Time for New Blood & Fresh Concepts

Masters of War: Soldiers of Distinction One She

Touched on “me too-ism” a bit in the last post, an affliction that – unfortunately – afflicts the masses. Unsurprising this, for when an idea shows itself to be a success it invariably invites imitation. However, old parables can be turned on their heads in such a way that they reinvent themselves. It’s been noted in the media that television writing has surpassed that of films, a point that certainly has merit , however by turning old parables on their heads you wind up with a result like Fox’s new Monday night series Sleepy Hollow.  Well written, well acted, enormously entertaining to watch and completely unpredictable, it melds an old parable with that of the Apocalypse and the Coming of the End Times. Ichabod Crane here is no gangly, mondo Mr. Chicken, but a strapping British-borne officer in Washington’s Continental Army who is expressly detailed to assist General Washington fight against – not only the British Army & their Hessian allies – but the forces of Darkness (i.e. the Occult) in which the forces of King George III have surreptitiously employed against the American Revolutionaries. Taken at face value, the whole concept might seem ludicrous,  incredibly far-fetched and unbelievable. However, the series is crafted with such aplomb, top-notch story development, and  excellent production value (especially the historical flashback scenes),  that not only is it believable but more engaging and leaves one with that edge-of-your-seat feeling from the best of the Hitchcockian thrillers. The no-name (until now) cast is thoroughly solid and it’s nice not to see the same tired faces & same overexposed names recycled again & again. Time for new blood.  Particular attention is paid to historical accuracy and there’s the rub & the hub of why QuarterDeck (and its projects) exist: in today’s world there is not much attention paid to history or its lessons. Hell, even in school I hated history!!! Why? – because it was B-O-R-I-N-G: let’s regurgitate names, places, & dates & talk about the govt the whole time. YAWN!!! That would put anybody to sleep. But to climb aboard an 18th Century ship-of-the-line or crawl through a trench on the Western Front, or shoulder a musket in the ranks as Pickett aligns his division for his famous charge at Gettysburg, or finally push the Chinese off  Pork Chop Hill; when you see the action, smell the smoke, hear the clash of arms…now that Ladies & Gentlemen, that is drama & excitement. Reading first-hand accounts of combat from the Revolutionary War up to the present as a kid made real impressions. This is where the series Masters of War: Soldiers of Distinction came from.

Time for New Blood & Fresh Concepts !!!

And that – in part – is why we’re doing THE MARSCHER LORDS: Brotherhood or Death as QuarterDeck’s kickoff project; it’s different and engaging, asks timeless questions, is a window into a little-known period in history, and – more importantly – the way it is going to be presented has NOT been done before. We’re all about breaking new ground. New ground. New ideas. New blood. Fresh concepts. Fresh concepts illuminatingly executed will find an audience. Isn’t that what the movie biz used to be about, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?

Available on Amazon.com

Always thought “Escapism” was one of entertainment’s greatest gifts: take you completely out of where you are and place you in an entirely different – and hitherto unknown – world. Far be it for me to speak for them, but I think Joseph Conrad, Herman Melville, Tom Clancy, John McTiernan,  Sam Peckinpah, David Lean, & Clive Cussler all understood this.  That’s why it’s time for

Time for New Blood & Fresh Concepts!!!

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