World Enough and Time

Marvel has announced that there is going to be a Doctor Strange movie coming up. This had me wondering: Doctor Strange recently has had a low profile over the past few years at Marvel. He was demoted from the position of Sorceror Supreme. He has appeared in the Illuminati - and I heartily approve, I like the Illuminati - but those appearances are few and far between, and Strange hasn't been particulary highlighted by them.

So: is it going to be like Thor and Iron Man and even Loki, where success in the movies accompanies a fresh and improved revival of the comic book character? Might we actually get some focus on Stephen Strange, with one of the top-notch writers?

... I hope so. After a promising beginning, the depiction of Strange in the recent series of The Defenders was most disappointing. And I'm not sure anyone has drawn him right since Frank Brunner.

Most of the online commentary I have seen has been the casting game. Who could play Strange in the movie? I'm hoping for a brilliantly talented, charismatic unknown who will transform the personality in the way Robert Downey Jr. redefined Iron Man. I did see the suggestion that Aidan Gillen could play the role. That appeals. Most of the people who strike me as physically right for the part are British or Irish - which isn't to say that they couldn't play American. Hmm. Perhaps Jim Caviezel?

I had a delightfully nostalgic evening with my friend Starwolf.

'Wolf collects all sorts of interesting DVDs, and he showed me three and a bit: theDoctor Strange animated movie, the remastered episode of Star Trek "The Doomsday Machine", and a Jacques Tati movie called Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, which was funny and charming and had almost no dialogue.

Doctor Strange used to be one of my favourite comic book characters. I made my own Doctor Strange costume, and wore it to parties and conventions. But the character faded from interest and I haven't read a Doctor Strange comic in years.

This movie was surprising good: modern in style, with better voices than most animation. Doctor Strange had an interesting face with an aquiline nose, both dramatic and distinguished, which made the poignancy of his fall from being a success surgeon all the more powerful. The art had lovely touches reminiscent of the old Steve Ditko art, like the wonderful windows in the Sanctum Sanctorum and in the Ancient One's tower. (Not that I recall the Ancient One ever having a tower before, but that's okay. It was a good tower.) Dormammu was re-designed and I liked the old version better - but everything else was superb.

As for "The Doomsday Machine" - my love of Star Trek has long since faded and it's difficult to remember that once I loved that show as much as I now love Torchwood. This was never a favourite episode, either, so it was surprising how much fun it was to watch again. A few thoughts:

• There is a minor character, a techie on the Enterprise, named Washburn. Funny, I thought: the name is familiar. Then I realized: Zoe and Wash! Of course! I love writers who are fans, like Joss Whedon and Russel T Davies. And I love discovering the sources of their names.
  
  
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock is so beautiful. I'd forgotten, I really had. The shape and structure of his face is stunning.
  
  
• Though I don't like Commodore Matt Decker as a character, William Windom does a marvellous job of acting.
  
  
• Though I thought I'd entirely forgotten the episode, I remembered some of the dialogue as it continued. Even though I'd forgotten that Norman Spinrad wrote it.

'Wolf also showed me a good video-clip that was a speech about eduction about Ken Robinson. I must research it a little, but not tonight: I've been exhausted all day. So. Bed now.