Most definitely. Even stuff like the Bene Gesserit, thess shadowy mystical space priestesses—the "voice" versus the "force"… Sand planet… Jabba the Hutt also seemed influenced by Leto II in his worm-like body.

I think Helter Skelter argues that he probably did, in fact, murder at least one or two people himself (unrelated to the cult killings). Anyone else remember this? There were some people who went missing before he became a cult leader that the author insinuates were probably killed by Manson?

See your answer here delivered by George Martin or HBO would have been extremely refreshing! But everyone involved seems desperate to excuse the show's gratuitousness in the name of high art or social change or something, which ends up making their talking heads quite tiresome.

I get what you're saying but to me there is a big difference between a teacher guiding his or her students through a work of literature by explaining and preparing them for the use of the word "nigger" versus a sticker or one-sentence disclaimer on a book that just says "Warning: racist language!" Perhaps something…

I know it won't make a difference in this deafening echo-chamber that is the internet, but thanks anyway for offering a more nuanced view of history. The George Martin version of "medieval Europe" is exactly the kind of thing moderns have loved to imagine that we're all so much better than today. So much more…

Yeah those stupid Lord of the Rings movies didn't even include any scenes of people having diarrhea—and yet in medieval Europe people had diarrhea all the time! Which is what Middle-earth is supposed to be based on! And where were all the prostitutes with cum on their faces? Lord of the Rings is "fundamentally…

I think some of the frustration with trigger warnings stems from the fact that advocates wish to place them on things that traditionally have not had them, and for reasons far beyond graphic or gratuitous sex and violence. Books, for instance, traditionally have not come with "warnings," as far as I know. Huckleberry…

I've seen plenty of trigger warnings implemented online, but as a high school English teacher I think it's telling that I'm getting more and more proposals from students (obviously raised by the internet) to include them along with whatever works of literature we are going to attempt to read. I hope it's just an inane…

"not having access to midnight basketball programs"

HEY I ALREADY SAID THIS YOU UNORIGINAL BASTARD

Tollbooth Willie really does still bring a smile to my face, though. It's no Monty Python album, but They're All Gonna Laugh At You holds a special place in my heart forever.

I wondered those same things, and I really appreciated the ambiguity. Whatever it was, the scene chilled my heart. It was the epitome of dramatic catastrophe to me.

Even if I forget everything in The Act of Killing, that closing scene with the man retching on the roof top as he really stops to think about the things he's done will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I look forward to it. My next step is to get married to the most famous person on earth, followed by having millions of dollars, resulting in artistic genius.

Oh I've met plenty of famous people. I once saw Sisqo getting out of a limousine.

I laughed at the Indians bit a few years ago when I first heard it and stuff, but as someone from Montana who lives and works with many people of American Indian heritage I just wanna add that many Indians have no issue with and even like the moniker "Indian." Both the high school I attended and the one I teach at…

You honestly don't think she is sort of a symbol of elitist artistic non-art that nobody cares about and yet has access to millions of dollars to keep on creatin' nothing year after year because she is connected to a super famous person? I for one, reject her art and everything it stands for. I'm sure she doesn't…

She said Bruce Jenner is not a woman because he doesn't have a vagina and doesn't get paid less than men. In other news, we live in a world where making this statement is a cause for controversy. She has since apologized, though.

I was a toddler when Jedi came out, but I always appreciated Lord of the Rings for allowing me to have something special to experience in the theaters like my parents got to do with Star Wars. The opening scene of the Two Towers with Gandalf falling into the underground lake is probably one of the best movie…

I have been wanting to watch these since I was a teenager. Downloaded some crappy version many years ago that I simply could never bring myself to watch due to their shabbiness, although I was just about to this summer. This is great news. Anyone know if Criterion will release these on bluray or something? I hope my…