gonzalez and nearly four since Reza and his wife were to my (then) new house which I bought just a few weeks after I saw you.
I haven't been to San Francisco in so long I don't know if I'd know where to park any more. You would think that since I retired I would have more time to spend in the City, but my days are so busy now I don't know where I found the time to go to work all those years!
I basically work my weekdays around picking up my ten year old nephew from school and helping him with his homework until one of his parents picks him up after work. I occasionally pick up his oldest brother from high school as well. Only the middle guy is able to walk home on his own. The City of Benicia, where they live, has no school bus service.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:31 pm
by rain Bard
Johnny Guitar wrote:Oh geez! I think back in those days I joined the board posting about The Truman Show--sometime in late '98.
I too began my UAADB existence posting about the Truman Show- but not until early 1999, after I was horrified to see the film (which I liked at the time and haven't revisted recently) take home the Golden Globe for its score (which I did not consider "substantially original" enough to merit ANY awards on principle. I'm glad I'm no longer so opinionated on that count. I now consider some of the most effective and impressive scores the ones that weave original themes around existing ones.)
I remember I started posting as "Brian" but when another Brian came along I decided to switch to this pseud.
I said as much in a fairly recent post, but I might reiterate that this board has been something of a touchstone for me, even if I haven't always been a particularly present member. It's great to see folks like Leeder (I still have a print-out of your most-recommended vampire films somewhere in my files, annotated with others' chime-ins of course) delurk for this nostalgic thread.
Each of the three times I've met a board member in real life has been a real treat for me. I wish I were a more consistant e-mail correspondant in general; I've enjoyed the conversations off-board I've had with a few members. And I do still keep contact with Hedgy, seeing him at various San Francisco area film screenings and sometimes even non-film-related functions. I expect we'll cross paths at the big film festival here in a few weeks. Shall I say 'hi' from the group?
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:23 pm
by FilmFan720
Eric wrote:OscarGuy wrote:The interesting part is that I've only had to ban one member for attitude issues
I wonder if Svengali was really bad enough to warrant that, in retrospect.
Yes, he was.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:28 pm
by Eric
OscarGuy wrote:The interesting part is that I've only had to ban one member for attitude issues
I wonder if Svengali was really bad enough to warrant that, in retrospect.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:59 pm
by Johnny Guitar
Oh geez! I think back in those days I joined the board posting about The Truman Show--sometime in late '98. Also, I remember thinking that Sweet Little Miss Gumdrop was awesome.
Hey, what's better, Saving Private Ryan or The Thin Red Line?
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:14 pm
by OscarGuy
Geez, Sonic...do you have anything better to do?
Sorry, Tripp, your alias isn't the same as it was in the early days...at least I thought it wasn't.
The interesting part is that I've only had to ban one member for attitude issues (I had to bam some that were spammers, but those don't really count and I haven't had to do that in a long while)
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:18 pm
by Sonic Youth
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 5:46 pm
by ITALIANO
Damien wrote:And a shout out to Hedgy -- very smart, fun, knowledgable and, according to Italiano, a William Bendix lookalike.
He got a bit upset at me for saying that - but I mean, William Bendix was an interesting-looking man, wasn't he? And he compared me to Rufus Sewell anyway..! I'd rather be like William Bendix if I had to choose! Hedgy is a very nice guy, very intelligent. And, except for Uri, the only member of this board that I've met in person.
I don't remember when I first started to write here - or when. But it must have been the Roberto Benigni year. So long ago - unbelievable (for a lazy Italian like me) to think that I've written all those posts in English through these years.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:14 pm
by flipp525
I think you're the only person who knew my real name, besides possibly Wes, cam! I was so surprised when you put it in my birthday thread.
Oh, and Jean Smart is amazing. She's consistently one of the best things about 24.
Edited By flipp525 on 1176754595
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:12 pm
by 99-1100896887
I remember that one of my first posts was to champion Jean Smart in Guinevere. Still think she did a great job. I lurked for awhile before I signed up, as I came rather late in the game to computers.
I feel that I have made good friends with some of you. Peter Patrick and I corresponded for awhile, and so did Brian Darr and I, but I have had an ongoing correspondence with Damien Bona for about two years, I think. He was very kind to friends of ours who will be visiting New York. I hope to meet him some day in person, before I shuffle off this mortal coil.
Cam
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:16 pm
by Leeder
Not sure when I first started posting, but it was certainly around the 1998 Oscar season... does anyone else remember somebody (Magilla, I think) posting "Globes Night -- The Night I Crossed the Thin Red Line."
And I remember posts by Real Oscar Guy. Now there was a fiasco to end them all...
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:32 am
by flipp525
I think I joined the board around late 1997 when I was a sophomore in college (it was right around the time of Titanic's release, if I recall correctly). I lurked quite a bit in the beginning before finally getting up the nerve to start posting but, wow, those names do bring back a lot of memories. Was Sister Luke the one who always related things to Audrey Hepburn in 'A Nun's Story'?
And Leeder, the loss of your virginity to a board member is one of the most surprising things I've read on here in quite awhile.
I agree with Sonic that for all the in-fighting, flame wars, and crazy rantings, this board is a little slice of heaven in a hidden corner of cyberspace that I'm very happy to have stumbled upon. Nowhere else can I find such lively discussion, and such interesting, dynamic and intelligent posters. I've never met anyone from UAADB in person but I'd love to someday. Before he left in a big huff, I believe filmgabber (was that his name?) was trying to put together a meeting of the gay members of this board. I wouldn't envision putting together anything that exclusive but meeting some of y'all face-to-face would be a hoot after a decade of discourse.
In true Oscar style, maybe there needs to be an "In Memoriam' section of the board for all those posters "lost" to us over the years. On a slightly morbid note, I was just pondering the fact that if I got hit by a bus tomorrow, you all might think I'd just given up and ditched the board.
In the same vein as what dws said, I've personally changed so much in the last ten years, that it's fun to track my development through my years spent here with you all. All the while, this board has been one of the few constants in my life. You guys are like old friends who I can talk to about anything and, for that, I thank you.
Thanks for starting this thread, Sonic (or whatever name you'd like to go by these days). The "525" in my name was because I was obsessed with Rent at the time ("525,600 minutes") but have long since gotten over it. Even our screennames are snapshots of another time, just like those screen shots you posted of the old board, lol.
Edited By flipp525 on 1176780816
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:07 am
by Reza
I have no recollection of when I came on board. But the familiar black board and names of past posters brought back fond memories. I recall Zach and the time I called him Hitler. He nearly had a coronary attack and even sent me a long private e-mail.
Aah...the good old days!