DISCUSSIONS FROM THE OTHERHOOD

Our Sci-Fi futures solve environmental issues, social issues and gender equality but still can't quite grapple with the white gaze when it comes to romance and sexual attraction. Join us tonight as we take a trek down memory lane to see how far we haven't come and how much farther we have to go, We'll also have a SPOILERY DISCUSSION about Marvel's WandaVision and whether you are still along for the ride or jumping ship.

No doubt everyone remembers or knows of Thriller, Michael Jackson's groundbreaking music video that ushered in the world of long-form narrative, high production value visual music fare. However the video did more than that. It was the crest of a wave that ushered in Black Horror that allowed Black horror fans to come out of the closet and demand more and better horror films featuring and/or produced by Black talent. Tonight we take a look at Thriller and its legacy in cult, classic and Black horror.

The Official Thriller Video - https://youtu.be/sOnqjkJTMaA

The expanded version of the Vincent Price spoken word - https://youtu.be/ZuuVojzfdqY?t=46

The Making of Thriller Documentary - https://youtu.be/LviHK3_MA-8

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87625450299?pwd=N1QzM2ZFSng3R1JwWUZ4V3MyM09aZz09 ZOOM LINK

This is the weekend before the MLK holiday and the Inauguration of President Joe Biden in the U.S. and a week after the recent terror attack on the capital; so with politics, government. anarchy and change on our minds let's consider the politics of genre fiction. Why does it seem that it focuses on t warring kingdoms and fights for thrones but nothing beyond that? What are the lives of the “ordinary people” like, from Middle Earth and Camelot to Westeros?

Pandemics have long been fare for science fiction and fantasy. From the bubonic plague to the current COVID pandemics have been part of the Hollywood landscape. So tell us ,what about your favorite pandemic film actually occurred in reality? Join us to discuss the similarities and differences between real life pandemics and their Hollywood analogs.

There was a time when conspiracies were only uncovered after the fact (it was in the aftermath of President Lincoln’s assassination that the plot also included killing the Vice President and the Secretary of State). Today, conspiracies occur in real time and the plots and perpetrators are “outted” publicly as the actions happen. Are films and TV the basis of the rise of the Conspiracy Nation? What is the wackiest conspiracy you’ve encountered? Do you have any conspiracies of your own; and were they fueled by what you've been exposed to in literature, film or entertainment television? Also we'll be discussing WW84, Soul and the return of Pennyworth!! Join us!

As we enter the third decade of the 21st century (already!) great things are on the horizon: the United States is planning at least five return trips to the Moon (and landing the first woman there on the initial visit), the Singularity may occur by 2029. When will the first person of color walk on the Moon? When will the first woman (or non-white male or non-gender binary person) add “POTUS” to her/his/their resume? What other milestones can we expect in the next decade (and when) and how has our entertainment media supported or detracted from what we can expect over the horizon? Also what are your New Year's Resolutions and which do you realistically believe you'll keep? Join us to compare lists!

Okay, so maybe it's because we made the Naughty List or maybe we had bad internet or the letter got lost in the mail, but for some reason our Media wishes haven't made it to Santa's workshop. So we're going to say it again this year and list for Santa and the Elves our Otherhood Holiday Wishlist for 2020! Join us to add to it or maybe even challenge our choices!

Join the crew of the Otherhood as we extend our discussions of our favorite and not so favorite holiday fare and where to find them!

Whew! We dodged a bullet and rounded the corner from the wasteland of Thanksgiving Horror and Fantasy. Now we enter what is arguably the best season for entertainment media... The WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON! Join us in creating a wide-ranging list of Christmas and Winter holiday based entertainment from E for Everyone to M - for Mature! For kids from 1-92 let's create a colorful menu of holiday viewing! (We had this topic scheduled for last week but due to technical difficulties the session didn't record. We hope you will join us for this re-do!)

Okay that was just a joke. We really don't know any. It seems that Thanksgiving doesn't spawn much in the way of horror or fantasy. We can all name Christmas films and Halloween films and even Easter films, but Thanksgiving,,, not so much. So if you know why that is or if you know of any to share with us, please stop by and school the crew tonight on Discussions From the Otherhood.