September 4, 2008
Details, details
I would like to introduce you to one of my guilty little pleasures.
(Don’t give me that look—we all have them).
A few years ago I was channel-surfing, not really paying much attention. I noticed that I’d landed on a station that was showing a marionette-type program, something obviously meant for children.
And then I started watching…
I saw a tiny little service station attendant walk up to a tiny little sports car and fill the tiny little tank. Suddenly, the tiny little driver backed his car over the attendant who screamed in agony, his body flattened beneath the wheels, and the tiny little driver sped away without paying.
Oh yeah. I was immediately on board.
The show was called “Captain Scarlet”. It was produced in the 1960s, and featured something called Supermarionation. And they were not kidding.
There were tiny little people living in LIFELIKE tiny little homes, driving tiny little cars, flying tiny little jets. And whoever was in charge of making this thing was very fond of blowing things up—and yes, they were REAL explosions, and done very well.
I confess, I was fascinated. Tiny little guns fired tiny little bullets that left holes in tiny little bodies (when they weren’t wearing tiny bulletproof vests). Tiny little furniture with tiny little drawers that really opened. There were tiny little video screens, tiny little landscapes, tiny little waterfalls, tiny EVERYTHING, done in AMAZING detail.
Captain Scarlet was the hero with rugged jaw and blue eyes, who sounded amazingly like Cary Grant.
He, of course, had backup, which included the jet-flying Angels. Destiny Angel, a hawt little blonde, was obviously Scarlet’s favorite.
And then came the fateful day…
Captain Scarlet and his gang celebrated a victory. And there was Captain Scarlet dressed to the nines, coolly sipping a tiny flute of champage, and Destiny Angel, decked out in a skin-tight dress with a tiny feather boa. 
Naturally, I imagined the rest.
Captain Scarlet woud ply Destiny with champagne from his tiny little bottle. He’d slip into his tiny smoking jacket, fondle her pert, tiny breasts, proceed with a tiny bit of foreplay, then whip out his tiny little erection to the sound of her tiny, high-pitched cries…
The interesting thing is that, although I watched a number of the programs, and I remember that the detail was INCREDIBLE—I couldn’t tell you what ANY of the storylines were about.
Morals of this story?
1) Don’t get TOO bogged down in the details. You may impress your reader for a while, but overload is a distraction. The details should EMBELLISH the story, not overwhelm it. ![]()
2) You can come up with a blog that equates writing to just about ANYTHING if you try hard enough. ![]()



Now you’ve made me think of the doll’s house up in the attic and wondering what tiny ghosts move through its tiny, dusty rooms…
You can come up with a blog that equates writing to just about ANYTHING
this cracks me up more than the freaky doll show :-)
Good point, and a neat way to make it, Raine. :)
“then whip out his tiny little erection “
I could laugh at this phrase all day long. ::chortlechucklesnort::
But, good points made. I’ve skimmed a couple of books lately, and the parts I skimmed was detail stuff that showed the author had done their research, but really was kinda boring because those details did not advance the story/character arcs.
Now you’ve made me think of the doll’s house up in the attic and wondering what tiny ghosts move through its tiny, dusty rooms…
…Waiting for a tiny Lillie St. Claire to come and exorcise them…
this cracks me up more than the freaky doll show :-)
Marionettes, Dennie.
SUPERmarionation.
You don’t want Captain Scarlet coming after you.
Good point, and a neat way to make it, Raine.
Blogging CAN be fun.
…the parts I skimmed was detail stuff that showed the author had done their research, but really was kinda boring because those details did not advance the story/character arcs.
Ditto, Vanessa.
I recently read one that was set in a fairly exotic location. Lots of details for authenticity.
After a while, I found myself just reading the first sentence of every other paragraph. Don’t feel like I missed a thing.
I’ll be sure not to let those tiny little details bog me down. LOL! Cute post, Raine.
I’ll be sure not to let those tiny little details bog me down.
They also had tiny little bogs, Tanya. And tiny trains that went off tiny tracks, tiny forests, tiny cliffs…
OMG, I found it on youtube.
They also have a NEW Captain Scarlett. LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODrdH_vBPc
Squeee!! Omigod, you actually looked it up, lol.
SEE???
There’s a tiny little valise, tiny binoculars, HUGE exposions, tiny ambulances, tiny mortally wounded bodies—wheee!!
Oh I love all this tinyness. I remember Captain Scarlett, and how come no one has translated him to film yet? Despite his tiny parts, he was hot.
Suzanne, I love ya, lol!