alcalde

It is so hard to believe it's been so long since this wonderful program first graced our television sets. Even harder to believe that I didn't get hooked until the fifth season.

I knew of it's existence, of course, but I thought what a lot of people did. "Buffy? C'mon... Buffy?!? The...VAMPIRE slayer??". So I discounted it until I was flipping around many, many channels of garbage and stopped on either Spike (the channel) or FX and paused because it was the most interesting thing on.

The episode was Listening to Fear, and although I thought it was a bit hokey, I was intrigued and began to watch regularly. The series was still airing new episodes at the time and even though I wanted to watch those, I wanted to have the entire experience before the finale. As I moved through season five, they aired the final episode and it took all my will not to watch.

Cable television did what cable television does, so at the end of the fifth season, they wrapped and began airing from episode one. I was hooked. No... that's not quite right. You get hooked on "things". Buffy was not... is not "a thing". This "mere" television show and it's wondrous cast of constantly developing characters were real. Honest. They were family, as many have said before.

I miss them all terribly, even though I still see or hear them it's not the same. I watched Repo: The Genetic Opera and I saw Giles. I watched Scooby Doo and saw Buffy. How I Met Your Mother? Willow.

Honestly, this wasn't just a good or even great show. It was an important show. The genius flowed down from Joss and permeated the beings of everyone who worked on the program. As much as I would love to see them all in character once more, I hope it never happens, because magic only happens once and even Joss could not top what he's already gifted the world with.

All I can say is, to Joss all the way down to "Best Boy" or the catering service, thank you for the best years television has ever seen. You should all be proud.

I first saw this film at my Sifu's house back in the early 80's. It is so thoroughly motivating to a young (then) martial artist! All of these warriors together (sort of) in one place. It is still amazing to me to watch these masters in the performance of their art, yet there is a sadness that comes with it.

Several years ago, Wesley Snipes produced and hosted a television special that honored many of the great masters featured in this film. Most notably, to me, was Moses Powell.

While some of the artists performed onstage during that special, many were simply too old to live up to their former glory. There were a couple of masters that were simply painful to watch.

I, in no way, deride their performance; I simply acknowledge the ache in my heart, knowing that we all get older and eventually become unable to do the things we once did. Even our heroes and idols grow old and infirm.

I am very glad, however, that their glory has been captured forever in films such as this one.

Peace, honor and respect to you, masters.

*bow*