Doug TenNapel is a graphic novelist, videogame designer, and writer. His
videogame creation “Earthworm Jim” enjoys unmerited respect in the world of gaming. Doug’s graphic novel, “Creature Tech,” was sold to Fox, his “Tommysaurus Rex” is being developed at Universal, and his latest graphic novel, “Monster Zoo,” was brought to Paramount by Sam Raimi. His animated series, “Catscratch,” was made at Nickelodeon and airs on Nicktoons. Doug has four children and enjoys 18 years of marriage to his beloved wife, Angie.
Doug TenNapel
Substance Without Presentation
by Doug TenNapelAmadeus is the best movie ever made. It’s not up for debate. Okay, maybe it’s almost as good as Jaws. We’ll throw in Star Wars, Raising Arizona, 300, Aliens and Raiders above it too.
There are good ideas rolling around in Amadeus but none more central than the idea that being a good artist has nothing to do with virtue. Hitler appreciated the arts, Maxfield Parrish screwed his models, and the best writers are drunk, emotional narcissists. I hope I didn’t miss anyone. Anyways, being correct on any position does jack for one’s artistic ability.
F. Murray Abraham plays Salieri, a jealous Vienese court composer convinced that by remaining chaste to God he should be able to write music that will transcend his own death. Salieri knows his own music is just acceptable so that when he hears the music of Mozart he assumes the composer must be a man of great portence and stature. To Salieri’s horror, his anger at God is doubled when he finds Mozart to be a foul twit. (more…)
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The Great Divider
by Doug TenNapelThis is not a discussion on the merits of life or abortion. It doesn’t matter what your opinion is about that issue because I’m talking about divisive politics. The claim of unity and an end to politics that divide is either President Obama’s greatest example of philosophical ignorance or his greatest lie.
There is no more divisive issue than abortion. The nation is torn and it’s not over something trivial like a Coke or Pepsi preference. It’s an argument over the definition of life and liberty itself. So a President who ran on putting partisan politics aside should have a lot of work to do with the other side of the aisle on an issue like abortion. Not with President Obama. (more…)
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Republican is the New Punk
by Doug TenNapelJohnny Cash was punk rock. The birth of rock came when Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Cash toured small towns and set the youth on fire. Parents were outraged. The long dippity-doo hair atop gyrating men “dancing like the negroes” before frothing young girls set mainstream culture against this rebellious little movement. It was our first smell of anarchy and it scared the establishment.
Johnny Ramone
The rebellious spirit of rock is dead. No better evidenced than by its formal endorsement of President Obama. Never before has rock been so central to the inauguration of a president. Bono is an ambassador in sunglasses who still knows how to pull a string and get an audience of thousands to put their fist in the air. (more…)
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Make a Bigger Pie
by Doug TenNapelBox-office attendance continues to trend lower and lower each year. It’s on such a downward trajectory you’d think it might be tied to the crashing Republican brand we keep hearing about. But I think the opposite is the case. From an ideology standpoint, the political mono-think of Tinseltown is failing over half the largest audience demographic, and they don’t care.
I hear the excuses from the can-don’ts. People get their entertainment from their phones and YouTubes now. But I sure as hell didn’t watch “Iron Man” on my phone, I have no interest in watching “Gran Torino” on my computer and I won’t be waiting three months for the BluRay to come out. My friends said I had to see those movies today! Yesterday! Do whatever it takes to go see it! (more…)
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We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident
by Doug TenNapelWhat most people in media say about Republican Conservatives is stupid and wrong. They don’t know what we believe, what we stand for and why.
In 2005 DNC Chair Howard Dean went on “Meet the Press” and said, “Our moral values, in contradiction to the Republicans’, is we don’t think kids ought to go to bed hungry at night. Our moral values say that people who work hard all their lives ought to be able to retire with dignity.”
That was the first time I heard that Republicans thought kids ought to go to bed hungry at night when we all know that Republicans think they should go to bed hungry in the morning after a night shift in the textile mill because we won’t let them unionize.
I’m told that we’re for defining marriage between a man and a woman because we either hate gays, are afraid of gays or are secretly gay and project our self-loathing on the West Hollywood set. I also understand that we are against abortion because we want the government in women’s wombs, we want to lower taxes because we’re greedy and we defend Israel because we believe it will hurry some apocalypse along that will hasten the return of Jesus who will wipe out the Jews. (more…)
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Today Is National Sanctity of Life Day
by Doug TenNapelI see in the news where people are flocking to Washington D.C. to celebrate some big event. Bono is going to sing, Rick Warren is going to pray, and there are only 5 port-a-potties for seven million people.
I never knew we would be so excited to celebrate President Bush’s proclamation for the National Sanctity of Life Day:
“All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.
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Real Tolerance Training: Christian = ‘Intolerant’
by Doug TenNapelI once had a meeting with an executive regarding one of my graphic novels that had been optioned. This exec started the writer’s meeting with a few notes to change some rough spots in the story. This is normal procedure with my work. I have no problem with making these changes, since it’s part of the game given where I’m at in my career. They pay me lots of money so I like these execs when I’m sentenced to work with them. I was taken aback by the first round of notes that went something like this, “For starters, we’re gonna get rid of all this Christian shit from the story, right?”
The exec informed me that religious imagery didn’t sell to American audiences, that it was intolerant and it definitely didn’t export. This was before ‘The Passion of the Christ’ so I can forgive his ignorance of the world’s most popular religion, but it was the word intolerant that struck me. How was the inclusion of religion not tolerant while the removal of it was?
This is my baptism into the myopic view of religion by most of my friends in Hollywood. For being multicultural, the lack of humility regarding a religion they didn’t know or understand is…is…well, these days it’s typical.
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