AnonymousRex

Woke up at 12:25am ans couldn't get back to sleep. Flipped through the chanenels on TV and though there was a Trek episode on I saw most of something called Anonymous Rex.

The premise is that dinosaurs didn't die out, they just got smaller and evolved, and have been hiding in human society for a long long time. I like the idea because the execution is very silly. Apparently "hiding"  means in disguise as in make-up and then latex outfits and finally advanced holograms, but really it's a lot like the original and remake of "V" - people pretending to be aliens / reptiles in rubber suits pretending to be human.

In a way it reminds me of the one season run of Moonlight in which Vampires hide in human society. Both have "clean-up crews" and agents strategically placed in positions where the truth can be concealed. And like that series it's a bit low budget and you only see the main character use their powers in subtle (i.e. cost effective) ways. But, I did enjoy the detective/gumshoe  elements of the story, even though the world posited is pretty superficial (we never see any dino specific culture other than in a "cult" setting). I did also like the way that Vincent - the main character - uses his heightened sense of smell in his work and how its show visually.

Apparently there are a series of books as well, but I suspect they may be less fun than the TV movie.

   

And an idea that occurs to me, that would make much more sense than rubber-suit disguises, would be were-dinos: shapes-hifters that shift into dinosaurs. It would make much more sense (as such things make any sense) and be easier and more convincing when dino folk mixed with humans. Might explore that in a comic sometime.

 

Of course secretive societies and sub-cultures like this are nothing new, and pretty popular I think since Anne Rice started her Vampire series. Earlier this year I read Dead as a Doornail which came from the book series that True Blood is based on. In that world, vampires, shape-shifters (of which werewolves are but one example) and Fairies are all over the place, hiding in society and passing as human. .That world seemed more believable (other than the fact that almost every male non-human seems to have the hots for Sookie Stackhouse) that the one of Anonymous Rex, partly because it would be easier for the others to hide, and there are developed subcultures, each with its own customs and tensions.

Coming from a personal history where "passing" has some import, I can understand this. But like the film the question is raised - would it be better to actively "come out" as who or what one is, regardless of the consequences, and live a fearless but "true" life as oneself? There's no overall answer to that, which applies to everyone, but then again the difference is that I (and a lot of people I know) don't have razor sharp claws or horns with which to defend myself.

Incoming Storm

There's been an incoming storm for a few hours. I can hear the distant rumble as it moves towards Barnsley. About time! The storm has cooled the weather dramatically.Hurray! I can turn off the computers anytime soon. 

Otherwise it's been a good day. K&M are staying away for another day, and (with help from a friend) I was able to do another Second Life photoshoot for a webcomic. Not difficult, but takes a l-o-n-g time to set up and get right.