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 Sillycone
Gender: Male
Who dares wins
 |  | Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
< on 3/5/2007 11:00 AM >
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Hey gang,
I’m new to these boards but don’t let that fool you. I have been doing what I call ‘haunting’ for about six years or so in Washington State, Turkey and Nor Cal. No matter what you call the game or where you lay your head no one can deny that it is fun as hell. That said I am glad to have discovered this large and skilled community. I never thought there were so many like minded people out there, but I wasn’t really looking hard.
With that introduction out of the way let me make a post about the newest movie on the topic; ‘Urban Exploration: Into the Dark’. I have gone to see it the last two nights at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. Great damn film. It follows a number of explorers across the globe, with video from the Parisian catacombs to the Florida Everglades and includes interviews with guys you would probably know better than me. Max Action. Mr.X. Slim Jim. Katwoman. Danarchy. And every second is raw, visceral and honest. The director, Melody Gilbert, spared no expense and crawled, scaled and hopped with the best of them to keep up and get quality footage.
Now some may growl and frown on all this. Why bring attention to it? Now ‘those damn kids’ will be all over the place. To this I say bollocks. The movie is only being shown three times to audiences, most of them artsy fartsy film types who can’t imagine changing their oil, let alone belly crawling through two hundred feet of sewage out of sheer curiosity. Distribution rights aren’t even on the table yet, so don’t worry about some lames buying the DVD and monkeying around. Chill out. Retract your claws, alley cats. If not for the movie I never would have known there were ‘others’ out there.
I applaud the director and the explorers in the film. Good show.
What do you think?
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TurboZutek
     
King Dick
Location: Scotland
Gender: Male
Giant octo-penised rapephant
| |  |  | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 1 on 3/5/2007 1:04 PM >
| | | | I was in it - and I haven't seen it yet.
So I can't comment; it strikes me only an 'elite few' North Americans [who have seen it] can.
With that in mind, I would ask that you tell us more about it?
Chris...
We all had ostriches. My dad had an ostrich farm! I remember one day someone came in and said the high altitude bombing of Kosovo had been a limited success, so we all went out and celebrated… by killing an ostrich and boiling it in kiwi fruit. |
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kjohnnytarr
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Gender: Male
Team Asbestos: CoMO
| |  | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 2 on 3/5/2007 2:59 PM >
| | | | If a way to get it presents itself, would someone please post the link here?
It seemed like a good idea at the time... |
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TurboZutek
King Dick
Location: Scotland
Gender: Male
Giant octo-penised rapephant
| | | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 3 on 3/5/2007 3:20 PM >
| | | | Posted by kjohnnytarr
If a way to get it presents itself, would someone please post the link here?
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Like fuck.
But if Melody ever sends me a DVD, I'll have a private showing in Glasgow: and may invite you.
Chris...
We all had ostriches. My dad had an ostrich farm! I remember one day someone came in and said the high altitude bombing of Kosovo had been a limited success, so we all went out and celebrated… by killing an ostrich and boiling it in kiwi fruit. |
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Brind
Location: Kitchener, ON
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 4 on 3/5/2007 4:16 PM >
| | | | I haven't seen it, but I can't imagine it having any sort of positive impact on the hobby. If anything, it's just going to bring more asshats into an activity that is already plagued by tourists, vandals, and thieves.
Instagram
"Adventure is worthwhile in itself." -Amelia Earhart |
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Flik
 
Location: Fargo, ND
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 5 on 3/5/2007 5:56 PM >
| | | | I was interviewed in it, but that was pulled due to sucking. It is a fairly well made documentary despite the nature of the activity it's based on. While yes, it may not have a positive impact in many people's minds, it probably won't have much of a negative impact either. The same people that go after this hobby online will likely be the same ones looking at this documentary. Sure there will be plenty of people with ill intentions watching it as well, but what negative effects will that cause? If these people had bad intentions to begin with, watching a documentary isn't going to change them much. They'll still be bad people doing what they were doing before (scrappers, vandals, etc).
I'll be viewing the documentary again as it'll be playing about five blocks from my house this week.
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kjohnnytarr
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Gender: Male
Team Asbestos: CoMO
| | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 6 on 3/5/2007 6:10 PM >
| | | | Posted by Brind
I haven't seen it, but I can't imagine it having any sort of positive impact on the hobby. If anything, it's just going to bring more asshats into an activity that is already plagued by tourists, vandals, and thieves.
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disagreed. Half the stuff you read online about UE is suspect, and probably a bad representation of us as a whole. But a well done film that presents UE as it is, i.e. a hobby based on ethics and respect, would have the potential to discourage would be taggers and put us in a position to have a little more respect from people outside the community.
This weekend, my city hosted a documentary film festival and I had an opportunity to chat it up with a British photojournalist. He was completely ignorant of UE (or at least acted that way) but was very impressed by some of my [few] good photographs. Point I'm making is: it's all in how you present yourself, and how open-minded the person you are talking to is. I think a conservatively done documentary could be great for us; I only hope that's what this is.
It seemed like a good idea at the time... |
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dixiesquare
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 7 on 3/5/2007 9:54 PM >
| | | | I said it somewhere in another thread...
UER members could learn a lot from this movie.
The film is great and represents us in the most positive light possible.
The film is no more damaging than, oh, lets say, a web site that has a location database!!
Honestly, don't talk shit about it until you see it.
"sadly alot of explorers in Chicago are 'park hipsters who take boring pictures to impress girls who smoke Parliaments and listen to Wilco." |
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kowalski
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 8 on 3/5/2007 10:44 PM >
| | | | Fact: The people you see moaning about how one thing or another is going to provide a negative representation of their hobby to the public a) are not representative of the majority of people participating in the activity, and/or b) at one point or continuously through their own activities provide their own negative representation of the hobby to the public.
Personally, being associated with many of the users here reflects negatively on the activity of exploration as I conceive it. From what I've seen of this film so far, I'd much rather be associated with it than with most of what people say and do as part of the activity and their public representations of it.
If Melody's film does portray anything that reflects negatively upon us, it almost certainly does so as a mirror, rather than a gavel. As I've said in other debates over media portrayals of urban exploration, while media coverage can occasionally be unfair or sensationalist, more often what's labelled as such is merely an embarrassingly accurate picture of a hobby that's too often engaged in without thought, maturity or foresight.
Or to simplify matters a little, if you often use "UE" or "UEer" in conversation with a straight face, you're probably more embarrassing to my pursuit of exploration than nearly anything else this film might conceivably contain.
As for debating the actual film, maybe we should actually wait until a broader audience has seen it beyond those who have convenient access to California.
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micro
Gender: Male
Slowly I turned
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 9 on 3/5/2007 10:55 PM >
| | | | Posted by Brind
I haven't seen it, but I can't imagine it having any sort of positive impact on the hobby. If anything, it's just going to bring more asshats into an activity that is already plagued by tourists, vandals, and thieves.
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It's also possible that it will bring in new people who have interesting ideas and positive things to share with this so-called community. I know that's probably seems like a bit of a longshot, but so is the idea that a documentary like this would inspire people to go out and vandalize and/or steal things from buildings.
[last edit 3/5/2007 10:56 PM by micro - edited 1 times]
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Jonsered
Location: Back in New Mexico where I belong
Gender: Male
Dressed for a scarecrow ball.........
| |  | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 10 on 3/5/2007 11:06 PM >
| | | | Damn folks. Is exploring in our age any different from those who sought Tuts Tomb or the start of the Nile or the Seven Cities of Cibola? Humans are driven to explore their surroundings. Perhaps less now in the age of the computer and the couch potato, but nonetheless.
What we do isn't a secret. I hate to break it to you. Perhaps this movie will portray some of the more mature and responsible members of this hobby, instead of the yoyos who get caught with crowbars and spray paint.
I have changed my personal exploring ethics code. From now on it will be: "Take only aimed shots, leave only hobo corpses." Copper scrappers, meth heads and homeless beware. The Jonsered cometh among you, bringing fear and dread.
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Captain Obvious
Location: among the tank farms
Gender: Male
in ur xbox...there are midgets
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 11 on 3/5/2007 11:09 PM >
| | | | | It's also possible that it will bring in new people who have interesting ideas and positive things to share with this so-called community. |
Agreed. Who's to say that tasteful publicity won't attract honest people? There seems to be a widespread sentiment that any exposure just attracts vandals and taggers. What about the people who suddenly realize that their hobby has a name? Even those 'amateurs' (there is no such thing in exploration) that have a one-night stand with UE contribute something.
It all seems very elitist.
Nov. 24, 2007--The city of Cleveland, Ohio, announces that it has developed tactical nuclear weapons, and does not wish to hear any more jokes.
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desmet
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
| | | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 12 on 3/6/2007 12:32 AM >
| | | | The amount of finger pointing, cop calling, vandalizing, theft, politic-ing, lying, posting of info, avoidance of posting info, scare tactics, assaulting of other explorers, insanely pretentious posturing, arguing, naked self interest, lack of creativity, lack of planning, lack of intelligence, lack of experience, etc. all speak much worse of this hobby than this film ever could.
A year ago when I got into this as a formal hobby I would have said this was a bad idea because it brought too much attention, but at this point it just doesn't matter. This "community" does more than enough to bring unwanted attention on itself without this film's help. I suppose it's not altogether that surprising that a group of misanthropes would find reasons to hate each other and make each other look bad, but I can't say I'm not disappointed anyway.
In short...who cares...this is the least of our problems.
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Sillycone
Gender: Male
Who dares wins
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 13 on 3/6/2007 12:33 AM >
| | | | Posted by turbozutek
I was in it - and I haven't seen it yet.
So I can't comment; it strikes me only an 'elite few' North Americans [who have seen it] can.
With that in mind, I would ask that you tell us more about it?
Chris...
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Chris,
Thanks for the compliment. You have one of the most memorable lines in the whole flick, which I may misquote so bear with me. "The walls are f'ed, the floors are f'ed, the ceiling is f'ed. If you mess up then you get f'ed too." Great line that was. Also, it really did seem like the whole convention was a big hit and a good time. I'll try to attend the next one, if permitted.
As far as more info well I hope I can do justice! The film ran in an introductory fashion, with the beginnings of UE scenes cut off at dramatic points. This was a good choice I think as it allowed for the introduction of the many charming 'stars', while demanding the audience’s interest for the end of the stories. For examples of what I mean, they showed the angry old men out side of the Asylum, but not much context related. Also during the exploration of Xanadu, acclaimed home of the future, they ended the scene with a homeless man getting extremely aggressive towards the group. Another example is when Shane was rappelling 90+ feet into a still active rocket bay, Melody cut it after while you could just barely see Shane and he says the near panicked, gut wrenching line 'The rope has a kink in it!' and his companion Junkyard responding in a worried and anxious tone 'What?'. So from all of this you get the idea that there are real dangers and challenges to face.
Some of the things that stand out most to me are as follows;
At the asylum (Raven Hill was it?) the suitcases that had an inventory of patient’s belongings was a poignant reminder of forgotten history.
Fascinating stuff, the Botanics Garden and such. I gathered it was a freeway overpass or some such, but I could be wrong. The lush vegetation really struck me with the feeling I have during so many haunts; Life will find a way. The proverbial rose from the concrete as it were.
Slim Jim is one eccentric, super smart guy. One of his great lines "I'm all about traffic efficiency." Another is "Pittsburg is one of my favorite cities because of its unique and intricate road system." What a total riot! The guy has got maps and maps and look, under the bed more maps! Again, not accurately quoted so Slim if you read this sorry man. You still rock on despite your oddness, which is what it's all about!
And of course Max Action, a man after my own heart. I came up punk rock, Stay drunk Stay Punk! Though I will never meet him I feel instantly that he is a kindred spirit. We even dress similar. And there were the sewers under Hamm’s Brewery. The scene that got every single lame in the audience shrieking and gagging. Snotcicles! Priceless! And then as soon as they were disgusted they became concerned and worried at the recounting of Slim Jim, Max and BHV-Fred as they realized they were deep into bad air country. As they began to recount the fear of loosing consciousness and drowning in four feet of raw unprocessed sewage there was not a person in the audience who did not feel the danger.
The rocket tube in the Florida Everglades. I am just jealous over that. Great find Shane, and you got brass ones man.
If anyone has other questions please pm me and ask.
The man from Sillycone Valley
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tron_2.0
Location: Ohio
Gender: Male
| | | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 14 on 3/6/2007 4:18 AM >
| | | | Urban Exploration can be as public, or as private as you want it to be. Its an entirely personal activity, and if you feel that you would like to keep it that way, it can be as personal as you want it to be. On the other side of the spectrum-if you want to make a big deal about urban exploration, then do it. I could really care less about this "community." If urban exploration suddenly got gigantic, it wouldnt really bother me. I could still find locations and shoot them just like I do now. I seriously doubt it would get any easier or any more difficult. This whole debate is moot.
[quote][i]Posted by yokes[/i]
I find your lack of coziness.... disturbing.
[/quote] |
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old-fangled
Too pooped to pop.
| | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 15 on 3/6/2007 5:49 AM >
| | | | Posted by kowalski
Or to simplify matters a little, if you often use "UE" or "UEer" in conversation with a straight face, you're probably more embarrassing to my pursuit of exploration than nearly anything else this film might conceivably contain.
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oh...oh yes...you just made my night kowalski. my ears burn with embarrassment and annoyance everytime I read or hear the term UE.
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TurboZutek
King Dick
Location: Scotland
Gender: Male
Giant octo-penised rapephant
| | | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 16 on 3/6/2007 8:53 AM >
| | | | Posted by Sillycone
At the asylum (Raven Hill was it?) the suitcases that had an inventory of patient’s belongings was a poignant reminder of forgotten history.
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Ah yeah, RavensPark? Yes, that was a cracker: so glad we made it there!
http://www.turbozu...m/index.php?cat=14
Posted by Sillycone
Fascinating stuff, the Botanics Garden and such. I gathered it was a freeway overpass or some such, but I could be wrong.
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It was a railway station, at one point. Glasgow has the third oldest underground / rail system in the world and Botanics Garden was a major stop back in the day.
Good write up, thanks for that!
Can't wait to see the thing - I hear the film might be shown at the UE mecca that is Sheffield, UK (Sheffield ? Wtf!?) so maybe I'll see it there one day.
Chris...
We all had ostriches. My dad had an ostrich farm! I remember one day someone came in and said the high altitude bombing of Kosovo had been a limited success, so we all went out and celebrated… by killing an ostrich and boiling it in kiwi fruit. |
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desmet
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
| | | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 17 on 3/6/2007 1:58 PM >
| | | | Posted by Entre_Nous
oh...oh yes...you just made my night kowalski. my ears burn with embarrassment and annoyance everytime I read or hear the term UE.
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That was definitely an eye roller. I had a somewhat more pleasant response in mind until I read that. Now your vocabulary determines whether you're a good explorer or not....it never ends with this place.
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Air
Location: Canada
| | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 18 on 3/6/2007 2:16 PM >
| | | | Posted by Brind
I haven't seen it, but I can't imagine it having any sort of positive impact on the hobby. If anything, it's just going to bring more asshats into an activity that is already plagued by tourists, vandals, and thieves.
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With all the bad info, bad coordinates and such I doubt that people will just come and find stuff. Someone needs to take them there. Perhaps movies like this might cause a spike in the amount of people who go to the brickworks, but for harder to access spots, I doubt it.
"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist |
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Alias
Location: UK
Gender: Male
www.nicholas-ada ms.co.uk
| | | Re: Debate Urban Exploration: Into the Darkness Movie
<Reply # 19 on 3/7/2007 9:40 AM >
| | | | so...where can I get a copy from over here in the UK, or can I order one from you??
www.nicholas-adams.co.uk |
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