Four Horsemen

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
$19.95
I was spurred to read this book because the 1921 film adaptation is so great; usually I read the book before seeing the movie based on it, if I see the movie based on a book at all. The book is even better than the already phenomenal film; since the film is only about two hours long, it obviously couldn't fit in everything that happens in the book, and there were some things invented, left out, or cut and pasted together (in a respectful tasteful way though). The book gives an even more complete and complex picture of the Desnoyers family and their circle of friends, like having a lot more details about their life in Argentina before Julio, the main character, his sister Chichi, and their cousins the von Hartrotts were born, as well as having more details about their life back in Europe when they returned there shortly before WWI broke out. Having the powerful images from the film in my head made the characters, plotline, and descriptions in the book even more powerful. There were also some things that the book made clearer than the film had, although personally I felt that the ending line of the book wasn't as powerful or effective as the final intertitles of the movie. Still, it's a great book, powerful historical fiction about WWI and the years leading up to it. My only gripe is that this translation is a bit dated, such as in certain words or turns of phrase that now have different connotations or have fallen into such disusage that the modern reader would have to look them up. It doesn't change the powerful content one iota, but it would still be nice to have an updated translation with more modern language and some explanatory footnotes where needed.

The Four Horsemen
$9.99
...And then I watched this dribble.

As a career soldier, watching this film made me want to punch myself in the nut sack.

Imagine a script written by a couple second year high school juniors that don't know where Iraq is on a map - and have learned everything they know about the military from: video games, recruiting posters, CNN, and the democratic party. Sprinkle in some generic mililtary catch phrases and you have this movie.

If you've been to Iraq - DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. It will piss you off. If you're a Marine... Don't be tempted. I'm friends with several and flew in support of you guys for 12 months in Al Ahnbar Province - don't watch this movie. It makes the Corp look terrible - a tragic misrepresentation of the modern warrior. Every time you'll hear "Semper Fi" uttered by the side show clowns that are "acting" as Marines your skin will CRAWL!

If you've lost freinds in Iraq like I have - DO NOT WATCH THIS MOCKERY. You'll end up banging your head into the wall like I was during the ENTIRE movie and thinking violent thoughts about anyone involved in the production of this movie.

Way to make a movie to leach off of America's veterans. Way to bastardize our experiences. Way to repeat tired anti-war rhetoric. Thanks for making the warriors I've fought with look like teenage drama queens to the public.

If I could set this movie on fire and pee on it's residue, I would. If I could give this movie negative stars, I would.

I'm going to have a smoke, drink a coke, and hope for all involved in this disgustingly awful movie to die in car accidents... Then I'm going to the surgeon to ask for a lobotomy.

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Art Poster by Albrecht Durer
$17.00
One of the changes that mark the past century is a better understanding of the pillars on which great evil stands. But long before today people knew that there is more temptation in pain and misery than there is in blandishments of fulfillment. The biblical image of the four horsemen is not of servants of the Devil, but of evil itself in a familiar and terrifying form.

This is one of Durer's most famous images. One that captures the terror and destruction in all it's malign glory. He makes a clear, graphic point, with his usual fine detail, that true evil is the negation of life with no redeeming factors. These are not the symbols of change, but of onrushing entropy.

[Part XV of Metaphysical Icons for Today's Gnosis - La Diable]

Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen (2 Discs)
$29.95
I bought this DVD as a fan of the 4 Horsemen who didn't start watching pro wrestling until around 1990, so I learned so much about the prime of the "original gang of professional wrestling" that I wish I had experienced then.

The DVD seems to provide a strong chronology of how the group formed and describing the elements that were added and that were missing with each change in the membership of the group and how that chemistry separated the 4 Horsemen from a created faction or manufactured story. It made me wish that WCW had just let the group go into the sunset instead on insisting on adding odd members and dragging the group out like it was just any other hodgepodge of guys.

The DVD does an incredible job noting the switching of some horsemen from WCW to WWE and back. It does a great job on getting candid with most of the participants, which makes the interviews with Arn Anderson (as most have noted) seem quite odd at times. The Extras & Matches were well chosen in correlation with the documentary.

By themselves, the documentary & the extras/matches would be worth the buy. Together, "Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen" is a must buy.