Posted by Adele on September 03, 2000 at 15:10:18:
In Reply to: Steamrolling Towards Another Gathering, A Larger Site, & More Stuff Of No Particular Interest! posted by Rich/Mohican Press on September 03, 2000 at 08:53:15:
: Let's see, where was I? Oh, yeah! The Gathering ... 2001.
: More pertinent comments from you:
: *We love Chimney Rock; we had already decided we are staying there next year; we loved our stay at Bear Den; but felt it was not as centrally located as I would have liked it to be; couldn't talk to people as I would have liked to; driving up and down that campsite; was a chore; I thought we could walk......but this is no reflection on Bear Den; my biggest complaint was we had no time to enjoy the cabin; I felt lucky to at least get out on the back porch one day, at night to try to even see the "stream" we were supposed to be enjoying.....so, for me 4 days is great, but I noticed with interest the comment that some couldn't make it 4 days....well, what can I say, I would love to sit in that new stream walk park that Chimney Rock has and jaw (or ramble) with new attendees.....
: *I would like to visit all the sites again at the next Gathering, I enjoyed them all, but the most for me would be the River Walk, Cameron's cabin, Albany... Webb's HQ because I didn't get to see them at the 2000 Gathering.
: *I look forward to attending the 2001 gathering. You have done an excellent job with the web site. Thank you for providing so much information on Last of the Mohicans....it is much appreciated.
: *I'm really excited that there is a possiblity for a gathering next year. If there is one, [we] will definitley be there again.
: *I have to tell you though, I wouldn't consider it a proper gathering unless you two were in attendance at least part (most?) of the time.
: I put the river walk as the site I'd most like to see, but the NY historical sites would be wonderful too.
: *"No matter how long it takes, no matter how far!" Heheheh yeahhhh.... but anyway, I WILL be there! :-)
: *I'm glad to hear there'll be another gathering.
: Whoa! Hold it RIGHT there! WHO SAID THAT??!!?? WE didn't! But, yes, it is looking more & more like it will happen at least once more. Looooks like it! At this very moment, our designated & trustworthy emissary is meeting with Special Guest ... or, is it TWO? Our formal invite has also been dispatched via another courier. If this happens, and, let me say, it might NOT, then it's on for sure. If the worst happens, and we have to survive alone ... well, then probably ... the pressure is on, good natured as it is, to do it again. PLUS, we have all this $$$ that was supposed to be going towards NEXT year's Gathering, so ...
: We heard from more veteran Gatherers & a bunch of potential Gatherers since last week. They're split, about 50/50 regarding the Bear Den/Chimney Rock "controversy," reiterated that the River Walk would be THE place to go, added a few more Vista Votes ... and even Cameron's Cabin got a couple this time, as did the NY State sites. Not to worry, we're not going there, but I have to say that I disagree that it's not worth the trip. Sure, Fort William Henry is surrounded by motels & gift shops & is over-priced ... but ... it IS built on the real site, overlooking the same lake & history abounds. Not to mention that Cooper's Cave is being reopened to the public, Fort Ticonderoga (Carillon) is pristine, you can walk the ground of the REAL "massacre" ... Albany is fascinating & Colonel Monro is buried there ... there's the Hudson Valley & Lakes George & Champlain ... PLUS, Iroquois historical sites. I'd say it's worth the visit if you're ever in the area!
: Top 20 Mohican Press Pages On Any Given Day: (not counting The Board or our Home Page):
: 1 - Photo Gallery Contents Page
: 2 - Eastern Woodland Indians
: 3 - Director's Expanded Edition
: 4 - DVD Images
: 5 - Under The Make-Up Tent (REMARKABLE, as that's one of our OLDEST pages!)
: 6 - Eric Schweig Interview
: 7 - Mohican Musings
: 8 - Colonial Era Photos
: 9 - How To Purchase The Book
: 10 - Mohican Musings Index
: 11 - History & The Last Of The Mohicans
: 12 - The Filming At Lake James
: 13 - Pathfinding
: 14 - The Script Index
: 15 - Search Engine
: 16 - More From Under The Make-Up Tent
: 17 - Cast Member Interviews Contents Page
: 18 - Table Of Contents
: 19 - Mohican Press LOTM Screen Captures
: 20 - Killdeer (How's THAT, Bill?!)
: This, of course, varies somewhat from day-to-day. And new stuff often times climbs the list temporarily. For your info: We currently have 300 Internet pages of material, not counting the Board stuff. Printed out, this site would probably be in the area of 3000 pages of paper ... maybe more. YIKES!
: Is Bigger Better?: Maybe we'll find out. We need more space if'n we want to add Interview clips & video. We think that'll be better; it'll DEFINITELY cost more money ... and so ...
: What's New?: The bookstore is again updated. We've added some of our favorites to the page, including the "Braveheart" DVD which we just received and watched. WoooHooo!!! I'm a DVD convert, for sure. Can't get over how spectacularly clear these things are. For the first time, you can REALLY see just how hideous Robert The Bruce's father looks! Oh, the details! PLUS, 2 theatrical trailers, a very fine "Making Of," & the entire film played again ... yes, ALL of it! ... with Mel Gibson's fascinating commentary dubbed over. At The Gathering, someone gave us the "Last of The Dogmen" DVD as a gift. Same thing on there. I thought it was rather neat. As "Braveheart" is one of my favorite films, this is a great addition!
: Also, in the Trader's Post, we have a new section ... this one REALLY geared towards financing this Web Site ... T-Shirts, coffee mugs & mouse pads. We've often been asked about T-shirts; now they're here! These are original, Mohican Press "souvenirs," if you will. From time to time, the selection will change, so keep an eye out! The Mohican Press Cafe! Oh, Rose Publishing has one, too. Mosey on over!
: And, in addition to the usual slew of minor updates & revisions, we've added the beginnings of an On-Line Companion Guide. Here, we have updated accommodation listings, as well as up-to-the-minute weather reports from 3 key MohicanLand locations ... this for those who might be coming for a visit.
: Where Have I Heard That Tune Before?: Meant to mention this awhile back ... Watch ESPN's Sports Center show one evening. It usually airs, here in the East, at 6PM or 6:30PM. Several times, during the hour-long show, a certain commercial might run. It's a cheesy affair, really, for some company called the World Wide Phone Card Corporation, or something like that. About a 1/4 into the commericial, what do you hear? None other than LOTM's "Fort Battle!" Well, I'll be!
: Mystery Men: Finally saw this Wes Studi flick. It's one of those movies that is so absurdly stupid that it's REALLY funny. I enjoyed it immensely. Go Wes! I remember the day after it premiered ... His Interview, on our site, had accesses that skyrocketed through the roof. I can't remember the exact total, but NO page has ever even come close to matching it ...
: Speaking Of Totals: I remember a "representative" of the Eric Schweig Fan Club making a statement to the effect that we were nothing without Eric Schweig. Mind you, this is no ill reflection on Eric, just the misinformed person who shot off his mouth. We did just fine before Eric, and continue to do just fine since. The old Eric Schweig: Actor & Artisan Page, hidden to all unless you have it bookmarked (It merely says, "Sorry, No More.") ... is beginning to show signs of waning, finally. The Site, as a whole, has shown no ill effects from discontinuing his masks & promo material. Accesses are as high as ever, in fact, recently are creeping up again. This all goes to reinforce our stated conviction that we did all that FOR Eric, not for us. Believe what you will.
: The Rumor Mill & E-Mail Of The Week: One thing we can say, is that if we tell you something, we've checked it out first. We're not big in the rumor department. I think our history bears that out. Here, I make an exception. This is an unsubstantiated RUMOR! In fact, there are obvious reasons why we suspect it is probably a prank. So, take it with a grain of salt. However, the notion was too intriguing to pass by without sharing ... just in case. And so,
: "I stumbled on to your page a couple of weeks ago while doing research for my
: employer, who is a well known agent at a major talent agency in LA. There is
: a Michael Mann scipted first draft to a Mohicans prequel (yes, prequel) that
: is currently being passed around the office. I've read about half of it and I
: must tell you that it is fantastic! The only question about making the film
: is when Mann can actually do it since his schedule is really busy for the
: next year. He apparently wrote the story about three years ago and hoped to
: make it then but got involved in the Wiggand story and had to abandon it. I'm
: sorry I can't tell you more about it but I would be risking my job. Maybe we
: could figure something out though!!
: I'll keep you posted on any news.
: Keep your fingers crossed."
: OK! No comment ... yet.
: Michael Mann & The DVD: I mentioned, a couple of weeks ago, that there were some feelings we had regarding this. Here they are. First of all, both Elaine & I were, and are, VERY satisfied with the DVD, as is. But, even if we were not, we would feel it our duty NOT to BLAST it. If we didn't like it, we would say so, but, we are (and would still be, even if we disliked the new version) eternally grateful that Michael Mann & Forward Pass Productions, took the time to listen to us (that's the very many who wrote letters in the Director's Cut Drive Campaigns), consider it, and actually do it. They have never given us a problem of any kind regarding what we do here, in fact, have been supportive. Ultimately, it's Michael Mann's baby. What he feels is what we get. The DVD is, simply, LOTM reconsidered. Thank you, Michael Mann! And, along those lines, a review of the disk from a long-time Board member we just received:
: "Well, I long last, I saw the infamous Director's Cut and was quite
: happily surprised to find that I liked it even better. I thought I would
: never get over some of Nathaniel's missing lines but I could see how
: making him less antagonistical with Duncan gave the mercy shot more
: emotion. I remembered seeing the Diversion scene when Mohicans was on
: network TV and I'm so glad Mann put it back in. It was wonderfully
: filmed and Duncan was rather studly in that particular scene. I never
: thought of his character as cowardly except when he found an escape to
: the canoes with no thought for Cora and Alice. I found the soundtrack to
: be more effective than the Clannad song as our heroes pursue the Hurons
: with their English prisoners. Some of the other subtle touches such as
: the expanded parlay, the French streaming in to loot the fort and sunset
: during the trip to the Huron village were most effective. I loved
: Chingachook's final soliloquy - it really pulled the film together!
: The other thing I really noticed is the excellence in sound. The
: Director's Cut really lets you hear why it won the Best Sound Oscar -
: hawks screaming, other birds calling, the dull thuds of tomahawks and
: the constant slashing of knives. When the Mohicans are chasing down the
: Hurons you can hear their feet beat on the rocks.
: All and all, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The only thing I can't
: forgive Mann for is removing one of Cora's best lines - "If the worst
: happens, if only one of us survives, something of the other does too!"
: For me, that line always embodies Nathaniel and Cora's love and served
: as foreshadowing for his willingness to sacrifice himself for her later.
: Well, thanks again for the recommendation - once again you were right!
: Seeing LOTM in its full splendor made splurging for the new computer
: with DVD worth it!!"
: OK ... I'm winded & my fingertips are sore. I probably forgot to mention something that I had planned to ... I usually do ... but, I tried!
: Have A GREAT Labor Day Weekend, ALL!
: Happy Trails!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What can I say?! WOW! Another winner from the Feds!! Great job, guys..........dusting off my credit card, as we speak.
On the subject of Mail of the Week / Rumour Mill .....hmmmm .....My gut reaction says 'Wind-up!', but then maybe that is me being a cynic (Huggy Merchant's the optimist around here!), so we will wait and see!
Anyway, goooooood Sunday post, Rich!
Adele