The Rage In The Kage VII: From The Inside Out
Written by: Kage Alan

Why is it that the older I get, the more I tend to reflect on time that's
passed by?  I mean, where the hell is Miss Cleo when you need her fake
Jamaican accent to help you make sense of things?  So I sat down to write
something fun and entertaining, but instead the events of the past year have
crept up on me like a male thong that shrunk in the wash.  Ouch!  That isn't
to say that they aren't entertaining, but rather the difficult part now is to
find where to start.  Oh, let's just jump into me being reflective.

This column was born early in the year as a way of combining many of my
additional thoughts about the DVD reviews into one huge bitchfest.  What
happened?  Either it was the Prozac or I started to enjoy more of the films
than I thought I would, especially titles released by Anchor Bay and Lions
Gate.  Many of them aren't mainstream, but they deserve just as much exposure as mainstream films and both companies have been wonderfully supportive of our efforts here.  My thanks to them.

I also started pursuing interviews.  My first was with Terri Nunn of Berlin
and I don't think I could have looked anymore like a geek if I'd tried.  Much
of this was due to poor preparation on my part and the article came across
like I was 12 instead of 32.  Still, it did manage to capture much of the
energy and excitement that I was feeling at the time…unless that was the Taco
Bell I ate for lunch that day.  The Amber, Tommy Lee Wallace and Paul Lekakis pieces went MUCH better.  Why?  Preparation.  Preparation = good. Preparation H = not so good.

This year has also been pretty huge for me because I signed my first book
deal.  While I won't be able to finish wallpapering my living room in
rejection letters like I'd planned, it's probably for the best.  Is it
exciting?  If you consider negotiating legal contracts, dealing with
deadlines and fluctuating release dates fun, then I'm having a ball!  If not,
then you'll be slamming down shots of whatever makes the ulcers feel better. 
Trust me when I say that buying DVDs is so much more fun.

On a serious note, though, I'm very proud of the novel and of those who
inspired me while writing it.  One of the characters is based off of my
parents' old next door neighbor, Gladys.  This woman used to watch me when I was very young, feed me butterscotch pudding for dessert and made the
absolute BEST grilled cheese sandwiches ever!  That's not an easy feat and
she was quite a character.  Gladys loved horror movies and once rented "The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre" for us to watch on her birthday.  My parents were
NOT amused.  As for dislikes, she didn't much care for worms or ex-husbands.  Do you think the two could be connected?  Hmm…

Gladys was more of a grandmother to me than my own grandmother and she was also my friend.  I called her last December to tell her about a trip to
England that I was about to take and it was during the conversation that she
slipped in "I'm doing okay.  I have good days and bad days.  Got cancer." Got
cancer?  She said it like those commercials where someone candidly says "Got
Milk", only the punchline was real.  Gladys passed away on May 3rd of this
year and while she was unaware that I had written about her, I am content
that she knew she was loved and that she will be missed.  And hey, she's
immortalized in print!  So, death is naughty and royalties are nice.

Great, now that I'm done being reflective, what's in store for the future? 
Well, I see lots more DVD reviews, fun interviews and perhaps even a surprise
or two (preferably positive surprises) coming your way.  As always, feedback
and suggestions are always welcome and even encouraged.  For that matter,
DVDs or gift certificates for DVDs sent to me in the spirit of giving are
also appreciated and encouraged.  In the meantime, I'd like to close by
wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Best wishes for the New Year,

Kage Alan
The DVD Snob

Previous installments:
Vol. 1 - Critic Kage Alan rants about dvds and Warner Bros.
Vol. 2 - Railing on Region Coding
Vol. 3 - Widescreen Vs. Pan And Scan
Vol. 4 - Artisan, PFE and Conventions...Oh, My!
Vol. 5 - DVD Special Features
Vol. 6 - The Horror of It All


Kage holds degrees in Creative Writing, as well as Film & Video. He has been featured in a Life Journey Tele-Course, published poems in several national anthologies, been a contributor to The Third Coast Magazine and written several novels. kage@modamag.com