Walter Duke
Bio
I’m just a guy who enjoys film and literature.
All stories are 100% my own creation.
Stories (5/0)
A Game of Ones and Zeroes
In 1986, two comic books debuted that would ultimately shape the way comic books were written. Since the 1960s, Marvel comics had reigned in terms of popularity when compared to DC comics. This was mainly due to the fact that Marvel was in tune with the social changes that were occurring at the time like the Civil Rights Movement. It looked as though DC was ready to give up, but that all changed in 1986 when Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns) and Alan Moore (Watchmen) debuted their respective projects under the DC brand. Before Watchmen, Alan Moore was mainly an unknown in the comic community, having done only two comics prior (V for Vendetta and Marvelman), it wasn’t until Watchmen where Moore found his place in the comic industry. Frank Miller was already well known after having a successful run on Marvel’s Daredevil, but his work on The Dark Knight Returns established both him and DC comics as forces to be reckoned with. As a result, DC managed to surpass Marvel in terms of popularity due to the comics’ mature content.
By Walter Duke5 years ago in Geeks
"Escape! No Escape!"
Escape! No Escape! In 1985, Monty Python alumni Terry Gilliam released Brazil which is considered by many to be his magnum opus. The film is heavily inspired by George Orwell’s novel 1984, with both taking place in a society that is under the ruling of a totalitarian government. Gilliam’s film however focuses on the corruption of government and bureaucracy, and how society has become slaves to commercialism. The most powerful part of the film is the ending, which sees the main character Sam captured and interrogated by the state. Just as he is about to be lobotomized, he is rescued by his friend and manages to escape the totalitarian regime of Brazil with the woman of his dreams. As the film ends, we see Sam out in the countryside that he envisioned in his dreams, just when the film is about to end we soon realize that it was all in his head. Finally, the film cuts to a close up of Sam looking sedated but humming the theme of the film, the camera then cuts to an extreme interior wide shot of the cooling tower where Sam is being held and slowly start to hear him sing "Brazil."
By Walter Duke6 years ago in Beat
My Mentor
Everybody has that one person that they idolize, someone that they aspire to be. For some, it is a celebrity; for others, it is an athlete; and for some, it is their own family. The person that I idolize is my grandfather. I idolize him because he lived an interesting life. My grandfather got to grow up in the 1920s, and I find that interesting because I like to ask him what things were like back then, and what his views are on today’s society. I find it interesting because he is a veteran of the Korean War, in fact he was even shot in the foot (that’s not important, I just wanted to add that).
By Walter Duke6 years ago in Families
East Coast Vs. West Coast
East Coast Vs. West Coast In the mid 80’s and early 90’s the music industry started to see a rise in rap music, from artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, and Run DMC. However, the band that really made an impact was the controversial rap group known as N.W.A.. The group originated from Compton, California and often rapped about growing up in the ghetto. Members of the band included Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Eazy-E. What really cemented them as “The Most Dangerous Rap Group” was their song “F*ck the Police” which shed light on the subject of Police Brutality. In 1989, Ice Cube left the group after discovering their manager Jerry Heller had been withholding funds from the group. This caused Ice Cube to pursue a solo career and release his first album called AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. After the group broke up in 1991, most of the members pursued solo careers, often targeting each other in their raps. While pursuing a career in music production, Andre Young (Dr. Dre) met Suge Knight of the record company “Death Row Records.” It was here where Dr. Dre would begin producing and creating music with some of the most iconic musicians in the rap community.
By Walter Duke6 years ago in Beat
Breaking All the Rules
Breaking All the Rules Genres can be viewed as two things, an indicator of what to expect from a film, or a metaphorical barrier that segregates a film into a category and being viewed only as that. A primary example of this is from the film Get Out by Jordan Peele, the movie has all the elements of a horror movie but has been labeled as a comedy for award season this year. One thing that makes a film brilliant is the genre category it has been placed into, a movie with a weak story is likely to do better in the genre of comedy than in the drama category. Most moviegoers are likely to choose a film that is distributed by a large production company, features well known actors, and does not require much thought (action movies). The best example is the production company A24, their movies are often thought-provoking, well written, and well received by critics, but most people ignore them in favor of films that lack any form of originality. However, there has been one film that has managed to break through the barriers of genre segregation, a French film called Amélie.
By Walter Duke6 years ago in Geeks