memorial | Through the Shattered Lens

Earlier today came news that one of the legends of cinema passed away at the age of 93. Ray Harryhausen has been such an influential figure to many of the filmmakers, authors and artists working today. His stop-motion work and films were the fuel that fired up the imaginations of uncounted kids. I am one of those kids and even decades since I first saw my first Harryhausen film I still consider some of his works all-time favorites. His fantastical work will continue to fire up the imaginations of future children to come and maybe someone from those will grow up to be the next great fantasy filmmaker, author and artist.

There are so many scenes created by Harryhausen that it would be difficult to choose one for the latest “Scenes I Love”, but I will go with the scene I love best from the very first Harryhausen film I ever saw. I speak of the now classic “Skeleton Fight” sequence which provides the climactic scene for Jason and The Argonauts.

R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen.

Today marks a sad day for the metal world as Jeff Hanneman, guitarist and founding member of the metal band Slayer, passed away at the age of 49.

He now joins other metal gods (Burton, Dimebag, Bonham and Dio just to name a few) who were taken too soon up in Valhalla where, I sincerely hope, they’re starting up a jam session to create the metal supergroup of supergroups.

To commemorate and memorialize Hanneman’s impact on the metal scene these past 30 or so years I’d like to share my favorite Slayer song: “Seasons In The Abyss”.

R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman…

“Lo there do I see my father, Lo there do I see my mother, my Sisters and my brothers , Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning. Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever.”

Seasons In The Abyss

Razors edge
Outlines the dead
Incisions in my head
Anticipation the stimulation
To kill the exhilaration

(chorus:)
[part 1]
Close your eyes
Look deep in your soul
Step outside yourself
And let your mind go
Frozen eyes stare deep in your mind as you die

[part 2]
Close your eyes
And forget your name
Step outside yourself
And let your thoughts drain
As you go insane… [go] insane

Innate seed
To watch you bleed
A demanding physical need
Desecrated, eviscerated
Time perpetuated

Close your eyes
Look deep in your soul
Step outside yourself
And let your mind go
Frozen eyes stare deep in your mind as you die

Close your eyes… and forget your name
Step outside yourself… and let your thoughts drain
As you go insane… [go] insane

Inert flesh
A bloody tomb
A decorative splatter brightens the room
An execution a sadist ritual
Mad intervals of mind residuals

Close your eyes
Look deep in your soul
Step outside yourself
And let your mind go
Frozen eyes stare deep in your mind as you die

Close your eyes… and forget your name
Step outside yourself… and let your thoughts drain
As you go insane… [go] insane