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Shuffle up the Pictures file, lurkers ours! And...it's....

Bonzuko's own Jenn being flung across the racquetball court by Glen! Old Genki Kai footage. From 2002 or 3ish.

Today's Lightsaber Fun

I'll put more up soon, but here's one clip from today's lightsaber class. Don't you wish you were there? Image is the three-person fight, video is me and Boaz starting to get a bit better. Everything is still in rough draft mode, but we are so close to being ready for public consumption. Oh, wait, the Internet is the public, isn't it... ~Jenn

Fight Clip Club

Found these Muppet fossils linked by stellar blog Boing-Boing. I've seen sketches of these in a Jim Henson art book and my Dad remembers them from his childhood TV, but I have never seen them until now. They're described as "shockingly violent" in the description on Boing-Boing. I actually think they're pretty classic little clowning jewels, clearly influenced by vaudeville and golden age Looney Tunes. Maybe seeing them all at once like this gets a little much. Can you see that this is Kermit's grandfather? :) ~Jenn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ky7g1lgTwc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsuperpunch%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2009%2F06%2Fshockingly%2Dviolent%2Dcoffee%2Dcommercials%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

Images found by doing a Google Image search for "Wilkins" and "Kermit," respectively. Jim Henson was a genius.

Thief 4!?!

The engrossing, well-written Thief games have been a favorite in the Bonzuko household since Thief: The Dark Project first came out in 1997. Now the game is up to three (anyone know how we can play 1 & 2 on Jenn's laptop w/Vista, please let us know!), and unfortunately Team Bonzuko was convinced it was the end of the franchise.

Not so! Read this article that stellar blog Boing Boing linked. It's an overview of the games, the studios that made them, and some delicious confirmed news about the new one! Highlighted quote: "[Thief's] influence on modern gaming remains enormous, effectively introducing the idea of stealth and non-violent first-person action. It also remains a singular experience: none of its imitators have come close. For many people, there is only Thief."

There is "only Thief" for us. We don't know whether to say "hurry up" or "take your sweet time and make it amazing" to Eidos Montreal. Some of both? Thanks to Ragdoll Metaphysics for the article, and Boing Boing for paying attention! Image was yoinked off the Thief website.

Cinco de Swords

Today I and a couple privileged members of the MSCD Stage Combat Club got to see the 20 new swords Denny Graves made for us! They're obviously very well-made (it's Denny after all) and they are quite varied as far as style. This fall's MSCD Stage Combat class (THE 421C for those registering) will be the first group to put them into practice!

In earlier versions of the Stage Combat Beginning class at MSCD, we worked on three different weapons: unarmed, staff, and sword. Now that the class will soon become a "real" course (not a Variable Topics), I have changed the curriculum to just unarmed and sword, the two most likely ways of fighting an actor will run into. Stay tuned for advanced classes that will incorporate the staff. Enjoy these pictures of MSCD's lovely new set of swords. Thanks Denny, and thanks Megan and Cookie for making them happen! ~Jenn

We're on J!nx again!

Another one of our cute Stage Combat poses has been posted by the folks at J!nx.com to celebrate their deliciously geeky products. Check it here. If you want to buy any of their wonderful stuff, use the small, tasteful banner in the upper left corner of this blog. It'll send a message to them saying "bonzuko sent me" and we'll all get rewarded with good things. ~Jenn

For Those Who Plan on Attending the Lightsabers Class

Go here and bask in the glory. They're in stock, they're on sale. If you can do it, do it. If at all possible.

ThinkGeek.com: Force FX lightsabers

School for Falling

All you slope-addicts are probably thinking about Natasha Richardson right now, or at least you should be. There's a Colorado school (besides Bonzuko's courses) that specializes in training folks how to fall safely. It's called Camp Woodward, and Team Bonzuko found them first on channel 2 news. What they are is a giant barn that trains gymnasts, BMX-ers, skiiers and snowboarders (and I'd imagine anyone else) how to fly and fall. Their giant barn facility (ooo I'm so jealous) has Olympic-grade trampolines and huge foam pits for landing in, as well as indoor slopes and rails. Check out their photo slideshow and enjoy.

As we continuously say, being able to fall is singly the most important aspect of movement arts one can learn. Especially we who are involved in martial arts, stage combat, and stunts. We at Bonzuko can teach you, but will also celebrate anyone else who does good work in this area.

Gearing up for Summer class

You've heard Team Bonzuko praise these to the skies. Here's one place to get them.

Thanks to ThinkGeek.com for the ad image.

Fight Clip Club

J!nx.com has produced most of Bonzuko's favorite geek-themed T-shirts. Their sense of humor is much like ours as well. And like us, they began with two dudes in an apartment, and have now grown to epic proportions (Bonzuko's epic proportions are forthcoming, and J!nx is inspirational).

Here is a video from their "glog" about the merry band of rogues' foray into paintball. Looks like fun and pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at5TxKZ2MJU&eurl=http://www.jinx.com/blog.aspx?blogid=1&feature=player_embedded

Swords for Metro!

I went over to Denny's yesterday (that's Denny Graves, not the restaurant), and he showed me the pile of SWORDS he's been working on for the MSCD theatre program and stage combat club. Of course, he being Denny, they looked and felt fantastic, and I was happy to hear about his process and what he was planning with the rest. He had two complete when I went, and some parts of others ready. I'm not sure I can express my excitement through this bland font!

There will be several swept hilts, and several shell (or "transitional") hilts--he also said he'd make a few matched pairs and a couple ambidextrous ones for my lefties. I liked hearing about how he was going to play with and experiment with some of the fixtures. When you are able to commission a great artist like this, it's a really good idea to let them have some freedom with what they're doing for you. Like going to a good sushi restaurant: if you ask a skilled chef to make you something from his own choice, it can be an amazing experience.

All in all, I (again) can't wait for these. You MSCD folks that are taking the class in the Fall are a privileged few--you get to be the first ones to use these works of useful art. ~Jenn

Images: a complete swept hilt sword, full-length and hilt close-up; just a swept hilt waiting for its blade. Thanks to Denny for allowing photos!

Fight Clip Club

I found it!!! It's on YouTube! (yeah, well what isn't, right?)

It's Robin Hood Daffy! One of my favorite staff fights that isn't a fight at all! ~Jenn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecHb_4LS-uE

Samurai Umbrella

Check out this new product offered by the gadget demi-gods at ThinkGeek.com. Now if only this lovely bumbershoot was constructed like the Combat Umbrella, it'd be worth gold.

My friend the author

In graduate school, I had a very good friend named Jason Malott. He was the first person I officially met there, and we were buddies all through my "prose ninja" stint there at Naropa. (The Prose Ninja story is a long one, and not for this post.)

I toast you, Jason M. with a homebrew at your first book deal. I know how good a writer you are, I'm just glad someone else who is in charge of a publishing company agrees with me. Jason's book will be out in 2009, so look for it, and buy 500 copies, as Emeril would say. After you've bought 500 of my book, of course. Kudos, Jason Q. Malott. ~Jenn

Maybe a review will appear here soon. Stay tuned.

Fight Clip Club

As much as I enjoy the Bond-ish ninja-esque-ness (!) of Jason Bourne, I find the fight scenes in the Bourne movies, though well choreographed, have way too many edits. See what I mean?

Yet Another Amazing Toy

OMG, have you lovely lurkers seen the new Nerf N-Force swords??? I want a set of these, really! And they're Nerf, so you know they're made for some serious safe play. Okay, my birthday's in ten days... ~Jenn

Look at Gizmodo's bit on these blades of soft-yet-sturdy fury: N-Force Awesomeness

Movie Review

After much insistence by friends and students, we finally added Kung Fu Panda to our Netflix queue. Now we must own this flick.

Po is a big doofus with a big heart and a big love of kung fu. His father (a duck??) would rather he go into the family noodle business, but Po is destined for greatness, just like any good hero. However, he has to get past many obstacles first--from his own clumsiness to a terrifyingly powerful villain. The story is uplifting and exciting, and the message of the Dragon Scroll (or the secret soup ingredient) is powerfully moving without bogging us down in message.

This film has astonishing animation of not only stunning action sequences, but detailed character work as well. None of the characters look stiff or stereotypical, and they all have characteristics of their voice actors without the film degenerating into a celebrity-fest. Definitely the best animated fight scenes I've seen since Ray Harryhausen's skeletons fought off Sinbad's men, and the best comedic timing in fight scenes since Daffy Duck spun his staff and said "Ho-ho, ha-ha, spin, dodge, parry, thrust..." Highlights:

• David Cross as Crane.
• The fight on the suspension bridge.
• Po giggling as the villain tries to hit him--it tickles through the fat!
• "Ske-doosh."
• Training sequences with steamed buns as motivation. Works for me!

Bottom line: Kung Fu Panda: ***** out of *****

Thanks to http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2008_Kung_Fu_Panda/2008_kung_fu_panda_005.jpg for the image.

My Book

I just realized what an idiot I am--how long have I had this blog, and I haven't actually put up links to my book so you all can buy a million copies! What am I thinking?

Here's the Allworth Press site.

And the Amazon.com entry.

And how you can get it at Barnes & Noble.

Get many and enjoy! ~Jenn

More T-shirt glory

Haven't you always wanted your own theme music? Well ThinkGeek.com, the other most awesome geek-themed T-shirt mecca besides J!inx.com, has finally made one! Check out their blog post about it here. Ain't technology so much fun?

meh.

Hey fellow lovers of this crazy English language! A new word has entered into the dictionary. Not the American slang dictionary, no, but the real live Collins dictionary of Britain. The word is:

meh.

The dictionary defines it as, "an expression of indifference or boredom, or an adjective meaning mediocre or boring."* Use it this week to commemorate its promotion of status into a real word. Or buy the "meh" hoodie at thinkgeek.com. I'm seriously considering it... ~Jenn

*Quote from: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_303251.html